Abstract:
An inventive traction device is provided for extricating mired vehicles from mud, snow or sand. The device is comprised of modules linked together to create a track upon which a mired vehicle drives over. The individual modules each have four walls forming a trough and a number of tire supports which rise up from the floor of the trough. The trough-like construction of the device helps prevent the device from becoming overloaded with mud deposited from mired vehicle tires.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
   This invention relates to devices for removing a mired vehicle from mud holes, sand traps and snow banks, and more specifically, relates to a vehicle removal device which resists becoming overloaded with mud, sand or snow. 
   BACKGROUND 
   Traction devices for extricating a vehicle from mud holes, sand traps and snow banks are wide and varied. Many of these devices involve placing some sort of flat traction surface beneath the wheel of a vehicle, wherein the stuck vehicle climbs up on the traction surface, thereby extricating the vehicle from its predicament. A problem can arise when the traction surface becomes overloaded with mud, especially mud having a high clay content, which tends to fill up and stick to a traction surface. Once filled, a traction surface loaded with high-clay mud can become as slick as the mud surface itself, rendering the traction surface useless. 
   Therefore, a need exists for a traction device which resists becoming overloaded with mud, snow, or other slippery surface material. Further, a need exists for a traction device which is resistant to becoming overloaded with persistent sticky surface materials, such as high clay mud. Should such a device become overloaded, it should be able to be easily cleared of persistent surface materials and be easily put back into service. Also, preferably, this device would be easily portable and be able to be compactly loaded and stored in a vehicle until such time that it is needed. 
   The foregoing reflects the state of the art of which the inventor is aware, and is tendered with a view toward discharging the inventor&#39;s acknowledged duty of candor, which may be pertinent to the patentability of the present invention. It is respectfully stipulated, however, that the foregoing discussion does not teach or render obvious, singly or when considered in combination, the inventor&#39;s claimed invention. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The inventive vehicle traction device is resistant to becoming overloaded with slippery surface materials, such as mud or snow, and especially performs well when a vehicle is mired in mud having a high clay content. The device is made from rigid materials and is modular in its design wherein at least two modules placed under a drive wheel are required to create an operational device. It is best if at least two modules are placed under each wheel of the drive axle to take advantage of the power transferring properties of the drive axle. The first module is of a low profile design which inserts under a drive wheel of a vehicle that is mired in mud, snow or sand. The second module is flexibly linked to the first module, the second module having deep anchoring fins which anchor the device in soft soil or sand. 
   Each module incorporates a four-sided trough with a bottom surface, wherein at least one of the latitudinal sides is imparted with ridges along its top to create a traction surface. A latitudinal wall having ridges is placed perpendicularly within the trough, to add another traction surface for helping a vehicle wheel along, as it travels over the device. The latitudinal wall divides the trough into separate trough spaces. In each trough space, one or more tire supports extend upward from the bottom surface. The trough spaces are wide and deep enough to allow a mudded tire to travel over the device several times, before the trough spaces become overloaded with mud. Should the trough become filled with mud, the ridged tops of the latitudinal wall and sides extend slightly above the longitudinal walls, so that they will always extend above the level of mud present in the trough below. Should the troughs become overloaded with mud, the user merely has to tap the underside of device with a hammer to clear the device, thereby readying it for use again. 
   Accordingly, the following objects and advantages of the invention apply: 
   It is an object of this invention to provide a vehicle traction device which resists becoming overloaded with slippery surface materials, especially mud having a high clay content. 
   It is another object of this invention to provide a vehicle traction device which can be stacked in a compact fashion so that it can be stored easily within a vehicle. 
   Further objects and advantages of the invention will be brought out in the following portions of the specification, wherein the detailed description is for the purpose of fully disclosing preferred embodiments of the invention, without placing limitations thereon. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be more fully understood by reference to the following drawings which are for illustrative purposes only: 
       FIG. 1  is an elevated perspective view of the device shown as three linked modules, wherein one module is low profile and the other modules are high profile. 
       FIG. 2  is a side view of a mired vehicle drive wheel showing the device comprised of three linked modules, similar to  FIG. 1 , wherein the low profile module is inserted beneath the tire of the mired drive wheel. 
       FIG. 3  is an elevated perspective view of two modules, a low profile module and a high profile module. 
       FIG. 4  is a plan view of the modules of  FIG. 3 , shown linked with snap links. 
       FIG. 5A  is a front view of the high profile module. 
       FIG. 5B  is a side view of the high profile module. 
       FIG. 6  is a front cutaway view of the low profile module showing the tire supports located within the trough of the module. 
       FIG. 7  shows three modules comprising the device arranged in a stacked configuration for easy storage and transport. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring to  FIG. 1  the preferred embodiment of the inventive traction device  10  is shown. The device  10  is comprised of a plurality of modules  12 ,  14 , which can be linked together indefinitely by a flexible link, such as a chain or releasable snap link  16 . Preferred materials for constructing the device  10  are rigid materials such as aluminum, other metals or lightweight carbon fiber composites. The minimum number of required modules  12 ,  14  is two, to create an operative device  10 , namely a low-profile module  12  which is inserted beneath the tire of a mired vehicle drive wheel, and a second high-profile module  14 , which is anchored deeply into the soft surface material (e.g. mud, sand, or snow) to prevent the device  10  from being thrown out from beneath the spinning tire.  FIG. 2 . shows the device  10  represented as three modules  12 ,  14  in a typical configuration for extricating a vehicle&#39;s mired tire  18 . The low profile module  12  fits within the mud hole  20  and beneath the tire  18  of the mired drive wheel  23 . The high profile modules  14  are anchored into the soil through the benefit of deep anchoring fins  22 , which protrude perpendicularly downward from beneath the module  14  at each opposite end. The deep anchoring fins  22  preferably range from 1″-2″ in depth, and prevent the device  10  from being thrown out from beneath the drive wheel  23  of a vehicle  24 . Deep anchoring fins  22  are also preferably tapered along their lateral sides  26  (see also  FIGS. 5A and 5B ), so that the bottom end  28  is narrower than the top  30 . This tapered shape facilitates insertion of the fins  22  into soft surface materials. The low profile module  12  may have its underside  32  endowed with low profile anchoring pegs  34  (see also  FIG. 6 ), but the deep anchoring fins  22  are absent. The high profile module  14  may also possess anchoring pegs  34  on its underside  32  in addition to having deep anchoring fins  22 . 
     FIGS. 3 and 4  show the trough  36  of the high and low profile modules  12 ,  14 . Troughs  36  are four-sided with left  37  and right  38  longitudinal sides and front  39  and rear  40  latitudinal sides. A bottom surface  42  adjoins the four sides  37 , 38 , 39 , 40  and the depth of the trough  36  from the bottom surface  42  to the top  49  of the longitudinal sides  37 ,  38  is from ½′ to 1″ deep. A gap  43  preferably remains at the corner junction  44  (see also  FIGS. 5A and 5B ) of latitudinal and longitudinal sides, to provide drainage to trough  36  from wet materials or snow. Gaps  43  also provide relief points for allowing sand or mud to travel out of the trough  36  upon facing downward pressure from a tire  18 , which further aids in preventing the trough  36  from becoming overloaded with soft surface material. Within trough  36  is a wall  46  that is latitudinally disposed between longitudinal sides  37 ,  38 , this latitudinal wall  46  arising perpendicularly from the bottom surface  42  and dividing the trough  36  into trough spaces  48 ,  50 . The top  47  of wall  46  as well as the top  47  of front and rear sides  39 ,  40  are preferably formed into ridges  51  to create a traction surface. 
   Furthermore, as shown in  FIGS. 5A and 5B  the top  47  of latitudinal wall  46 , as well as the top  47  of front and rear sides  39 ,  40  protrude slightly above longitudinal sides. It has been found that the depth of the troughs  36  allow significant capacity for receiving surface materials, such as mud, snow or sand, which fall from a vehicle&#39;s tire  18  as it rides over the device  10 . It has been found that a mud-caked tire  18  must pass over the device  10  several times in order to overload trough. This capability can be very useful when a vehicle becomes stuck multiple times, or when more than one vehicle is mired and the device must be used more than once. Furthermore, the extended tops  47  of wall  46  and front and rear sides  39 ,  40  have a tendency to avoid overloading, as should the trough  36  fill up, the weight of the vehicle  24  pushing downward on the compacted material in the trough  36  tends to force it sideways, over the tops  48  of longitudinal sides  37 ,  38 , and through gaps  43 , thus providing the material an escape route, which avoids overloading the extended tops  47  of latitudinal wall  46  and front and rear sides  39 ,  40 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 6 , the tire supports  53  can be seen. Tire supports  53  are coupled to bottom surface  42  and arise upwardly there from and their tops  52  are approximately even in height with the longitudinal sides  37 ,  38 . Tire supports  53  as shown, are cylindrical pipe sections within trough spaces, which help keep the tire  18  of a vehicle  24  supported as it travels over the device  10 . Tire supports  53  preferably have an open top  52  and have a hollow interior  54  so as to retain capacity for receiving material from a tire  18 , and thereby resist becoming overloaded. 
     FIG. 7  shows the device  10  in a stacked configuration for easy storage and transport. Upon stacking the modules  12 ,  14  of the device  10  it can be held together with a bungee cord or clamp. 
   The inventive vehicle traction device  10  can be used with any vehicle requiring traction for ready removal from a mired situation. Its rugged construction and resistance to overloading renders it a reliable solution for farmers, 4-wheelers and anyone else who is posed with solving the problem of a mired vehicle. 
   Finally, although the description above contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. This invention may be altered and rearranged in numerous ways by one skilled in the art without departing from the coverage of any patent claims which are supported by this specification.