Disclosed herein is a wheel shield apparatus that includes a pair of elongated parallel tube members in perpendicular engagement with a pair of short parallel tube members, at least one removable side of the wheel shield apparatus is operable to be temporarily opened or removed such that the wheel shield apparatus may be placed around a wheel of a neurosurgical microscope or some other type of heavy wheeled machinery and the removable side may be placed in a closed position such that the wheel shield surrounds the wheel. Each of the pair of elongated parallel tube members and/or each of the pair of short parallel tube members comprises a cavity configured to receive a ballast material to provide sufficient weight to ensure that the wheel shield apparatus contacts the floor such that cables along the floor are pushed out of the way by the wheel shield apparatus and prevented from being run over while the machinery is being transported.

Ground compaction machine, which can be a rubber-tired roller, operable to compact ground in a working direction is presented, along with a wheel cover for the same. The machine can have a machine frame and a chassis supporting the machine frame. The machine frame having a front chassis portion and a rear chassis portion. At least one of the front chassis portion or rear chassis portion has at least two chassis units, each chassis unit being rotatable about a distinct steering axis. Each chassis unit having at least one wheel, and a wheel cover, which is formed for thermal insulation of the chassis units from the external surroundings, the wheel cover comprising at least two wheel cover units, and a wheel cover unit being arranged on each chassis unit, which is configured to be rotatable about the respective distinct steering axis together with the respective chassis unit.

Ground compaction machine, which can be a rubber-tired roller, operable to compact ground in a working direction is presented, along with a wheel cover for the same. The machine can have a machine frame and a chassis supporting the machine frame. The machine frame having a front chassis portion and a rear chassis portion. At least one of the front chassis portion or rear chassis portion has at least two chassis units, each chassis unit being rotatable about a distinct steering axis. Each chassis unit having at least one wheel, and a wheel cover, which is formed for thermal insulation of the chassis units from the external surroundings, the wheel cover comprising at least two wheel cover units, and a wheel cover unit being arranged on each chassis unit, which is configured to be rotatable about the respective distinct steering axis together with the respective chassis unit.

Improvements in a vehicle tire wear extraction system, that places a tire wear extraction surface, comprising a flat or curved surface, behind the wheels of a vehicle tire in use. Fluid, e.g, electrically charged water to aid in the collection of debris that is pumped over the surfaces, and then filtered. The filtering removes the tire wear debris contaminant materials before they reach the ground. The system can include a self-contained stand-alone power supply to power the unit.

Improvements in a vehicle tire wear extraction system, that places a tire wear extraction surface, comprising a flat or curved surface, behind the wheels of a vehicle tire in use. Fluid, e.g, electrically charged water to aid in the collection of debris that is pumped over the surfaces, and then filtered. The filtering removes the tire wear debris contaminant materials before they reach the ground. The system can include a self-contained stand-alone power supply to power the unit.

A towable crash-attenuating vehicle is shown having a frame; at least two axles coupled to the frame, each of the axles having wheels attached thereto; a T-shaped ballast coupled to the frame, and oriented such that the weight of the ballast is biased toward the front end of the frame; deflection shields coupled to the right and left sides of the frame, wherein the deflection shields cover the frame and a majority of the wheels on each side of the vehicle; a tow connection coupled to the front of the frame, pivotable from a deployed state to an undeployed state; an impact attenuator coupled to the rear of the frame; wherein the vehicle is provided with a brake system, and wherein said brake system may be locked and unlocked and wherein the vehicle is provided with an on-board mechanism for locking and unlocking the brake system.

An emergency response barrier is shown and described, the barrier having a cab and engine for propelling the barrier; a frame with reinforcing bracing; two axles coupled to the frame with wheels attached thereto; wherein the frame is covered with a substantially planar skin that extends along the right and left sides of the frame, from a top of the frame down to a lower edge and covers a majority of the wheels on each side of the barrier; an impact attenuator coupling on the frame, having a vertical pin received in a bore disposed on an impact attenuator, and configured for rotation about the vertical axis of the pin; and a hydraulic cylinder connected between the frame and the impact attenuator, wherein retraction and extension of the hydraulic cylinder moves the impact attenuator through an arc of rotation about the vertical pin.

A variable air hole covering flap device is provided and selectively opens or closes an air hole formed in a wheel deflector or a wheel cover to allow air to be introduced toward a brake. The air hole is opened only when brake cooling of a vehicle is more necessary than aerodynamic performance of the vehicle to properly control the aerodynamic performance and the brake cooling performance of the vehicle as necessary.

A variable air hole covering flap device is provided and selectively opens or closes an air hole formed in a wheel deflector or a wheel cover to allow air to be introduced toward a brake. The air hole is opened only when brake cooling of a vehicle is more necessary than aerodynamic performance of the vehicle to properly control the aerodynamic performance and the brake cooling performance of the vehicle as necessary.

A crash box may include one or more layers arranged to absorb crash energy. In some embodiments, the crash box includes a first layer having an outer skin defining a periphery of the first layer and at least one of: 1) a rib and web structure, and 2) an array of tubes disposed within the outer skin for absorbing crash energy, and a second layer adjacent to the first layer, the second layer having an outer skin defining a periphery of the second layer and at least one of: 1) a rib and web structure, and 2) an array of tubes disposed within the outer skin for absorbing crash energy.