Single and dual wheel configuration for vehicles
OwnerRaymond J. Tirheimerinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wheel and hub adapter provides the use of a common wheel structure in either single or dual wheel configurations for a camper, truck or the like. The wheel is reversible for front and rear axle use and includes a large precision sized center aperture with a surrounding plurality of smaller apertures. The hub adapter defines a cylindrical body having an inwardly extending flange which attaches to the conventional wheel studs of the vehicle and an alignment surface on the other end precision fitted to the center aperture of the wheel. A second flange extends outwardly from the adapter body near the precision alignment surface and receives a plurality of fasteners which secure the wheel to the flange. The center aperture and alignment surface cooperate to center the wheel or wheels with respect to the drum.
Claims10
For use in a motor vehicle having a rotatable drum and circular array of wheel studs, a vehicle wheel mounting system comprising:
- a cylindrical adapter hub having a cylindrical body defining inner and outer surfaces and first and second ends, a drum flange extending inwardly from said first end and defining a first plurality of apertures spaced in a circular array corresponding to that of said wheel studs, said wheel studs passing through said first plurality of apertures, a wheel mounting flange, extending outwardly from said outer surface near said second end, defining a second plurality of apertures arranged in a circular array, and an alignment surface having a predetermined outer diameter and extending from said wheel mounting flange to said second end;
- a first plurality threaded fasteners cooperating with said plurality of wheel studs to secure said drum flange to said rotatable drum;
- a first wheel having first tire supporting means for receiving and supporting a first tire and defining a substantially planar first hub mounting surface configured to be mateable with said wheel mounting flange and defining a third plurality of apertures spaced in a circular array corresponding to that of said second plurality of apertures in said wheel mounting flange, and a first centering aperture centered within said wheel and having a predetermined inner diameter;
- a first plurality of threaded bolts passing through said second and third pluralities of apertures;
- and
- a second plurality of threaded fasteners cooperating with said first plurality of bolts when said wheel is mounted to said cylindrical adapter hub to secure said first hub mounting surface to said wheel mounting flange, said alignment surface extending through said first centering aperture to center and support said first wheel with respect to said cylindrical adapter hub;
- said circular array of said wheel studs said first, second and third pluralities of apertures, said first centering aperture and said alignment surface all being substantially concentric.
A vehicle mounting system for use in combination with a vehicle having wheel mounting means which include a substantially planar surface supporting a plurality of outwardly extending wheel studs equally spaced in a circular array, said vehicle mounting system comprising:
- an adapter including,
- a hollow cylindrical body defining first and second ends,
- a hub flange extending inwardly from said first end and defining a first plurality of apertures spaced in a circular array corresponding to that of said wheel studs,
- a wheel flange extending outwardly from said cylindrical body and attached thereto spaced from said second end and defining a second plurality of apertures equally spaced in a circular array,
- an alignment surface extending from said wheel flange to said second end and having a predetermined outside diameter,
- said alignment surface and said circular arrays of first and second pluralities of apertures being concentric;
- a first plurality of threaded fasteners compatible with said wheel studs;
- a first plurality of bolts press fitted within said second plurality of apertures and extending toward said second end;
- a second plurality of threaded fasteners compatible with said first plurality of bolts;
- said adapter being assembled to said vehicle wheel mounting means by passing said first plurality of apertures over said wheel studs and tightening said first plurality of threaded fasteners upon said wheel studs to secure said hub flange against said substantially planar surface;
- and
- a wheel having,
- means for receiving and supporting a tire,
- a generally cone shaped web portion extending inwardly from said means for receiving and supporting a tire and defining a centering aperture located in the center of said wheel, and
- a hub mounting surface encircling said centering aperture, said hub mounting surface being compatible with said substantially planar surface and defining a third plurality of apertures;
- said wheel being assembled to said adapter by passing said alignment surface through said centering aperture whereby said alignment surface aligns and supports said wheel and said first plurality of bolts through said third plurality of apertures until said wheel flange abuts said hub mounting surface and tightening said second plurality of threaded fasteners upon said second plurality of bolts to secure said wheel flange to said hub mounting surface.
A wheel and hub adapter combination for use on a motor vehicle having four wheel mounting structures each having a planar rotatable wheel receiving surface and a plurality of outwardly extending wheel studs spaced in a circular array, said wheel and hub adapter combination permitting a plurality of wheels having a common structure to be used at all four wheel mounting structures and permitting said wheels to be combined in pairs on said wheel mounting structures to form dual wheel configurations, said wheel and hub adapter combination comprising:
- four hub adapters each having means for being securely mounted to one of said wheel mounting structures and each defining a cylindrical center alignment surface having a predetermined outside diameter;
- six commonly constructed wheels each having means for supporting a tire and each having a center aperture having an inside diameter selected to provide a precision fit to said cylindrical center alignment surface of said hub adapters;
- and
- retainer means for laterally securing one or more of said wheels to said wheel mounting structures;
- said commonly structured wheels being selectively mountable to said hub adapters either singly or in pairs by sliding said center aperture of each wheel over said cylindrical center alignment surface of said hub adapters and engaging said retainer means whereby said wheels are laterally secured by said retainer means and radially maintained, supported and aligned by the cooperation of said cylindrical center alignment surfaces and said center apertures of said wheels.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.