Abstract: An all terrain vehicle and suspension providing frame members that pivot relative to each other and independent of supported track assemblies. Suspension frame sections pivot at supported bearings and torsion couplers. An endless track of each track assembly is trained around a framework having a drive sprocket and sets of idler wheels. The track assemblies independently pivot relative to the vehicle from a track suspension frame and supported sets of idler wheels mounted to torsion biased rocker arms that resist and bias the rocker arms and idler wheels to an equilibrium position and conformally shape the track to the terrain. Improved track drive lug surfaces are shaped to prevent track derailment. The vehicle frame and track assemblies independently rise, fall and pivot as obstacles of differing configurations and types are encountered to stabilize and maintain an operator body substantially parallel to the ground.

Abstract: A gasoline engine powered snowboard having an endless track trained about a support frame containing driven and idler wheels. Engine operation is directed from an upright operator support column. A molded chassis is hinge coupled to pivot about alternative contoured track support pan assemblies. The pan support assemblies cooperate with flexible track surfaces (e.g. fringe or pleat members) and foot supports to enable steering with foot and body movements. A lower support pan exhibits convex edge surfaces that contact track pleats or fringe pieces and includes an elliptic longitudinal channel. Alternative upper support pans provide a reciprocating wheeled steering plate, longitudinal drive lug channels and contoured snow diversion surfaces and/or an agitator. Internal track surfaces include UHMW pieces at or aligned to the drive lugs. Ground contact lugs exhibit traction promoting and snow clearing contoured profiles, shapes and recesses.

Abstract: A gasoline engine powered snowboard having an endless track trained about a support frame containing driven and idler wheels. Engine operation is directed from an upright operator support column. A molded chassis is hinge coupled to pivot about alternative contoured track support pan assemblies. The pan support assemblies cooperate with flexible track surfaces (e.g. fringe or pleat members) and foot supports to enable steering with foot and body movements. A lower support pan exhibits convex edge surfaces that contact track pleats or fringe pieces and includes an elliptic longitudinal channel. Alternative upper support pans provide a reciprocating wheeled steering plate, longitudinal drive lug channels and contoured snow diversion surfaces and/or an agitator. Internal track surfaces include UHMW pieces at or aligned to the drive lugs. Ground contact lugs exhibit traction promoting and snow clearing contoured profiles, shapes and recesses.

Abstract: A gasoline engine powered snowboard having an endless track trained about a support frame containing driven and idler wheels. A molded chassis having a contoured track support pan cooperates with a fringed track and forward and rear foot supports to enable steering with foot and body movements. Engine operation is directed from operator directed servos coupled to the engine. The support pan exhibits a beveled contour and includes a recessed center region. The track is divided into center and right and left fringe portions defined by seriatim, lateral slits. Alternating rows of transverse, laterally offset drive lugs and ground contact lugs project from internal and external surfaces of the track. The drive lugs rotate within a contoured recess provided in the support pan. The ground contacting lugs exhibit contoured thickness profiles and provide transverse horizontal and obtuse extending portions that exhibit elongated, inverted V-shapes.

Abstract: A gasoline engine powered snowboard having an endless track trained about a support frame containing driven and idler wheels. A molded chassis having alternative contoured track support pans cooperate with flexible track surfaces (e.g. fringe or pleat members) and forward and rear foot supports to enable steering with foot and body movements. Engine operation is directed from an upright operator support column and directed servos coupled to the engine. One support pan exhibits a beveled contour and includes a recessed elliptic channel; another supports a reciprocating plate and steering wheels. Slit fringe members and pleats along right and left peripheral track edges cooperate with the pan contours and/or wheels to steer the vehicle. UHMW covered drive lugs and formed UHMW stiffener surfaces project from internal track surfaces. Ground contact lugs exhibit contoured thickness profiles, elongated, inverted V-shapes and include recesses.

Abstract: A track assembly having a drive sprocket capable of concentrically supporting several detachable drive rings containing drive teeth shaped to rotate without interfering with track support idler wheels, to provide a reduced center of gravity and substantially provide the same vehicle operating characteristic with tracks as with wheels. A track retainer guide member mounts along a peripheral edge of the track and overlies the track to resist track dislodgement. Independent and/or resiliently biased, rocker arms support track idler wheels to induce track flexion and conformance to encountered obstructions.

Abstract: An endless track assembly that mounts to a wheeled vehicle. The assembly provides 1) a track suspension having fixed or adjustable, independently biased sets of idler wheels to vary the track contour without affecting track tension, 2) an eccentric bearing housing at a drive sprocket controls track tension, 3) a contoured peripheral edge at the drive sprocket prevents ice and mud buildup, 4) rubber-coated, plastic idler wheels facilitate track movement, 5) a multi-vehicle compatible adapter mounting plate accommodates a variety of vehicles, 6) a rotation limited torsion coupler and/or rotation limiting coupler arms prevent track contact with the vehicle, 7) a locking steering arm coupler prevents loss of steering control, 8) shaped track lugs and channels clear and direct debris away from the track suspension and drive assembly, and 9) a center, spring biased coupling suspension stabilizes and enhances the contour following and load handling capabilities in the center region of the track.

Abstract: A gasoline engine powered snowboard having an endless track trained about a support frame containing driven and idler wheels. Engine operation is directed from an upright operator support column. A molded chassis is hinge coupled to pivot about alternative contoured track support pan assemblies. The pan support assemblies cooperate with flexible track surfaces (e.g. fringe or pleat members) and foot supports to enable steering with foot and body movements. A lower support pan exhibits convex edge surfaces that contact track pleats or fringe pieces and includes an elliptic longitudinal channel. Alternative upper support pans provide a reciprocating wheeled steering plate, longitudinal drive lug channels and contoured snow diversion surfaces and/or an agitator. Internal track surfaces include UHMW pieces at or aligned to the drive lugs. Ground contact lugs exhibit traction promoting and snow clearing contoured profiles, shapes and recesses.

