US2115227A - Track for track laying wheels - Google Patents

Description

A rilz6,193s. J K R I 2,115,227

TRACK FOR TRACK LAYING WHEELS Filed Oct. 17, 1932 2 SheetS-Sheetl April 26, 1938. J? KUCHAR 2,115,227

TRACK FOR TRACK LAYING WHEELS I I Filed Oct. 1'7, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 26, 1938 TRACK FOR TRACK LAYING WHEELS Joseph Kuchar, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Forged- Trak 00., Chicago, 111., a, corporation of Dela- Application October 17, 1932, Serial No. 638,120

7 Claims.

This invention relates to track laying wheels which comprise a track adapted to be laid on the ground so as to support a vehicle and to be raised continuously as the vehicle proceeds.

The invention particularly relates to tracks for such wheels, comprising a series of articulated track elements, adjacent elements being adapted to interengage so as to provide a beam or bridge which is rigid against displacement in one direction, and which is flexible with respect to displacement in the opposite direction.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved track. V

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved track and track element of the general type described and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 575,177, filed November 16, 1931.

A further object of the invention is to provide a track of this type in which elements of the track may be more readily removed and replaced without disturbing the remainder of the assembly to an excessive extent.

A further object of the invention is to provide a track of this type in which the wear of the contacting parts of truss arms is distributed over .a greater area and is thereby minimized.

A further object of the invention is to provide a track of this type in which certain of the engaging elements of the truss elements are rotatably mounted.

A further object of the invention is to provide a track of this type in which certain of the engaging elements of the truss elements are readily removable and replaceable for the purpose of taking up wear.

A further object of the invention is to provide a track of this type in which certain of the engaging elements of the truss arms are replaceable by elements of larger size so as to take up wear.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved track and track element which is simple in construction and economic to assemble track;

Fig. 3 is a perspectiveview of one of the link elements;

Fig. 4 is a perspectiveview of the other link element, and

Figs. *5, 6, 7 and 8 are views similar to thoseof Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, showing a further embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, the improved track ID is constituted by a number of articulated" track elements H and [2, which are alternately arranged and which are pivotally connected inseries so that the same may accommodate themselves around supporting wheels in known man-' ner. Means are provided upon each track element so that adjacent track elements interlock in such a manner that the track is rigid when subjected to load in one direction, that is, the upward direction as viewed in Fig. 2, andis flexible and readily bent in the other direction. The

rigidity referred to is important in the lower portion of the track in contact with the ground, this portion acting as an inverted bridge and taking the load applied by the vehicle supported by the track.

Each track element I I and I2 comprises a shoe plate [3 which may be formed of forged steel, rolled steel, or other suitable material. Each plate i2 is provided with transverse grousers or ribs I4, At its forward and rearward edges the plate I3 is provided with complementary curved portions which cooperate with complementary surfaces upon the adjacent shoe plate in the manner shown in Fig. 2. The track element ll comprises a shoe plate i3 and two link'elements [5 of the type illustrated in Fig. 3. The link element 15 comprises a pair of bosses [6 connected by a lower web or base I7 and an upper web l8. The inner edges of the base it and web I8 are connected by means of a vertical web l9 which continues upwardly to provide a double truss arm 20 which terminates in inwardly directed hooked ends 2| located substantially above the bosses it. The base or web it is provided with openings 22 whereby the shoe plate I3 is bolted to the link element. track element H are rigidly connected by means of pins 23 which extend transversely of the track and have a drive fit in the bosses Hi. The relation of the pins 23 to the adjacent track elements will hereinafter be described. It will be noted that between the hooked ends 2! the truss element 20'is of concave outline so as'to provide for the flexing of the track, making room for elements hereinafter to be described. The track elements I2 are provided with link e1ements'24 of the type shown in Fig. 4. The link element 24 comprises a base plate 25, an upper plate 26 and two bosses 27 which are located inwardly of the base 25 and plate 26. Asbest seen in Fig. l, in

, the assembled track, the bases l1 and 25 and the upper plates [8 and 26 are in longitudinal alignment and the bosses i6 and?! are displaced with respect to the longitudinal direction'of the track and are aligned transversely of the track; that is an opposite pair of bosses I6 is placed'in The opposite link elements l5 of the alignment with an opposite pair of bosses 21, the

bosses 21 occupying positions within the bosses 7 The base 25 is provided with openings 28 Where by the link element 24 may be secured to the shoe plate l3. The track element 24 carries along its inner side an upwardly and inwardly extending truss element 29 which carries adjacent its upper edge a pair of bosses 3!]. As best seen in the upper portion. of Fig. 1, the truss element 29 is, in the assembled track, located inside the truss element 20. The opposite bosses 3|! of each track element I2 are connected transversely by means of pins 3| which have a pressed fit in the bosses 30 and which project outwardly'beyond the. bosses 30 into the path of the hooked ends 2| of the truss element 20 of the track elements I Between the bosses 30, the pins 3| are enlarged, being preferably provided with spacing bushings 32 in which the pins 3| have a pressed fit.

