Ice stud for snowmobile tracks

A method of making a ground engaging stud for a snowmobile track or the like comprising:

• providing a metal blank having a central hub and a plurality of perimetrically spaced, radially outwardly projecting lobes;
• stretching portions of said blank at the junctions of said lobes and said hub to at least partially bend the perimetrical sides of said lobes and provide curvilinear teeth;
• and
• stretching the hub to provide a cup shaped mounting body having a longitudinal axis and bending the teeth to radially outwardly flaring positions inclined to said axis.

Traction increasing apparatus for an endless snowmobile drive belt including:

• a channel shaped cleat adapted to be mounted on the outer surface of said belt generally transversely to the path of travel of said belt;
• and
• a stud having a hub received in said channel and a plurality of equiangularly spaced, outwardly diverging ground engaging teeth projecting outwardly from said hub;
• said stud and said teeth being arranged such that the terminal ends of at least two of said teeth on the lead side of said axis lie in vertical planes which are parallel to the path of travel and intersect the terminal ends of at least two opposing teeth on the opposite trailing side of said axis;
• said stud and said teeth being so arranged that the terminal ends of at least two of said teeth on one lateral side of the stud axis lie in vertical planes which are perpendicular to the path of travel and intersect the terminal ends of at least two opposing teeth on the laterally opposite side of said stud axis.

A method of making a ground engaging stud for a snowmobile track comprising the steps of:

• forming a blank having a central hub and a plurality of perimetrically disposed lobes projecting radially outwardly therefrom;
• bending perimetrically opposite side portions of the lobes in a direction transverse to the plane of said blank toward each other to provide a plurality of curvilinear teeth;
• and
• bending the central hub in an opposite direction to provide a cup-shaped mounting hub.

A one piece stud for an endless snowmobile drive track movable in an endless path to forwardly propel a snowmobile or the like comprising:

• hub means for mounting the stud to the track including a sidewall extending perimetrically about a longitudinal axis of said stud, said hub means including leading and trailing sides;
• and
• a plurality of perimetrically symmetrically disposed ground engaging projections on each of the opposed leading and trailing sides of said hub means diverging radially outwardly from said sidewall in a direction axially away from said hub means, said projections including ground engaging edge portions;
• said hub means including means for mounting said projections on said track such that said ground engaging edge portions are substantially equidistantly spaced from said track.

A one piece stud for an endless snowmobile drive track or the like comprising:

• hub means for mounting the stud to the track including a sidewall extending perimetrically about a longitudinal axis of said stud;
• and
• a plurality of perimetrically disposed, ground engaging projections diverging radially outwardly from said sidewall in a direction axially away from said hub means, said projections including ground engaging edge portions;
• said hub means including means for mounting said projections on said track such that said ground engaging edge portions are substantially equidistantly spaced from said track;
• said projections being equiangularly disposed about said axis.

A method of making a one piece stud for a snowmobile track or the like comprising:

• forming a star shaped blank having a central body and a plurality of circumferentially disposed segmental lobes projecting radially therefrom on opposite sides of said central body, the lobes on each side of said body being symmetrically disposed;
• bending the opposite edges of the lobes out of the plane of the blank to provide arcuate lugs;
• and
• cupping the body of the blank to provide a cup shaped mid-section having an annular sidewall and bending the lobes to positions in which said lobes flare radially outwardly in a direction axially away from said sidewall.

A method of making a one piece stud for a snowmobile track or the like comprising:

• forming a star shaped blank having a central body and a plurality of circumferentially disposed segmental lobes projecting radially therefrom;
• bending the opposite edges of the lobes out of the plane of the blank to provide arcuate lugs;
• and
• cupping the body of the blank to provide a cup-shaped mid-section having an annular sidewall and bending the lobes to positions in which said lobes flare radially outwardly relative to said sidewall in a direction axially away from said sidewall.

In combination:

• an endless snowmobile drive track movable in an endless path for propelling a snowmobile forwardly;
• at least one stud mounted on said track including a central hub for mounting the stud on the drive track;
• and
• said central hub including a perimetrical sidewall extending parallel to a longitudinal axis of said stud, said axis being perpendicular to said track, and
• a plurality of perimetrically disposed, ground engaging teeth on each of the leading and trailing sides of said hub, said teeth being integral with and projecting from said sidewall in a direction away from said track;
• said teeth diverging outwardly away from the sidewall in a direction away from said track and terminating in sharp edges which are substantially equidistantly spaced from said track.