TRACTION DEVICE (THE ARTIC CLAW)

DISPOSITIF DE TRACTION " ARTIC CLAW "

English Abstract

A traction device for placement beneath the driving wheel of a vehicle disabled on a slippery road surface. The traction device is comprised of a rectangular metal frame that consists of a rectangular double sided wire mesh grid that is affixed to it along its inner periphery, and the outer portion of the rectangular metal frame provided with a grated rubber edge. The double sided wire mesh grid of the rectangular metal frame is exposed to grip the vehicle's tire and subsequently the slippery driving surface. The grated rubber edge covers the outer edge of the metal rectangular metal frame to prevent injury from exposed metal edges, and aids in holding the traction device in place as the vehicle passes over the rectangular metal frame during vehicle extraction.

French Abstract

Un dispositif de traction à placer sous la roue d'entraînement d'un véhicule immobilisé sur une chaussée glissante. Le dispositif de traction comprend un châssis métallique rectangulaire composé d'un grillage métallique rectangulaire agrippant sur deux faces et fixé au châssis métallique le long de sa périphérie interne, et la portion externe du châssis métallique rectangulaire comprend un rebord en caoutchouc râpé. Ce rebord en caoutchouc recouvre le rebord extérieur du châssis métallique rectangulaire pour éviter les blessures causées par les arêtes métalliques à nu, et pour aider à maintenir en place le dispositif de traction lorsque le véhicule roule par-dessus le châssis métallique rectangulaire durant l'extraction du véhicule.

Claims

7
THE EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION IS WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVELGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A traction device for improving vehicle tire traction on slippery road
conditions, the
traction device comprising a double sided rectangular metal mesh grid, a
rectangular
metal frame and a grated rubber edge, the inner portion of the rectangular
metal frame
being affixed to said mesh grid along its periphery; and the outer portion of
the metal
frame is provided with said grated rubber edge.
(a) a traction device comprised of a unitary, one piece, double sided
rectangular metal
mesh grid, the one side being adapted for engagement with a slippery road
surface
and the other side being adapted for engagement with the driving wheel of the
vehicle, said metal mesh grid being affixed to the inner portion of the said
rectangular
metal frame, and
(b) said rectangular metal frame having a pair of opposite longitudinal
elements and a
pair of opposite latitudinal elements, the outer portion of said elements
provided with
said grated rubber edge, and
(c) said grated rubber edge being adapted for a protective layer for the outer
portion of
said rectangular metal frame and the said grated rubber edge further
comprising
additional adhesiveness of said rectangular metal frame to the slippery road
surface.

Description

CA 02328823 2004-03-12
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The title of this invention is Traction Device. This invention is a Traction
Device for
vehicles which have become disabled on ice or snow covered roadways. This
invention is
a traction device consisting of a wire mesh grid doubled in thickness encased
in a
rectangular metal frame and its outer portion of the metal frame is provided
with a grated
rubber edge along its periphery.
The frame is intended to be used to improve wheel traction in a situation
whereby a
vehicle's wheels lack the ability to effectively grip a slippery driving
surface when a
vehicle is in a stationary position. Spinning wheels due to the lack of
traction grip onto
the frame and allow the vehicle to proceed. The combination of the double
sided mesh
grid and the grated rubber edging holds the traction device in place as the
vehicle is
extricated as a result of improved traction between the tires and the slippery
driving
surface.

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This invention relates to a portable, easily managed way that a person may
improve
vehicle tire traction a snow or ice covered driving surface. Maximum traction
is
achieved as the drive tires) pass over the rectangular mesh grid frame which
is placed
over the ice or snow covered surface. Motor vehicles often have difficulty
gaining
sufficient traction from a stationary position on a slippery driving surface
such as
snow or ice.
In the past a number of traction devices have been proposed and constructed to
improve the traction of the driving wheels of an automobile on icy or snow
covered
pavements. One such example in the United States proposed by Covington in U.
S.
Patent 4,265,399 suggests a foldable anti-skid device consisting of a
plurality of
framed sections each framed section comprising a sheet of wire mesh framed
within
angle irons. This example is also quite similar to the art exemplified by
inventor
Caragata in Canada Patent CA02247881 and in Canada Patent CA1297768 by
inventors Bratic and Lewin.
Some anti skid mats have been constructed from chain mesh of varying sizes and
configurations. Metal reinforced sheeting has frequently been employed often
including on the sheeting an abrasive or a grit -like coating to provide
traction
between the mat and pavement on the one hand, and the driving wheel and the
mat on the other hand.

