Wheel mounting arrangement for a golf club carrier

[0002] The present invention relates to a wheel mounting arrangement for a golf club carrier, and more particularly to such a wheel mounting arrangement, which enables the wheel to be quickly and positively installed in the wheel shaft.

[0003] FIGS. 1 and 2 shows a wheel mounting structure according to U.S. Pat. No. 5,658,054. This wheel mounting structure comprises a wheel shaft fastened to a locating hole on the leg of a golf club carrier to hold a wheel, and a lever pivoted to the leg and turned to lock the wheel shaft. This wheel mounting structure is functional, however it still has minor drawbacks. Because the lever is pivotally coupled between the two downwardly extended side flanges of the leg in same axial direction of the shaft body of the wheel shaft, the lever may be forced to disengage from the wheel shaft when the golf club carrier is moved over an uneven land surface.

[0004] The present invention eliminates the aforesaid problem. According to the present invention, the wheel mounting arrangement of the present invention comprises a wheel shaft fastened to a locating hole on the leg of a golf club carrier to hold a wheel, and a lever pivoted to a pivot at the leg and turned to lock the wheel shaft, wherein the pivot is disposed in parallel to the wheel shaft, and the lever is turned about the Pivot in direction perpendicular to the wheel shaft. Because the lever is disposed perpendicular to the wheel shaft, it is firmly retained in the locking position when the golf club carrier moving over an unenen land surface. Further, the wheel shaft has two guide slopes at two opposite lateral sides of the transverse positioning grooves for guiding the locking block of the lever into the locking position.

[0005] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a wheel mounting structure according to U.S. Pat. No. 5,658,054.

[0006] FIG. 2 is a sectional assembly view of FIG. 1.

[0007] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the present invention.

[0008] FIG. 4 is an assembly view of the present invention before the installation of the wheel.

[0009] FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the present invention, showing the lever turned to the vertical unlocking Position.

[0010] FIG. 6 is similar to FIG. 5 but showing the lever turned to the horizontal locking position.

[0011] FIG. 7 is another sectional view of the present invention, showing the lever turned to the locking position, the wheel shaft locked.

[0012] Referring to Figures from 3 through 7, the present invention comprises a leg 6 provided at a golf club carrier (not shown), a wheel shaft 7 fastened to the leg 6 to hold a wheel 9, and a lever 8 pivoted to the leg 6 and turned to lock the wheel shaft 7. The leg 6 comprises a horizontal locating hole 612, a bottom insertion hole 6121 provided at the bottom side wall thereof in communication with the horizontal locating hole 612, two bottom flanges 63 downwardly extended from the bottom side wall at two opposite sides of the bottom insertion hole 6121, and a pivot 64 connected between the bottom flanges 63. The wheel shaft 7 comprises a shaft body 721, which holds the wheel 9, and a locating block 71 formed integral with one end of the shaft body 721 and fitted into the horizontal locating hole 612 on the leg 6. The locating block 71 comprises two transverse positioning grooves 711 respectively provided at the bottom and topside walls thereof. Because two transverse positioning grooves 711 are provided at the bottom and top side walls of the locating block 71, the locating block 71 can be inserted with the wheel shaft 7 into the horizontal locating hole 612 in either of two reversed positions with one transverse positioning groove 711 facing the bottom insertion hole 6121. The lever 8 is turned about the pivot 64, comprising locking block 81 formed integral with one end thereof and coupled to the pivot 64. When the lever 8 is turned about the pivot 64 to a vertical position shown in FIG. 5, the locking block 81 of the lever 8 is disengaged from the locating block 71, allowing the wheel shaft 7 to be disconnected from the leg 6. When the lever 8 is turned about the pivot 64 to a horizontal position shown in FIG. 6, the locking block 71 is forced into the insertion hole 6121 and engaged into the positioning groove 711 at the bottom sidewall of the locating block 71 to lock the wheel shaft 7.

[0013] Referring to Figures from 3 through 7 again, the pivot 64 is disposed in parallel to the wheel shaft 7, and the lever 8 is turned about the pivot 64 in direction perpendicular to the wheel shaft 7. The wheel shaft 7 comprises two guide slopes 7111 at two opposite lateral sides of each of the positioning grooves 711 for guiding the locking block 81 of the lever 8 in and out of the locking position. The locking block 81 of the lever 8 has chamfered angles or edges 811 that enable the locking block 81 to be smoothly moved with the lever 8 in and out of one positioning groove 711 at the locating block 71 of the wheel shaft 7. Further, the locating hole 612 has a diameter gradually increased toward the outside of the leg 6, (a tapered shape) and the locating block 71 has an outer diameter (or tapered shaped) fitting the inner diameter of the locating hole 612.

[0014] As indicated above, the lever 8 is turned about the pivot 64 in direction perpendicular to the wheel shaft 7, therefore the lever 8 is positively secured in place when the locking block 81 is engaged into one positioning groove 711 at the locating block 71 of the wheel shaft 7. Because the locating hole 612 has a diameter gradually increased toward the outside of the leg 6 and the locating block 71 has an outer diameter fitting the inner diameter of the locating hole 612, the locating block 71 of the wheel shaft 7 can easily be inserted into the locating hole 612. Further, the design of the guide slopes 7111 at two opposite lateral sides of each of the Positioning grooves 711 enables the locking block 81 to be smoothly moved with the lever 8 in and out of the corresponding Positioning groove 711 at the locating block 71 of the wheel shaft 7.