Article for protecting lugs and lug nuts from corrosion and freezing
OwnerDavid E. Insinnainventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An article of manufacture for protecting the lug nuts retaining wheels or rims of vehicles, particularly boat trailers and the like, from corrosion and, ultimately, freezing of the lug nuts, consisting of a flexible, water-impermeable cylindrical cap open at one end and adapted to be positioned over each lug/lug nut assembly securing the wheel or rim to the hub of the vehicle, the cap having an open end for positioning the cap over the lug/lug nut assembly, the end of the cap opposed from the open end being closed, the cap containing a viscous reagent for protecting the lug/lug nut assembly against corrosion prior to being positioned over the lug/lug nut assembly; and lug/lug nut assemblies including same.
Claims14
An enclosure for protecting lug-lug nut assemblies adapted to hold a rim or a wheel on the hub of a vehicle, consisting of a flexible cap made of a moisture-and liquid-impermeable material, the cap having an open end so that the cap can be slipped over the assembly, the cap being of a width which will snugly engage the lug nut and of a length such that it can be inserted until the cap covers at least that portion of the lug extending through the lug nut as well as the lug;
- the cap being at least partially filled with a viscous protectant against environmental forces that can cause freezing of the lug nut, the amount of protectant in the cap prior to insertion over the assembly being sufficient to cover the lug nut and at least that portion of the lug extending through the lug nut.
A method of protecting the lugs and lug nuts of a motor vehicle subjected to the corrosive forces of moisture and water against corrosion and freezing comprising the steps of:
- (1) covering each lug nut and at least the portion of the lug extending through the lug nut to removably mount a rim or a wheel on the vehicle with an enclosure consisting of:
- (a) inserting a flexible cap made of a moisture- and liquid-impermeable material and having an open end over each lug of a lug-lug nut assembly to be protected through the open end of the cap, the cap being of a width which can snugly engage the lug nut and of a length such that it can be advanced through the open end of the cap to enclose both the lug nut and at least that portion of the lug extending through the lug nut to secure a wheel or a rim of the vehicle mounted onto the lug, the cap being at least partially filled with a viscous protectant against environmental forces that can cause corrosion and freezing of the lug nut to the lug, the amount of protectant in the cap prior to insertion being sufficient to cover the lug nut and at least that portion of the lug extending through the lug nut;
- and
- (b) advancing the cap over the lug-lug nut assembly to at least enclose the lug nut.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.