Abstract: A wheel nut having wrench flats extending parallel to a central threaded aperture is sheathed by a sheet metal cap which extends down the sides and covers one end of the nut. The end of the cap may extend straight across the end of the nut or may alternatively be domed to surround a volume extending beyond the end. The cap is welded to the nut at either a ring of points or a continuous ring extending around the nut end. Alternatively, the nut may have a radially extending skirt between its ends and the cap may be welded to the laterally extending sides of the skirt. These resistance welded joinders are formed by supporting the cap in loose assembly with the nut in an electrically conductive fixture, bringing a tubular electrode into pressured contact with the uncapped end of the nut and passing an extremely short pulse of high electric current through the contacting surface of the cap and nut end using a capacitive discharge welding circuit.

Abstract: A stainless steel sheath for a wheel nut is welded to the nut body in limited areas by bringing electrodes into pressured contact with the conical nut end, which is unsheathed, and a section of the overlying the body. A capacitor then passes a short, low voltage, high current electric pulse through the electrodes to resistance weld the sheath to the body, beneath the sheath electrode without altering the metallurgy of the cap or the body.

Abstract: A wheel nut has a tapered end adapted to seat in the conical depression in a wheel surrounding a stud hole and sides formed with polygonal wrench flats. The flats at the nut end opposite to the taper are depressed or recessed with respect to the remaining flat surface and are connected to the unrecessed sections by a slight shoulder. A stainless steel sheath covers the recessed sections of the flat so that the free edge of the sheath abuts the shoulder. The sheath forms a domed cover surrounding the end of the nut opposite to the conical end to form an enclosure for the end of a wheel stud extending beyond the nut. In an alternative embodiment the sheath edge is bent radially outwardly and then rebent inwardly to form a flange which abuts the wheel surface surrounding a stud depression.

Abstract: A capped hexagonal nut for wheel rims wherein the cap includes a skirt portion terminating in an annular shoulder and a radially inwardly projecting flange which grips the shank of the nut to maintain a longitudinal tension between the cap and nut. The top of the cap may be open to expose a decorative plastic disk.

Abstract: A capped hexagonal nut for wheel rims wherein the cap includes a skirt portion terminating in an annular shoulder and a radially inwardly projecting flange which grips the shank of the nut to maintain a longitudinal tension between the cap and nut. The top of the cap may be open to expose a decorative plastic disk.