Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02433911 2003-06-27
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TITLE OF THE INVENTION:
Endless loop track for a track vehicle
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to endless loop tracks for track vehicles.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Side slippage of track vehicles when traversing a slLope is a potentially
dangerous
problem. When the orientation of the vehicle changes due to slippage, an
operator can lose
1 o control of the vehicle and the vehicle can overturn. Previously, in order
to obtain better
traction in winter conditions or in uneven terrain, bars have been welded onto
the tracks of
the track vehicle. While this solution is initially effective, the bars tend
to bend and break
under wear. Furthermore, the process of welding the bars to the tracks of the
track vehicle
adversely affects the tracks by shortening their lifespan.
i5
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
What is required is alternative method of preventing side slippage of track
vehicles.
According to the present invention there is provided an endless loop track for
a
2 o track vehicle including an endless loop support. A plurality of rigid
plates are bolted by
bolts onto the endless loop support. The rigid plates have a traction surface.
Each of the bolts
have a pointed head that protrudes past the traction surface thereby providing
resistance to
sideways slippage.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other features of the invention will become more apparent from the
following description in which reference is made to the appended drawings, the
drawings are
for the purpose of illustration only and are not intended to in any way limit
the scope of the
3 o invention to the particular embodiment or embodiments shown, wherein:
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FIGURE 1 labelled as PRIOR ART is a perspective view of a track segment of a
track of a track vehicle;
FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a track segment of a vehicles track
constructed in
accordance with the teachings of the present invention;
FIGURE 3 is a side elevation view in section of the track segment illustrated
in
FIGURE 2;
FIGURE 4 is side elevation view of a series of track segments illustrated in
FIGURE 2, joined together;
FIGURE 5 labelled prior art is a perspective view of a track vehicle sliding
sideways;
FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of a track vehicle equipped with track segments
illustrated in FIGURE 2;
FIGURE 7 is a perspective view, in section, of a bolt for a track. segments.
1 ~ DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EM~ODI1VIENT
The preferred embodiment, an endless loop track far a track vehicle, generally
identified by reference numeral 10, will now be described with reference to
FIGURES 1
through 7.
Structure and Relationship of Parts:
FIGURES 1 and 5 illustrate the state of the prior art. Referring to FIGURE 5,
there is illustrated a prior art endless loop track for a track vehicle
generally referenced by
numeral 100. Endless loop track 100 includes an endless loop support 110,
which is in the
form of a plurality of interconnected links or segnnents. Referring to FIGURE
1, a
plurality of rigid plates 112 are bolted by bolts 114 onto endless loop
support 110. Rigid
plates 112 have a traction surface 116. Each of bolts 114 have flat heads 118
that do not
protrude past traction surface 116. Referring to FIGURE 5, when endless loop
track 100
is on a track vehicle 120, track vehicle 120 can slip sideways dangerously
during operation
as indicated by arrow 122.
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Referring to FIGURE 4, there is illustrated an endless loop track for a track
vehicle generally reference by numeral 10. Endless loop track 10 includes an
endless loop
support 12 which also consists of a plurality of interconnected links or
segments 14.
Referring to FIGURE 4, support segments 14 are joined in end to end fashion to
form
endless loop support 12. A plurality of rigid plates 16 are bolted by bolts 18
onto endless
loop support 12. Referring to FIGURE 3, each rigid plate 16 has a plurality of
apertures
20 adapted to receive bolts 18. Each rigid plate 16 also has a traction
surface 22 which is
raised above a substantially planer surface 24.
1 o Referring to FIGURE 2, bolts 18 that are used to bolt rigid plates 16 to
endless
track support 12 have pointed heads 26 that protrude past traction surface 22
thereby
providing resistance to sideways slippage of a track vehicle 28 illustrated in
FIGURE 6.
Pointed heads 26 of bolts 18 have a plurality of circumferentially positioned
planer faces
30. A stem 32 of each bolt 18 has threads 34 adapted to mate with a securing
nut 36.
Referring to FIGURE 7, pointed heads 26 of bolts 18 are provided with a
carbide stud 38
making them more wear resistant. Referring to FIGURE 3, in the illustrated
embodiment, bolts with flat heads 40 are also used in addition to bolts 18
with pointed
heads 26 to bolt rigid plates to endless loop support 12, althoL~gh it will be
appreciate that
bolts 18 with pointed heads 26 could be used on their own.
Operation:
The use and operation of endless loop track for a track vehicle will now be
described with reference to FIGURES 1 through 7. Referring to FIGURE 6,
endless loop
2 ~ track as described above, is provided on a track vehicle 28, haring
operation of track
vehicle 28, pointed heads 26 of bolts 18 provide extra traction, especially in
winter
conditions or in uneven terrain to prevent track vehicle 28 from slipping
sideways.
Referring to FIGURE 5, existing prior art endless loop track for a track
vehicle generally
referenced by numeral 100 can be modified by removing bolts 114 with flat
heads 118
3 o illustrated in FIGURE 1, and replacing them with bolts 18 that have
pointed heads 26
CA 02433911 2003-06-27
that protrude past traction surface 22 illustrated in FIGURE 2 thereby
providing resistance
to sideways slippage of a track vehicle 2$ illustrated in FIGURE 6.
In this patent document, the word "comprising" is used in its non-limiting
sense to
mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically
mentioned are
not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article '°a"
does not exclude the
possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context
clearly requires
that there be one and only one of the elements.
i o It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that modifications may be
made to the
illustrated embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention as
hereinafter defined in the Claims.
