Antiskid device for automobile tires

The present invention relates to an antiskid device for mounting on automobile tires, designed to have the form of a segmented plastic envelope. The envelope is composed of tread segments provided with inserted metal spikes, ribs and recesses. Each tread segment provides perforated binding lugs accompanied by appropriate binding elements for interconnection of the tread segments to each other and into an endless form thereof, and for mounting the envelope on a tire. The tread section is characterized by spikes and ribs which are arranged in alternating groups of three spikes and three pairs of ribs. A binding wire, preferably a stranded one is located at the inner side of the envelope and connects the envelope in endless form. Tightening, by outer binding elements of the envelope at the outer side of the tire is made possible by an optionally decorative elastic binding ring and an elastic tightening link.

This inveniton relates to the field of transportation. In more detail, it 
concerns antiskid devices designed to be mounted at times onto flexible 
tires or wheels provided with flexible tires. 
There are known several devices in this field. Some of them relate to 
plastic or rubber mats (e.g. Patent Specification GB 2,135,252) and 
traction-strap-envelopes (e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 4,287,925). 
GB 2,135,252 (Ellis) suggests a flexible studded mat attached to the 
outside of a tired wheel, either singly or in parts, the mat having 
external studs and also internal studs which engage in the tread of the 
tire to prevent movement of the mat relative to the wheel. The studs may 
be mounted with the mat or formed separately and secured to the mat. 
It is a first substantial disadvantage of the mentioned prior art that the 
arrangement of the internal studs must comply with the tread of the tire, 
i.e., the antiskid means and the tire can only co-operate if they mate. It 
is another disadvantage of the prior art that the solution might be 
satisfactory merely on ice, not on snow. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,287,925 (Spann) suggests a pair of annular elastomeric 
tubular sidewall elements interconnected by a plurality of spaced layered 
traction straps which provide internal nubs. 
The sugestion of this reference involves a substantial disadvantage that 
the antiskid means might be satisfactory merely on snow, not on ice, and, 
besides, it does not deal with the question of how to stabilize the 
direction of moving the vehicle. 
In principle, the invention concerns means for improving the grip of tired 
wheels on the ground, basically characterized in that their main 
constituent is a sectioned sheet of rubber or plastic. 
It is an object of the invention to design a mounting antiskid device for 
automobile tires, which is applicable in changing weather conditions 
(snow, ice), during a longer period of time and at higher speeds, not only 
for use as protection in cases when the usual equipment (summer 
tire/winter tire) will fail, but also as prevention, i.e. in advance, if 
changes of weather conditions are to be expected in the course of driving. 
The substance of the invention resides in a new mounting antiskid plastic 
envelope for automobile tires, the envelope composed of rough-pattern 
tread segments. The term rough-pattern should hereby indicate that, along 
with diverse elements projecting from the external surface of the sheet, 
the latter as such provides recesses. Additionally, no element is foreseen 
to project from the internal side of the sheet. 
The number of tread segments can either be even or odd. In a preferred 
embhodiment, four mutually equal tread segments constitute an envelope. 
The pattern of tread segments is designed to intensify friction on whatever 
ground and to guarantee appropriate flexible and adaptability to the basic 
tire at the same time, also including the question of how to stabilize the 
direction of moving the vehicle. 
For providing flexibility and adaptability to the basic tire, a series of 
perforated binding lugs provided by each tread segment, namely, a group of 
inner/intermediate and a group of outer/intermediate lugs, a pair of 
inner/end and a pair of outer/end lugs and thereof, a pair composed of a 
first inter/termination and a first outer/termination lugs as well as a 
pair composed of a last inner/termination and a last outer/termination 
lugs make it possible, in combination with elected materials, to 
interconnect the tread segments of the mounting antiskid envelope for 
automobile tires and to bend them both on the circumference of a tire as 
well as following the outline of the cross-section of the tire without 
creating folds. 
Here and below, the terms "inner" and "outer", respectively, indicate the 
inboard side and the outboard side, repsectively, of an incorporated 
wheel; the terms "end" and "intermediate", respectively refer to portions 
of a tread segment in its longitudinal (circumferential) direction, 
whereas the term "termination" indicates a last element of an assembled 
device, also meant in its longitudinal (circumferential) direction. 
Tips of the aforementioned lugs foreseen for binding are reinforced, i.e. 
thickened, to enhance the durability and to accommodate projecting parts 
of binding elements defined below. 
One pair of termination lugs, composed of an inner and an outer termination 
lug, and another pair of termination lugs, again composed of an inner and 
an outer termination lug, of the mounting antiskid envelope make it 
possible to close the envelope by means of respective binding elements at 
mounting same on a tire. 
