An endless track assembly that mounts to a wheeled vehicle. The assembly provides 1) a track suspension having fixed or adjustable, independently biased sets of idler wheels to vary the track contour without affecting track tension, 2) an eccentric bearing housing at a drive sprocket controls track
An endless track assembly that mounts to a wheeled vehicle. The assembly provides 1) a track suspension having fixed or adjustable, independently biased sets of idler wheels to vary the track contour without affecting track tension, 2) an eccentric bearing housing at a drive sprocket controls track tension, 3) a contoured peripheral edge at the drive sprocket prevents ice and mud buildup, 4) rubber-coated, plastic idler wheels facilitate track movement, 5) a multi-vehicle compatible adapter mounting plate accommodates a variety of vehicles, 6) a rotation limited torsion coupler and/or rotation limiting coupler arms prevent track contact with the vehicle, 7) a locking steering arm coupler prevents loss of steering control, and 8) shaped track lugs and channels clear and direct debris away from the track suspension and drive assembly. The improved suspension particularly supports sets of idler wheels in pivotal relation to the track support frame and resiliently biases a pre-tensioned rocker arm that links adjacent suspension arms mounted to the adjoining idler wheels. Suspension arm movement induces expansion and contraction of tension springs coupled to the rocker arms to augments shape changes at the track contact surface to optimize traction and steering control.
대표청구항▼
1 . An endless track assembly for a vehicle comprising:a) a frame including a drive aperture;b) first and second suspension arms mounted to pivot from said frame and each supporting an axle;c) a plurality of idler wheels mounted to said frame and wherein a first idler wheel is mounted to the axle of
1 . An endless track assembly for a vehicle comprising:a) a frame including a drive aperture;b) first and second suspension arms mounted to pivot from said frame and each supporting an axle;c) a plurality of idler wheels mounted to said frame and wherein a first idler wheel is mounted to the axle of said first suspension arm and a second idler wheel is mounted to the axle of said second suspension arm, wherein a linkage arm is coupled between said first and second suspension arms, and wherein a spring is mounted to bias movement of said linkage arm, such that a pivotal movement of either of said first and second idler suspension arms is resiliently opposed or assisted by said spring as the other of said first and second idler wheels attempts to follow;d) a drive sprocket mounted to said drive aperture; ande) an endless track trained around said drive sprocket and said plurality of idler wheels, whereby undulations in the terrain are followed by pivotal rotation of said idler wheels to vary the longitudinal profile of said track, without effecting track tension, to complement the undulations. 2 . A track assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said spring is mounted in a bore of said frame and wherein an adjuster member abuts said spring to establish a preset compression of said spring. 3 . A track assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said spring is mounted to said frame and wherein an adjuster member is coupled to said spring to establish a preset extension of said spring. 4 . A track assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein a housing having an eccentric surface is secured to said drive sprocket and mounted in said drive aperture such that rotation of said housing in said drive aperture varies the tension of said track. 5 . A track assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said eccentric housing supports a bearing and is adapted for rotation with a wrench, and wherein a member fastened to said frame compressively secures said housing to said frame to retain a selected rotation of said eccentric housing. 6 . A track assembly as set forth in claim 1 including torsion means for biasing said track assembly to an equilibrium position and limiting the relative rotation of said track assembly to said vehicle to prevent contact therebetween. 7 . A track assembly as set forth in claim 6 including a linkage for coupling said torsion means to said vehicle and wherein a first coupler arm includes first and second flanged surfaces that contact first and second surfaces of a second coupler arm to define first and second stop limits and a range of relative rotation of said track assembly to said vehicle. 8 . A track assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein a housing having an eccentric surface is secured to said drive sprocket and mounted in said drive aperture such that rotation of said housing in said drive aperture varies the tension of said track and including torsion means for biasing said track assembly to an equilibrium position and limiting the relative rotation of said track assembly to said vehicle to prevent contact therebetween. 9 . A track assembly as set forth in claim 1 including an adapter plate that mounts to said drive sprocket and is configured to mount to a plurality of vehicles. 10 . A track assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said track includes a plurality of outer lugs that project from an interior surface of said track along lateral outer edges of said track and contact outer surfaces of said idler wheels and wherein said lugs include leading and lagging tapered surfaces that collectively exhibit an inverted V-shape as they rise from the interior surface to a flat apex surface and which apex surface exhibits declines as it extends toward an outer lateral track edge, whereby said lugs direct debris upward and outward from the interior of said track. 11 . A track assembly as set forth in claim 10 including a plurality of interior lugs and wherein said idler wheels are constructed of plastic, wherein a circumferential surface of each of said idler wheels includes a rubber annulus that contacts the interior surface of said track, and wherein uncoated sides of said idler wheels rotate within channels defined between said outer lugs and adjacent interior lugs. 12 . A track assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein a peripheral edge of said drive sprocket exhibits a contoured profile that includes a plurality of radiused reliefs relative to an inverted V-shaped drive channel having a flat apex between adjacent lugs that rise from an interior surface of said track, whereby said sprocket directs debris away from said drive channel. 13 . A track assembly as set forth in claim 1 including a coupler housing that couples to a steering member of said vehicle and wherein the housing includes a fastener mounted to said housing to draw said steering member into compression with said housing. 14 . An endless track assembly comprising:a) a frame including a drive aperture;b) first and second and third and fourth suspension arms mounted to pivot from said frame and each supporting an axle;c) a plurality of idler wheels, wherein pairs of first and second idler wheels are mounted to the axles of said first and second suspension arms and pairs of third and fourth idler wheels are mounted to the axles of said third and fourth suspension arms, wherein a first linkage arm is coupled between said first and second suspension arms and a second linkage arm is coupled between said third and fourth suspension arms, and wherein first and second springs bias movement of said first and second linkage arms, such that a pivotal movement of any of said pairs of first and second and third and fourth idler wheels is resiliently opposed or assisted by said first and second springs as the other pair of said first and second and third and fourth idler wheels attempts to follow;d) a drive sprocket mounted to said drive aperture; ande) an endless track trained around said drive sprocket and said plurality of idler wheels, whereby undulations in the terrain are followed by pivotal rotation of said idler wheels to vary the longitudinal profile of said track, without effecting track tension, to complement the undulations. 15 . A track assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein said first and second springs are mounted to said frame and wherein an adjuster member is coupled to said spring to vary the compression of said first and second springs relative to said first and second linkage arms. 16 . A track assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein said first and second linkage arms are each supported in a bore of said frame, wherein said first and second springs are mounted in first and second bores of said frame and wherein first and second adjuster members are coupled to said first and second springs to vary the compression of said first and second springs relative to said first and second linkage arms. 17 . A track assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein a housing having an eccentric surface is secured to said drive sprocket and mounted in said drive aperture such that rotation of said housing in said drive aperture varies the tension of said track. 18 . A track assembly as set forth in claim 17 wherein a cap is fastened to said eccentric housing and wherein a wrench mounts to rotate said cap and eccentric housing and such that upon securing fasteners secured to said frame said eccentric housing is compressively secured to said frame. 19 . A track assembly as set forth in claim 14 including torsion means for biasing said track assembly to an equilibrium position and limiting the relative rotation of said track assembly to said vehicle to prevent contact therebetween. 20 . A track assembly as set forth in claim 19 including a linkage for coupling said torsion means to said vehicle and wherein a first coupler arm includes first and second flanged surfaces that contact first and second surfaces of a second coupler arm to define first and second stops and a range of relative rotation of said track assembly to said vehicle. 21 . A track assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein said spring is mounted to said frame and wherein an adjuster member is coupled to said spring to vary the extension of said spring. 22 . An endless track assembly comprising:a) a frame including a drive sprocket and a plurality of idler wheels mounted to said frame;b) an endless track trained around said drive sprocket and said plurality of idler wheels;c) a housing secured to said drive sprocket and mounted to rotate in said frame and wherein said housing has an eccentric surface and said eccentric surface contacts said frame such that rotation of said housing varies the tension of said track; andd) a fastener for securing said housing at a selected rotation. 23 . A track assembly as set forth in claim 22 wherein said housing supports a bearing, wherein a cap is fastened to said housing, and wherein a wrench mounts to rotate said cap and eccentric housing and such that upon securing fasteners secured to said frame said eccentric housing is compressively secured to said frame. 24 . An endless track assembly comprising:a) a frame including a drive sprocket and a plurality of idler wheels mounted to said frame; andb) an endless track trained around said drive sprocket and said plurality of idler wheels, wherein said track includes a plurality of lugs that project in a plurality of rows from an interior surface of said track and define a plurality of longitudinal channels within which said drive sprocket and said plurality of idler wheels move, and wherein a plurality of lugs along lateral outer edges of said track that contact outer surfaces said idler wheels include leading and lagging tapered surfaces that exhibit an inverted V-shape as they rise from the interior surface to a flat apex surface and which apex surface declines as it extends toward an outer lateral track edge, whereby said lugs direct debris upward and outward from the interior of said track. 25 . A track assembly as set forth in claim 24 wherein said idler wheels are constructed of plastic, wherein a circumferential surface of each of said idler wheels includes a rubber annulus that contacts the interior surface of said track, and wherein uncoated sides of said idler wheels rotate within channels defined between said outer lugs and adjacent interior lugs.
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