Motor Wheel Corporation

Joseph C Overbeck

John H Golata

Garth D Lawrence

In one method of making the wheel the parts are temporarily assembled in a fixture with the connector flanges movably engaged with one another, and the center part is precision located relative to the rim in a predetermined orientation relative to the rim bead seats by bodily shifting of the center part as and if necessary relative to the rim to accomplish such alignment. The parts are then permanently assembled in fixed relationship while so located by permanently securing the connector flanges together in a non-take-apart mode to provide a final predetermined permanently fixed orientation of the center part relative to the rim bead seats.

Method of making a variable off-set full face wheel

A multi-piece, non-take-apart full-face vehicle wheel assembly having a multiple-part disc in which a wheel mounting disc center part and a disc outer part are each made separately from one another. Each disc part has an annular connector flange formed respectively at the inner and outer peripheries thereof engaging one another in assembly and permanently secured to join the disc parts. Various types of flange joints and fastening systems are employed to join the flanges, including welding systems and mechanical fastening systems. In one joint embodiment the connector flanges of the disc outer part and center part have either conical or cylindrical shape and extend respectively inboard and outboard of said wheel assembly and slidably telescopically overlap with a press fit in assembly. In another joint embodiment the overlapping flanges of the disc center and outer parts extend generally radially of the wheel assembly. In most of the disclosed embodiments the rim has an annular flange extending radially inwardly therefrom in the vicinity of the rim outboard bead seat, and the disc outer part radially overlaps the rim flange. A second joint permanently secures the rim flange and disc outer part together circumferential around the same. The rim may be made from rolled ferrous or non-ferrous sheet metal, or as a machined casting, forging or extrusion of a light metal alloy. The disc outer part and center part are separately manufactured as sheet metal stampings from materials such as stainless, HSLA, or mild carbon steels or non-ferrous light metal alloys.

Variable off-set full face wheel and method for making the same

An automotive passenger vehicle, full-face styled wheel construction having a sheet metal disc with an outer peripheral portion formed to provide an outboard tire bead retaining flange. The rim includes an inboard tire bead retaining flange, an inboard tire bead seat portion, a drop-center well portion and an outboard bead seat portion. The outboard edge of the rim has a radially in-turned flange portion extending circumferentially continuously around the rim edge with a radially extending abutment surface at the outboard extremity thereof. The disc outboard flange also has a radially extending rim mating surface disposed in abutment with the rim edge abutment surface. The rim edge flange has a radially inwardly sloping surface extending between the rim outboard bead seat and rim edge abutment surface which defines with the disc outboard flange a trench disposed radially inwardly of the rim outboard bead seat. The rim and disc parts are permanently joined by a circumferentially continuous weld formed in the trench. The disc has an annular array of vent holes with axially inboard offset marginal portions, the radially outermost portions thereof providing a series of circumferentially spaced surfaces collectively defining a disc ledge concentric with the wheel axis. The outboard rim edge flange has a radially inwardly facing cylindrical surface contacting said disc ledge in axially telescoped relationship therewith to thereby locate the rim on the disc and to help support the rim against radially inwardly directed service loading imposed on the rim.

Growing community of inventors

Lansing, MI, United States of America

Joseph C Overbeck