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US 2010/0301125 A1Published application
Track device
AssigneeOSB, Inc.
InventorsChristopher S. Kennard, Wayne Carmona
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A track device includes rails and cross-members capable of supporting a carriage with wheels such as a car, dolly or cart.
Claims11
A method of providing a smooth, low noise dolly movement comprising the steps of:
- providing first and second track sections, each section including first and second hollow rails;
- providing for each rail a respective support member including a hollow part and opposed flanges;
- continuously and eccentrically supporting each rail with the hollow part;
- spacing the support members apart with a plurality of cross members, each cross member having opposed ends and each end rotatably coupled between opposed flanges of a rail support member;
- providing a male conical ferrule at one end of each rail and a female conical ferrule at the opposite end of each rail tube, rail ends at the end of the same track section having one male ferrule and one female ferrule;
- providing adjacent to each mated ferrule pair a buckle with a lever operated latch and a slotted latch plate affixed to the hollow part;
- mating the male and female ferrules at one end of the first track section with the female and male ferrules at one end of the second track section;
- drawing the mated ferrules together by hooking the latch in the slotted latch plate and rotating the lever to close the buckle;
- limiting dolly bumps by matching the rail outer diameter with the ferrule outer diameter where the rail abuts the ferrule;
- and,
- limiting dolly noise by selecting a rail material and a mating dolly wheel material that produce a lubricious wear byproduct during use.
8 more elements
A track assembly comprising:
- first and second hollow rail tubes coupled to respective support members and at least one cross member interconnecting the support members;
- each support member including a hollow part and two flanges;
- the hollow part extending along the length of a respective rail tube;
- the flanges extending along the majority of the length of a respective rail tube;
- the hollow part including a first side formed to match the curvature of a selected outer circumference of a rail tube;
- the first side of the hollow part supporting the rail tube;
- the hollow part including a second side, the flanges extending from the second side with a gap therebetween;
- the hollow part including a third side for supporting the rail tube;
- the cross member having opposed ends and an end of the cross member having an uncurved corner substantially opposite a curved corner;
- the cross member end inserted in the gap of the first support member and rotatably coupled to the flanges forming the gap;
- the track having collapsed and extended states;
- in the extended state, the cross member extends between the support members with the cross member ends located in the respective gaps;
- and,
- in the extended state, an uncurved corner limits rotation of the cross member with respect to a support member in one direction.
11 more elements
A track assembly comprising:
- first and second self-lubricating, hollow rail tubes coupled to respective support members and at least one articulated cross member interconnecting the support members;
- each support member including a hollow part and two flanges;
- the hollow part including a first side formed to match the curvature of a selected outer circumference of a rail tube;
- the first side of the hollow part supporting the rail tube;
- the hollow part including a second side, the flanges extending from the second side with a gap therebetween;
- the hollow part including a third side for supporting the track;
- the cross member having opposed ends;
- an end of the cross member having an uncurved corner substantially opposite a curved corner;
- the cross member end inserted in the gap of the first support member and rotatably coupled to the flanges forming the gap;
- the track having collapsed and extended states;
- in the extended state, the cross member extends between the support members with only the cross member ends located in the respective gaps;
- and,
- in the extended state, an uncurved corner limits rotation of the cross member with respect to a support member in one direction.
10 more elements
A track assembly comprising:
- first and second hollow rails;
- first and second support members coupled to the first and second rails to support the first and second rails;
- each support member including a hollow part and two opposed flanges;
- the hollow part including a first side formed to match the curvature of a selected outer circumference of a rail tube;
- the first side of the hollow part supporting the rail tube;
- the hollow part including a second side, the flanges extending from the second side with a gap therebetween;
- a cross member having first and second opposed ends, the first end pivotally coupled between the flanges of the first support member and the second end pivotally coupled between the flanges of the second support member;
- a first buckle mounted at the end of the first support member for engaging a mating fastener mounted at the end of an opposed support member;
- the buckle including a clevis, a lever, a pawl, and a fastener wherein the lever is rotatably engaged with the clevis, the pawl is rotatably engaged with the lever and the pawl is operable to restrain the lever when a midsection of the pawl is captured by the fastener;
- the track having collapsed and extended states;
- and,
- in the collapsed state an edge of a cross member is substantially located in a pocket created by opposing flanges of one support member.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.