Suspension system for snow vehicle

Claim 2

A track suspension system for a snow vehicle comprising: a snow vehicle frame; a plurality of longitudinally spaced suspension assemblies mounted on said snow vehicle frame, each of said suspension assemblies comprised of a shaft member, a mounting means for mounting said shaft member on said frame, and a plurality of bogie wheel units independently mounted on said shaft member, each of said bogie wheel units comprised of an arm member, a bogie wheel rotatably mounted on said arm member and a resilient mounting means for mounting said arm member on said shaft member, said resilient mounting means adapted to resist relative rotational movement of said arm member with respect to said shaft, said bogie wheel units mounted on said shaft with the arms of adjacent units extending in opposite directions and with the bogie wheels of each unit positioned in contact with the track of the snow vehicle, said mounting means for mounting said shaft member on said frame comprised of a depending mounting bracket having an opening therein and an adapter bracket adapted to receive the end of the shaft in a nonrotatable relationship, said adapter bracket having a pair of ears which when bent over the edges of said mounting bracket will prevent any tendency of said adapter bracket to rotate with respect to said mounting bracket.

Claim 3

A track suspension system for a snow vehicle according to claim 19 in which said resilient mounting means includes an outer collar member fastened to said arm member, an inner collar member positioned within said outer collar member and a resilient material means mounted between said inner and outer collar members adapted to resist relative movement between said collars, said inner collar member being mounted on said shaft in a non-rotatable relationship.

Claim 4

A track suspension system for a snow vehicle according to claim 2 in which said resilient material means is comprised of a sleeve of resilient material bonded to the outer surface of said inner collar member and to the inner surface of said outer collar member.

Claim 5

A track suspension system for a snow vehicle according to claim 3 in which said sleevE of resilient material is made of rubber.

Claim 6

A track suspension system for a snow vehicle according to claim 2 in which said inner and outer collar members have a circular cross section.

Claim 7

A track suspension system for a snow vehicle according to claim 2 in which said inner collar member has an opening therein through which said shaft extends, said opening and shaft having a non-circular cross section so that such shaft cannot rotate with respect to said inner collar member.

Claim 8

A track suspension system for a snow vehicle according to claim 6 in which said shaft has a hexagonal cross section and said opening in said inner collar member is a 12-sided opening with each side being equal to each other.

Claim 9

A track suspension system for a snow vehicle comprising: a snow vehicle frame; a plurality of longitudinally spaced suspension assemblies mounted on said snow vehicle frame, each of said suspension assemblies comprised of a shaft member, a mounting means for mounting said shaft member on said frame, and a plurality of support units independently mounted on said shaft member, each of said support units comprised of an arm member, a track engaging member mounted on said arm member and a resilient mounting means for mounting said arm member on said shaft member, said resilient mounting means adapted to resist relative rotational movement of said arm member with respect to said shaft, said support units mounted on said shaft with the arms angling downwardly from the horizontal and with the track engaging member of each unit positioned in contact with the track of the snow vehicle; said resilient mounting means including an outer collar member fastened to said arm member, an inner collar member positioned within said outer collar member and a resilient material means mounted between said inner and outer collar members adapted to resist relative movement between said collars, said inner collar member being mounted on said shaft in a non-rotatable relationship therewith, said resilient material means being comprised of a sleeve of resilient material bonded directly to the outer surface of said inner collar member and directly to the inner surface of said outer collar member; said inner collar members having an opening therein through which said shafts extend, said shafts having a hexagonal cross section and said openings in said inner collar members being a 12-sided opening with each side being equal to each other.

Claim 10

A track suspension system for a snow vehicle comprising: a snow vehicle frame; a plurality of longitudinally spaced suspension assemblies mounted on said snow vehicle frame, each of said suspension assemblies comprised of a shaft member, a mounting means for mounting said shaft member on said frame, and a plurality of support units independently mounted on said shaft member, each of said support units comprised of an arm member, a track engaging member mounted on said arm member and a resilient mounting means for mounting said arm member on said shaft member, said resilient mounting means adapted to resist relative rotational movement of said arm member with respect to said shaft, said support units mounted on said shaft with the arms angling downwardly from the horizontal and with the track engaging member of each unit positioned in contact with the track of the snow vehicle; said resilient mounting means including an outer collar member fastened to said arm member, an inner collar member positioned within said outer collar member and a resilient material means mounted between said inner and outer collar members adapted to resist relative movement between said collars, said inner collar member being mounted on said shaft in a non-rotatable relationship therewith, said resilient material means being comprised of a sleeve of resilient material bonded directly to the outer surface of said inner collar member and directly to the inner surface of said outer collar member; said inner collar members having an opening therein through which said shafts extend, said shafts having a hexagonal cross section and said openings in said inner collar members being a 12-sided opening with each side being equal to each other.

Claim 11

A track suspension system for a snow vehicle according to claim 8 in which said mounting means for mounting said shaft member on said frame is comprised of a depending bracket member having an embossed nest formed therein for receiving the end of said shaft in a non-rotatable relationship.

Claim 12

A track suspension system for a snow vehicle according to claim 9 in which said embossed nest is open at the bottom thereof so that said shaft can be slipped vertically upwardly into the nest.