Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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EASY-ON TIRE CHAINS
The present invention relates to tire chains for use on
motor vehicles in ice or snow conditions. More particularly, the
present invention relates to tire chains which are quickly and
safely installed and removed and are not rendered inoperative by the
breaking of a single link.
~ any different systems for the installation of chains on
motor vehicles have been suggested. Thé concept of using chains to
improve traction in snow and ice is almost as old as the general use
of motor vehicles and many different designs have been suggested.
The present invention represents an improvement in the tire
chain art by providing a simple, safe~ rapidly installable tire
chain system. The chains may be installed individually without
crawling underneath the vehicle, moving the vehicle or jacking the
vehicle up. The chains are mounted to the rear ~inboard) of the
wheel and tire by hooking them to a plate or disc member which is
designed to be held in position between the wheel rim and, for
instance, a brake drum by the lugs which position the wheel~ This
member may be seasonally or permanently bolted in place, as it does
not interfere with the operation of the motor vehicle.
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The present invention provides a tire chain assembly adapted for use
on wheels mounted to hubs on motor vehicles comprising: a shaped disc adapted
to be secured between a wheel and a hub, said disc projecting radially out~
wardly from its mounting and defining a plurality of anchoring apertures
circumferentially spaced about the outward projection thereof; and a plurality
of elongated chain sections, each chain section comprising: (a) a pair of
hook elements at opposite ends thereof for attaching to the disc at generally
diametrically opposite anchoring apertures thereon, (b) two pairs of tread chain
segments, the segments of a pair being fastened at one end to a corresponding
hook element at points spatially separated from each o~her, the segments
being attached at their other ends to corresponding ends of an intermediate
chain, (c) an intermediate chain joining the pairs of tread chain segments
for extending diametrically across the face of a wheel when the chain section
is mounted in operative position in order to permit independent mounting of
the chain section and establish traction for the wheel independently of other
sections of the assembly.
The chains are provided as a plurality of independent sections, such
that, if one section breaks, then the remaining sections are still retained
on the tire and continue to provide traction. This is a significant advantage
over many prior tire chain systems3 since the breaking of a link or two in an
ordinary continuous tire chain can result in severe damage to the motor vehicle
body if the chain is not thrown completely clear. In addition, of course, the
breaking of two links in an ordinary ladder-style tire chain results in a
complete loss of utility and a termination of the chain's assistance. The
present tire chains hook to the hub provided behind or inboard of the tire rim,
traverse the tire tread in a pattern to provide plural traction surfaces, cross
the front or outside of the tire rim, provide a second set of traction surfaces
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in a position opposed to the first set and are then attached to the opposite
side of the hub. A plurality of these chain sections are provided for each
wheel and each chain section has an independent tensioner to compensate for
variations in overall tire diameter due to inflation, tire size and tire
design.
A fastener is provided to secure the separate chain sections together
after they are mounted on the wheel. This fastener, which may comprise a bolt,
washer and nut combination or a releasable pin and washer combination, is
installed through a central fastening link in each of the chain sections on
the outside of the wheel where the chain sections intersect or cross each other.
Securing the chain sections together at the central intersection point in this
fashion serves to transfer unbalanced forces from one chain section to another
and assists in maintaining the respective traction portion in the positions
where they are mounted initially over the tire tread. The result is an
integral chain set formed of the
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individual chain sections t once the sections are fastened together
at the central point of intersection.
Plural gripping tracks are provided in each section of the
chain that traverses the tire tread. The gripping sections may take
5 the form of two parallel lines, a V shape, or even an X shape. In
order to provide this, a pair of T-shaped connections are used to
attach the ends of the gripping sections directly to opposed edges
of the disc member. On the outside, the gripping sections are
joined by an adjustable length of chain. The adjustment may take
10 the form of, for example, a rotatable arm having over-center locking
means, a threaded shaft or other tightening means. Each tire is
provided with a plurality, e.g. two or more, of the chain sections.
Each of the chain sections is independently mountable-on the disc
member and thus if one chain section breaks, the remaining chain
15 sections are retained on the tire and the improved traction provided
by the chains is still available to the user. In addition, this
design characteristic allows the advantage of replacement of
individual units should they become lost or broken, without
replacement of the whole chain structure.
