Patent GB-536264-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in endless track devices for motor vehicles
IPC: B62D55/04
Filed: 1939-11-07
Abstract: 536,264. Endless tracks for vehicles. GALANOT, C. P., and WATSON, J. A. Nov. 7, 1939, No. 29606. Convention date, Nov. 19, 1938. [Class 79 (i)] An endless track for use with wheels having resilient tyres comprises a number of spaced shoes each having a plate portion and a guide portion and being adapted to engage the wheel tyre frictionally, and a number of flexible connecting members each carrying at least one shoe intermediate its ends, these flexible members being connected together to form a continuous chain. The track may be used with single or double-tyred wheels. In the construction shown in Figs. 2 .. 5 each flexible member 12 is connected at its ends to the adjacent members by the end shoes 11' and has an intermediate shoe 11 which serves to adjust the length of the member, and therefore the spacing of the shoes, by kinking the member. For this purpose the member 12 passes through notches 27 in a guide piece 16 secured by four bolts 24 to the shoe and is provided with a nut 31 engaged by a screw 35 having a collar 37 resting in a recess in the shoe. The screw also engages a slidable non-rotary nut 38 located below the member 12, so that when the screw is rotated the nuts are raised and the member 12 is kinked and shortened. The shoes at the ends of the member 12 are used as connectors, a pin 40 passing through eyes 30 in the ends of adjacent members 12 being held in place by the shoe 11<SP>1</SP> and the guide piece 16 secured thereto. The flexible member 12 shown in Fig. 5, comprises a closed loop of steel cable having swaged therein the nut 31 and metal blocks 29 at the ends perforated for the pins 40, the whole being provided with a thick rubber or like coating 33. The member 12 may have one or more intermediate shoes 11. The shoes may be cast, pressed or forged, and each is provided with cleats 18, 19, studs 21, 22 and holes 20 to increase ground adhesion. Modifications are described in which (1) the ends of the members 12 are swaged to blocks 60, 61, Fig. 6, secured to a shoe 50 by the guide member 53, one block 61 being higher than the other so that when the bolts 54 securing the guide to the shoe are loosened the member with the block 60 can be released while the other member and block 61 are held fast. The member 59 is kinked by a screw 62 engaging a nut 63 having clamp ends 66 secured to the member, (2) the flexible member comprises a chain 71, Fig. 10, encased in rubber, its ends being provided with pins 78 held in place on a connecting shoe by the guide piece 77. Adjustment in length is effected by a nut 75 secured to the inner ends of the chain and raised and lowered by a screw 83, (3) the guide piece is secured to its shoe by a single central bolt, the same bolt or a co-axial screwed sleeve thereon, serving to adjust or kink the flexible member, (4) the shoe 150, Fig. 20, serves both as a connecting and adjusting shoe, the ends of adjacent members 153 having end blocks 156 engaged by forks 155 on a nut 154 screwed on an adjusting screw 152. By rotating the screw 152 the height of the ends 156 is altered and the effective length of the members 153 is varied. The guide piece 151 is secured to the shoe either by two screws (not shown) or by a central screw coaxial with the screw 152. The intermediate shoes 160, as shown, are not provided with means for adjusting the member 153, but such adjusting means may be provided, (5) a guide piece 180, Fig. 24, is secured to its shoe by a screw 190 which also bears on the end of a lever 181 pivoted at 182 and connected to the end of a flexible member 183, so that as the screw is tightened it also tightens the member 183. The guide piece 180 is adjustable along the shoe, coacting ratchet teeth 186 being formed on both. The adjacent member 183<SP>1</SP> is secured to the shoe by a rivet 187; (6) the track shoes are provided with thick rubber ground-engaging surfaces, or may be wholly encased in rubber.