The third photo just hides the split with shadows
We must be using terminology in different ways. In the OP's first three photos , I see continuous lips of the bead ring, no gaps or splits at all. A two piece rim.
If you are saying they are a three piece rim, and you are talking about the lock ring which can get buried between the bead ring and main rim piece, and it is split, I'd say entirely possible looking at the pictures. There does seem to be a lot of gap between the bead ring and the rim.
I'm catching what you are saying here.
