GB2133751A - Auxiliary support wheel for motor vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

An auxiliary wheel has a rigid body 10 securable to a motor vehicle wheel 1 and has a rim mounting a solid tyre 13, such that in use the tyre 13 is spaced apart from the pneumatic tyre 3 of the wheel 1 upon bursting of the tyre 3 the auxiliary tyre 13 is able to contact the ground to support the vehicle. The diameter of the solid tyre 13 may be less than the diameter of the tyre 3 of the wheel 1. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Protection devices This invention relates to a protection device for motorvehicles.

A motor vehicle tyre comprises only a tyre casing and an innertube. During driving, the casing will contact with the road surface. When a vehicle is being driven fast e.g. on a motorway, thetyres will generate heat as a result offriction with the ground. Hottyres are susceptible of being blown out because the inner portion ofthe tyre becomes swollen and the swelling can increase until the inner tube bursts. Alternatively a tyre bust may occur when a tyre is punctured by a sharp object on the road e.g. a nail. In either case, the tyre loses its rigidity and cannot support the vehicle stably. The vehicle can go out of the driver's control.

Possbily, the vehicle may hit another vehicle, a road barrier, a building orthe like to cause an accident and/or injury. Many motor vehicle accidents are caused bytyre blow-outs causing the vehicle to go out ofcontrol.

It is an object ofthis invention to overcome the above problems.

According to this invention, a protection device for a motor vehicle tyre comprises a rigid support member, which is securable to a motorvehiclewheel hub and has a rim mounting a solid auxiliarytyre, such that the solid tyre is in use spaced apart fro the tyre of a main motorvehiclewheel to which the device is securable and whereby upon bursting of a main tyre when attached to the protection device the auxiliary tyre is able to become in stable contact with the ground.

The protection device may have a support member having a central portion which may be substantially U-shaped, the side of the U being sloping otherwise, with a peripheral flange extending outwardly from the resulting concave central portion ofthe member and a rim is integral with the flange to which is attached a soild tyre. The support member may be made of steel.

The solid tyre has a diameter less than that of the conventional tyre fixed to the outside of the conventional rim. Between the solid tyre and the conventional tyre,there is a space. In the case of a blow-out taking place, the protection device may be used as an auxiliarytyreto allowthe car motorvehicleto run continuously under suitable control minimising the possibility of an accidentand/orinjury.

Thus, when a motor vehicle has a blow-out on the road, the motor vehicle can still be driven and so the driver and any passengers may be protected. The space between the conventional and auxiliary tyres allows swelling ofthe conventional tyre without contact between the two tyres.

An embodiment of this invention is described by way of example with reference to the drawing, in which: Figure lisa sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 2 is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1.

Referring to Figure 1 there is shown an innertube 2 and a casing 3 attached to the rim of a hub 1 of a motor vehicle wheel. Screw holes 5 are furnished on the hub 1 ,and screw holes 11 ,furnished on a support member of a protection device 10, are located so as to coincide with the screw-holes 5 on the hub so that the protection member 10 and hub 1 may be fixed together by means of a screw and a nut 12. Around the outer circumference ofthe protection member 10, a solid tyre 13 is attached. The diameter of the solid tyre 13 is less than that of the casing 3 ofthe main tyre.

Between the casing 3 and the soild tyre 13, there is a space. The typical diameter of a cartyre is 60 cm, while the diameter of the present invention may be 54 cm.

Referring to Figure 2, there is shown a perspective view of the present invention. When a conventional tyre has a blow-out, the casing 3 will be pressed inwards to the rim, becoming lower than the solid tyre 13 according to this invention. The protection member may have a support member having a central portion which may be substantially U-shaped, the sides of the U being sloping otherwise, with a peripheral flange extending outwardlyfromthe resulting concave central portion of the member. The conventional hub 1 and the protection member are thus fixed together, and in the event of a blow-outthe solid tyre 13 will be ableto run on the road instead of the blown-out conventional tyre to maintain the car balance so as to allow the carto be driven to the road side.Thus the blown-outtyre is not used and the conventional rim 1 isunableto havefrictional contactwiththe road surface in order to promote safety and to minimise the possibility of an accident and/or injury.

1. A protection device for a motorvehiclewheel, comprising a rigid support member, which is secur abletoa motorvehiclewheel hub and hasa rim mounting a solid auxiliarytyre, such that the solid tyre is in use spaced apartfrom the tyre of a main motor vehicle wheel to which the device is securable and whereby upon bursting of a main tyre when attached to the protection device, the auxiliarytyre is able to become in stable contact with the ground.

2. A protection device according to claim 1, wherein the diameter of the auxiliary solid tyre is less than the diameterofthetyre of a main motorwheel to which the device is securable.

