Single and dual wheel configuration for vehicles

Claim 2

For use in a motor vehicle having a rotatable drum and circular array of wheel studs, a vehicle wheel mounting system comprising: a cylindrical adapter hub having a cylindrical body defining inner and outer surfaces and first and second ends, a drum flange extending inwardly from said first end and defining a first plurality of apertures spaced in a circular array corresponding to that of said wheel studs, said wheel studs passing through said first plurality of apertures, a wheel mounting flange, extending outwardly from said outer surface near said second end, defining a second plurality of apertures arranged in a circular array, and an alignment surface having a predetermined outer diameter and extending from said wheel mounting flange to said second end; a first plurality threaded fasteners cooperating with said plurality of wheel studs to secure said drum flange to said rotatable drum; a first wheel having first tire supporting means for receiving and supporting a first tire and defining a substantially planar first hub mounting surface configured to be mateable with said wheel mounting flange and defining a third plurality of apertures spaced in a circular array corresponding to that of said second plurality of apertures in said wheel mounting flange, and a first centering aperture centered within said wheel and having a predetermined inner diameter; a first plurality of threaded bolts passing through said second and third pluralities of apertures; and a second plurality of threaded fasteners cooperating with said first plurality of bolts when said wheel is mounted to said cylindrical adapter hub to secure said first hub mounting surface to said wheel mounting flange, said alignment surface extending through said first centering aperture to center and support said first wheel with respect to said cylindrical adapter hub; said circular array of said wheel studs said first, second and third pluralities of apertures, said first centering aperture and said alignment surface all being substantially concentric.

Claim 3

A vehicle mounting system as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said apertures in said first plurality of apertures define a chamfered surface and wherein said threaded fasteners in said first plurality of threaded fasteners each define a cone shaped surface, said chamfers and cone shaped surfaces cooperating to accurately center and securely maintain said cylindrical hub adapter with respect to said circular array of wheel studs.

Claim 4

A vehicle mounting system as set forth in claim 2 wherein said wheel defines an axis of rotation extending through its center and wherein said first tire supporting means and said first hub mounting surface are offset in the direction of said axis of rotation, by a predetermined distance and wherein said first wheel includes: a wheel web defining a generally cone shaped member having a larger outer diameter attached to said tire supporting means and a smaller inner diameter attached to said first hub mounting surface.

Claim 5

A vehicle mounting system as set forth in claim 3 wherein said first wheel has a substantially constant material thickness in the region of said first hub mounting surface and wherein said wheel mounting flange is spaced from said second end of said cylindrical hub adapter by a distance exceeding twice said material thickness.

Claim 6

A vehicle mounting system as set forth in claim 4 further including a second wheel having second tire supporting means, a second centering aperture, and a second hub mounting surface defining a fourth plurality of apertures, said second wheel being of identical construction as said first wheel and mounted to said cylindrical adapter hub in such manner that said alignment surface extends through said second centering aperture and said second tire supporting means is offset from said second hub mounting surface in the direction along said axis of rotation opposite to the offset between said first tire supporting means and said first hub mounting surface.

Claim 7

A vehicle mounting system as set forth in claim 5 wherein said first plurality of threaded bolts extends through said second, third and fourth pluralities of apertures and wherein said second plurality of threaded fasteners cooperate with said first plurality of threaded bolts to mutually secure said first and second hub mounting surfaces and said wheel mounting flange.

Claim 8

A vehicle mounting system as set forth in claim 6 wherein said wheel webs define cooling apertures.

Claim 9

A vehicle mounting system for use in combination with a vehicle having wheel mounting means which include a substantially planar surface supporting a plurality of outwardly extending wheel studs equally spaced in a circular array, said vehicle mounting system comprising: an adapter including, a hollow cylindrical body defining first and second ends, a hub flange extending inwardly from said first end and defining a first plurality of apertures spaced in a circular array corresponding to that of said wheel studs, a wheel flange extending outwardly from said cylindrical body and attached thereto spaced from said second end and defining a second plurality of apertures equally spaced in a circular array, an alignment surface extending from said wheel flange to said second end and having a predetermined outside diameter, said alignment surface and said circular arrays of first and second pluralities of apertures being concentric; a first plurality of threaded fasteners compatible with said wheel studs; a first plurality of bolts press fitted within said second plurality of apertures and extending toward said second end; a second plurality of threaded fasteners compatible with said first plurality of bolts; said adapter being assembled to said vehicle wheel mounting means by passing said first plurality of apertures over said wheel studs and tightening said first plurality of threaded fasteners upon said wheel studs to secure said hub flange against said substantially planar surface; and a wheel having, means for receiving and supporting a tire, a generally cone shaped web portion extending inwardly from said means for receiving and supporting a tire and defining a centering aperture located in the center of said wheel, and a hub mounting surface encircling said centering aperture, said hub mounting surface being compatible with said substantially planar surface and defining a third plurality of apertures; said wheel being assembled to said adapter by passing said alignment surface through said centering aperture whereby said alignment surface aligns and supports said wheel and said first plurality of bolts through said third plurality of apertures until said wheel flange abuts said hub mounting surface and tightening said second plurality of threaded fasteners upon said second plurality of bolts to secure said wheel flange to said hub mounting surface.

