A swivel castor, having a housing which can be pivoted into a rolling direction via pivot means and two wheels rotatably mounted on the housing on a horizontal wheel axle, wherein the pivot means are arranged in front of the wheel axle, contrary to the rolling direction, and having a braking device designed to be adjustable between a braking position, in which the braking device exerts a braking force on at least one wheel, and a free-rolling position, in which the braking device releases the wheels. A brake pedal generating the braking force is pivotably mounted on the housing via a pedal axle, which extends parallel to the wheel axle and arranged between the wheels, and, in the braking position, at least one brake shoe arranged on the brake pedal exerts a braking force parallel to the wheel axle directly on one side of at least one wheel.

Axle shaft assemblies for use with a vehicle include a shaft formed from a first material having a first modulus of elasticity for providing the shaft with a flexibility adapted to withstand side impacts and resist deformation. A first end member can be engaged with a first end of the shaft, and a second end member can be engaged with the second end of the shaft. The end members can be formed from a second material having a second modulus of elasticity greater than the first, such that the end members are adapted to withstand a rotational force. The end members can include splined connectors, hub flanges, and other similar components. The resulting axle shaft assembly can thereby include modular combinations of materials having low and high moduli of elasticity.

A process for manufacturing a light-alloy hybrid wheel implements the following separate operation phases: making a flange with an internal profile capable of constituting a tire bead seat; making a rim with, on one side, an outer profile capable of constituting a tire bead seat and, on the other side, a circular flank for assembly with a part of the flange; assembling the flange with the rim, at the seat of said flange and the circular flank of the rim. The rim is made according to the following consecutive operations: an operation of manufacturing a circular flank; then an operation of expanding said circular flank to the size of the final rim in a single step; then an operation of cold or hot flospinning of said circular flank so as to obtain the rim in the final shape and profile thereof, comprising a shoulder only on the side that will not be welded to the flange.

A wheel includes a first hoop attached to a second hoop about a circumferential interface. The first and second hoops form at least part of an enclosed box structure positioned circumferentially around the wheel and adjacent to an outboard side of the wheel. The box structure may be formed at least in part by circumferential projections of the first hoop and the second hoop. The wheel may also include a central hub that optionally includes spokes. In some embodiments, the central hub may form part of the enclosed box structure. In some embodiments, a first hoop portion and a second hoop portion may be integral or unitary, with a box structure integrally formed between the hoop portions.

Provided is a wheel which is inexpensive, light, and sufficiently rigid. A wheel 6a includes an annular rim 60 to which a tire 6b is externally fitted, a hub 61 which is arranged at a center portion of the rim 60 and to which an axle is connected, and a disk 62 which is attached with the rim 60 at a periphery portion and which covers one side of the wheel 6a. The disk 62 includes a planar portion 62a and a first rib 62b provided at a surface of one side of the planar portion 62a and extending in the radial direction. The planar portion 62a is provided with a first groove 62d at a surface of the other side at a position corresponding to the first rib 62b.

A hub or wheel assembly includes a retaining element, biasing element, and hand-maneuverable release mechanism. The housing includes an axle bore configured to receive an axle and a pin sleeve including a first end in fluid communication with the axle bore, a second end, and a conduit between the first end and the second end. The retaining element is within the conduit and is configured to operatively engage a groove in an axle. The biasing element is within the conduit and is configured to bias the retaining element towards the axle bore. The hand-maneuverable release mechanism is configured to displace the retaining element away from the axle bore.

Carbon fiber bicycle wheels are formed from parts cut from carbon fiber cloth and then joined together to form a rim, sidewalls, spokes, flanges and a center tunnel on which the flanges are mounted. The parts are then assembled, bonded together, and cured to form a wheel. During assembly, the spokes and the wheel are placed in tension by moving the flanges outwardly on the center tunnel after assembly and then bonding them in place to stiffen and strengthen the wheel. The spokes of the drive side of the rear wheel are specially shaped to accommodate torque transfer forces generated by pedaling.

A wheel carrier mounted on a rear axle body of a vehicle, which wheel carrier comprises a supporting plate and a bearing plate. The supporting plate coincides with a virtual king-pin axis and the properties of the supporting plate are such that the supporting plate may bend around the virtual king-pin axis in the area of a flexible supporting section. The bearing plate comprises a section with such properties that the section is allowed to deflect in a lateral direction of the vehicle. When a lateral force F.sub.lateral and a brake force F.sub.brake are applied to the wheel carrier, e.g. during cornering and braking, the properties of the supporting plate and the bearing plate create lateral force under steer and brake force under steer.

A turf wheel having a wheel rim having an inner and outer surface, and an annular tread portion; a plurality of projections extending radially outward from the outer surface of the wheel rim, wherein each projection provides a stem, a ground contacting pad, and a ground engaging lug; and a hub. A wheel cleaning system having a frame provided by a wheeled apparatus; at least one turf wheel mounted to the frame; a turf wheel scraper assembly, the turf wheel scraper assembly providing a turf wheel scraper and an attachment mechanism, where the attachment mechanism is adapted to be mounted to the frame, and couples the turf wheel scraper to the frame.

A vehicle wheel spoke connection, including: a rim; a hub; a plurality of spokes extending between the rim and hub with a first portion connected to the rim, a second portion opposed to said first portion and connected to the hub, a span portion between the rim and the hub, and an applied tensile load along the span portion; a bracing element including the rim and/or hub. The spoke has a longitudinal axis and is composed of reinforcement fibers in a matrix. The external surface of the spoke includes a pre-formed configured surface comprising a multiplicity of laterally outwardly projecting engagement surfaces that are longitudinally spaced. The spoke is connected to the bracing element by a longitudinal engagement comprising a multiplicity of longitudinally spaced overlie engagements associated with the spoke engagement surfaces. The longitudinal engagement supports the tensile load.