Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
File No. 01793.340
TRACK SHOE AND TRACK ASSEMBLY FOR TRACKED VEHICLES
BACKGROUND
Technical Field
[01] This disclosure relates to a track shoe and endless track assembly for
tracked vehicles, and is particularly suitable for work vehicles such as earth
working machines, drilling machines, agricultural machines, and vehicles used
in
rough terrain generally.
Background
[02] Ground-engaging endless track chain assemblies have long been
employed to provide ground contact for vehicles used in construction, mining,
logging, and other demanding off-road pursuits. Typical track shoes composing
such assemblies comprise a plate with single, double, or triple grousers, or
cleats,
running across its width to increase traction. It is well known, however, that
higher traction shoes tend to create more wear and tear on undercarriage
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components in such skid-steer vehicles, because of resistance to sideways
forces
and the torsional forces generated when the track is turning. The typical
solution
to reduce wear and tear is to reduce the width of the track shoe while
increasing
the number of grousers and reducing their height. Another solution, that is
also
common practice, is to either chamfer or bend the leading edges of the shoe.
However, none of these prior-art solutions has proven completely satisfactory.
What is needed is a track shoe design that will provide the optimum
combination
of both improved traction and improved tumability.
SUMMARY
[03] A track shoe for an endless track assembly has a base and an
opposing hull. The hull of the track shoe has opposing sidewalls that are
angled to
meet at an apex, thus forming an inverted V-shape. The apex of the hull
extends
the width of the track shoe. Laterally-disposed ridges are spaced apart from
the
apex, and the height of the ridges tapers outwardly from the hull to form,
respectively, a leading lip and a trailing lip of the track shoe. The track
shoe may
have upward bends at the ends of the width of the track shoe and optionally,
may
have secondary hulls. An endless track assembly for a tracked vehicle may
comprise a plurality of such track shoes, driven by chain links in turn moved
by a
sprocket wheel or equivalent mechanism.
DRAWINGS
[04] Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the improved
track shoe.
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[05] Figure 2 is a side view of the embodiment of the improved track
shoe.
[06] Figure 3 is a cross-section view of the embodiment of the improved
track shoe.
[07] Figure 4 is a side view of another embodiment of the improved track
shoe.
[08] Figure 5 is a perspective view of an endless track assembly
comprising the improved track shoe.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[09] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the
improved track shoe 100. The track shoe 100 includes a substantially flat base
110, and an integral ground-engaging surface (described in more detail below),
opposite the base 110. Making the ground-engaging surface integral to the
track
shoe 100 provides increased strength and reduced complexity in assembly. The
base 110 may be configured to mate with one or more track chain links 240, as
described in connection with Fig. 5 below.
[10] The track shoe 100 comprises opposite the base 110 a hull 120. The
hull 120 further comprises opposing sidewalls 130a, 130b. The opposing
sidewalls 130a and 130b are angled to meet at an apex 125, forming an inverted
V-shape in the track shoe 100. The apex 125 of the hull 120 extends the width
of
the track shoe 100 as shown in Fig. 1. The hull 120 has laterally-disposed
ridges
140a, 140b spaced apart from the apex 125. The height of the ridges 140a, 140b
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tapers outwardly from the apex to form, respectively, a leading lip 160 and a
trailing lip 150 of the track shoe.
[11] The track shoe 100 thus offers improved traction over traditional
shoes due to the V-shape of the hull 120 opposite the base 110. This feature
tends
to compact the material beneath the track shoe 100 and, when in a situation
where
the track shoe 100 begins to loose traction, the sidewalls 130a and 130b of
the
downward-facing hull 120 will impart a downward force into the soil, rather
than
simply shearing the soil as would a traditional double- or triple-grouser shoe
design. Further, the ridges 140a, 140b running the width of the shoe act like
the
keel of a boat hull or sled rail, decreasing the force required to slide the
track shoe
100 sideways. Such a combination of these two features improves turnability,
which will result in reduced wear of the undercarriage components of a tracked
vehicle affected by the forces on the track shoe 100. The track shoe 100 can
be
made as an extrusion, casting, or forging, or by 3D printing.
[12]
Figure 1 also shows a plurality of optional bolt holes 170 for
attaching the track shoe 100 to the links 240 of an endless track 220, as
shown in
Fig. 5. Figure 1 further shows an optional hole or holes 180 in the track shoe
100
for debris removal, also optional indentations 190 to accommodate chain links
240, as may be required in particular applications.
[13] Figure 2 is a side view of the embodiment of the track shoe 100 just
discussed. Figure 2 defines the term "width" of the track shoe 100 as the
width
dimension 195 shown in Fig. 2, which width 195 corresponds to the extension of
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the track shoe 100 over the width of an endless track assembly 210, as further
shown in Fig. 5. Figure 2 shows a preferable upward bend 200 at each opposing
end of the track shoe 100. (Here, "upward" is toward the base 110). The upward
bend 200 is not required, but aids in the sliding movement of the track shoe
100
when the tracked vehicle is turning. The angle of the upward bend 200 from the
horizontal axis of the track shoe 100 is preferably between approximately 8
and 20
degrees, and the extent of each bent area is preferably between approximately
5%
and 20% of the width of the track shoe 100. However, the range of the angles
and
extents just suggested are not critical, but merely illustrative.
[14] Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of the
track shoe 100 just discussed, taken along section A-A' as shown in Fig. 2.
Figure
3 shows the hull 120 region of the track shoe 100 and the apex 125 thereof The
reader should note that the particular details of the shape of the base 110 of
the
track shoe 100 depicted in Fig. 3 are not essential to every embodiment, but
may
be dictated by the configuration of the endless track 220 and chain links 240
of a
particular tracked vehicle.
[15] Figures 1 and 3 also include illustration of an alternate embodiment,
where the track shoe 100 has secondary hulls 145a, 145b between ridge 140a and
leading lip 160, and between ridge 140b and trailing lip 150, respectively.
These
secondary hulls 145a, 145b also aid traction of the track shoe 100, as already
discussed, to a lesser extent.
[16]
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[17] Figure 4 is a side view of an alternative embodiment of the track
shoe 105, where the track shoe 100 lacks an upward bend 200.
[18] Figure 5 is a partial perspective view of one typical endless track
assembly 210 of a tracked vehicle, showing individual track shoes 100 just
described connected thereto. The endless track 220 is driven by a sprocket
wheel
230 engaging chain links 240, which chain links 240 further engage the track
shoes 100. Bolts 175 are shown passing through bolt holes 170 in each track
shoe
100, holding each track shoe 100 to its corresponding chain link 240.
[19] None of the description in this application should be read as
implying that any particular element, step, or function is an essential
element
which must be included in the claim scope; the scope of patented subject
matter is
defined only by the allowed claims. Moreover, none of these claims are
intended
to invoke 35 U.S.C. Section 112(f) unless the exact words "means for" are
used,
followed by a gerund. The claims as filed are intended to be as comprehensive
as
possible, and no subject matter is intentionally relinquished, dedicated, or
abandoned.
[20] We claim:
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