Locking configuration for a wheel rim flange retaining ring

Abstract

A retaining ring (30) for use in combination with a wheel rim (10) having a separable bead flange (14) to secure the separable bead flange on the rim in the absence of a properly inflated tire is characterized by an inboard facing portion (30a) and an outboard facing portion (30b) and a split in the ring defining terminal ends, (32,33) each terminal end having a circumferentially oriented first bore (36,37) in the inboard facing portion (30a) and a second bore (38,39) in the outboard facing portion (30b) at an angular relationship with respect to the first bore. A groove (40,41)(70,71) in the outer surface of the retaining ring (30) interconnects each first bore with each second bore and a steel lockwire (50) is threaded through the bores from one terminal end to the other and seated in the grooves and the ends of the wire (50a,50b) are twisted together to lock the terminal ends (32,33) in a specific spaced orientation (d) such that the ring may expand a limited amount when subjected to centrifugal forces tending to expand the ring and the wire (50) limits the amount of such expansion and maintains the separable bead flange (14) on the wheel rim (10).

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.