Wheel substitutes for land vehicles – Tracks or treads – With detachable grouser for endless chain track
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-27
2001-10-09
Morano, S. Joseph (Department: 3617)
Wheel substitutes for land vehicles
Tracks or treads
With detachable grouser for endless chain track
C305S189000, C305S191000, C305S019000, C152S22500R
Reexamination Certificate
active
06299265
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to endless tracks with grouser members and more specifically it relates to a replaceable tire gripping system for endless track for extending the useful life and operation of an endless track with grouser members.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Endless tracks with grouser members have been in use for years. Typically, the endless track comprises a plurality of grouser pads pivotally attached to one another by a plurality of links. The endless track surrounds the two tires upon the side of a skid-steer loader. There is also another endless track on the opposing side of the tractor that surrounds the pair of tires on that side of the tractor. To reduce slippage of the tires within the endless track, gripping ridges are molded and formed directly into the grouser members of the endless track to grip the tires during operation.
The main problem within conventional endless tracks with grouser members is that the gripping ridges become worn after usage of the track in various conditions. When the ridges become worn, the tires within the endless track begin to slip thereby decreasing the performance of the endless track and decreasing tire life. The owner of the skid-steer tractor has two options when the gripping ridges become worn. The owner can either purchase an entirely new endless track to replace the endless track with the worn gripping ridges, or the owner can weld metal directly upon the grouser members to extend the life of the endless track. Purchasing a new endless track is costly and not desired by most owners. Welding metal to replace the gripping ridges is time consuming and may not be done properly thereby creating additional problems for the owner of the endless track.
While these endless tracks may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they are not as suitable for extending the useful life and operation of an endless track with grouser members. Conventional endless tracks with grouser members do not allow the gripping ridges to be replaced.
In these respects, the replaceable tire gripping system for endless track according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of extending the useful life and operation of an endless track with grouser members.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of endless tracks now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new replaceable tire gripping system for endless track construction wherein the same can be utilized for extending the useful life and operation of an endless track with grouser members.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new replaceable tire gripping system for endless track that has many of the advantages of the endless tracks mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new replaceable tire gripping system for endless track which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art endless tracks, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a grouser bar having a first side and a second side, a pair of side walls attached to opposing ends of the grouser bar, a plurality of openings within the grouser bar, a plurality of grip members positionable within the plurality of openings with a portion exposed through the second side of the grouser bar, and a wear plate attached to the first side of the grouser bar for retaining the grip members within the openings. The openings and the grip members are preferably tapered for allowing the broad end of the grip members to be substantially flush with the first side and the wear plate.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and that will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of the description and should not be regarded as limiting.
A primary object of the present invention is to provide a replaceable tire gripping system for endless track that will overcome the shortcomings of the prior art devices.
A second object is to provide a replaceable tire gripping system for endless track for extending the useful life and operation of an endless track with grouser members.
Another object is to provide a replaceable tire gripping system for endless track that allows worn gripping ridges to be replaced without requiring welding.
An additional object is to provide a replaceable tire gripping system for endless track that extends the useful life of the endless track and tires upon the skid-steer tractor.
A further object is to provide a replaceable tire gripping system for endless track that can easily replace the worn gripping ridges.
Another object is to provide a replaceable tire gripping system for endless track that reduces slippage of the tires within an endless track.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become obvious to the reader and it is intended that these objects and advantages are within the scope of the present invention.
To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, this invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that changes may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described within the scope of the appended claims.
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patent: 2973995 (1961-03-01), Weier
patent: 3773394 (1973-11-01), Grawey
patent: 3871720 (1975-03-01), Mosshart et al.
patent: 4050495 (1977-09-01), Olsen
patent: 4480670 (1984-11-01), Payne
patent: 5076335 (1991-12-01), Koshi
patent: 5513684 (1996-05-01), Laub
Bellinger Jason R.
Morano S. Joseph
Neustel Michael S.
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