Composite hollow irrigation system tower support wheel

In combination:

• a self-propelled irrigation system having at least one tower support, irrigation means and drive means,
• at least one tower support wheel mounted on said tower support for propelling said tower support;
• said tower support wheel comprising:
• first and second wheel halves, each of said wheel halves including a generally flat circular center hub section and an outwardly extending diverging wheel body section having a conic sidewall section extending at an angle relative to said hub section and an outer ground-engaging generally cylindrical rim connected to said sidewall section and aligned generally perpendicular to said center hub section, said rim including an engagement surface spaced from said connection to said sidewall section and an outer rim surface;
• means for connecting said engagement surfaces of said first and second wheel halves such that said first and second wheel halves form said support wheel having a generally flat circular wheel hub and a wheel body having a generally triangular cross-sectional shape with a generally broad outer surface formed by said generally cylindrical rims;
• a plurality of cleats mounted on and extending outwardly from said outer surfaces of said cylindrical rims, each of said cleats further including a ground-engaging outer cleat surface;
• and said ground-engaging outer cleat surface being rounded such that buildup of debris on said outer cleat surface is substantially reduced;
• said ground-engaging outer surfaces of each of said cleats being generally semi-cylindrical, each cleat further including a center longitudinal axis, said center longitudinal axis of each of said cleats being aligned generally perpendicular to said center hub section, each of said cleats extending substantially across said cylindrical rims of said first and second wheel halves.