Wheel substitutes for land vehicles – Endless belt having nonmetallic track or tread – Track formed of endless flexible belt
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-04
2001-07-24
Morano, S. Joseph (Department: 3617)
Wheel substitutes for land vehicles
Endless belt having nonmetallic track or tread
Track formed of endless flexible belt
Reexamination Certificate
active
06264294
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a traction stud for an endless drive belt and more particularly to a traction stud having a self-locking, outwardly flaring locking surface for frictionally bearing against a complementally formed locking surface of a stud mount that is embedded in an endless snowmobile drive track.
2. Description of the Prior Art and Objects
Traction studs have been provided for snowmobile endless drive tracks, such as that illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,234,266, issued to James R. Musselman, et al, on Aug. 10, 1993, which includes a fastener for threading onto the shank of a “push through” snowmobile traction stud to detachably clamp the stud to a track. If a “push through” traction stud of the type disclosed in this patent breaks or needs to be replaced, the fastener is unturned, a new stud installed and the fastener replaced. Another so-called “T-nut” style traction stud is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,838,894 issued to Donald G. Reedy on Oct. 1, 1974, and includes a T-shaped internally threaded fastener that is mounted to the inside surface of an endless snowmobile drive track and generally must be replaced when a stud is replaced. The Reedy patent also discloses a washer which is disposed between an axially outer portion of the stud and the outside surface of the track and includes apertures therein for receiving a portion of the track to inhibit turning of the stud relative to the T-nut. If the traction studs inadvertently unturn, they can be more easily broken or dislodged from the snowmobile drive track, thereby decreasing traction. Any traction reduction particular concern and importance to snowmobile racers who require maximum traction capabilities in order to maintain racing superiority. One solution to the problem of a stud unturning is the use an adhesive type substance on the stud thread such as that sold under the trademark “Loc-tite” to detachably lock the traction stud to the T-nut, however the use of Loc-tite is expensive and relatively time consuming to install.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and novel traction stud with new and improved characteristics for maintaining the stud on the track.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and novel stud mount for detachably locking a traction stud to an endless drive track.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and novel traction stud for an endless drive track which includes new and novel structure for detachably locking the traction stud to the drive track.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and novel traction stud and stud mount which are self-locking without the use of adhesives and fasteners.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and novel stud mount for improving the characteristics of detachably securing a traction stud to an endless drive belt.
Both of the prior art T-nut and push through style studs are typically mounted with a backer plate or washer disposed between an axially outer portion of the stud and the outer track surface to help laterally stabilize the stud and preclude the stud from pulling through the track. The replacement of studs of the type disclosed in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,234,266 typically includes the replacement of not only the stud and stud fastener, but also a washer, which precludes the stud from pulling through the track. Such prior art stud assemblies thus include a plurality of parts which must be assembled and disassembled. The turn around time required to replace broken studs is particularly important to snowmobile racers and the assembly and disassembly of the various stud mounting components is time consuming. Accordingly, it is another object of the present invention to provide a new and novel stud which facilitates a faster turn around time for replacing traction studs.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and novel stud mount which facilitates a faster turn around time for replacing traction studs.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and novel method for mounting a traction stud to an endless drive track.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and novel endless drive track including a plurality of new and novel mounts for mounting a plurality of new and novel traction studs.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and novel stud and stud mount of the type described which eliminates the need for a separate fastener.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a new and novel stud mount stud and method for mounting a traction stud which utilizes a decreased number of parts to mount a traction stud on the track.
Another object of the present invention is to eliminate the need for adhesive type substance formerly used to detachably lock studs to snowmobile drive track.
The typical traction studs of the type described in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,838,894 have a threaded mounting shank of uniform diameter disposed adjacent an enlarged intermediate flange having wrench flats for receiving a wrench for threadedly turning the stud about its axis into a stud mount.
During manufacture of an axial thread on the stud, the thread is typically rolled into the cylindrical outer surface of the stud. The rolling process includes the steps of radially inwardly rolling a thread groove into the outer surface of a cylindrical rod and concurrently radially outwardly displacing metal to form the lands of the thread which have an outer diameter slightly larger than the initial diameter of the rod. During this manufacturing process, normally an undercut is provided at the axially outer end of the thread to provide a place for the metal being displaced to pass. The root of the thread has a diameter which is less than the initial rod diameter and thus, the stud cross-section through the thread root is relatively small and is more easily fractured than is the larger diameter portions of the stud. The transverse forces set up during use sometimes causes the prior art traction studs to fail to break at the junction of the threads and the axially outwardly adjoining cylindrical shank portions. The portion of the stud immediately axially outwardly of the mounting thread is typically the weakest part of the traction stud and this typically is the portion of the stud which results in the maximum failure rate. Accordingly, it is another object of the present invention to provide a new and novel traction stud and method of making a traction stud which minimizes the failure rate during use.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and novel traction stud of the type described which has increased strength compared to the prior art traction studs.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and novel stud mount for mounting a traction stud to minimize the failure rate.
It has been found according to the present invention that providing a stud having an intermediate portion with a sidewall which diverges radially outwardly in an axial outward direction for mating with a stud mount having a complementally formed outwardly diverging skirt provides mating self-locking surfaces which will mate when the stud is threaded into the stud mount to increase stability, decrease breakage and preclude inadvertent dislodgement of the studs. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and novel traction stud having a threaded mounting portion at one end thereof, a ground engaging at the opposite end and an intermediate portion which is tapered to provide a self-locking axially outwardly tapered surface for mating with a complementally formed surface on a stud mount.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a stud mount having a mounting head, an internally threaded cylinder adjacent the head and a skirt depending from the threaded portion which tapers radially outwardly in an axially outer direction for mating
Musselman James
Musselman Mark
Musselman Robert
International Engineering and Manufacturing Inc.
Morano S. Joseph
Nguyen Long Bao
Swartz John J.
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