Patent Publication Number: US-2019168540-A1

Title: Wheel To Axle Securement System

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The invention generally pertains to vehicle wheel assemblies, and more particularly to a wheel to axle securement system that allows a wheel to be quickly and easily secured to, or removed from, an axle. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     One of the earliest developments of humankind was the wheel. The attachment of a disk mite each end of a rod revolutionized movement from one location to another. It became possible to build transportation devices for both people and goods. 
     As technology improved, designs of the wheel and axle also improved. Essentially all advanced people throughout the world utilized the wheel with the introduction of the internal combustion engine, the wheel/axle assembly became even more important and widely used. Along with the increased usage came the requirement for robust and dependable designs that would allow powered and non-powered vehicles to operate reliably for extended periods of time, over great distances. 
     Although wheel/axle have been modified as time has progressed, the basic design has remained the same: an axle in the form of a rotatable circular member with a wheel attached to each end. Some of the most significant improvements have been in the materials used to manufacture an axle or wheel, and the methods of securing the wheel onto the axle. For powered vehicles the securement must be extremely strong and reliable since powered vehicles can reach high speeds. Therefore, the securement typically utilizes multiple bolts or similar high strength means. Interesting, these types of designs have been carried over to non-powered vehicles, for which they are usually not required. 
     A non-powered vehicle, which typically relies on human power to move, can only reach limited speed. As such the securement of the wheel to the axle does not have to be comparable to powered vehicles. 
     In fact, for non-powered vehicles it is often preferably to utilize a simpler securement design which does not require the time or effort to secure or remove a wheel to or from an axle. A design that could provide a strong securement of a wheel to an axle for a typically non-powered vehicle, and would allow a wheel to be quickly and easily secured to, or removed from, an axle, would be extremely beneficial. If the design could also be applied to powered-vehicles the benefit would be even greater. Optimally, a wheel to axle securement would utilize existing technology that is adapted for this use and therefore would be very effective and could be easily implemented. 
     A search of the prior art did not disclose any literature or patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention. However, the following U.S. patents are considered related: 
     
       
         
           
               
               
               
             
               
                   
               
               
                 PAT. NO. 
                 INVENTOR 
                 ISSUED 
               
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                 3,749,196 
                 Traylor 
                 Jul. 31, 1973 
               
               
                 6,575,539 
                 Reich 
                 Jun. 10, 2003 
               
               
                 6,598,941 
                 Field, et al 
                 Jul. 29, 2003 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     The U.S. Pat. No. 3,749,196 patent discloses an axle housing mounting structure having one member adapted to be attached to a vehicle frame and another member adapted to be securely attached to the exterior surface of an axle housing. The two members are provided with complementary slidably interfitting surfaces so that the axle housing engaging member may be rotated about a generally horizontal axis with respect to the first member to adjust the angular orientation of the input shaft of a gear box located on the axle housing. 
     The U.S. Pat. No. 6,575,539 patent discloses an apparatus and method for attaching a wheel to an axle. The apparatus comprises a wheel with a hub far insertion into an indentation in the end of the axle and a non-cylindrically—symmetrical stud attached to the axle that is concentric with the axis of rotation of the wheel and axle, attaching the wheel to the axle. 
     The U.S. Pat. No. 6,598,941 patent discloses an apparatus and method for attaching a wheel to an axle. The apparatus comprises a wheel with a hub for insertion into an indentation in the end of the axle and a single bolt that is offset from the axis of rotation of the wheel and axle and that attaches the wheel to the axle. 
     For background purposes and indicative of the art to which the invention relates, reference may be made to the following remaining patents found in the patent search. 
     
       
         
           
               
               
               
             
               
                   
               
               
                 PAT. NO. 
                 INVENTOR 
                 ISSUED 
               
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                 3,773,347 
                 Traylor 
                 Nov. 20, 1973 
               
               
                 5,800,023 
                 Hartenstine, et al 
                 Sept. 1, 1998 
               
               
                 6,203,472 
                 McCaffrey, et al 
                 Mar. 20, 2001 
               
               
                 8,820,853 
                 Barefoot 
                 Sept. 2, 2014 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
     A wheel to axle securement system (WASS) that facilitates securing a vehicle wheel to an axle, or removal of a vehicle wheel from an axle. The WASS includes a vehicle wheel with a wheel hub, an axle with a first end and a second end, with a wheel hub secured to each end, and a quick release ball lock pin that is dimensioned to fit with an axle insert that is located inside the axle at each end. The wheel hub is placed onto the axle by inserting the axle through an opening at the center of the hub. The opening is designed so that the axle is stopped from extending past an outer surface of the hub. Once the wheel hub is on the axle, the ball lock pin is inserted into the axle insert within the axle. The ball lock pin, which is also known as a pit pin, and as well known in the art, utilizes a pair of opposed metal balls that extend outward from the pin. An internal mechanism causes the balls to retract downward into the shaft when a button on the pin is depressed with the balls retracted, the shaft has a flush surface, which can be inserted into the axle insert. Once the pin is inserted, the pin&#39;s button is released which causes the balls to extend upward and outward. The location of the pin when the balls extend, allows the balls to create a barrier that precludes the pin from being removed/extracted from the axle insert. With the pin in place the wheel hub is secured onto the axle. 
     To remove the wheel hub from the axle, the button on the pin is depressed which causes the balls to retract into the shaft, and the pin to be extracted from the axle insert. With the pin extracted, the wheel hub can easily be removed from the axle. 
     In view of the above disclosure, the primary object of the invention is to provide a wheel to axle securement system that utilizes current technology to facilitate the quickly and easy securement of a wheel to an axle, or removal of a wheel from an axle. 
     In addition to the primary object, it is also an object of the invention to provide a wheel to axle securement system that:
         can work with many types of vehicles, but is especially suited for use with a rescue litter,   is easy to manufacture and utilizes existing technology,   is easy to use,   allows certain vehicles to be stored or transported with the wheels removed,   is durable and long-lasting,   can be sold as an OEM product or an aftermarket product,   requires no maintenance,   is cost effective from both a manufacturer&#39;s and consumer&#39;s point of view.       

