Endless track

Claim 2

An endless track adapted to be moved in an endless path and comprising, a main body made primarily of an elastomeric material and having a ground engaging surface an inside surface, a plurality of reinforcing members extending substantially perpendicular to said endless path, a plurality of openings in said main body arranged in at least one rectilinear row with each opening being closely adjacent an associated reinforcing member, and a plurality of metal clips each supported in clamped relation around an associated reinforcing member and each clip being adapted to be engaged by a toothed sprocket wheel which is adapted to drive said track in its endless path.

Claim 3

An endless track adapted to be moved in an endless path and comprising, a main body made primarily of an elastomeric material and having a ground engaging surface an inside surface, a plurality of reinforcing members extending substantially perpendicular to said endless path, a plurality of openings in said main body arranged in at least one rectilinear row with each opening being closely adjacent an associated reinforcing member, and a plurality of metal clips each supported in clamped relation around an associated reinforcing member and each clip being adapted to be engaged by a toothed sprocket wheel which is adapted to drive said track in its endless path.

Claim 4

An endless track adapted to be moved in an endless path and comprising, a main body made primarily of an elastomeric material and having a ground engaging surface an inside surface, a plurality of reinforcing members extending substantially perpendicular to said endless path, a plurality of openings in said main body arranged in at least one rectilinear row with each opening being closely adjacent an associated reinforcing member, and a plurality of metal clips each supported in clamped relation around an associated reinforcing member and each clip being adapted to be engaged by a toothed sprocket wheel which is adapted to drive said track in its endless path.

Claim 5

A track as set forth in claim 1 in which each of said reinforcing members has a non-circular cross-sectional configuration.

Claim 6

A track as set forth in claim 1 in which each of said reinforcing members has a substantially rectangular cross-sectional configuration and each of said clips has a longitudinal groove therein which is adapted to slidably receive an associated reinforcing member therethrough.

Claim 7

A track as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising a plurality of cleats each supported in snap-fitted relation around an associated clip and each being made of a wear-resistant material.

Claim 8

A track as set forth in claim 4 in which each of said cleats is made of a spring steel.

Claim 9

A track as set forth in claim 1 in which each of said reinforcing members has a substantially rectangular cross-sectional configuration, each of said clips is made of an extruded metallic material and has a longitudinal groove therein which is adapted to slidably receive an associated reinforcing member therethrough, and further comprising a plurality of cleats made of a wear-resistant metallic material with each cleat being supported in snap-fitted relation around an associated clip, each of said cleats having a substantially planar outside surface which is particularly adapted to engage an associated rail of a slide rail system for said track to allow movement of said track along the rail with minimum wear.

Claim 10

A track as set forth in claim 6 and further comprising a plurality of traction portions for said track made of an elastomeric material and being bonded to each of said clips, said traction portions being provided as an integral part of said main body.

Claim 11

A track as set forth in claim 6 in which each of said cleats has lateral wings extending from opposed side edges thereof, said wings serving the dual purpose of guiding the track along the slide rail system and dissipating heat generated during sliding movement of the cleats along the slide rail system.

Claim 12

A track as set forth in claim 8 in which each of said wings has outwardly diverging ends which enable unobstructed sliding movement thereof along an associated slide rAil.

Claim 13

A track as set forth in claim 1 in which said plurality of openings are arranged in a spaced pair of parallel rows which extend along said endless path and each opening in one row is arranged closely ajacent an associated reinforcing member and in aligned relation with an associated opening also arranged closely adjacent said associated reinforcing member whereby an imaginary line between the openings closely adjacent an associated reinforcing member extends perpendicular the endless path.

Claim 14

An endless track adapted to be moved in an endless path and comprising, a main body made primarily of an elastomeric material and having a ground engaging surface and an inside surface, a plurality of reinforcing members extending substantially across the full width of said track substantially perpendicular to said endless path, a plurality of sets of openings in said main body, said openings in each set being arranged in aligned relation along said endless path and associated openings in adjacent sets being arranged in spaced relation along an associated reinforcing member and closely adjacent thereto, and a plurality of metal clips each supported in clamped relation around an associated member adjacent an associated opening and each clilp being adapted to be engaged by an associated toothed sprocket wheel which is adapted to drive said track in its endless path.