The link elements l5 and 2 3 may suitably be forgings and may be reinforced by suitable webs which need not be described in detail.v As indicated above, the top plates l8 and 26 are, in the assembled track, in alignment and form substantially continuous surfaces forthe reception of the wheels on which the track is mounted. The opposite bosses 2770f each track element |2 receive a sleeve 33 which has a pressed fit in said bosses. The sleeve 33 projects slightly beyond the outer faces of the bosses 21 and the inner faces of the bosses l6 are counterbored to receive these projecting ends. The pins 23 have. a working fit within the sleeves 33 and it will be noted that the surfaces apt to be worn are enclosed within the sleeves 33 so that they are effectively protected length pressed thereon. A pair of pins 3| and a pair of sleeves 33 are positioned in their final re lation and a pair of link elements 24 are pressed inwardly from either side so as to enter the ends of the pins 3| into and through the bosses 30, and to pass the sleeves 33 outwardly beyond the bosses 21 to the desired extent. It will be seen that this assembly gives a track element |2 which is complete'with the exception of the application of the shoe plate |3. This plate may beapplied forthwith or at a later stage of the assembly of the track. A pair of these assemblies is now located in the relative relation which they will occupy in the assembled track. Pins 23 are passed into the sleeves 33 of each assembly and a pair of link elements 5 are pressed inwardly, the pins 23 being pressed into the bosses Hi. The track element I may now be completed by securing a shoe plate' |3 to the link elements IE, or this may be effected at a later stage of the assembly. It will readily be understood that any desired length of track may be built up in this manner. i

To assemble the ends of the track together when applying same to its wheels, a. sleeve 33' is employed at one end of the track, this sleeve being shorter than the rest of the sleeves 33, its ends lying flushwith the outer faces of the bosses 21. A pair of rings 34 are'inserted into the counterbores of the bosses l6 at the other end of the track and the end bosses 21 are slipped between the end bosses l6, bringing theseibosses into alignment and bringing the end pin 3 into proper relation with the hook 2| at-the other end of thetrack. A pin 23 is passed through the end bosses I6, the rings 34 and the sleeve 33, this pin being slightly smaller than the rest of, the pins 23 and having a sliding fit in. the bosses IS. The pin 23' is held in place by cotter pins 35 at each end.

One of the great advantages of the structure described resides in the ease with which any element which is broken or worn may be removed and replaced. Thus, any shoe'plate |3 may be removed and applied to the track without interfering with the remainder of the assembly. One of the link elements 15 may easily be removed and replaced with the aid of a suitable hammer or press. It is merely necessary to disconnect the bolts which are secured to the shoe plate I3 and then force the'link element outwardly with sufficient force to remove the bosses I6 from the pins 23. necessary first toremove the link element IS on each side thereof, whereafter the link element 24 may be forced outwardly of the sleeves 33 in the same manner. The pins 3| can also be removed and replaced without disturbing the remainder of the track. A considerable portion of the wear of the track occursat the point of contact of the hooked ends 2| of the truss memberZIl with the pins'3l. This wear may, to a great extent, be repaired by removing the pins 3| and replacing them, or it may be substantially repaired by by their axis slightly and replacing them.

To remove one of the link elements 24 it is The operation of the track will readily be un- I derstood from a consideration of Fig. 2. It Will be understood that a load applied to the under side of the. track at an intermediate point tends to force it outwardly which displacement, however, is resisted by the contacts ofthe hooked ends 2| with the pins 3|. pletely flexible for movement in the opposite direction so that it can freely run around wheels in the usual manner. These wheels are provided to bear on each side of the track, the upper surfaces of the flanges or webs l8 and 26 providing a rail on which these wheels run. As indicated above, the flanges l8 and 26 in the assembled track, are

in alignment for this purpose.

The construction above described may be modified in the following manner. Instead of the pins 3| having a pressed fit in the bosses 30 they may have a free working fit therein. The pins 3| are held in assembled relation on the track by the sleeves 32 in which they have a pressed fit. This modification has the important advantage that during operation the pins 3| rotate irregularly and the'wear to which the ends of these pins are subjected by the hooked ends 2| of the truss members 5, is distributed around the whole periphery of the pins. This expedient minimizes wear at a very important point.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 5, 6, '7 and 8 differs from the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 primarily in that the truss elements 2|! of the link elements |5 are located on theinward side of the truss arms 29 of the link elements 24. The truss members 29 are restricted adjacent the level of the flange 26 in The track is comorder to permit the necessary articulation of the project substantially beyond thebosses 3|]. It

will be understood that in this modification the. pins 3| may have a pressed fit in thebosses 30 and also in the sleeves32. However. in order to 7 obtain the advantage referred to above, with respect todistribution of wear of the element coming in contact with the hooked ends 2| of the truss members 2G, I prefer to follow one of the following two expedients.