Claim 10

A vehicle mounting system for use in combination with a vehicle having wheel mounting means which include a substantially planar surface supporting a plurality of outwardly extending wheel studs equally spaced in a circular array, said vehicle mounting system comprising: an adapter including, a hollow cylindrical body defining first and second ends, a hub flange extending inwardly from said first end and defining a first plurality of apertures spaced in a circular array corresponding to that of said wheel studs, a wheel flange extending outwardly from said cylindrical body and attached thereto spaced from said second end and defining a second plurality of apertures equally spaced in a circular array, an alignment surface extending from said wheel flange to said second end and having a predetermined outside diameter, said alignment surface and said circular arrays of first and second pluralities of apertures being concentric; a first plurality of threaded fasteners compatible with said wheel studs; a first plurality of bolts press fitted within said second plurality of apertures and extending toward said second end; a second plurality of threaded fasteners compatible with said first plurality of bolts; said adapter being assembled to said vehicle wheel mounting means by passing said first plurality of apertures over said wheel studs and tightening said first plurality of threaded fasteners upon said wheel studs to secure said hub flange against said substantially planar surface; and a wheel having, means for receiving and supporting a tire, a generally cone shaped web portion extending inwardly from said means for receiving and supporting a tire and defining a centering aperture located in the center of said wheel, and a hub mounting surface encircling said centering aperture, said hub mounting surface being compatible with said substantially planar surface and defining a third plurality of apertures; said wheel being assembled to said adapter by passing said alignment surface through said centering aperture whereby said alignment surface aligns and supports said wheel and said first plurality of bolts through said third plurality of apertures until said wheel flange abuts said hub mounting surface and tightening said second plurality of threaded fasteners upon said second plurality of bolts to secure said wheel flange to said hub mounting surface.

Claim 11

A vehicle mounting system as set forth in claim 8 further including a second wheel substantially identical to said first wheel wherein said first and second wheels are each supported upon said alignment surface and have their respective web portions oppositely oriented to permit their respective hub mounting surfaces to meet and wherein said second plurality of bolts extends through the apertures in the hub mounting surfaces of said first and second wheels to secure said first and second wheels serially to said wheel flange in a dual wheel arrangement.

Claim 12

A wheel and hub adapter combination for use on a motor vehicle having four wheel mounting structures each having a planar rotatable wheel receiving surface and a plurality of outwardly extending wheel studs spaced in a circular array, said wheel and hub adapter combination permitting a plurality of wheels having a common structure to be used at all four wheel mounting structures and permitting said wheels to be combined in pairs on said wheel mounting structures to form dual wheel configurations, said wheel and hub adapter combination comprising: four hub adapters each having means for being securely mounted to one of said wheel mounting structures and each defining a cylindrical center alignment surface having a predetermined outside diameter; six commonly constructed wheels each having means for supporting a tire and each having a center aperture having an inside diameter selected to provide a precision fit to said cylindrical center alignment surface of said hub adapters; and retainer means for laterally securing one or more of said wheels to said wheel mounting structures; said commonly structured wheels being selectively mountable to said hub adapters either singly or in pairs by sliding said center aperture of each wheel over said cylindrical center alignment surface of said hub adapters and engaging said retainer means whereby said wheels are laterally secured by said retainer means and radially maintained, supported and aligned by the cooperation of said cylindrical center alignment surfaces and said center apertures of said wheels.

Claim 13

A wheel and hub adapter combination for use on a motor vehicle having four wheel mounting structures each having a planar rotatable wheel receiving surface and a plurality of outwardly extending wheel studs spaced in a circular array, said wheel and hub adapter combination permitting a plurality of wheels having a common structure to be used at all four wheel mounting structures and permitting said wheels to be combined in pairs on said wheel mounting structures to form dual wheel configurations, said wheel and hub adapter combination comprising: four hub adapters each having means for being securely mounted to one of said wheel mounting structures and each defining a cylindrical center alignment surface having a predetermined outside diameter; six commonly constructed wheels each having means for supporting a tire and each having a center aperture having an inside diameter selected to provide a precision fit to said cylindrical center alignment surface of said hub adapters; and retainer means for laterally securing one or more of said wheels to said wheel mounting structures; said commonly structured wheels being selectively mountable to said hub adapters either singly or in pairs by sliding said center aperture of each wheel over said cylindrical center alignment surface of said hub adapters and engaging said retainer means whereby said wheels are laterally secured by said retainer means and radially maintained, supported and aligned by the cooperation of said cylindrical center alignment surfaces and said center apertures of said wheels.