Abstract: A wheel hub and bearing assembly for mounting on a vehicle axle. The assembly includes a wheel hub having a longitudinal axis, a pair of bearings within the wheel hub, the bearings in spaced axial relation along the longitudinal axis of the wheel hub, a lubricant cavity within the wheel hub between the axially spaced bearings adapted to be filled with a lubricant prior to the wheel hub being mounted on an axle, and a vane disposed within the lubricant cavity and extending radially outwardly with respect to the longitudinal axis of the wheel hub. The vane includes first and second passages.

Abstract: A hub seal for installation on the wheel end of a heavy duty trailer or truck is disclosed which includes an annular casing, an elastomeric sealing ring supported within the annular casing and including an axially extending sealing lip, an annular sleeve mounted coaxial with the annular casing, the annular sleeve having an axially extending sealing surface, and a spring for biasing the axially extending sealing lip against the axially extending sealing surface such that a substantial portion of the sealing lip is in sealing engagement with the sealing surface over a substantial contact area.

Abstract: A hub seal for installation on the wheel end of a heavy duty trailer or truck is disclosed which includes an annular casing having a radially outer surface configured to sealingly engage an accommodating surface of a wheel hub mounted for rotation about a stationary spindle shaft, and an annular wear ring mounted coaxial with the annular casing and having a radially inner surface configured to sealingly engage an outer periphery of a stationary spindle shaft. The sealing surface of the annular wear ring includes structure for providing radial torque resistance between the annular wear ring and the stationary spindle shaft and for limiting installation loads associated with installing the annular wear ring on the stationary spindle shaft. Similarly, the sealing surface of the annular casing includes structure for providing radial torque resistance between the annular casing and the wheel hub and for limiting installation loads associated with installing the annular casing in the wheel hub.

Abstract: A hub seal for installation on the wheel end of a heavy duty trailer or truck is disclosed which includes an annular casing defining a radially outer circumferential canal, a thrust ring defined by a ring of polymeric material disposed within the circumferential canal, and an annular sleeve mounted coaxial with the annular casing. The annular sleeve includes a deflector ring configured to mechanically remove at least a portion of the thrust ring upon relative rotation of the casing and sleeve to create a minimal running clearance between the deflector ring and the thrust ring. A method of fabricating a hub seal having a machinable thrust ring is also disclosed.

Abstract: A wheel hub and bearing assembly for use on the ends of a stationary axle and particularly on tractor and trailer axles. A wheel hub, a pair of bearings, a bearing spacer and seals are assembled and installed on the axle end. The bearing spacer is positioned between the pair of bearings and has one or more vanes mounted thereon for redirecting the flow of lubricant disposed in a cavity in the wheel hub between the bearings in a bi-axial flow direction towards each spaced bearing to lubricate and cool the bearings.

Abstract: A hubcap vent plug is disclosed which includes a plug body having inlet vent structure for accommodating air flow into a bearing chamber during wheel end pressurization, outlet vent structure for accommodating gaseous flow out of the bearing chamber during wheel end depressurization, a first one-way check valve operatively associated with the inlet vent structure, a second one-way check valve operatively associated with the outlet vent structure, and an annular seal member mounted on the plug body for sealingly engaging the periphery of a reception port formed the end wall of the hubcap.

Abstract: A friction material and process of forming a friction material embodies a slurry of aramid, acrylic and carbon fibers, together with kaolin clay and aluminum oxide used as fillers in a phenolic resin binder. The matrix formed by the fibers entraps a relatively large quantity of carbon particles. The carbon particles comprise more than forty or fifty percent of the weight of the material. During the process of formation, the slurry is de-watered to reduce moisture content to the order of two percent before the resin binder is cured under heat and pressure.

Abstract: A hubcap attached to a wheel hub wherein a chamber is formed between the hubcap and the wheel hub for housing a lubricating fluid for the associated wheel bearings. A vent passage extending through the hubcap is provided for relieving the pressure formed therein. A porous material is positioned to cover the vent passage for allowing a flow of gases to enter and exit the vent passage while preventing liquids and other contaminants from traveling therethrough. The porous material is held in a compressive abutting relationship to the hubcap surface by an enclosure which surrounds the vent passage and encases the porous material to shield the outer surface of the porous material from exposure to external grit and other contaminants. The enclosure further has at least one port to accommodate air flow to the porous material.

Abstract: A hubcap attached to a wheel wherein a chamber is formed between the hubcap and the wheel for housing a lubricating fluid for the associated wheel bearings. A vent passage extending through the hubcap is provided for relieving the pressure formed in the chamber. A first one way valve is positioned to cover the vent passage for allowing a flow of gases to exit the vent passage while preventing liquids and other contaminants from entering the vent passage. A porous material is mounted across an air inlet passage extending through the hubcap for allowing air to enter the chamber. A second one way valve is mounted across the air inlet passage between the chamber and the porous material to shield the outer surface of the porous material from exposure to lubricating fluid from the chamber.

Abstract: A friction material and process of forming a friction material embodies a slurry of aramid, acrylic and carbon fibers, together with kaolin clay and aluminum oxide used as fillers in a phenolic resin binder. The matrix formed by the fibers entraps a relatively large quantity of carbon particles. The carbon particles comprise more than forty or fifty percent of the weight of the material. During the process of formation, the slurry is de-watered to reduce moisture content to the order of two percent before the resin binder is cured under heat and pressure.

Abstract: A unitized wheel hub and bearing assembly for use on the ends of stationary axles and particularly on tractor and trailer axles. A wheel hub, a pair of bearings and at least one seal are assembled with a mounting sleeve which is sized to be fitted on an axle end. The inclusion of a custom designed mounting sleeve permits the building of unitized assemblies to be used with existing axles as well as with new ones. The unitized construction allows pre-adjustment of the bearings and when two seals are employed, the bearings can also be pre-lubricated.

Abstract: A tool for use in stretching or elongating an axle ring so that it may be removed from an associated axle. A lever with an elongated nose impacts against a narrow band across the width of the axle ring and produces a peening or plastic flow action to elongate the ring. The tool includes means for locating itself on the axle to properly position the nose both axially and radially.

Abstract: A hubodometer (10) for attachment to a vehicle's wheel structure for sensing a rotation of the wheel structure and for converting the sensed rotation to a distance travelled. The hubodometer comprises an outer housing (12) having a permanent magnet (28) affixed thereto for generating a magnetic field and a coupler (14) for coupling the housing to the wheel structure such that the outer housing rotates therewith. The hubodometer further comprises an anti-rotation mechanism (16) rotatably coupled within the outer housing, the mechanism having a plurality of components (18,20,22,24,30) coupled thereto, the components being stabilized against rotation thereby. The components include an electronic controller (20) and a plurality of magnetic field sensors (30). The plurality of sensors are disposed relative to the housing such that as the magnet rotates thereabout all of the plurality of magnetic field sensors do not simultaneously sense the magnetic field.

Abstract: The invention is a venturi of unusual configuration and a method and apparatus for forming such a venturi in a single operation from a rounded, deformable tube. According to the invention, diametrically opposing sides of the tube are inwardly deflected in increasing amounts from opposing ends of the tube so as to form along the length of the tube from either end a first chamber of increasingly flattened and reduced cross-section followed by a second chamber of decreasingly flattened and reduced cross-section. An elongated throat section of maximally flattened and reduced cross-section may be provided between the first and second chambers, particularly for engine muffler venturis. The tube is conveniently deformed by applying pressure to a pair of its opposing sides along at least a portion of its length, preferably by pairs of opposing dies or eccentric rollers. Venturis for engine mufflers are conveniently fabricated from thin walled steel tubes by cold forming the tubes in the manner described.

Abstract: A muffler comprising a housing having inlet and outlet ends and having a venturi tube of smaller diameter than the housing disposed therewithin in communication with its outlet end is disclosed. The venturi comprises a first bell reducer, which reduces the cross-sectional area of the venturi to substantially half its original value, a straight tubular section of cross-sectional area equal to the reduced area and of as great length as possible within the venturi, and a gradually diverging section connecting the straight section of reduced area to a perforate tube, of substantially equal area as the inlet of the venturi and communicating with the outlet of the housing. Several distinct embodiments of the invention are disclosed, which vary by means causing additional diversion of the gases from their straight path.