In the drawings:
Fig. 1 shows an ordinary tire and rim having two of the
chain sections of the present invention mounted thereon;
Fig. 2 shows an exemplary chain tensioner mechanism which
may be utilized to tighten the chain sections;
Fig. 3 shows one of the connectors used on the ends of a
chain section;
Fig. 4 is a side view of a disc member used in the present
invention;
Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the disc member taken along
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lines 5-5 of Fig. 4;
Fig. 6 shows another embodiment of the tread section and
tensioner mechanism of the present invention;
Fig~ 7 shows a portion of the arrangement of Fig. l with a
5 central fastener installed to hold the chain sections in position;
Fig. 8 is a partial sectional view showing one type of chain
fastener for use as shown in Fig. 7;
Fig. 9 shows another type of chain fastener as used in Fig.
7; and
Fig. lO shows still another type of chain fastener for use
in Fig~ 7.
In Fig. l, a conventional tire 10 is shown mounted on a
conventional disc rim 12 having holes-i4 for mounting to a motor
vehicle through standard lugs and lug nuts, not shown. Tire lO, as
shown, is provided with two chain sections 16 which are mounted to a
disc member 44, shown in Fig. 4. However, three or more chain
sections may be utilized, depending upon such factors as the overall
tire diameter. Each chain section 16 is provided with a pair of
V-shaped traction sections 18 which traverse the tire tread. The
V-shaped sections are joined to intermediate section 20 which
contains tensioning lever 22. The chains are mounted by attaching a
T-shaped hook at each end of the chain section, described with
respect to Fig. 3 below, to holes in the disc member 44, shown in
Figs. 4 and 5, and then tensioning the chain across the tread
through the use of tensioners 22~ In this manner should one of the
tensioners spring loose, or a chain link break, only one of the
chain sections will be taken out of service~ The remaining chain
sections will continue to operate and thus provide traction for the
vehicle.
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In Fig. 2, one of the tensioners is shown. In this figure,
tensioner 24 is provided with an aperture 25 Eor connecting a first
portion of intermediate chain section 26 and a second aperture 30
for attaching a second portion of intermediate chain section 28.
5 The tensioner is shown in the open position in this form. In
operation, the tensioner would be rotated about chain attaching
aperture 30 and, when pivoted 180 from the position shown, holding
ring 32 would be slid over handle 34 and the tension on the chain,
which tends to reverse the rotation, will hold the handle and ring
10 in position.
In Fig. 3, the T-shaped connector attaching the chain units
to the disc member is depicted. Connector 36 is provided with
apertures 38 on cross member 39 which are used to attach chain 40 to
the hook. Each section of chain 40 is a continuation of one of
15 chains 18 shown in Fig. 1 and thus chains 18 cross the tread of the
tire, pass behind or inside of ~he wheel and are attached to the hub
of Fig. 4. The leg 41 of T-shaped hook 36 is provided with a curved
attaching hook 42 which is positioned through an aperture in the
retaining disc member. In this manner, T-shaped hook 36 may be
20 easily positioned on the disc by merely reaching around the tire and
slidin~ curved hooking surface 42 into one of the orifices in the
disc.
In Fig. 4, an exemplary disc member 44 is depicted. The
disc is provided with an orifice 46 to accommodate mounting on the
25 end of an axle. In addi~ion, the disc is provided with a pattern of
five holes 48 in a first bolt circle arranged in manner to match the
lu~s of one particular wheel for which the disc is designed. To
accommodate another type of wheel, four holes 50 are provided in a
second bolt circle of different radius. In this manner disc 44 may
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accommodate different manufacturer's wheel designs. In addition,
disc 44 is provided with a large number, twenty-four as shown, of
attaching apertures 52. These are positioned equidistant from the
center of the disc, around the outer edges thereof, and provide
5 multiple attaching positions for the T-shaped hooks shown in Fig. 3.
In this manner numerous chain sections may be attached to the disc
at different points. Thus, the disc provides for easy installation
and removal of a varying number of chain sections.
In Fig. 5, a cross-sectional view of disc member 44 taken
along lines 5-5 o~ Fig. 4, the attaching apertures 52 and lug holes
48 are shown. In this view the shape of the disc member is shown in
detail. The center cylindrical section 54 is provided in the disc
member to accommodate the lateral displacement of conventional tire
rims. Conical section 56 provides the appropriate positioning of
the disc member adjacent the edge of the rim of the tire so that
access to apertures 52 may be had without difficulty and so that the
tire chains of the present invention will not interfere with normal
operation of the wheel.
