Wheel having built-in hub

• US 4,358,162 A
• Filed: 07/29/1981
• Issued: 11/09/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/1979
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ROL Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Unarco Industries, LLC (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Coules, Ronald A., Schneider, Jerry M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Skaggs, H. Grant
• Application Number:
  US06/287,994
• Time in Patent Office: 468 Days
• Field of Search: 301/11 R, 301/18, 301/63 DS, 301/63 R, 301/63 DD, 301/63 DT, 301/63 PW, 301/86, 301/87, 301/89, 301/99, 301/111, 301/120, 301/122, 16/45, 46/201, 46/221, 295/21, 295/22
• US Class Current: 301/64.706
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 37/10 the wheels being individually rotatable around the axles
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 5/02 made of synthetic material

Abstract

A wheel is disclosed that has a built-in hub for receiving an axle. The wheel includes an annular outer rim, and a pair of circular webs that are received in the rim.

Each of the webs includes an inner annular ring. The annular ring on one of the webs defines a through-passageway, and the annular ring on the other web defines an aperture having an open end that communicates with the passageway and an opposite closed end. The closed end of the other web is defined by a wall of the other web. The wall of the other web, together with the annular ring on the other web, define a built-in hub for limiting insertion of the axle onto the wheel and for covering the axle. The need for a separate hub component that can fall off and become lost is thereby eliminated.

Claims

1. A wheel having a built-in hub for receiving a generally cylindrical portion of an axle, comprising

an annular outer rim having an outside surface and an inside surface and a pair of sides, said rim defining an opening having an axis extending therethrough,

a first circular web that is received in said outer rim, said first web having an outside circumferential surface that engages said inside surface of said rim, said first web having an inner annular ring that defines a passageway that extends between a pair of opposing open ends and has an axis extending through the center of said first web,

a second circular web that is received in said rim, said second web having an outside circumferential surface that engages said inside surface of said outer rim, said second web having an inner annular ring that defines an aperture having an axis at the center of said second web, wherein said aperture has an axis coinciding with the axes through said passageway in said first web and said opening in said outer rim, said second web having a wall that defines a closed end of said aperture, said aperture also having an open end, and said aperture communicating with said passageway,

means for mounting said first web and said second web to said outer rim, comprising male means on said first web and on said second web, and female means on said outer rin, said male means being engageable with said female means,

said axle being received within said annular rings defined by said first web and said second web,

said second web including an annular shoulder spaced radially from said aperture defining a cavity adjacent said aperture, and

fastening means positioned in said cavity between said open end of said first web and one of the open ends of said second web for engaging said axle and retaining said axle in position within said annular rings,

whereby said annular ring on said second web and said wall that defines the closed end of said aperture comprise a hub for said wheel, said hub limiting the insertion of said axle into said second web and covering an end of said axle,

said fastening means comprising tooth means adapted to lockingly grip and retain said cylindrical position of said axle whereby said axle is retained within said hub by said fastening means as said axle is inserted into said hub and through said fastening means and said tooth means lockingly grip said cylindrical position.

2. A wheel as defined in claim 1 wherein said male means comprises tab means projecting radially outwardly from said outside surfaces of said first web and said second web, and said female means comprises slot means extending radially inwardly into said inside surface of said outer rim, said tab means being lockably receivable in said slot means.

3. A wheel having a built-in hub for receiving an axle, comprising a cylindrical hollow rim having an outside surface and an inside surface and a pair of sides, said rim defining an opening having an axis,

a first disk that is received in said rim, said first disk having an outside circumferential surface that engages said inside surface of said rim, said first disk defining a passageway having an axis at the center of said first disk, wherein said passageway extends through said first disk and terminates at a pair of opposing open ends,

a second disk that is received in said rim, said second disk having an outside circumferential surface, said second disk defining an aperture having an axis at the center of said second disk, wherein said aperture has an axis coinciding with the axes through said passageway in said first disk and said opening in said rim, said second disk having a wall that defines a closed end of said aperture, said aperture also having an open end, said aperture communicating with said passageway,

said second disk including an annular shoulder spaced radially from said aperture defining a cavity adjacent said aperture,

means for mounting said first disk and said second disk to said rim,

said axle being received in said passageway in said first disk and said aperture in said second disk, and

fastening means positioned between said open end of said second disk and one of the open ends of said first disk for engaging said axle and retaining said axle in position within said passageway and said aperture,

whereby the portion of said second disk that define said aperture and said wall comprise a hub for said wheel, said hub limiting the insertion of said axle into said second disk and covering an end of said axle

said fastening means comprising tooth means whereby said axle is insertable into said hub and through said fastening means and is lockingly gripped and retained within said hub by said tooth means.

