Tread belt and assembly

Claim 2

A tread belt, comprising an endless tread belt body formed of an elastomeric material and having first innner and outer surfaces, said tread belt being adapted to be so positioned with respect to associated locomotion wheels operationally carrying said tread belt as to have said first inner surface of said tread belt held against an outer cylindrical surface of said associated locomotion wheels, a plurality of cleat means formed on and carried by said first outer surface of said body, and relatively narrow constraining belt means carried by said tread belt body generally medially of the sides of said tread belt body and spaced a substantial distance inwardly from said sides, said constraining belt means having second inner and outer surfaces and being so situated as to have said second outer surface thereof within said tread belt body so as to be outwardly of said first inner surface of said tread belt body while said second inner surface is situated generally radially inwardly of said first inner surface of said tread belt body so as to thereby have a generally continuous midportion of said constraining belt means substantially coextensive with the pitch line of said tread belt body.

Claim 3

A tread belt, comprising an endless tread belt body formed of an elastomeric material and having inner and outer surfaces, a plurality of spaced cleat means formed on and carried by said outer surface of said body, relatively narrow constraining belt means carried by said tread belt body generally medially of the sides of said tread belt body and spaced a substantial distance inwardly from said sides, said constraining belt means being so situated as to have a continuous midportion thereof substantially coextensive with the pitch line of said tread belt, and belt-tracking means formed on and carried by said inner surface of said tread belt body, said constraining belt means being located generally between said tracking means and said outer surface, said constraining belt means thereby being effective to apply its full constraining effect for constraining movement of said tread belt body in order to thereby assure said belt tracking means to be confiningly received within guide means formed on associated locomotion wheels operationally carrying said tread belt body.

Claim 4

A tread belt, comprising an endless tread belt body formed of an elastomeric material and having inner and outer surfaces, a plurality of spaced cleat means formed on and carried by said outer surface of said body, relatively narrow constraining belt means carried by said tread belt body generally medially of the sides of said tread belt body and spaced a substantial distance inwardly from said sides, said constraining belt means being so situated as to have a continuous midportion thereof substantially coextensive with the pitch line of said tread belt, and belt-tracking means formed on and carried by said inner surface of said tread belt body, said constraining belt means being located generally between said tracking means and said outer surface, said constraining belt means thereby being effective to apply its full constraining effect for constraining movement of said tread belt body in order to thereby assure said belt tracking means to be confiningly received within guide means formed on associated locomotion wheels operationally carrying said tread belt body.

Claim 5

A tread belt, comprising an endless tread belt body formed of an elastomeric material and having inner and outer surfaces, a plurality of spaced cleat means formed on and carried by said outer surface of said body, and relatively narrow constraining belt means carried by said tread belt body generally medially of the sides of said tread belt body and spaced a substantial distance inwardly from said sides, said constraining belt means being so situated as to have a continuous midportion thereof substantially coextensive with the pitch line of said tread belt, said cleat means comprising a plurality of generally spaced outwardly directed narrow apexlike ridges extending generally transversely of said tread belt body, said ridges having spaces therebetween of a configuration generally semicylindrical cross section, said spaces being located from each other a distance as to cause adjoining ones of said semicylindrical cross sections generally to blend and meet each other at their widest most portions thereby defining said narrow apexlike ridges.

Claim 6

A tread belt, comprising an endless tread belt body formed of an elastomeric material and having inner and outer surfaces, a plurality of spaced cleat means formed on and carried by said outer surface of said body, and relatively narrow constraining belt means carried by said tread belt body generally medially of the sides of said tread belt body and spaced a substantial distance inwardly from said sides, said constraining belt means being so situated as to have a continuous midportion thereof substantially coextensive with the pitch line of said tread belt, said cleat means comprising a plurality of generally spaced outwardly directed narrow apexlike ridges extending generally transversely of said tread belt body, said ridges having spaces therebetween of a configuration generally semicylindrical cross section, said spaces being located from each other a distance as to cause adjoining ones of said semicylindrical cross sections generally to blend and meet each other at their widest most portions thereby defining said narrow apexlike ridges.

Claim 7

A tread belt, comprising an endless tread belt body formed of an elastomeric material and having inner and outer surfaces, a plurality of spaced cleat means formed on and carried by said outer surface of said body, constraining belt means carried by said tread belt body, said constraining belt means being so situated as to have a midportion thereof substantially coextensive with the pitch line of said tread belt, first and second continuous bandlike portions formed generally on and carried by said outer surface of said tread belt body, said first and second continuous bandlike portions being respectively formed at least near opposite sides of said tread belt body, passage means formed generally transversely of and through said continuous bandlike portions, first and second generally circular sidewall members for effectively closing the opposite sides of said tread belt body when said tread belt body is looped about associated surface locomotion wheels, each of said sidewall members comprising a plurality of generally radiating finger portions, each of said finger portions being adapted to be closely received through said passage means in order to thereby draw said sidewall members respectively into close assembled relationship to said opposite sides of said tread belt body, and looking means effective for mechanically locking said finger portions in said passage means.

Claim 8

A tread belt, comprising an endless tread belt body formed of an elastomeric material and having inner and outer surfaces, a plurality of spaced cleat means formed on and carried by said outer surface of said body, constraining belt means carried by said tread belt body, said constraining belt means being so situated as to have a midportion thereof substantially coextensive with the pitch line of said tread belt, first and second continuous bandlike portions formed generally on and carried by said outer surface of said tread belt body, said first and second continuous bandlike portions being respectively formed at least near opposite sides of said tread belt body, passage means formed generally transversely of and through said continuous bandlike portions, first and second generally circular sidewall members for effectively closing the opposite sides of said tread belt body when said tread belt body is looped about associated surface locomotion wheels, each of said sidewall members comprising a plurality of generally radiating finger portions, each of said finger portions being adapted to be closely received through said passage means in order to thereby draw said sidewall members respectively into close assembled relationship to said opposite sides of said tread belt body, and looking means effective for mechanically locking said finger portions in said passage means.

Claim 9

A tread belt according to claim 4, wherein said first and second sidewall members are formed of an elastomeric material.

Claim 10

A tread belt according to claim 4, wherein each of said circular sidewall members comprises a generally circular main body portion, and convoluted expansion means formed integrally in said circular main body portion, said convoluted expansion means being effective to permit relative movement of sections of said circular main body portion so as to cause effective extension and contraction of said circular main body portion as said tread belt body moves in a generally looped condition about said associated surface locomotion wheels.

Claim 11

A tread belt according to claim 4, wherein each of said circular sidewall members comprises a generally circular main body portion formed of an elastomeric material, and expansion means formed integrally in said circular main body portion, said expansion means comprising a plurality of generally concentric annular convolutions of increasing diameter with respect to the center of said circular main body portion.

Claim 12

A tread belt according to claim 4, wherein each of said circular sidewall members comprises a generally circular main body portion formed of an elastomeric material, and wherein each of said circular main body portions is in its free state of a diameter closely approximating the rolling diameter of said associated surface locomotion wheels.

Claim 13

A tread belt according to claim 4, wherein said plurality of radiating finger portions are of elastomeric material formed integrally in each of said sidewall members, and wherein said locking means comprises an abutment portion formed on an end of each of said finger portions and an abutment surface formed on each of said continuous bandlike portions, said abutment portions and said abutment surfaces being adapted to abuttingly engage each other in locking fashion as respective ones of said finger portions are drawn through cooperating ones of said passage means formed through said continuous bandlike portions.

Claim 14

A tread belt according to claim 4, wherein each of said circular sidewall members comprises a generally circular main body section and a continuous generally cuplike wall extension formed generally peripherally about said main body section integrally therewith, wherein said plurality of radiating finger portions are formed integrally with said cuplike wall extension, and wherein said cuplike wall extension is held on overlying relationship to said outer surface of said tread belt body when said finger portions are drawn through said passage means formed through said continuous bandlike portions.

Claim 15

A tread belt according to claim 4, wherein said cuplike wall extension is of a cross-sectional thickness greater than the cross-sectional thickness of said generally circular main body section, including a continuous first abutment surface formed on said cuplike wall extension in the vicinity of the juncture of said finger portions and said cuplike wall extension, a second abutment surface formed on the outer end of said bandlike portions, wherein said locking means comprises an abutment portion formed on an end of each of said finger portions and a third abutment surface formed on the inner end of said bandlike portions, said first and second abutment surfaces being adapted to abuttingly engage each other whenever respective ones of said finger portions are drawn through cooperating ones of said passage means formed through said continuous bandlike portions so as to have said abutment portion abuttingly engage said third abutment surface.

Claim 16

A tread belt according to claim 4, wherein said tread belt body is provided with an integrally formed continuous bead formed at each side of said tread belt body, and wherein each of said sidewall members is provided with an integrally formed circular groove, each of said beads being adapted for reception in respective ones of said grooves when said sidewalls are assembled to said tread belt.

