Wheel rim assembly for tubeless pneumatic tires
AssigneeMotor Wheel Corporation
InventorDon S. Strader
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wheel rim assembly comprising a generally cylindrical rim base and a flange ring including a bead seat retained at one axial end of the rim base by a split locking ring. A T-shaped lug on the flange ring captures the ends of the locking ring in a corresponding groove on the rim base and prevents removal of the locking and flange rings when a tire mounted on the wheel rim is inflated. Circumferential grooves on the inside surface of the tire bead seat cooperate with an annular seal in the rim base to prevent inflation of a tire mounted on the wheel rim when the flange ring and bead seat are improperly positioned thereon.
Claims9
In a wheel rim assembly for tubeless pneumatic tires which includes generally cylindrical rim base means, flange means carried at opposed axial ends of said rim base means, at least one of said flange means being axially removable from said rim base means, means for retaining said at least one flange means on said rim base means, circumferential first groove means in an outer surface of said rim base means and annular sealing means disposed in said circumferential first groove means and adapted to cooperate with an inner surface of said at least one flange means to seal a tire mounted on said wheel rim assembly from leakage to atmosphere, the improvement comprising second groove means in said inner surface of said at least one flange means adapted to register with said circumferential first groove means in said outer surface of said rim base means when said flange means is improperly positioned on said rim base means to vent a tire mounted on said wheel rim assembly to atmosphere between said at least one flange means and said rim base means, and thereby to prevent inflation of a tire mounted on said wheel rim assembly when said at least one flange means is improperly positioned on said rim base means.
In a wheel rim assembly for pneumatic tires which includes generally cylindrical rim base means, flange means carried at opposite axial ends of said rim base means, at least one of said flange means being axially removable from said rim base means for mounting a tire on said wheel rim assembly, and means for retaining said at least one flange means on said rim base means, the improvement wherein said retaining means comprises a circumferential groove in a radially outer surface adjacent one axial end of said rim base means, a split annular locking ring removably disposed in said groove axially externally of said flange means and projecting radially outwardly of said outer surface to prevent axial removal of said flange means from said rim base means, and lug means fixedly mounted to said flange means, said lug means having a first radially extending portion adapted to project into the gap defined between the split ends of said split locking ring circumferentially to couple said flange means to said locking ring and rim base means and a second portion extending tangentially in opposite directions from said first portion radially outwardly overlapping said split ends of said locking ring to capture said locking ring in said groove and thereby prevent removal of said locking ring when said flange means is urged axially against said locking by inflation pressure in a tire mounted on said wheel rim assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.