Walter J Creutz

US Patent:

58659153, Feb 2, 1999

Filed:

Aug 5, 1997

Appl. No.:

8/906055

Inventors:

Robert H. Owen - Columbia City IN
Walter J. Creutz - Fort Wayne IN
Devlin J. Barnes - Winona Lake IN
Steven R. Laney - Warsaw IN
Bruce E. Harrison - Warsaw IN

Assignee:

Spartech Industries, Inc. - Warsaw IN

International Classification:

B60C 700

US Classification:

1521851

Abstract:

A wheel assembly for small powered equipment including a wheel and a tire mounted on the wheel. The wheel has an outer circumferential surface and inclined cleats projecting from the outer circumferential surface. The cleats are arranged in sets of 6-7 cleats. Each set of cleats is inclined in a direction that alternates with the direction of the cleats in adjacent sets. The tire is provided with ribs along the inner circumferential surface that engage the edge of the cleats. Accordingly, regardless of which direction the tire is driven, slippage of the tire will occur only to a limited extent until the ribs of the tire engage with the edges of the cleats facing in the appropriate direction. Thereafter, rotation of the wheel in the same direction will not result in slippage between the tire and the wheel, and rotation in the opposite direction will result in only that degree of slip necessary to bring the ribs into engagement with the cleats of an adjacent set.