Traction device

Claim 1

A TRACTION DEVICE FOR A LAND VEHICLE, COMPRISING A FRAME HAVING TRANSVERSE SIDES, A PLURALITY OF RUBBER TIRED FORE AND AFT DRIVE AND SUPPORT WHEELS ARRANGED IN TANDEM OSN EACH SIDE OF THE FRAME AND INCLUDING FRONT GROUND SUPPORT WHEELS AND REAR GROUND SUPPORT WHEELS, A PLURALITY OF AXLES HAVING CANTILEVER ENDS EXTENDING OUTWARDLY OF THE TRANSVERSE SIDES OF SAID FRAME AND MEANS MOUNTING SAID WHEELS ON SAID ENDS, MOUNTING MEANS CONNECTING SAID AXLES TO THE FRAME AND INCLUDING ROTARY BEARINGS JOURNALING THE AXLE OF SAID REAR WHEELS AND ALSO INCLUDING RELEASABLE FASTENING MEANS RIGIDLY CONNECTING SAID BEARINGS TO THE FRAME AND FACILITATING FORE AND AFT ADJUSTMENT OF SAID BEARINGS AND SAID AXLE RELATIVE TO SAID FRAME, SAID MOUNTING MEANS ALSO INCLUDING A PAIR OF ELONGATE FORE AND AFT LEAF SPRING ASSEMBLIES RESPECTIVELY DISPOSED ADJACENT THE OPPOSITE TRANSVERSE SIDES OF THE FRAME, THE FORWARD SPRING ASSEMBLIES HAVING INTERMEDIATE PORTIONS AFFIXED ALSO HAVING FORE AND AFT WHEELS AND SAID ASSEMBLIES ALSO HAVING FORE AND AFT ENDS, MEANS CONNECTING THE ENDS OF SAID ASSEMBLIES TO THE FRAME WHEREBY TO PERMIT UPWARD AND LIMITED REARWARD YIELDING OF SAID FRONT WHEELS, A PAIR OF ELONGATE AND ENDLESS TRACKS EACH DISPOSED AT A RESPECTIVE SIDE OF THE FRAME AND EXTENDING AROUND AND BETWEEN SAID RUBBER TIRED TANDEM WHEELS, SAID TRACKS HAVING ENDLESS BELTS OF FIXED LENGTHS AND MEANS RESTRAINING SAID TRACKS AGAINST TRANSVERSE MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO SAID WHEELS WHEREBY TO RETAIN THE TRACKS ON THE WHEELS, AND DRIVE MEANS ON THE FRAME AND CONNECTED WITH SAID REAR WHEELS TO PRODUCE ROTATION THEREOF AND THEREBY EFFECT PROPULSION.