초록 ▼

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 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. An endless track assembly for a vehicle comprising: a) a frame including a drive sprocket; b) first and second suspension arms mounted to pivot from said frame and each supporting an axle; c) a plurality of idler wheels, wherein a first idler wheel is mounted to the axle of s

What is claimed is: 1. An endless track assembly for a vehicle comprising: a) a frame including a drive sprocket; b) first and second suspension arms mounted to pivot from said frame and each supporting an axle; c) a plurality of idler wheels, 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 resilient member 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 resilient member as the other of said first and second idler wheels attempts to follow; and d) 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 a longitudinal profile of said track to complement the undulations. 2. A track assembly as set forth in claim 1 including means for varying a preset tension or compression of said resilient member. 3. A track assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said resilient member comprises a spring. 4. A track assembly as set forth in claim 1 including an eccentric linkage coupled to said sprocket whereby said sprocket can be manipulated to vary a track tension. 5. A track assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said sprocket is adapted for selective eccentric rotation with a tool. 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 rotation of said track assembly relative to said vehicle to prevent contact therebetween. 7. A track assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein said torsion means comprises a plurality of elastomer members coupled to said frame to resiliently bias said frame against clockwise and counterclockwise rotational movement relative to said equilibrium position and first and second stop limits. 8. A track assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein a housing coupled to said drive sprocket and mounted in an aperture of said frame such that eccentric rotation of said housing in said aperture varies the tension of said track. 9. A track assembly as set forth in claim 1 including an adapter plate that mounts to said drive sprocket and is configured to couple to a plurality of different vehicle mountings. 10. A track assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said track includes a plurality of lugs that project from an interior surface of said track along lateral, longitudinal peripheral edges of said track and contact adjacent, externally exposed surfaces of a plurality of said idler wheels, wherein each of said lugs includes a leading surface and a lagging surface that each taper toward the other as they rise from the interior surface to a flat apex surface and wherein a side surface that abuts said apex and said leading and lagging surfaces tapers outward to one of said peripheral edges as it descends from said apex surface, whereby said lugs direct debris upward and outward from an interior space of said track. 11. A track assembly as set forth in claim 1 including a plurality of lugs that rise from lugs that project an interior surface of said track, wherein said idler wheels are constructed of plastic, wherein a circumferential surface of each of said idler wheels includes a rubber annulus that contacts said interior surface, and wherein uncoated sides of said idler wheels rotate within longitudinal channels defined between said plurality of lugs. 12. A track assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein a peripheral edge of each of a plurality of spokes projecting from said drive sprocket have lateral sidewalls defined by back-to-back arcuate surface portions that align and rotate within an inverted V-shaped longitudinal channel defined by and between a plurality of adjacent lugs that rise from an interior surface of said track, whereby said sidewalls direct debris away from said 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 sprocket; 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 first and second idler wheels are mounted to the axles of said first and second suspension arms and 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 resilient members bias movement of said first and second linkage arms, such that a pivotal movement of any of said first and second and third and fourth suspension arms is resiliently opposed or assisted by said first and second resilient members as the other of said first and second and third and fourth suspension arms attempts to follow; and d) 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 first, second, third and fourth suspension arms to vary a longitudinal profile of said track to complement the undulations. 15. A track assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein said first and second resilient members comprise springs and including at least one adjuster coupled to establish a preset tension or compression at one of said first and second linkage arms. 16. A track assembly as set forth in claim 14 including first and second adjusters coupled to said first and second resilient members to establish a preset tension or compression at said first and second linkage arms. 17. A track assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein said sprocket can be manipulated to vary the tension of said track. 18. A track assembly as set forth in claim 17 including an eccentric linkage coupled to said sprocket and adapted to rotate said sprocket within an interior space of said track with a tool. 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 rotation of said track assembly relative to said vehicle to prevent contact therebetween. 20. A track assembly as set forth in claim 19 wherein said torsion means comprises a linkage including an elastomer member coupled to said frame to resiliently bias said frame against clockwise and counterclockwise rotational movement relative to an equilibrium position and at least one stop limit. 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 an 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; and c) a support secured to said drive sprocket and including a linkage coupled to said support to eccentrically manipulate said sprocket relative to said frame such that movement of said support and sprocket establishes a track tension. 23. A track assembly as set forth in claim 22 wherein said support comprises a bearing housing, wherein said sprocket is mounted to an off-center bore and wherein a tool couples to rotate said housing along a frame surface whereby said sprocket is manipulated to vary a track tension. 24. An endless track assembly comprising: a) a frame including a drive sprocket and a plurality of idler wheels mounted to said frame; and b) an endless track trained around said drive sprocket and said plurality of idler wheels said track includes a plurality of lugs that project from an interior surface of said track along lateral, longitudinal peripheral edges of said track and contact a plurality of said idler wheels, wherein each of said lugs includes a leading surface and a lagging surface that each taper toward the other as they rise from the interior surface to an apex surface and wherein a side surface that abuts said apex and said leading and lagging surfaces tapers to one of said peripheral edges as it descends from said apex surface, whereby said lugs direct debris upward and outward from the interior space. 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 said interior surface, and wherein uncoated sides of said idler wheels rotate within longitudinal channels defined between said plurality of lugs. 26. A track assembly as set forth in claim 24 wherein a first idler wheel is mounted to an axle of a first suspension arm and a second idler wheel is mounted to an axle of a second suspension arm, wherein a linkage arm is coupled between said first and second suspension arms, and wherein a resilient member 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 resilient member as the other of said first and second idler wheels attempts to follow. 27. A track assembly as set forth in claim 26 including means for varying a preset tension or compression of said resilient member. 28. A track assembly as set forth in claim 24 including torsion means for biasing said track assembly to an equilibrium position and limiting the rotation of said track assembly relative to said vehicle to prevent contact therebetween. 29. A track assembly as set forth in claim 28 wherein said torsion means comprises a plurality of elastomer members coupled to said frame to resiliently bias said frame against clockwise and counterclockwise rotational movement relative to said equilibrium position and first and second stop limits. 30. A track assembly as set forth in claim 24 including an eccentric linkage coupled to said sprocket whereby said sprocket can be manipulated to vary a track tension. 31. A track assembly as set forth in claim 24 wherein a peripheral edge of each of a plurality of spokes projecting from said drive sprocket have lateral sidewalls defined by back-to-back arcuate surface portions that align and rotate within an inverted V-shaped longitudinal channel defined by and between a plurality of adjacent lugs that rise from said interior surface, whereby said sidewalls direct debris away from said channel. 32. A track assembly as set forth in claim 24 wherein said apex defines a flat surface. 33. A track assembly as set forth in claim 1 including a plurality of resilient elastomer members mounted to resiliently bias said frame against torsional movement to an equilibrium position.