US3092423A

US3092423A - Aggressive dual pin track

Info

Publication number: US3092423A
Application number: US105524A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr Louis Speidel; Jr Edward J Gow
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1961-04-25
Filing date: 1961-04-25
Publication date: 1963-06-04
Anticipated expiration: 1980-06-04

Description

June 4, 1963 L. SPEIDEL, JR, ETAL 3,092,423

AGGRESSIVE DUAL PIN TRACK Filed April 25 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS SPEIDEL. JR.

June 4, 1963 L. SPEIDEL, JR, ETAL AGGRESSIVE DUAL PIN TRACK 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 25, 1961 FIG.3

INVENTOR. LOUIS spawn, an. :owmn J. sow. .m.

June 4, 1963 SPEIDEL, JR., ETAL 3,092,423

AGGRESSIVE DUAL PIN TRACK Filed April 25, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. ls spawn, JR.

X04. 2250a, ad. 24 Hm United States Patent 3,092,423 AGGRESSIVE DUAL PIN TRACK Louis Speidel, in, Royal Oak, and Edward J. Gow, In, flak Park, Micln, assignors to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army Filed Apr. 25, 1961, Ser. No. 105,524 7 Ciaims. (Cl. 395-11) (Granted under Title 35, US. Code (1952), see. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to us of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a track for track-laying vehicles.

More particularly, the object of our invention is to provide a connecting pin arrangement which results in a greater portion of a given track shoe width being used for grouser. Specifically, this arrangement entails the use of dual axially separated track pins in lieu of the prior art single pin connector Whose length thereof is longer than the composite length of the dual track pins. The use of dual pins enables the space previously occupied by the long single pin connector and its associated bosses to be utilized as a trap for soil which would not have ordinarily entered between the track shoes. The additional soil entrapped between adjacent shoes serve to greatly increase the traction between track and ground and insures aggressiveness of the track in all types of terrain.

A further object of our invention is to provide a number of different track pin designs that can be used to implement our dual pin arrangement. Accordingly, we have designed track pins for use with a track-laying vehicle that result in a track with no decrease in ability to absorb tensile stresses but with a high degree of grousing ability due to the small amount of space occupied by our PlIlS.

A further object of our invention is to provide a pin arrangement that will result in easier pin installation and removal. The installation and removal of the prior art single pin connector is difiicult due to the fact that such a pin must pass through up to five bosses in order to connect or disconnect adjacent track shoes of a given width. This means a great deal of friction must be overcome in order to install or remove a single pin connector. Further, the removal of a single pin connector, bent by differential movement of the bosses may be very ditlicult. The use of our dual pin arrangement with adjacent track shoes of the above width greatly relieves or eliminates the above difiiculties since it is necessary for each pin of the dual pin arrangement to pass through only two bosses and in one of our designs through only one boss.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention resides in the novel arrangement and combination of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of two connected track shoes utilizing our connecting pin arrangement.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the track shoes illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of one embodiment of our connecting pin engaging adjacent track shoes with portions of the pin and track shoes being shown in section.

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of another embodiment "ice of our connecting pin engaging adjacent track shoes with portions of the pin and track shoes being shown in section.

FIG. 5 is a plan view in section of another embodiment of our connecting pin with portions of the connected track shoes being shown broken away.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of an alternate sealing ring that can be used with our invention.

FIG. 7 is a section taken through line 7-7 of FIG. 5.

'FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 showing alternate attaching means.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, FIG. 2 illustrates two track shoes of an endless track utilizing our connecting pin arrangement. The use of our dual connecting pins (contained Within bosses 2 and 4) enables the spaces 6, 8 and 10, previously occupied by the prior art single pin connector and associated bosses to be utilized as a trap for soil which would not have ordinarily entered between

track shoes

12 and 14. This additional soil entrapped between ground contacting track shoes serves to greatly increase the traction between the track-laying vehicle and ground and insures aggressiveness of the vehicle in all types of terrain.

