Mid-roller for endless track laying work machine

Details Mid-roller for endless track laying work machine Mid-roller for endless track laying work machine

1999-07-20

2001-03-27

Morano, S. Joseph (Department: 3617)

Wheel substitutes for land vehicles

Tracks or treads

With guide means for interfitting with sprocket wheel or roller

C305S137000, C180S009500

Reexamination Certificate

active

06206492

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates generally to a mid-roller for an endless track laying work machine and more particularly to a mid-roller having an independently rotatable member positioned between the guide blocks of an endless track and an inner shoulder of the mid-roller.
BACKGROUND ART
Present day endless track laying work machines utilize a propulsion system in which an endless rubber belt is frictionally driven as it is entrained about a pair of wheels. Problems encountered in actually reducing such an endless track laying work machine to practice include how to maintain adequate tension on such belt, and keeping the belt in lateral alignment with the wheels when the wheels are subject to large lateral loads. Other problems are maintaining the structural integrity and providing long life for the belt, mid-rollers, drive wheels, and idler wheels.
A common problem with endless track laying work machines utilizing endless rubber belts is wear of drive train components. Wear is caused by the continuous contact and heat generated between the endless rubber belts and other drive components, such as the drive wheel, the idler wheel, and the mid-rollers. This is most prevalent with the mid-rollers because of the speed at which they rotate in contrast to the drive and idler wheels, due to the mid-rollers generally being smaller in diameter.
Examples of prior solutions are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,984,524 and 5,141,299. In both examples a wear strep is provided on the inner shoulders of a segmented wheel. These wear strips provide a surface for the guiding members of the endless track to make contact as the track moves between segments of the wheel. Both patents provide a fix for increasing the life of the drive train components. However, neither patent addresses the difference in angular velocity between the contact points of the segmented wheel and the endless track as the endless track makes contact with the wheels.
The present invention is directed to overcome one or more of the problems as set forth above.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect of the invention a mid-roller is provided comprising a shaft defining an axis, the shaft has a pair of ends spaced along the axis and a cylindrical surface is centered on the shaft. Individual roller segments are rotatably attached near each of the ends and are separated by the cylindrical surface of the shaft. A pair of rotatable members are positioned inward from the individual roller segments. The pair of rotatable members are independently rotatable of the pair of roller segments.
In another aspect of the present invention a method is provided for reducing frictional contact between an endless rubber belt and a plurality of mid-rollers of an endless track laying machine. The endless rubber belt has an inner surface, an outer surface and a plurality of guide blocks. The method comprises the steps of positioning a rotatable member between the plurality of guide blocks and an inner shoulder of each of the individual roller segments of the mid-rollers, shielding the plurality of guide blocks from the individual roller segments of the mid-rollers as the endless rubber belt moves between the individual roller segments, rotating the rotatable member independent of the rotation of the individual roller segments.


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