Compactor wheel

Abstract

A compaction wheel for a vehicle includes a rigid cylinder forming a single layer rim. A plurality of cleats are mounted on the outer surface of the rim. A wheel disk mounted within the drum defines a central opening for receiving an axle of the vehicle. The cleats may be removably mounted on the rim. For this purpose, the cylinder may include a plurality of cleat-mounting apertures extending between its inner and outer surfaces. The cleats include features matable with the cleat-mounting apertures. In one embodiment, threaded members carried by the cleats are sized for through the cleat-mounting apertures. Nuts thread onto the threaded members for securing the cleats to the rim. In another embodiment, bolts extend through the cleat-mounting apertures in the rim and thread into a threaded openings in the cleats for securing the cleats to the rim. In another embodiment, the cleats include tongues sized for insertion through the cleat-mounting apertures. Caps mount onto the inner ends of the tongue and bolts pass through the caps and the tongues to secure the cleats to the rim. The compaction wheel may also include an annular axle shield secured to the inner face of the wheel disk for preventing debris from accumulating around the outer end of the axle.

1 . A compaction wheel mountable for a vehicle, comprising: 
 a rigid cylinder forming a single layer rim, the cylinder having an outer surface and an inner surface;    a plurality of cleats mounted on the outer surface of the rim; and    a wheel disk mounted within the drum and defining a central opening for receiving the axle of a vehicle.    
     
     
         2 . A compaction wheel as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the cleats are removably mounted on the rim.  
     
     
         3 . A compaction wheel as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the cylinder includes a plurality of cleat-mounting apertures extending between its inner and outer surfaces; and wherein each cleat includes a mounting feature configured to mate one of the cleat-mounting apertures.  
     
     
         4 . A compaction wheel as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein the mounting feature comprises a threaded member carried by the cleat and sized for insertion through the cleat mounting aperture and a nut threadable onto the threaded member for securing the cleats to the rim.  
     
     
         5 . A compaction wheel as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein the mounting feature comprises a bolt which extends through the cleat-mounting aperture and threads into a threaded opening in the cleat for securing the cleats to the rim.  
     
     
         6 . A compaction wheel as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein two bolts are used to fasten each cleat to the rim.  
     
     
         7 . A compaction wheel as set forth in  claim 5 , further comprising a boss which defines the threaded opening in the cleat, the boss being sized for insertion into the outer portion of the cleat-mounting aperture.  
     
     
         8 . A compaction wheel as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the boss has a generally circular cross section.  
     
     
         9 . A compaction wheel as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the boss has a generally rectangular cross section.  
     
     
         10 . A compaction wheel as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the rim has a wall thickness of between 1 inch and 2.5 inches.  
     
     
         11 . A compaction wheel as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising an axle shield secured to the inner face of the wheel disk.  
     
     
         12 . A compaction wheel as set forth in  claim 2 , further comprising protrusions formed on the cleat which are configured to mate with reciprocal dimples in the outer surface of the rim.  
     
     
         13 . A compaction wheel as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein the mounting feature comprises a tongue sized for insertion through the cleat-mounting aperture and a connection matable with the distal end of the tongue.  
     
     
         14 . A compaction wheel for a vehicle, comprising: 
 a rigid metallic cylinder forming a single layer rim, the cylinder having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a plurality of cleat-mounting apertures extending between its inner and outer surfaces;    a plurality of cleats removably mounted on the outer surface of the rim, each cleat including a mounting feature configured to mate with the cleat receiving apertures for securing the cleat to the rim; and    a metallic wheel disk mounted within the drum and defining a central opening for receiving the axle of a vehicle; and    
     
     
         15 . A compaction wheel as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein the mounting feature comprises a threaded member carried by the cleat and sized for insertion through the cleat mounting aperture and a nut threadable onto the threaded member for securing the cleat to the rim.  
     
     
         16 . A compaction wheel as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein the mounting feature comprises a bolt which extends through the cleat-mounting aperture and threads into a threaded opening in the cleat for securing the cleats to the rim.  
     
     
         17 . A compaction wheel as set forth in  claim 16 , further comprising a boss which defines the threaded opening in the cleat, the boss being sized for insertion into the outer portion of the cleat-mounting aperture.  
     
     
         18 . A compaction wheel as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein the boss has a generally circular cross section.  
     
     
         19 . A compaction wheel as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein the boss has a generally rectangular cross section.  
     
     
         20 . A compaction wheel as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein the rim has a wall thickness of between 1 inch and 2.5 inches.  
     
     
         21 . A compaction wheel as set forth in  claim 14 , further comprising an axel shield secured to the inner face of the wheel disk.  
     
     
         22 . A compaction wheel as set forth in  claim 14 , further comprising protrusions formed on the cleat which are configured to mate with reciprocal dimples in the outer surface of the rim.  
     
     
         23 . A compaction wheel as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein the mounting feature comprises a tongue sized for insertion through the cleat-mounting aperture and a connector matable with the distal end of the tongue.  
     
     
         24 . A compaction wheel for a vehicle, comprising: 
 a rigid metallic cylinder forming a single layer rim, the cylinder having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a plurality of cleat-mounting apertures extending between its inner and outer surfaces;    a plurality of cleats removably mounted on the outer surface of the rim, each cleat including a threaded aperture alignable with one of the cleat-mounting apertures in the rim;    a plurality of bolts which are configured to extend through the cleat-mounting apertures and thread into the threaded apertures in the cleats for securing the cleats to the rim;    a metallic wheel disk mounted within the drum and defining a central opening for receiving the axle of a vehicle; and    an annular axle shield secured to the inner face of the wheel disk, the axle shield being sized and positioned to extend around the outer portion of the vehicle axle when the wheel is mounted on the axle.