Abstract: A method of making at least a component for a rim base of a multi-piece wheel for a vehicle, comprising providing a workpiece of tubular configuration and hot upset forging the workpiece in press tooling to form a part thereof to a required configuration, wherein the part of the workpiece is heated to a forging temperature in situ in the press tooling, preferably by induction heating.

Abstract: A wheel construction includes a circular wheel rim which receives a tire, the rim having axially inner and outer portions each having a flange providing a seat for a bead. The wheel construction including a mid-portion, and side parts connecting the mid and outer portions the mid-portion including a circumferential well where the radius of the wheel rim is a minimum, at least one of the side parts including plurality of curved regions the plurality of curved regions each being immediately adjacent to each other whereby the side part continuously undulates. Each curved region provides at least a further two circumferential well. For each adjacent two curved regions, there is an effective angle of between 25° and 45° between a plane normal to the axis of the wheel and a line struck tangentially at a point of inflection between the two curved regions.

Abstract: A wheel for a vehicle, including a rim (10) having axially-spaced support portions (12, 14) on which respective annular tire—supporting elements (34,36) are engageable; wherein one of the support portions is of larger diameter than the other.

Abstract: A wheel construction includes a wheel rim having axially inner and outer portions and a mid-portion, and each axially inner and outer portion, a connecting surface adjoining a flange and extending towards the mid portion. The construction includes a side part between the connecting surface and the mid portion, and for at least one of the inner and outer portions, the connecting surface is a frusto-conical having an axial end of greatest radius and an axial end of least radius, the connecting surface the greatest radius, adjoining the flange and the axial end of least radius adjoining a circumferentially extending convex surface which extends beyond the end of least radius, and a selected side part including a generally frusto-conical region and a curved region including circumferentially extending concave surfaces and the curved region adjoining the end of least radius.

Abstract: A wheel for a vehicle, including a rim (10) having axially-spaced support portions (12, 14) on which respective annular tyre—supporting elements (34,36) are engageable; wherein one of the support portions is of ] arger diameter than the other.

Abstract: A wheel construction (10) includes a wheel rim (11) which in use, at a tyre side (12) of the rim (11), receives a tyre (14), the rim (11) being circular and having axially inner and outer portions (16,15), and a mid-portion (18) between the axially inner and outer portions (16,15), the mid-portion (18) including a circumferential well where the radius of the wheel rim (11) is a minimum, and each axially inner and outer portion (16,15) providing a flange (22), a connecting surface (23) adjoining the flange (22) and extending axially towards the mid portion (18), the flange (22) and a part of the connecting surface (23) providing a seat for a bead of the tyre (14), and there being a side part (19,20) between the connecting surface (23) and the mid portion (18) and wherein for at least one of the inner and outer portions (16, 15), the connecting surface (23) is frusto-conical having an axial end (24) of greatest radius and an axial end (25) of least radius, the connecting surface (23), at its axial end (24) of g

Abstract: A method of considering the dynamic behavior of a movable member of a machine for performing a wheel fatigue test, the wheel including a disc and a rim, the method including mounting the wheel by fixing the wheel rim relative to a fixed structure of the machine, and securing the disc relative to the movable member which is movable to transmit a cyclical bending moment to the wheel, exerting a cyclical force on the movable member to generate the bending moment, at a distant position from the wheel, and while exerting the cyclical force, determining an indication of bending moment in the movable member at a first position between the wheel and the distant position, determining an indication of bending moment in the movable member at a second position between the first position and the distant position, and using the indications of bending moment at both of the first and second positions to determine an actual bending moment applied to the wheel.