US3791897A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for making endless belts
Assignee: Bombardier Inc
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Filing: 1971-06-16
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Granted: 1974-02-12
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Expires: 1991-06-16
Abstract
Abstract The disclosure herein describes an apparatus which consists of a rotatable turret carrying three horizontally extending shafts, each capable of supporting an improved track-receiving drum, of at least two improved vulcanizers mounted adjacent the turret and movable relative thereto, of an automatic rod applicating device adapted to come in circumferential abutment with the trackreceiving drum, of a track-extracting device adapted to be interconnected with the drum, and of heating and cooling stations having conduits for connection with the drum. The disclosure also describes a new method making snowmobile-type tracks in a more efficient and economical way.
Inventors
- 👤 X Mesly
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 02:49
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29D; B29D29/00; B29C; B29C53/00; B29C53/80; B29C53/82; B29C53/821; B29C53/828; B29D30/00; B29D30/06; B29D30/08; B29D30/20; B29D2030/206; B29D2030/207; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T156/00; Y10T156/17; Y10T156/1702; Y10T156/1712; Y10T156/1734; Y10T156/1744; Y10T156/1768; Y10T156/1771
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
233 words
A method of making snowmobile-type tracks with a pair of vulcanizers movably mounted adjacent a rotatable turret carrying three horizontally extending shafts each capable of supporting a track-receiving drum, comprising the steps of: preparing on a first drum at a preparing station a first track constructed of rods and of layers of rubber and fabric, rotating said turret to place said first drum adjacent a first vulcanizer and removing the first drum from its turret shaft while placing said first drum in said first vulcanizer for curing said first track; preparing on a second drum at said preparing station a second similarly constructed track, rotating said turret to place the second drum adjacent a second vulcanizer and removing said second drum from its turret shaft to place said secOnd track in said second vulcanizer for curing said second track; preparing on a third drum at said preparing station a third similarly constructed track; rotating the turret to remount the first drum on the turret shaft on which it was originally mounted, and rotating the turret to place the third drum adjacent said first vulcanizer and removing said third drum from its turret shaft to place it into said first vulcanizer for curing said third track; rotating said turret to place said first drum adjacent a cooling station for cooling said first track; and preparing on a fourth drum a fourth similarly constructed track.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
233 words
A method of making snowmobile-type tracks with a pair of vulcanizers movably mounted adjacent a rotatable turret carrying three horizontally extending shafts each capable of supporting a track-receiving drum, comprising the steps of: preparing on a first drum at a preparing station a first track constructed of rods and of layers of rubber and fabric, rotating said turret to place said first drum adjacent a first vulcanizer and removing the first drum from its turret shaft while placing said first drum in said first vulcanizer for curing said first track; preparing on a second drum at said preparing station a second similarly constructed track, rotating said turret to place the second drum adjacent a second vulcanizer and removing said second drum from its turret shaft to place said secOnd track in said second vulcanizer for curing said second track; preparing on a third drum at said preparing station a third similarly constructed track; rotating the turret to remount the first drum on the turret shaft on which it was originally mounted, and rotating the turret to place the third drum adjacent said first vulcanizer and removing said third drum from its turret shaft to place it into said first vulcanizer for curing said third track; rotating said turret to place said first drum adjacent a cooling station for cooling said first track; and preparing on a fourth drum a fourth similarly constructed track.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
100 words
A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the steps of rotating said turret to move said first drum from said cooling station to a position adjacent a track-extracting device; removing the cooled track from said first drum; moving said second vulcanizer to remove said second drum from said second vulcanizer and remounting it on the shaft on which it was originally mounted; rotating said turret to place said second drum adjacent said cooling station; cooling said second track; and preparing on said first drum from which said cooled cured track has been removed, said fourth similarly constructed track.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
106 words
An apparatus for making snowmobile-type tracks comprising, in combination, a rotatable turret carrying at least three horizontally extending shafts disposed equiangularly about the turret axis, each shaft including means for supporting an endless track receiving drum centrally thereof; at least two vulcanizers mounted adjacent said turret and being movable towards and away from the turret axis, each of said vulcanizers having a hollow core means for receiving a drum therein to cure the endless track, an automatic rod applicating device disposed adjacent said turret and adapted to come in circumferential abutment with a track-covered drum to thereby transfer and fix transversely thereon a series of rods.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
106 words
