Vehicle track retention device
OwnerHarold S. Firstenberginventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A track-carrying frame is attached to a vehicle axle, preferably as a temporary replacement for the vehicle wheel, as is disclosed in application Ser. No. 413,443, filed Nov. 7, 1973 now U.S. Pat. No. 3,834,771. The present device comprises a track guide attached to the bottom of the frame which cooperates with lugs on the inner faces of the track to prevent the track from moving laterally off the frame and the sprockets, idlers and bogie wheels mounted thereon. Further, the device restrains the frame from movement relative to the vehicle from its normal horizontal position into an inoperative position when the frame momentarily is out of contact with the ground.
Claims13
For use with a vehicle track drive member suitable for attachment to a vehicle wheel drive wall to replace the vehicle wheel and wherein is provided a frame having a normally substantially horizontal bottom, a drive sprocket, idlers and bogie wheels rotatably mounted in said frame and an endless track extending around said sprocket, idlers and bogie wheels, said track having a plurality of sections pivotally connected together, each said section having on either side thereof a lug which protrudes inward on either side of said frame, the improvement which comprises an inverted channel extending longitudinally and having a web, means rigidly connecting said web flush with the underside of said bottom, and flanges on the underside of said web, said flanges disposed immediately inward of the path of travel of said lugs as said track is driven by said sprocket and holding said track sections spaced below said bottom.
For use with a vehicle track drive member suitable for attachment to a vehicle wheel drive wall to replace the vehicle wheel and wherein is provided a frame, an endless track and drive means for said track rotatably mounted in said frame, the improvement which comprises a flexible member, first means for attachment of one end of said flexible member to a fixed position on said vehicle, and second means for attachment of a second end of said flexible member to a position adjacent one end of said frame, whereby said flexible member restrains within fixed limits rotation of said frame about the axis of rotation of said sprocket, said second means comprising first and second bracket means fixed to opposite sides of said frame and a second flexible member interconnecting said first and second bracket means, said second end of said first-mentioned flexible means connected to said second flexible member.
For use with a vehicle track drive member suitable for attachment to a vehicle wheel drive wall to replace the vehicle wheel and wherein is provided a frame, an endless track and drive means for said track rotatably mounted in said frame, the improvement which comprises a flexible member, first means for attachment of one end of said flexible member to a fixed position on said vehicle, second means for attachment of a second end of said flexible member to a position adjacent one end of said frame, whereby said flexible member restrains within fixed limits rotation of said frame about the axis of rotation of said sprocket, and a bracket fixed to the inward side of said frame and having a substantially vertical upward extension, said second end of said flexible member being connected to the upper end of said upward extension.
For use with a vehicle track drive member suitable for attachment to a vehicle wheel drive wall to replace the vehicle wheel and wherein is provided a frame, an endless track and drive means for said track rotatably mounted in said frame, the improvement which comprises a flexible member, first means for attachment of one end of said flexible member to a fixed position on said vehicle, and second means for attachment of a second end of said flexible member to a position adjacent one end of said frame, whereby said flexible member restrains within fixed limits rotation of said frame about the axis of rotation of said sprocket, and an extendable, resilient tightener cord connected to said flexible member to take up slack in said flexible member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.