Claim 15

An endless track adapted to be moved in an endless path and comprising, a main body made primarily of an elastomeric material and having a ground engaging surface and an inside surface, a plurality of reinforcing members extending substantially across the full width of said track substantially perpendicular to said endless path, a plurality of sets of openings in said main body, said openings in each set being arranged in aligned relation along said endless path and associated openings in adjacent sets being arranged in spaced relation along an associated reinforcing member and closely adjacent thereto, and a plurality of metal clips each supported in clamped relation around an associated member adjacent an associated opening and each clilp being adapted to be engaged by an associated toothed sprocket wheel which is adapted to drive said track in its endless path.

Claim 16

A track as set forth in claim 11 in which each of said reinforcing members has a non-circular cross-sectional configuration and each of said clips has a longitudinal groove therein corresponding to said non-circular cross-sectional configuration and is adapted to slidably receive an associated reinforcing member therethrough.

Claim 17

A track as set forth in claim 12 and further comprising a plurality of cleats each supported in snap-fitted relation around an associated clip and each being made of wear-resistant material, said cleats having substantially planar outside surfaces which are particularly adapted to engage associated rails of a slide rail system for said track to allow movement of said track along the rails with minimum wear.

Claim 18

A track as set forth in claim 13 and further comprising a plurality of traction portions for said track made of an elastomeric material and being bonded to each of said clips and said reinforcing members, said traction portions being provided as an integral part of said main body.

Claim 19

A track as set forth in claim 13 in which each of said cleats has lateral wings extending from opposite side edges thereof, said wings serving the dual purpose of guiding said track along said associated slide rails of said slide rail system and dissipating heat generated during sliding movement of the cleats along the associated slide rails.

Claim 20

A track as set forth in claim 15 in which each of said wings has outwardly diverging ends which enable unobstructed sliding movement thereof along an associated slide rail.

Claim 21

In combination: a slide rail system for a snowmobile or the like and an endless track supported around said slide rail system and being adapted to be moved in an endless path around said slide rail system, said slide rail system comprising a pair of spaced parallel rails and said endless track comprising, a main body made primarily of an elastomeric material and having a ground engaging surface and an inside surface, a plurality of reinforcing members embedded in an extending across said track substantially perpendicular to said endless path in spaced relation along said path, a plurality of metal clips supported in clamped relation around said reinforcing members, said clips being arranged in a pair of sets with each set extending along said endless path, each of said clips of each set being positioned in said endless track so that with said endless track supported around said slide rail system each clip is arranged in vertically aligned relation with an associated one of said pair of rails, and a plurality of wear-resistant cleats each supported in snap-fitted relatIon around an associated clip, said cleats serving as a bearing member allowing movement of said track around said slide rail system in an anti-friction manner.

Claim 22

In combination: a slide rail system for a snowmobile or the like and an endless track supported around said slide rail system and being adapted to be moved in an endless path around said slide rail system, said slide rail system comprising a pair of spaced parallel rails and said endless track comprising, a main body made primarily of an elastomeric material and having a ground engaging surface and an inside surface, a plurality of reinforcing members embedded in an extending across said track substantially perpendicular to said endless path in spaced relation along said path, a plurality of metal clips supported in clamped relation around said reinforcing members, said clips being arranged in a pair of sets with each set extending along said endless path, each of said clips of each set being positioned in said endless track so that with said endless track supported around said slide rail system each clip is arranged in vertically aligned relation with an associated one of said pair of rails, and a plurality of wear-resistant cleats each supported in snap-fitted relatIon around an associated clip, said cleats serving as a bearing member allowing movement of said track around said slide rail system in an anti-friction manner.

Claim 23

A combination as set forth in claim 17 in which each of said clips is made of an extruded metallic material and each of said cleats has lateral wings extending from opposite side edges thereof, said wings serving the dual purpose of guiding the track along the slide rail system and dissipating heat generated during movement of the cleats along the slide rail system.

Claim 24

A combination as set forth in claim 18 in which each of said wings has outwardly diverging ends which enable unobstructed sliding movement thereof along an associated slide rail.