Abstract:
A retainer retains a wheel cover to the portion of the studs retaining a wheel to the hub of an axle, which extends beyond the lug nuts. The retainer has a metal retainer body with a planar upper and lower surface and a long end. Two arcuate portions are spaced along the long end and the metal body is beveled in the vicinity of the arcuate portions so that the arcuate portions will engage the threaded portions extending beyond the lug nuts for two adjacent studs.

Description:
The present invention relates to a method of installing a decorative wheel cover to the front and rear wheels of a truck and, in particular, to a method which does not require the removal of the lug nuts retaining the wheel to the hub of the axle. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A truck is a very functional piece of equipment and the manufacturers of trucks subordinate the physical appearance of the truck to function. Truck manufacturers, therefore, do not provide wheel covers to improve the aesthetic qualities of the wheels of the trucks they manufacture and accordingly truck wheels are not manufactured with attachment points to which a wheel cover can be retained. Wheel covers and wheel liners, which attractively cover the functional portions of a truck wheel, therefore, must attach to functional portions of the wheel. One method commonly used for attaching a wheel cover is to provide a plurality of connectors which fit under the lug nuts which retain the wheel to the axle of the truck. 
     Laws regulating truck traffic differ from state to state, but in many states the truck wheels must be inspected for cracks emanating from around the lug nuts. Where a wheel cover is attached using a retainer fitted under a lug nut, the lug nut cannot be removed without the use of special air operated tools. Where such retainers are used, therefore, a truck subject to inspection must be directed off road to a site where the needed equipment is available and the lug nuts retaining the connectors removed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Briefly, the present invention is embodied in a wheel cover and a retainer for retaining the wheel cover to the wheel of a vehicle where the vehicle has a hub with a plurality of identical threaded studs equally spaced around the center of the hub. The wheel has a plurality of holes therein positioned for receiving the studs and is retained against the hub by lug nuts threaded on the portion of the studs extending through the holes in the wheel. 
     In accordance with the invention, at least some of the lug nuts have a portion of the threading thereon extending beyond the lug nuts. The threads which spiral around the body of the lug nut have a crest which defines a cylindrical outer surface and have a valley between the crests which define an inner surface. 
     To retain a cover to the distal ends of the threaded studs extending beyond the lug nuts a first and second retaining members are provided. The first retaining member has a locking side having a first arcuate portion and a second arcuate portion spaced a distance from the first arcuate portion. Each of the first and second arcuate portions define a circle having a radius that is less than the diameter of the cylinder defined by the crests of the threads and greater than the diameter of the cylinder defined by the valleys of the threads of the studs. The centers of the circles defined by the first and second arcuate portions are spaced a distance from each other equal to the distance between the centers of adjacent studs. 
     The first retainer member is preferably made of metal and has upper and lower planar surfaces defining a thickness. In the proximity of the first arcuate portion and the second arcuate portion the thickness of the metal is beveled with the ends having a thickness that is less than the distance between the crests of the threads of the studs such that the first and second arcuate portions will engage the portion of the threads extending beyond the lug nuts of a first and a second adjacent studs. 
     The second retainer member is also made of metal with upper and lower surfaces and has a locking side positioned against the locking side of the first retainer member. The locking side of the second retainer member also has third and fourth arcuate portions, the inner edges of which define circles identical to the circles defined by the inner edges of the first and second arcuate portions of the first retainer member. The arcuate portions of the second retainer member also have bevels which reduce the thicknesses therefore in the proximity of the arcuate portions. The thickness of the beveled arcuate portions is less than the distance between adjacent crests of the threads such that the third and fourth arcuate portions of the second retainer member are complementary in shape to the first and second arcuate portions of the first retainer member and will engage between the threads of two adjacent studs engaged by the first retainer member. 
     The first and second retainer members are adjustably held together with the arcuate portions thereof fitted around the threaded distal ends of studs by any suitable means, such as a threaded bolt. The first retainer member further has a threaded hole therein for receiving a bolt extending through the cover for thereby connecting the cover to the first retainer method. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A better and more complete understanding of the present invention will be had after a reading of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings where: 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded isometric view of a truck wheel with the parts for assembling the cover to the wheel in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a second isometric view of a wheel with the attachment of the present invention attached thereto prior to assembly of the cover; 
     FIG. 3 is a plan view of the connector of the present invention, including the first and second connector members ready for assembly to two adjacent studs of a wheel; 
     FIG. 4 is an end view elevational of the first and second connector members assembled to each other as shown in FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the first connector member depicted in FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the second connector member depicted in FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 7 is a fragmentary enlarged partially cross sectional view of the first and second connector members assembled around the distal end of a threaded stud; 
     FIG. 8 is a plan view of another embodiment of the connector of the present invention, showing the first and second connector members ready for assembly to two studs of a wheel; 
     FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of the connector shown in FIG. 8 in assembled relationship without showing the studs; and 
     FIG. 10 is an end elevational view showing the first and second connector members as shown in FIG.  9 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIGS. 1,  2  and  7 , the present invention is an attachment for attaching a wheel cover  10  across the outer surface of a truck wheel  12 . The truck wheel  12  is mounted on a hub, the central portion  14  of which extends through a central opening in the wheel  10  and the hub has a plurality of parallel extending equally spaced threaded studs  16 — 16  surrounding the central portion  14  thereof. The wheel  10  has a central opening, not identified, through which the central portions  14  of the hub extend and a plurality of spaced holes, one of which  18  is shown in FIG. 7, for receiving the studs  16 — 16 . Threaded on each of the studs  16 — 16  is a lug nut  20 — 20 . 
     As best shown in FIG. 7, the length of the studs  16 — 16  is such that a threaded portion  22  thereof extends outward beyond the associated lug nut  20 . As shown in FIGS. 2 and 7, a pair of spaced connectors  24  in accordance with the present invention are provided to retain the cover  10  to the treaded portion  22  of the studs  16 ,′  16 ″. 
     Referring to FIGS. 3 through 7, each connector  24  has a first general planar connector member  26  and second complementary generally planar connector member  28  which are retained in assembled relationship around a pair adjacent studs  16 ′,  16 ″. The first connector member  26  is preferably made of steel plate having first and second opposing planar surfaces  30 ,  32  and an elongate side  34 . Positioned at opposite ends of the elongate side  34  are first and second arcuate portions  36 ,  38 . As best shown in FIG. 3 and 7, the arcuate portions  36 ,  38  are segments of a circle having radius R 3  where R 3  is less than the maximum diameter R 1  of the studs  16  as defined by the spiral wrap of the crest of the threads thereon, and greater than the minimum diameter R 2  of the studs  20  as defined by the spiral wrap of the valley between adjacent wraps of the threads. The centers defined by the arcuate portions  36 ,  38  are spaced a distance  40  which is equal to the distance between adjacent studs  16 — 16  of the hub. The metal in the immediate proximity of the arcuate portions  36 ,  38  is beveled at  42 ,  44  as best shown in FIG. 7 such that the edge of the arcuate portions  36 ,  38  fit between adjacent wraps of the crest of threads of the studs of which only stud  16 ′ is visible. 
     Referring to FIGS. 3,  4 , and  6 , the first connector member  26  has an elongate threaded nut  46  welded to the planar surface  30  and oriented such that the axis thereof is parallel to the surface  30  and perpendicular to the elongated side  34 . The first connector portion  26  also has a transverse threaded hole  48  positioned generally equal distance from the first and second arcuate portions  36 ,  38  and extending perpendicular to the surfaces  30 ,  32  thereof. To improve the quality of the threads, the threaded hole may be in the form of a nut  50  welded to the surface  30  of the first connector member  26 . Depending on the configuration needed to retain the wheel cover  10  to the wheel  12 , the threaded hole  48  and nut  50  may be positioned on the portion of the first connector  26  having an offset  52  as needed. 
     Referring to FIGS. 3,  4 , and  5 , the second connector  28  is also made of metal with planar surfaces  54 ,  56  and has an elongate side  58 . The elongate side  58  has third and fourth arcuate portions  60 ,  62  each of which is a segment of a circle having a radius R 4  equal to the radius R 3  defined by arcuate portions  36 ,  38  of the first connector member  26 . Like the first connector  26 , the centers of the circles defined by the arcuate portions  60 ,  62  are spaced a distance equal of the distance between the center of adjacent studs  16 ′,  16 ″. The arcuate portions  60 ,  62  further have beveled portions  64 ,  66  similar to the bevels  42 ,  44  of arcuate portions  36 ,  38 . 
     Welded to the surface  54  of the second connector member  28  is a tubular retainer  68  the axis of which is parallel to the surfaces  54 ,  56  and perpendicular to the elongate side  58 . The tubular retainer further has an inner diameter sized to slideably retain an elongate bolt  70 . The shaft of the elongate bolt  70  extends through the tubular retainer  68  and is threaded into the elongated threaded nut  46  on the first connector member  26  to retain the first and second connector members  26 ,  28  to each other with the surface  30  of the first connector member  26  substantially parallel to the surface  54  of the second connector member  28  and the surface  32  of the first connector member substantially parallel to the surface  56  of the second connector member  28 . 
