Abstract: The automatic safety seat in a vehicle are designed to minimize the seriousness of car-crash injuries during a frontal collision. When the vehicle collides against other vehicle at a relative velocity of 40 Km/h or up, the backrest is pushed to recline backward by action of springs and various mechanisms designed. A tension spring is one of the most important part used to bring the backrest to a reclining position. Collision results in pulling the upper part of occupants fastened by designed safety-belts to the backrest to recline backwards to the rearmost. Thus, pelvis, chest and head of the occupant are moved away to the farmost and can avoid striking with deforming frontal parts of the intruding car by frontal collision. Chest injuries and brain damage can be avoided.

Abstract: Endless loops spaced lengthwise of elongated grouser-mounting plates of a tractor endless tread in which each loop includes two side-by-side stretches of wire rope having the interstices between the strands of both wire rope stretches filled with elastomer material, and both stretches of wire rope being embedded in elastomer material integrating the two stretches into a single embedment, the two wire rope loops being secured to the grouser-mounting plates by spaced U-shaped bends of clamping strips bolted to the grouser-mounting plates, and spacer plates bridge between adjacent grouser-mounting plates and make loose tongue-and-groove joints therewith for enabling the grouser-mounting plates and the spacer plates to tilt relatively as the endless tread travels around a tractor wheel, but the straight tread portion of the tread extending between tractor wheels spaced lengthwise of the tractor is substantially inflexible inward.

Abstract: A hydraulic chain tensioning means for automatically tensioning the chains of crawler vehicles equipped with two-, four- or eight-wheel articulated suspension means comprises essentially two tensioning cylinders (1.1 and 1.2) and a plurality of valves (3). The two tensioning cylinders (1.1 and 1.2) are interconnected by way of ducts (4) and connected by further ducts (5) to the valves (3). The tensioning cylinders (1.1 and 1.2) are fitted to the chassis (10) of the crawler vehicle and the leading wheel of the crawler vehicle bears against the piston rods (1.1K and 1.2K) of the tensioning cylinders (1.1 and 1.2). Parallel to the tensioning cylinders (1.1 and 1.2) a soft spring (piston-type accumulator 6) is connected so that at the beginning of the chain tensioning means being put under load only a minor pressure rise occurs in the tensioning cylinders (1.1 and 1.2).

Abstract: A container, such as a transfer trailer, a roll-off container, or other container that can be transported, has expandable side walls. The walls are hydraulically, or otherwise, forced outward to increase the inside width dimension of the container. A loading device, such as a garbage route collection truck or other similar vehicle can then be backed into the container whereby the solid material waste or other commodities can be directly loaded into the container. Once the container has been loaded, the side walls can be retracted to their original positions, such that the container maintains its standard regulated width dimension.

Abstract: The noise generated by a snowmobile track in operation can be reduced and attenuated by arranging for the track elements such as the drive lugs and ground-engaging lugs to have a degree of non-uniformity in their repeating pattern and thus to avoid the generation of peak noise levels at particular frequencies.

Abstract: A grille guard for an automobile has at least one first grille guard member extending generally horizontally so as to protect a portion of an automobile's front and at least one second grille guard member extending generally vertically and attached to the first grille guard member. Each of the second grille guard members has a first generally planar member and a perpendicular second generally planar member generally defining a T-shaped cross-section. The second generally planar member has a plurality of openings formed therein, generally along the length thereof, the openings having a width which is greater than the width of the first generally planar member. The second generally planar member is attached to the first generally planar member by forming a weld between the second generally planar member and the first generally planar member within a plurality of the openings.

Abstract: A shopping cart wheel assembly having an anti-friction or ball bearing portion and also having a journal bearing. Under severe side loads or conditions of wear, the journal bearing takes over and prevents the wheel from moving significantly out of alignment.

Abstract: In the structure of a vehicle, torque boxes are provided for coupling extension sideframes and sidesills on right and left sides in the front of the vehicle cabin. The rear end portions of the suspension member are coupled to rear coupling portions provided in the torque boxes, and coupling points for coupling thereat with the suspension member of the rear coupling portions are provided outside in a widthwise direction of the vehicle relative to the center of a section of the extension sideframes, and inside in the car width direction than the center of a section of the sidesills. With this structure, a load to the rearward of the vehicle of the suspension member at the time of a front-end collision and a front-end offset collision of the vehicle can be efficiently dissipated and transmitted to the extension sideframe and the sidesill via the torque box, and any retreat of the suspension member can be suppressed with a light and simple structure.

Abstract: A tank cap which is pivotally supported, preferably about an approximately vertical axis, at an end portion of a tank inlet tray of an automotive vehicle, a carrier element of plastic material being provided having an outer circumference approximately corresponding to that of the tank cap and being pivotally supported by the inlet tray, and a cover element of sheet metal being attached to the outer surface of the carrier element.

Abstract: An auxiliary sun visor formed of a transparent polarized shield is removably attached to conventional vehicle sun visor in a manner allowing it to be pivoted without simultaneous movement of the conventional sun visor.

