AUTOMOTIVE WHEEL RIM STACK SUPPORTING MEANS
This application is divided out of Indian Patent Application No.
2110/KOLNP/2005 filed on 25th October 2005 which, in turn, is the national phase entry
of International (PCT) Application No. PCT/NZ04/00083 having an International Filing
Date of 29th April, 2004.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a stack supporting device to support stacks
of automotive wheel rims.
BACKGROUND
Once manufactured, a wheel rim such as a mag wheel, needs to be
transported to the particular sales destinations.
Present methods for transporting wheel rims in large quantities involve
stacking the rims on top of each other in columns on pallets.
To ensure that movement and friction between adjacent rims does not
cause damage, (which may detract from the aesthetic or functional qualities of
the wheel rims), a formed corrugated cardboard tray is typically placed on a
wooden pallet. Mag wheels are then placed inside the tray. Corrugated
cardboard dividers are then placed between the wheels. Another corrugated
cardboard tray is then placed on top of a singe layer of wheels and the process is
repeated until the desired palletised height has been reached Another corrugated
cardboard tray is placed on top of the last layer and the palletised load is strapped
down using appropriate strapping such as plastic webbing.
However, inevitably, whether by movement in transporting the pallets to
the shipping containers, or movement within the shipping containers themselves,
the columns move relative to each other and make the load unstable.
Further, the cardboard compresses, causing the strapping to slacken, and
the stack to become unstable. Moisture may also affect the integrity of the
cardboard,
Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide an
automotive wheel rim stack supporting means to address the foregoing problems
or at least to provide the public with a useful choice.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In a first aspect the present invention broadly consists in an automotive
wheel rim stack supporting means to be interposed between two adjacent
automotive wheel, rims of a kind each having opposed rim flanges, said stack
supporting means including a body member of circular perimeter, a plane of said
circular perimeter to be positioned normal to the rotational axis of said
automotive wheel rims, said body member including a flange defining
at a first side of said plane, an endless groove concentric with said
circular perimeter bounded by an outwardly positioned peripheral flange with an
inwardly facing surface (preferably substantially transverse to said plane
direction), and a groove bottom racing surface extending radially inwardly from
said peripheral flange , said groove bottom facing surface defining at least two
plateaus, a first radially outward most and defining a lower more region of said
groove compared to at least one other radially inward more of said first, defining
a shallower region of said groove, whereby said peripheral flange is of inside
diameter to allow the snug overlying thereof to a rim flange of an upper of said
two adjacent wheel rims, and
at a second side of said plane said flange provides a surface to lie onto a
rim flange of a lower of said two adjacent wheel rims.
Preferably there is means provided on said second side to snugly overly
said rim flange of said lower of said two adjacent wheel rims to locate said lower
wheel rim with said upper wheel in a direction lateral to said rotation axes.
Preferably said outwardly positioned peripheral region of said flange
extends from said lower of said plateau regions of said groove bottom in a
direction perpendicular to said plane.
Preferably there is a transition between said plateaus which is a stepped
transition.
Alternatively there is a transition between said plateaus which is a sloping
transition.

Preferably said inward most plateau is bounded inwardly by a wall section
of said flange which extends perpendicular to said plane.
Preferably said means provided on said second side to snugly overly said
rim flange is a locking flange extending from said flange in a direction
perpendicular to said plane.
Preferably said means provided on said second side to snugly overly said
rim flange is a flange concentric with the outwardly positioned peripheral region
of said flange.
Preferably a. rim flange of said upper of said two wheel rims locates with
said body member at said interface of said lower most plateau and outwardly
positioned peripheral region of said flange.
Preferably means to secure said stack supporting means to a stack
supporting means of an adjacent stack is provided at the perimeter of said body
member.
Preferably said peripheral flange is a cylindrical shaped flange.
In a second aspect the presenting invention broadly consists in a stack
supporting means to be interposed between two stacked automotive wheel rims
of a kind having opposed rim flanges, said stack supporting means including a
peripheral flange extending substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of said
wheel rims inwardly from which there extends a radial flange said radial flange
providing on a first side thereof a support surface or surfaces an upper of said
two wheel rims and on a second side means to locate onto a lower of said two
wheel rims
wherein on said first side of said radial flange, at least two upwardly
supportive surfaces! are provided, each at different levels to each other to allow
the location thereon of two downwardly directed surfaces of an upper of said two
wheel rims and wherein said radially outermost of said upwardly supportive
surfaces is bounded by said peripheral flange said peripheral flange being of a
inside diameter to allow the snug fitting there against of the rim diameter outer
most disposed region of a rim flange of the "upper of said two wheel rims, and

wherein on a second side, a downwardly directed surface is provided to
engage onto an upwardly directed surface of a rim flange of a downward of said
two wheel rims and wherein on said second side the said peripheral flange also
extends to allow the snug fitting there against of the rim diameter most region of
a rim flange of the lower of said two wheel rims.
Preferably there is a transition between said two levels of said upwardly
supporting surfaces which is a stepped transition.
Alternatively there is a said transition between said two levels of said
upwardly supporting surfaces which is a sloping transition.
Preferably said inner more of said upwardly supportive surface is bounded
by an upstand extending parallel to said peripheral flange.
Preferably said upstand is of an external diameter to allow he snug fit of
an inwardly directed surface of said wheel rim at the region of said rim flange.
Preferably provided to the perimeter of said stack supporting means are
means to engage said stack supporting means with a like stack supporting means
to be positioned co planar with a said stack supporting means but interposed
between two wheel rims of an adjacent stack of wheel rims.
In a further aspect the present invention consist in a stack supporting
means to be interposed between two automotive wheel rims, said stack
supporting means being of circular perimeter, the plane thereof extending
through said stack supporting means to be positioned normal to the rotational
axis of said automotive wheel rim, said stack supporting means defining on one
side of the plane, a landing surface bounded radially outwardly therefrom by a
flange extending to one side of said plane, said landing surface being of at least
two levels with respect to axial direction of said wheel rims, a lower more level
(relative to an upper of said wheel rims) being provided proximate more to the
flange, said landing surface providing two point upward support to an upper of
said two wheel rims and wherein said flange is of an inside diameter to allow the
snug fitting of said rim flange of said upper of said two wheel rims there with,

and wherein on the other side of said plane a downwardly directed surface
is provided to engage onto an upwardly directed surface of said lower of said two
wheel rims and wherein a flange extending to the other side of said plane bounds
said downwardly directed surface and is of an internal diameter to allow the snug
fit of the upper positioned rim flange of said lower of said two wheel rims.
Preferably said flange on said first side and said flange on said second side
are the same flange.
In a further aspect the present invention consist in disk shaped wheel rim
staking means to be interposed between two wheel rims stacked co axially in a
manner wherein the disk is interposed between said two wheel rims and said
stacking means, having a radially extending web with a downward side to be
engaged at the rim flange a lower of said wheels to allow said stacking means to
locate onto a lower of said two wheel rims
said web providing on an upward side a primary upwardly supportive
surface to be engagable with a first downwardly protecting surface of said upper
more wheel rim and a secondary upwardly supportive surface radially inward
more to said primary upwardly supporting surface, and
wherein a peripheral flange extends between said upward and said
downward side from said web and is positioned radially outwardly of said
primary support surface of said upward surface and said downward side of said
downward surface and provides an internal diameter to allow the capturing of
said upper of said two wheel rims there against and said lower of said two wheel
rims there against and in a manner to position said disk shaped wheel rim
stacking means substantially concentrically with said wheel rim stack,
Preferably there is a transition between said primary and secondary
upwardly supportive surface which is a step.
Preferably inward of said secondary upward supportive surface is an
internal flange of an external diameter to allow the snug fit there against of an
inwardly directed surface of said upper of said two wheel rims.

