US1231408A - Tractor. - Google Patents

Description

F. LII/UNER.

TRACTOR.

APPLICATION FILED IIIAYIa. 1916.

LQMAM. meme@ June 26, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

SLLQ. 5. I

E 'Vm II I lum.

F; l'. mmm.

' TRACTOR.

. mm J'. MINER, OF

; c canton.

DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

TRACTOR.

menace.; j

s Application led May 13,

' To all wltom #may concern Be it known that I, FRANK J. MINEB, a citizen of the United States 'of America, residing .at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented cer' 'tain new and useful Improvements in TractorsofVV which4 the following is a specification, reference being had therein tothe accompanying drawings.

This invention 'relates to a bearing wheel for heavy service vehicles, such as automobile trucks, tractors or the like, of the type wherein a continuous linked periphery of suitable segments is. brought into use in such manner as yalways to impose a` comparatively large bearing area upon the surfaceg of the ground traversed. The device involves a construction which transfers the weight directly to the member of the periphery that is on the ground without in any way binding the other parts, and likewise includes driving means which tend to advance the member without causing it to slip when in contact with the ground.

'Ihe invention consists in the matters here-` inafter set forth,. and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings,

. Figure 1 is a view in side elevation, partly broken away and in section and with plate removed, of a structure that embodies features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof assembled; Fig. 3 is a view taken in section on line III- III of Fig. 15

Fig. 4 is a view 1n detail of a tread segment;

Fig. .5 is a view in elevation showing the application of a tractor to a` truck;

Fig. 6 is a view partly broken away and in section, of a modification of the tractor; Fig. 7 is a'view in sectiontaken on or i about line vii-vn of Fig. e;

Figs. 8 and 9 are views in detail of a segment of the modified form; and

Figs. 10, 11 and 412 are views in detail of slight modifications of the spacing wheels.

Inl the drawings a track plate 4,v is provided to which a side plate 2 may be secured by suitable means, as for example bolts or holding members 3. The track plate is transversely gained or cut away between its ends to provide clearance for-a 'main driving gear 5 that may be' mounted on a shaft 6 journaled in the bearing. y g

A series of segments 7 are arranged alter- Specification of Letters Patent. Patttgmted Jun@ 26, llglll'?.

-1916T Serial No. 97,253.

nately with other corresponding segments 8to which they are connected by pivot members 9. A set ofl spacing wheels 10 are mounted on pivot members 9 in the plane of'gthe spacing member 4, the parts being so proportioned that the wheels 10 roll continuously on the marginal surface afforded byy the member 4. Preferably, as indicated in Fig. IV, the wheels 10 are carried in suitable recesses formed in the members 7 and 8. `Dust guards 11 are formed on the faces of the members 7 and 8 in such relation tothe overlapping end portions ofthe adjacent pair of members, as to substantially close the wedge shaped gap between them, and as indicated. in Fig. l, to act to expel any dirt that would otherwise tend to be drawn between the members 7 and 8 as they assume different angular relation in coming into contact with the ground.

The parts are further housed by a cover plate 12 which is secured to the spacing plate 4`by suitable screws or the like and may have an outboard bearing 13 for the journal 6. i

Where the device is to be used as a tractor with the wheel' in the position indicated, rack links 14 are pivoted together by the members 9 so as to form a continuous rack in engagement with the wheel 5.

It is to be understood'that the bearing 1 (here shown diagrammatically) and the mating support 13 with intermediate parts are so disposed and arranged that they may be mounted on the standard driving axle of a truck or the like. thedriving gear in place, the weight from the truck is transmitted in` a direct line through the large bearing wheels and cam plate or track plate to the links or segments as they strike the ground so-that there is practically no weight'to be carried by the pivot members of the device. Furthermore the action of the gear wheel on the rack is such that the device rolls on the lower rack and corresponding ortion of the track plate while vit is driving forward the upper or slack portion.

In the modification shown in Fig. 6, the segments 14 are linked together in overlapping relation and each are provided with recesses 15 in which rollers or spacing wheels 16 are journaled on the pivot pins 17 that secure the links in relation. Because of the overlapping of the links or segments and the housing in the recesses 15 of the rollers When so mounted with 19 which is herein shown corresponding to the cover plate 12 .shown in Fig. 3, may -be omitted as there is no side thrust in the members.

Because also of this construction, the gearing may be omitted and while inA Fig. 7

there is shown a gear 20 meshing into racks 5 21 carried by the pivots, still this can be readily taken off in case the assembled device is used merely as a bearing wheel and not for tractor purposes.

In order to prevent this side play that has been above alluded to in reference to plates 19 and 2O or the corresponding plates 12 and 2` of the other type, the spacing wheels may be given the dress on the periphery shown in `Figs. ,l0, 11,l and 12, thatis, they may have any grooved or anged periphery i which assists, when coperat'ing with a correspondingly in maintaining the links or sections in llateral alinement without imposing any end thrust whatever through the-pivot pins to plain` links the plates which merely act as dust protectors. l

As a result of this construction a wheel is obtained which provides a very broad bearing surface thatdoes not tend to slip, that practically' clears itselt` of dirt, and that permits the free operation of the parts as they are well housed from dust or mud. With the racks omitted .and either with replacing them or 'with no such parts, wheel that carries enormous ground without difficulty.

