US 12,679,137 B2Granted

Wheel restraining apparatus for a trailer axle

AssigneeWheelSafe Technology, Inc.

InventorWilliam E. Turner

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Abstract

An apparatus for restraining wheel assemblies mounted on an axle assembly. The apparatus comprises a tether assembly and a tensioning mechanism. The tether assembly is extendible through a passage of an axle body and comprises a flexible cable, a first cable end attached to one end of the cable, and a second cable end attached to the other end of the cable. The tensioning mechanism is coupled to the second cable end and includes a first wheel threadingly connected to the second cable end, and a second wheel rotatably coupled to the first wheel in a way that rotation of the second wheel imparts rotational movement to the first wheel to cause the second cable end to move axially away from the first cable end until a preselected tension is applied to the cable upon which the second wheel freewheels relative to the first wheel.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An apparatus for restraining at least a first wheel assembly and a second wheel assembly mounted on an axle assembly wherein the axle assembly comprises an axle body with a first end, a second end, and a passage extending through the axle body from the first end to the second end, a first wheel end assembly rotatably mounted on the first end of the axle body, and a second wheel end assembly rotatably mounted on the second end of the axle body, the first wheel assembly mountable on the first wheel end assembly and the second wheel assembly mountable on the second wheel end assembly, the apparatus comprising:

a tether assembly extendible through the passage of the axle body and comprising:
a flexible cable having a first end and a second end;
a first cable end attached to the first end of the cable and rotatably securable to the first wheel end assembly;
and
a second cable end attached to the second end of the cable and rotatably securable to the second wheel end assembly;
and
a tensioning mechanism coupled to the second cable end, the tensioning mechanism comprising:
a first wheel threadingly connected to the second cable end;
and
a second wheel rotatably coupled to the first wheel in a way that rotation of the second wheel imparts rotational movement to the first wheel to cause the second cable end to move axially away from the first cable end until a preselected tension is applied to the cable upon which the second wheel freewheels relative to the first wheel.

7 more elements

An axle assembly, comprising

an axle body with a first end, a second end, and a passage extending through the axle body from the first end to the second end;
a first wheel end assembly rotatably mounted on the first end of the axle body and configured to receive at least a first wheel assembly;
a second wheel end assembly rotatably mounted on the second end of the axle body and configured to receive at least a second wheel assembly;
a tether assembly extending through the passage of the axle body and comprising:
a flexible cable having a first end and a second end;
a first cable end attached to the first end of the cable and rotatably attached to the first wheel end assembly;
and
a second cable end attached to the second end of the cable and rotatably attached to the second wheel end assembly;
and
a tensioning mechanism coupled to the second cable end, the tensioning mechanism comprising:
a first wheel threadingly connected to the second cable end;
and
a second wheel rotatably coupled to the first wheel in a way that rotation of the second wheel imparts rotational movement to the first wheel to cause the second cable end to move axially away from the first cable end until a preselected tension is applied to the cable upon which the second wheel freewheels relative to the first wheel.

10 more elements

A method of restraining at least a first wheel assembly and a second wheel assembly mounted on an axle assembly comprising an axle body with a first end, a second end, and a passage extending through the axle body from the first end to the second end, a first wheel end assembly rotatably mounted on the first end of the axle body, and a second wheel end assembly rotatably mounted on the second end of the axle body, each of the first wheel end assembly and the second wheel assembly having a base hub, the first wheel assembly mounted on the first wheel end assembly and the second wheel assembly mounted on the second wheel end assembly, the method comprising:

extending a tether assembly through the passage of the axle body, the tether assembly comprising a flexible cable having a first end and a second end, a first cable end attached to the first end of the cable, and a second cable end attached to the second end of the cable;
rotatably securing the first cable end to the first wheel end assembly;
and
rotatably securing the second cable end to the second wheel end assembly;
and
moving the second cable end axially away from the first cable end until a preselected tension is applied to the cable.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.