In a further aspect the present invention consists in a stack of wheel rims
wherein between each adjacent pair of wheels a wheel rim stacking means as
hereinbefore described is interposed.
In a further aspect the present invention consists in a plurality of stacks of
any one or more of those as herein described above wherein coplanar stack
supporting means of adjacent stacks of wheels are engaged together to gain
support from adjacent stacks.
Preferably each stack is capped by a capping member.
Preferably each stack is supported on a base member.
Preferably capping and base members are disk shaped members which
include a peripheral upstand flange to locate with a respective rim flange of
upper or lower rim of each stack
This invention may also be said broadly to consist in the parts, elements
and features referred to or indicated in the specification of the application,
individually or collectively, and any or all combinations of any two or more of
said parts, elements or features, and where specific integers are mentioned herein
which have known equivalents in the art to which this invention relates, such
known equivalents are deemed to be incorporated herein as if individually set
forth.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Reference will now be made to a preferred form of the present invention
in which
Figure 1 illustrates a stack of automotive wheel rims wherein three wheels
are stacked and wherein two stack supporting means are interposed between
adjacent wheels of the stack,
Figure 2 is a side exploded view of Figure 1,
Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of Figure 1,
Figure 4 is a cross sectional view of part of an upper and lower wheel run
wherein a stack supporting means of the present invention is interposed between,

Figure 5 is a plan view of one preferred form of a stack supporting means
of the present invention,
Figure 6 is a perspective view of Figure 5,
Figure 7 is a sectional view through section 00 of Figure 5,
Figure 8 is an exploded view of region R of Figure 7,
Figure 9 is a close up view of region S of Figure 10,
Figure 10 is a sectional view through section PP of Figure 5,
Figure 11 is a plan view of region Q of Figure 5,
Figure 12 is a plan view of an alternative arrangement of a stack
supporting means of the present invention,
Figure 13 is a sectional view of Figure 12,
Figure 14 is a side view of Figure 12,
Figure 15 is a sectional view through section OO of Figure 12,
Figure 16 is a detailed view of region Q of Figure 15.
Figure 17 is a sectional view through section PP of Figure 12,
Figure 18 is a close up view of region R of Figure 17,
Figure 19 is a plan view of a capping member for a stack of wheel rims,
Figure 20 is a perspective view of Figure 19,
Figure 21 is a side view of Figure 19,
Figure 22 is a sectional view through section XX of Figure 19,
Figure 23 is a sectional view through section WW of Figure 19,
Figure 24 is a view of region Y of Figure 22,
Figure 25 is a view of region Z of Figure 23,
Figure 26 is a plan view of an alternative configuration of a rim supporting
means of the present invention,
Figure 27 is a side view of Figure 26,
Figure 28 is sectional view through section TT of Figure 26,
Figure 29 is a perspective view of Figure 26,
Figure 30 is a sectional view through section SS of Figure 26,
Figure 31 is a view of region V of Figure 30,

Figure 32 is a view of region U of Figure 28,
Figure 33 is a plan view of an alternative arrangement of a capping
member of the present invention,
Figure 34 is a perspective view of Figure 33,
Figure 35 is a view through section KK of Figure 33,
Figure 36 is a view of region M of Figure 35,
Figure 37 is a view of region M of Figure 38,
Figure 38 is a sectional view through section JJ of Figure 33,
Figure 39 is a view of region L of Figure 33,
Figure 40 is a plan view of a plurality of stacks engaged,
Figure 41 is a view of region AA of Figure 40 illustrating the adjacent
stacks supporting means engaged together,
Figure 42 is a side view of view of Figure 41,
Figure 43 is a view of part of a perimeter region of a stacking device of
the present invention showing the fastening means with which a fastening
element can engage as for example shown in Figures 41 and 42,
Figure 44 is a perspective view of a fastening element of the present
invention,
Figure 45 is a front view of Figure 44,
Figure 46 is a side view of Figure 44, and
Figure 47 is a plan view of Figure 44.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
With reference to Figure 1 there is shown a stack of wheel rims winch are
supported on top of each other. Illustrated in Figure 1 are three wheel rims 1
wherein between the intermediate wheel rim and the upper and lower wheel rim a
stack supporting means 2 is provided. The stack support means will hold the
stack of wheel rims in a manner so that their axes extend substantially vertically
and coaxial. Each stack may also include a capping member 3 and a base
member 4. The stack supporting means 2 is preferably annular shaped and can