Abstract: Track frame assemblies wherein one assembly provides a multi-section sub-frame that supports a series of idler wheel suspensions. Each section is mounted to pivot laterally from stub axles longitudinally secured to a drive frame. In another assembly, resilient bushings support idler wheel suspension axles to the track frame. The track frame also supports a detachable track tensioner containing idler wheels that facilitate track removal and replacement. A detachable hub at a track drive sprocket/drum further enhances frame mounting. Elastomer shim and air bag assemblies also torsionally control and limit rotation of the track assemblies.

Abstract: An all terrain vehicle and suspension providing frame members that pivot relative to each other and independent of supported track assemblies. Suspension frame sections pivot at supported bearings and torsion couplers. An endless track of each track assembly is trained around a framework having a drive sprocket and sets of idler wheels. The track assemblies independently pivot relative to the vehicle from a track suspension frame and supported sets of idler wheels mounted to torsion biased rocker arms that resist and bias the rocker arms and idler wheels to an equilibrium position and conformally shape the track to the terrain. Improved track drive lug surfaces are shaped to prevent track derailment. The vehicle frame and track assemblies independently rise, fall and pivot as obstacles of differing configurations and types are encountered to stabilize and maintain an operator body substantially parallel to the ground.

Abstract: A gasoline engine powered snowboard having an endless track trained about a support frame containing driven and idler wheels. A molded chassis having a contoured track support pan cooperates with a fringed track and forward and rear foot supports to enable steering with foot and body movements. Engine operation is directed from operator directed servos coupled to the engine. The support pan exhibits a beveled contour and includes a recessed center region. The track is divided into center and right and left fringe portions defined by seriatim, lateral slits. Alternating rows of transverse, laterally offset drive lugs and ground contact lugs project from internal and external surfaces of the track. The drive lugs rotate within a contoured recess provided in the support pan. The ground contacting lugs exhibit contoured thickness profiles and provide transverse horizontal and obtuse extending portions that exhibit elongated, inverted V-shapes.

Abstract: A gasoline engine powered snowboard having an endless track trained about a support frame containing driven and idler wheels. A molded chassis having alternative contoured track support pans cooperate with flexible track surfaces (e.g. fringe or pleat members) and forward and rear foot supports to enable steering with foot and body movements. Engine operation is directed from an upright operator support column and directed servos coupled to the engine. One support pan exhibits a beveled contour and includes a recessed elliptic channel; another supports a reciprocating plate and steering wheels. Slit fringe members and pleats along right and left peripheral track edges cooperate with the pan contours and/or wheels to steer the vehicle. UHMW covered drive lugs and formed UHMW stiffener surfaces project from internal track surfaces. Ground contact lugs exhibit contoured thickness profiles, elongated, inverted V-shapes and include recesses.

Abstract: Track frame assemblies wherein one assembly provides a multi-section sub-frame that supports a series of idler wheel suspensions. Each section is mounted to pivot laterally from stub axles longitudinally secured to a drive frame. In another assembly, resilient bushings support idler wheel suspension axles to the track frame. The track frame also supports a detachable track tensioner containing idler wheels that facilitate track removal and replacement. A detachable hub at a track drive sprocket/drum further enhances frame mounting. Elastomer shim and air bag assemblies also torsionally control and limit rotation of the track assemblies.

Abstract: An endless track assembly that mounts to a wheeled vehicle. The assembly provides 1) a track suspension having fixed or adjustable, independently biased sets of idler wheels to vary the track contour without affecting track tension, 2) an eccentric bearing housing at a drive sprocket controls track tension, 3) a contoured peripheral edge at the drive sprocket prevents ice and mud buildup, 4) rubber-coated, plastic idler wheels facilitate track movement, 5) a multi-vehicle compatible adapter mounting plate accommodates a variety of vehicles, 6) a rotation limited torsion coupler and/or rotation limiting coupler arms prevent track contact with the vehicle, 7) a locking steering arm coupler prevents loss of steering control, 8) shaped track lugs and channels clear and direct debris away from the track suspension and drive assembly, and 9) a center, spring biased coupling suspension stabilizes and enhances the contour following and load handling capabilities in the center region of the track.

Abstract: An endless track assembly that mounts to a wheeled vehicle. The assembly provides 1) a track suspension having fixed or adjustable, independently biased sets of idler wheels to vary the track contour without affecting track tension, 2) an eccentric bearing housing at a drive sprocket controls track tension, 3) a contoured peripheral edge at the drive sprocket prevents ice and mud buildup, 4) rubber-coated, plastic idler wheels facilitate track movement, 5) a multi-vehicle compatible adapter mounting plate accommodates a variety of vehicles, 6) a rotation limited torsion coupler and/or rotation limiting coupler arms prevent track contact with the vehicle, 7) a locking steering arm coupler prevents loss of steering control, and 8) shaped track lugs and channels clear and direct debris away from the track suspension and drive assembly.

Abstract: An endless track assembly wherein the weight of an associated vehicle/equipment is supported by the track framework. The track assembly provides a framework having a number of idler rollers and a drive sprocket that mounts to a rotational drive power source. The weight of the vehicle is transferred from a vehicle/equipment support flange that cooperates with a complementary support surface of the track framework and an intermediate bearing liner. The bearing support surfaces cooperate to permit the track frame to pivot relative to the chassis independent of the drive sprocket. The track assembly is particularly adapted to pivoting irrigation systems.