US3766957A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Closure member for antiskid tire chains
Assignee: Erlau AG
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Filing: 1971-12-08
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Granted: 1973-10-23
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Expires: 1991-12-08
Abstract
Abstract A closure member for a tire chain, and a tire chain comprising a plurality of such closure members, according to which each of the closure members comprises an open ring portion which at its free ends forms an insert opening for the introduction of chain links to be interconnected while at the ends a closure element is detachably arranged which positively extends around the ends and closes the insert opening.
Inventors
- 👤 G Witzel
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 19:03
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60C; B60C27/00; B60C27/06; B60C27/08
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
88 words
A closure member for tire anti-skid chains, which includes: an open ring portion with a leg at each end extending in a direction away from said ring portion, said legs being spaced from each other and defining therebetween a single insert opening for inserting chain links into said ring portion, and closure means surrounding said legs and detachably closing said insert opening in tensioned engagement with said legs at ends thereof especially in a direction of a connection line between the leg ends with a tension force component.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
88 words
A closure member for tire anti-skid chains, which includes: an open ring portion with a leg at each end extending in a direction away from said ring portion, said legs being spaced from each other and defining therebetween a single insert opening for inserting chain links into said ring portion, and closure means surrounding said legs and detachably closing said insert opening in tensioned engagement with said legs at ends thereof especially in a direction of a connection line between the leg ends with a tension force component.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
50 words
A closure member according to claim 1, in which said closure means includes a longitudinal holding member having portions receiving said legs, and also includes clamping shoe means engaging said ring portion from the inside thereof near the region of said legs and being detachably connected to said holding member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
55 words
A closure member according to claim 2, in which the clamping shoe means has those portions thereof which face toward areas where the legs merge with the respective adjacent areas of the ring portion provided with concave recess means for engagement with the ring portion surfaces where the legs merge with respective ring portion surfaces.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
A closure member according to claim 1, in which the ring portion between said legs has a substantially constant circular cross section.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
56 words
A closure member according to claim 3, in which said recess means in the plane perpendicular to the central axes of said legs has a U-shaped cross section, and in the plane substantially parallel to the plane through said central axes said recess means are partially defined by surfaces forming an acute angle with each other.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
A closure member according to claim 2, in which the width of said clamping shoe means is less than the width of said holding member whereas the thickness of said shoe means approximately equals the thickness of said holding member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
56 words
A closure member according to claim 2, in which the portions receiving said legs are bores extending all the way through said holding member, the end face of each of said legs being slightly located back of that outer surface of said holding member which is located opposite to but faces away from said shoe means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
A closure member according to claim 2, in which the portions receiving said legs are formed by blind holes in said holding member.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
A closure member according to claim 2, in which the end portions of said holding member are substantially semicircularly rounded.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
48 words
A closure member according to claim 2, in which that surface of the shoe means which faces toward the center of curvature of said ring portion is approximately plane and has its end areas substantially in alignment with the respective adjacent inner surface portion of said ring portion.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
A closure member according to claim 2, in which those surfaces of said legs which face each other are each provided with a step-shaped shoulder for respectively receiving an end portion of said clamping shoe means therein.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
61 words
A closure member according to claim 11, in which said holding member has two longitudinal sides located opposite to each other provided with longitudinal webs, and in which the clamping shoe means in mounted position protrudes beyond said webs in the direction toward the center of curvature of said ring portion by approximately half the thickness of said clamping shoe means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
A closure member according to claim 12, in which said webs as seen from the longitudinal sides of said holding member have a trapezoidal contour.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
94 words
A tire chain comprising closure members and web links engaging said closure members, each of said closure members being engaged by at least two web links and including an open ring portion with a leg at each end extending in a direction away from said ring portion, said legs being spaced from each other and defining therebetween an insert opening wider than the width of said web links for insertion thereof into said ring portion, each of said closure members also including closure means surrounding the pertaining legs and detachably closing said insert opening.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
94 words
A tire chain comprising closure members and web links engaging said closure members, each of said closure members being engaged by at least two web links and including an open ring portion with a leg at each end extending in a direction away from said ring portion, said legs being spaced from each other and defining therebetween an insert opening wider than the width of said web links for insertion thereof into said ring portion, each of said closure members also including closure means surrounding the pertaining legs and detachably closing said insert opening.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
59 words
A tire chain according to claim 14, in which within the range of the joint area of the ends of the tire chain and extending over the entire width of said tire chain there are provided closure members having interlocked therewith two web links of one end and two web links of the other end of the tire chain.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
33 words
A tire chain according to claim 14, in which the running section of the tire chain is divided into at least two longitudinal portions interconnected by at least some of said closure members.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
37 words
A tire chain according to claim 14, in which each running section and the lateral section of the tire chain is divided into at least two longitudinal portions interconnected by at least some of said closure members.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
33 words
A tire chain according to claim 14, in which the lateral section of the tire chain is divided into at least two longitudinal portions interconnected by at least some of said closure members.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
69 words
A tire chain according to claim 14, having a running section and two lateral sections and merging sections by means of which the lateral sections merge with said running section, and closure members arranged within said merging sections and over the entire length of said chain so that each closure member interconnects two web links of the running section and also interconnects two web links of a lateral portion.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
28 words
A tire chain according to claim 19, in which the running section is at least primarily built up of web links and the pertaining closure members interconnecting same.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
30 words
A tire chain according to claim 19, in which the running section and the lateral sections are built up primarily of web links and the pertaining closure members interconnecting same.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
26 words
A tire chain according to claim 19, in which the lateral sections are built up primarily of web links and the pertaining closure members interconnecting same.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
46 words
A tire chain according to claim 14, in which each closure member includes a clamping shoe engaging the pertaining ring portion at the inside thereof and being detachably locked to the pertaining closure means, said clamping shoes extending in the longitudinal direction of the tire chain.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
19 words
A tire chain according to claim 14, in which all closure members are arranged substantially parallel to each other.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
49 words
A closure member accoRding to claim 1, in which said legs of said ring portion have rounded-off engagement surfaces of ends located away from each other, said closure means having a braced engagement directly with respective rounded-off engagement surfaces free of any play that would permit movement and wear.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
32 words
A closure member according to claim 25 in which said closure means is longitudinally plate formed having inner edge zones furthest away from each other engaging said surfaces of said leg ends.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2109068A
Cited
US3559713A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-10-22 | 1977-04-23 | 1977-10-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-10-22 | 1981-04-23 | 1981-10-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-10-22 | 1985-04-23 | 1985-10-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |