Low-tire indicator for wheeled vehicles

An apparatus to indicate the presence of an under-pressurized pneumatic tire for a vehicle with an axle and a wheel, which said wheel rotates in a plane of rotation about the axle, and upon which said wheel the pneumatic tire is mounted, which said pneumatic tire supports the vehicle, which said pneumatic tire rides upon a travelling surface, and which both said pneumatic tire and said vehicle move in a generally forward direction of travel, comprising:

• a housing, with an interior, exterior, a mounting base, and an opening
• adapted to be positioned next to the axle for the wheel of the vehicle, having a mounting means comprising at least one C-shaped clamp on the mounting base for a fixable attachment of the housing upon the axle for the wheel of the vehicle, and
• made of an electrically non-conductive material,
• a cap, with an interior surface and an exterior surface,
• having an aperture which extends from the exterior surface to the interior surface,
• means to attach the cap to the housing, and
• made of an electrically non-conductive material
• a resilient sealing means for hermetically sealing the interior of the housing,
• a shaft, with a proximal end, a distal end, a longitudinal axis, and a body, extending through the aperture of cap,
• a probe element,
• with a first end, attached to the distal end of the shaft,
• with a second end, distal from the first end,
• mounted at an acute angle relative to the perpendicular of the generally forward direction of travel of the vehicle and within a plane parallel to the plane of rotation of the wheel,
• which is adjustably attached to the shaft so that the distance from the second end of the probe to the travelling surface is adjustable, and
• which is made from a non-conductive material, such as ultra-high molecular polyethylene, which will not generate sparks when in contact with the travelling surface, and
• a bracket mounted at the proximal end of the shaft,
• an electrical switching element,
• which is attached to the bracket, and
• which is activated by a movement of the probe element opposite from the generally forward direction of travel of the vehicle and within a plane parallel to the plane of rotation of the wheel,
• at least one retaining element attached to the interior surface of the cap for engaging the bracket and the electrical switching element, and
• electrically-powered alarms,
• electrically attached to the electrical switching element by an electrical circuit, comprising at least one light-emitting electrical lamp and at least one audio-tone generator.