Patent ID: 7494145
Filing Date: 2009-02-24
Classification: B60B,B62K

Abstract:
1. An improved axle which is used to be affixed into dropouts of a bicycle fork leg, comprising: a. a tapered split non-round nut having a rear end with a round opening located at a center of the rear end, an exterior tapered non-round wall with a front edge and having a split extending from the front edge to the rear end, the exterior wall defining an interior non-round bore having an interior non-round surface; b. a hollow cylindrical bolt with an outer round head comprising a hollow neck containing male threads, the hollow neck transversely attached at a center location of a rear side of the outer round head, the outer round head having an interior hexagonal bore with an interior hexagonal surface; c. a hollow axle body comprising a first non-round shaped end connected to an intermediate hollow cylindrical portion which in turn is connected to a second tapered non-round end with an exterior surface, the first non-round end having an exterior non-round surface, a front edge and an interior bore containing female threads, the hollow axle body comprising a shoulder located at the intersection of the intermediate hollow cylindrical portion and the first non-round end, the exterior non-round surface of the first non-round end matching the interior non-round surface of the bore of the tapered split non-round nut; d. a first dropout containing a first mating opening, wherein said first dropout is affixed at a lower end of a first bicycle fork leg, a second dropout containing a second mating opening, wherein the second dropout is affixed at a lower end of a second bicycle fork leg, said first mating opening matches said exterior wall of the tapered split non-round nut, said second mating opening matches said exterior surface of the second tapered non-round end of said axle body; and e. the improved axle affixed into the dropouts of the fork legs by having the improved axle inserted into second dropout so that the second tapered non-round end of the axle body is inserted into and matches the mating opening of the second dropout and the first non-round end of the improved axle is inserted through the mating opening of the first dropout and the split non-round nut is positioned over the first non-round end of the axle and tightened thereto by threading the hollow bolt into the threads in the first non-round end, the tapered split non-round nut being tightened into the first dropout opening while the tapered second end of the axle is pulled into said second mating opening when said cylindrical bolt is threaded into said first end of the axle.