Abstract: A vehicle tire inflation system includes an axle assembly with an axle housing having an air supply conduit. Air is provided to the air supply conduit from an air tank mounted on the vehicle. The axle includes least one wheel hub rotatably supported on the axle housing by bearings. A hub cap is mounted at one end of the wheel hub and has an air passageway for conducting an air supply through the hub cap to a tire. A filter is installed within the passageway to remove any debris from the air supply.

Abstract: A single piece valve extension support for vehicles with dualled tires and wheels using inflation valve extensions on the inner wheel. The valve extension support, made from a compressible elastomeric foam material, has an orifice through which the valve extension can pass. The valve extension support is inserted in the vent hole of the outer wheel, compressing the foam elastomeric material and generating an interference fit with the vent hole. The valve extension support is compressed around the valve extension passing through its' orifice. In this way, the valve extension support is able to dampen vibration that can lead to fatigue cracks in the inflation valve assembly, causing loss of air pressure in the inner dual tire and wheel assembly. Retention flanges on either side of the wheel prevent accidental removal of the valve extension support.

Abstract: A railway axle hub unit of the type including an axle box housing (1) for supporting a bearing, is provided with a sensor body (3, 9) containing sensors (4, 5) for detecting vibration in the vertical direction and the horizontal axial direction. The sensor body is mounted onto a stationary support element (2, 1, 15) rigidly secured to the bearing, preferably an annular sealing insert. The sensors perform monitoring of the operation condition of the hub unit by generating and transmitting signals indicative of the detected level of vibration to an electronic processing unit mounted on board of the railway vehicle or the train. The processing unit is capable of signalling in real time an impending failure and/or a damaged condition associated with the monitored hub unit.

Abstract: A wheel overmask for a vechicle having a wheel made of aluminium or alminium alloy. The overmask includes a body of the same material as the wheel and is conformed to the same shape as the contact surface of the wheel to which it is applied.

Abstract: The spoked wheel apparatus is symmetrical, is reversible, employs spokes that are threaded on both ends, and is capable of supporting a tubeless tire, without air leaking from the tire. A hub assembly for the wheel apparatus includes two sides, and each side includes a plurality of alternately crossing spokes that are connected between the hub assembly and a wheel rim portion. Each hub side includes an interchangeable and reversible drive dowel assembly capable of receiving a drive sprocket or disc brake. For a hub side, some spokes are connected between outer portions of the hub side to the wheel rim portion, and some spokes are connected between inner portions of the hub side to the wheel rim portion. Alternating pairs of inner and outer spokes come into interference contact midway between the hub assembly and the wheel rim portion, whereby strengthening and stabilizing effects are provided between the interfering spokes.

Abstract: A wheel and axle assembly in which the wheel carries a metal clip secured within a pocket formed in the wheel. The clip extends into an axial bore formed in the wheel. An axle is fitted into the wheel bore engaging the metal clip to secure the axle against withdrawal or longitudinal movement while permitting rotation of the wheel relative to the axle.

Abstract: A wheel balance weight includes a weight and a double-sided tape. The weight is formed as a substantially strip shape, is made from a ferrous alloy, and has opposite top and bottom surfaces and at least a groove. The groove is formed in the bottom surface of the weight, and crosses in the width-wise direction thereof being substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction thereof. The double-sided tape has opposite adhesive surfaces being disposed back to back with each other. One of the opposite adhesive surfaces is to be bonded onto the bottom surface of the weight, and the other one of the opposite adhesive surfaces to be bonded onto an inner peripheral surface of a wheel. Accordingly, it is possible to curve the weight with less force. Hence, it is possible to install the wheel balance weight to a wheel with ease.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improved fabricated vehicle wheel. According to one embodiment of the invention, the vehicle wheel includes a wheel rim having a plurality of holes formed therein; a wheel disc having a central mounting surface and a plurality of outwardly extending spokes, each of the spokes having at least two holes formed therein; at least one rim to disc interface area provided along each of the spokes wherein some portion of a surface of the rim and some portion of a surface of the spoke contact one another; and a fastener extending through each of the at least two holes of each of the spokes and through an associated at least two holes of the plurality of holes of the rim to secure the rim and disc together.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a tire construction and method of correcting one or more tire uniformity characteristics. A tire has two beads and a carcass reinforcement ply having reinforcement cords. The method is characterized by the steps of A) forming a portion of the tire with a material (typically a thermoplastic), that can be rendered plastic (such as by heating) and rendered non-plastic (such as by cooling), which, in turn, respectively, permits and restricts reorientation of the reinforcement cords; B) rendering the material plastic, after the tire has been vulcanized, to permit one or more of the reinforcement cords to be reoriented; C) reorienting one or more reinforcement cords with respect to other rein-forcement cords or tire components; and D) rendering the material non-plastic, to restrict further reorientation of adjacent reinforcement cords. Reorientation of the cords can be achieved without stretching them beyond their elastic limit.

Abstract: A mud cap assembly for attachment to a wheel rim comprising a member expandable for forming interlocking engagement with a wheel rim, a cover having an outer surface to inhibit track material from accumulating thereon and a plurality of fasteners for temporarily securing the cover to the member so that track material impinging on the cover slides off the cover to inhibit the creation of an unbalanced condition.

