US4611961A — Wheel harness and a method for mounting a wheel h…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 185 words

A wheel harness for securing a vehicle wheel to a support structure comprising: a loop strap adapted to extend over a top surface and along an inside face of the wheel; a hook strap adapted to extend across a vertically extending surface of the wheel and along the inside face thereof; a connecting section extending between and connecting together the loop and hook straps, and adapted to lie against the vertically extending surface of the wheel; and a lashing strap for connecting the loop and hook straps to the support structure; the loop, hook and lashing straps each including first and second ends; the first ends of the loop, hook and lashing straps being connected together to form a strap junction; the loop strap including at least one means adjacent the second end thereof for receiving the second end of the hook strap to form an apex of an angle located at an outer circumference of the wheel to be secured, with the second end of the hook strap adapted to secure the apex thus formed to the lashing strap at the wheel's outer circumference.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 185 words

A wheel harness for securing a vehicle wheel to a support structure comprising: a loop strap adapted to extend over a top surface and along an inside face of the wheel; a hook strap adapted to extend across a vertically extending surface of the wheel and along the inside face thereof; a connecting section extending between and connecting together the loop and hook straps, and adapted to lie against the vertically extending surface of the wheel; and a lashing strap for connecting the loop and hook straps to the support structure; the loop, hook and lashing straps each including first and second ends; the first ends of the loop, hook and lashing straps being connected together to form a strap junction; the loop strap including at least one means adjacent the second end thereof for receiving the second end of the hook strap to form an apex of an angle located at an outer circumference of the wheel to be secured, with the second end of the hook strap adapted to secure the apex thus formed to the lashing strap at the wheel's outer circumference.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 51 words

A wheel harness according to claim 1 wherein: the first end of the lashing strap includes a loop; the first ends of the loop and hook straps are connected together to form a continuous band; and the continuous band extends through the loop at the first end of the lashing strap.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 21 words

A wheel harness according to claim 2 wherein the first ends of the loop and hook straps are integrally connected together.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 30 words

A wheel harness according to claim 1 wherein the lashing strap includes: a fixed-length strap portion; an adjustable-length strap portion; and a buckle connecting together the fixed-length and adjustable-length portions.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 21 words

A wheel harness according to claim 1 wherein the loop strap includes a plurality of loops adjacent the second end thereof.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 52 words

A wheel harness according to claim 1 wherein the connecting section includes first and second cross straps: (i) extending between and connecting together the loop and hook straps; (ii) crossing over each other between the loop and hook straps, and (iii) adapted to lie against the vertically extending surface of the wheel.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 35 words

A wheel harness according to claim 1 further comprising first and second sleeves mounted on the loop and hook straps respectively, between the connecting section and the second ends of the loop and hook straps.

Claim 9

Independent Claim 159 words

A method for mounting a wheel harness on a vehicle wheel, the harness comprising loop, hook and lashing straps connected together at a common strap junction, and a connecting section extending between and connecting together the hook and loop straps, the vehicle wheel including opposite, first and second vertically extending surfaces, the method comprising the steps of: locating the common strap junction adjacent an outside face of the wheel; placing the connecting section on the first vertically extending surface of the wheel; wrapping the hook strap across the first vertically extending surface of the wheel and along an inside face thereof; wrapping the loop strap over a top surface of the wheel and along the inside face thereof; slipping the hook strap through a loop on the loop strap; pulling the hook strap across the second vertically extending surface of the wheel; wrapping the hook strap around the lashing strap; and connecting the hook strap to the loop strap.

Claim 10

Independent Claim 159 words

A method for mounting a wheel harness on a vehicle wheel, the harness comprising loop, hook and lashing straps connected together at a common strap junction, and a connecting section extending between and connecting together the hook and loop straps, the vehicle wheel including opposite, first and second vertically extending surfaces, the method comprising the steps of: locating the common strap junction adjacent an outside face of the wheel; placing the connecting section on the first vertically extending surface of the wheel; wrapping the hook strap across the first vertically extending surface of the wheel and along an inside face thereof; wrapping the loop strap over a top surface of the wheel and along the inside face thereof; slipping the hook strap through a loop on the loop strap; pulling the hook strap across the second vertically extending surface of the wheel; wrapping the hook strap around the lashing strap; and connecting the hook strap to the loop strap.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 41 words

A method according to claim 8 wherein the step of wrapping the hook strap across the first vertically extending surface of the wheel includes the step of wrapping the hook strap across the first vertically extending surface, below the connecting section.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 53 words

A method according to claim 9 for use with a wheel mounted on an axle, and wherein the step of pulling the hook strap across the second vertically extending surface of the wheel includes the step of pulling the hook strap across the second vertically extending surface, below the level of the axle.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 51 words

