Abstract:
A detachable grouser assembly for use with vehicles having continuous flexible tracks includes a traction grouser adapted and constructed to fit onto a track of the vehicle. A selectively releasable mechanical attachment assembly connects the traction grouser to the track of the vehicle.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application is related to Provisional Application No. 60/367,575, filed on Mar. 26, 2002, and entitled “Quick Connect Grouser&#39;s “track claws”, the benefit of which is hereby claimed under 35 USC §119. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates generally to grousers for tracked vehicles, and specifically to grousers that are selectively deployable.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Ground-engaging endless track chain assemblies have long been employed to provide ground contact for vehicles used in construction, fighting of forest fires, logging, and other demanding off-road pursuits. The track chain assemblies, and particularly the individual track shoes thereof, have experienced considerable research development. The standard track shoe consists of a steel plate with a single grouser or cleat running across its width. While this generally affords good traction, such single grouser track shoes do not provide adequate traction on steep slopes, or ground that is frozen or extremely muddy.  
           [0004]    Not surprisingly, a variety of solutions have arisen in attempting to accommodate this problem by changing grouser configuration on the track links themselves. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,637,665 to Burdick is directed to a track assembly for a track-type vehicle having a plurality of first and second distinct individual track shoes joined together to form an endless loop. The first shoes have a projecting grouser bar which has a first plurality of teeth and the second shoes have a projecting grouser bar which has a second plurality of teeth. The first and second shoes are arranged in an alternating pattern with the teeth of the first shoes staggered relative to the teeth of the second shoes. Conventional grousered track shoes generally provide track-type vehicles with sufficient surface traction for most work tasks of the vehicle. However, in some special work applications, the conventional grouser track shoes is inadequate to provide the required penetration to achieve sufficient tractive force. For such special work applications, the subject toothed grouser track shoes penetrate the surface and provide the necessary traction to effectively perform the work function.  
           [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,805,968 to Connerley deals with a track shoe for use with a track-laying vehicle. The shoe includes a cast body portion having three bored lug segments spaced along the front of the shoe and a pair of bored lug segments spaced along the rear of the shoe. The cast body portion has a fin-like guide member for engagement with sprocket and bogey wheels. Pairs of reinforcing ribs extend lengthwise along the shoe which form the longitudinal sides of sprocket tooth engaging openings. A single grouser extends along the width of the shoe to reinforce the body portion and to provide traction between the shoe and ground as the vehicle moves along a terrain. The grouser member and the rear lugs form the leading sides and the trailing sides of the sprocket tooth openings, respectively.  
           [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 3,964,797 to Swanson shows a track shoe with staggered grousers includes an elongated rectangular planar body portion with a predetermined leading edge, a trailing edge, a pair of side edges and a flat outer wear surface thereon and having a leading grouser extending integrally outwardly from the wear surface in parallel juxtaposed relation to the leading edge centrally thereof, and with a pair of laterally spaced trailing grousers extending integrally outwardly from the wear surface in parallel juxtaposed relation to the trailing edge and laterally inwardly from the side edges, to cause adhering mud or the like to be released from entrapment between the leading grouser, the trailing grousers and the wear surface of the planar body portion for improved penetration and traction.  
           [0007]    The above approaches involve replacement of the links in the tracks, requiring at least partial disassembly and reassembly of track. It is also known to weld auxiliary grousers directly onto the track links. The time and effort required to so equip a tracked vehicle is prohibitive. Furthermore, when the grousers are either worn out or no longer desired, they must be removed with a cutting torch or similar implement, resulting in additional equipment downtime.  
           [0008]    Both built-in and welded-on grousers entail long installation times, often taking a vehicle out of service for at least a day or more. It can be seen from the foregoing that the need exists for simple, inexpensive grouser assembly that overcomes the difficulties of known systems.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    A detachable grouser assembly for use with vehicles having continuous flexible tracks includes a traction grouser adapted and constructed to fit onto a track of the vehicle. A selectively releasable mechanical attachment assembly connects the traction grouser to the track of the vehicle. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevational view of an embodiment of a grouser assembly in accordance with the principles of the present invention.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is a schematic rear elevational view of the FIG. 1 grouser assembly.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 is a schematic front elevational view of the FIG. 1 grouser assembly.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4 is a schematic front elevational view of another embodiment of a grouser assembly in accordance with the principles of the present invention.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 5 is a schematic side elevational view of the FIG. 4 grouser assembly.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 6 is a schematic top plan view of the FIG. 4 grouser assembly.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 7 is a schematic top plan view of another embodiment of a grouser assembly in accordance with the principles of the present invention.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 8 is a schematic side elevational view of another embodiment of a grouser assembly in accordance with the principles of the present invention.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 9 is a schematic top plan view of the FIG. 8 grouser assembly. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0019]    FIGS.  1 - 3  illustrate a grouser assembly  10  representing one embodiment of the present invention. The grouser assembly  10  is adapted for attachment to a section  12  of a flexible track of tracked vehicle. The grouser assembly  10  includes a traction grouser  14  having a contour that enhances the ability of the track section  12  to grip into surfaces traversed by the tracked vehicle. Here, the traction grouser  14  includes an outwardly-extending cleat  16 , and an opposed pair of cleat-supporting chain guides  18 ,  20 .  
