US3601212A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Cushioned track
Assignee: Caterpillar Inc
•
Filing: 1969-12-15
•
Granted: 1971-08-24
•
Expires: 1989-12-15
Abstract
Abstract A machine is supported by four ground-engaging cushioned tracks. Each cushioned track comprises an annular resilient spacer having an endless track assembly mounted therearound. The track assembly comprises a plurality of shoes having flat inner surface portions surrounding and compressing the outer periphery of the spacer to normally define a substantially continuous, polygonal-shaped surface contact therebetween. The shoes extend laterally across the spacer and are connected together by laterally spaced link assemblies each positioned at a respective side of the spacer to form a unitized cushioned track.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert A Peterson
- 👤 Norman E Risk
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 18:43
CPC Classifications
B; B62; B62D; B62D55/00; B62D55/08; B62D55/14; B60; B60C; B60C27/00; B60C27/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 60
Claim 1
Independent Claim
246 words
A cushioned track comprising an annular resilient and deformable spacer means rotatable about a central axis thereof and having opposed radial side portions connected together by a generally transversely flat annular peripheral portion having a width extending laterally relative to said side portions and in the same direction as said axis and an endless track assembly means mounted completely around said spacer means for substantially unitizing said spacer means therewith, said endless track assembly means comprising an annular articulated link assembly comprising a plurality of links, pivotally connected together about axes which are located radially inwardly from the outer surface of the peripheral portion of said spacer means, positioned adjacent to each of said side portions and projecting radially inwardly along said side portions, and a plurality of circumferentially closely positioned groundengaging rigid shoes each being connected to at least one pair of laterally spaced links and having generally transversely flat and uninterrupted inner surface portions maintained in compressed intimate contact with outer surface portions of said peripheral portion to circumferentially surround and substantially completely cover said spacer means forming substantially circumferentially continuous surface contact therewith, and cooperating with said spacer means to form a variable footprint of at least two shoes when engaged with horizontally disposed stationary surface and subjected to a load imposed on said cushioned track vertically downwardly relative to said central axis and said stationary surface to place the inner surface potions of said at least two shoes in substantially coplanar rElationship.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
246 words
A cushioned track comprising an annular resilient and deformable spacer means rotatable about a central axis thereof and having opposed radial side portions connected together by a generally transversely flat annular peripheral portion having a width extending laterally relative to said side portions and in the same direction as said axis and an endless track assembly means mounted completely around said spacer means for substantially unitizing said spacer means therewith, said endless track assembly means comprising an annular articulated link assembly comprising a plurality of links, pivotally connected together about axes which are located radially inwardly from the outer surface of the peripheral portion of said spacer means, positioned adjacent to each of said side portions and projecting radially inwardly along said side portions, and a plurality of circumferentially closely positioned groundengaging rigid shoes each being connected to at least one pair of laterally spaced links and having generally transversely flat and uninterrupted inner surface portions maintained in compressed intimate contact with outer surface portions of said peripheral portion to circumferentially surround and substantially completely cover said spacer means forming substantially circumferentially continuous surface contact therewith, and cooperating with said spacer means to form a variable footprint of at least two shoes when engaged with horizontally disposed stationary surface and subjected to a load imposed on said cushioned track vertically downwardly relative to said central axis and said stationary surface to place the inner surface potions of said at least two shoes in substantially coplanar rElationship.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein a closed chamber of said member is at least partially filled with a liquid.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein a closed chamber of said member is at least substantially filled with a resilient plastic material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein said spacer means comprises a substantially solid and homogeneous resilient member mounted on an annular rim.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein the peripheral portion of said spacer means is compressed by the inner surface portions of said shoes to have the outside diameter thereof assume less than 98 percent of its normal, freely relaxed outside diameter.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein at least 80 percent of the outer surface portions of said peripheral portion are continuously maintained in contact with inner surface portions of said shoes to form a static seal and the coefficient of friction therebetween continuously approximates at least 0.3.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
63 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein said spacer means comprises a rim means having a resilient member mounted thereon, said rim means comprising substantially identical L-shpaed parts having first portions extending radially inwardly toward said central axis and attached together and second portions extending away from each other in the direction of said central axis, said resilient member mounted on said second portions.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
52 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein said shoes have widths defining outboard portions extending a substantially equal lateral distance beyond a respective one of said side portions, each of said link assemblies connected to a respective one of said shoe''s outboard portions closely adjacent to a respective one of said side portions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein the lateral distance between centers of said link assemblies is at least 0.2 times the outside diameter of the peripheral portion of said spacer means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein the lateral width of each of the outboard portions of each of said shoes is at least 0.1 times the sectional height of an annular resilient member mounted on an annular rim of said spacer means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
45 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein the lateral width of the contacting inner surface portions of said shoes and the outer surface portions of said peripheral portion is from 0.5 to 1.0 times the maximum lateral width between the side portions of said spacer means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
40 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein a self-propelling vehicle is mounted for movement on at least two pairs of said cushioned tracks, each of said pairs of cushioned tracks being vertically disposed and normally having a common axis of rotation.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
