Wheel substitutes for land vehicles – With interposed friction drive belt
Patent
1987-07-15
1990-09-04
Stormer, Russell D.
Wheel substitutes for land vehicles
With interposed friction drive belt
305 46, 305 55, 305 53, B62D 5524
Patent
active
049539213
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to an endless track for a tracked vehicle, and to a track assembly for a tracked vehicle.
As traction means for vehicles, the benefits of endless tracks as opposed to ground wheels provided with pneumatic tires, are well known. These benefits include better traction in soil and less ground compaction. However, endless tracks do have several deficiencies. The endless track comprises track sections joined to one another by pivotted connections which are prone to unacceptably high rates of wear, thereby limiting the service life of the tracks. A further deficiency is that endless tracks cause damage to finished road surfaces, especially when the vehicle is turning. A still further deficiency is that endless tracks are incapable of cushioning or absorbing shocks resulting from surface irregularities and so vehicle springing is required for satisfactory ride characteristics. The endless tracks also have higher noise levels and lower maximum travel speeds than wheels equiped with pneumatic tires.
With a view to overcoming some of the above-mentioned deficiencies, there have been various proposals to provide the endless tracks with ground contacting elements formed of elastomeric material rather than metal. While elastomeric ground contacting elements do allow tracked vehicles to travel on finished roads, they do not extend the service life of the tracks as the tracks are still formed of track sections joined to one another by pivotted connections which are susceptable to high rates of wear. Moreover, so as to have a useful service life, the elastomeric elements are solid and not sufficiently resilient to provide effective cushioning of shocks resulting from bumps and surface irregularities encountered by the tracks.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a useful and novel track which is of relatively simple construction, which may travel on finished road surfaces and which can at least partly absorb shocks resulting from encountering bumps and surface irregularities.
According to a first aspect of the invention there is provide an endless track for tracked vehicles comprising an endless flexible band having an inner surface and an outer surface, and a plurality of spaced elongated tread elements provided on the outer surface of the band, each treat element being formed of resilient material and extending transversely of the direction of travel of the track.
The use of the endless flexible band obviates the need for track sections joined to one another by pivotted connections and so provides for an endless track of relatively simple construction. Furthermore, the resilient nature of the tread elements permits the track to travel on finished road surfaces and provides at least some cushioning of shocks encountered during travel.
Preferably, each tread element is hollow so as to define a cavity which preferably is unpressurized.
The tread elements may be formed integral with, or formed separately of and secured to, the endless flexible band.
Preferably, each tread element is in the form of a loop having a ground engaging portion and a pair of side wall portions which are load supporting when the loop is in contact with the ground.
Preferably, the loops are open at their ends. In this way, the cavities defined within the loops open onto the exterior of the endless track.
Preferably, the loops are formed of reinforced elastomeric material.
Preferably, the endless band is formed of reinforced elastomeric material so as to be substantially longitudinally inextensible yet flexible.
Each loop may be provided with a sacrificial wear pad attached to the ground engaging portion thereof.
In one arrangement, the loops are provided by a length of resilient material arranged in a sinuous formation having alternating crests and troughs, the length of resilient material being anchored to the flexible band at locations corresponding to at least some of the troughs.
According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a track assembly for a tracked vehicle, the track assembly comprisi
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Altrack Limited
Stormer Russell D.
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