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US 4,045,096 AGranted
Spokeless wheel and shroud therefor
AssigneeThe Spokeless Wheel Patent Proceeds Partnership
InventorArthur Lidov
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A spokeless wheel which comprises a shroud in which a rotor (or hoop) is rotatably disposed and lateral bearings to laterally stabilize the rotor within the shroud. A series of resiliently mounted bearings are spaced about the shroud for rotatably retaining the rotor (or hoop) within the shroud and for transmitting load and for absorbing any impact forces imparted to the rotor as it rolls over the ground.
Claims16
A rotor and supporting shroud comprising means defining a rotor shroud,
- an annular rotor disposed within said shroud for rotation relative to said shroud,
- a plurality of centering bearings circumferentially spaced within said shroud,
- said centering bearings acting on said rotor to confine said rotor to one plane of rotation within said shroud,
- said centering bearings comprising rollers disposed in rolling engagement with said rotor,
- a plurality of circumferentially spaced load sustaining roller bearings for retaining said rotor within said shroud,
- means for resiliently mounting said load sustaining roller bearings to said shroud whereby said resiliently mounted bearings absorb the impact forces imparted to said rotor as said rotor rolls over said ground.
- wherein said annular shaped rotor includes inner and outer flanges interconnected by a web portion whereby said rotor is generally I-shaped in cross-section,
- and said rolling bearings are disposed in rolling engagement with said rotor on opposite sides of said web portion and between said inner and outer flanges,
5 more elements
A rotor and supporting shroud comprising means defining a rotor shroud,
- a rotor disposed within said shroud for rotation relative to said shroud,
- a plurality of centering bearings circumferentially placed within said shroud,
- said centering bearings acting on said rotor to confine said rotor to one plane of rotation within said shroud,
- a plurality of circumferentially spaced rolling bearings for retaining said rotor within said shroud,
- means for resiliently mounting said rolling bearings to said shroud whereby said resiliently mounted bearings absorb the impact forces imparted to said rotor as said rotor rolls over said ground,
- and said rotor includes spaced inner and outer flanges interconnected by a web portion whereby said rotor is generally I-shaped in cross section, and said rolling bearings are disposed in rolling engagement with said rotor on opposite sides of said web portion, and
- wherein said centering bearings comprise rollers disposed in rolling engagement with at least one of said flanges of said rotor.
4 more elements
A rotor and supporting shroud comprising:
- a rotor shroud, said rotor shroud including a pair of complementary shroud members,
- each of said shroud members having a side wall portion and a connected top portion,
- means for securing said shroud members together,
- a rotor disposed within said wheel shroud,
- said rotor being generally I-shaped in cross section having an inner and outer flange interconnected by a web portion,
- a plurality of oppositely disposed centering bearings journalled on said shroud members,
- said centering bearings being circumferentially placed about said shroud, and
- said centering bearings being in rolling engagement with the inner flange of said rotor to laterally stabilize said rotor in its plane of rotation,
- a series of load sustaining rolling bearings disposed in rolling engagement with said rotor,
- said rolling bearings being circumferentially placed in pairs about said shroud so as to be disposed on opposite sides of said rotor,
- means for resiliently mounting each of said rolling bearings,
- said resilient means comprising a zig-zag spring,
- means for securing one end of said spring to a shroud member, and
- said roller bearing being connected to the other end of said spring at an angle thereto whereby said roller bearing is disposed in rolling engagement with said rotor at an angle less than 90.degree. to the rotational plane of said rotor.
11 more elements
A rotor and supporting shroud comprising:
- means defining a rotor shroud,
- a rotor defined as an annular member disposed within said shroud for rotation relative thereto,
- said annular member having a reduced cross-sectional portion between the inner and outer periphery thereof,
- and a plurality of spaced apart load sustaining rolling bearing means circumferentially spaced about said shroud for retaining said annular member within said hroud for relative rotation thereto,
- each of said load sustaining rolling bearing means including a pair of spaced apart bearings oppositely disposed to either side of said annular member,
- each of said pair of bearings being angled to engage the reduced cross sectional portion of said annular member,
- and means for resiliently mounting said bearings on said shroud for absorbing the impact forces imparted to said annular member as said annular member rolls over the ground.
4 more elements
A rotor and supporting shroud comprising means defining a rotor shroud,
- an annular rotor disposed within said shroud for rotation relative to said shroud,
- a plurality of centering bearings circumferentially spaced within said shroud,
- said centering bearings acting on said rotor with a lateral bias to confine said rotor to a vertical plane of rotation within said shroud,
- said centering bearings comprising rollers disposed on opposite sides of said rotor and disposed in rolling engagement with said rotor,
- a plurality of circumferentially spaced load sustaining roller bearings for retaining said rotor within said shroud,
- means for resiliently mounting each of said load sustaining roller bearings to said shroud whereby said resiliently mounted bearings absorb the impact forces imparted to said rotor as said rotor rolls over the ground,
- said roller bearings being circumferentially spaced about said shroud and rotor disposed therein so as to be disposed on opposite sides of said rotor.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.