Bearing support for wheel

Claim 1

A wheel assembly, comprising: a wheel having means defining a central opening extending axially therethrough, said central opening having a radially inwardly facing surface; an axially elongate spindle extending coaxially through said central opening and having thereon a first shoulder which faces into said central opening in a first axial direction and being oriented axially inwardly of said central opening from first and second axial ends of said central opening, said spindle additionally having at a location spaced in said first axial direction from said first shoulder thereon a second shoulder which faces in a second axial direction opposite said first axial direction and opposing said first shoulder, said second shoulder being oriented axially between said second axial end of said central opening through said wheel and said first shoulder; and retainer means for retaining said wheel on said spindle, said retainer means including: a first annular bearing member extending around and supported on said spindle at an axial location spaced in said second axial direction from said first shoulder, said first bearing member extending within said central opening, a radially outwardly extending flange adjacent one axial end of said first bearing member and having a diameter greater than said central opening, said first bearing member further including means defining a radially outwardly facing surface of lesser diameter than the diameter of said radial flange, said radially outwardly facing surface engaging and supporting said radially inwardly facing surface of said opening in said wheel at least in the region of said first axial end of said central opening, said first bearing member having a first resilient locking projection extending axially from said one axial end thereof in said first axial direction into said central opening and having a third shoulder which faces axially outwardly of said central opening in said second axial direction and which is engageable with the opposing said first shoulder on said spindle to retain said first bearing member on said spindle, an axially inwardly facing side of said radially outwardly extending flange bearing against an axially outwardly facing side on said wheel to retain said wheel on said bearing member; and a second annular bearing member identical to said first bearing member and which extends around and is supported on said spindle at an axial location spaced in said first axial direction from said second shoulder, said second bearing member engaging said wheel in the region of said second axial end of said central opening and having a second resilient locking projection with a fourth shoulder which faces in said first axial direction and which is engageable with said shoulder on said spindle to retain said second bearing member and said wheel on said spindle in a manner identical to said first bearing member.