US1404414A - Track construction - Google Patents

Description

W. W. WHEELER.

TRACK CDNSTRUCTION.`

APPLICATION man FEB. n. 1921.

Patented Jan. 24, 1922.

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WITNESSES WILLIAM WILLIS WHEELER, OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA.

TRACK CONSTRUCTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 24, 1922.

Application filed February 17, 1921. Serial No. 445,806.

T0 all 'whom z't may concer-'n Be it known rthat I, WILLIAM WILLIS IVHEELER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Jacksonville, in the county of Duval and State of Florida, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Track Construction, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates generally to track construction and particularly to a track construction specially designed for use in the system of plantin cultivating and gathering of crops emboied in my ending application, Serial No. 387 ,215, filed June 7, 1920.

It is a purpose of my invention to provide a track construction which is simple, inexpensive and extremely durable to withstand the weight and wear of machinery passing over the tracks during the planting, cultivating and harvesting of crops.

I will describe two forms of tracks embodying my invention and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the acompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view showing in top plan one form of track in applied position within a eld.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view showing the tracks in applied position within a field.

Fi ure 3 is a. fragmentary view showing in sirIe elevation a portion of one of the track rails and supporting means therefor.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

'Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the manner in which a rail is arranged as with respect to the joint of any two base sections.

Figure 6 is a detailed perspective view of one of the connecting bars for connecting the base section.

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view showing a modified form of base in applied position within the earth.

Similar reference characters referto similar parts in each of the several views.

Referring specifically to the drawings and particularly to Figures l and 2, T and T esignate a pair of tracks, over which farming machinery is adapted to move. These two tracks are only two of a number of similar tracks which are adapted to be arranged at regular intervals throughout the area of a field so as to divide the field into a plurality of independently workable gardens, as more fully described and shown in my pending application heretofore referred to. The tracks T and T are made up of three rails, the intermediate rail constituting one rail of either of the two tracks. Each rail R is supported upon a base or supporting member B which is co-extensive in length with the rail and of substantially the same thickness. As shown in Figures 3,'4 and 5, each base member is made up of a plurality of companion sections designated at 15 and 15jq arranged end to end and interlocked at their confronting edges by a tongue and groove connection designated at 16 in Figure 4. As shown in Figure 2, each section 15 or 15n is provided with a relatively wide base 17, and a groove 18 in its upper edge which is coextensive in length with the section. As shown in Figures 1 and 5, the groove 18 is arranged centrally of the upper edge and is of substantially U-shape in cross section for the reception of a yCorrespondingly shaped tongue 19 formed on the under side of the rail B. The tongue 19 is likewise arranged centrally of the under side of the rail It so that the portions of the rail at opposite sides of the tongue engage corresponding portions on the upper edge of the base section with the tongue within the groove thereby forming a substantial support for the rail and at the same time preventing lateral movement of the rail with respect to the section,

To maintain the base members B in spaced parallel relation, I provide connecting bars C at frequent intervals along the length of the track, such bars being rigidly connected with the base members by arms 2O partially imbedded. within the base sections and extending from the confronting sides of the sections at corresponding points. The opposite ends of any one connecting bar C are slotted as shown in Figure 6 for receiving bolts 21 carried by the arms 2O thereby permitting of the slivht adjustment of the contacting bar as with respect to the base members, and a secure locking of the connecting bar to the base members after such adjustment has been made.

In practice, the base members B are made of any suitable material, for instance reinforced 4concrete, each base section 15 or 15a being formed at one end with a tongue and at the opposite end with a correspondingly shaped groove so that when in assembled position the tongue and groove connection between any two base sections prevents lateral movement of the sections with respect to each other. The rails R in applied position upon the base members are arranged so that the joint between the two rail Sec- Y tions is disalined with respect to the joint member which is designated at B.

of any two base sections. This arrangement is clearly 'shown in Figures 3 and v5, the advantage being that the rails serve to further V`lock any two adjacent base sections, while the base sections serve to prevent :lateral displacement of any two rail sections. This arrangement in conjunction with the metallic connecting bars provides a track of extremely substantial and durable con struction for the supporting of heavy farming implements thereon during the planting, cultivating and harvesting Vof crops between the rails of tlietiack.v

Referring now to Figure 7, I have here shown a slightly modified form of base This base member B. is constructed the same as the base member B with the exception that Vit is of smaller` dimension from t-he upper 'edge to the lower edge so as to be imbedded only for a short distance within the ground.

This base member is ldesigned torbe used lin a warm country where the soil does not -become frozen. The base members B are especially designed for use in cold climates where a relatively 4thick stratum of earth-becomes frozen. It isto be particularly noted that the base members B are of such dimension groovev connections on. theiry confronting,

ends `for locking any two adjacent sections against relative lateral movement, means for rigidly connecting said members, rai-ls supported upon vand disposed -in Aparallel rela-fk tion to the upper edge of-vsaid memberaand a tongue and groove connection vbetween said rails and members. Y I i 2. In a track construction, spaced base Amembers comprising sections arranged '-end to end and having tongue and groove -connections at their ends, arms formed ontlie 'confronting sides of said `inem-bers, connecting` bars rigidly connecting said arms, .grooves :formed on the upper edges lof `said members, rails supported on -saidmembers E I and disposed in parallel.relation'theretm and tongues formed onsaid ra-ils and .seating within said grooves wiLLniM WiLLrsWHnLER.

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