Although FIG. 2 shows specific details of the track shoe body (the portion of the track shoe with the exclusion of the pins and bosses), it is not per se to be considered part of the invention, and it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to use with a specific track shoe body but is to be considered equally useful with shoes of different designs.

Referring to FIG. 3, there is illustrated one of our dual axially separated track pins 16 engaging

adjacent track shoes

12 and 14. The composite pin 16 is composed of three elements: the body member 18, stem 20, and locking plug 22. The body member 18, in turn is made up of cylindrical journal 24, cylindrical segment 26, a tapered portion 28 connecting the ends of the cylindrical segment 26 and journal 24, and knurls 30 provided on cylindrical segment 26. The surfaces of all the above parts are designed to engage and mate with internal portions provided in bosses 2 and 4, it being understood that a key and keyway could be substituted for knurls 30 if so desired.

Body member 18 is further provided with bore 32 designed to receive threads 34 near one end of stem 20. The other end of stem 20 is provided with threads 36 which are of much greater pitch than threads 34 for a purpose to be discussed hereinafter.

The connection of

track shoes

12 and 14 is accomplished by first partially threading stem 20 into body member 18, after which the attached members are inserted through bearing boss 2 and on through boss 4 until threads 36 of stem 20 engage the internal threads provided in boss 4.

A large rectangular recess 38 is provided in body member 18 so that the polygonal head 46 on stem 20 can be easily reached and turned by an inserted tool. The recess 38 also serves to lighten body member 18 and ultimately the track.

Stem 20 is now threaded into boss 4 by the turning of polygonal head 4t). As the stem moves into boss 4, body member 18 is pulled into engagement with the internal taper and knurls of boss 4. This is possible due to the pitch of threads 36 being large in relation to the pitch of threads 34-. Thus, as stem 20 is threaded into boss 4, threads 36' pull stem 20' and body member 18 a greater distance in relation to boss 4 than threads 34 move body member 18 on stem 26. It is evident that if stem 20 was integral to body member 18 the ability to turn stem 20 and draw body member 18 into contact with the internal knurls of boss 4 would cease as soon as knurls 30 came into contact with the internal knurls of boss 4. Thus, threads 34 allow stem 20 to turn within body member 18 while threads 36 pull body member 18 into tight engagement with boss 4.

When stem 20 can no longer be turned, body member 18 has been drawn into tight engagement with boss 4. The stem is now prevented from turning in body member 13 by locking plug 22. Locking plug 22 is designed with an outside surface that mates with the internal surface of recess 38 and an inside recess that mates with the polygonal surface of head 4%. Thus, when locking nut 22 is placed in the position shown in FIG. 3, there can be no relative movement between body member 18 and stem 29. Pin 16 is now positively fixed within boss 4 and cannot be removed until locking nut 22 is removed and the above procedure reversed.

As seen from FIG.- 3, pin 16 is positively fixed to track shoe 14 and journaled to track shoe 12 through journal 24. The tensile load on journal 24- is transmitted to bearing boss 2 through the bearing 42 which is press fitted within boss 2. Bearing 42 is preferably made from a material such as Telflon or Oilite, which are both widely used for lubricating bearings. The bearing boss cavity (and bearing therein) are protected from weathering by providing a self-locking threaded plug 44 on its outer end and a sealing ring 46 on its inner end. The plug 44 is provided with a recess 47 adapted to receive a tool which can loosen or tighten the plug in its seat. Sealing ring 46 is preferably made from natural or synthetic rubber and is also press fitted within boss 2. A metal ring 48 made from a beryllium-copper alloy is joined to the inner surface of sealing ring 46 so that it is in continuous engagement with journal 24' 'This metal ring eliminates the friction and wear that would occur if the rubber seal 46 directly engaged journal 24.