At its external side, each end section of the tread segments provides 
border ribs so as to intensify unevenness of the segment and the grasping 
abiltiy at touching the ground so as to alleviate the weakening influence 
of possible interruptions in the circumference of the envelope. 
In a preferred embodiment, each tread segment provides sockets 
accommodating appropriate spikes. Preferably, there are foreseen twelve 
sockets/spikes in each tread segment. Hereby, the sockets/spikes are 
arranged in four groups each composed of three sockets/spikes, the 
socket/spike groups being equally distributed along the tread segment, 
three sockets/spikes of one socket/spike group forming a triangle 
symmetrical to the longitudinal axis of the tread segment. 
In a preferred embodiment, the four groups of sockets/spikes are separated 
from each other by three groups of appropriate ribs, the groups of ribs 
being arranged essentially equally to the groups of sockets/spikes. 
Binding elements, such as inner/intermediate binding elements, inner/end 
binding elements, a first inner/termination binding element, a last 
inner/termination binding element, as well as outer/intermediate binding 
elements, outer/end binding elements, a first outer/termination binding 
element, and a last outer/termination binding element, serve for 
interconnecting the tread segments, in given case four tread segments, 
into an assembly as well as for binding them into an annular state, said 
elements making by means of a stranded wire, a tightening link and an 
optionally decorative binding ring, possible mounting and fastening of the 
envelope on a wheel. 
The binding stranded wire disposed at the inner side of the assembly 
provides a metal ear at each end. At assembling and mounting the envelope, 
according to the invention, the stranded wire is conducted through all 
inner-side binding elements. Thereat, one of the ears, the one with a 
single hole, is hooked by an inner/termination binding element. 
Technical features required for the tread segments, namely tensile 
strength, modulus of elasticity, wear-resistance, friction coefficient, 
flexibility at different temperatures, hardness, resistance against 
weather influences, resistance against oil, fuel, fats, solvents, and 
insignificant fatigue deformation, have been met by using a high-quality 
polyurethane thermoplastic elastomer material. 
The metal spikes, as such, are made of special hard alloy and provide 
specially treated tips, thus attaining hardness and wear-resistance of 
spikes. 
All binding elements are manufactured of a wire thermically treated and 
surface-protected by an electrolytic zinc process or by cadmium plating. 
The stranded wire is coated with a polyester plastic layer. The metal ears, 
namely one with a single hole and one with two holes, of stranded wire are 
suitably made by forging. 
The binding ring is made of rubber having stable elasticity characteristics 
and resistant against altering frequency vibrations. 
The tightening link similar to an O-ring is foreseen to tighten the 
envelope on its front, i.e. outer, side. During driving, the tightening 
force of the tightening link and the binding ring overcome the centrifugal 
forces generated in the envelope.

FIG. 1 represents a stretched plastic envelope 1.0 composed of four 
mutually equal tread segments 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, the first one thereof, 
1.1, being separately shown from the opposite side in FIG. 4. On the 
external, i.e. rolling side, each tread segment 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4 
provides metal spikes 2.1 and ribs 2.2, respectively, arranged in groups, 
the groups being equally distanced from each other and each consisting of 
three metal spikes 2.1 and three pairs of ribs 2.2, respectively, arranged 
to form a triangle symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis X-X 
of the envelope 1.0. On is longitudinal (circumferential) sides, i.e. 
inner/back, B, and outer/front side F, each tread segment 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 
1.4 provides three perforated inner/intermediate binding lugs 1.5, three 
preforated outer/intermediate binding lugs 1.5', two perforated inner/end 
binding lugs 1.6, and two perforated outer/end binding lugs 1.6'. 
The inner/end binding lugs 1.6 of the four tread segments 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 
1.4 are interconnected in pairs by means of inner/end binding elements 3.2 
and the outer/end binding lugs 1.6' are interconnected in pairs by means 
of outer/end binding elements 4.2, forming thereby a stretched assembly as 
shown in FIG. 1. Hereby, the first inner/termination binding lug 1.7 and 
the first outer/termination binding lug 1.7' belonging to a first tread 
segment 1.1 as well as the last inner/termination binding lug 1.8 and the 
last outer/termination binding lug 1.8' belonging to the last tread 
segment 1.4 remain free to be interconnected at mounting the envelope on a 
tire. 
The inner/intermediate binding lugs 1.5 and the outer/intermediate binding 
lugs 1.5', respectively, of the treat segments 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4 provide 
inner/intermediate binding elements 3.1 and outer/intermediate binding 
elements 4.1, respectively. 
