Wheel hub

A wheel hub which comprises a spindle, a sleeve rotatable relative to the spindle, a bearing between the sleeve and the spindle to allow said relative rotation, and a manually operable device which has three operating positions, a first of which allows free rotation between the spindle and the sleeve, a second of which locks the spindle to the sleeve to effect a braking action, and a third of which engages a ratchet arrangement which allows the spindle to rotate relative to the sleeve in one direction only, characterised in that the manually operable device is fitted on the hub and a splined annular surface on the spindle surrounded by a body on the sleeve which has a recess in which the splined surface lies so that the body is free to rotate relative to the spindle and the splined surface on the spindle, when the hub takes up the first operating position, the device also including a first pin or pins, fixed against rotation relative to the sleeve, which can be moved from a retracted position into the path of relative rotational movement between the body and the splined annular surface to put the hub into the second operating position and to engage with the splines and to thus prevent rotation of the sleeve relative to the spindle and a second pin or pins, also fixed against rotation relative to the sleeve, which can be moved into the path of relative rotational movement between the body and the splined annular surface, when the first pin or pins is in a retracted position, to put the hub into the third operating position and to engage with the splines and to prevent rotation of the sleeve in one rotational direction relative to the spindle but to allow rotation in the opposite rotation direction.