Wheel substitutes for land vehicles – Endless belt having nonmetallic track or tread – Track formed of endless flexible belt
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-17
2001-03-06
Morano, S. Joseph (Department: 3617)
Wheel substitutes for land vehicles
Endless belt having nonmetallic track or tread
Track formed of endless flexible belt
C305S173000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06196646
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a track for an endless drive track system. More particularly, the present invention relates to an endless drive track system having reinforcing braces for use with a tracked vehicle such as a tractor, bulldozer or tank.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventional endless drive track systems are used with tracked vehicles such as tractors, bulldozers, tanks or the like, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. Re. 33,324, incorporated herein by reference. As shown in
FIG. 1
herein, a vehicle
1
includes an endless drive track system
2
with an endless track
3
, a drive system, e.g., a planetary drive system
4
, and a plurality of roller wheels
5
, also commonly known as idler wheels. The planetary drive system
4
and plurality of roller wheels
5
are located at separate positions within the endless drive track system
2
. For example, when drive rollers
6
of the planetary drive system
4
rotate in a clockwise direction, the endless track
3
is driven in the clockwise direction. The roller wheels
5
also rotate in the clockwise direction due to the frictional engagement of the roller wheels
5
with the driven endless track
3
. Alternatively, the roller wheels
5
can be positively driven. Consequently, the drive rollers
6
, roller wheels
5
and endless track
3
rotate in a common direction.
The endless track
3
is comprised of a plurality of drive sections
7
.
FIG. 2
shows an exploded perspective view of an exemplary drive section
7
where the drive rollers
6
of the planetary drive system
4
engage the drive section
7
of the endless track. Each drive section
7
includes an interior surface
8
and an exterior surface
9
. The exterior surface
9
of each drive section
7
faces away relative to the endless drive track system
2
and includes a tread that contacts the ground over which the tracked vehicle
1
travels. The interior surface
8
of each drive section
7
faces toward the endless drive track system
2
and includes a plurality of drive beads
10
extending inwardly from the interior surface
8
.
Typically, a drive bead
10
includes four faces
10
a-d
. Faces
10
b
and
10
d
are drive faces that extend in a longitudinal direction of the endless track
3
and are contacted and driven by the drive rollers
6
. An arrow A indicates the endless track
3
being driven from right to left, although the endless track
3
is also capable of being driven from left to right. The remaining faces
10
a
and
10
c
are friction faces and extend in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the endless track
3
.
FIG. 3
shows a schematic diagram of the drive rollers
6
rotated in a clockwise direction by the planetary drive system
4
to engage and drive the drive beads
10
. When a drive section
7
of the endless track
3
reaches the planetary drive system
4
, the rotated drive rollers
6
of the planetary drive system
4
contact drive face
10
b
of the drive beads
10
to drive the endless track
3
in the clockwise direction. Similarly, when the drive rollers
6
are rotated in the counterclockwise direction, the drive rollers
6
contacts drive face
10
d
of the drive beads
10
to drive the endless track
3
in a counterclockwise direction. As such, upon contacting the drive face
10
b
or
10
d
of the drive beads
10
, the drive rollers
6
are able to drive the drive section
7
of the endless track
3
in a desired direction. The drive rollers
6
repeat the above-described operation for every drive bead
10
passing through the planetary drive system
4
.
Unfortunately, as the drive rollers
6
of the planetary drive system
4
are typically constructed from wear-resistant materials and the endless track
3
is typically made of a polymeric material, the engagement of the drive rollers
6
with the drive beads
10
of the endless track
3
may result in the wearing down or erosion of the drive beads
6
. Although, the drive rollers
6
are illustrated as substantially filling the region between adjacent drive beads
10
, the size of the drive rollers
6
can be made smaller, as long as the drive rollers
6
are capable of engaging the drive faces
10
b
and
10
d
of the drive beads
10
.
FIG. 4
shows an exploded perspective view of where the roller wheels
5
engage a drive
7
section of the endless track
3
driven in the clockwise, i.e., right to left, direction. In the illustration, three roller wheels
5
are provided on a common shaft, although more or less than three rollers can be provided, and independent shafts may be desirable, depending on need. As such, because of the frictional engagement of the endless track
3
with the roller wheels
5
, each roller wheel
5
is rotated in the clockwise direction with the drive section
7
of the endless track
3
. The rotation of the roller wheels
5
provides even support across the endless track
3
in an orthogonal direction relative to the direction the track
3
is driven.
FIG. 5
is cross-sectional view of the roller wheels
5
engaging the drive section
7
of the endless track
3
shown in
FIG. 4
, as taken along section line
5
—
5
. The spacing of the roller wheels
5
relative to the drive beads
10
is such that the wheels
5
should not contact the friction faces
10
a
and
10
c
of the drive beads
10
while engaging the drive section
7
.
Unfortunately, as represented by the bidirectional arrows in
FIG. 5
, the endless track
3
has a tendency to move with respect to the roller wheels
5
in the direction parallel to the axes of the roller wheels
5
. Consequently, the roller wheels
5
frictionally engage the friction faces
10
a
and
10
c
of the drive beads
10
. As the roller wheels
5
are typically constructed from wear-resistant materials and the endless track
3
is typically made of a polymeric material, the frictional engagement of the roller wheels
5
with the drive beads
10
results in the wearing down or eroding of the friction faces
10
a
and
10
c
of the drive bead
10
.
For example, as shown in
FIG. 6
, which is an enlargement of the dashed box of
FIG. 5
, the frictional force of the roller wheels
5
on the friction faces
10
a
and
10
c
of the drive bead
10
results in the wearing away of the drive friction faces
10
a
and
10
c
. The worn away portions of the drive bead
10
are represented by the shaded region. The gradual decrease in the surface area weakens the drive beads
10
and causes early failure of the drive belt. For example, the endless drive belt may need to be replaced after 300 working hours due to erosion of the drive beads. Also, due to the reduced surface area, “slipping” can occur between the drive rollers
6
of the planetary drive system
4
and the endless track
3
.
Furthermore, the wearing away of the friction faces
10
a
and
10
c
weakens the structural integrity of the endless track
3
and permits an increase in lateral “play”, i.e., the extent the endless track
3
moves in the direction parallel to the axes of the roller wheels
5
. Also, the wearing away of the endless track
3
frequently requires that the endless track
3
be replaced, which requires a stoppage of work, increases the cost associated with using the tracked vehicle
1
, and increases labor costs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an aspect of the invention to provide an endless track having reinforcing braces made from wear-resistant material that are capable of preventing roller wheels from wearing away the friction faces of drive beads extending from the endless track.
It is another aspect of the invention to provide an endless track having reinforcing braces made from wear-resistant material that are capable of preventing the drive rollers of the planetary drive system from slipping when attempting to engage the drive beads.
It is also another aspect of the invention to provide an endless track having reinforcing braces made from wear-resistant material that decreases the frequency at which the endless track must be replaced because the track is worn away
Bellinger Jason R.
Morano S. Joseph
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
LandOfFree
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