Grouser Connects Plural Adjacent Belts Patents (Class 305/181)
  • Patent number: 10144462
    Abstract: A crawler vehicle drive system, in particular for a crawler vehicle configured to groom ski slopes, having: a drive wheel rotating about a first rotation axis; an idle wheel rotating about a second rotation axis parallel to the first rotation axis); and a track looped around the drive wheel and the idle wheel, and comprising a plurality of belts made of an elastomeric material and a plurality of metal grousers fixed to the belt; wherein at least one belt has at least one continuous toothed strip extending along the inner face of the belt and configured to mesh with the drive wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: PRINOTH S.p.A.
    Inventors: Martin Kirchmair, Gregor Maurer, Martin Runggaldier
  • Patent number: 8936324
    Abstract: A cross-link for a track that comprises belts spaced apart to accommodate a plurality of wheels of a tracked vehicle on which the track is mounted, the belts having a ground-facing side. In one embodiment, the cross-link comprises an elongate member for mounting to the belts to interconnect the belts, the elongate member having a belt-engaging face contacting the belts on the ground-facing side when the elongate member is mounted to the belts. The elongate member defines a channel including a bottom portion and a pair of sidewalls opposite one another on either side of the bottom portion. The cross-link also comprises a sole mountable in the channel for engaging a ground surface on which the tracked vehicle travels, the sole comprising a pair of sidewall-engaging surfaces for engaging the sidewalls when the sole is mounted in the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Snowgrolic S.A R.L.
    Inventors: Francois Paquet, Amine Khimjee, Patrick Bernard
  • Patent number: 6637840
    Abstract: A track support element includes an elongate body. A first tire containment member is positioned along the elongate body. A second tire containment member is positioned along the elongate body in spaced relation to the first tire containment member. Either the first tire containment member, the second tire containment member or both are movable along the elongate body whereby the relative distance between the first tire containment member and the second tire containment member is adjustable to accommodate vehicular tires having differing widths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Inventors: Tom Zaleski, Mark Leslie Middleton
  • Patent number: 6354677
    Abstract: A bearing for use with a snowmobile track is disclosed. The bearing includes an axle surrounded by a sleeve which is free to rotate when the snowmobile track is driven by the machine. The rails of the suspension systems of the snowmobile ride on the rolling surface resulting in reduced friction. The bearing can be used in a clip on the track or can be included in the track itself. A lubricious coating is utilized to reduce friction between the axle and the sleeve or bushing rotating about the axle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Industrial Fluid Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: James S. Cook, Chad M. Olson
  • Patent number: 6186604
    Abstract: Two endless wire rope loops spaced lengthwise of elongated grouser-mounting base plates of a tractor endless tread are secured to the grouser-mounting base plates by spaced U-shaped bows of clamping strips bolted to the grouser-mounting base plates, and the adjacent edges of adjacent clamping strips have interfitting projections and sockets for transmitting shear forces between such adjacent clamping strips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Inventor: Tyman H. Fikse
  • Patent number: 6125956
    Abstract: An all-terrain vehicle comprising in combination:a central frame having two parallel sides each one comprising:a toothed wheel (50) mounted on one side of the central frame at the front, two pivoting suspension tandems mounted on a support fixed on the side of the frame, a track surrounding, without prior tension, the wheels and tandems, a return wheel (92) aligned with the tandems and keeping the track around them. The track comprises a pair of elastomer bands (38, 40) disposed at a certain distance from each other; stoppers (33) are also disposed around the bands, and comprise a traction bar (34) transversally binding a band to another; two triangular guides (36) are installed inside a band and spaced outwardly to demarcate a tread (42) to receive successively wheels and tandems. A fixing bolt (74) holds the guide and the traction bar across the band. A second toothed wheel is mounted on the opposite side of the central frame and power driven independently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Inventor: Guy Gignac
  • Patent number: 6109705
    Abstract: A snowmobile drive track for travelling on various surfaces including icy surfaces, hardened snow surfaces and semi-hardened surfaces comprises an endless body having, on its ground engaging outer side, projecting profiles having peaks of different height. The first highest peaks bear on icy surfaces, while, on hardened snow surfaces, the second highest peaks also engage the ground; on semi-hardened snow surfaces, all peaks engage the ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: Camoplast, Inc.
    Inventor: Denis Courtemanche
  • Patent number: 6030057
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Inventor: Tyman H. Fikse
  • Patent number: 5951125
    Abstract: A roller belt arrangement for a CATERPILLAR (endless track) vehicle has at least one pull resistant belt having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. Drive members are connected to the first surface of the at least one pull resistant belt and extend transversely to a longitudinal extension of the at least one pull-resistant belt. The drive members have a U-shaped foot comprising a stay and two legs, wherein the stay rests on the first surface and the legs project perpendicularly from the first surface. The bolts, having a head and a threaded end opposite the head, are provided for connecting the drive members to the at least one pull-resistant belt. Plate members are non-rotatably positioned between the legs. The bolts penetrate the at least one belt, the stays, and the plate members, with the threaded ends positioned between the legs. Nuts, threaded onto the threaded ends of the bolts, are provided for securing the bolts and are nonrotatably secured relative to the plate members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1999
    Assignee: Arnold Jager
    Inventors: Arnold Jager, Claudius Jager, Sebastian Jager
  • Patent number: 5902021
    Abstract: A roller belt arrangement for a track-type vehicle has pull-resistant belts with a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. Drive members are connected to the first surface of the pull-resistant belt so as to extend transverse to a longitudinal extension of the at least one pull-resistant belt. U-shaped members, having a stay and two legs defining a cavity therebetween, are positioned on a second surface opposite the drive members such that the stay rests on the second surface. Cushion members are positioned in the cavity of the U-shaped members. Screw bolts for connecting the drive members to the pull-resistant belt are provided. The screw bolts extend sequentially through the cushion member, the stay of the U-shaped member, the pull-resistant belt, and the drive member. The screw bolts are directly threaded into the drive members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1999
    Inventor: Arnold Jager
  • Patent number: 5741052
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1998
    Inventor: Tyman H. Fikse