56 words
The invention of claim 12 further comprising a loader bucket, lift arms and tilt linkage means therefor pivotally mounted on a forward end of said vehicle for selective vertical movement relative to a horizontal plane normally containing the axis of rotation of at least one of said pairs of cushioned tracks for loading and carrying purposes.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
The invention of claim 12 further comprising bulldozer means, including a normally vertically disposed blade, mounted on a forward end of said vehicle.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
The invention of claim 12 wherein said vehicle constitutes a scraper, a first pair of said cushioned tracks being simultaneously steerable relative to a second pair of said cushioned tracks.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
30 words
The invention of claim 12 wherein said vehicle constitutes a tractor, a first pair of said cushioned tracks being simultaneously steerable relative to a second pair of said cushioned tracks.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
38 words
The invention of claim 16 wherein said tractor comprises first and second sections articulated together for relative pivotal movement about a vertically disposed axis normally disposed substantially perpendicular relative to the normal rotational axes of said cushioned tracks.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
14 words
The invention of claim 12 further comprising ground-engaging implement means mounted on said vehicle.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
29 words
The invention of claim 18 wherein said implement means comprises ripping means mounted on said vehicle for selective movement at least partially below said cushioned tracks and ground level.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
50 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein said spacer means comprises a resilient member mounted an an annular rim means to define a closed chamber with said rim means exhibiting a pressure against the inner surface portions of said shoes selected from the range of from 15 p.s.i. to 100 p.s.i.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
49 words
The invention of claim 20 wherein said rim means comprises a rim member having said air-inflated resilient member mounted thereon and at least one flange mounted at each end of said rim member to abut portions of said side portions to retain said air-inflated member of said rim member.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
25 words
The invention of claim 20 wherein said chamber is air inflated and the outer surface portions of said peripheral portion are substantially smooth and uninterrupted.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
19 words
The invention of claim 22 wherein the outer surface portions of said side portions are substantially smooth and uninterrupted.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
47 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein said endless track assembly is polygonal-shaped and the outer surface portions of said annular peripheral portion are normally continuous and circular about said axis in their freely relaxed condition and are compressed by said shoes to substantially assume a polygonal shape.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
31 words
The invention of claim 24 wherein the outer surface portions of said annular peripheral portion are normally substantially flat and parallel relative to said central axis in their freely relaxed condition.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
29 words
The invention of claim 24 wherein the outer surface portions of said annular peripheral portion are normally convex with respect to said central axis in their freely relaxed condition.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
29 words
The invention of claim 24 wherein each side of the outer surface portions of said compressed polygonal-shaped annular peripheral portion is substantially flat and parallel relative to said axis.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
15 words
The invention of claim 27 wherein the circumferential lengths of said sides are substantially equal.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
30 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein each of said shoes comprises a substantially flat plate having a substantially uniform thickness throughout, said plate being substantially parallel to said central axis.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
20 words
The invention of claim 29 wherein said plates are attached to each of said link assemblies by releasable bolt means.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
91 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein each of said link assemblies comprise a plurality of laterally spaced pairs of links, each link of each pair of links overlapping an adjacent link of an adjacent pair of links so that inner overlapped first end portions of a first pair of links are positioned within outer overlapping second end portions of an adjacent second pair of links, and pivot means pivotally connecting the first end portions of said first pair of links and second end portions of said second pair of links together.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
73 words
The invention of claim 27 wherein said pivot means comprises a pin connecting the second end portions of said second pair of links together, and a bushing mounted for limited rotational movement relative to a longitudinal axis of said pin and connecting the first end portions of said first pair of links together, whereby said resilient spacer and said endless track are unitized to rotate as a unit about the central axis thereof.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
21 words
The invention of claim 31 further comprising a sealing means mounted at each end of said pivot means for sealing purposes.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
31 words
The invention of claim 31 wherein the longitudinal axis of each pin is positioned substantially parallel relative to said central axis and further positioned substantially intermediate a pair of adjacent shoes.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
60 words
The invention of claim 34 further comprising a lug means formed on each end of each shoe to be substantially parallel with respect to the longitudinal axis of said pins for continuously and completely overlapping a lug means of an adjacent shoe whereby the entiRe peripheral portion of said spacer means is completely masked during rotation of said cushioned track.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
70 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein each link of each of said link assemblies is attached to a respective one of said shoes and comprises a blade end and an opposite fork end, the blade end of a first link being positioned in the fork end of a next circumferential adjacent second link and pivot means pivotally connecting the blade and fork ends of said first and second links together.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
34 words
The invention of claim 36 wherein said pivot means comprises a pin disposed substantially parallel relative to said central axis and being positioned substantially intermediate a pair of circumferentially adjacent shoes connected together thereby.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