Abstract: A removable rear seat for motor vehicles, in particular for Estate cars with a variable-volume loading space, having a rigid seat bench and a seat-bench substructure for fixing the seat height. The substructure is fixed on the floor of the vehicle body via releasable anchorage locations. In order to provide a rear seat which is manageable, easy to remove, and makes optimum use of the resulting free space after the rear seat has been removed, the seat-bench substructure is connected releasably, at its end remote from the anchorage locations, to the seat bench and is retained in its anchorage location. Thus, it can be pivoted out of a use position into a stowage position on or in the floor of the vehicle body and vice versa. At least one manually actuatable locking device locks the seat-bench substructure in its use position and determines the seat height.

Abstract: A hub for greasing inner and outer shaft bearings on a spindle having greasing passageways leading in from the front of the hub. One passageway leads to the front of the outer bearing and the other passageway leads to the rear of the inner bearing. A purging passageway is provided between the inner and outer bearings whereby upon pressured grease being forced into greasing passageways in the direction of the purging passageways, new grease is forced in an axial direction through the bearings and old grease and contaminants are purged. An annular seal between the bearings provides the purging passageway with the spindle, such passageway being next to the shaft for maintaining a supply of grease on the shaft. The seal has at least one annular recess for providing additional storage of grease. Grease holding areas are provided adjacent the bearings such that grease is forced into the bearings by centrifugal force when the hub rotates on the spindle.

Abstract: An automotive wheel having an outboard face presenting an asymmetric appearance and having a permanently fixed counterbalance weight near the outer periphery of the wheel to balance the wheel. The wheel disk has an asymmetric design which tends to statically and dynamically unbalance the wheel. A relatively light counterbalance weight is permanently fixed to the wheel during manufacture of the wheel. This counterbalance weight statically and dynamically balances the overall wheel.

Abstract: A telescoping trailer adapted for towing by a land vehicle. The trailer includes an outer body supported by wheels and has an opening therein for slidably receiving a telescoping section. A drive assembly is secured to the telescoping section for frictionally engaging a drive wheel with a surface beneath the trailer and rotating the drive wheel to selectively extend and retract the telescoping section. An optional chain drive assembly is provided to the trailer for assisting the drive assembly in selectively moving the telescoping section relative to the outer body.

Abstract: A shock absorbing structure for a motor vehicle, including a base plate having a thickness greater than 1.5 mm, and a plurality of ribs formed so as to constitute a latticework on one of opposite major surfaces of the base plate. The latticework has a plurality of rectangular cells each having two pairs of adjacent sides. The ribs have a thickness in a range of 0.6-1.2 mm. One of the two adjacent sides of each cell of the latticework of the ribs has a first length of 30-50 mm, and the other side has a second length greater than 30 mm and not greater than 50 mm. The base plate and ribs are formed of a synthetic resin material comprising polyolefin, which material has an Izod impact strength of not smaller than 5 kgcm/cm, and a tangent modulus of elasticity in a range of 5000-20000 kg/cm.sup.2.

Abstract: A drive system for a caterpillar track (30) comprises a drive wheel (1) with rubber-mounted drive bodies (10) fixed thereto, the drive bodies (10) engaging the guide tooth root (65) of the chain link member (52). The flank (51) of the guide tooth (32) is of a particular geometrical configuration in order to provide a long operating life for the rubber mounting means (21) of the drive body (10) by virtue of a small angle of rotational movement of the rubber casing (21).

Abstract: To attach a wheel cover to a vehicle wheel, mounting brackets are provided which are attached to the lug nuts which retain the wheel to the vehicle hub. Each bracket includes a threaded bore for receiving a screw extended through the wheel cover to retain the cover to the bracket.

Abstract: A vehicle wheel has a rotatively mounted rim and a pneumatic tire detachably arranged thereon. The tire has a body with a torus-shaped cross section, an approximately cylindrical running surface and two radial side walls. Two tire seats reinforced by traction-resistant core rings for fastening the tire between horns arranged at the ends of the rim are located at the ends of the tire which face the rim. At least one of the horns of the rim has a greater radial length and extends at least up to the middle area of the respective side wall of the tire. The side walls of the tire are flexible in the whole area between the tire seats and the tire shoulders.

Abstract: A structure of a frame connecting portion capable of firmly connecting a floor frame member to a side frame member in an automobile is provided. An end portion of the floor frame member provided on the floor panel, having an approximately U-shaped cross section and reinforced by the frame stiffener, is connected to an end portion of the side frame member having an approximately U-shaped cross section. At the connecting portion, the frame stiffener, floor frame member and side frame member are stacked on each other and tied integrally by tightening means penetrating them.

Abstract: A modular endless track assembly which bolts to the wheel of a wheeled vehicle (e.g. pickup truck or ATV). The assembly includes a wheel retainer plate, drive drum, track frame and plurality of idler wheels, track tension adjuster, and vehicle support bracket. The drive drum and idler wheels cooperate with lugs and channels at the track. The support bracket includes an anti-torque coupler mounted between the vehicle and track frame. The coupler centers the track to an equilibrium position and prevents over rotation. The mounting position of the coupler and mounting brackets is varied at the track frame to accommodate front and rear wheel track assemblies. A recurring, W-shaped groove pattern at the track cooperates with the idler wheels to self-clean the track and maintain controlled vehicle steering.