Abstract: A throttle valve body (10, 100), especially for an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle, having a tubular body (16, 116), which comprises at least an outer casing (16A, 116A), an inner casing (16B, 116B), a first end face (16C, 116C) and a second end face (16D, 116D), the inner casing (16B, 116B) of the tubular body (16, 116) forming a flow duct (20, 120) through which a gaseous medium (56, 156), especially air, can flow in a main flow direction (58, 158), a throttle plate (24, 124) swivel-mounted on a throttle shaft (22, 122) being arranged in the flow duct (20, 120), is to have an especially low weight and be manufactured at least partially from standard components. For this purpose the outer casing (16A, 116A) of the tubular housing (16, 116) is at least partially enclosed by a housing (12, 112) made of plastic (14, 114), at least one actuator (30, 130) for the throttle shaft (22, 122) being arranged in the housing (12, 112) and the tubular body (16, 116) being largely composed of metal (18, 118).

Abstract: In the operation of conventional track assemblies it is common for an idler to have a pair of laterally extending wear treads to engage and support the wear rails defined by the track links of the track assembly as it is driven thereabout. This ultimately creates an arcuate wear pattern on the wear rails of the track links creating an extremely rough ride when the wear rails contact the track rollers suspended from a roller frame. The present invention provides a sprocketed idler that contacts a roller bushing that extends between a pair of chain assemblies defined by the track assembly to support the track assembly as it is rotated therearound. The sprocketed idler with roller bushings provides lateral guidance for the track assembly and, in combination with the roller bushings, provides noise reduction compared to conventional track assemblies.

Abstract: A crawler track mechanism including a plurality of track plates each mounted on track chain links, the chain links being interconnected by bushes having an outer sleeve rotatably journalled on an inner sleeve which in turn is rotatably journalled on a central cylindrical pin). A drive sprocket, and if necessary an idler sprocket, includes recesses having a semi-circular cross section to receivably locate the bushes. The bushes, by virtue of the relative rotation between the pin, the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve, reduce friction and wear between the drive sprocket and the chain bushes.

Abstract: A light weight track system for a buoyant amphibious vehicle, the vehicle having two pontoons, the pontoons having a flat horizontal top surface and a flat horizontal bottom surface, each end of the flat horizontal top surface and the flat horizontal bottom surface being connected by a flat inclined surface, the track system including a plurality of treads connected by a single continuous drive chain assembly around the outside of each of the pontoons, the flat horizontal top surface and the flat horizontal bottom surface having a channel therein for rotatable receipt of the drive chain assembly, the drive chain assembly including a plurality of rotatable drive rollers connected to the treads and connected to adjacent drive rollers by links to form a continuous drive chain extending completely around the outer surface of each of the pontoons, each tread having an idler roller connected at each end thereof which contacts the surface of the pontoon to support the tread.