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US 4,302,872 AGranted
Method of making wheels, pulleys and tumblers
OwnerHenry J. F. Gerrandinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Used and/or scrap pneumatic tires may be used for making wheels and pulleys for low speed, low load and low cost applications, the bead of the tires being utilized as the means mounting the tire, the bead being deformed to a generally polygonal shape. When plates are substituted for spokes on the wheels, low cost tumblers are produced.
Claims15
A method of forming a wheel or pulley comprising the steps of:
- a. providing a tyre casing having high tensile strength wires embedded in the beads thereof,
- b. inserting a plurality of spoke means which engage said beads and extend radially inwardly of the casing, the length of said spoke means being such as to stretch and deform the wires in said beads to a generally polygonal form, and
- c. supporting the radially inner ends of said spoke means in such a manner that said spoke means are held in position by the tension in the wires caused by stretching the beads.
A wheel or pulley comprising:
- (a) a tyre casing having high tensile strength wires embedded in the beads thereof,
- (b) a plurality of spoke means engaging said beads and extending radially inwardly of the casing, said spoke means being in sufficient number and appropriate length so as to stretch and deform the wires in said bead to a generally polygonal form and
- (c) means for supporting the radially inner ends of said spoke means, said supporting means such that said spoke means are held in position by the tension in the wires caused by stretching the beads or bead.
A tumbler or tumbling chamber comprising;
- (a) a tyre casing having high tensile stength wires embedded in the beads thereof,
- (b) a disc having suitable, circumferentially spaced ridges engaging one bead of the tyre casing, one or more ridges being extendable radially outwards causing the said tyre bead, and the wires in the bead, to be distorted into a generally pologonal shape while maintaining the centre of the polygon formed by the bead nominally on the axis of rotation,
- (c) means for operatively connecting said disc to a shaft for rotation therewith, and
- (d) the other bead with its associated opening being closed by a hinged door to form a hollow chamber.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.