An apparatus for making snowmobile-type tracks comprising, in combination, a rotatable turret carrying at least three horizontally extending shafts disposed equiangularly about the turret axis, each shaft including means for supporting an endless track receiving drum centrally thereof; at least two vulcanizers mounted adjacent said turret and being movable towards and away from the turret axis, each of said vulcanizers having a hollow core means for receiving a drum therein to cure the endless track, an automatic rod applicating device disposed adjacent said turret and adapted to come in circumferential abutment with a track-covered drum to thereby transfer and fix transversely thereon a series of rods.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 3, further comprising heating and cooling stations including conduits for connecting with said drum and for circulating in said drum a heating or cooling medium.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 4, further comprising a track extracting device disposed adjacent said turret and having a movable spindle adapted to be connected with a track-covered drum to retrack said track from said drum.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
50 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein there are three turret shafts and two vulcanizers, and comprising four track-covered drums, two of said drums being received in said vulcanizers, a third drum being positioned at a cooling station and the other drum being positioned adjacent said track extracting device.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
169 words
A vulcanizer for making snowmobile type endless tracks comprising a frame having a hollow core adapted to receive therein a drum whose outer periphery has been covered with layers of nylon and rubber fabric; a series of arc-shaped mold segments, each segment having an outer surface and an inner mold surface, said segments being supported by said frame and being disposed in circular alignment in said core, said segments being radially movable in circumferential abutment to form a contiguous mold surface having a predetermined tread design; chain means encirling the outer surfaces of said segments, said chain means having one end fixed in a first chain support member movably mounted on said frame and the other end fixed in a second chain support member movably mounted on said frame and means for moving at least one of said chain support members drawing said chain means tight about the segments to restrict said chain means on said outer surfaces of said segments to radially move said segments into circumferential abutment.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
169 words
A vulcanizer for making snowmobile type endless tracks comprising a frame having a hollow core adapted to receive therein a drum whose outer periphery has been covered with layers of nylon and rubber fabric; a series of arc-shaped mold segments, each segment having an outer surface and an inner mold surface, said segments being supported by said frame and being disposed in circular alignment in said core, said segments being radially movable in circumferential abutment to form a contiguous mold surface having a predetermined tread design; chain means encirling the outer surfaces of said segments, said chain means having one end fixed in a first chain support member movably mounted on said frame and the other end fixed in a second chain support member movably mounted on said frame and means for moving at least one of said chain support members drawing said chain means tight about the segments to restrict said chain means on said outer surfaces of said segments to radially move said segments into circumferential abutment.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
61 words
A vulcanizer as defined in claim 7, wherein said chain means comprises a pair of laterally spaced-apart chains, each chain having an intermediate portion connected to one of said segments disposed diametrically opposite said chain support members; and wherein said drawing meAns comprises a pair of hydraulically operated cylinders, each cylinder being operatively connected with one of said pair of chains.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
36 words
A vulcanizer as defined in claim 8 wherein each segment is provided with spring-biased means having one end portion fixed in said frame for returning said segments from their circumferential abutment into a spaced-apart circular alignment.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
41 words
A vulcanizer as defined in claim 9 wherein said frame includes a plurality of leg portions, each provided with wheels, whereby said vulcanizer may be brought in surrounding engagement with said drum; and wherein said series consist of seven mold segments.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
127 words
A drum for use in an apparatus for making snowmobile-type endless tracks comprising, in combination, a rigid hollow cylindrical frame having front and rear sidewalls; and a flexible thin sleeve member positionable into circumferential engagement with the outer periphery of said frame, said sleeve including adjustment means for adjusting the circumferential length of the device, said adjusting means including at least one transverse split defining radially overlapping edges, resilient means interconnecting the sleeve member on opposite sides of the split for resiliently urging the edges of the split together into said overlapping relationship while permitting resilient separation thereof, and an axial support means including a hub portion on the axis of the sleeve and connecting means for interconnecting the hub portion and the flexible thin sleeve member.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
127 words
A drum for use in an apparatus for making snowmobile-type endless tracks comprising, in combination, a rigid hollow cylindrical frame having front and rear sidewalls; and a flexible thin sleeve member positionable into circumferential engagement with the outer periphery of said frame, said sleeve including adjustment means for adjusting the circumferential length of the device, said adjusting means including at least one transverse split defining radially overlapping edges, resilient means interconnecting the sleeve member on opposite sides of the split for resiliently urging the edges of the split together into said overlapping relationship while permitting resilient separation thereof, and an axial support means including a hub portion on the axis of the sleeve and connecting means for interconnecting the hub portion and the flexible thin sleeve member.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
62 words
A drum as defined in claim 11 wherein said sleeve member includes two diametrically disposed transverse splits with overlapping edges; said connecting means including a diametrically extending plate fixed to said hub portion, said resilient means comprising flexible guides pivotally mounted at opposite ends of said plate and having their ends fixed to said sleeve member and inter-connecting the overlapping edges thereof.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
