US3734577A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Track assembly for endless track vehicles
Assignee: Norfin Inc
•
Filing: 1970-11-16
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Granted: 1973-05-22
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Expires: 1990-11-16
Abstract
Abstract A track assembly for endless track vehicles is disclosed utilizing endless, elastomeric-sheathed, elastomer-impregnated glass fiber cable structures on which are strung individual track sections composed of a lug unit and a shoe plate unit. Each of the lug units includes passageways extending transversely of the length dimension thereof for receiving the continuous sheathed cable structures. The lug units are held in spaced apart relation from each other by integral, regularly spaced elastomeric projections extending laterally from the sides of the cable structures. The shoe plate units are secured to each of the lug units and hold the sheathed cable structures in position in the passageways without substantial compressive loading of the cable structures. The elastomeric sheath is bonded to the elastomer impregnated cables, substantially eliminating relative movement between the cables and the surrounding sheath. A load exerted on any individual track section by the drive sprocket of the track vehicle is shared with the adjacent track sections. Movement between the track sections is limited to that within the elastic limit and below the tear limit of the sheath and cables embedded in the sheath. Each of the lug units is provided with means forming a mechanical stop which prevents flexing of the cables beyond their elastic limit and means for engaging the drive sprocket of the vehicle through which vehicle drive forces are transmitted to the track assembly. Integral rails projecting from each of the lug units transversely of their length dimension and substantially parallel to the passageways for the cable structures extend beyond the opposite sides of the lug units and are engageable with the rails of adjacent lug units to limit lateral movement of the track sections relative to each other.
Inventors
- 👤 D Snellman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 01:28
CPC Classifications
B; B62; B62D; B62D55/00; B62D55/08; B62D55/18; B62D55/26; B62D55/28; B62D55/20; B62D55/24; B62D55/253; D; D07; D07B; D07B5/00; D07B5/005
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
220 words
An endless track assembly for a track vehicle comprising: primary linking means for the track assembly extending circumferentially thereof including one or more endless, flexible cables of linear dimensional stability under normal loading conditions and of high tensile strength embedded within and bonded to a continuous, unbroken, elastomeric sheath having integral elastomeric projections extending laterally therefrom on both sides at regularly spaced intervals, a plurality of track sections, each including (1) a lug unit having means to grip the elastomeric sheath of the linking means yet not subject the imbedded cables of the linking means to substantial compressive loading, and (2) shoe plates secured together around the linking means, the track sections disposed in side-by-side relationship between the laterally extending projections on the linking means, the integral elastomeric projections of the linking means separating the track sections from one another and, as the track assembly travels around a drive sprocket of the track vehicle, the track sections compressing the projections and transmitting horizontal compressive forces to the imbedded cables of the linking means, resisting their radial distortion, and means on each of the track sections interacting with adjacent track sections preventing flexing of the imbedded cables beyond their elastic limit opposite their directions of flexing as the track assembly travels around the drive sprocket and carrier wheel of the vehicle.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
220 words
An endless track assembly for a track vehicle comprising: primary linking means for the track assembly extending circumferentially thereof including one or more endless, flexible cables of linear dimensional stability under normal loading conditions and of high tensile strength embedded within and bonded to a continuous, unbroken, elastomeric sheath having integral elastomeric projections extending laterally therefrom on both sides at regularly spaced intervals, a plurality of track sections, each including (1) a lug unit having means to grip the elastomeric sheath of the linking means yet not subject the imbedded cables of the linking means to substantial compressive loading, and (2) shoe plates secured together around the linking means, the track sections disposed in side-by-side relationship between the laterally extending projections on the linking means, the integral elastomeric projections of the linking means separating the track sections from one another and, as the track assembly travels around a drive sprocket of the track vehicle, the track sections compressing the projections and transmitting horizontal compressive forces to the imbedded cables of the linking means, resisting their radial distortion, and means on each of the track sections interacting with adjacent track sections preventing flexing of the imbedded cables beyond their elastic limit opposite their directions of flexing as the track assembly travels around the drive sprocket and carrier wheel of the vehicle.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The track assembly of claim 1 wherein the cables are made up of elastomer-impregnated glass fibers.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
92 words
The track assembly of claim 1 wherein each shoe plate includes an integral grouser on the underside thereof extending transversely of the direction of travel of the track assembly and offset from a mid-line extending the length dimension of the shoe plate sufficiently to provide a moment of rotation about the center of gravity of each track section on contact of the grouser thereof with a work surface to cause the lug unit and shoe plate to grip the linking means and prevent slipping thereof through the lug unit and shoe plate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
281 words
An endless track assembly for a track vehicle comprising: a pair of primary linking means disposed side-by-side in parallel planes, each linking means including one or more endless, flexible, elastomer-impregnated glass fiber cables embedded within and bonded to a continuous, unbroken, elastomeric sheath having integral elastomeric projections extending laterally therefrom on both sides at regularly spaced intervals, a plurality of track sections strung in side-by-side relationship on the linking means, each track section composed of a lug unit of greater length than width secured around the linking means between the laterally extending projections thereof, and extending transversely to the length dimension of the linking means, and a grousered shoe plate secured to the lug unit without substantial compressive loading of the embedded cables therein, each lug unit including (1) parallel passageways for receiving the linking means therein with the upper surfaces thereof beveled to form convex surfaces, each having a radius of curvature approximating the radius of curvature of an arc segment of a vehicle drive sprocket about which the track assembly is to be trained, thereby avoiding flexing damage to the embedded cables as they travel around the drive sprocket, (2) integral rails projecting upwardly and transversely thereof substantially parallel to the passageways having their respective ends extending beyond the opposite sides of the lug unit and coacting with the rails of an adjacent lug unit to limit relative lateral movement of the track sections (3) mechanical stop means of adjacent lug units to prevent flexing of the embedded cables beyond their elastic limit and (4) means on the lug unit for engaging a vehicle drive sprocket through which the track vehicle drive forces are transmitted to the track assembly.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
281 words
An endless track assembly for a track vehicle comprising: a pair of primary linking means disposed side-by-side in parallel planes, each linking means including one or more endless, flexible, elastomer-impregnated glass fiber cables embedded within and bonded to a continuous, unbroken, elastomeric sheath having integral elastomeric projections extending laterally therefrom on both sides at regularly spaced intervals, a plurality of track sections strung in side-by-side relationship on the linking means, each track section composed of a lug unit of greater length than width secured around the linking means between the laterally extending projections thereof, and extending transversely to the length dimension of the linking means, and a grousered shoe plate secured to the lug unit without substantial compressive loading of the embedded cables therein, each lug unit including (1) parallel passageways for receiving the linking means therein with the upper surfaces thereof beveled to form convex surfaces, each having a radius of curvature approximating the radius of curvature of an arc segment of a vehicle drive sprocket about which the track assembly is to be trained, thereby avoiding flexing damage to the embedded cables as they travel around the drive sprocket, (2) integral rails projecting upwardly and transversely thereof substantially parallel to the passageways having their respective ends extending beyond the opposite sides of the lug unit and coacting with the rails of an adjacent lug unit to limit relative lateral movement of the track sections (3) mechanical stop means of adjacent lug units to prevent flexing of the embedded cables beyond their elastic limit and (4) means on the lug unit for engaging a vehicle drive sprocket through which the track vehicle drive forces are transmitted to the track assembly.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
The track assembly of claim 4 wherein the top surfaces of the rails are flat and of a width to fit the recesses of a carrier wheel, track roller and idler wheel of a conventional endless track vehicle.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
74 words
The track assembly of claim 5 wherein one end of the rail is provided with a laterally extending stud and the other end of the rail is provided with a complementary recess, the stud and recess of each lug unit adapted to coact with studs and recesses of adjacent lug units to provide a positive mechanical stop means resisting loading of the embedded cables tending to flex the embedded cables beyond their elastic limit.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
231 words
