Claims
- 1. A retention device for releasably securing a disc to a wheel comprising:
- fastening means adapted to be attached to and extend along an outer face and extend substantially radially of a wheel, said fastening means including
- a hook portion for hooking over a rim section of a wheel and
- a base portion connected to said hook portion and shaped to extend along an outer axial section of said wheel, said base portion being arranged for engaging said outer axial section to retain said hook and base portions on said wheel,
- a cantilever-like movable arm connected at an axially inner end to said base portion at a bend and extending axially out from said bend and extending in spaced relation to said base portion for extending in a direction substantially axially of said wheel, said movable arm having a movable end portion opposite said bend that is movable in a direction along said fastening means substantially axially of said wheel between a disc hold position and a disc release position, said base portion and movable arm being formed of a one-piece strip of resilient material whose spring action is such that when said bend is forcibly deformed by moving said movable end portion relative to said base portion said bend provides a means for exerting a disc retaining force along said fastening means in a direction substantially radially of said wheel against an axial section of said disc, and
- connecting means connected to said movable end portion having a coupling portion that releasably connects to a mating coupling portion on a disc in said disc hold position and releases said disc from said connecting means in said disc release position, said disc retaining force being directed against an axial section of said disc.
- 2. A retention device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said resilient material is a strip of spring metal.
- 3. A retention device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said coupling portion on said movable end portion is in the form of a flat connecting plate with a peripheral edge, said disc having a bend along the outer periphery that forms said axial section and terminates in a radially inturned lip that forms a female coupling portion into which said peripheral edge slide fits.
- 4. A retention device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said coupling portion is in the form of an open-ended, generally channel-shaped female socket, said disc having a hook portion formed along and extending radially out from a peripheral edge of said disc, said hook portion having a bend that forms said axial section and terminates in a radially inturned lip that is slidably received in said female socket.
- 5. A retention device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said coupling portion of said connecting means is in the form of a radially outturned hook portion, said disc having a slot through which said outturned hook portion inserts and an overhanging edge defining a side of said slot against which said hook portion is moved by a radially outwardly directed force provided by said bend.
- 6. A retention device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said coupling portion of said connecting means is in the form of a radially inwardly facing channel portion, said disc having a slot through which said channel portion inserts and a bottom edge defining a side of said slot against which said channel portion is moved by a radially inwardly directed force provided by said bend.
- 7. A retention device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said disc is in the form of a substantially flat ring having an axial section and a radial section, said coupling portion of said connecting means is in the form of a radially outwardly facing channel portion, said disc having an axial slot into which said channel portion inserts and is moved by a radially outwardly directed force provided by said bend.
- 8. A retention device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said coupling portion of said connecting means includes an end loop that connects to a plate member with a first slot, said disc having a second slot and a folded over edge, said folded over edge extending through said first and second slots to slidably fasten said disc to said fastening member by a radially inwardly directed force provided by said bend.
- 9. A retention device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said coupling portion of said connecting means is in the form of a generally flat connecting plate that is integral with said movable end portion and extends radially out and away from said movable end portion and has a peripheral edge, said disc having a bend along the outer periphery that forms said axial section and terminates in a radially inturned lip that forms a female coupling portion into which said peripheral edge inserts and is moved by a radially outwardly directed force provided by said bend.
- 10. A retention device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said connecting means is in the form of a thin, flat plate with an arcuate peripheral edge that conforms to the inside edge of the disc, two inturned folds with a gap between the inside edges defining a channel-shaped open end, and a hole in the flat plate to receive a tool to apply a force to said movable end portion to selectively release said disc.
- 11. A retention device as set forth in claim 10 wherein said retention means is in the form of a wire having a bight portion and parallel spaced side arms with outturned end portions, said bight portion extending through said hook portion of said fastening means and said side arm in said inturned folds.
- 12. A retention device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said connecting means includes
- a connecting plate having an outer peripheral edge, two inturned folds along opposite sides to provide
- two spaced inside side edges defining a gap,
- a channel-shaped first open end opposite said outer peripheral edge; and a channel-shaped second open end having inner end edges adjacent said movable end portion so that movement of said movable end portion in one direction moves against said inner end edges to move said connecting plate,
- retention means supported by said fastening means having opposed side portions extending inside said inturned folds to secure said connecting plate to said fastening means and to guide the movement of said connecting plate between said positions.
- 13. A retention device as set forth in claim 12 wherein said connecting plate is reversible end for end so that in an alternate position said channel-shaped first open end is disposed at a radially outer position and serves as a female socket, said disc having a hook portion formed along and extending radially out from a peripheral edge of said disc, said hook portion having a bend that forms said axial section and terminates in a radially inturned lip that is slidably received in said female socket.
