Patent ID: 6789824
Filing Date: 2004-09-14
Classification: B60B

Abstract:
A land vehicle traction control device, for enhancing the traction of a land vehicle in adverse ice and snow conditions, comprising:a sand box for holding sand; a nozzle for discharging sand from the sand box; an arrangement, for controlling the flow of sand, including a butterfly valve located in the nozzle and connected to a solenoid by a solenoid operating rod for operating the butterfly valve between open and closed positions, a heating element positioned at the nozzle for melting ice buildup, and ice pick in the form of a rod with a sharp end in the nozzle for breaking ice buildup; and wherein, said butterfly valve is in the form of a plate that pivots about an axis that divides the plate into two halves; and said operating rod has an end pivotally mounted on one halve of the plate, and said ice pick rod has an end pivotally mounted to the other halve of the plate such that when the operating rod pivots the plate into the open position, the plate forces the ice pick rod downwardly to break any ice buildup at the nozzle.