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Another anti-skid device disclosed by Haynes in U.S. Patent 3,786,989 refers
to a
rectangular traction mat comprised of a plurality of sharp transverse metal
slits coated
with beads or globules of plastic.
In addition to the above prior devices, typical prior patented approaches have
included
chain link systems that are installed directly around the drive tires) of the
vehicle
to prevent the tires from spinning such as in Canada Patent CA1122108 by
inventor
Martinelli.
The above prior devices have been met with varying degrees of success in use.
Covington's U. S. Patent 4,265,399 is similar to the other track-like devices
which are
very bulky, heavy, and cumbersome to utilize. As in the case of Covington's
patent
herein above mentioned, these devices are also inconvenient to store in the
trunk of
an automobile. Devices constituted to chain link systems such as in Canada
Patent
CA1122108 by Martinelli were very flexible and difficult to place on the
desired
location of the tire. These types of traction devices are inconvenient to use
and
expensive to the consumer to replace when such articles when due to
deterioration or
damage from normal wear, they become ineffective or unusable. In addition, as
in the
device disclosed by Haynes in U.S. Patent 3,786,989 a material such as plastic
does
not seem to provide sufficient traction results between the wheel and the
slippery road
surface, and would seem to "spin" the mat out from beneath it, requiring a re-
placement of the mat.

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The above drawbacks and disadvantages of prior traction devices are overcome
by
the present invention which for one object the unique and improved traction
device for
vehicles, which is especially basic in construction and economical to build,
while at
the same time providing an effective means for enabling a vehicle which has
become
disabled on a slippery road surface to pull out under its own power.
The above object is accomplished by a traction device consisting essentially
of a
wire mesh grid doubled in thickness and encased in a substantially rectangular
metal
frame, presenting a multiplicity of edges at both faces, one side being
adapted for the
engagement with the slippery road surface, and the other side being adapted
for the
engagement with the drive wheel of the vehicle. Due to the nature of the metal
frame
there are sharp edges of the rectangular frame following its construction. A
grated
rubber edge is fitted on the outer two opposite longitudinal elements as well
as on the
two opposite lateral elements of the metal rectangular frame to lesson the
likelihood
of injury, as well as aid in holding the traction device in place as the
vehicle passes
over the traction device during vehicle extraction.

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In the drawings which illustrate the embodiments of the invention, Figure 1
is a key identifying the different components of a traction device according
to
the invention. Figure 2 is a top view of a traction device according to the
invention. Figures 3-5 show a side view of the traction device of Figure 2 in
use.
Figure 6 shows a cross section of the inside of the rubber edging of the
traction
device according to the invention . Figure 7 shows the grated design of the
rubber
edging of the traction device according to the invention.
The traction device Figure 2 is comprised of a rectangular double sided metal
mesh grid (2) along the inner periphery of the rectangular metal frame (3) and
the
outer portion of the rectangular metal frame (3) is provided with said rubber
edge ( 1 ).
The traction device illustrated comprises a guide 1 which is placed
longitudinally at the edge of the vehicle's drive tire(2) and the driving
surface (A),
in Figure 3. The grated rubber lateral edge of the traction device is firmly
placed
against the vehicle's drive tire (2) in Figure 3, thereby one side of the
double sided
metal mesh grid is placed onto the slippery driving surface (A). The vehicle's
drive tire (2) travels onto the other side of the double sided metal mesh
grid, Figure
4. The vehicle proceeds over the traction device, as the tire (2) travels onto
a more
stable driving surface Figure 5. Figure 6 provides a cross section of the
grated
rubber edge which is provided on the outer portion of the rectangular metal
frame.
The grated rubber edge in Figure 6 encompasses a sleeve like design (B) in
which

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the outer portion of the rectangular metal frame is affixed. A thin metal
lining (C)
inside the sleeve of the grated rubber edge in Figure 6 ensures that the
grated
rubber edge is permanently affixed to the outer edge of the rectangular metal
frame. Figure 7 illustrates the outer grated design of the grated rubber edge.

Representative Drawing