1. Field of the Invention
Skateboard wheel assembly.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A majority of the present-day skateboard wheels in use are formed from cylindrical bodies of a polymerized resin that have bearings embedded therein, and these bearings being rotatably mounted on stubs that project outwardly from trucks that are secured to the underside of the skateboard. Such prior art skateboard wheel assemblies have a number of operational disadvantages. When the bearings in the prior art skateboard wheels become damaged or worn, the bearings cannot be replaced, and as a result the whole wheel assembly must be discarded. Furthermore, due to the construction of the prior art skateboard wheel assemblies, there is a tendency for the wheels of the assemblies to overheat, due to the fact that the bearings are embedded in a polymerized resin that is a poor transfer agent for heat. Heat arising in the bearings is accordingly transferred to the polymerized resin wheels, rather than being dissipated to the ambient atmosphere, and this intermittent heating of the polymerized resin causes the rapid disintegration thereof.
A major object of the present invention is to provide a skateboard wheel assembly that will elliminate a number of the operational disadvantages of prior art devices of this nature.
Another object of the invention is to provide a skateboard wheel assembly in which a major portion thereof is defined by metal, and heat arising from friction during the use of the assembly being transferred to the metal portion and radiating therefrom to the ambient atmosphere, rather than being transferred to the resilient tire that forms a part of the assembly.
Yet another object of the invention is to supply a skateboard wheel assembly in which the various components defining the same may be separated from one another and a defective component replaced when such is necessary.
A still further object of the invention is to supply a skateboard wheel assembly that includes a cylindrical resilient tire that is maintained in a fixed position on the assembly, and will have little or no tendency to cold flow when the tire is subjected to axially directed forces of substantial magnitude.
Another object of the invention is to supply a skateboard wheel assembly that includes a cylindrical resilient tire that is easily replaced when it has become worn, and as a consequence the metal portion of the wheel assembly may be used for a prolonged period of time, with only the tire being replaced periodically as such is required.