Debris deflector for endless track system

In a vehicle (24) having an endless track assembly (10), said endless track assembly (10) including a tandem pair of front wheels (14) each having a tread surface (18), a tandem pair of rear wheels (16) each having a tread surface (18), both of said wheels (14,16) being axled to said vehicle (24), and an endless track (12) encircling said pairs of wheels (14,16), the improvement comprising an elastomeric deflector (30) removably attached intermediate said wheels (14,16) by a support member (26) projecting from said vehicle (24), said deflector (30) having:

• a front edge portion (40) adjacent the tread surface (18) of the tandem pair of front wheels (14), a rear edge portion (42) adjacent the tread surface (18) of said tandem pair of rear wheels (16), one of said front and rear edge portions (40,42) being adapted for scraping accumulations of foreign matter from the corresponding one of said wheel tread surfaces (18);
• a deflection portion (32) defining an upper surface of said deflector (30), said deflection portion (32) being fashioned of an elastomeric material and being adapted to undergo flexure in response to at least one of scraping of one of said wheel tread surfaces (18) and movement of said vehicle (24);
• an inboard portion (36);
• an outboard portion (38);
• and,
• an intermediate portion (39), said intermediate portion (39) being at an elevation higher than one of the inboard portion (36) and the outboard portion (38).

A deflector (30) adapted for removing debris from an endless track assembly (10) which has a front wheel (14) with a tread surface (18), a rear wheel (16) with a tread surface (18) and an endless track (12) encircling said wheels (14,16), said deflector (30) comprising:

• a front edge portion (40);
• a rear edge portion (42) of a construction and configuration sufficient for removing debris from said rear wheel tread surface (18);
• a deflection portion (32) defining an upper surface of said deflector (30), said deflection portion (32) being fashioned of an elastomeric material and being adapted to deflect in response to at least one of scraping of debris from one of said wheel tread surfaces (18) and movement of said vehicle (24);
• a first portion (36);
• a second portion (38);
• and,
• an intermediate portion (39) intermediate said first and second portions (36,38) and being at an elevation greater than one of said first and second portions (36,38).