Patent ID: 8636440

Claim:
An apparatus for increasing road traction, comprising: a housing with a first end and a second end, the first end closed and the second end open; a shaft that engages the first end of the housing; a piston that is adapted to move axially along a length of housing and includes an upper portion and lower portion, upper portion includes a raised surface adapted to provide improved traction for vehicles, a mating portion situated between the raised surface and lower portion and is adapted to mate with an inner surface of the housing such that the piston is reciprocally received therewithin, the lower portion including an interior cavity that is adapted to receive at least a portion of the shaft; a spring that biases the piston towards the first end of the housing; a toothed surface engaged with the piston; and a bimetal thermostat with a mating toothed surface, the bimetal thermostat secured with the housing at a proximal end; wherein the toothed surface engaged with the lower portion facilitates engagement with the mating toothed surface situated at a distal end of the bimetal thermostat when a temperature is above a predetermined threshold.