In Fig. 6, a different chain tread style is shown. In this
~igure, the T-shaped hook 36 of Fig. 3, including hook 42 for
attaching to the disc member, is connected to two chàins 58 which
are interconnected by jump ring 60. The chains, of course, can be
continuous and interconnected with each other and can be formed in a
crossing pattern, if desired. The two separate ends of chains 58
are connected to a second T-shaped connector 62 at aperture 64.
T-shaped connector 62 is threaded at its elongate end 66 and is
provided with an internally threaded cap 68 having a rotatable shaft
70 connected to ring 72 and to intermediate chain section 74. In
this manner a fully adjustable _hain section ie provided. In
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addition, extenslon 66 of T-shaped connector 62 may be threaded
further along its shaft, and provided with a lock nut or, in the
alternative, a locking pin or cotter key arrangement may be
provided.
Fig. 7 is a view corresponding to the central portion of the
arrangement shown in Fig. 1. In Fig. 7, only the intermediate
portions 20 of three distinct chain sections 16 are shown. These
intermediate portions 20 cross over, or intersect, each other at
central fastening links 80 which, as mounted, are situated on the
10 outside of the wheel in line with the axle. A fastening device 82
is shown which extends through all three of the central fastening
links 80 and secures them together. This fastener 82 is releasable
so that it can be installed or removed when the chain sections 16
are mounted on the wheel.
One such releasable fastener 82 is shown in Fig. 8 in the
form of a bolt 84 having washers 85, 86 and a wing nut 88 threaded
on the end 94 of the bolt. The bolt 84 is preferably provided with
an enlarged shank portion 90 having a diameter generally conforming
to the width of the opening in a central fastening link 80. The
20 bolt head 92, which may be shaped for gripping by a wrench or the
like, preferably has the washer 85 fixed -in position next to it.
The washer 86 is removable with the wing nut 88 from the threaded
end 94. As indicated in Fig. 7, the bolt 84 is inserted fro~ the
inboard side of the central fastening links 80 through each of the
25 links 80 until the threaded end 94 protrudes. The washer 86 is then
placed in position and the wing nut 88 threaded onto the bolt until
the central ~astening links 80 are clamped together in a relatively
rigid configuration, as shown in Fig. 7. This serves to secure each
of the chain sections 16 in the position as originall~ mounted on
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the wheel, despite the forces developed during operation of the
vehicle which might tend to cause the traction sections 18 (Fig. 1)
to slip around the tire, by virtue of the fact tha' such unbalanced
forces on one chain section 16 are transferred to the remaining
5 chain sections with the result that the entire chain system becomes
tightened in place.
~ 'ig~ 9 shows an alternative fastener 82' in the form of a
pin 100 having a cap 102 and a washer 104 which is preferably fixed
adjacent the cap. The shank 106 of the pin 100 is provided with a
]0 transverse hole 108 adjacent the distal end of the pin 100. A
second washer llO is provided for mounting in the position shown,
after the pin 100 has been inserted from the inboard side through
the central Eastening links 80. After such assembly, a spring clip
112 is inserted through the hole 108 to retain the washer 110 in
position and to hold the fastener 100 in place until it is desired
to remove the chains from the wheel.
Fig. 10 shows still another fastener 82" in the form of a
ball-pin 120 having a cap 122 and washer 124 formed on the proximal
end of the pin. Another, removable, washer 126 is provided for
positioning on the distal end. The pin 120 is provided with a
plurality of balls 128 adjacent the distal end which are mounted in
known fashion to protrude slightly from the surface of the pin 120.
These balls 128 are held in the position shown by an internal pin
member attached to the actuator 130. The balls 128 can be released
by axial movement of the actuator 130, relative to the pin 120, at
which time the balls 128 are released to move radially inward so
that the washer 126 can be installed on, or removed from, the shank
of the pin 120. In use, the ball-pin 82" would preferably be
inserted from the outboard side through the central fastening links
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80, after which the washer 125 would be mo~nted from the inboard
side and the actuator 130 released to the position where the balls
128 are forced outward to engage the washer 126 in the position
shown.
