A BAND DEVICE FOR VEHICLE WHEELS

Abstract: A device constituting a part of a band, said band being intended to be arranged around at least one wheel (2) of a vehicle for cooperation with a bed, said device comprising an actuating member (1) intended to extend substantially across the envelope surface of the wheel (2), two members connected to the actuating member and arranged at a mutually distance for forming a support for the actuating member (1) on each side of the wheel (2) in the lateral direction of the wheel (2), and connection members (4) including at least one opening (5) for receiving a part of a link element (6) for connecting to devices being adjacent with respect to the longitudinal direction of the band, and at which at least one of said support members (3) and one of said connection members (4) are arranged in one piece forming a combination element (7) and the opening (5) of the combination element (7) ends in a surface directed towards the actuating member (1).

Description: A band device for vehicle wheels FIELD OF THE INVENTION AND PRIOR ART The present invention relates to a device constituting a part of a band according to the preamble of claim 1. The band is intended to be used among other things to increase the carrying capacity and/or the pull power of a vehicle. Furthermore, the band is intended to protect the wheel or a tyre arranged around the wheel against mechanical damage. The band is intended to be applied around one or several wheels, said band forming a so called boggi-band in the last mentioned case. Preferably the device is used to bands for wheels of forest machines, farming tractors, lorries or trucks, trailers etc. According to prior art the connection member is constituted by a separate part having the shape of a hook. Such a hook-shaped part is intended to be attached at the respective end of the actuating member in such a way that a portion of the hook-shaped part located opposite to the opening is attached at the actuating member. When assembling a band two link elements are arranged around the body of the hook-shaped part, one link element on each side of the opening to the hook-shaped part. Subsequently, a support member is attached to the hook-shaped part. The attachment of the support member is done on one hand to the portion of the hook-shaped part located opposite to the opening, and on the other to the respective end of the hook- shaped part, said ends defining said opening. By that the opening to the hook-shaped part will be closed and, with a suitable design of the hook-shaped part, two new openings will be cre- ated between the hook-shaped part and the support member, said new openings accommodating a portion of the respective link element in case of a correctly holding of the link elements when attaching the support member. The attachment of the hook-shaped part to the actuating member and the attachment of the support member to the hook- shaped part is conventionally done by means of welding. When attaching the support member to the hook-shaped part according to prior art, four welding seams are arranged, one seam at the respective end of the hook-shaped part, and two welding seams for attaching the support member to the portion of the hook-shaped part arranged opposite to the opening. The welding is time consuming and expensive and therefor it would be appreciated to achieve a device having as few welding seams re- quired as possible while maintaining the functions of the device. It would also be desirable to reduce the welding because the gases released to the surroundings during welding have negative effects on the environment. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is to provide a device which eliminates the disadvantages mentioned above in such devices already known. This object is according to the invention obtained by that at least one of said support members and one of said connection members are arranged in one piece while forming a combination element and by that the opening of the combination element ends in a surface directed towards the actuating member. By forming a combination element instead of the support member and the hook-shaped part according to prior art, the number of welding seams required are reduced to the welding seams that are required for attaching the combination element at the actuating member only. Furthermore, by the fact that at least one of the openings for receiving a part of a link element ends in a surface of the combination element directed towards the actuating member, even the assembling of the device is simplified and the time required for the assembling is reduced. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, in which the respective support member and the respective connection member are arranged in one piece, said device enabling a safe connecting of the device to adjacent devices by that the device is enable to be connected to adjacent devices on each side of the wheel. According to another preferred embodiment, in which the connecting of the two support members to each other is designed to enable application of the device to wheels with an arbitrary envelope surface shape, said band device is applicable on an arbitrary vehicle wheel with or without tyres, i.e. the band requires not requiring any special design of the envelope surface of the wheel and thereby the device may be used to a large set of dif- ferent vehicles with different characteristics and different wheel types with different envelope surface design or different design of accompanying tyres. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS With reference to the appended drawings below follows a detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention cited as examples. Fig 1 shows a perspective view of three devices according to the invention, said devices being mutually connected via link elements and arranged around a wheel schematically illustrated. Fig 2 shows a side elevation of the devices according to Fig 1 in a position where the band formed by the devices extends rectilinearly. Fig 3 shows a front view of a combination element according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention. Fig 4 shows a cross-section of the combination element according to Fig 3. Fig 5 shows a front view of a second embodiment of the combination element according to the invention, said combination element being connected to an actuating member. Fig 6 shows a front view of a third embodiment of the combination element according to the invention, said combination element being connected to an actuating member. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION Fig 1 illustrates a perspective view of the device according to the invention, said device being arranged at a wheel schematically illustrated. The device constitutes a part of a band and is connected to devices being adjacent with respect to the longitudinal direction of the band by means of link elements. The device comprises an actuating member 1 , said member being intended to extend substantially across the envelope surface or the radial circumference surface of the wheel 2. This actuating member co-operates with the bed and has preferably a plate-like shape. However, within the scope of the claims according to the invention the actuating member may be designed in several different ways with different dimensions and with different shapes with the purpose to be applied at different wheel types of different vehicles and machines to achieve the effect required re- garding for example good carrying, pull power and a good protection of the wheels against mechanical damage. The actuating member may for instance on its surface located opposite to the wheel have means for achieving a good engagement with a bed, in the form of for example a grooved structure or in the form of one or several ribs, see for example Fig 5 and Fig 6. In the preferred embodiment of the actuating member 1 illustrated in Fig 1 , the actuating member extends in the lateral direction only somewhat further than the width of the wheel 2. However, it is possible to arrange actuating members having a substantially further extension than the width of the wheel in the lateral direction of the wheel. In the embodiment of the device illustrated in Fig 1 two adjacent actuating members are arranged at a small mutually distance. Such a design is first of all advan- tageously when the band is intended to protect the wheel against mechanical damage. However, it is also possible to use link elements having such a length in the longitudinal direction of the band that adjacent actuating members will be arranged at a substantially larger mutually distance, which for instance may be desirable when the band is applied around the wheel to enhance its pull power to some extent. The band formed by the devices according to the invention is intended to be applied around one or several wheels. With the definition wheel herein it means that the wheel may also have a tyre around its circumference and if so the device will bear against the tyre. The surface of the actuating member, which surface is directed towards the wheel/tyre, is substantially plane and accordingly the actuating member is not in any way limited to the use of special wheel types. On the contrary the band device according to the invention is applicable on a large number of different wheel types having different envelope surfaces or different design of accompanying tyres. Furthermore, the device comprises two members 3 connected to the actuating member 1 and arranged at a mutually distance to form a support for the actuating member on each side of the wheel 2 in the lateral direction of the wheel 2. The respective support member 3 and the respective connection member 4 are in one piece, said respective support member 3 and said re- spective connection member 4 together forming a combination element 7, said combination element showing at least one opening 5 for receiving a part of a link element 6. Fig 2 illustrates a side elevation of the device according to the invention. The band formed by a number of devices is arranged along a plane. The assembling of the device may be done quickly and in an easy way because of the design of the device according to the invention. When assembling the band, a link element 6 is first brought into the respective opening 5 and then the combination element 7 and the actuating member 1 are connected through welding. However, the interconnecting of the combination element 7 and the actuating member 1 may be done for instance by means of a screw joint or a glue joint without departing from the scope of the claims according to the in- vention. When arranging the band around one or several wheels the respective link element will due to the design of the openings lie close to a respective site intended therefor, in a so called seat 9, said seat being arranged at the closed end of the respective opening 5. The link element 6 will act like a hinge in the band through its location in the openings 5. Fig 3 illustrates a side elevation of a first preferred embodiment of the combination element 7. Two openings 5 are arranged to respectively receive a link element. The part of the link element that is intended to be arranged in the opening 5 preferably has a circular cross-section shape, see Fig 2, with the purpose to achieve the hinge function mentioned earlier. The seat 9 arranged for receiving said link element part of the respective opening 5 is arranged closer to the nearest adjacent combination element than the mouth of the opening 5. By tightening the band, when arranging the band at a wheel, it will be ensured that the link element part is arranged in the seat 9 intended therefor. Fig 4 illustrates a cross-section view of the combination element according to IV-IV in Fig 3. The combination element 7 has a shell-shaped recess 10, see Fig 3, in order to reduce the material consumption of the combination element 7 and by that also the weight. Furthermore, the combination element 7 is angled in its vertical direction. When arranging the device at a wheel, the wheel is intended to bear against or at least being arranged in the proximity of the surface 11 of the combination element 7 arranged opposite to the recess 10. Since a tyre arranged around a wheel generally is rounded in the transition between the envelope surface and the lateral surfaces thereof, the surface 1 1 of the combination element 7, outwardly directed in relation to the tyre, creates a large contact surface desired against the tyre in case of a lateral displacement of the device in relation to the tyre. Fig 5 illustrates a second preferred embodiment of a combination element 12. The combination element has only one opening 18 which has the shape of a T. The T-shaped opening 18 has at the inner ends thereof seats 13 intended for link element parts. An actuating member 19 has in this connection a rib 14 running in the longitudinal direction thereof, i.e. in the lateral direction of the wheel, said rib being arranged to achieve a good engagement with a bed. Fig 6 illustrates a third preferred embodiment of a combination element 15. The difference between the combination element according to the first and the third embodiment is first of all that the openings 16 in the third embodiment extend substantially perpendicular from the surface of the combination element directed towards the actuating member, said openings 16 having seats 17 at their inner ends for receiving link element parts. The seats 17 are in this connection designed as recesses in the longitudinal direction of the band, i.e. recesses in the direction to- wards adjacent combination elements and substantially perpendicular to the said surface of the combination