         [0020]    The traction grouser  14  is secured to the track  12  by a selectively releasable mechanical attachment assembly  22 . The attachment assembly  22  includes a first track engaging member  24  on an outside edge of the track section  12 . A chain link retainer  26 , here illustrated as a pair of hooks  28 ,  30 , is formed on the first track engaging member  24 . A second track engaging member  32  is provided to be secured to the inside edge of the track section  12 . The second track engaging member  32  is provided with a selectively adjustable chain tensioning mechanism, here shown as a pair of adjustable screw-threaded mechanisms  34 ,  36 . A first chain  38  is attached to a pin  40  on the screw-threaded mechanism  36 , through the chain guides  18 ,  20 , and secured to the hook  28 . A second chain  42  is attached to a pin  44  on the screw-threaded mechanism  34 , through the chain guides  18 ,  20 , and secured to the hook  30 . The screw-threaded mechanisms  34 ,  36  are then tightened to securely affix the traction grouser  14  to the track section  12 . When it is desired to remove the traction grouser from the track section, the procedure is reversed, and the traction grouser is non-destructively removed from the track section.  
         [0021]    FIGS.  4 - 6  illustrate a grouser assembly  46  representing another embodiment of the present invention. The grouser assembly  46  is adapted for attachment to a section  48  of a flexible track of tracked vehicle, the sections having a plurality of clean-out holes  49  in standard arrangements. The grouser assembly  46  includes a traction grouser  50  having a contour that enhances the ability of the track section  48  to grip into surfaces traversed by the tracked vehicle. Here, the traction grouser  50  includes outwardly-extending raised traction elements  52 ,  54  arranged in an open chevron configuration.  
         [0022]    The traction grouser  50  is secured to the track section  48  by a selectively releasable mechanical attachment assembly  56 . The attachment assembly  56  includes a mounting plate  58  secured on a surface of the track section  48  opposite the surface upon which the traction grouser  50  is mounted. The traction grouser  50  is releasably secured to the mounting plate  58  by a plurality of securing members extending through the clean-out holes  49 . In this embodiment, the securing members are provided as a plurality of threaded bolt assemblies  60 ,  62 . In operation, the traction grouser  50  is placed on the track section  48 , and the threaded bolt assemblies  60 ,  62  are placed through the traction grouser  50  and the clean-out holes  49 . The threaded bolt assemblies  60 ,  62  are then secured to the mounting plate  58 , via threaded bores in the mounting plate itself, or by threaded nuts (not shown).  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 7 illustrates a grouser assembly  66  representing another embodiment of the present invention. The grouser assembly  66  is adapted for attachment to a section  68  of a flexible track of tracked vehicle, the sections having a plurality of clean-out holes as in the previous embodiment. The grouser assembly  66  includes a traction grouser  70  having a contour that enhances the ability of the track section  68  to grip into surfaces traversed by the tracked vehicle. Here, the traction grouser  70  includes outwardly-extending raised traction elements are configured in a diagonal cross arrangement  72 .  
         [0024]    [0024]FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate a grouser assembly  74  representing another embodiment of the present invention. The grouser assembly  74  is adapted for attachment to a section  76  of a flexible track of tracked vehicle, the sections having a plurality of clean-out holes  78  in standard arrangements. The grouser assembly  74  includes a traction grouser  80  having a pad  82  fabricated from a suitable elastomeric material, such as rubber. The pad  82  enhances the ability of the track section  76  to traverse paved surfaces, such as asphalt and concrete, without damage to the surface.  
         [0025]    The traction grouser  74  is secured to the track section  76  by a selectively releasable mechanical attachment assembly  84 . The attachment assembly  84  includes a mounting plate  86  secured on a surface of the track section  76  opposite the surface upon which the traction grouser  74  is mounted. The traction grouser  74  is releasably secured to the mounting plate  86  by a plurality of securing members extending through the clean-out holes, as described previously.  
         [0026]    It is contemplated that sets of  16  grouser assemblies, mounted at evenly spaced intervals on each track of a vehicle, will provide optimal traction enhancement. In such an arrangement, with the grouser assemblies evenly spaced, four traction grousers will be in contact with the surface to be traversed at any given time  
         [0027]    Although the present invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, those of skill in the art will recognize that changes may be made thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.