Self-adjusting compactor wheel and method of use

Abstract

A compactor wheel that is mountable on an axle of a compaction machine and that automatically adjusts for compacting low density and high density refuse. The compactor wheel is effectively wide when compacting low density material and narrower when compacting higher density material. The compactor wheel includes a hub, a rim and a plurality of cleats. The rim is mounted around the outer circumference of the hub and has a face with at least one smaller diameter section and at least one larger diameter section. The cleats are mounted to the larger diameter section(s) of the face. The one or more larger diameter sections of the face enable the compactor wheel to concentrate the weight of the compaction machine while the compaction machine is compacting relatively high density material. At the same time, the one or more smaller diameter sections of the face enable the compactor wheel to disperse the weight of the compaction machine over more surface area while the compaction machine is compacting relatively low density material.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.