engage at the rim flange of adjacent wheels of the stack. With reference to
Figure 5, each stack support means 2 includes a body member 6 which is
substantially of a circular perimeter as shown in Figure 5. The body member is
preferably ring or disk shaped as shown in Figure 6 and may include a large
opening therethrough. Although such an opening is preferred in order to save on
material, it may be that each wheel support means is disk shaped and is in filled
throughout a more substantial part inwardly of its perimeter. The body of the
support means includes a flange 7 which is preferably of a stepped nature. The
flange 7 extends inwardly from a perimeter flange 8. The perimeter flange 8 is to
extend substantially parallel to the axial direction of the stack and includes an
inwardly directed surface 9 (preferably a cylindrical surface) which is
substantially commensurate with the external diameter of a rim flange of a wheel
rim. Accordingly the wheel rim can locate against the inwardly directed surface
9 of the perimeter flange 8 to thereby locate in a direction transverse to the axial
direction of the wheel to prevent relative movement in such a direction between
the wheel rim and the stack support means. The flange 8 will have an upper edge
10 and a lower edge 11. When in use, the upper edge 11 will be downward more
to the upper edge 10. The flange 7 will extend intermediate of the upper and
lower edges 10 and will in a general direction extend radially inwardly from the
perimeter flange 8. With reference to Figure 4 the stack support means of the
present invention will extend substantially perpendicular to the stack axis
direction. An imaginary plane along axes KK of the stack support means is
substantially perpendicular to the axial direction of the stack. Provided towards
the upper side of the plane KK (on that side where the upper rim 10 of the flange
8 will be located in use), the flange 7 will define a lower surface 12 and an upper
more surface 13 which is positioned radially inwardly more than the lower
surface 12. In the most preferred form the transition between the lower surface
12 and the upper surface 13 is a step provided by a web 14 of the flange 7.
Alternatively however the transition may be a slopping transition. The lower
most surface will provide upward support to the rim flange 15 of the rim flange

region 16 with which the bead of a tyre seats of an upper more of the wheel rims.
The rim flange as shown in Figure 14 is of a kind normally found on a wheel rim
called a "eurowheel". The rim flange 15 is in the rim width direction outer more
than a second surface 16 of this general area. The upper more surface 13 of the
flange 7 is provided at a height so that the other surface 16 of this general region
of a wheel rim can, be supported thereon. The flange 7 inwardly of the second or
upper more region 13 thereof is bounded by an upstand 18 which extends
substantially parallel to the perimeter flange 8 and which provides an external
radius thereof which can located against an internally directed surface 19 of the
bead seat region of the wheel rim upper more between which the support means
of the present invention is provided. Movement of the upper more wheel lateral
to the axial direction of the stack is thereby prevented through the snug fit of the
external diameter of the rim flange (in the rim diameter direction) against the
inwardly casing surface of the perimeter flange 8. Furthermore support in this
direction is also provided by the outwardly facing surface of the upstand 18
against the inwardly directed surface 19 of the wheel rim which locates snugly
against the outwardly directed surface of the upstand 18. On the downwardly
directed surface of the body of the stack support means the perimeter flange 8 is
of a diameter to allow for a rim flange of a lower of the two wheel rims to locate
there against to provide support in a direction lateral to the axial direction of the
stack. The flange 8 can be dropped onto the upper rim flange of the lower wheel
and snugly located therewith. The lower most portion of the flange 7 defined by
numeral 12 preferably provides the downwardly directed surface which locates
onto an upper surface of the rim flange of the lower wheel rim 20.
The flange 7 extends from the perimeter flange 8 preferably midway
between the upper and lower rims 10, 11. However the portion of the perimeter
flange 8 extending either towards the upper or lower sides of the body member 6
may be greater or less on either side of the plane KK.
With reference to Figure 5, fastening means are preferably provided to the
exterior perimeter of the body means 6 of the stack supporting means 2 of the

