GB571058A - Improvements relating to tensioning means for vehicle driving tracks - Google Patents

Abstract

571,058. Endless tracks for vehicles. MORRIS MOTORS, Ltd., and OAK, A. V. Sept. 8, 1943, No. 14724. [Class 79 (i)] Means for tensioning the endless driving track of a vehicle comprises a tensioning wheel f mounted on a crank-like arm a to one end of which a rod h is pivotally attached, the other end of the rod being in screw-threaded engagement with a nut i adapted to be rotated in a pivotal bearing j by an operating spindle p arranged on the axis of the bearing. As shown, the tensioning wheel f, which preferably supports the end of the driving track remote from the driving sprocket, is mounted on a stub axle e projecting from the outer end of the arm a which is rotatably mounted at its inner end by means of a shaft b on the vehicle body d. The nut i is held against endwise movement but is rotatably mounted in the bearing j which is carried by trunnions k, l supported in fixed bearings m on the vehicle body. On one end of the nut i is a bevel pinion n engaging a pinion o on the operating spindle p supported in the trunnion k, so that by rotating the spindle, the nut i is rotated through the pinions n, o and moves the rod h axially to adjust the position of the wheel f and vary the tension on the driving track. To prevent unintentional rotation of the nut i, a sleeve q is mounted so as to be movable axially but non- rotatably on the spindle p and has teeth r which are normally spring-pressed into engagement with teeth s on the trunnion k, so that, to rotate the spindle, the sleeve q is first pressed forwardly to disengage the teeth and, thereafter, the sleeve, and thus the spindle, is rotated by a spanner.