Track-type vehicle wheel having impact resistance means

#In the operation of track-type vehicles, the track impacts the sprocket and other wheels of the track assembly with relatively large forces. These impact forces reduce the life of the impacting components and cause an undesirable amount of noise.

#This invention therefore resides in apparatus for controllably resisting the impact forces on the track assembly wheels in response to operation of the track and thereby extending its life and reducing the noise of operation.

#FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side view in partial secton of a portion of a work vehicle having the apparatus of this invention; and

#FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic sectional view taken along line II--II of FIG. 1.

#Referring to FIG. 1, a work vehicle 10, for example a crawler tractor, has a continuous track 11 driven by a sprocket wheel 12 and being supported by an idler wheel and other wheels (not shown). The continuous track 11 is formed of a plurality of track shoes 13 interconnected by pins 14 that are covered by bushings 15. These elements are well known in the art as are the impact forces subjected onto the wheels 12 by the track 11. It should be understood, however, that the wheels of this invention can be any of the wheels of the track assembly, and for purposes of brevity, a sprocket wheel 12 is the only wheel shown.

#The wheel 12 has a hub 20 connected to a rim 21 and to the power train (not shown) of the vehicle 10. The rim 21 has an outer surface 22 and a plurality of generally radially extending openings 23. The rim 21 is connected to the hub 20 by fasteners 24 and is of a configuration or construction sufficient to provide a generally coaxial annular chamber 25 defined by said hub 20 and rim 21. The generally radially extending openings 23 of the rim 21 open into said chamber 25.

#Where the wheel 12 is a sprocket wheel, as shown in the drawings, the outer surface of the wheel 12 has a plurality of arcuately spaced apart teeth 26. The teeth 26 are spaced one from the other by an intervening root area. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, the generally radially extending openings 23 of the rim 21 open on the root area 27. The openings 22 open on the root area 27 of the rim 21.