Spokeless wheel and shroud therefor

Claim 2

A rotor and supporting shroud comprising means defining a rotor shroud, an annular rotor disposed within said shroud for rotation relative to said shroud, a plurality of centering bearings circumferentially spaced within said shroud, said centering bearings acting on said rotor to confine said rotor to one plane of rotation within said shroud, said centering bearings comprising rollers disposed in rolling engagement with said rotor, a plurality of circumferentially spaced load sustaining roller bearings for retaining said rotor within said shroud, means for resiliently mounting said load sustaining roller bearings to said shroud whereby said resiliently mounted bearings absorb the impact forces imparted to said rotor as said rotor rolls over said ground. wherein said annular shaped rotor includes inner and outer flanges interconnected by a web portion whereby said rotor is generally I-shaped in cross-section, and said rolling bearings are disposed in rolling engagement with said rotor on opposite sides of said web portion and between said inner and outer flanges,

Claim 3

A rotor and supporting shroud comprising means defining a rotor shroud, a rotor disposed within said shroud for rotation relative to said shroud, a plurality of centering bearings circumferentially placed within said shroud, said centering bearings acting on said rotor to confine said rotor to one plane of rotation within said shroud, a plurality of circumferentially spaced rolling bearings for retaining said rotor within said shroud, means for resiliently mounting said rolling bearings to said shroud whereby said resiliently mounted bearings absorb the impact forces imparted to said rotor as said rotor rolls over said ground, and said rotor includes spaced inner and outer flanges interconnected by a web portion whereby said rotor is generally I-shaped in cross section, and said rolling bearings are disposed in rolling engagement with said rotor on opposite sides of said web portion, and wherein said centering bearings comprise rollers disposed in rolling engagement with at least one of said flanges of said rotor.

Claim 4

A rotor and supporting shroud comprising means defining a rotor shroud, a rotor disposed within said shroud for rotation relative to said shroud, a plurality of centering bearings circumferentially placed within said shroud, said centering bearings acting on said rotor to confine said rotor to one plane of rotation within said shroud, a plurality of circumferentially spaced rolling bearings for retaining said rotor within said shroud, means for resiliently mounting said rolling bearings to said shroud whereby said resiliently mounted bearings absorb the impact forces imparted to said rotor as said rotor rolls over said ground, and said rotor includes spaced inner and outer flanges interconnected by a web portion whereby said rotor is generally I-shaped in cross section, and said rolling bearings are disposed in rolling engagement with said rotor on opposite sides of said web portion, and wherein said centering bearings comprise rollers disposed in rolling engagement with at least one of said flanges of said rotor.

Claim 5

The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said resilient mounting means for each of said bearings comprises a resilient zig-zag spring.

Claim 6

The invention as defined in claim 3 and including means for fixedly securing one end of said zig-zag spring to said shroud, and said roller bearing being attached to the other end of said zig-zag spring.

Claim 7

The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein said rolling bearing is disposed in rolling engagement with said rotor at an angle of less than 90° to the rotor.

Claim 8

The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said shroud means comprises a pair of mateable members, each of said members having an annular side wall portion, and a connected laterally extending top defining wall portion, said top wall portion extending over at least the upper half portion of said shroud, and said rotor extending beyond the lower half of said side wall portion.

Claim 9

The invention as defined in claim 6 and including a solid tire contiguous with the periphery of said rotor.

Claim 10

The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said shroud means comprises a pair of complementary members having a side wall portion and a connected top wall portion, said members extending over an arcuate portion of said wheel to define a shroud for only a circumferential upper portion of said rotor, and means for securing said shroud members together.

Claim 11

The invention as defined in claim 2 and including means for detachably securing said centering bearings to said rotor shroud.

Claim 12

The invention as defined in claim 6 wherein said pair of shroud members are identical in form.

Claim 13

The invention as defined in claim 6 wherein said shroud members are formed of synthetic resin.

Claim 14

The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said resilient mounting means are formed of a plastic material.

Claim 15

A rotor and supporting shroud comprising: a rotor shroud, said rotor shroud including a pair of complementary shroud members, each of said shroud members having a side wall portion and a connected top portion, means for securing said shroud members together, a rotor disposed within said wheel shroud, said rotor being generally I-shaped in cross section having an inner and outer flange interconnected by a web portion, a plurality of oppositely disposed centering bearings journalled on said shroud members, said centering bearings being circumferentially placed about said shroud, and said centering bearings being in rolling engagement with the inner flange of said rotor to laterally stabilize said rotor in its plane of rotation, a series of load sustaining rolling bearings disposed in rolling engagement with said rotor, said rolling bearings being circumferentially placed in pairs about said shroud so as to be disposed on opposite sides of said rotor, means for resiliently mounting each of said rolling bearings, said resilient means comprising a zig-zag spring, means for securing one end of said spring to a shroud member, and said roller bearing being connected to the other end of said spring at an angle thereto whereby said roller bearing is disposed in rolling engagement with said rotor at an angle less than 90° to the rotational plane of said rotor.

Claim 16

A rotor and supporting shroud comprising: a rotor shroud, said rotor shroud including a pair of complementary shroud members, each of said shroud members having a side wall portion and a connected top portion, means for securing said shroud members together, a rotor disposed within said wheel shroud, said rotor being generally I-shaped in cross section having an inner and outer flange interconnected by a web portion, a plurality of oppositely disposed centering bearings journalled on said shroud members, said centering bearings being circumferentially placed about said shroud, and said centering bearings being in rolling engagement with the inner flange of said rotor to laterally stabilize said rotor in its plane of rotation, a series of load sustaining rolling bearings disposed in rolling engagement with said rotor, said rolling bearings being circumferentially placed in pairs about said shroud so as to be disposed on opposite sides of said rotor, means for resiliently mounting each of said rolling bearings, said resilient means comprising a zig-zag spring, means for securing one end of said spring to a shroud member, and said roller bearing being connected to the other end of said spring at an angle thereto whereby said roller bearing is disposed in rolling engagement with said rotor at an angle less than 90° to the rotational plane of said rotor.

Claim 17

A rotor and supporting shroud comprising: means defining a rotor shroud, a rotor defined as an annular member disposed within said shroud for rotation relative thereto, said annular member having a reduced cross-sectional portion between the inner and outer periphery thereof, and a plurality of spaced apart load sustaining rolling bearing means circumferentially spaced about said shroud for retaining said annular member within said hroud for relative rotation thereto, each of said load sustaining rolling bearing means including a pair of spaced apart bearings oppositely disposed to either side of said annular member, each of said pair of bearings being angled to engage the reduced cross sectional portion of said annular member, and means for resiliently mounting said bearings on said shroud for absorbing the impact forces imparted to said annular member as said annular member rolls over the ground.

Claim 18

A rotor and supporting shroud comprising: means defining a rotor shroud, a rotor defined as an annular member disposed within said shroud for rotation relative thereto, said annular member having a reduced cross-sectional portion between the inner and outer periphery thereof, and a plurality of spaced apart load sustaining rolling bearing means circumferentially spaced about said shroud for retaining said annular member within said hroud for relative rotation thereto, each of said load sustaining rolling bearing means including a pair of spaced apart bearings oppositely disposed to either side of said annular member, each of said pair of bearings being angled to engage the reduced cross sectional portion of said annular member, and means for resiliently mounting said bearings on said shroud for absorbing the impact forces imparted to said annular member as said annular member rolls over the ground.

Claim 19

A rotor and supporting shroud comprising means defining a rotor shroud, an annular rotor disposed within said shroud for rotation relative to said shroud, a plurality of centering bearings circumferentially spaced within said shroud, said centering bearings acting on said rotor with a lateral bias to confine said rotor to a vertical plane of rotation within said shroud, said centering bearings comprising rollers disposed on opposite sides of said rotor and disposed in rolling engagement with said rotor, a plurality of circumferentially spaced load sustaining roller bearings for retaining said rotor within said shroud, means for resiliently mounting each of said load sustaining roller bearings to said shroud whereby said resiliently mounted bearings absorb the impact forces imparted to said rotor as said rotor rolls over the ground, said roller bearings being circumferentially spaced about said shroud and rotor disposed therein so as to be disposed on opposite sides of said rotor.

Claim 20

A rotor and supporting shroud comprising means defining a rotor shroud, an annular rotor disposed within said shroud for rotation relative to said shroud, a plurality of centering bearings circumferentially spaced within said shroud, said centering bearings acting on said rotor with a lateral bias to confine said rotor to a vertical plane of rotation within said shroud, said centering bearings comprising rollers disposed on opposite sides of said rotor and disposed in rolling engagement with said rotor, a plurality of circumferentially spaced load sustaining roller bearings for retaining said rotor within said shroud, means for resiliently mounting each of said load sustaining roller bearings to said shroud whereby said resiliently mounted bearings absorb the impact forces imparted to said rotor as said rotor rolls over the ground, said roller bearings being circumferentially spaced about said shroud and rotor disposed therein so as to be disposed on opposite sides of said rotor.

Claim 21

The invention as defined in claim 15 and including a fork member attachable to said shroud for connecting said spokeless wheel to a vehicle, e.g., a bicycle.