Methods and guide members to transfer a wheel assembly

Abstract

Methods and guide members to transfer a wheel assembly are disclosed. An illustrated method employs using the guide member to displace the wheel assembly relative to an axle assembly to maintain a continuous linear alignment of the wheel assembly with the axle assembly.

1 . A guide member to transfer a wheel assembly relative to an axle assembly, the wheel assembly having axially spaced-apart bearing assemblies, the guide member comprising:
 a body having an outer surface to maintain the wheel assembly in constant linear alignment with the axle assembly during displacement of the wheel assembly relative to the axle assembly, the body having a length enabling the axially spaced-apart bearing assemblies to be located simultaneously upon the guide member,   a first body end attachable to the axle assembly; and   a second body end opposite the first body end.   
   
   
       2 . A guide member as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the second body end has a cone shape to guide the axially spaced-apart bearing assemblies onto the guide member. 
   
   
       3 . A guide member as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the outer surface is continuous and permits unimpeded displacement of the bearing assemblies along the length of the continuous outer surface. 
   
   
       4 . A guide member as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein body includes a longitudinally-extending, constant diameter, cylindrical shape. 
   
   
       5 . A guide member as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the body has an outer surface in substantial linear alignment with an adjacent bearing surface of the axle assembly. 
   
   
       6 . A guide member as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the body defines therein a longitudinal through opening. 
   
   
       7 . A guide member as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the axle assembly has threads at an end thereof and the first body end of the guide member is attachable to the axle assembly via the threads. 
   
   
       8 . A guide member as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the wheel assembly is displaceable relative to the axle assembly without the bearing assemblies engaging the threads. 
   
   
       9 . A guide member as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising at least one opening in the outer surface to receive a tool to rotate the body. 
   
   
       10 . A guide member as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the axle assembly includes an axle and a sleeve located about the axle, the sleeve having a reduced diameter portion, the guide member maintaining the linear alignment of the wheel assembly with the axle assembly so that at least one of the bearing assemblies does not engage the reduced diameter portion. 
   
   
       11 . A guide member as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein when the first body end is attached to the axle assembly, the wheel assembly can be positioned upon and supported entirely by the guide member at an off-axle position. 
   
   
       12 . A guide member as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the wheel assembly includes a brake assembly. 
   
   
       13 . A method to transfer a wheel assembly relative to an axle assembly, the wheel assembly having axially spaced-apart bearing assemblies, comprising:
 attaching a guide member to the axle assembly, the guide member having an outer surface in substantial linear alignment with the axle assembly; and   displacing the wheel assembly relative to the axle assembly such that the bearing assemblies simultaneously engage slidingly the outer surface of the guide member with the wheel assembly in substantial linear alignment with the axle assembly.   
   
   
       14 . A method as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein displacing includes moving the wheel assembly to be located entirely on the guide member at an off-axle position or to be located only on the axle assembly. 
   
   
       15 . A method as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the outer surface of the guide member comprises a constant diameter surface. 
   
   
       16 . A method as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the axle assembly has a threaded end and the wheel assembly is displaced relative to the axle assembly without the bearing assemblies engaging threads of the threaded end. 
   
   
       17 . A method as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the axle assembly has threads at an end thereof and attaching the guide member comprises threading the guide member onto the threads of the axle assembly. 
   
   
       18 . A method as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein an end of the guide member has a cone shape to assist in guiding the wheel assembly onto the guide member. 
   
   
       19 . A method as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the guide member includes at least one opening in the outer surface to receive a tool to rotate the guide member to at least one of attach or detach the guide member to or from the axle assembly. 
   
   
       20 . A method as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the axle assembly includes an axle having a sleeve located about the axle, the sleeve having a reduced diameter portion, the guide member maintaining the linear alignment of the wheel assembly with the axle assembly so that at least one of the bearing assemblies does not engage the reduced diameter portion. 
   
   
       21 . Method as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the wheel assembly includes a brake assembly.