US2309793A - Propelling attachment - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 2, J, 'SEDORE ETAL 2,309,793

v PROPELLING ATTACHMENT Filed Nov. 1, 1940 2 sheets-sheet'l livzi'vig," .L .Sedona H. A. Sniff/7.

Feb. 2, 1943. J. sEDoRE ET Al.

PROPELLING ATTACHMENT' Filed Nov. 1, 1940 2 she'ets-shet 2 Patented Feb. 2, 1,943

PATENT OFFICE PROPELLING ATTACHMENT James Sedore and Alexander A. Smith, Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada Applicatien November 1, 1940, 'Serial No. 363,948 Y In Canada July 2, 1940 5 Claims. (Cl. ISO-9.1)

Our invention relates to improvements in propelling attachments for trucks and the principal object of our invention is to provide a device of l the character herewithin described whereby such vehicles are enabled to travel over soft mud,

deep snow and other Various adverse conditions where the tractive effort afforded by the conventional means of propulsion is inadequate.

A further object of our invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described in which an additional provision is made for travf' elling over slippery or icy ground.

A further object of our invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which does not interfere with the operation of f 'the vehicle under normal circumstances.

A further object of our invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which is simple in structure and operation, and will not easily become damaged.

With the above more important objects inv view and such other minor objects as may appear as the specification proceeds, our invention consists essentially in the arrangement and construction of parts all as hereinafter more particularly described, reference being had to the ac-c' eompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a'side elevation of our invention. Figure 2 is a plan View thereof.

Figure 3 is a side elevation illustrating the structure of our wheel suspension mechanism` and the adjustable equalizer rods used in connection therewith.

Figure 4 is a vertical cross-sectional elevation taken along the line 4 4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the;

underside of one of our traction plates.

Figure 6 is a plan View partially broken away, and illustrating a modified constructional arrangement of one of our traction plates.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of-one of our'n traction plates showing a further modification thereof.

Figure 8 is a longitudinal cross-sectional elevation illustrating the detail of a clutch assembly, f

shafts 2 journalled in a suitable housing 3 and driven through the medium of a conventional differential assembly 4 from the engine of the vehicle. This housing is secured by means of a pair of mounting blocks 5 to the vehicle chassis 6 and it will be observed in this connection that its position has been shifted forwardly along the chassisrto a certain extent and the associated propeller shaft (not illustrated) correspondingly shortened in order to accommodate the various remaining components of our invention hereinafter to be described. Y

Attached to the chassis 6 by means of the suspension springs 'i we provide a pair of recessed channels 8 in the longitudinally extending recessesfS of which a pair of guide blocks I0 are freely slidable. The latter are secured to the housing II of a sub-axle assembly I2 and a pair of longitudinally aligned shafts I3 each carrying von its outer extremity a dual wheel I4 are journalled in suitable bearings l5 and freely rotatable therein.

A pair of endless tracks I6 designed to pass over the sprockets I and the wheels I4, each comprising l a plurality of hingedly connected traction Yplates II, each of the latter being in turn provided with a pair of spaced apertures I8 engageable with the outwardly projecting teeth I9 of the sprockets. The interconnection of the plates will clearly be apparent from the accompanying drawings and consists of a plurality of elongated eye-pieces 20 attached alternatively to and formed integrally with the adjacent edges of the plates, a suitable hinge pin 2I extendingin turn, through each aligned row of eye-pieces and an arcuate protecting plate 22 secured along one edge thereof tothe outside of each plateover` lapping the connection thus made.

l Our means for retaining the tracks I6' in posiltion is provided upon the underside 23 of each of our plates I'I, and comprises an'inwardly extending lug 2lil designed to engage a perimetrical groove 25 formed medially the width of the 1 sprockets I and receivable in a further groove 26 The tension of our tracks may be adjusted by means of a pair of equalizer rods 3|, each consisting of two longitudinally aligned shafts 32 connected together by a conventional turnbuckle 33 and extending between the housings 3 and I I, the free ends of the rods being of course enlarged as at 34 to accommodate a circular aperture 35 through which the aforementioned housings may freely pass.

