Corrosion-resistant metal fasteners and stud inserts
AssigneeBenmaxx, LLC
InventorsCharles Benjamin Rau, III, Dennis M. Burrell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In the trucking industry, a wheel stud having a recess at either end to accommodate a sacrificial insert of metal higher in the electromotive series of metals than the metals of the wheel stud assembly, the lug and the components joined thereby and being of sufficient difference in color from the surrounding materials so as to be readily visible without disassembling the combination, and a method for its use.
Claims45
A metal fastener combination for removably securing two or more metal components together, comprising:
- a metallic shank;
- a metallic enlarged head formed integral with the shank at an end thereof;
- a threaded portion at the end thereof opposite to the enlarged head;
- a cavity in at least one of the metallic shank ends, the cavity extending into the metallic shank along its center line to a cavity end;
- and an insert located in the cavity, the insert comprising a metallic material higher in the electromotive series of metals than the metallic shank.
A single wheel stud assembly for removably securing a wheel assembly, comprising:
- a stud having an enlarged head at one end, an elongated, substantially cylindrical metallic shank with a splined section, extending from the enlarged head and having lateral splines around the circumference thereof suitable to engage complementary stud passages in a hub, threads along at least a portion of the remainder of the shank opposite to the enlarged head end to provide a stud pin;
- a lug in removable communication with the threads on the stud pin, and capable of being torqued against components to be secured;
- a cavity in the threaded end of the stud pin, the cavity extending into the metallic shank along its center line to a cavity end;
- and an insert located in the cavity, the insert comprising a metal material higher in the electromotive series of metals than other components of the wheel stud assembly.
A method of protecting from galvanic coffosion metal components of a wheel assembly, comprising assembling a single or dual wheel assembly, comprising a wheel and a hub, using at least one wheel stud assembly according to claim 17 or claim 36, respectively, or modifying at least one wheel stud of an existing single or dual wheel assembly by creating a cavity in a wheel stud thereof and inserting an insert therein, the cavity and insert according claim to 17 or claim 36, respectively, whereby the assembled or modified single or dual wheel assembly is protected from galvanic coffosion.
A dual wheel stud assembly for removably securing a dual wheel assembly, comprising:
- a stud having an enlarged head at one end, an elongated, substantially cylindrical metallic shank with a splined section extending from the enlarged head and having lateral splines around the circumference thereof and suitable to engage complementary stud passages in a hub, threads along at least a portion of the shank-opposite to the enlarged head end to provide a stud pin;
- a dual-threaded lug having inside threads suitable in operation to engage the threads on the stud pin against an inner wheel, and having outside threads, the dual-threaded lug extending a sufficient distance beyond the end of an engaged stud pin to accommodate a second wheel, and having a nut end to facilitate torquing the dual-threaded lug to removably secure an inner wheel;
- a dual over-lug that engages the outside threads of the dual-threaded lug and is torquable thereon to removably secure an outer wheel;
- a cavity in at least one of the enlarged-head end of the stud and the nut end of the dual-threaded lug, the cavity extending into the metallic shank, or lug, respectively, along its center line to a cavity end;
- and an insert located in the at least one cavity, the insert comprising a metal material higher in the electromotive series of metals than those of the stud pin or lug.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.