     These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the preferred embodiment and the appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front orthographic view of a wheel to axle securement system (WASS) unassembled showing a wheel hub, axle, axle insert and quick release ball lock pin. 
         FIG. 2  is a front orthographic view of the WASS axle, axle insert and quick release ball lock pin. 
         FIG. 3  is a cut-away view showing an axle end with the axle insert and quick release ball lock pin. 
         FIG. 4  is a front orthographic view of the WASS axle and axle insert, with the axle insert having multiple circumferential slots extending laterally around an outer surface of the axle insert. 
     
    
    
     BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
     The best mode for carrying out the invention is presented in terms that disclose a preferred embodiment of a wheel to axle securement system (WASS)  10 . Ever since the combination of a round disk placed on each end of a rod, humankind has relied on the use of the wheel (or more accurately, the wheel and axle) for many varied purposes. The wheel/axle has also led to the development of some of the most ubiquitous and widely used innovations of the modern world, such as the many different types of vehicles that utilize wheels/axles to function. 
     The basic design of the wheel/axle has not changed since its initial development. The improvements to the wheel/axle have mostly been the use of better, more advanced materials in the manufacture, as well as improved designs of the construction. This is especially notable in the, methods used to secure a wheel onto an axle. With the introduction of powered vehicles it became necessary to produce a wheel/axle that could operate at and withstand the higher speeds and greater loads that resulted from powered vehicles. 
     While wheel/axle use for powered vehicles is predominant, there is still a pronounced need for a wheel/axle that is primarily used for non-powered vehicles. In particularly there is a need for an advanced method for securing a wheel to an axle. The WASS  10  addresses this need by providing wheel to axle securement that is quick and easy. To use for both securing a wheel onto an axle, or for removing a wheel from an axle. The WASS  10  is primarily designed for use with a proprietary rescue litter, known as the COBRA LITTER™, which was developed by the same inventor. 
     Although the WASS  10  is particularly effective for use on the rescue litter, which is usually non-powered, the design of the WASS  10 , which is partially derived from modified/improved existing technology, can also be effectively used in many other applications, both powered or non-powered. 
     The preferred embodiment of the WASS  10 , as shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , facilitates securing a vehicle wheel to an axle, or removal of a vehicle wheel from an axle. The WASS  10  comprises a vehicle wheel with a wheel hub  12  having a center opening  14 , an axle  16  with a first end  18  having an opening  24  and a second end  20  having an opening  24 , and a quick release ball lock pin  40 . Located within the opening  24  on the axle first end and the axle second end is an axle insert  28  having an outer end  30 , an inner end  32  and a bore  34  extending therethrough. The axle insert  28 , as shown in  FIGS. 1-3  is dimensioned to be inserted into and frictionally maintained within the opening  24  on each axle end. The bore  34  on the axle insert is dimensioned to accept the quick release ball lock pin  40 , as shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , and which comprises a shaft  42  with an outer end  44  from where outwardly extends a button  46 , a finger interface collar  48  with an integral shaft member  50  into which substantially half of said axle shaft  42  is inserted, a hub interface collar  52  that is located below said danger interface collar, an inner end  54  that tapers  56  inward, at least two balls  58  that extend outward from corresponding openings in the shaft, and an internal assembly (not shown) comprising a rod that is connected to a spring such that the rod slides forward when the button  46  is depressed, and returns to an original position when the button is released. The at least two balls  58  are located within a V-shaped slot on the shaft. When the button  46  is depressed and the shaft slides forward, and the balls enter into the slot, thereby creating a flush surface along the shaft, which allows the shaft to be inserted or removed from said axle insert, wherein said axle is inserted into the opening on the wheel hub, and the quick release ball lock pin button is depressed and the pin is inserted from the outer surface into the axle insert  28 . The ball lock pin hub interface collar  52  contacts the axle&#39;s first end, thereby precluding further insertion at the pin  40 . To remove the wheel hub  12  from the axle  16 , the button  46  on the ball lock pin  40  is depressed, thereby causing the balls  58  to retract into the shaft, which allows the pin  40  not be extracted from the axle insert  28 , and the wheel hub  12  to be removed from the axle  16 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the axle insert  28  can additionally include at least one, and preferably multiple, circumferential slots  62 . The slots  62  extend laterally around an outer surface of the axle insert  28 . When the axle insert  28  is inserted into the axle opening  24 , each circumferential slot  62  expands, which enlarges the diameter of the axle insert  28 , thereby providing increased frictional maintaining of the axle inset  28  within the axle opening  24 . 
     While the invention has been described in detail and pictorially shown in the accompanying drawings it is not to be limited to such details, since many changes and modification may be made to the invention without departing from the spirit and the scope thereof. Hence, it is described to cover any and ail modifications and forms which may come within the language and scope of the claims.