4. A wheel as defined in claim 3 wherein said means for mounting said first disk and said second disk to said rim comprises male means on said first disk and said second disk, and female means on said rim, said male means being engageable with said female means.

5. A wheel as defined in claim 4 wherein said male means comprises tab means projecting radially outwardly from said outside surfaces of said first disk and said second disk, and said female means comprises slot means extending radially inwardly into said inside surface of said rim, said tab means being lockably receivable in said slot means.

6. A wheel as defined in claim 5 wherein said tab means comprises a plurality of spaced-apart tabs positioned around the circumference of said first disk and said second disk, and said slot means comprises a plurality of slots positioned around the circumference of said rim.

7. A wheel as defined in claim 3 wherein tread means is mounted to said rim and overlies the outer surface of said rim for engaging a surface upon which the wheel is rolled.

8. A wheel having a built-in hub for receiving an axle, comprising:

an annular outer rim having an outside surface and an inside surface and a pair of sides, said rim defining an opening having an axis extending therethrough,

a first circular web that is received in said outer rim, said first web having an outside circumferential surface that engages said inside surface of said rim, said first web having an inner annular ring that defines a passageway that extends between a pair of opposing open ends and has an axis extending through the center of said first web,

a second circular web that is received in said rim, said second web having an outside circumferential surface that engages said inside surface of said outer rim, said second web having an an inner annular ring that defines an aperture having an axis at the center of said second web, wherein said aperture has an axis coinciding with the axes through said passageway in said first web and said opening in said outer rim, said second web having a wall that defines a closed end of said aperture, said aperture also having an open end, and said aperture communicating with said passageway,

means for mounting said first web and said second web to said outer rim, comprising male means on said first web and on said second web, and female means on said outer rim, said male means being engageable with said female means, wherein said male means comprises tab means projecting radially outwardly from said outside surfaces of said first web and said second web, and said female means comprises slot means extending radially inwardly into said inside surface of said outer rim, said tab means being lockably receivable in said slot means,

said first web having a wall extending between said inner annular ring on said first wall and said outside circumferential surface of said first web, and said second web has a wall extending between said inner annular ring on said second web and said outside circumferential surface of said second web, said walls each have an inside surface that faces the inside surface of the wall on the other web, the wall on one of said webs having rib means protruding outwardly from the inside surface thereof, said rib means being spaced from the outside surface of said one web and adapted to engage the inside surface of the wall on the other web, whereby one of said webs is mounted to said outer rim by sliding within said outer rim until said tab means is received in said slot means, and the other of said webs is mounted to said outer rim by sliding within said outer rim until there is engagement between said rib means and the wall of the other web, whereupon the outer portion of the other web flexes about the points of engagement between said rib means and said wall on the other web until said tab means on said other web is received in said slot means,

said axle being received within said annular rings defined by said first web and said second web, and

fastening means positioned between said open end of said first web and one of the open ends of said second web for engaging said axle and retaining said axle in position within said annular rings,

whereby said annular ring on said second web and said wall that defines the closed end of said aperture comprise a hub for said wheel, said hub limiting the insertion of said axle into said second web and covering an end of said axle.

9. A wheel having a built-in hub for receiving an axle, comprising

a cylindrical hollow rim having an outside surface and an inside surface and a pair of sides, same rim defining an opening having an axis,

a first disk that is received in said rim, said first disk having an outside circumferential surface that engages said inside surface of said rim, said first disk defining a passageway having an axis at the center of said first disk, wherein said passageway extends through said first disk and terminates at a pair of opposing open ends,

a second disk that is received in said rim, said second disk having an outside circumferential surface, said second disk defining an aperture having an axis at the center of said second disk, wherein said aperture has an axis coinciding with the axes through said passageway in said first disk and said opening in said rim, said second disk having a wall that defines a closed end of said aperture, said aperture also having an open end, said aperture having a closed end and an open end, said aperture communicating with said passageway,

means for mounting said first disk and said second disk to said rim, said mounting means comprising male means on said first disk and said second disk, and female means on said rim, said male means being engageable with said female means, said male means comprising tab means projecting radially outwardly from said outside surfaces of said first disk and said second disk, and said female means comprising slot means extending radially inwardly into said inside surface of said rim, said tab means being lockably receivable in said slot means,

said first disk having a wall extending between said passageway and said outside circumferential surface of said first disk, and said second disk has a wall extending between said aperture and said outside circumferential surface of said second disk, said walls each have an inside surface that faces the inside surface of the wall on the other disk, the wall on one of said disks having rib means protruding outwardly from the inside surface thereof, said rib means being spaced from the outside surface of said one disk and adapted to engage the inside surface of the wall on the other disk, whereby one of said disks is mounted to said rim by sliding within said rim until said tab means is received in said slot means, and the other of said disks is mounted to said rim by sliding within said rim until there is engagement between said rib means and the wall of the other disk, whereupon the outer portion of the other disk flexes about the points of engagement between said rib means and said wall on the other disk until said tab means on said other disk is received in said slot means,

said axle being received in said passageway in said first disk and said aperture in said second disk, and

fastening means positioned between said open end of said first disk and one of the open ends of said second disk for engaging said axle and retaining said axle in position within said passageway and said aperture,

whereby the portion of said second disk that define said aperture and said wall comprises a hub for said wheel, said hub limiting the insertion of said axle into said second disk and covering an end of said axle.

10. A wheel as defined in claim 9 wherein said rib means is provided on said first disk.

11. A wheel, comprising

an annular outer rim having an outside surface and an inside surface and a pair of sides, said rim defining an opening having an axis extending therethrough,

a first circular web that is received in said outer rim, said first web having an outside circumferential surface that engages said inside surface of said rim,

a second circular web that is received in said rim, said second web having an outside circumferential surface that engages said inside surface of said outer rim,

means for mounting said first web and said second web to said outer rim, comprising male means on said first web and on said second web, and female means on said outer rim, said male means being engageable with said female means, wherein said male means comprises tab means projecting radially outwardly from said outside surfaces of said first web and said second web, and said female means comprises slot means extending radially inwardly into said inside surface of said outer rim, said tab means being lockably receivable in said slot means,

said first web having a wall extending generally radially inwardly from said outside circumferential surface of said first web, and said second web has a wall extending generally radially inwardly from said outside circumferential surface of said second web, said walls each have an inside surface that faces the inside surface of the wall on the other web, the wall on one of said webs having rib means protruding outwardly from the inside surface thereof, said rib means being spaced from the outside surface of said one web and adapted to engage the inside surface of the wall on the other web,

whereby one of said webs is mounted to said outer rim by sliding within said outer rim until said tab means is received in said slot means, and the other of said webs is mounted to said outer rim by sliding within said outer rim until there is engagement between said rib means and the wall of the other web, whereupon the outer portion of the other web flexes about the points of engagement between said rib means and said wall on the other web until said tab means on said other web is received in said slot means.

12. A wheel, comprising

a cylindrical hollow rim having an outside surface and an inside surface and a pair of sides, same rim defining an opening having an axis,

a first disk that is received in said rim, said first disk having an outside circumferential surface that engages said inside surface of said rim,

a second disk that is received in said rim, said second disk having an outside circumferential surface that engages said inside surface of said rim,

means for mounting said first disk and said second disk to said rim, said mounting means comprising male means on said first disk and said second disk, and female means on said rim, said male means being engageable with said female means, said male means comprising tab means projecting radially outwardly from said outside surfaces of said first disk and said second disk, and said female means comprising slot means extending radially inwardly into said inside surface of said rim, said tab means being lockably receivable in said slot means,

said first disk having a wall extending generally radially inwardly from said outside circumferential surface of said first disk, and said second disk has a wall extending generally radially inwardly from said outside circumferential surface of said second disk, said walls each have an inside surface that faces the inside surface of the wall on the other disk, the wall on one of said disks having rib means protruding outwardly from the inside surface thereof, said rib means being spaced from the outside surface of said one disk and adapted to engage the inside surface of the wall on the other disk,

whereby one of said disks is mounted to said rim by sliding within said rim until said tab means is received in said slot means, and the other of said disks is mounted to said rim by sliding within said rim until there is engagement between said rib means and the wall of the other disk, whereupon the outer portion of the other disk flexes about the points of engagement between said rib means and said wall on the other disk until said tab means on said other disk is received in said slot means.