Head and tail sprocket assemblies for a marsh excavator
OwnerLarry Prestenbachinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A head sprocket assembly and sprocketless tail roller assembly for a pontoon track drive system wherein the sprocket assembly and tail roller is fitted with a plurality of support rings for straightening the track's elongated cleats attached to a plurality of chains passing lengthwise around the pontoons.
Claims15
A pontoon chain drive assembly having an inboard and outboard side comprising a sprocketless tail roller assembly located at one end of said pontoon and a chain sprocket drive roller assembly located at the opposite end of said pontoon with at least two endless loops of roller chain connected in parallel by a plurality of inverted channel cleats having polymeric channel guides attached thereto passing around said drive sprocket roller assembly and said tail roller assembly, said tail roller assembly comprising an elongate tubular drum rotatably supported upon a stub shaft located at each end, a plurality of ring members attached to said tubular drum located intermediate said roller chain in a manner whereby said channel cleats and said polymeric guides are in contact with said ring members while passing around said tubular drum.
A pontoon chain drive assembly having an inboard and outboard side comprising:
- a) a sprocketless tail roller assembly located at one end of said pontoon;
- b) a chain sprocket drive roller assembly located at an end of said pontoon opposite said tail roller having an integral drive motor;
- c) at least two endless loops of roller chain located in parallel passing around said pontoon, sprocketless tail roller assembly and said chain sprocket drive roller assembly;
- (d) a plurality of inverted channel cleats connected to each of said loops of roller chain having at least one polymeric guide member attached to each of said channel cleats;
- e) a plurality of ring members attached to said sprocketless tail roller assembly and said chain sprocket drive roller assembly located intermediate said roller chain in a manner whereby said cleats and said polymeric guide member is in contact with said ring members;
- and
- f) at least one guide ring attached to each of said sprocketless tail roller assembly and said chain sprocket drive roller assembly located adjacent said roller chain.
A method for straightening bent channel cleats associated with a pontoon chain drive assembly comprising a tail roller assembly and a chain drive roller assembly and at least two endless loops of roller chain connected in parallel by a plurality of inverted channel cleats passing longitudinally around pontoon and said drive assembly comprising the step of providing at least one said roller assembly with a plurality of ring members attached to said roller assembly located intermediate said roller chain in a manner whereby said cleats are forced into alignment by said ring members while passing around said roller assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.