This document describes air suspension wheel technology for heavy duty vehicles used in mining, construction, and military applications. The wheels have enclosed air springs that provide suspension, absorbing impacts and varying terrain while supporting heavy loads. They are more durable than solid rubber tires or standard inflated tires, resisting bullets, explosions, extreme temperatures, and harsh conditions without failure. The air suspension wheels reduce vehicle maintenance needs while improving ride quality and traction compared to standard wheels.

1. For
Mining, Construction, Military and Security Vehicles
All rights reserved. Copyright©, 2014 LLC, 2014.
Tyson is trademark of National Rims, South Africa.
For more information contact Dr. Kemeny at 2014 LLC@cox.net.

3. Theory

4. Theory
Conditionally, gravity can assist in driving.

5. Alternative Rim assemblies with confined
elastomeric and rigid ribs gripping options
Wheel Suspension with hub and rim assembly, air-
spring shock-crowns, and lateral retainer assembly
Lateral Retainer Cover Rings (outboard Dust Cover Disk is not shown)
Alexandra Sandvik Drill
Rig (TASW) Tyson Air
Suspension Wheel 1000
mm diam., 280 mm
wide, 13 tons load, 100
mm stroke, works under
slurry and on quarry,
stops bullets
Steel Tire
Example 1

6. Inboard views without and with dust/mud seal Outboard view with dust/mud cap

7. Rim assembly Hub assembly Shock crown Shock
Lateral retainer assembly (Teflon/bronze
slider washer backed by urethane washer)
Spacer ring
Pin
Valve
Coupler

8. Outboard cover plate assembly Inboard cover plate
Outboard dust/mud cover
Cover plates give lateral support for the hub assembly.

9. Frontal view with front cover removed Frontal view with front and back covers removed
The hub assembly is elastically suspended on the rim assembly by adjustable pressure air springs.
The force-displacement relationship is progressively hardening with cushioned stroke limiter stop.

10. Cross sections with and without covers
Inboard urethane dust/mud seal
(snaps on the hub sleeve and
slides on the inboard cover plate)

11. Mechanism
Urethane
grippers

12. Double acting pneumatic air cylinder (air spring and shock absorber/attenuator)
Eye bar
Quick coupler
Security ball valve with ratchet
Plug with seal and viper
Urethane bellow
Urethane bumper
Clevis
Cylinder
Piston head
Seal
Piston rod
Clamp
Shown in mid-stroke (neutral)
stroke setting with equal force
preload on both sides of the
piston head equal the static
empty vehicle wheel load.
Filled with dry
air or nitrogen.

13. Inflated tire wheel: Air suspension wheel:
The unsprung wheel weight is negligible. The unsprung wheel weight is significant.
Wheel deflection is 1-6% of wheel radius. Wheel deflection is 3-16% of wheel radius.
mm = 0 mm >> 0
Machineries lack chassis
suspension (K = 0).
3 < kk/k < 16
The superior air suspension wheel saves machinery maintenance and road. It provides luxury ride for the workers.

14. Example 2 CAT 980H Loader Tyson Air Suspension Wheel 1925 mm diam., 766 mm wide, 25 tons load, 240
mm stroke, works in mud and on sand/gravel/soft-soil, stops bullets, does not burn, no tire flats

15. Courtesy of National Rims, South Africa, 2014

16. Courtesy of National Rims, South Africa, 2014
The fully assembled heavy steel wheel weighs 3,200 kg.
The same in ductile aluminum weighs only 1,100 kg, which
is less than the inflated tire wheel, which it replaces.
Light steel wheel weights the same as inflated tire wheels
with chain mesh installed. Its cost is also about the same.

17. Courtesy of National Rims, South Africa, 2014
The wheels can be shipped in horizontal or vertical positions.
The initial shock pressure setting can be on the high side, for
it is easier to let pressure out on the field than to pump more
air into the shocks. For field adjustment, both the hub and
the wheel need to be jacked up to center the hub to the rim.

18. Courtesy of National Rims, South Africa, 2014
Compare these same size wheels:
Wheel 1) Inflated tire wheel with chain mesh:
1,600 kg (1,600 kg sprung + 0 kg unsprung)
Wheel 2) Wheel with solid rubber tire:
2,200 kg (0 kg sprung + 2,200 kg unsprung)
Wheel 3) Heavy steel air suspension wheel:
3,200 kg (1,300 sprung + 1,900 kg unsprung )
Wheel 4) Light steel air suspension wheel:
1,700 kg (600 sprung + 1,100 kg unsprung)
The larger the sprung-to-unsprung ratio, the
powertrain is less stressed, but the wheel
acceleration/deceleration is more delayed.

19. Hauling
Scooping
Throw Impact Crest Impact

20. Light Steel Wheel: Same size, load capacity and deflection. 50% lighter, 100% stiffer and 4x better cornering with load.
It comes with different gripping patterns to service rock, riprap, gravel, mud, peat, sand, snow and more.

22. Example 3
Slag Pot Carrier
Tyson Air
Suspension Wheel
(TASW) 1150 mm
diam., 390 mm
wide, 20 tons load,
100 mm stroke,
resists high heat,
splashing molten
lava/slug, lasts as
long as the vehicle,
needs sparse
maintenance

24. Works in various configurations.

25. State of art.
In this work and heat,
even solid rubber tires
are consumed rapidly.

26. Retrofit (after market): Cushioned Runflat Insert
• Stealth for security
• Runs deflated indefinitely
(Side wall bullet shield
is removed for clarity.)

27. Pickup Truck Tyson Air
Suspension Wheel (TASW)
800 mm diam., 200 mm wide,
2 tons load, 50 mm stroke,
resists extreme terrain abuse,
multiple gunshots, Molotov
cocktails, cutters, spikes and
nails, lasts as long as the
vehicle, hermetically enclosed,
buoyant in slurry and mud,
does not slip on water, snow
and ice, needs only sparse
inspection and maintenance
Example 4

30. • Air suspension wheels are engineered as flexible torque couplers of large twist capacity, thus virtually
preventing wheel slip on ice/snow/ mud/ water-film/sand, gravel/soft-soil and at start of rolling.
• Their heavier part (the rim assembly with half of the shocks) is supported by the ground (unsprung), so
the vehicle’s drivetrain does not “see’ it, except for its motion-preserving higher rotational inertia.
• They take bullets, IED explosions, deep ditches and tall bumps, spikes and sabotages without need for
tire change, for these last as long as the vehicle itself, having constructed the same way.
• Their somewhat higher price pays off in tire and fuel savings, low maintenance and adjustability (field
or factory) to load and road conditions adapting to various rugged vehicular uses and conditions.
• They can solve tough problems in mining, construction, agriculture and combat as no other wheels can.
END