present invention. Such fastening means 21 allow for a stack supporting means
of the present invention to be engaged to a like stack supporting means which is
positioned coplanar in an adjacent stack. In the most preferred form the
fastening means are provided in pairs and there are four pairs provided around
the perimeter. Most preferably the fastening means 21 are disposed from the
exterior perimeter region of the perimeter flange 8. Intermediate of each
fastening means pair there is preferably provided a flat 22 on the perimeter of the
perimeter flange 8. This flat can engage with an adjacent flat of the adjacent
stack supporting means to which the current stack supporting means is to engage.
The flat may include an adhesive or may provide a region where a welding or a
gluing of adjacent stack supporting means can be provided. Preferably such a
welding can be achieved by an ultrasonic welding or by some other form of
achieving and adhesion between adjacent stack support means 2. The fastening
means 21 will provide a mechanical fastening whereas at the flats 2 an adhesive
fastening can be achieved.
The present invention can be utilised by firstly placing a first wheel rim in
a position such that its rotational axis extends substantially vertically. A stack
support apparatus of the present invention can then be located onto the upper rim
flange of the lower wheel by sliding the stack support means 2 with its rim 11
over the rim flange of the lower wheel rim thereby locating the stack support
means 2 with the wheel rim at least in a direction lateral to the axial direction.
This presents the upper side of the stack support means to receive an upper more
wheel rim. A landing surface as defined by the upwardly facing surfaces of the
flange 7 (surface 12, 13) is presented to receive the downwardly facing surfaces
of the upper more wheel rim. As the landing surface extends significantly further
inwardly from the perimeter flange 8 then what will be necessary to provide
upward support to the wheel rim at for example the rim flange 15, a person
loading the upper more wheel rim onto the stack support means need not place
the upper more wheel with accuracy onto the stack support means. With a lower

surface 12 and upper surface 13, the landing surfaces there defined allow for a
wheel to be loaded off centre onto the stack support means 2 and subsequently
allow for the wheel to be manoeuvred to be centralised and supported in a
manner as for example shown in Figure 4. With a stepped or slopping support or
landing surface providing the lower and upper surfaces 12, 13, a guiding of the
movement of the upper more wheel rim during its loading onto the stack support
means is provided where the upper more wheel rim lands on the stack support
means off centre, a shaking or wiggling of the upper more wheel will encourage
the wheel rim to drop so that engagement of the rim flange 15 can be achieved
with the lower most support surface 12 and for it to be engaged against the
inwardly directed surface of the perimeter flange 8. The extension radially
inwardly of the flange 7 more than is required to provide support to the upper
more wheel when it is in its proper resting location and with the provision of a
trough like nature to the upwardly directed surfaces of the flange 7 with its
shallowest point provided at the perimeter flange 8, will encourage the landing
and positioning of the upper more wheel rim in a position to be coaxial with the
lower more wheel rim.
Once the upper more wheel rim has been loaded the process can be
repeated by placing another stack supporting means 2 onto the upper more wheel
rim to thereby allow another wheel rim to be loaded.
The stack once it has been built to its desired height can preferably be
capped by a capping member. With reference to Figure 19, the capping member
30 can located onto the upper more rim flange of the uppermost wheel rim of a
stack. A perimeter flange 31 is preferably of an internal diameter which allows
for a snug fit of the capping member onto the rim flange of the uppermost wheel.
The capping member preferably includes a hand opening such as a central
opening 32. The capping member is preferably completely filled in within the
perimeter of the perimeter flange 31 save for the hand opening 32. The hand
opening allows for a person to handle the capping member 32 holding at the
opening to place or remove the capping member from the stack. Whilst in the

