Wheel for belted track vehicles
AssigneeKinze Manufacturing, Inc.
InventorsHarry C. Deckler, Richard J. Vokoun
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wheel for belted track vehicles includes a hub with an upright central disc. A series of individually cast and machined segments are mounted to the disc in side-by-side relation about the periphery of both sides of the disc. Each segment takes the shape of a truncated sector having a general “L” shape as viewed from an end, with a back or base engaging a side of the disc, and belt support elements extending laterally of the disc for engaging and supporting the track.
Claims24
A wheel for an endless track for a vehicle, comprising:
- a hub including a disc-shaped mounting plate having a width substantially less than the width of said track and extending generally perpendicular to an axis of rotation of said hub, said mounting plate including a circumferential contact surface of uniform spacing from said axis of rotation and first and second lateral mounting surfaces on opposite sides of said mounting plate;
- a first plurality of metal wheel segments mounted to said first lateral mounting surface of said mounting plate and
- a second plurality of metal wheel segments mounted to and engaging said second lateral mounting surface;
- each of said wheel segments including at least one axially extending support element for supporting said track, and a first locater surface for contacting said circumferential contact surface of said hub for locating said segment in a radial direction, and a second locater surface for contacting one of said lateral mounting surfaces of said mounting plate for locating said segment axially;
- said wheel segments of said first and second pluralities including respective inner surfaces cooperating to define a central peripheral groove sized to receive radially extending positioning lugs of said belt.
A wheel for a vehicle having a continuous ground-engaging belted track, comprising:
- a hub including a mounting member having a thickness substantially less than a width of said track and defining opposing generally upright mounting surfaces extending radially outward from an axis of rotation of said hub;
- first and second pluralities of cast metal segments, each plurality of segments mounted in side-by-side relation respectively on opposing lateral sides of said mounting member,
- each segment including a base engaging one of said mounting surfaces of said mounting member, and a plurality of circumferentially spaced support elements each having a belt engaging surface, and cooperating to form a support for said belt;
- and
- threaded fasteners for removably mounting said segments to said mounting surfaces of said mounting member.
A cast metal segment for a wheel for a belted-track vehicle, said wheel including a hub having a circumferential contact surface and at least one generally vertical lateral mounting surface, said segment comprising:
- a base defining at least a first locater surface for contacting said contact surface of said hub to locate said segment radially about an axis of rotation of said hub;
- an intermediate section extending radially outward of said base and inclined radially outwardly of said lateral mounting surface of said hub when said segment is mounted thereto;
- an outer section spaced from and generally parallel to said lateral mounting section of said hub when said segment is mounted thereto;
- a plurality of axially extending belt support elements cast integrally with said outer section;
- and
- an integrally cast brace for each of said belt support elements extending between said base section and said intermediate section and an associated belt support element.
A wheel for a vehicle having a continuous ground-engaging belted track comprising:
- a hub including a disc having a thickness substantially less than a width of said track and extending radially outward of an axis of rotation of said hub assembly;
- first and second pluralities of cast metal segments,
- individual segments of said first and second plurality of segments mounted in side-by-side relation respectively on opposing radial sides of said disc,
- each segment including a base engaging one side surface of said disc, and a plurality of spaced support elements having belt engaging surfaces forming a cylindrical support for said belt;
- and
- threaded fasteners for removably mounting said segments to said radial sides of said disc.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.