As a lfurther result of the arrangement of the device the hub which is herein shown largely the portion ofthe parts is such that the tractor Wheelmay., be readily mountedbn any standard driving axle' or hub in place of a conventional traction bearing wheel. That is, theoproportions of the wheel are so arranged that the vertical diameter is substantially ythat of a tractor wheel andv'accordingly it may be substituted for such wheel on any vehicle. This is the arrangement lshown in Fig. 5. A .Y

A further result of the construction is the generous 'proportions of the spacing wheels loads over soft which while `completely housed in the rel lcesses of the segments, are still of such diameter that the rolling contact with the track platepractically eliminates all load friction. The large size of the spacing wheels also eliminates any noise, to a large extent, that is common in devices of this character wherein small rollers are used to carry a linked tread.

formed rim on` the ytrack plate;l

the device becomes a bearing diagrammatically is so disposed and plate,

Obviously changes in the details of construction maybe made` without departing from the' spirit of my invention and I do notcare to limit myself to any particular form or arrangement 'of parts.

1. A bearing wheel for vehicles comprising a side plate, a' ltrack plate secured thereto, a cover plate secured on the track plate, oppositely disposed segments havingv 'recessed end portions pivoted together in overlapping relation to form an endless link `tread member encircling the track plate between thefside and cover plates, spacing wheels mounted between the overlapping portions of the" points thereof in rolling contact with the margin of the track plate, and a dust guard on each segment filling the interval between the overlapping contiguous pairs of segments.

segments at the pivotal 2. A bearing wheel for vehicles comprisv ing a side plate, a track \plate secured thereto, oppositely disposed segments having-recessed end portions pivoted together in overlapping relation to form an endless link tread member encircling the track plate between the side and cover plate, spacing wheels mounted between the overlapping portions of the segments at the pivotal points'thereof in rolling contact with the margin of the track plate, and a dust guard on` each segment tween the overlapping contiguouspair of segments. l

3. A bearing wheel for vehicles comprising a side plate, a track plate secured therefilling the interval bef to, oppositelydisposed segments having recessed end portions, pivoted together in overlappingrelation to form an 'endless linked tread member encircling said track plate, spacing whe/els having flanged peripheries engaging the'correspondingly faced periphery of the track plate mounted in the recesses of the segments at the pivotal .points thereof in rolling contact with the track and a dust guard oneach segment filling the interval between the overlapping contiguous pairs of segments.

4. A bearing vwheel for vehicles comprising a side plate, a track plate secured thereto,

oppositely disposed segments having recessed portions,

tread 4member encircling said track plate, spacing wheels housed in the recessed portions of the segments and journaled at the ivotal points thereof yin rolling contact and pivoted together in, overlapping relation to form an endless link with the track plate the wheel and track contacting. portions being correspondingly faced to preventlateral displacement, and

l a dust guard. on each segment filling the interval between the overlapping contiguous pairs of segments.

5. A bearing WheelY for vehicles, comprising a side plate, a track plate secured thereto,

oppositely disposed segments having re-v cessed end portions, pivoted together in overlapping relation to form an endless link tread member encircling said track plate, spacing wheels in the recesses of the segments at the pivotal points thereof in rolling contact with the track plate, rack links articulating on the pivotal connections of the segments, and a driving gear in mesh with the rack links rotatably mounted in the plates in substantially concentric relation with the link tread member.

6. A bearing wheel for vehicles, comprising a side plate, a track plate secured thereto provided with a peripherally grooved and flanged margin, oppositely disposed segments pivoted together in overlapping relation" to form an endless link tread member encircling the track plate, spacing wheels` journaled on thepivot connections of the segments'and housed by the segments having flanged peripheries "engaging the periphery of the track plate a dust guard on each segmentlling the interval between the overlapping contiguous pairs of segments, rack links connecting the pivot members of the segments, and a gear mounted on the track plate concentrically with the periphery thereof in mesh with the rack links.

7. A bearing wheel for vehicles comprising aside'plate, a track plate secured theretd, oppositely disposed segments having recessed end portions pivoted together inoverlapping relation to form an endless link tread member, encircling the track plate,

spacing wheels mounted between the overlapping portions of the segments at the several pivotal points thereof in rolling contact with the margin of the track plate, the spacing wheels being of' a diameter closely approaching the width of the segments, anda dust guarden each segmentlling the interval between the overlapping contiguous pairs of segments.'

v ,8. A bearing wheel for vehicles comprising a side plate, a track plate secured thereto, oppositely disposed segments having recessed end portions, pivot members securing the segments together to form an endless link tread member encircling the track plate,

spacing wheels mounted inl the recessed por-v tions of the segments on the pivot members of suliicient diameter to project beyond the margins of the segments, and arranged in rolling contact with the margin of the track to, a set of oppositely disposed segments having recessed end portions, pivots securing the overlapping'end portions of the segments to form an endless link tread member encircling the track plate, spacing Wheels -mounted on the pivot members in the recesses of the segments, in rolling contact with the margin of the track plate and a dust guard on each segment filling the interval between the overlapping contiguous pairs of segments, the contacting margins of the track plate and wheel being arranged to prevent lateral displacement of the parts relative to each other;

l0. ln a motor vehicle, the combination of a standard bearing and driving axle, of a traction bearing wheel comprising a track plate adapted to be journaled on the axle, a driving gear journaled adjacent the plate adapted to be secured to the drive shaft of the aXle, a series of segments having inner recessed marginal portions, pivots connecting the segments, spacing wheels on the pivots engagingthe marginal face of the track plate and maintaining the segments therearound -as a Alinked tread, rack links 'connecting the pivots in mesh with the driving gear, and dust guards on each segment between the adjacent end portions of the companion segments.

In testimony whereof ll ax my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK J. MINER. Witnesses:

f C. R. STICKNEY,

ANNA M. Doma.

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