Patent Publication Number: US-2016221389-A1

Title: Hi-rail wheel

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of co-pending application Ser. No. 62/111,456 filed Feb. 3, 2015, entitled HI-RAIL WHEEL. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The present invention relates to mounting wheels on vehicles and, more particularly, to a wheel and adapter that effectively decreases the distance between tires of the vehicle to facilitate the use of the vehicle on a railroad track. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The concept of using a wheel adapter is not new. A typical purpose of a wheel adapter is to install a wheel that is a different size than the original equipment manufacturer&#39;s wheel for a particular vehicle. To accommodate a different wheel size, wheel adapters may be used. The wheel adaptor allows installation of a wheel that has a different bolt pattern, that has a different tire size, that increases the tire track (center to center of tire), or that converts a single rear wheel to a dual rear wheel. In each of these applications, the final position of the wheel and associated tire is moved outwardly of the original position. 
     In situations where it is desired to decrease the tire track, such as for use on a railroad track, the reduction in the tire track typically has an undesirable affect on the riding and handling characteristics of the vehicle. When the wheel and tire sets of the front end suspension are moved inwardly, the turning radius of the vehicle is restricted due to interference between the tire and the frame and/or the brake calipers of the vehicle. In certain vehicles, it is required that the tire track be reduced to allow the tires of the vehicle to be properly positioned on a railroad track. 
     For a railroad application, the tire size is typically increased from 16 inches to 19.5 inches, which is the maximum size allowable to ensure for adequate clearances between the tire and the fenders of the vehicle. The normal offset of the 16-inch wheel is 0.50 inches. To allow the tire to ride on a railroad track, a special wheel is required that has enough clearance to clear a brake caliper or use a deep offset rim such as, for example; a five-inch offset, and use an adapter to bring the rim and tire to the final desired position. 
     A prior art different-sized wheel that allows a single rear wheel track, such as a one-half-ton, three-quarter-ton, or single rear wheel one ton truck, that will interchange with the given wheel mounted on a wheel hub and allow the tire to be positioned on railroad track, requires a wheel adapter. The prior art wheel adapter provides the option of mounting a wheel of a different size and wheel track than the wheel originally supplied with the vehicle. Typically these prior art wheels and wheel adapters include a wheel hub with eight mounting studs and an adapter plate with eight mounting studs. The adapter plate is secured to the wheel hub by eight lug nuts received by the eight wheel hub mounting studs. The wheel is then secured to the adapter plate by eight tug nuts received by the eight adapter plate mounting studs. The additional weight of the wheel, wheel hub, mounting studs and lug nuts contribute to vibrations, excessive/uneven tire wear, poor handling, and maintenance issues. Further, the wheel hub lug nuts are typically smaller than the adapter plate lug nuts, requiring two wrench sizes for installation and removal of the wheel. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention provides a hi-rail wheel that may be mounted on the OEM lugs. The present invention provides a smooth ride at highway speeds, better handling and improved tire wear and life. The wheel is mourned to the OEM lugs using the OEM lug nuts eliminating 32 extra lug nuts and requiring only one wrench size for removal and mounting. Additionally, the wheel may be 40-80 pounds lighter per wheel than the prior art hi-rail wheels and adapters. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above, as well as other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be understood from the detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention when considered in the light of the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of a lathe form wheel of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a sectional view taken along line  2 - 2  of the wheel illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a front elevational view of a machined wheel of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a sectional view taken along line  4 - 4  of the wheel illustrated in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a detail view taken along line  5  of the sectional view of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is a front perspective view of the wheel illustrated in  FIG. 3 ; and 
         FIG. 7  is a rear perspective view of the wheel illustrated in  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein. However, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for the claims and/or as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention. 
     Moreover, except where otherwise expressly indicated, all numerical quantities in this description and in the claims are to be understood as modified by the word “about”( 0  in describing the broader scope of this invention. Practice within the numerical limits stated is generally preferred. Also, unless expressly stated to the contrary, the description of a group or class of materials as suitable or preferred for a given purpose in connection with the invention implies that mixtures or combinations of any two or more members of the group or class may be equally suitable or preferred. 
     Referring initially to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a lathe form of the present invention is generally indicated by reference  10 . Wheel  10  is forged and machined from a single piece of aluminum, or other alloy forging to create a wheel that is stiff, strong and lightweight. The wheel  10  may have a diameter of 16 to 24 inches, and preferably 19.5 to 20 inches. The wheel  10  includes an annular rim  12  with an outer flange  14 , a barrel  16  and an inner flange  18 . Inner flange  18  and outer flange  14  each include a bead seat  20  and  22 , and optionally safety humps  21  and  23 , respectively, which cooperate with the heads of a tire (not shown) to create an air tight seal between the rim  12  and the associated tire. The angle of the bead seals may be between 5 and 15 degrees. 
     The barrel  16  extends in a generally frusto-conical shape to an outer web  24 , a wheel face  26  and terminates at a center bore  28  for receiving an axle hub (not shown). Wheel face  26  lies in a first plane at the outer extent of the wheel  10 , which is parallel to a second plane in which outer flange  14  lies, inside of the first plane, and a third plane at the inner extent of the wheel  10  in which inner flange  18  lies. The first plane may be spaced 0.5 to 2.0 inches from the second plane, for example. On the inside surface of wheel face  26  is a back pad  30 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3-7 , a forged wheel with additional machining is generally indicated by reference numeral  32 . Wheel  32  includes apertures  34  machined through the outer web  24  removing material to lighten the wheel  10  and to provide ventilation to the motor and brakes (not shown) of the vehicle to which the wheel is mounted. An annular array of lug apertures  36  are machined through the wheel face  26  and the back pad  30 . Lug apertures  36  are arranged to receive threaded studs (not shown) extending outwardly from a wheel hub (not shown). Each lug aperture  36  maybe countersunk  38  on the wheel face  26  side of the lug aperture  36  to receive a lug nut for engaging a corresponding threaded stud to secure the wheel  32  to the wheel hub of the vehicle. A valve stem hole  40  is machined at an angle of approximately 18 degrees relative to a plane perpendicular to the second plane, and through a material radius  42  in the web  24  to a well  44  on the tire side surface  46  of the web  16  to receive a valve stem (not shown). 
     It is to be understood that while certain now preferred forms of this invention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited thereto except insofar as such limitations are included in the following claims.