A drum as defined in claim 12 further comprising chain means peripherally mounted on said outer periphery of said frame along the edge adjacent to said rear sidewall.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
49 words
A drum as defined in claim 13 wherein channels are provided on the inner periphery of said frame for successively heating and cooling the cylindrical frame; and inlet and outlet means are provided on the front sidewall of said frame for connecting said channels to heating and cooling stations.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
37 words
A drum as defined in claim 14 wherein said sleeve member is slidable on and off the outer periphery of said frame along the edge adjacent said front sidewall and opposite the edge receiving said chain means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
125 words
A rod applicating device for use in an apparatus for making snowmobile-type endless tracks, comprising a frame adapted to be pivoted adjacent a fabric covered drum of said apparatus; a rod receiving and stacking means on said frame for holding a plurality of rods substantially in vertical arrangement; rod collecting means disposed underneath said stacking means on said frame and having a series of recesses positioned to receive therein the lowermost rod of said plurality of rods; and a transfer drum disposed adjacent said collecting means, means for delivering an elastomeric strip onto the transfer drum, said transfer drum having means thereon for transferring said rods from the collecting means onto the fabric-covered drum while concurrently laying said strip over the rods on the drum.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
125 words
A rod applicating device for use in an apparatus for making snowmobile-type endless tracks, comprising a frame adapted to be pivoted adjacent a fabric covered drum of said apparatus; a rod receiving and stacking means on said frame for holding a plurality of rods substantially in vertical arrangement; rod collecting means disposed underneath said stacking means on said frame and having a series of recesses positioned to receive therein the lowermost rod of said plurality of rods; and a transfer drum disposed adjacent said collecting means, means for delivering an elastomeric strip onto the transfer drum, said transfer drum having means thereon for transferring said rods from the collecting means onto the fabric-covered drum while concurrently laying said strip over the rods on the drum.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
181 words
A rod applicating device for use in an apparatus for making snowmobile type endless tracks, comprising a pivotable frame adapted to be brought into proximity of a fabric-covered drum of said apparatus, a rod receiving and stacking means on said frame for holding a plurality of rods in vertical arrangement; a pair of rod-collecting discs rotatable together and pivotally mounted on said frame and disposed underneath said stacking means, each of said discs having on the periphery thereof a series of spaced-apart recesses, each recess being aligned with a recess on the other disc To form an aligned pair of recesses each of said pair being positioned to receive opposite end portions of the lowermost rod of said plurality of rods; and a rotatable transfer drum pivotally mounted on said frame between said pair of discs, means for delivering an elastomeric strip onto said drum, said drum being provided with circumferentially spaced-apart grooves extending on the periphery thereof for transferring said rods from the collecting discs onto the fabric-covered drum while concurrently laying said strip over said rods on the drum.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
181 words
A rod applicating device for use in an apparatus for making snowmobile type endless tracks, comprising a pivotable frame adapted to be brought into proximity of a fabric-covered drum of said apparatus, a rod receiving and stacking means on said frame for holding a plurality of rods in vertical arrangement; a pair of rod-collecting discs rotatable together and pivotally mounted on said frame and disposed underneath said stacking means, each of said discs having on the periphery thereof a series of spaced-apart recesses, each recess being aligned with a recess on the other disc To form an aligned pair of recesses each of said pair being positioned to receive opposite end portions of the lowermost rod of said plurality of rods; and a rotatable transfer drum pivotally mounted on said frame between said pair of discs, means for delivering an elastomeric strip onto said drum, said drum being provided with circumferentially spaced-apart grooves extending on the periphery thereof for transferring said rods from the collecting discs onto the fabric-covered drum while concurrently laying said strip over said rods on the drum.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
41 words
A rod applicating device as defined in claim 17, wherein said transfer drum and said discs have a common tangent plane at a point, said point generally corresponding to that where the rod is transferred from said discs to said drum.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
82 words
A rod applicating device as defined in claim 18, wherein said pair of discs are secured on a common rotatable shaft and wherein said transfer drum is secured on a second rotatable shaft operatively connected with said common shaft; said device further comprising a sprocket gear secured on said common shaft and adapted to engage a chain peripherally mounted on the fabric-covered drum whereby the rotation of said discs and said transfer drum is effected by the rotation of the fabric-covered drum.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
40 words
A rod applicating device as defined in claim 19, further comprising means for adjusting the relative position of said transfer drum relatively to the fabric-covered drum and means for fixing said frame in adjusted position relative to the fabric-covered drum.
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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) | 1977-02-11 | 1977-08-13 | 1978-02-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-02-11 | 1981-08-13 | 1982-02-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-02-11 | 1985-08-13 | 1986-02-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |