Endless belt traction vehicle

Claim 2

An endless-belt traction vehicle comprising at least one endless track belt having openings serially arranged along the length thereof, more than two sprocket wheels interlocked with said openings, any one of which can drive said endless track belt, axles fitting in with the axial bores of said sprocket wheels respectively, and means for fixing the sprocket wheels to the axles, wherein at least one of said sprocket wheels involves a polyurethane resin outer ring of wear-resistant plastics material having a sufficiently great rigidity to endure loads applied when the endless track belt is driven, and an inner ring of natural or synthetic elastomeric rubber having a sufficient flexibility to absorb impacts applied thereto in a substantially radial direction, and a metal ring is interposed between Said outer and inner rings, thereby allowing the inner peripheral surface of the sprocket wheel to be always pressed to the outer peripheral surface of the axle and is attached to the axle by said fixing means with its flexibility preserved with respect to the axle.

Claim 3

An endless-belt traction vehicle claimed in claim 1 in which said metal ring is formed in an integral block together with said outer and inner rings.

Claim 4

An endless-belt traction vehicle claimed in claim 1 in which said inner ring is provided with fitted spacers disposed therein in a manner to extend from side to side of the sprocket wheel and to be spatially disposed along a circular line defined around the center thereof, and said fixing means comprises coupling members adapted to clamp each of said spacers therebetween, said coupling members being fixedly secured to the axle.

Claim 5

An endless-belt traction vehicle claimed in claim 3 in which said spacers are respectively formed into a hollow cylinder, and each of said coupling members consists of a stationary mounting member fixedly secured to the axle at one side of the sprocket wheel, an adjustable mounting member removably secured to the axle at the other side of the sprocket wheel and bolt-nut assemblies, the bolt of each of which extends through the spacer and bridges both mounting members.

Claim 6

An endless-belt traction vehicle claimed in claim 4 in which each of the mounting members has a hollow cylindrical flange fitting in with the axle, part of said flange being so inserted between the inner surface of the sprocket and the outer surface of the axle as to reinforce the axle against loads or impacts applied through the sprocket wheel.

Claim 7

In an endless belt traction vehicle having at least one endless track belt having openings serially arranged along the length thereof, more than two sprocket wheels interlocked with said openings, any one of which can drive said endless track belt, axles fitting in with the axial bores of said sprocket wheels respectively, and fixing means for fixing the sprocket wheels to the axles, the improvement therein wherein at least one of said sprocket wheels has an outer ring of wear-resistant plastic material having a sufficiently great rigidity to endure loads applied when the endless track belt is driven, an inner ring of substantially softer resilient material than said outer ring and formed of natural or synthetic elastomeric resin having a sufficient flexibility to absorb impacts applied thereto in a substantially radial direction, thereby allowing the inner peripheral surface of the sprocket wheel to always be pressed to the outer peripheral surface of the axle and is attached to the axle by said fixing means with its flexibility preserved with respect to the axle, an annular metal ring separating said inner and outer rings and spacers penetrating the inner ring of the sprocket wheel in a manner to project from both sides thereof and spacially disposed along a circular line defined around the center thereof, and, said fixing means comprises coupling members adapted to clamp each of said spacers therebetween and fixedly secured to the axle.

Claim 8

In an endless belt traction vehicle having at least one endless track belt having openings serially arranged along the length thereof, more than two sprocket wheels interlocked with said openings, any one of which can drive said endless track belt, axles fitting in with the axial bores of said sprocket wheels respectively, and fixing means for fixing the sprocket wheels to the axles, the improvement therein wherein at least one of said sprocket wheels has an outer ring of wear-resistant plastic material having a sufficiently great rigidity to endure loads applied when the endless track belt is driven, an inner ring of substantially softer resilient material than said outer ring and formed of natural or synthetic elastomeric resin having a sufficient flexibility to absorb impacts applied thereto in a substantially radial direction, thereby allowing the inner peripheral surface of the sprocket wheel to always be pressed to the outer peripheral surface of the axle and is attached to the axle by said fixing means with its flexibility preserved with respect to the axle, an annular metal ring separating said inner and outer rings and spacers penetrating the inner ring of the sprocket wheel in a manner to project from both sides thereof and spacially disposed along a circular line defined around the center thereof, and, said fixing means comprises coupling members adapted to clamp each of said spacers therebetween and fixedly secured to the axle.

Claim 9

An endless belt traction vehicle claimed in claim 6, in which said metal ring is formed in an integral block together with said outer and inner rings.

Claim 10

An endless-belt traction vehicle claimed in claim 6, in which said spacers are respectively formed into a hollow cylinder, and each of said coupling members consists of a stationary mounting member fixedly secured to the axle at one side of the sprocket wheel, an adjustable mounting member removably secured to the axle at the other side of the sprocket wheel and bolt-nut assemblies, the bolt of each of which extends through the spacer and bridges both mounting members.

Claim 11

An endless-belt traction vehicle claimed in claim 6, in which each of the mounting members has a hollow cylindrical flange fitting in with the axle, part of said flange being so inserted between the inner surface of the sprocket and outer surfAce of the axle as to reinforce the axle against loads or impacts applied through the sprocket wheel.