Wheel hub locking mechanism
First Claim
1. A wheel assembly for a toy vehicle comprising:
- a generally cylindrical, hollow shell having an axis coinciding with the axis of rotation of the wheel assembly, spaced apart opposed sidewalls, one of which has an opening generally aligned with said axis, and a peripheral wall of a predetermined thickness, axial width and circumference;
a plurality of passages extending through the thickness of the peripheral wall at spaced intervals around the circumference;
a spider having a number of radially extending arms carried in said assembly for rotation relative to said shell about the axis inside the shell;
each said arm having a free end;
an elongated lug pivotally mounted on each said arm adjacent the free end;
rotational biasing means mounted in said assembly urging the spider to rotate in one direction relative to said shell;
a hub having an outer side and an inner side;
the hub being carried by the shell adjacent the one sidewall and for rotation relative to said shell about the axis with the outer side accessible for manual rotation;
means on the inner side of the hub for engaging the spider so that rotation of the hub effects rotation of the spider to move the part of each lug into and out of the shell through the passages;
axial biasing means mounted within said shell urging a portion of the hub against the one sidewall; and
positioning means on the hub cooperating with the one sidewall for latching the hub in either of two rotational positions corresponding to the part of each lug being either fully extended out of the shell or retracted inside the shell.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A wheel assembly for toy vehicles that includes a spider mounted for rotation inside of a generally cylindrical hollow wheel. The spider carries lugs for extension and retraction through passages in the peripheral wall of the wheel. Also carried by the wheel for rotation relative to the wheel, and for rotational engagement with the spider, is a hub manually rotatable from outside of the wheel. The spider is biased for rotation in direction by one spring and the spider and hub are biased apart in an axial direction by another spring. Another spring biases the hub which has a flange with a number of notches against a sidewall of the wheel having a detent that fits into the notches to latch the hub into a lugs locked out, lugs locked in or neutral position.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A wheel assembly for a toy vehicle comprising:
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a generally cylindrical, hollow shell having an axis coinciding with the axis of rotation of the wheel assembly, spaced apart opposed sidewalls, one of which has an opening generally aligned with said axis, and a peripheral wall of a predetermined thickness, axial width and circumference; a plurality of passages extending through the thickness of the peripheral wall at spaced intervals around the circumference; a spider having a number of radially extending arms carried in said assembly for rotation relative to said shell about the axis inside the shell; each said arm having a free end;
an elongated lug pivotally mounted on each said arm adjacent the free end;rotational biasing means mounted in said assembly urging the spider to rotate in one direction relative to said shell; a hub having an outer side and an inner side;
the hub being carried by the shell adjacent the one sidewall and for rotation relative to said shell about the axis with the outer side accessible for manual rotation;means on the inner side of the hub for engaging the spider so that rotation of the hub effects rotation of the spider to move the part of each lug into and out of the shell through the passages; axial biasing means mounted within said shell urging a portion of the hub against the one sidewall; and positioning means on the hub cooperating with the one sidewall for latching the hub in either of two rotational positions corresponding to the part of each lug being either fully extended out of the shell or retracted inside the shell. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A toy wheeled vehicle with a wheel assembly mounted thereon comprising:
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a relatively rigid, generally cylindrical, hollow shell including an axis coinciding with the axis of rotation of the wheel assembly, spaced apart sidewalls and a peripheral wall of a predetermined thickness and circumference; a plurality of passages extending through the thickness of the peripheral wall at approximately equidistant points along the circumference; one of the sidewalls having a generally centrally disposed opening; a tire of a material that is more flexible than that of the shell and fits tightly over the shell; the tire having a plurality of passages that align with the passages in the peripheral wall of the shell; a spider coaxially mounted within the shell for rotation about the axis relative to the shell; the spider having a number of radially extending arms; each of the arms attached at one end adjacent the axis of the spider and having a radially extending free end; first biasing means mounted within said shell and biasing the spider in one rotational direction relative to said shell; an elongated extendable member pivotally connected at one end to the free end of each radially extending arm for pivotal movement about an axis generally parallel to said axis of rotation; a hub with a flange mounted on said shell for manual rotation about said axis of rotation relative to the shell and for movement along said axis of rotation; engaging means on the hub and spider cooperating upon manual rotation of the hub to move the other end of each of the extendable members into and out of the wheel through a respective passages one of said aligned passages extending through the shell and tire; second biasing means axially biasing the hub relative to the shell; and
means on the hub and the shell cooperating to selectively latch the hub in either of two rotational positions relative to the shell with the second biasing means cooperating with the latching means to retain the hub in one of the two rotational positions. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification