Wheel and tire assembly including a collapsible wheel

Abstract

A wheel assembly includes a collapsible wheel and an airless flexible tire mounted on the wheel. The wheel includes a central portion and a plurality of circumferentially spaced mounting elements attached to the central portion. Each of the mounting elements is movable between a retracted position and an extended position, and may be pivotally attached to the central portion of the wheel and configured to pivot between the retracted position and the extended position. The tire may be positioned on the wheel when one or more of the mounting elements is in the retracted position, and the one or more mounting elements are moved to the extended position wherein the mounting elements engage and support the tire.

Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent includes the following:  
     
         1 . A method of mounting an airless tire on a wheel having a plurality of mounting elements, the method comprising:
 moving at least some of the mounting elements on the wheel from an extended position to a retracted position;   positioning the wheel and the tire such that the wheel is inside the tire; and   moving the at least some of the mounting elements from the retracted position to the extended position such that the plurality of mounting elements engage the tire.   
     
     
         2 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , the steps of moving at least some of the plurality of mounting elements from the extended position to the retracted position and moving at least some of the mounting elements from the retracted position to the extended position including moving all of the mounting elements. 
     
     
         3 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , the steps of moving at least some of the plurality of mounting elements from the extended position to the retracted position and moving at least some of the mounting elements from the retracted position to the extended position including moving only one of the mounting elements. 
     
     
         4 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , the steps of moving at least some of the plurality of mounting elements from the extended position to the retracted position and moving at least some of the mounting elements from the retracted position to the extended position including pivoting the at least some of the mounting elements. 
     
     
         5 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein each mounting element to be moved is connected to the wheel via at least one fastener, the method further comprising the steps of removing the at least one fastener from each mounting element to be moved so that the mounting elements can be moved from the extended position to the retracted position and connecting the moved mounting elements to the wheel via the fasteners so as to retain the mounting elements in the extended position. 
     
     
         6 . The method as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein the at least one fastener includes first and second fasteners and each mounting element is configured to be pivoted about the second fastener. 
     
     
         7 . The method as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein the first and second fasteners are nuts and bolts, and the method further comprises the step of loosening the first fastener so that the mounting element can pivot about the second fastener. 
     
     
         8 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , the step of moving at least some of the mounting elements on the wheel from the extended position to the retracted position including pivoting the at least some of the mounting elements in a first direction and the step of moving the at least some of the mounting elements on the wheel from the retracted position to the extended position including pivoting the at least some of the mounting elements in a second direction opposite the first direction. 
     
     
         9 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , the step of moving the at least some of the mounting elements from the refracted position to the extended position including urging distal ends of the mounting elements into drive lugs positioned on an inner side of the tire. 
     
     
         10 . The method as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein the drive lugs of the tire each include an annularly extending cross member and the distal ends of the mounting elements each include a recess configured to receive the cross member therein for preventing the tire from shifting laterally relative to the wheel. 
     
     
         11 . A method of mounting an airless tire on a wheel of a mobile tower of an irrigation system, the wheel having a plurality of mounting elements, the method comprising:
 moving at least some of the mounting elements on the wheel from an extended position to a retracted position;   positioning the wheel and the tire such that the wheel is inside the tire; and   moving the at least some of the mounting elements from the retracted position to the extended position such that the plurality of mounting elements engage the tire.   
     
     
         12 . The method as set forth in  claim 11 , the steps of moving at least some of the plurality of mounting elements from the extended position to the retracted position and moving at least some of the mounting elements from the retracted position to the extended position including moving all of the mounting elements. 
     
     
         13 . The method as set forth in  claim 11 , the steps of moving at least some of the plurality of mounting elements from the extended position to the retracted position and moving at least some of the mounting elements from the retracted position to the extended position including moving only one of the mounting elements. 
     
     
         14 . The method as set forth in  claim 11 , the steps of moving at least some of the plurality of mounting elements from the extended position to the retracted position and moving at least some of the mounting elements from the retracted position to the extended position including pivoting the at least some of the mounting elements. 
     
     
         15 . The method as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein each mounting element to be moved is connected to the wheel via at least one fastener, the method further comprising the steps of removing the at least one fastener from each mounting element to be moved so that the mounting elements can be moved from the extended position to the retracted position and connecting the moved mounting elements to the wheel via the fasteners so as to retain the mounting elements in the extended position. 
     
     
         16 . The method as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein the at least one fastener includes first and second fasteners and each mounting element is configured to be pivoted about the second fastener. 
     
     
         17 . The method as set forth in  claim 11 , the step of moving at least some of the mounting elements on the wheel from the extended position to the retracted position including pivoting the at least some of the mounting elements in a first direction and the step of moving the at least some of the mounting elements on the wheel from the retracted position to the extended position including pivoting the at least some of the mounting elements in a second direction opposite the first direction. 
     
     
         18 . The method as set forth in  claim 11 , the step of moving the at least some of the mounting elements from the refracted position to the extended position including urging distal ends of the mounting elements into drive lugs positioned on an inner side of the tire. 
     
     
         19 . The method as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein the drive lugs of the tire each include an annularly extending cross member and the distal ends of the mounting elements each include a recess configured to receive the cross member therein for preventing the tire from shifting laterally relative to the wheel. 
     
     
         20 . A method of mounting an airless tire on a wheel of a mobile tower of an irrigation system, the wheel having a plurality of mounting elements, the method comprising:
 removing a first fastener connecting each mounting element to the wheel;   loosening a second fastener connecting each mounting element to the wheel;   pivoting at least some of the mounting elements on the wheel about the second fastener in a first direction from an extended position to a retracted position;   positioning the wheel and the tire such that the wheel is inside the tire;   pivoting the at least some of the mounting elements about the second fastener in a second direction from the retracted position to the extended position;   inserting distal ends of the at least some of the mounting elements into engagement with drive lugs of the tire;   inserting annularly extending cross members of the drive lugs into recesses positioned on distal ends of the mounting elements for preventing the tire from shifting laterally relative to the wheel;   tightening the second fastener connecting each mounting element to the wheel;   engaging the first fastener between each mounting element and the wheel; and   tightening the first fastener so that the mounting elements are coupled to the wheel and firmly engage the tire such that the tire is secured on the wheel.