First, I may insert the pins 3| with a pressed fit in the bosses 3D and I may mount the sleeves 32 on these pins with a working fit. This is the construction I prefer to employ because the pressed fit of the pins 3! in the bosses 30 gives a rigid connection between opposite truss elements 28 at their upper edges. In the second construction I mount the sleeve 32 on the pin 3| with a pressed fit and allow the pin 3! to have a working fit in the bosses 30. In either case the wear is distributed around the periphery of the sleeves 32. These sleeves can readily be replaced by forcing the pins 3! out of the bosses 30 and out of the sleeves 32. One important advantage of these constructions is that when the hooked ends 2i are Worn, this Wear may be compensated for by the substitution of sleeves 32 of somewhat larger size.

Although the invention has been disclosed in connection with the specific details of preferred embodiments thereof, it must be understood that such details are not intended to be limitative of the invention except in sofar as set forth in the accompanying claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A track comprising a series of track elements pivotally connected together, each track element comprising a shoe plate, a pair of link elements bolted thereto, each link element having an inwardly directed truss member, the truss members of the track elements along the track being located alternately in inner and outer positions and overlapping in the longitudinal direction of the track, a pair of pins having a pressed fit in the opposite truss members of each alternate track element adapted to engage the truss members of the adjacent track members so as to truss the track against bending in one direction, and means rigidly securing the link elements of each track element together above its shoe plate, the said means of adjacent tracks being associated to connect pivotally the track elements.

2. A track comprising a series of track elements pivotally connected together, each track element comprising a shoe plate, a pair of link elements bolted thereto, each link element having an inwardly directed truss member, the truss members of the track elements along the track being located alternately in inner and outer positions and overlapping in the longitudinal direction of the track, a pair of pins having a pressed fit in the opposite truss members of each alternate track element adapted to engage the truss members of the adjacent track members so as to truss the track against bending in one direction, each said link element being provided with a pair of bosses, the bosses at the end of the adjacent ends of a pair of track elements being displaced so that the bosses of one track element enter between the bosses of the other track element, a sleeve having a pressed fit in the first said bosses, and a pin having a pressed fit'in the latter said bosses, the pin extending through the sleeve and having a working fit therein.

3. A track comprising a series of track elements pivotally connected together, each track element comprising a shoe plate, a pair of link elements bolted thereto, truss arms carried by said link elements, means on said truss arms adapted to interengage to render the track rigid against bending in one direction, each link element having a boss at each end, the bosses of alternate track elements having inner and outer positions along the track, sleeves having a rigid pressed fit in the opposite pairs of inner bosses, and pins having a pressed fit in the opposite pairs of the outer bosses passing through said sleeves to connect the track elements pivotally in series.

4. A track comprising a series of track elements pivotally connected together, each track element comprising a shoe plate, a pair of link elements bolted thereto, each link element having a'boss at each end, the bosses of alternate track elements having inner and outer positions along the track, sleeves having a rigid pressed fit in the opposite pairs of inner bosses, pins having a pressed fit in the opposite pairs of the outer bosses passing through said sleeves to connect the track elements pivotally inseries, truss arms carried by said link elements, the arms of the link elements carrying outer bosses being located on the outer side of the truss arms of adjacent track elements, and means on said truss arms adapted to interengage to render the track rigid against bending in one direction.

5. In a track, adjacent track elements pivotally connected together, one track element having a pair'of truss elements extending inwardly, a pin mounted in said truss. elements, a sleeve mounted on said pin, and a truss element on the other track element adapted to come into contact with said sleeve to render the track rigid against bending in one direction, said sleeve receiving the pin with a pressed fit and said pin having a working fit in the truss elements which carry it.

6. An endless tread linkage composed of articue late links, each adjacent pair of links having rail-carrying ground-engaging shoe parts with hinge means connecting their adjacent ends, truss members upwardly extending from said shoe parts and having oppositely directed bearing faces for transmitting truss-forming stresses between said links, and roller means arranged to be effective between said faces to provide wear-preventing characteristics for their relative translatory motion, permitted by lost motion at said hinge connection due to wear when said links are operating in a truss-forming stretch of linkage.

7. A tread linkage composed of articulate links, each adjacent pair of links having rail-carrying ground-engaging shoe parts with hinge means connecting their adjacent ends, truss members upwardly extending from said shoe parts and having oppositely directed bearing faces for transmitting truss-forming stresses between said links,

, and roller means arranged to be effective between said faces to provide antifriction characteristics for their relative translatory motion, permitted by looseness at said hinge connection, at least one of said faces being concavely curved whereby upon relative translatory motionof said links permitted by looseness at said hinge connection when said links are operating in a trussforming stretch of linkage, said links will be caused to have relative angular motion about said connection in a direction to oppose the loading on said stretch.

JOSEPH KUCHAR.

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