Claim 17

A tread belt, comprising an endless tread belt body formed of an elastomeric material and having inner and outer surfaces, a plurality of spaced cleat means formed on and carried by said outer surface of said body, constraining belt means carried by said tread belt body, said constraining belt means being so situated as to have a midportion thereof substantially coextensive with the pitch line of said tread belt, first and second continuous bandlike portions formed generally on and carried by said outer surface of said tread belt body, said first and second continuous bandlike portions being respectively formed at least near opposite sides of said tread belt body, said cleat means comprising a plurality of generally spaced outwardly directed ridges extending generally transversely of said tread belt body between said first and second continuous bandlike portions, passage means formed generally transversely of and through said continuous bandlike portions, first and second generally circular sidewall members for effectively closing the opposite sides of said tread belt body when said tread belt body is looped about associated surface locomotion wheels, each of said sidewall members comprising a plurality of generally radiating finger portions, each of said finger portions being adapted to be closely received thrOugh said passage means in order to thereby draw said sidewall members respectively into close assembled relationship to said opposite sides of said tread belt body, and locking means effective for mechanically locking said finger portions in said passage means.

Claim 18

A tread belt, comprising an endless tread belt body formed of an elastomeric material and having inner and outer surfaces, a plurality of spaced cleat means formed on and carried by said outer surface of said body, constraining belt means carried by said tread belt body, said constraining belt means being so situated as to have a midportion thereof substantially coextensive with the pitch line of said tread belt, first and second continuous bandlike portions formed generally on and carried by said outer surface of said tread belt body, said first and second continuous bandlike portions being respectively formed at least near opposite sides of said tread belt body, said cleat means comprising a plurality of generally spaced outwardly directed ridges extending generally transversely of said tread belt body between said first and second continuous bandlike portions, passage means formed generally transversely of and through said continuous bandlike portions, first and second generally circular sidewall members for effectively closing the opposite sides of said tread belt body when said tread belt body is looped about associated surface locomotion wheels, each of said sidewall members comprising a plurality of generally radiating finger portions, each of said finger portions being adapted to be closely received thrOugh said passage means in order to thereby draw said sidewall members respectively into close assembled relationship to said opposite sides of said tread belt body, and locking means effective for mechanically locking said finger portions in said passage means.

Claim 19

A tread belt according to claim 13, wherein at least one of said circular sidewall members is provided with an aperture formed therethrough generally centrally thereof, said aperture being effective for receiving therethrough a member of the locomotion apparatus generally confined by said tread belt and sidewall members.

Claim 20

A tread belt, comprising an endless tread belt body formed of an elastomeric material and having inner and outer surfaces, a plurality of spaced cleat means formed on and carried by said outer surface of said body, relatively narrow constraining belt means carried by said tread belt body generally medially of the sides of said tread belt body and spaced a substantial distance inwardly from said sides, said constraining belt means being so situated as to have a continuous midportion thereof substantially coextensive with the pitch line of said tread belt, and tread belt tracking means formed on and carried by said inner surface of said tread belt body, said tracking means comprising a plurality of inwardly extending tracking portions spaced from each other longitudinally of said tread belt body, said constraining belt means comprising an outermost longitudinal extending surface and an innermost longitudinally extending surface, said constraining belt means being received through passage means formed in said tread belt body in a manner as to have said outermost longitudinal extending surface continuously juxtaposed to said tread belt body while said innermost longitudinally extending surface is totally exposed between said spaced tracking portions.

Claim 21

A tread belt, comprising an endless tread belt body formed of an elastomeric material and having inner and outer surfaces, a plurality of spaced cleat means formed on and carried by said outer surface of said body, relatively narrow constraining belt means carried by said tread belt body generally medially of the sides of said tread belt body and spaced a substantial distance inwardly from said sides, said constraining belt means being so situated as to have a continuous midportion thereof substantially coextensive with the pitch line of said tread belt, and tread belt tracking means formed on and carried by said inner surface of said tread belt body, said tracking means comprising a plurality of inwardly extending tracking portions spaced from each other longitudinally of said tread belt body, said constraining belt means comprising an outermost longitudinal extending surface and an innermost longitudinally extending surface, said constraining belt means being received through passage means formed in said tread belt body in a manner as to have said outermost longitudinal extending surface continuously juxtaposed to said tread belt body while said innermost longitudinally extending surface is totally exposed between said spaced tracking portions.