A track section of an endless series of units forming a continuous track assembly strung along primary linking means composed of one or more endless, flexible elastomer-impregnated glass fiber cables embedded within and bonded to a continuous, unbroken, elastomeric sheath having integral elastomeric projections extending laterally therefrom on both sides at regular spaced intervals, comprising: a lug unit of greater width than length having a plurality of parallel, open ended passageways extending transversely of the length dimension thereof for receiving the linking means therein, the top surfaces of the passageways beveled to form convex surfaces each having a radius of curvature approximating the radius of curvature of an arc segment of a vehicle drive sprocket about which the track assembly is to be trained, integral rails projecting upwardly from the lug unit substantially parallel to the passageways, the respective ends of the rails extending beyond the opposite sides of the lug unit and adapted to overlap or coact with the rails of an adjacent lug unit to hold the lug unit rigidly interconnected in a Common plane against pressure exerted in a lateral direction, and a grousered shoe plate secured to the underside of the lug unit, the shoe plate coacting with the lug unit to hold the linking means in parallel passageways and provide a lower surface adapted to contact a work surface over which the track section is run.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
231 words
A track section of an endless series of units forming a continuous track assembly strung along primary linking means composed of one or more endless, flexible elastomer-impregnated glass fiber cables embedded within and bonded to a continuous, unbroken, elastomeric sheath having integral elastomeric projections extending laterally therefrom on both sides at regular spaced intervals, comprising: a lug unit of greater width than length having a plurality of parallel, open ended passageways extending transversely of the length dimension thereof for receiving the linking means therein, the top surfaces of the passageways beveled to form convex surfaces each having a radius of curvature approximating the radius of curvature of an arc segment of a vehicle drive sprocket about which the track assembly is to be trained, integral rails projecting upwardly from the lug unit substantially parallel to the passageways, the respective ends of the rails extending beyond the opposite sides of the lug unit and adapted to overlap or coact with the rails of an adjacent lug unit to hold the lug unit rigidly interconnected in a Common plane against pressure exerted in a lateral direction, and a grousered shoe plate secured to the underside of the lug unit, the shoe plate coacting with the lug unit to hold the linking means in parallel passageways and provide a lower surface adapted to contact a work surface over which the track section is run.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
The track section of claim 7 wherein each of the side surfaces of the parallel passageways are beveled to form convex outer surfaces which grip the linking means yet do not subject the embedded cables therein to substantial compressive forces.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
81 words
The track section of claim 7 wherein the grouser of each shoe plate extends transversely of the direction of travel of the track assembly and is offset from the mid-line of the plate relative to the length dimension thereof sufficiently to provide a moment of rotation about the center of gravity of the track section on contact of the grouser with a work surface to cause the lug unit and shoe plate to grip the linking means and prevent slippage thereof.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
135 words
An endless track assembly for a track vehicle comprising: one or more endless flexible cables of linear dimensional stability under normal loading conditions and of high tensile strength embedded within and bonded to a continuous, unbroken elastomeric sheath having elastomeric projections extending laterally therefrom at regularly spaced intervals, a plurality of track sections secured around the sheath in-side-by-side relation between the laterally extending projections without substantial compression loading of the embedded cables, the distance between the track sections being such that load exerted on one of the track sections by a drive sprocket of a track vehicle is transmitted to the adjacent track sections before relative movement occurs between the track section and the sheath and before the tear strength of the sheath is exceeded, thereby maintaining the endless cable under tension over its length.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
135 words
An endless track assembly for a track vehicle comprising: one or more endless flexible cables of linear dimensional stability under normal loading conditions and of high tensile strength embedded within and bonded to a continuous, unbroken elastomeric sheath having elastomeric projections extending laterally therefrom at regularly spaced intervals, a plurality of track sections secured around the sheath in-side-by-side relation between the laterally extending projections without substantial compression loading of the embedded cables, the distance between the track sections being such that load exerted on one of the track sections by a drive sprocket of a track vehicle is transmitted to the adjacent track sections before relative movement occurs between the track section and the sheath and before the tear strength of the sheath is exceeded, thereby maintaining the endless cable under tension over its length.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-05-21 | 1976-11-20 | 1977-05-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-05-21 | 1980-11-20 | 1981-05-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-05-21 | 1984-11-20 | 1985-05-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |