CA1069808A - Automatic wheel tire chain - Google Patents

Abstract

Patent Application for the Development of an Automatic Wheel Tire Chain I. ABSTRACT
This patent application pertains to the development of an automatic wheel tire chain. Automatic, in a sense that the chains can be engaged and retrieved by merely activating a switch or lever while the vehicle is in motion.
In this invention enclosed spools containing wheel chains are secured to the rear axle casing and remain in position at all times.
The device has a rotating wheel clutch assembly, its prime purpose being to spin the chain loops on to the tire by centrifugal force and a stationary clutch assembly, its prime purpose being to retrieve the chain from the tire and rewind them on the spool.

Description

II. SPECIFICATION
This invention r~late~ to a dovice which e~ be per~ ently in6t~Lllsd on all road ~ohiclo~ and uh~n ~ctiYated wlll auto~
~atic~lly en~e or disengRge uheel chai~s ~nstantl~r at ar~
speed. Once en~ ed t~ chai~s provid~ tabillty and tractton ~hen road ¢onditions 8I~ poor beca~e o~ ice~ ~no~
or ~ud, T~is wheel tir~ chai~ de~ce i~ dlf~reD~i ~roJn th~ oo~e~tio~ai tirc chains com~ used ~ that lt i~ eDgaged or dise~ d ~hile the s~heels are in motiQ~ ~y acti~ratis~ a le~rer or ~witch locat~d in6ide t~ ~ehtclo uear ~ho drlvers co~rol Qr~aO

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Th~ ~onv~ntional t;yp~ cha~ns are lneP~'1c~ent bec~uae to in~tall them lt raqu~r~s manual labour and ti~ and th~ need for lnstallat~o~ is quite often at a ~ost dlfP~cult t~o when climatio oonditlon~ Axe ~e~er~ end puni~hin~

Furthsr~ ~ua to the unpl~e3ant ~ethod Or installation and removal of th~ conventional typ0 chain tl~y sre quite Ort~ll .
lel~t o~ the whsels long aMer their nee~ has been ~ illed causin~ ~xcessiv~ ~ear ~nd ultimately~ repetiti~e r~placement co~ta.
0 An 81ternst ~ con~onl~ ta~en by n~otori3t3 i~ to expQnd ~o~ias to purchas~ ~no~ or mud tires in azs ~fort to obt~in trac~o ror hea~ry snow or mud conditions. ~ ~tectio~ i9 usuall~
an annual co~t and afford~ onl~ a degra~ Or tractio~ ror ~no~
and mud and onl;r littl~ protectlorl ~ainst ic~ road conditlon~.

'~nother ~isadvanta~s oY ~h~ col~e~tional wSe~l tiro chain~
iB that the chain loops w~e~ i~ plaoe rlde o~ æà~h-: ~ido o~
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the t~ ~nd onlg th~ oros~ l~nka ride o~ top o~ the tir~ o oro8~ chains provide onl~ bacl~Ard. or rO~d tractioa and o~
~S~i~otGotion a~ain~t ~id~ al~ppap.
lhese disad~ ta~e3 ha~re bee~ ~v~l~oo~a by ~he l~v~lltio~ o~ th~
~touatio. theel tire chaia0 . .

l~ne prima~ obJ~ot o~ o~r lnventlon 1~ r~co~nit~on Or tha ~act that there is a ~ de~ d ~or th$e typs oP ~ractio~
delrlce,~ln our ~oder~l 80c~ety ~hero $he pace a~d dcn~lty on our h~ghway~ i3 ~er increaaing. It ia al~o sloted that a greàt ~a~or~ o~ accida~t~ occllr becalla~ a Yehicl~ is u~abl~ to 8top or ~ccol~rato 0 1~13 devlce 1~ intsndad to correct th~s 8~tQa$io~0 ~ aati~ ~7~el tir~ ¢~ ~ro a ~le devic~ consi~t~
pr~r~ o~ ~ spool to ubiçh tvo loops o~ chain ~ro attac~d Ylth st~ tuistlne r~ rop~-Th~ chaln loop~
attacbe~ to-gother ulth sietal 0preQdor ~.