     Referring to FIGS.,  3 ,  4  and  7 , the first and second connector members  26 ,  28  are fitted on opposite sides of adjacent studs  16 ′,  16 ″ with arcuate portions  26 ,  60  fitted around stud  16 ′ and arcuate portions  28 ,  62  fitted around stud  16 .″ The beveled edges of the arcuate portions  26 ,  28 ,  60 ,  62  thereof are wedged between adjacent wraps of the crest of the threads, as best shown in FIG. 7, and are held in place by the tightening of bolt  70  into the elongate threaded nut  46 . When the first and second connector members  26 ,  28  are tightened together with the beveled edges of the arcuate portions  36 ,  38 ,  60 ,  62  wedged between adjacent wraps of the crest of the threads of studs  16 ′ and  16 ″ the connector  24  will be locked to the studs such that it cannot be removed therefrom without damaging the threads thereof. 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a first connector  24  is attached to a first pair of studs  16 — 16  and second connector  24  is attached to a second pair of studs  16 — 16  on the opposite side of the wheel  12 . The cover  10  has a pair of spaced holes  72 ,  74  through which are inserted Phillips screws  76 ,  78 . The distal ends of the screws  76 ,  78  are threaded into the threaded hole  48  and nut  50  of the two connectors  24  to retain the cover to the wheel  12 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 8,  9 , and  10  a second embodiment of a connector  80  is depicted in which members like those of the first embodiment  24  bear like indicia numbers except they are primed. This second embodiment  80  has first and second connector members  26 ,′  28 ′ which are retained in assembled relationship around a pair of studs  16 ′″ and  16 ″″. The connector members  26 ′,  28 ′ are made of steel plate and have elongate sides  34 ′,  58 ′ respectively. The first connector member  26 ′ has first and second arcuate portions  36 ′,  38 ′ which define circles with a radius R 3 ′ where R 3 ′ is less than R 1  and greater than R 2  and the second connector member  28 ′ has arcuate portions  60 ′,  62 ′ which define circles with a radius R 4 ′ where R 4 ′ is again less than R 1  and greater than R 2 . 
     In this embodiment, the second connector member  28 ′ has first and second elongate threaded nuts  82 ,  84  welded to the surface  54 ′ thereof with the axis of the nuts  82 ,  84  parallel to the planar surfaces  54 ′,  56 ′ of the second connector member  28 ′ and perpendicular to the long side  58 ′. Similarly, the first connector member  26 ′ has first and second spaced elongate tubular retainer sleeves  86 ,  88  welded to the surface  30 ′. The sleeves  86 ,  88  have an inner diameter a little larger than the diameter of bolts  90 ,  92  which are received within the nuts  82 ,  84  and the axes of the sleeves  86 ,  88  are perpendicular to the surfaces of the planar surfaces  30 ′,  32 ′ of first connector member  26 ′ and perpendicular to the long side  34 ′. 
     The first and second sleeves  86 ,  88  are spaced a distance apart equal to the spacings of the threaded nuts  82 ,  84  and are positioned such that when bolts  90 ,  92  are extended through the sleeves  86 ,  88  and threaded into the nuts  82 ,  84  the arcuate portions of  36 ′,  38 ′ of the first connector member  26 ′ will be opposing the arcuate portion  60 ′,  62 ′ of the second connector member  28 ′. The metal in the proximity of the arcuate portions have bevels  42 ′,  44 ′,  64 ,  66 ′ such that the bevel portions will engage between adjacent wraps of the crest of the threads of studs and will be retained thereon when the bolts  90 ,  92  are tightened into their respective nuts  82 ,  84 . 
     In this embodiment, the first connector member  26 ′ includes an extension portion  94  which extends perpendicular to the planar surfaces  30 ′,  32 ′ thereof to an outer connector end  96 , the outer connector end  96  being parallel to the surfaces  30 ′,  32 ′ but spaced therefrom the distance of the connector portion  94 . An outwardly extending thread bolt  98  is welded to the connector end  96  with the threads of the bolt  98  oriented for passing through a complementary hole in a wheel cover, not shown, to be attached thereto with a wing nut, not shown, or the like for retaining the wheel cover to a wheel. 
     While the present invention has been described with respect to a single embodiment, it will be appreciated that many modifications and variations may be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. It is, therefore, the intent of the appendent claims to cover all such modifications and variations which fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.