- 14. A retention device for releasably securing a disc to a wheel, said retention device comprising:
- a snap-on, snap-lock fastening means made of a strip of spring metal and adapted to be attached to and extend along the face of a wheel, said fastening means including
- a hook portion having a turned lip and a first bend of about 180 degrees to said lip for hooking over a rim section of a wheel,
- a neck portion connected at a second bend to said hook portion and extending away from said hook portion for extending along an outer radial section of said wheel and
- a base portion connected at a third bend of about 90 degrees and extending transverse to said neck portion and opposite said hook portion for extending along an outer axial section of said wheel,
- a cantilever-like movable arm connected to said base portion at a fourth bend of about 180 degrees to said base portion and extending axially out from said bend, said movable arm extending in a spaced relation to said base portion for extending in a direction substantially axially of said wheel and having a movable end portion opposite said third bend on said lower arm portion that moves in a direction along said fastening means substantially axially of said wheel from an outer at rest position to an inner retracted position when a force is applied thereto that widens the space between said base portion and lower arm portion and returns to said at rest position when the force is removed as a result of the spring action at said fourth bend, said base portion and movable arm being formed of a one-piece strip of resilient material whose spring action is such that when said fourth bend is forcibly deformed by moving said movable end portion relative to said base portion said fourth bend provides a means for exerting a disc retaining force along said fastening means in a direction substantially radially of said wheel against an axial section of said disc,
- connecting means connected to said movable end portion having a coupling portion that releasably connects to a mating coupling portion on a disc to releasably fasten said disc to said connecting means, said disc retaining force being directed against an axial section of said disc, and
- retaining means for holding said fastening means to said connecting means.
- 15. In a retention system for securing a disc to a wheel including a plurality of circumferentially spaced retention devices connected between said wheel and disc, each said retention device comprising:
- fastening means adapted to be attached to and extend along the face of a wheel, said fastening means including
- a hook portion for hooking over a rim section of a wheel and
- a base portion connected to said hook portion and shaped to extend along an outer axial section of said wheel, said base portion being arranged for engaging said outer axial section to retain said hook and base portions on said wheel,
- a cantilever-like movable arm connected to said base portion at an axially inner end to said base portion at a bend and extending axially out from said bend in spaced relation to said base portion for extending in a direction substantially axially of said wheel, said movable arm having a movable end portion that is movable in a direction along said fastening means substantially axially of said wheel between a disc hold position and a disc release position, said base portion and movable arm being formed of a one-piece strip of resilient material whose spring action is such that when said bend is forcibly deformed by moving said movable end portion relative to said base portion said bend provides a means for exerting a disc retaining force along said fastening means in a direction substantially radially of said wheel against an axial section of said disc, and
- connecting means connected to said movable end portion having a coupling portion that releasably connects to a mating coupling portion on a disc in said disc hold position and releases said disc from said connecting means in said disc release position, said disc retaining force being directed against an axial section of said disc.
- 16. A combination wheel and disc assembly comprising:
- a wheel,
- a disc secured to an outer face of said wheel, said disc having a coupling portion with an axial section,
- at least one retention device releasably securing said disc to said wheel, said retention device including
- fastening means attached to and extending along an outer face and extending substantially radially of said wheel, said fastening means including
- a hook portion for hooking over a rim section of a wheel and
- a base portion connected to said hook portion and shaped to extend along an outer axial section of said wheel, said base portion being arranged for engaging said outer axial section to retain said hook and base portions on said wheel,
- a cantilever-like movable arm connected to an axially inner end of said base portion at a bend and extending axially out from said bend and extending in spaced relation to said base portion, said movable arm having a movable end portion opposite said bend that is movable in a direction along said fastening means for extending in a direction axially of said wheel between a disc hold position and a disc release position, said base portion and movable arm portion being formed of a one-piece strip of resilient material whose spring action is such that when said bend is forcibly deformed by moving said movable end portion relative to said base portion said bend provides a means for exerting a disc retaining force along said fastening means in a direction radially of said wheel, and
- connecting means connected to said movable end portion having a coupling portion that releasably connects to said coupling portion on said disc, said disc retaining force being directed against an axial section of said disc.
- 17. An assembly as set forth in claim 16 wherein said connecting means includes a connecting plate with a peripheral outer edge that will slide into said disc coupling portion and bear against said axial section.
- 18. An assembly as set forth in claim 16 wherein said connecting means includes a connecting plate with inturned folds along opposite sides to provide a pair of opposed channel-shaped open ends defining a female socket at an outer end, said disc having a hook portion formed along and extending radially out from a peripheral edge of said disc, said hook portion having a bend that forms said axial section and terminates in a radially inturned lip that is slidably received in said female socket.
- 19. An assembly as set forth in claim 16 wherein said connecting means includes a connecting plate integral with said movable arm and extending transverse to said movable arm portion.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 930,796, filed Aug. 17, 1992, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (6)
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
930796 |
Aug 1992 |
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