Wheel rim mounting device for variable wheel spacing

A wheel rim and a mounting device therefore for use with a conventional wheel hub attached to an axle of an off-the-road vehicle for making possible variations in the spacing between wheel rims, said rim and mounting device comprising:

• a cylindrical sleeve with an outer surface and an inner surface for attachment to a conventional wheel hub, said cylindrical sleeve having a plurality of rows of outwardly facing threaded apertures, the rows of apertures being positioned in a longitudinal axial direction;
• a wheel rim with an inner surface;
• a plurality of bracket means circumferentially spaced and rigidly attached to the inner surface of the wheel rim, each of said bracket means having an aperture therethrough alignable with a corresponding threaded aperture of the cylindrical sleeve,
• each of said bracket means being in the form of a U-shaped bracket having two end leg portions rigidly attached to the inner surface of the wheel rim and a base portion through which the aperture extends, the dimensions of said leg members of said bracket means being such that when no tension is exerted upon the base portions, the base portions of opposed brackets are spaced apart greater than the distance between adjacent points of the cylindrical sleeve so that the wheel rim will freely slide axially on the sleeve when the base portions are not under tension;
• and
• a screw threaded fastening means extending through the bracket means and threadedly engaging at least one of the threaded apertures of the cylindrical sleeve for securing the wheel rim to the cylindrical sleeve, the U-shaped brackets being sufficiently flexible that when said fastening means are tightened the base portions are drawn into engagement with the sleeve for firmly securing the rim to the sleeve.