Irrigation system propulsion wheels and methods of making
AssigneeMatthew E. Welsh
InventorMatthew E. Welsh
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Wheels adapted to roll on and across surfaces of fields, for example, as part of irrigation systems of types used in agricultural applications. Such a wheel has an axis of rotation, a center portion comprising a central hub concentrically disposed on the axis of the wheel and multiple spokes radiating from the central hub, and a tread portion circumscribing the center portion. A radially outermost extent of each spoke terminates at a spade that is oriented parallel to the axis of the wheel. The tread portion includes tread plates, each located between and attached to adjacent pairs of the spokes. The spades protrude radially outward between and beyond adjacent pairs of the tread plates.
Claims13
A wheel comprising:
- an axis of rotation;
- a center portion comprising a central hub portion concentrically disposed on the axis of the wheel and multiple spokes radiating from the central hub portion, a radially innermost extent of each spoke extending from the central hub portion and lying in a plane that is perpendicular to the axis of the wheel, a radially outermost extent of each spoke terminating at a spade that is oriented parallel to the axis of the wheel, each spoke having an approximately ninety-degree twist extending from the innermost extent to the outermost extent thereof;
- and
- a tread portion circumscribing the center portion, the tread portion comprising tread plates each having a tread surface region, each of the tread plates being between and attached to adjacent pairs of the spokes, the spades of the center portion protruding radially outward between and beyond adjacent pairs of the tread plates.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.