preferred form this capping member does not include any means to fasten the
capping member to an adjacent capping member of an adjacent stack the capping
member may be provided with such features.
As can be seen with reference to Figures 19 and 20, location points 33 are .
provided which allow for the location of a strapping member. The location
points 32 will hold a strapping member which extends about the stack or a
plurality of stacks relative to the capping member. This prevents the strap from
slipping off in a tangential direction and allows the strapping to maintain for
engagement with and about a stack of wheel rims. A plurality of such regions for
locating may be provided on the outwardly directed surfaces and at the perimeter
of the capping member 30. To ensure that the integrity of any such strapping is
maintained the transition between the upwardly directed surface 34 of the
capping member and the perimeter flange 31 is a radius 35. The radius will
allow for the strapping member to pass over the transition between the upwardly
directed surface 34 and the perimeter flange 31 without the risk of the strapping
being cut by any sharp corners.
Figures 33 to 39 illustrate an alternative arrangement of the capping
member but wherein no hand grasping features are provided in the fill area of the
capping member.
Figures 26 to 32 illustrate a base member which can be provided to the
lowermost rim flange of the lowermost wheel rim of a stack. Essentially the
structure of the base member is similar to the shape of the stack support means of
the present invention save that the perimeter flange does not extend to the
downwardly directed surface of the base member.
With reference to Figures 40 and 41 there are shown adjacent stacks
which have been connected together by mechanical fastening.
Adjacent stacks of wheels can be engaged together by the engagement of
stack supporting means of the present invention in at least one plane and
preferably in all planes being engaged to an adjacent stack as shown in Figure 40.
At the perimeter of the body member of the stack supporting means there is

preferably provided a fastening means 90 as for example shown in Figure 43.
Preferably there are a pair of such fastening means provided and for example as
shown in Figure 40 there are provided four pairs of the fastening means 90
spaced equally about the perimeter of the body member of the stack supporting
means. Engagable with the fastening means 90 are fastening elements 91. The
fastening elements 91 preferably include a bifurcated leg region having legs 92
and 93 which can slot into a respective slot 94 of a first and second rim
supporting device. The bifurcated legs are connected together by a bridge 94 and
a spacer web 95. A spacer web can extend through the opening 96 of the slot 94
of the fastening means and provides enhanced rigidity to the connection made
between the two adjacent stack support devices of the present invention.
With the provision of a stepped trough for receiving an upper wheel onto a
lower wheel the possibility of impact of the upper wheel with the lower wheel is
reduced. The radially inwardly extending nature of the flange is significantly
greater than what would be required to merely support the upper wheel at its rim.
The upper plateau provides further separation between the wheel as it engages on
to the stack supporting device to be moved to its central position. Since wheels
of this kind may for example weigh in the order of 10 to 15 kilograms, impact
damage as a result of the manoeuvring and positioning of an upper wheel onto a
lower wheel requires consideration of damage between the wheels during
loading. Where the upper wheel is brought in at an angle, any opening which
may be provided within the annular portion of the stack supporting device since
there is a stepped or plateau region inwardly from the peripheral region thereof
will also separate and reduce the possibility of impact of an upper wheel with a
lower wheel when it is not concentrically aligned with the lower wheel.

CLAIMS
1. An automotive wheel rim stack supporting means to be interposed
between two adjacent automotive wheel runs of a kind each having opposed rim
flanges, said stack supporting means including a body member of circular
perimeter, a plane of said circular perimeter to be positioned normal to the
rotational axis of said automotive wheel rims, said body member including a
flange defining
at a first side of said plane, an endless groove concentric with said
circular perimeter bounded by an outwardly positioned peripheral flange with an
inwardly facing surface (preferably substantially transverse to said plane
direction), and a groove bottom facing surface extending radially inwardly from
said peripheral flange , said groove bottom facing surface defining at least two
plateaus, a first radially outward most and defining a lower more region of said
groove compared to at least one other x-adially inward more of said first, defining
a shallower region of said groove, whereby said peripheral flange is of inside
diameter to allow the snug overlying thereof to a rim flange of an upper of said
two adjacent wheel rims, and
at a second side of said plane said flange provides a surface to lie onto a
rim flange of a lower of said two adjacent wheel rims.
2. An automotive wheel rim stack supporting means as claimed in claim 1
wherein there is means provided on said second side to snugly overly said rim
flange of said lower of said two adjacent wheel rims to locate said lower wheel
rim with said upper wheel in a direction lateral to said rotation axes.
3. An automotive wheel rim stack supporting means as claimed in claim 1 or
2 wherein said outwardly positioned peripheral region of said flange extends
from said lower of said plateau regions of said groove bottom in a direction
perpendicular to said plane.
4. An automotive wheel rim stack supporting means as claimed in any one of
claims 1 to 3 wherein there is a transition between said plateaus which is a

5. An automotive wheel rim stack supporting means as claimed in any one of
claims 1 to 3 wherein alternatively there is a transition between said plateaus
which is a sloping transition.
6. An automotive wheel rim stack supporting means as claimed in any one of
claims 1 to 5 wherein said inward most plateau is bounded inwardly by a wall
section of said flange which extends perpendicular to said plane.
7. An automotive wheel rim stack supporting means as claimed in any one of
claims 2 to 6 wherein said means provided on said second side to snugly overly
said rim flange is a locking flange extending from said flange in a direction
perpendicular to said plane.
8. An automotive wheel rim stack supporting means as claimed in any one of
claims 2 to 6 wherein said means provided on said second side to snugly overly
said rim flange is a flange concentric with the outwardly positioned peripheral
region of said flange.
9. An automotive wheel rim stack supporting means as claimed in any one of
claims 1 to 8 wherein a rim flange of said upper of said two wheel rims locates
with said body member at said interface of said lower most plateau and
outwardly positioned peripheral region of said flange.
10. An automotive wheel rim stack supporting means as claimed in any one of
claims 1 to 9 wherein means to secure said stack supporting means to a stack
supporting means of an adjacent stack is provided at the perimeter of said body
member.
11. An automotive wheel rim stack supporting means as claimed in any one of
claims 1 to 10 wherein said peripheral flange is a cylindrical shaped flange.
12. A stack supporting means to be interposed between two stacked
automotive wheel rims of a kind having opposed rim flanges, said stack
supporting means including a peripheral flange extending substantially parallel to
the axis of rotation of said wheel rims inwardly from which there extends a
radial flange said radial flange providing on a first side thereof a support surface

or surfaces an upper of said two wheel rims and on a second side means to locate
onto a lower of said two wheel rims
wherein on said first side of said radial flange, at least two upwardly
supportive surfaces are provided, each at different levels to each other to allow
the location thereon of two downwardly directed surfaces of an upper of said two
wheel rims and wherein said radially outermost of said upwardly supportive
surfaces is bounded by said peripheral flange said peripheral flange being of a
inside diameter to allow the snug fitting there against of the rim diameter outer
most disposed region of a rim flange of the upper of said two wheel rims, and
wherein on a second side, a downwardly directed surface is provided to
engage onto an upwardly directed surface of a rim flange of a downward of said
two wheel runs and wherein on said second side the said peripheral flange also
extends to allow the snug fitting there against of the rim diameter most region of
a rim flange of the lower of said two wheel rims.
13. A stack supporting means as claimed in claim 12 wherein there is a
transition between said two levels of said upwardly supporting surfaces which is
a stepped transition.
14. A stack supporting means as claimed in claim 12 wherein alternatively
there is a said transition between said two levels of said upwardly supporting
surfaces which is a sloping transition.
15. A stack supporting means as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 14
wherein said inner more of said upwardly supportive surface is bounded by an
upstand extending parallel to said peripheral flange.
16. A stack supporting means as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 15
wherein said upstand is of an external diameter to allow he snug fit of an
inwardly directed surface of said wheel rim at the region of said rim flange.
17. A stack supporting means as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 16
wherein provided to the perimeter of said stack supporting means are means to
engage said stack supporting means with a like stack supporting means to be

