Patent ID: 6129289
Filing Date: 2000-10-10
Classification: B60B

Abstract:
In a traction device for use in aiding a wheeled vehicle stuck in mud, snow, or other soft and slippery ground by providing a traction grip to a peripheral surface of a tire tread of the vehicle, the traction device having a U-shaped frame adapted to lie on the ground and including a pair of longitudinally extending bars having forward ends and rear ends and a transversely extending bar connecting the pair of longitudinally extending bars on the forward ends, a pair of claws, each claw defining a plate portion integrally formed on each of said rear ends of the longitudinally extending bars, the pair of claws being adapted to grip the peripheral surface of the tire tread, and a plurality of transverse braces, each brace having a transverse portion extending between the pair of longitudinally extending bars for providing traction grip to the tire and a pair of traction cleats extending from each end of the transverse bar downwardly below the U-shaped frame for ground engagement and for elevating the traction device from the around in some measure, the improvement wherein the plurality of transverse braces include:a forward-most transverse brace positioned near the transversely extending bar, and having a transverse portion and a pair of traction cleats to maintain the traction device in a level posture as the tire of the vehicle passes over the forward end of the U-shaped frame,and wherein said traction cleats of said forward-most transverse brace have angle points to restrict forward movement of the traction device as the vehicle passes over the device.