3. A protection device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the support member has a central portion, which is substantially U-shaped for location in the space adjacent the hub of a main motor vehicle wheel to which the device is securable, and a flange extending outwardly from the central portion wherein theflange hasthe rim forthe solid tyre on its periphery.

4. Aprotection device constructed and arranged substantially as herein described with reference to either of the Figures of the drawing.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (4)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Protection devices This invention relates to a protection device for motorvehicles. A motor vehicle tyre comprises only a tyre casing and an innertube. During driving, the casing will contact with the road surface. When a vehicle is being driven fast e.g. on a motorway, thetyres will generate heat as a result offriction with the ground. Hottyres are susceptible of being blown out because the inner portion ofthe tyre becomes swollen and the swelling can increase until the inner tube bursts. Alternatively a tyre bust may occur when a tyre is punctured by a sharp object on the road e.g. a nail. In either case, the tyre loses its rigidity and cannot support the vehicle stably. The vehicle can go out of the driver's control. Possbily, the vehicle may hit another vehicle, a road barrier, a building orthe like to cause an accident and/or injury. Many motor vehicle accidents are caused bytyre blow-outs causing the vehicle to go out ofcontrol. It is an object ofthis invention to overcome the above problems. According to this invention, a protection device for a motor vehicle tyre comprises a rigid support member, which is securable to a motorvehiclewheel hub and has a rim mounting a solid auxiliarytyre, such that the solid tyre is in use spaced apart fro the tyre of a main motorvehiclewheel to which the device is securable and whereby upon bursting of a main tyre when attached to the protection device the auxiliary tyre is able to become in stable contact with the ground. The protection device may have a support member having a central portion which may be substantially U-shaped, the side of the U being sloping otherwise, with a peripheral flange extending outwardly from the resulting concave central portion ofthe member and a rim is integral with the flange to which is attached a soild tyre. The support member may be made of steel. The solid tyre has a diameter less than that of the conventional tyre fixed to the outside of the conventional rim. Between the solid tyre and the conventional tyre,there is a space. In the case of a blow-out taking place, the protection device may be used as an auxiliarytyreto allowthe car motorvehicleto run continuously under suitable control minimising the possibility of an accidentand/orinjury. Thus, when a motor vehicle has a blow-out on the road, the motor vehicle can still be driven and so the driver and any passengers may be protected. The space between the conventional and auxiliary tyres allows swelling ofthe conventional tyre without contact between the two tyres. An embodiment of this invention is described by way of example with reference to the drawing, in which: Figure lisa sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 2 is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1. Referring to Figure 1 there is shown an innertube 2 and a casing 3 attached to the rim of a hub 1 of a motor vehicle wheel. Screw holes 5 are furnished on the hub 1 ,and screw holes 11 ,furnished on a support member of a protection device 10, are located so as to coincide with the screw-holes 5 on the hub so that the protection member 10 and hub 1 may be fixed together by means of a screw and a nut 12. Around the outer circumference ofthe protection member 10, a solid tyre 13 is attached. The diameter of the solid tyre 13 is less than that of the casing 3 ofthe main tyre. Between the casing 3 and the soild tyre 13, there is a space. The typical diameter of a cartyre is 60 cm, while the diameter of the present invention may be 54 cm. Referring to Figure 2, there is shown a perspective view of the present invention. When a conventional tyre has a blow-out, the casing 3 will be pressed inwards to the rim, becoming lower than the solid tyre 13 according to this invention. The protection member may have a support member having a central portion which may be substantially U-shaped, the sides of the U being sloping otherwise, with a peripheral flange extending outwardlyfromthe resulting concave central portion of the member. The conventional hub 1 and the protection member are thus fixed together, and in the event of a blow-outthe solid tyre 13 will be ableto run on the road instead of the blown-out conventional tyre to maintain the car balance so as to allow the carto be driven to the road side.Thus the blown-outtyre is not used and the conventional rim 1 isunableto havefrictional contactwiththe road surface in order to promote safety and to minimise the possibility of an accident and/or injury. CLAIMS

1. A protection device for a motorvehiclewheel, comprising a rigid support member, which is secur abletoa motorvehiclewheel hub and hasa rim mounting a solid auxiliarytyre, such that the solid tyre is in use spaced apartfrom the tyre of a main motor vehicle wheel to which the device is securable and whereby upon bursting of a main tyre when attached to the protection device, the auxiliarytyre is able to become in stable contact with the ground.

2. A protection device according to claim 1, wherein the diameter of the auxiliary solid tyre is less than the diameterofthetyre of a main motorwheel to which the device is securable.

3. A protection device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the support member has a central portion, which is substantially U-shaped for location in the space adjacent the hub of a main motor vehicle wheel to which the device is securable, and a flange extending outwardly from the central portion wherein theflange hasthe rim forthe solid tyre on its periphery.

4. Aprotection device constructed and arranged substantially as herein described with reference to either of the Figures of the drawing.