Crawler track link member

Details Crawler track link member Crawler track link member

1999-03-29

2001-04-17

Morano, S. Joseph (Department: 3617)

Wheel substitutes for land vehicles

Tracks or treads

With detachable grouser for endless chain track

C305S191000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06217135

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a crawler track link member which incorporates structure for the support of traveling pads, studs, snow or mud grippers or buoyancy aids.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
German published specification (DE-AS) No 16 05 509 discloses a caterpillar or crawler track link member having a plate-shaped slide-on portion in the form of a travelling pad. A base plate which is connected to the travelling pad has a stamped-out tongue which, when the travelling pad is pushed into the crawler track link member over an abutment projection until—after the travelling pad moves into a condition of abutment—the travelling pad slides forwardly until it drops in a latching relationship on the crawler track link member behind a projection.
That fixing principle is also known in relation to travelling pads in accordance with DE 33 35 937 C2 and DE 195 44 458 A1.
During travel of the track-laying vehicle, travelling pads of that kind are subjected to stresses due to high contact pressures, thrust loadings and high dynamic shock loadings. Particularly in the case of highly mobile vehicles, overloading frequently causes the base plate to be subjected to incipient cracks or fractures which generally start from the bottom of the incision of the tongue retaining portion. If the incipient cracks or fractures are not noticed sufficiently early or if travelling pads with base plates which have been subjected to incipient cracking or fracturing due to rubber wear are not removed, then the base plate encounters a complete rupture. Travelling pads with completely fractured base plates represent a potential danger since they can fly off the track when the vehicle is travelling.
Various endeavours have been undertaken to avoid or reduce the risk of an incipient crack or fracture. For that purpose for example the notch forming factor was introduced by providing a larger radius in the incision region of the tongue, and fixing the stamping direction in the cutting operation to avoid stress peaks on the flexural tensile side. An increase in the thickness of the initial sheet metal was also tried; however, it was not possible for those measure to provide a definitive solution to the cracking problem.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is intended to design the slide-on portion so as to prevent the occurrence of incipient cracks and ruptures on base plates of slide-on portions for crawler tracks.
The manner in which that object is attained provides for the securing tongue of the base plate to be no longer cut out therefrom and pushed out, but rather the base plate is provided with an impressed or stamped out portion in the region of the shaping or deformation which was earlier pushed out therefrom, and which implements the function of the deforming latching portion.
The base plate is now no longer weakened by the incisions. There is no longer any notch forming factor which had considerably increased the stress on the component. There is no need for an increase in the thickness of the base plate, which signifies that the weight of the sheet metal component is also not increased. The slide-on portion can be fitted and removed in a simple manner by existing on-board tools.
Tests which have been carried out have shown that no incipient cracks and ruptures were encountered by the base plates, over the useful life of the slide-on portion. The elimination of the incisions in the base plate also affords a reduction in manufacturing costs.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3266853 (1966-08-01), Korner et al.
patent: 3322472 (1967-05-01), Ley
patent: 3520574 (1970-07-01), Wiesner
patent: 3870380 (1975-03-01), Korner
patent: 1 605 509 (1970-06-01), None
patent: 33 35 937 C2 (1985-04-01), None
patent: 195 44 458 A1 (1997-06-01), None
patent: 0 044 137 (1982-01-01), None
patent: WO 96/29234 (1996-09-01), None

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