Patent ID: 6164736
Filing Date: 2000-12-26
Classification: B60B,B62D

Abstract:
A shock absorbing, wheel-and-track assembly to enhance the ability of land vehicle to travel off-road, comprising:a spider;a set of spoke structures connected to the spider;cylinders of the spoke structures connected to the spider;pistons axially translatable in the cylinders;piston collars on the pistons, the piston collars closely and slidingly fitting against inner peripheral walls of the cylinders, whereby the piston collars separate volume within the cylinder into two axially spaced cylindrical zones;fluid within the zones;passages through the collar communicating one of the zones to another of the zones;struts extending from the pistons;track shoes on the struts, the track shoes having a generally arcuate track engagement sector;a ground contacting track engaged by the shoes;means in the assembly for governing the tension of the track;the governing means including means for adjusting the distance of the shoes from the cylinders in response to rotation of the strut about an axis passing longitudinally through the strut;the governing means further including means for controlled disabling of the adjusting means so as to lock the shoes in chosen positions relative to the cylinders.