VEHICLE WHEEL

• US 3,807,805 A
• Filed: 11/29/1971
• Issued: 04/30/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alexander Brede III
• Original Assignee: Alexander Brede III
• Inventors: Brede, Alexander III
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Richard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard
• Application Number:
  US05/202,799
• Time in Patent Office: 883 Days
• Field of Search: 301/65,64R,64SD,9DP
• US Class Current: 301/65
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 1/08 formed by casting
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 3/04 with a single disc body not integral with rim , i.e. disc body and rim being manufactured independently and then permanently attached to each other in a second step, e.g. by welding
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 3/06 formed by casting
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 3/10 apertured to simulate spoked wheels

Abstract

A vehicle wheel with an outer rim adapted for mounting a pneumatic tire thereon and a wheel disc or spider having an outer band with an open latticework of non-radially extending ribs connected to a center ring by an inner band of ribs. The wheel is mounted on a vehicle hub by a plurality of circumferentially spaced mounting holes in webs extending between the ribs of the inner band.

Claims

1. A vehicle wheel assembly for a pneumatic tire comprising;

a one piece metal spider having continuous outer and center rings concentric with the axis of rotation of said wheel assembly and interconnected by separate outer and inner concentric annular bands of ribs integral with said rings, a plurality of the ribs in said outer band extending non-radially of said wheel assembly and being connected with said outer ring and at least some of the ribs of said inner band to form an open latticework of ribs, at least some of the ribs in said inner band being connected to said center ring and with at least some of the ribs of said outer band of ribs, webs extending circumferentially between and being connected with at least some of the adjacent ribs of said inner band, circumferentially spaced bolt mounting holes extending generally axially one through at least some of said webs for mounting said spider on a wheel hub of a vehicle, said webs having an axial thickness less than both the maximum axial width of their associated ribs of said inner band and the maximum axial width of said center ring, each of said bolt mounting holes being located in its associated web generally radially outward of said center ring and generally circumferentially between adjacent ribs of said inner band associated with its web, said one piece metal spider having a generally frustoconical cross section with a greater axial thickness in cross section adjacent said center ring than the axial thickness in cross section adjacent said outer ring, and a separate metal rim adapted for mounting a pneumatic tire thereon, axially receiving said outer ring of said spider therein and being fixed to said outer ring for rotation with said spider.

2. The wheel assembly of claim 1 in which said spider has a generally frustoconical cross section with the axial width of the ribs in both said inner and outer bands decreasing as the ribs extend outwardly to provide resistance to axial loading of the wheel assembly.

3. The wheel assembly of claim 1 in which said ribs in said outer annular band comprise generally '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'X'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' and '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'Y'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' shaped configurations alternating circumferentially throughout the circumference of said outer band.

4. The wheel assembly of claim 3 in which the ribs of said inner band extend generally radially outwardly from said center ring with each adjacent pair of ribs of said inner band being connected by one of said webs throughout the circumference of said inner band.

5. The wheel assembly of claim 3 in which said spider has a generally frustoconical cross section with the axial width of the ribs in both said inner and outer bands decreasing as the ribs extend outwardly to provide resistance to axial loading of the wheel assembly.

6. The wheel assembly of claim 1 in which the ribs of said inner and outer bands are interconnected through an annular rib intermediate said outer ring and said center ring.

7. The wheel assembly of claim 6 in which the ribs in said outer band interconnect said outer ring and said annular rib and are arranged in a configuration providing a latticework with a plurality of generally triangular openings.

8. The wheel assembly of claim 6 in which said webs are homogeneously integral with the inboard edges of said annular rib, said center ring and the ribs of said inner band, said webs being offset axially of the disc so as to be inboard of the inboard edge of said outer ring of said disc.

9. The wheel assembly of claim 6 in which the ribs of saiD inner band extend generally radially and interconnect said center ring and said annular rib.

10. The wheel assembly of claim 9 in which the ribs of said inner band interconnect with said annular rib intermediate the junctions of the ribs of said outer band with said annular rib.

11. The wheel assembly of claim 9 in which the ribs of said inner band each interconnect with said annular rib at points in radial alignment with a junction of an adjacent pair of the ribs in said outer band with said annular rib.

12. The wheel assembly of claim 9 in which said disc has a generally frustoconical cross section with the axial width of the ribs in both said inner and outer bands generally decreasing as the ribs extend outwardly to provide resistance to axial loading of the wheel assembly.

13. The wheel assembly of claim 1 in which said spider is a one-piece metallic casting and said rim is a separate rolled sheet metal part.

14. The wheel assembly of claim 13 in which said rim and spider are made of steel and said rim is fixed to said outer ring of said spider by a weld extending around the entire periphery of said outer ring of said spider.

15. The wheel assembly of claim 14 in which said spider has an interference fit with said rim.

16. A vehicle wheel assembly for a pneumatic tire comprising;

a one-piece metal spider having continuous outer and center rings concentric with the axis of rotation of said wheel assembly and interconnected by separate outer and inner concentric annular bands of ribs integral with said rings, a plurality of the ribs in said outer band extending non-radially of said wheel assembly and being connected with said outer ring and at least some of the ribs of said inner band to form an open latticework of ribs, said ribs in said annular outer band having generally X and Y-shaped configurations alternating circumferentially throughout the circumference of said annular outer band, at least some of the ribs in said inner band being connected to said center ring and with at least some of the ribs of said outer band of ribs, webs extending circumferentially between and being connected with at least some of the adjacent ribs of said inner band, circumferentially spaced bolt mounting holes extending generallly axially one through at least some of said webs for mounting said spider on a wheel hub of a vehicle, said webs having an axial thickness less than both the maximum axial width of their associated ribs of said inner band and the maximum axial width of said center ring, each of said bolt mounting holes being located in its associated web generally radially outward of said center ring and generally circumferentially between adjacent ribs of said inner band associated with its web, said one-piece metal spider having a generally frustoconical cross section with a greater axial thickness in cross section adjacent said center ring than the axial thickness in cross section adjacent said outer ring, and a separate metal rim adapted for mounting a pneumatic tire thereon, axially receiving said outer ring of said spider therein and being fixed to said outer ring for rotation with said spider.