positioned co planar with a said stack supporting means but interposed between
two wheel rims of an adjacent stack of wheel rims.
18. A stack supporting means to be interposed between two automotive wheel
rims, said stack supporting means being of circular perimeter, the plane thereof
extending through said stack supporting means to be positioned normal to the
rotational axis of said automotive wheel rim, said stack supporting means
defining on one side of the plane, a landing surface bounded radially outwardly
therefrom by a flange extending to one side of said plane, said landing surface
being of at least two levels with respect to axial direction of said wheel rims, a
lower more level (relative to an upper of said wheel rims) being provided
proximate more to the flange, said landing surface providing two point upward
support to an upper of said two wheel runs and wherein said flange is of an
inside diameter to allow the snug fitting of said rim flange of said upper of said
two wheel rims there with,
and wherein on the other side of said plane a downwardly directed surface
is provided to engage onto an upwardly directed surface of said lower of said two
wheel rims and wherein a flange extending to the other side of said plane bounds
said downwardly directed surface and is of an internal diameter to allow the snug
fit of the upper positioned rim flange of said lower of said two wheel rims.
19. A stack supporting means as claimed in claim 18 wherein said flange on
said first side and said flange on said second side are the same flange.
20. A disk shaped wheel rim staking means to be interposed between two
wheel rims stacked co axially in a manner wherein the disk is interposed between
said two wheel rims and said stacking means, having a radially extending web
with a downward side to be engaged at the rim flange a lower of said wheels to
allow said stacking means to locate onto a lower of said two wheel rims
said web providing on an upward side a primary upwardly supportive
surface to be engagable with a first downwardly protecting surface of said upper
more wheel rim and a secondary upwardly supportive surface radially inward
more to said primary upwardly supporting surface, and

wherein a peripheral flange extends between said upward and said
downward side from said web and is positioned radially outwardly of said
primary support surface of said upward surface and said downward side of said
downward surface and provides an internal diameter to allow the capturing of
said upper of said two wheel rims there against and said lower of said two wheel
rims there against and in a manner to position said disk shaped wheel rim
stacking means substantially concentrically with said wheel rim stack.
21. A disk shaped wheel rim staking means as claimed in claim 20 wherein
there is a transition between said primary and secondary upwardly supportive
surface which is a step.
22. A disk shaped wheel rim staking means as claimed in claim 21 or 22
wherein inward of said secondary upward supportive surface is an internal flange
of an external diameter to allow the snug fit there against of an inwardly directed
surface of said upper of said two wheel rims.
23. A stack of wheel rims wherein between each adjacent pair of wheels a
wheel rim stacking means as claimed in claim 1 or 12 or 20 is interposed.
24. A plurality of stacks of any one or more of those as claimed in claim 1 or
12 or 20 wherein coplanar stack supporting means of adjacent stacks of wheels
are engaged together to gain support from adjacent stacks.
25. A plurality of stacks as claimed in claim 24 wherein each stack is capped
by a capping member.
26. A plurality of stacks as claimed in claim 24 or 25 wherein each stack is
supported on a base member.
27. A plurality of stacks as claimed in any one of claims 24 to 26 wherein
capping and base members are disk shaped members which include a peripheral
upstand flange to locate with a respective rim flange of upper or lower rim of
each stack.

An automotive wheel rim slack supporting means
(2) to be interposed between two adjacent automotive wheel rims
(19, 20) of a kind each having opposed rim flanges (15), the stack
supporting means (2) including a body member (6) of circular
perimeter, a plane (K-K) of the circular perimeter to be positioned
normal to the rotational axis of the automotive wheel rims (19,
20), the body member (6) including a flange (7) defining at a first
side of the plane, an endless groove concentric with the circular
perimeter bounded by an outwardly positioned peripheral flange
(8) with an inwardly facing surface (preferably substantially
transverse to the plane direction), and a groove bottom facing
surface extending radially inwardly from the peripheral flange ,
the groove bottom facing surface defining at least two plateaus, a
first radially outward most (12) and defining a lower more region
of the groove compared to at least one other radially inward
more (13) of the first, defining a shallower region of the groove,
whereby the peripheral flange (8) is of inside diameter to allow
the snug overlying thereof to a rim flange (15) of an upper (19)
of the two adjacent wheel rims, and at a second side of the plane
(K-K), the flange (7) provides a surface to lie onto a rim flange
of a lower (20) of the two adjacent wheel rims.