Wheel substitutes for land vehicles – Endless belt having nonmetallic track or tread – Track formed of endless flexible belt
Patent
1996-10-28
1998-09-29
Stormer, Russell D.
Wheel substitutes for land vehicles
Endless belt having nonmetallic track or tread
Track formed of endless flexible belt
305174, B62D 5524
Patent
active
058137335
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a metal core member for a rubber crawler belt, the rubber crawler belt, and a method of winding the same; and more particularly, relates to a metal core member for a rubber crawler belt, the rubber crawler belt, and a method of winding the same, which are applicable to various kinds of crawler vehicles, including construction machinery such as bulldozers, hydraulic shovels, etc.
BACKGROUND ART
Conventionally, in various kinds of crawler vehicles, including construction machinery such as bulldozers, hydraulic shovels, etc., the upper rolling wheels and the lower rolling wheels have been attached to the upper and lower parts of the track frame, which are provided between an idler wheel and a driving wheel; and a crawler belt made of metal has been wound around each of the above-described wheels so as to surround them. In the conventional crawler belt, iron links are connected by link pins so as to be endless, with a crawler plate being attached to each link, and the power which is transmitted to the above-described driving wheel rotates the crawler belt to drive the vehicle. In recent years, there have been increasing occasions to bring the crawler vehicles into operation on city streets; and, therefore, from the viewpoint of the reduction of noise and vibration caused when the vehicles are driven, the prevention of damage to the pavements, the maintenance of the health of the operators, the extension of the useful working life of the crawler vehicles, etc., an integral type of crawler belt, wherein metal core members are buried at specified intervals in a rubber belt having a loop form, has been widely used instead of the above-described metal crawler belt, and the teeth of a driving wheel are meshed with the metal core members to drive the vehicle.
In FIGS. 4 and 5, showing one example of the conventional rubber crawler belts, a rubber crawler belt 1 is defined by a rubber member of a loop form (an elastic endless belt) 2, a plurality of metal core members 50, formed of a metal and buried transversely to the rubber member 2 at specified longitudinal intervals along the rubber member 2, and a plurality of core wires 3, formed of a metal and buried longitudinally along these metal core members so as to surround the outside of these metal core members. Each above-described metal core member 50 includes an engaging portion 51 having a fore-and-aft length of B, which is shorter than the interval between the teeth of the driving wheel, and a central portion having a substantially half-round shape in its transverse direction. An idler wheel 4 and the upper and lower rolling wheels rotatively move on the top surfaces of a pair of rails 53 and 54, projectingly provided at the right and left ends of this engaging portion 51.
On the surface of the external perimeter of the above-described rubber member 2, lugs are formed in a specified pattern. An engaging hole 2a, for engaging with the driving wheel, is provided between the adjacent metal core members at the central portion of this rubber member 2 in its transverse direction, and when the engaging portion 51 of the metal core member 50 is engaged with the tooth of the driving wheel, the above-described engaging hole 2a lets the tooth of the driving wheel escape. The core wires 3 are buried in the rubber member 2 in order to secure the tensile strength of the rubber crawler belt 1 and to improve the rigidity of the same.
The rubber crawler belt 1 winds on the idler wheel 4 at the front portion of the vehicle as shown in FIG. 6. At the central portion of the idler wheel 4 in its transverse direction, that is, at the portion between the right and left rotating circumferential surfaces, a flange portion 4a, projecting more than the above-described rotating surfaces, is provided; and the above-described flange portion 4a passes between a pair of rails 53 and 54, as shown in FIG. 5. At both ends of the opposing inner side surfaces of the abovedescribed pair of rails 53 and 54, guide slopes 53a, 53b, 54a, and 54b are res
REFERENCES:
patent: 5308155 (1994-05-01), Katoh
patent: 5380076 (1995-01-01), Hori
patent: 5399033 (1995-03-01), Katoh
Hori Kazutoshi
Saiga Ryuichi
Komatsu Ltd.
Stormer Russell D.
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