Traction mat for vehicles

A traction mat for vehicles has panels of flexible resilient material interconnected by sets of overlapping links which enable the panels to be folded in a stacked arrangement. Recesses or slots in the upper faces of the panels provide grip for a vehicle's tires and holes in the panel enable the panel to be pushed down through mud to a solid surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
(1) Field of the Invention 
THIS INVENTION relates to a traction mat for vehicles. 
(2) Prior Art 
With the increased sales of 4WD vehicles in recent years, the likelihood of 
inexperienced (and even experienced) drivers becoming bogged has 
increased. 
Once a vehicle is bogged, it usually must be dug out and a temporary track, 
e.g. using tree branches, mats or the like, laid down to provide traction. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of the present invention to provide a traction mat which is 
simple to use. 
It is a preferred object to provide a mat which is suitable for use in both 
mud and soft sand. 
It is a further preferred object to provide a mat which can be compactly 
stored. 
It is a still further preferred object to provide a mat which can be easily 
extended. 
Other preferred objects will become apparent from the following 
description. 
In a broad aspect, the present invention resides in a traction mat for 
vehicles including: 
a plurality of substantially planar panels formed of flexible resilient 
material, each panel having an upper surface engageable by the vehicle's 
tires, a first set of slots open to one end of the panel and a second set 
of slots open to an opposite end of the panel, the first and second sets 
of slots being transversely offset; 
a plurality of link means of flexible material, each link means hingedly 
interconnecting an adjacent pair of the panels and enabling the panels to 
be folded in a stacked arrangement, each link means having a body, a first 
set of links on the body receivable in the first set of slots on one of 
the panels and a second set of links on the body received in the second 
set of slots in a second of the panels; and 
hinge pin means to connect the first and second sets of links to the first 
and second panels respectively. 
Preferably the flexible resilient material is an elastomer, e.g. semi-rigid 
polyurethane, which may be fibre-reinforced. 
Preferably the upper surface of each panel has one or more recesses and/or 
slots to provide a gripping surface for the vehicle's tires; 
a lower surface of each panel is at least partially patterned to provide 
gripping or non-slip contact with a support surface; and 
one or more holes are provided through the panels to prevent the panels 
from floating in water or mud. 
Preferably the first and second sets of slots each include two pairs of 
spaced slots, the slots in each pair being associated with a pair of 
fingers which are terminated in a tapered nose a small distance from the 
end of the panel, the fingers associated with the first set of slots being 
aligned with the second set of slots and vice versa; and 
the first and second sets of links overlap so that the second set of links 
engage the fingers of the first set of slots and vice versa to provide a 
continuous upper surface at the connection of two of the panels. 
Preferably the first and second links are formed integrally with, or are 
hingedly mounted on, the body of the link means. 
Preferably the hinge pin means are flexible rods in the panels, adjacent 
the ends, passing through the first or second sets of slots and the first 
or second sets of links. 
Preferably the flexible rods are of at least semi-flexible polymeric 
material and are retained in the panels by releasable plugs. 
Preferably a ground peg, or an anchor plate with pins, passes through holes 
in the panels to anchor at least one end of the mat to a supporting 
surface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
The mat 10 has a plurality of identical panels 11 interconnected by link 
assemblies 12. A respective mat is provided for the wheels on each side of 
a vehicle. 
Each panel 11 may be cast or moulded in semi-rigid polyurethane or like 
elastomeric material and has a substantially planar bottom surface 13. 
The top surface 14 has transverse traction bars 15 which separate recesses 
16 divided by connecting chains 17. Holes 18 are provided centrally in the 
recesses 16. Pairs of slots 19 are provided at each end of the panels 11 
to receive the links 20 of a link assembly 12. 
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, each panel 11 is connected to two pairs of links 
20 in a link assembly via a semi-flexible polymeric rod 21, with the pair 
of links from the adjacent panels 11 overlapped and connected by a 
semi-flexible connecting rod 22. Bosses 23 locate the links 20 against 
transverse movement. As shown in FIG. 2, the rods 21 may be screwed in the 
panels and the rod 22 in the bosses 23 by plugs 24. 
As shown in FIG. 3, the link assemblies 12 allow the panels 11 to be folded 
one on top of the other into a compact stack. 
For de-bogging in mud, the mats are placed under the wheels (after digging) 
and the other ends are anchored by anchor plates which have 6 pins which 
are driven through the holes in the first and third rows of the end panel. 
The vehicles tires will grip on the profiled top surfaces of the panels 11 
and the vehicle can be driven free. Ground pressure will force any mud and 
slush through the holes 18 to prevent the panels 11 from floating. 
In soft ground, the panels are inverted and the profiled top surfaces 14 
will grip the sand, so as not to be drawn through by the rotation of the 
vehicle tires, but still providing a solid flat (or patterned) surface 
(see FIG. 4) for the vehicle tires. 
When crossing muddy creeks or the like, two mats can be laid out and 
anchored at each end to provide drive tracks for the vehicle tires. 
In addition to a basic traction mat kit, extra panels 11 and link 
assemblies 12 may be sold in packs that mats of varying length can be 
assembled. Each link assembly kit could include eight links 20, three 
bosses 23, two steel rods 21 and a connecting rod 22. 
As the panels 11 are semi-rigid, they will tend to conform with any firm 
underlying surface as the vehicle's tires pass without cracking or 
splitting. Should any panels or link assemblies become damaged, they can 
be easily removed and replaced. 
The mats can be designed and manufactured in sizes from small vehicles to 
large trucks, e.g. for use by Defence forces. 
Various changes and modifications may be made to the embodiments described 
and illustrated without departing from the scope of the present invention 
defined in the appended claims.