Ths tlra chains when not in usc are wrapped on ~ ~pool ana are snclo~d uith a covcr ring.
When the U9e of the chaina 1~ required th~ spool 1~ pu~hed contact with tbe rotating clutch plat~ on the wheel,thue, caus~n~c tho spool to rotate ~rith the wheel. Th~ ~pring loade~
cov~r opens allowins the chaln to be spun out ~ ce~tri~uga:L
force. When the fir~t loop o~ the chal~a ~.3 at it~ m~x~ circle lt i9 pushed ~n ov~r tha tlr~ by th~ ~preadar bar8 a3 the ~cond loop i~ ~stabli~hin~ it~ o~n m~ximum circlo. To ~isual~e thl~
~ore easil;sr, one has o~ly to think oY how a cowboy~' lari~t i~ ~pun.
Onco o~ the wheel tho chaln loop8 and opreader bar~ ~Lr~ h~
there b~ centrlu~al~ore~.
Uhen tha bra1ces ar~ ~pplle~ and the ve~icl~ ~3 into ~ skid t~
cb~n loopu ar~ held in pos~io~ auso ths ohai~a 13a~ ~ twi~t throughout it~ circlo rorcing i~ to be co~tinuou~l~r push~d on to tho whoel an~ to maintairl a con~tant te~lol3,bo~ the atltachod ~ables.
~hen the vah~cl~ and i;ha wheels ~a ~tat~on{~rsr th0 ¢~ain~ ~re h~ld in ~ br~lla po~itio~ b~r t~o rig~dit3r o~ ths cabl~e.
, ~o r~r~e~e ~ hai~ ~ro~ t~ vhe~l tir~ t~e 0poi~ topp~d when ~t ~ pusb~d a6al~t t~ 8tatiO~la~ ¢lu~cb and th0 eha~
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i~ lfrappe~ on ~o the 8pool ~ t~ rotatin~ w~eel. ~ ~o~d~â llp on t~ cover r~ ~d on the rot~tiD¢ clut¢h a~e~b~ re~
di~tributeJ the ~hai~ oll to t~ ool and pr~ents ~t ~rola ~angl~nt. ~hcn th~ ¢h~ a8 becn re~r~ed to the spool th~ spr~rU load3d 8pool co~r i~ r~Q8~d ~o totall~r ~nclos~
th~ ~pos~l.
T~ ~uto~atic chaisl d~ico i8 I!la8i~ wunto~ and ca~ bo d~si~e~
~or all hl,~r v~ le~ a~d o~f~rs 8tabllity and oo~l~ s~lr~zæ
particularil~r to the hi~hwyr ltr~por~ation i~du8tr3r t~ou~h ~ i eS~lcie~t ~tlllzatlon o~ l~i~" bs~er oa~ety per~o~n~s a~d ~ocreas~ lo accl~nt~ de~and~g lowar In8ur~co co~tuO

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A ~ery po~iti~ fe~ture of thl8 lnvention i~ the location Or the chain loop~ o~ the tiro wh~n in po~itio~Th~ chain loops ~nd metal cros~ ~preader~ r~da on top o~ the ~ire glvlng maxlmu~
tractlon, both ~orward arld ~id0wayg. q~ ~iaewa~y skid on icy roads is ~ roal and serious threat at all ti~e3, ~nother advan~ag~ oP thi~ ~evic~ i~ bec~u8~ Or it~ automatie ~eature,chai~s can be ut~ ed when required ~nd i~moalatelr retrie~ed wherl the circum~tanco or condition h~ been ov~rco~
The win~er-~ud ~rip tir~o co~monly u~e~ ~or traction can ~o~
be elimln3ted in~avor of th~ ~moother ridl~g, longer lastlng smooth grip ti~a.
~be in~entio~ will be~ ors cle~r fro~ the ~ollo~lng clla~ram3 which illustrato the embodlment~O
FIGURE A-is a 3e~tional top vl~ o~ the automatic chain ~evlco ~ posl~on.
FI~Ræ B-is the ~hala as~¢mbly acoordlng to o~ 2~p~0 o~ tho in~eDtlon~
FIG ~ ~ ctio~sl Yio~ o~ the rotatl~g wheol clutch a~e~bly tl? ohain ~pool (10) aDa spool cov~r rin~ (18) acoord~n~ to ono asp~et o~ tb~ in~ ~tio~.
FIG~R~ D~ is a 3~ctlon~1 Y1~ o~ the ~tationary cl~t~h asse~bl~ accordln~ to o~a aspect o~ tbe in~ent~o~
1~ Rotatln6 ~heel C~atc~ A~sa~bly~ (~s~er ~l~o Fi~C ~1)

2. Lip ~in~ on (1)

3~ ~ot~ry Cl~tc~ d~s¢ on (1 . ~heel Bol~ o~ (1) S. ehala ~sso~bly ~re~or F1c~ B.
- ~. Chai~ .,qn (~) ~ 7. Chaln Spro~d~r on (5) 80 ~h~ln Cablo o~ (5) 9.; Chain ~np Bar o~ (5) laO. Ch~ln ~pool (r0rar al~o FIG. C. 103 11. Cl~tc~ L~r P~0 1~36980~

12. St~tionary Clutch A~emblg (rerer al80 FIGo D.) 13. Stationnry Clutch Dlso oll(l2) 1~. Stationa~r Cl~tch retainor Pla:to on (12) 1~. Bracket to cC~v~r r~C 0~ (12) 16. blutch L~ror Braclset o~ (12) 1?. ~olts ~or Fram3 Conn~actlon on (12) 1~. Cover ~in~ trefer FIG. Ci 18) l9.~Bracket to ClUtch Di~C
20. Spool cover llp ring 21. Cover Rlng Le~r ~our 22. Cover rine ~prlDgs -~our 23. Cover Ri~ or bol~s 2~,. Clutch Levor 25. Connecting bar~ ~rom c~te}l plate to ~xle hou~i~,~, .,, ~6~80~3 Fig. C. illustrates a Rotating ~n~eel Clutch Assembly Flg. C (1) which attaches to the rotatin~ vehicle wheel. A Spool F~g. C. ~10) containing the Cha~n Assembly Fig. B. (5) is installed on the rear axle houslng. The Cover Ring Fig. C. ~18) encloses the Spool.
The Chain Assembly Fig. s. (5) as illust~ated comprises Chain Loops Fig. B. (6)joined to-gether by metal ~preader Bars Fig. B (7). Attached to the spreader bars are flexible Chain Cables Fig. B. (8). The flexlble chain cab~es at the other end are attached to ~hain Hinge Bars Fig. B (9). The hinge bars are attached to the Spool Fig. C. (lO).
The Stationary Clutch Assembly Fig. D. (12)is comprised of a Clutch Disc Fig. D. (13) which locks the Spool Fig. C (10) and prevents it from rotating when the spool is pushed against the clutch disc. The Stationary Clutch Assembly Fig. D. (12) is mounted on the axle housing opposite to the Rotati~g Clutch Fig. C. (1) and Spool Fig. C. (10).
The present illustrations are applicable to automobiles but; can be modified foruse on all types of vehicles such as trucks, buses etc. However, the principle for the operation of the invention remains unchanged for all types.
The device is of a simple design and encompasses the use of ce~trifugal force oftwo types, mathematically expressed as the centrifugal force of a body travelling about an axis (MV2/r3 and the centrifugal force as in the tension of a belt ( MV 2/g).
Basically the invention and its main components ~ig. B (5~ Chain Assembly, Fig. C (10) Chain Spool, Fig. C (1) Rotating Wheel Clutch Assembly, Fig. C (18) Spool Cover Ring and FIG. D. (12) Stationary Clutch Assembly are easily installed FIGURE A and function as follows.
The Rotating Wheel Clutch Assembly Fig. A (1) is attached to the inner side of the rotating vehicle wheel rim. The Spool Fig. A (10) with the housed Chain Assembly Fig. B. (5) is mounted on the rear axle housing opposite to the Yotating Wheel Clutch Fig~ A (1). The Stationary Clutch Assembly Fig. A (12) is mounted on the axel housing opposite to the Rotating Wheel Clutch Fig. A (1)and ehain Spool Pig. A (10).
When the Clutc~ Lever Fig. A. (24) is activated to engage the chains. the lever pushes and locks the Spool Fig A. (10) to the Rotating Wheel Clutch disc Fig. A (3) causing the spool to ro~ate in unison with the Rotat~ng Wheel Clutch Fig A (1). As the Spool Fig A (10) is pushed against the Rotating Clutchdisc Fig A (3) the spring loaded Spool Cover Ring Fig. A (18) is held back and the chain loops are centrifically spun on to the rotating wheel tire. The outer chain loop has a half twist between ~preader Bars A (7) which acts as a screw and combines with centrifugal force to maintain the chains on the tire.
When the Clutch ~ever Fig. A ~24) i8 activated in the opposite direction to retrieve the chains the lever pushes the Spo`ol Fig. A (10) away from the Rotating Wheel Clutch disc Fig. A (3) and pushes and locks the Spool against the Stationary Clutch Assembly disc Fig. A (13). The rotating vehicle wheel pulls the chains from the wheel tire and wraps them on the locked spool. A ~ip Ring Fig. A (2) on the rotating clutch and on the spool cover A (20) cause the chains to be retrieved in an orderly mann~er without tanglement. When the chain loops have been returned to the spool the Cover Ring A (18) encloses the spool protecting the hidden chains from dirt and damage.

Claims (5)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH
AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS
CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

WE CLAIM:

1. A traction increasing device for wheeled vehicles or the like comprising in combination a spool mounted on a vehicle and operative in two positions, a stationary clutch fixed to the vehicle and capable of holding the spool stationary in one of the two positions, a rotary clutch fixed to a movable member on the vehicle, rotatable therewith, and capable of rotating the spool when in the other of its two positions, chain loops separated by spreaders, flexible means attaching the chain loops to the spool in such a manner that when the spool is stationary the chain loops, spreaders, and cables are wrapped about the spool and when in the rotating position centrifugal force carries the chain loops and spreaders away from the spool to a position surrounding the rotating member.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein the spool has a spring loaded cover to enclose the chains within the spool.

3. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein the movable member on the vehicle is a wheel.

4. A device as defined in Claim 3 and including connecting bars fixing the stationary clutch to the vehicle.

5. A device as defined in claims 1, 3 and 4 wherein the flexible means are steel cables, which when stationary hold the chain wrapped about the spool and when rotating with the spool combines with centrifugal force to cause a radial and lateral displacement of the chain loops onto a wheel of a vehicle.