A method according to claim 10 wherein the step of wrapping the loop strap over the top surface of the wheel includes the step of extending the loop strap along the inside face of the wheel, on the side of the axle adjacent the second vertically extending surface of the wheel.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 33 words

A method according to claim 11 wherein the step of connecting the hook strap to the loop strap includes the step of hooking the hook strap onto the loop on the loop strap.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 33 words

A method according to claim 12 further comprising the step of aligning the wheel harness on the wheel, the aligning step including the step of aligning the common strap junction with the axle.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 88 words

A method according to claim 13 wherein the loop, hook and lashing straps have connected first ends forming the common strap junction, and wherein: the step of connecting the hook strap to the loop strap includes the step of connecting a second end of the hook strap to the loop strap; and the step of aligning the wheel harness on the wheel further includes the step of positioning the second end of the hook strap against a central area of the second vertically extending surface of the wheel.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 25 words

A method according to claim 8 further comprising the step of connecting the lashing strap to a vehicle support structure to secure the wheel thereto.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 135 words

A wheel harness for securing a vehicle wheel to a support structure comprising; a lashing strap for connecting the wheel harness to the support structure; a band having a mid portion connected to the lashing strap and further having first and second sections extending therefrom; and tire engaging means connected to and extending between the first and second sections of the band to engage a surface of the vehicle wheel; the first section of the band including at least one means adjacent an end thereof for receiving an end of the second section of the band to thereby form an apex of an angle located adjacent an outer circumference of the wheel to be secured, with the second section adapted to secured the apex thus formed to the lashing strap at the wheel's outer circumference.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 135 words

A wheel harness for securing a vehicle wheel to a support structure comprising; a lashing strap for connecting the wheel harness to the support structure; a band having a mid portion connected to the lashing strap and further having first and second sections extending therefrom; and tire engaging means connected to and extending between the first and second sections of the band to engage a surface of the vehicle wheel; the first section of the band including at least one means adjacent an end thereof for receiving an end of the second section of the band to thereby form an apex of an angle located adjacent an outer circumference of the wheel to be secured, with the second section adapted to secured the apex thus formed to the lashing strap at the wheel's outer circumference.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 31 words

A wheel harness according to claim 16 wherein a first end of the lashing strap forms a loop, and the band extends therethrough to connect the band to the lashing strap.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 39 words

A wheel harness according to claim 17 wherein the tire engaging means includes first and second cross straps extending between the first and second sections of the band, and crossing over each other between said first and second sections.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 81 words

A wheel harness according to claim 18 wherein: the first section of the band includes a plurality of loops adjacent the end of said first section; the lashing strap includes an adjustable length portion; and the means to further connect the second section of the band to said end of the first section of the band includes a hook to connect the second section of the band to a selected one of the loops adjacent the end of the first section.

Claim 23

Independent Claim 176 words

A method for mounting a wheel harness on a vehicle wheel, the harness comprising of first, second and lashing strap connected together at a common strap junction, and a connecting section extending between and connecting together the first and second straps, the vehicle wheel including an axle and first and second opposed circumferential surfaces, the method comprising the steps of: (a) locating the common strap junction adjacent an outside face of the wheel; (b) placing the connecting section on the first opposing circumferential surface of the wheel; (c) wrapping the first strap along an inside vertically extending surface of the wheel below the wheel axle; (d) wrapping the second strap across the inside vertically extending surface of the wheel above the wheel axle; (e) securing the first strap to th second strap to form an apex of an angle adjacent the second opposing circumferential surface of said wheel; (f) wrapping the first strap around the lashing strap to secure the apex thus formed to the lashing strap at the second opposing circumferential surface of the wheel.

Claim 24

Independent Claim 176 words

A method for mounting a wheel harness on a vehicle wheel, the harness comprising of first, second and lashing strap connected together at a common strap junction, and a connecting section extending between and connecting together the first and second straps, the vehicle wheel including an axle and first and second opposed circumferential surfaces, the method comprising the steps of: (a) locating the common strap junction adjacent an outside face of the wheel; (b) placing the connecting section on the first opposing circumferential surface of the wheel; (c) wrapping the first strap along an inside vertically extending surface of the wheel below the wheel axle; (d) wrapping the second strap across the inside vertically extending surface of the wheel above the wheel axle; (e) securing the first strap to th second strap to form an apex of an angle adjacent the second opposing circumferential surface of said wheel; (f) wrapping the first strap around the lashing strap to secure the apex thus formed to the lashing strap at the second opposing circumferential surface of the wheel.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1989-09-15	1990-03-17	1990-09-16	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1993-09-15	1994-03-17	1994-09-16	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1997-09-15	1998-03-17	1998-09-16	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Wheel harness and a method for mounting a wheel harness on a wheel

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