Wheel substitutes for land vehicles – Endless belt having nonmetallic track or tread – Track formed of endless flexible belt
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-14
2001-10-02
Morano, S. Joseph (Department: 3617)
Wheel substitutes for land vehicles
Endless belt having nonmetallic track or tread
Track formed of endless flexible belt
C305S161000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06296330
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a crawler web for crawler belts of crawler vehicles.
Various embodiments of crawler webs are known. Crawler webs consisting completely of steel or aluminum have been disclosed, as have those which have a basic body made of aluminum to which a wear-resistant cutting edge is fastened by screwing or, for example, fastened during the extrusion of an aluminum profile (see, in this respect, Swiss Patent Specification CH 644,558 and European Patent Specification EP 0,381,642 B1).
The disadvantage of a steel web is that it is too heavy. On the other hand, an aluminum web, when used under rough operating conditions, is subject to pronounced wear and this may cause the web to rupture. Aluminum webs having incorporated or screwed-in steel inserts are, in known embodiments, costly in terms of production and the exchange of worn structural units.
European Patent Specification EP 0,414,208 B1 describes a steel crawler web in which manufacturing problems otherwise customary in the case of steel webs are avoided. In this embodiment, high wear resistance and a simple design are gained at the expense of a higher weight, as compared with aluminum webs. For this purpose, the steel web has, in cross section, a U-bow with two U-legs and, between them, a connecting web, the first U-leg having, as an extension, a connecting leg, guided inward via a bend, and, after a further bend, an adjoining blade approximately parallel to the U-legs. The embodiment is distinguished in that the second U-leg is also bent inward and is welded to the first connecting leg, so as to form, in cross section, a house-like cavity beyond which the first U-leg projects. In addition to the high weight of this embodiment, another disadvantage is that, when the cutting edge or blade of the web becomes worn, the entire web may have to be replaced, thus resulting in high operating costs. Moreover, the web is designed for a hard underlying surface and is overdimensioned for less demanding applications.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object on which the invention is, whilst avoiding the disadvantages of the prior art, to propose a crawler web which can be adapted individually for different applications and can be produced at comparatively low cost.
The invention pertains to a crawler web for crawler belts of crawler vehicles, in particular for ski slope vehicles or cross-country trackers, which is fastened transversely to the running direction, to mutually parallel bands oriented in the direction of travel and which comprises an elongate basic body which has a sheet-like support in the direction of the bands. The basic idea of the invention, then, is that the basic body consists, in cross section, of two side legs with a connecting web arranged between them. In this case, at least one side leg approaches the other in such a way that a cutting edge can be inserted between the side legs. By virtue of the design according to the invention, it is possible for the basic body and the cutting edge or the blade to be inserted, to be produced from different materials. For example, the basic body, in the form of a one-piece profile, may consist of a light metal, such as, for example, aluminum, or even of plastic-fiber-reinforced synthetic resin. By contrast, the cutting edge is preferably manufactured from a wear-resistant material, such as, as example, tempering steel. By virtue of the type of cutting edge reception, different cutting-edge thicknesses can easily be used so that the crawler web can be adapted individually to the application. That is to say, the cutting-edge width and the cutting-edge material can be coordinated with the terrain and the aggressiveness with which the crawler web is to penetrate into the terrain. In contrast to embodiments in which the cutting edge is inserted into a groove of a crawler web basic body, that is to say the use of different materials and, to a limited extent, different cutting-edge thicknesses are also possible, the reception method according to the invention always ensures that the inserted fastened cutting edge is seated snugly, without any play, between the side legs. This is because, when the cutting edge is fastened, the side legs can, if appropriate, be moved nearer to or further away from one another and be adapted to different cutting-edge thicknesses, this not being possible in the case of the lateral walls of a groove.
In a particularly advantageous embodiment at least one side leg merges into a portion in which it runs essentially parallel to the other leg, at a distance therefrom, in such a way that a cutting edge can be inserted between the legs. That is to say, that at least one leg approaches the other leg as far as the distance at which they then run essentially parallel, without touching one another in the process. In the case of cross sections defined by segments of a straight line, a transition into the parallel portion always takes place by means of a bend. In the case of continuous cross-sectional shapes, however, this does not have to be so. By virtue of these measures, a screw connection, rivet connection or titanium oxide connection can be made particularly easily in the region of the parallel portions.
In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the connecting web serves at the same time as a sheet-like support for the crawler web on the bands of the crawler belt. It is advantageous if that portion of each of the side legs which runs parallel to and at a distance from the other, is oriented essentially perpendicularly to the connecting web. A simple and expedient embodiment of the basic body of the crawler web can be achieved in this way.
So that no distinction has to be made between left and right crawler webs of a crawler belt, it is proposed, furthermore, to design the cross section of the basic body symmetrically. In this case, the two side legs approach one another in the same way and merge, after possibly one bend, into an essentially vertical portion and, there, run parallel to, and at a distance from, one another, in such a way that a cutting edge can be inserted. For example, side legs running in a straight line can be inclined inward and, after a bend, merge into the vertical portion. It is also preferred if the side legs first run vertically upward from the connecting web, that is to say form a kind of “U-shape”, incline inward after a bend and again merge, after a further bend, into a portion which is perpendicular to the connecting web and in which the legs run parallel to, and at a distance from one another so that a cutting edge can be inserted between them.
Preferred methods of fastening the cutting edge in the region of the parallel portions are riveting, welding, Tox clinching, screwing and/or adhesive bonding.
In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the cutting edge runs continuously from the parallel portions as far as the connecting web. It is preferred, in this case, if the cutting edge is additionally retained in the region of the connecting web. This measure achieves a comparatively high load-bearing capacity for the cutting edge and high stability of the crawler web as a whole. Furthermore, shearing forces at the connection point at the cutting edge and side leg are greatly reduced or even avoided completely.
Moreover, it is advantageous if retention takes place by means of a longitudinal groove in the connecting web, the cutting edge being at least partially guided in said longitudinal groove. This constitutes a particularly simple way of implementing the invention. In a likewise favorable embodiment, retention takes place by means of a screw connection which is arranged in the region of the connecting web in a widened portion of the cutting edge.
The screw connection may also be combined with retention by means of a groove.
In order to achieve high strength values for the crawler web, along with a reduced wall thickness of the basic body, it is proposed, furthermore, that the hollow-profile-like basic body be filled with aluminum foam.
In order to achieve simple mounting of the crawler
Bellinger Jason R.
Kinberg Robert
Morano S. Joseph
Venable
Werner Hall
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