The first inner/end binding lug 1.7 of the tread segment 1.1 proveds a 
first inner binding element 3.3 which at mounting binds the envelope by 
means of a binding stranded wire 5.0, more concretely, binds same by means 
of one of the metal ears 5.1, 5.2 of of the latter, the right one, 5.1, in 
the embodiment shown, to an annular, i.e. endless, form, whereas the first 
outer/end binding lug 1.7' of the first tread segment 1.1 provides a first 
outer/end binding element 4.3 generaly equal to outer/end binding elements 
4.2 with a mere difference that it is distinctively coloured to indicate 
the starting point at dismounting. 
The last inner/end binding lug 1.8 of the tread segment 1.4 provides a last 
inner/end binding element 3.4 foreseen to be hooked by another, i.e. left 
metal ear 5.2, according to the embodiment shown, of the binding stranded 
wire 5.0, after the latter has been inserted into the inner/intermediate 
binding elements 3.1 as well as into the inner/end binding elements 3.2. 
This is to be performed prior to mounting the envelope onto a tire. 
At mounting, the left metal ear 5.2 to be finally hooked by the first inner 
binding element 3.3 binds the envelope by means of the binding stranded 
wire 5.0 to an annular, i.e. endless, form. 
The last outer/end binding lug 1.8' of the last tread segment 1.4 remains 
free. It serves for binding the envelope at its outer side by means of the 
first outer/termination binding element 4.3 when mounting the envelope. 
FIG. 2 shows an optionally decorative binding ring 6.1 intended to be 
hooked by all outer/intermediate, 4.1, outer/end, 4.2, and by the first 
outer/termination binding element 4.3, when mounting the envelope. The 
binding ring 6.1 also is preferably designed as a reticular structure. In 
the embodiment shown, the ring is composed of bar elements enclosing two 
rows of essentially triangular recesses, the cross-section of bars being 
preferably circular. As is evident from FIG. 2, there are foreseen four 
radial indication projections on the inner border of the binding ring 6.1 
to indicate the locations of hooking the three outer/end binding elements 
4.2 and one outer/termination binding element 4.3. 
FIG. 3 shows a tightening link 6.2 designed similarly to an O-ring, said 
link being together with the decorative/binding ring 6.1 placed onto all 
binding elements, namely outer/intermediate, 4.1 outer/end, 4.2, and onto 
the first outer/termination binding element 4.3, and aimed to act as a 
counterweight to centrifugal forces generated in the envelope, as well as 
at mounting the envelope serving to tighten same at the front, i.e. outer, 
side of a wheel. 
The proposed mounting antiskid device for automobile tires represents a 
novelty in the field of antiskid devices. By means of the new article 
serving as an envelope of a tire, according to the invention, the 
above-mentioned problems were overcome, and driving in winter under 
changing weather and driving conditions was simplified in specific manner. 
Some advantages of the proposed invention are the following: The riding 
speed is higher; there is no need for a removal of the device from the 
tire, although during a longer journey, changing weather conditions, e.g. 
snow, ice, water, dry road, can be expected; the device can be mounted in 
advance, as preventive measure, in dry conditions (in a garage); driving 
is noiseless, i.e. without vibrations; the durability, i.e. mileage, is 
higher, and the mounting procedure is simple. 
Mounting starts from the state as shwon in FIG. 1. The left, i.e. two-hole, 
ear 5.2 is inserted through all remaining binding elements 3.1, as 
indicated by a dash-and-dot line in FIG. 1, and hooked by one of its holes 
at the last inner/end binding element 3.4. Hereby, the stretched form of 
the assembly is folded to a certain extent (not shown). In such state, the 
assembly is temporarily attached to the tire and also temporarily fastened 
on the front side F of the wheel by means of the tightening link 6.2 
hooked by some binding elements 4.1, 4.2, e.g. four of them. The maneuver 
of temporary attachment finished, the wheel is turned (automobile 
displaced) up to the termination sections of the tread segments 1.1, 1.4 
lifted from the ground. The tightening link 6.2 is removed, and on the 
back side B of the wheel, the binding ear 5.2 is by its remaining hole 
hooked by the first inner binding element 3.3. Hereafter, on the front 
side F by the first outer/end binding element 4.3 the last outer/end 
binding lug 1.8' is connected, and onto all outer binding elements 4.1, 
4.2, 4.3 the tightening link 6.2 is placed, and finally the binding ring 
6.1 is hooked by the same binding elements.