element. It is stressed that the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawing should be considered as examples only. Thus, the invention may be realised in different ways without departing from the basic idea of the invention. In particular, it is pointed out that a man skilled in the art is capable of making various modification of the exemplified embodiments, after receiving knowledge about the solution of the invention, without departing from the scope of the claims. The actuating member according to the description above has a substantially plate-like shape and the combination elements are intended to project from the respective end of the actuating member. However, the actuating member may have other designs including for example parts protruding from the member, said member being plate-like for the rest. These parts are suitably located at the respective end of the actuating member and extend substantially parallel with respective lateral surface of the wheel and preferably in the direction towards the centre axis of the wheel. In this case the actuating member nearly has a cross-section, taken from one end of the actuating member to the other end thereof along the width of the wheel, having substantially the shape of an U, said each combination element be- ing attached to the respective protruding part of the actuating member. The respective combination element may by that be at- tached either on the inside of respective protruding part, i.e. on the surface of the respective protruding part directed towards the lateral surface of the wheel, or on the outside of the respective protruding part, i.e. on the surface of the respective pro- truding part directed away from the lateral surface of the wheel, said combination elements will in both cases, at least in some extension, overlap the protruding parts. The seats of the respective opening in case of overlapping con- nection are suitably arranged at a distance from the respective surface of the respective protruding part, which means that a space is arranged, making it possible to arrange the respective link element between the protruding part and the part of the combination element in which the seat is located. Furthermore, the support member may have a number of different appearances without departing from the basic idea of the invention. The support member may for instance have one or several pins or a plate-like shape. Furthermore, the support member may have a rounded shape, or a shape angled outwardly in relation to the wheel to achieve a suitable contact surface against the wheel/tyre.

Claims: CLAIMS: 1. A device constituting a part of a band, said band being intended to be arranged around at least one wheel (2) of a ve- hide for co-operation with a bed, said device comprising an actuating member (1 , 19) intended to extend substantially across the envelope surface of the wheel (2), two members (3) connected to the actuating member (1 , 19) and arranged at a mutually distance for forming a support for the actuating member (1 , 19) on each side of the wheel (2) in the lateral direction of the wheel (2), and connection members (4) including at least one opening (5, 16, 18) for receiving a part of a link element (6) for connecting to devices being adjacent with respect to the longitudinal direction of the band, charac- terized in that at least one of said support members (3) and one of said connection members (4) are arranged in one piece forming a combination element (7, 12, 15) and the opening (5, 16, 18) of the combination element ends in a surface directed towards the actuating member (1 , 19). 2. A device according to claim 1 , characterized in that respective support member (3) and connection member (4) are arranged in one piece forming a combination element (7, 12, 15). 3. A device according to claim 2, characterized in that the opening (18) has two seats (13), each said seat being intended to receive a link element (6). 4. A device according to claim 2, characterized in that two openings (5, 16) are arranged in the respective combination element (7, 15), said respective opening has a seat (9, 17) for receiving a link element (6). 5. A device according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the respective seat (9, 13, 17) is arranged to allow pivoting of the link element (6) about an axis extending in parallel with the transversal direction of the band. 6. A device according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the actuating member (1 ) has a plate-like shape. 7. A device according to claim 6, characterized in that the actuating member (1 ) has two parts protruding at a mutually distance in the lateral direction of the band, said parts ex- tending substantially in parallel with the respective lateral surface of the vehicle wheel, and the respective combination element (7, 12, 15) and the respective protruding part are connected. 8. A device according to claim 5 and claim 7, characterized in that the respective combination element (7, 12, 15) and the respective protruding part are overlappingly connected and the respective seat (9, 13, 17) is arranged at a distance from the respective protruding part, which means that a space is arranged, making it possible to arrange the respective link element (6) between the protruding part and the part of the combination element in which the seat is located. 9. A device according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the actuating member (1 ) has a cross-section taken from one end of the actuating member to the other end thereof along the width of the wheel and having substantially the shape of an U. 10. A device according to any of claims 3-9, characterized in that the respective seat (9, 13) arranged to receive the respective link element (6) is arranged closer to the nearest adjacent combination element (7) than the mouth of the opening (5). 11. A device according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the combination element (7) is adapted to be angled outwardly in its vertical direction to correspond with the shape of the wheel. 12. A device according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the combination element (7) is designed in a way that a large contact surface desired to the wheel (2) or the tyre is obtained. 13. A device according to any previous claim, characterized in that the connection of the two support members (3) to each other is adapted to enable application of the device to wheels (2) with an arbitrary envelope surface shape. 14. A device according to claim 13, characterized in that the actuating member (1 , 19) is adapted to enable application of the device to wheels with an arbitrary envelope surface shape.

Inventors: SJOESTROEM KENNETH, SJOESTROEM, KENNETH
Applicants: OLOFSFORS AB, SJOESTROEM KENNETH, SJOESTROEM, KENNETH
Application year: 1999
Main classification: B62D55
IPC codes: B60B15