Resilient wheel with steel-banded press-on solid pneumatic tire

Abstract

The present invention relates to a resilient wheel for solid pneumatic tires in which a resilient rubber or rubber-like material is bonded and cured to a wheel hub. A rigid outer support band, such as a steel band, is then bonded to the resilient material, thereby making a larger diameter wheel having the resilient material layer bonded between the inner hub and the outer support band. A replaceable tread is formed by bonding a tread compound to an inner rigid support band, such as a steel band. The replaceable tread may be fitted to the resilient wheel by a friction fit between the two steel support bands or by a bolt-on construction. When the tread has been worn down after use, the tread layer may be removed and a new one substituted therefor, thereby obviating the need to scrap the entire wheel. The resilient wheel portion may therefore be used on a repeating basis, replacing the tread layer portion as necessary. A preferred embodiment comprises a steel banded solid tire in which a 360.degree. steel band is embedded within the replaceable tread portion. By including such a steel band within the replaceable tread portion, the tread is given a 360.degree. reinforced platform which distributes the load forces throughout the entire tire and provides better load capacity and a more effective tire system than prior art solid tire designs.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.