Referring now to the accompanying Figures 8 to 10 inclusive, our means for manually controlling the independent or simultaneous rotation of the shafts I3 consists of a clutch assembly 316 housed within a cylindrical casing 31 provided upon the sub-axle I2, and comprises a rotatable disc 38 secured by means of the key 39 to one of the shafts and provided on the face 40 thereof with a pair of inwardly extending, diametrically opposed, rectangular recesses 4I. The remaining of the shafts is equipped at the inner end thereof with -a squared portion 42 terminated by a cylindrical boss 43, the latter being receivable in a circular recess 44 formed concentrically in the disc 38 to facilitate proper alignment of the two shafts.

A circular plate 45 provided with a square aperture 45 is freely slidable upon the shaft por- -tion 42 and carries upon the face 4l thereof a pair of outwar-dly projecting, diametrically opposed dogs 48 engageable with the recesses 4I upon the manipulation of a slidable control rod 49. The latter is journalled in suitable bearings D formed in the housing 3l and carries at the inner end thereof a dog portion 5I projecting into an annular groove 52 extending around the circumference of the plate 45.

Referring now to the embodiment of our invention shown in the accompanying Figure '7, our plates I'I may if desired, be equipped with a plurality of outwardly projecting spikes 53 secured to the upper surfaces 54 thereof to increase the tractive eiort of the vehicle when travelling over slippery or icy roads.

When our invention is in operation the vehicle may be said to provide its own roadbed by placing the tracks I6 in the path of travel of the wheels I4. Accordingly, the tractive eiTort thus obtained at the greatly enlarged point of contact of the vehicle with the road will facilitate travelling over mud, snow or ice, and the drive ratio from the engine to the wheels may of course be raised considerably by decreasing the diameter ofthe sprockets I. v

Furthermore, the fact that the tracks are driven from the sprockets eliminates any possibility of slippage such as may occur between such tracks and the wheels I4 if the latter were driven and we also wish to point out that the clutch assembly 36 should normally be disengaged to permit independent rotation of the shafts I3 when the vehicle is negotiating a curved path.

When, however, extremely adverse road conditions are encountered, this clutch may be engaged and both the tracks I5 driven at an equal rate of speed from the differential 4 in the same manner as though the wheels I4 were connected l by a solid shaft. Y

r `Since many modifications can be made in the cil invention herein described and since the accompanying drawings have been prepared only to i1- lustrate the relative arrangement and interaction of parts and not with regard to accuracy of dimensions for manufacturing purposes which in view of this disclosure we consider to ent-ail merely mechanical skill together with the skill of the mechanical draftsman, and since many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention may be made within the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from the spirit and scope of the same, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense and we desire only such limitations placed thereon as justice dictates.

What We claim as our invention is:

l. A propelling attachment for trucks and like vehicles comprising in combination a pair of sprockets secured to the drive shafts of said vehicle, a sub-axle and a pair of dual wheels thereon, a pair of endless tracks each comprising a. plurality of hingedly connected traction plates having a plurality of apertures formed therein, designed to engage the teeth of said sprockets, a plurality of inwardly projecting lugs secured to the underside of said plates, said lugs engaging a perimetrical groove formed medially the width of said sprockets and a further V-shaped groove existing between the abutting perimetrical edges of said dual wheels.

2. The device as defined in claim l in which said sprockets are of a polygonic configuration, said plates being designed to contact progressively the several sides thereof.

3. A propelling attachment for trucks and like vehicles comprising in combination a pair of sprockets secured to the drive shafts of said vehicle, a sub-axle and a pair of dual wheels thereon, a pair of endless tracks each comprising a plurality of hingedly yconnected traction plates having a plurality of apertures formed therein designed to engage the teeth of said sprockets, a plurality of inwardly projecting lugs secured medially to the underside of said plates, said lugs engaging a perimetrical groove formed medially the width of said sprockets and a further V- shaped groove existing between th-e abutting perimetrical edges of said dual wheels, a plurality of further inwardly vprojecting lugs secured to the underside of said plates and near the edges thereof, said last mentioned lugs being designed to contact the sides of said sprockets and said wheels.

4. In association with the device defined in claim 1, means for increasing the tractive effort of said plates comprising a plurality of outwardly projecting spikes secured to the upper

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