WHEEL WITH ADJUSTABLE LENGTH OF GROUND CONTACT Russian patent published in 2003 - IPC

FIELD: transport engineering. SUBSTANCE: invention relates to wheels used in automobiles, agricultural machines, aircraft chassis, etc. Proposed wheel with adjustable length of ground contact has flexible rim coupled by tie-rods with two hubs fitted on axle. One of hubs is installed for movement along axle. Tie-rods are arranged in crosswise manner over virtual conical surfaces. Flexible rim is made up of torsion members intercoupled in staggered order through end faces. Rigidity of wheel, i.e. wheel-to-ground contact pattern is adjusted by shifting movable hub to change distance between vertical of virtual geometric cones on surfaces of which tie-rods are located. EFFECT: increased load-carrying capacity of wheel, possibility of use of wheel as driving one. 3 dwg