35 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein restraining means comprises inboard portions of each of said link assemblies abutting outboard portions of said respective side portions to aid in preventing lateral movement of said spacer means.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
52 words
The invention of claim 38 wherein the outboard portions of said side portions diverge relative to each other radially inwardly toward said central axis and the inboard portions of said link assemblies diverge relative to each other radially inwardly toward said central axis to abut respective outboard portions of said side portions.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
75 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein said shoes have widths defining outboard portions, one of said shoe''s outboard portions extending a substantially greater lateral distance beyond one of said side portions than the lateral distance the other of said shoe''s outboard portions extends beyond the other of said side portions, each of said link assemblies connected to a respective one of said shoe''s outboard portions closely adjacent to a respective one of said side portions.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
22 words
The invention of claim 40 further comprising a third annular link assembly attached to said shoes outboard of the other link assemblies.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
26 words
The invention of claim 41 further comprising a second spacer means mounted between said third link assembly and an adjacent one of said other link assemblies.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
18 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein outer surface portions of each of said shoes are flat and uninterrupted.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
33 words
The invention of claim 43 further comprising at least one grouser secured to the outer surface portions of each of said shoes to extend radially outwardly therefrom and away from said central axis.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
22 words
The invention of claim 44 wherein said grouser extends in a circumferential direction and is substantially perpendicular relative to said central axis.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
21 words
The invention of claim 44 wherein said grouser has a V-shaped ''''chevron'''' configuration in a circumferential direction about said central axis.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
28 words
The invention of claim 44 wherein said grouser extends laterally in the direction of said central axis and at least substantially fully across the width of said shoe.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
27 words
The invention of claim 47 wherein said grouser is positioned radially outwardly from and closely adjacent to the pivotal connection for each connected, adjacent pair of links.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
33 words
The invention of claim 44 wherein three of said grousers are secured to the outer surface portions of each of said shoes and are substantially equally spaced thereon circumferentially about said central axis.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
28 words
The invention of claim 49 wherein one of said grousers extends radially outwardly relative to said central axis at a greater distance than the other of said grousers.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
55 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein the circumferential length of each of the inner surface portions of each of said shoes defines the base of an isosceles triangle having its apex at said central axis of rotation and having its sides defining an included angle therebetween selected from the range of from 6* to 30*.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
17 words
The invention of claim 51 wherein the circumferential lengths of said inner surface portions are substantially equal.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
23 words
the invention of claim 51 wherein at least two of said inner surfaCe portions are substantially coplanar when subjected to a static load.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
39 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein the circumferential length of each of the inner surface portions of each of said shoes and the linear distance between the pivot axes of each adjacent pair of pivot connections are substantially equal.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
232 words
The invention of claim 54 wherein each of said circumferential lengths and linear distances define the base of an isosceles triangle having its apex at said central axis of rotation and having its sides defining an included angle therebetween selected from the range of from 6* to 30*. 56 A cushioned track comprising an annular resilient spacer means having a generally transversely extending outer peripheral surface and radially disposed side portions rotatable about a central axis thereof and a polygonal-shaped endless track assembly means mounted completely around said spacer means for substantially unitizing said spacer means therewith, said endless track assembly means comprising two annular articulated endless link assemblies positioned along opposite sides of said spacer means, a plurality of closely coupled ground-engaging shoes circumferentially surrounding said spacer means and having substantially smooth and uninterrupted inner surface portions maintained in compressed intimate contact with the spacer means substantially entirely across the width of the outer peripheral surface portion of said spacer means said link assemblies having connected to said shoes to closely couple them together, each link assembly comprising a plurality of links pivotally connected together with each pair of connected links having a longitudinal pivot axis positioned parallel to and extending in the same direction as said central axis and further positioned substantially intermediate each pair of adjacent shoes and radially inwardly of the outer peripheral surface of said spacer means.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
59 words
The invention of claim 56 further comprising a lug means formed on each end of each shoe to be substantially parallel with respect to said longitudinal pivot axes for continuously and completely closely overlapping a lug means of an adjacent shoe whereby the entire peripheral portion of said spacer means is completely masked during rotation of said cushioned track.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
65 words
The invention of claim 56 wherein the circumferential length of the inner surface portions of each of said shoes and a straight line between adjacent pairs of said pivot axes each defines the base of an isosceles triangle having its apex at said central axis of rotation and having its sides defining an included angle therebetween selected from the range of from 6* to 30*.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
17 words
The invention of claim 58 wherein the circumferential lengths of said inner surface portions are substantially equal.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
22 words
The invention of claim 58 wherein the circumferential lengths of said inner surface portions and said straight lines are each substantially equal.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-08-23 | 1975-02-22 | 1975-08-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-08-23 | 1979-02-22 | 1979-08-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-08-23 | 1983-02-22 | 1983-08-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |