CA1086203A - Tire traction device - Google Patents

Abstract

TIRE TRACTION DEVICE

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A tire traction device includes at least two continuous circumferentially extending tread groove bead members adapted to next within respective circumferentially extending tread grooves of selected vehicle tires. A plurality of circum-ferentially spaced transverse traction elements are integral with and connect the tread groove bead members. The traction elements are configured and dimensioned to overlie the tread of the tire and to thereby improve the traction thereof. Pre-ferably a circumferentially extending traction element is pro-vided intermediate the tread groove bead members and the transverse traction elements are arranged in circumferentially spaced pairs connecting the tread groove members and the cir-cumferential traction element.

Description

lOB6Z03 ¦¦ BACKGROUND OF THE INVE:NTION

The present invention relates to tire traction devices and more particularly to such a device adapted to be removably l¦attached to a vehicle tire by members which repose within the I j circumferentially extending tread grooves of the tire. ', Tire traction devices for improving the traction of vehicle ¦ tires on wet and/or snow or ice covered roads have of course ¦ been known heretofore. Conventionally such devices have taken the form of chains. As is commonly known, the mounting of such ¦ chains on the tires of a vehicle is time consuming and lre- ¦
I quently requires the attendance of more than one personD In use I ¦ the chains tend to be noisy and often strike the fenders or tail pipe of the vehic'e so as to cause damage to such parts. The ¦¦anti-skid chains employed heretofore were also often deficient ¦ in respect of their capacity to inhibit lateral or side skid- 'I
¦ ding. Further, the chains generally resulted in excessive wear on the tires including the side walls of the tires.
In an attempt to obviate certain of the disadvantages of chains a tire encircling track was developed and United States ¦ Patent 3,675,701 issued July 11, 1972 to George E. Garrison on such a device. The Garrison device is in the nature of an over-tire and includes a pair of flexible molded rims and traction bars connected transversely therebetween. The rims and bars are adapted to overlie the tread of a tire. Connector means must be employed to secure the ends of the rims once the device is posi-tioned upon the tire. The device is rather complex and, while Il , I

:

~ 6203 l ., avoiding certain of the disadvantages of chains, is relatively 'i expensive and still requires a mounting procedure similar to the conventional chain anti-skid device. United States Paten~s ¦2,952,290 and 3,043,356 issued September 13, 1960 and July 10, ¦il962 respectively to M. S. Gaspardo and to K. W. Mayhercy dis-¦lclose tire traction devices which include elements adapted for ¦disposition within the circumferentially extending tread grooves; however such devices also must be mounted on the tire ¦in the manner of a chain and require locking elements to connect ¦¦the ends of the device. The constructions of Gaspardo and l Mayhercy are also both rather complex and reLatively expensive.

~ . ' ' 1.
I SI~MMARY OF THE INVENTION
..
It is one object of the invention to provide a tire trac-tion device of simple construction which can be mass-produced for marketing at relatively low cost.
It is another object of the invention to provide a tire traction device which can easily be mounted upon and removed from a vehicle tire without the need for any tools or special e~uipment. ¦ -It is still another obj ct of the invention to provide a tixe traction device which is not unduly noisy in use and which will not strike the adjacent parts of the vehicle to cause I damage thereto. ¦ ;
¦ It is yet another object of the invention to provide a tire traction device which affords resistance against lateral or side I .
1l . I

-2-~ ~ ~ ~ - ~-1~)86Z03 skldding~ . . .
Other ob~:ects and advantages of the invention will become readily apparent from the. following description of the invention..
According to the present invention there is provided a tire traction device .comprising at least two continuous circumferen-tially extending tread groove bead members adapted to nest with n corresponding circumferential tread grooves of a vehicle tire; a plurality of circumferentially spaced transverse trac-tion elements integrally. connected to the ~ead members; the traction elements being configured and dimensioned.to o.verlie the tread.of the tire and to pro~ect outwardly therefrom.
.. . . .
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order that the invention may be more .~ully comprehended .it will now be .described, by way of example, with reference to the ~ccompanying drawings, in which: .
Figure 1 is a perspective. view of a vehicle tire having an anti-skid or traction device embodying the .features of the ln-. vention mounted thereon;
Figure.2.is a partial perspective. view. of the tire traction ..device of Figure 1 removed from the tire;
Figure.3 is a top plan view of a segment of the tire trac~
. tion device shown in Figure 2; and Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the tire traction de-. vice of the invention mounted on the tire illustrated in Figure 1 taken along line 4-4 thereof.

...

~)86Z03 ' DETAILRD DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referrlng to.the: drawings, there is shown generally as indicated by reference numeral 10,. a tire traction device which is made o~ a synthetic pla~tics material. Nylon is a preferred material since it is easily..formed into.the :desired configura- ' . tion, such as by' molding or extrusion, is relativeIy indestruct- .
ible and posses.ses some 'resiliency which latter charac.teristic . facilitates.mounting of the: device on a vehicle tire 12 . . The' traction device.. comprises at :least two.. continuous cir-..cumferentially extending tread groove bead members 14. Such ' I
. bead members are desirably given a.round cross-sectional con- !
figuration; howe.ver, the particular shape is not critical and a . sauare configuration may be. employed with simila.r effectiveness: .
.: The beads are dimensioned to fit within the: circumferential . ~ . tread groov'es 16 of a vehi'cle ti.re. Since .the'be'ads have a pre- !
. determined circumference .they aré .designed.to be mounted upon a . tire having a specif.ic size. Furthe'r~ although the :device shown in the' drawings is pr.ovided wi:th two be.ads it will be . . understood that .the invention also cont'emplates the :formation Of !
. the' devi.ce wi.th:three or'e.ven four of such :beads if there are . tires available with 'tread patterns presenting a sufficient ; number of tread grooves to accommodate 'the beads. Howe.ver, with ¦
. tires having four tread grooves it is possible .to. utilize a pair .. . of traction devices. each having a pair of bead members.

The .device 'also includes a plurality of circurllferentially spaced transverse traction elements 18. Such elements are .~
. -4-~86z03 .
, . .
. - . .. ..
. ... . . .- .
. ," for~ed integrally with bead members 14 and are thus connectsd . . therewith, The transverse traction eIements are adapted to over-: lie the 'tread 20,of .the tlre to afford the' intended enhancement : . of the tire traction. To afford maximum gripping of the -road-: way by.such'traction elements.they are given a triangular cross- ~, : æectional configuration. Other non-planar surfaces may also be . used; hbwever, such other. configurations should be .selected as will protrude outwardly, from the' base :~f the tire tread.
In its.preferred, form the traction device includes a cir-. cumferentially. extendirg traction element 22 positioned between ..the'.tread groove bead members 14. This circumferential trac~ion !
. el'ement may be given the' same cross-sectional configuration as . . that of the transverse traction'elements. . As can be 'seen most clearly. from Figure.3, one erd of each of the trar.sverse trac-. ti.on elements. is..connected to.'one of the bead members and the . other. end is.connected to the. circumferential traction element.
,~ .. The::transverse 'traction e.lements are preferably arranged between !
..the bead members in a herringbone pattern.
It will.be 'appreciated that the dev.ice is constructed in . . various sizes so as.to be: mounted upon tires having a predeter-. ' mined range 'of sizes:. In order to' mount .the':device 'on a t-ire :, .. the' tire is deflated and the device expanded.to fit .over the . tire. Once the tire is surmounted by the 'device the' bead mem-.bers are .positioned within the'.corresponding tread grooves and . the' tire is inflated to loc'ate the bead members securely there-within for use.' The resiliency of the material from which the -1~86;~03 device is formed serves to facilitate expansi-on cf the device over the' tire'during the' mountlng procedure.:
: It will be' recognized that since 'the. entire .dev.ice' may be , formed in a single molding step' or may be made by. extruding the . circumferential beads and traction element, and by. fus1r.g such ,. components to the' transverse traction'elements, mass production !
. techniques may be. utilized to 'advantage. llhi's leads to a reduc- !
. tion'in fabr.ication costs and enables the marketing of the de-.' vice at generally lower prices than previously available anti-¦ ~kid dev es.

. . .
. '~ .

i '

Claims (7)

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

1. A tire traction device comprising at least two con-tinuous circumferentially extending tread groove bead members adapted to nest within corresponding circumferential tread grooves of a vehicle tire; a plurality of circumferentially spaced transverse traction elements integrally connected to said bead members; said traction elements being configured and dimen-sioned to overlie the tread of the tire and to project outwardly therefrom, and a continuous circumferentially extending traction element positioned between said bead members and connected thereto by said transverse traction elements.

2. A tire traction device according to Claim 1, wherein circumferentially spaced pairs of said transverse traction ele-ments are connected between said bead members and said circum-ferential traction element in a herringbone pattern.

3. A traction device according to Claim 1, including two of said bead members and said transverse traction elements being arranged in a herringbone pattern.

4. A tire traction device according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said bead members are round in cross-section.

5. A tire traction device according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said transverse traction elements are substantially rectangular in transverse cross-section.

6. A tire traction device according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, formed of a synthetic plastics material.

7. A tire traction device according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, formed of nylon.