Endless track suspension system

Claim 2

A slide bar suspension for supporting a flexible and endless track having an inner surface from a vehicle, which comprises: at least one slide-bar longitudinally aligned with and capable of engaging the inner surface of and lending support to a portion of the track away from the edge of the track; at least one wheel arranged to rotate in a longitudinal direction along and contact the inner surface of the track; and link means for suspending from the vehicle said wheel and slide-bar in a generally parallelogram fashion to have said slide bar generally parallel with the inner surface of the track and to have said wheel normally position the track away from and substantially throughout the length of said slide-bar defining a positive clearance of generally 0.8 inch or less between the track and slide-bars; whereby said wheel constantly contacts the inner surface of the track on hard, flat terrain and on soft terrain, a portion of the track engaging surfaces of said slide-bar is free to intermittently or normally constantly engage the track when the track is deflected relatively to the track engaging surface.

Claim 3

A slide-type suspension system for supporting and aligning a flexible and endless track, having an inner surface, from a wheel substitute vehicle, comprising: at least one pair of spaced-apart but parallel rows of spaced-apart lugs, having slide engageable surfaces, protruding from and longitudinally aligned along the inner surface of the track, the space between rows defining a runway on the inner surface of the track; at least one slide bar aligned above and engageable with the runway on the inner surface of the track, said slide bar juxtaposed to and engageable with the slide engaging surfaces of said lugs; at least one wheel arranged to rotate in a longitudinal direction along and contact the inner surface of the track; and means for suspending from the vehiCle, said slide bar and said wheel to have said wheel support the track away from and substantially throughout the length of said slide bar; whereby said wheel constantly contacts the inner surface of the track and said slide bar is free to intermittantly engage the runway on the inner surface of the track when the track is deflected relatively toward the vehicle, and said slide bar is free to engage slide-engaging surfaces of said lugs and keep the track in alignment when the track is deflected laterally relative to said slide bar.

Claim 4

A slide-type suspension system for supporting and aligning a flexible and endless track, having an inner surface, from a wheel substitute vehicle, comprising: at least one pair of spaced-apart but parallel rows of spaced-apart lugs, having slide engageable surfaces, protruding from and longitudinally aligned along the inner surface of the track, the space between rows defining a runway on the inner surface of the track; at least one slide bar aligned above and engageable with the runway on the inner surface of the track, said slide bar juxtaposed to and engageable with the slide engaging surfaces of said lugs; at least one wheel arranged to rotate in a longitudinal direction along and contact the inner surface of the track; and means for suspending from the vehiCle, said slide bar and said wheel to have said wheel support the track away from and substantially throughout the length of said slide bar; whereby said wheel constantly contacts the inner surface of the track and said slide bar is free to intermittantly engage the runway on the inner surface of the track when the track is deflected relatively toward the vehicle, and said slide bar is free to engage slide-engaging surfaces of said lugs and keep the track in alignment when the track is deflected laterally relative to said slide bar.

Claim 5

A slide type suspension for supporting a propulsive flexible track, having an inner surface, from a vehicle of the multi-terrain or snowmobile type, said suspension comprising: at least two spaced-apart but substantially parallel slide-bars, each having leading and rearward portions and substantially co-planar track engaging surfaces, longitudinally aligned with and capable of engaging the inner surface of and lending support to a portion of the track away from the edges of the track; a plurality of wheels longitudinally aligned in relation to the track, a wheel near the leading portion of each slide-bar and a wheel near the rearward portion of each slide-bar, said wheels having diameters greater than the width of the slide-bars and of themselves, and said wheels arranged to rotate in a longitudinal direction along and contact the inner surface of the track; and means for suspending from the vehicle said wheels and slide-bars to have said wheels extend beyond the substantially co-planar track engaging surfaces to support the track away from and substantially throughout the length of the slide-bars defining a positive clearance of generally 0.8 inch or less between the track and slide-bars when the vehicle is used over flat, hard terrain; whereby said wheels constantly contact the inner surface of the track on hard, flat terrain, and on soft terrain, a portion of the track engaging surfaces of said slide-bars between the wheels are free to intermittently or normally constantly engage the track when the track is deflected to the track engaging surfaces.

Claim 6

A slide type suspension for supporting a propulsive flexible track, having an inner surface, from a vehicle of the multi-terrain or snowmobile type, said suspension comprising: at least two spaced-apart but substantially parallel slide-bars, each having leading and rearward portions and substantially co-planar track engaging surfaces, longitudinally aligned with and capable of engaging the inner surface of and lending support to a portion of the track away from the edges of the track; a plurality of wheels longitudinally aligned in relation to the track, a wheel near the leading portion of each slide-bar and a wheel near the rearward portion of each slide-bar, said wheels having diameters greater than the width of the slide-bars and of themselves, and said wheels arranged to rotate in a longitudinal direction along and contact the inner surface of the track; and means for suspending from the vehicle said wheels and slide-bars to have said wheels extend beyond the substantially co-planar track engaging surfaces to support the track away from and substantially throughout the length of the slide-bars defining a positive clearance of generally 0.8 inch or less between the track and slide-bars when the vehicle is used over flat, hard terrain; whereby said wheels constantly contact the inner surface of the track on hard, flat terrain, and on soft terrain, a portion of the track engaging surfaces of said slide-bars between the wheels are free to intermittently or normally constantly engage the track when the track is deflected to the track engaging surfaces.

