Convertible wire wheel hub cover

Claim 1

In the combination of an automotive vehicle wheel having a bolt-on flange and a tire rim, and a wheel cover that includes: a hub cover in which a central axial opening is defined, and having an interior surface facing said bolt-on flange, an opposite exterior surface, and radially peripheral means for gripping said tire rim, a plate removably mounted in said central opening of said hub cover to bear against the interior surface thereof and having releasable fastening means thereon; a decorative basket seated upon said exterior surface of said hub cover, a retention ring located externally on said basket to cover the center of said basket and configured to seat thereon, and a non-locking hubcap for removable mounting externally of said retention ring at the center thereof and having fastening means releasably engageable with said fastening means of said plate for securing said hubcap and basket to said hub cover, a conversion kit for providing said wheel cover with a locking mechanism, comprising: a hub spacer defining a guide and secureable against said bolt-on flange interiorally of said hub cover in the absence of said plate to project axially toward said central opening of said hub cover; a fastener longitudinally constrained and laterally movable within said guide; a replacement hubcap for mounting in place of said non-locking hubcap and defining an exteriorally facing central axial recess forming a narrow bearing shoulder and a smaller diameter axial bore; lockable fastening means seated in said recess against said shoulder and engageable with said fastener in said guide and having a contoured interface surface; a removable locking key having a tubular body which seats snugly in said recess in engagement with said contoured interface surface of said lockable fastening means for engaging and disengaging said lockable fastening means to and from said fastener in said guide to lock and unlock said replacement hubcap, said retention ring, said basket and said hub cover relative to said hub spacer; and a cap mountable upon said replacement hubcap to conceal said recess.