Abstract: A large-diameter part, the diameter of which is larger than the diameter in the center, is provided at the edges of a rim via parts having a difference in a level. Curled parts are provided on both edges of the rim by curling the large-diameter part. Each end face of the curled parts is touched to the parts having a difference in a level. The rigidity of the side of the edge of the rim can be enhanced by providing the parts having a difference in a level to the rim. As a result, the rigidity of the whole wheel can be enhanced and in addition, as a disc and the rim are not required to be thickened, the weight of the wheel can be prevented from being increased.

Abstract: Disclosed is a decorative tire sidewall shield cover that provides the tire sidewall (16) with added beauty and protection. The device is a substantially planar ring-like member having a central aperture (42) substantially of the same diameter as the wheel or hub (20) opening of the tire (18). The decorative sidewall shield can also have a centrally disposed flange or lip (30) that will be positioned between the tire rim (18) and wheel rim (20) being held in place by tire air pressure. In addition to an exterior shield for tires such as motor vehicles, the tire shield covers both sides of a tire, such as for a motorcycle. The material used would have abrasion resistance properties.

Abstract: A rim structure for a bicycle wheel that includes, at its periphery, an annular channel designed to receive a tire, such channel being demarcated by an upper bridge devoid of openings with the exception of the valve opening, and two lateral flanges, such flanges having end butts for gripping the tire. The upper bridge has a narrow and recessed central rim well demarcated by a base and two lateral walls, the rim well being bordered by two bead seats that are oblique from the rim well towards the flanges. The invention is also related to a wheel having such a rim and a wheel equipped with a tire mounted without an air tube and having such a rim.

Abstract: A track tensioning system for a tracked vehicle having both a frame with left and right side members as well as left and right tracks that are both configured to translate along the ground to move the vehicle includes left and right wheel plates located substantially adjacent to a respective side member. Left and right wheels are coupled to the respective left and right wheel plates. The left and right wheels are coupled to the left and right tracks and rotate on a rotational axis so that, as the tracks translate along the ground, both wheels rotate with the tracks. For providing track tensioning to the tracks, each wheel plate pivots against the respective side member of the frame on a pivot axis that is displaced form the rotational axis. The left and right wheel plates may pivot in substantially parallel pivot planes. The substantially parallel pivot planes may be vertical. The left wheel plate may pivot around a left pivot axis and the right pivot plate may pivot around a right pivot axis.

Abstract: A high offset dual vehicle wheel assembly includes a pair of full face wheels (20, 20) each defining an axis and including a wheel rim and a full face wheel disc. The rim includes an inboard tire bead seat retaining flange, an inboard tire bead seat, a generally axially extending well, and an outboard tire bead seat surface. The disc (42) includes a centrally located wheel mounting flange and an outer annular portion which defines an outboard tire bead seat retaining flange of the vehicle wheel and is located wholly outside a plane defined by the inboard tire bead seat retaining flange. The inboard tire bead seat (38) is provided with a radially in-turned flange having a generally radially inwardly sloping surface, a generally radially extending surface, and an axially extending surface.

Abstract: A plastic wheel (122, 222) and wheel mounting sleeve (127, 227, 327, 427) used to releasably secure the wheel (122, 222) onto an axle (123, 223). The wheel mounting sleeve (127, 227, 327, 427) preferably includes a resilient, radially displaceable, axially extending, cantilevered finger (146, 246, 346, 446) which includes an axle-engaging lug (155, 255, 355, 455), while a wheel-engaging shoulder is provided on the sleeve by an annular rib (201, 301). The sleeve shoulders latch the sleeve (127, 227, 327, 427) to the axle (123, 223) and the wheel (122, 222) to the sleeve. The sleeve (127, 227, 327, 427) includes an axle stabilizing recess (198, 298, 398, 498) positioned in an end wall (158, 258, 358, 458), which receives an axle stub (199, 299) that supports the axle (123, 223) against lateral loading and stabilizes it to reduce wobble, chatter and vibration.

Abstract: Hardened surface layers (12) and (14) of a nitride or other compound, which is higher in hardness than dirt or soil, are formed on the inner peripheral surface (11B) of each metal bush (11) and on the outer peripheral surface (13A) of each connecting pin (13) which constitute a crawler belt (7), respectively. In addition, resinous sliding bearings (15) are fitted in transversely spaced positions on the inner periphery of each metal bush (11) of the crawler belt. Bearing (15) is provided with recessed grooves (16). Accordingly, part of soil or dirt which intrudes into a gap space between an outer link portion (9) of a track link and a metal bush (11) through an annular seal member (17) is trapped on an inner peripheral surface (15A) of the bearing (15).

Abstract: An assembly for mounting a tire without independent inner tube including two conical metal mounting rings intended to receive the tire beads, positioned and locked on the hub of the vehicle by means of two circular lateral locking rings recessed in a hub, each locking ring being composed of a vulcanized rubber mix reinforced by and coating a reinforcement ring which is circumferentially elastic and radially resistant to compression.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improved fabricated vehicle wheel.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improved fabricated vehicle wheel. According to one embodiment of the invention, the fabricated vehicle wheel includes a wheel rim having a plurality of holes formed therein; a wheel disc having a central mounting surface and a plurality of outwardly extending spokes, each of the spokes having at least one hole formed therein; at least one rim to disc interface area provided along each of the spokes wherein some portion of a surface of the rim and some portion of a surface of the spoke contact one another; an adhesive deposited in at least some portion of the rim to disc interface area; and at least one fastener extending through the holes of the rim and the spokes to secure the rim and disc together.