Claim 7

A slide type suspension system according to claim 3 wherein said suspension means includes: means for suspending said slide-bars from the vehicle, said means deflectable away from and toward the vehicle; means for mounting said wheels to said slide-bars; and spring means for biasing said slide suspension means and correspondingly, said slide bars and said wheels away from the vehicle.

Claim 8

A slide type suspension according to claim 4 wherein said suspension means includes: means for suspending said slide-bars from the vehicle, said means deflectable away from and toward the vehicle; means for mounting said wheels to said slide-bar suspension means; and spring means for biasing said slide suspension means and correspondingly, said slide bars and said wheels away from the vehicle.

Claim 9

A slide type suspension system according to claim 4 wherein said suspension means includes: means for suspending said slide-bars from the vehicle, said means deflectable away from and toward the vehicle; means for suspending said wheels from the vehicle, said means deflectable away from and toward the vehicle; spring means for biasing said slide-bar suspension means away from the vehicle; and spring means for biasing said wheel suspension means away from the vehicle.

Claim 10

A slide type suspension system according to claim 4 wherein said suspension means includes: means for rigidly suspending said slide-bars from the vehicle; means for suspending said wheels from the vehicle, said means deflectable away from and toward the vehicle; and spring means for biasing said wheel suspension means away from the vehicle.

Claim 11

A slide type suspension system for supporting and aligning a flexible and endless track, having an inner surface, from a wheel substitute vehicle, comprising: two pair of spaced-apart buT parallel rows of spaced-apart lugs, having slide-engageable surfaces, protruding from and longitudinally aligned along the inner surface of the track, the space between a pair of lug rows defining a first and second slide receiving runway on the inner surface of the track; two slide-bars each having a leading slide portion, one slide bar aligned above and engageable with the first slide-receiving runway and the other slide bar aligned above and engageable with the second slide-receiving runway, said slide bars juxtaposed to and engageable with the slide engaging surfaces of said lugs; a wheel near the leading protion of each slide bar, said wheels arranged to rotate in a longitudinal direction along and contact the inner surface of the track; means for suspending from the vehicle, said slide bars and said wheels to have said wheels support the track away from and substantially throughout the length of said slide bars; whereby said wheels constantly contact the inner surface of the track and said slide bars are free to engage the runways on the inner surface of the track when the track is deflected relatively toward the vehicle, and said slide bars are free to engage slide-engaging surfaces of said lugs and keep the track in alignment when the track is deflected laterally relative to said slide bars.

Claim 12

A slide type suspension system for supporting and aligning a flexible and endless track, having an inner surface, from a wheel substitute vehicle, comprising: two pair of spaced-apart buT parallel rows of spaced-apart lugs, having slide-engageable surfaces, protruding from and longitudinally aligned along the inner surface of the track, the space between a pair of lug rows defining a first and second slide receiving runway on the inner surface of the track; two slide-bars each having a leading slide portion, one slide bar aligned above and engageable with the first slide-receiving runway and the other slide bar aligned above and engageable with the second slide-receiving runway, said slide bars juxtaposed to and engageable with the slide engaging surfaces of said lugs; a wheel near the leading protion of each slide bar, said wheels arranged to rotate in a longitudinal direction along and contact the inner surface of the track; means for suspending from the vehicle, said slide bars and said wheels to have said wheels support the track away from and substantially throughout the length of said slide bars; whereby said wheels constantly contact the inner surface of the track and said slide bars are free to engage the runways on the inner surface of the track when the track is deflected relatively toward the vehicle, and said slide bars are free to engage slide-engaging surfaces of said lugs and keep the track in alignment when the track is deflected laterally relative to said slide bars.

Claim 13

A slide type suspension system according to claim 8 wherein said suspension means includes: means for suspending said slide-bars from the vehicle said means deflectable away from and toward the vehicle; means for mounting said wheels to said slide-bar and; spring means for biasing said slide suspension means and correspondingly, said slide-bars and said wheels away from the vehicle.

Claim 14

A slide type suspension according to claim 8 wherein said suspension means includes: means for suspending said slide-bars from the vehicle, said means deflectable away from and toward the vehicle; means for mounting said wheels to said slide-bar suspension means; and spring means for biasing said slide suspension means and correspondingly said slide bars and said wheels away from the vehicle.

Claim 15

A slide type suspension system according to claim 8 wherein said suspension means includes: means for suspending said slide-bars from the vehicle, said means deflectable away from and toward the vehicle; means for suspending said wheels from the vehicle, said means deflectable away from and toward the vehicle; spring means for biasing said slide-bar suspension means away from the vehicle; and spring means for biasing said wheel suspension means away from the vehicle.

Claim 16

A slide type suspension system according to claim 8 wherein said suspension means includes: means for rigidly suspending said slide-bars from the vehicle; means for suspending said wheels from the vehicle, said means deflectable away from and toward the vehicle; and spring means for biasing said wheel suspension means away from the vehicle.