Sealing ring 46 may be replaced, if desired, by rubber sealing ring 59, a section through which is shown. in FIG. 6. In assembled position, outer surface 52 of seal 50 is press fitted within bearing boss 2 while its inner surface 54 is stretched over journal 24. The rotation of journal 24 within boss 2 results only in the twisting of web 56 of seal 50- and in no relative movement between the inner surface of boss 2 and outer surface 52 and between journal 24 and inner surface '54; Since the inner and outer edges of Web 56 will be twisted in relation to one another through the same maximum angle of only 30 that adjacent track shoes are'rotated in relation to one another, the small amount of stress placed upon rubber web 56 can be easily absorbed without damage. It is noted that our 'dual pin arrangement requires the use of only two sealing rings of the type described above for a connection between two track shoes while a track shoe connection using the single pin connector may require many more since the pin passes completely through each boss.

The alternate pin design illustrated. in FIG. 4 ditfers from the structure of FIG. 3 only in the manner that body member 18 is drawn into boss 4.; This entails the substitution of bolt 58 for stem 20 and locking nut 22. The use 'of the structure illustrated in FIG. 4 is advantageous from the point of view that it uses fewer and less complex parts than the structure of FIG. 3 but it is less eflicient in that moisture may enter under bolt head 66* and travel into the interior of boss 4. Further, if bolt 58 is not sufiiciently tight it mayloosen due to the continuous vibration it is subjected to. This naturally will result in the disengagement of body member 18 and boss 4, an event which is improbable when using the positively locked structure of FIG. 3.

As an alternative to the use of bolt 58 as means to draw body member -18 into boss 4, a threaded stud may be formed on body member 18. After the stud is passed through boss 4, body member 18 is drawn into boss 4 by threading a nut on the projecting stud. Recess 62 shown in FIG. 4 is provided in body member 18 so as to lighten the track. It in no way decreases the tracks ability to absorb tensile stresses.

The embodiment of FIG. 5 features pins 64 integral with track shoe 14. This permits the elimination of two bosses per connection and the forming of pins 64 so as to occupy a minimum of space. The resulting track is one that will provide grouser capability greater than that of the tracks formed from the structures of FIGS. 3 and 4, due to the additional space available for soil entrapment.

The bearing boss 66 shown cooperating with pin 64 is basically the same as the bearing bosses illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 with the exception that it is made separable from track shoe 12. When it is desired to connect the track shoes, bearing boss 66 is attached to track shoe 12 by bolts 68 and 70,215 shown in FIG. 7, or by means of a tongue and groove joint with a round tapered pin lock 72, as shown in FIG. 8. It will, however, be understood that these are merely examples and are not given by way of limitation, since we may employ other attachment arrangements well known to those skilled in the art. When the track shoes are awaiting connection, the bearing bosses 66 are engaged with journals 74 so as to ensure that no moisture or dirt will enter the bearing cavity. Recess, shown in FIG. 5, is provided in pin 76 for the same purpose recess 62 was provided in FIG. 4.

Each of the pin embodiments of FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 result in providing reduction of seal points to one for each pin, ease of installation and removal of pin, and a track shoe with a minimum of 40 percent of its width being used for full aggressive grouser.

We claim:

1. An endless track, embodying articulated track shoes, 7

each shoe comprising first and second longitudinal sides, a pair of spaced bearing bosses each formed with a cavity therein secured to said first longitudinal side, dual axially spaced separate track pins, extending from said second longitudinal side of each of said shoes, each pin having one end extending into the cavity in the bearing bosses of adjoining shoes, said bearing bosses being formed to completely cover one end of said pin, sealing means disposed in the cavity of each of said bearing bosses between each said pin and its respective bearing boss to completely enclose the end of said pin within the confines of said bearing boss, said bearing bosses and pins occupying a space that insures a minimum of 40% of said first longitudinal side being used for full aggressive grousing, bearings disposedbetween each said pin and each said boss, each shoe having bearing bosses integrally formed on said second longitudinal side, fastening means engaging each of said last mentioned bosses for detachably securing said pins to said last mentioned bosses, said track pins comprising a body portion provided with knurls corresponding to knurls formed within said bosses on said second longitudinal side, said last mentioned means being formed by a stem provided with first and second portions threaded, respectively, to said body portion and to said last mentioned bosses, and locking means adapted to be disposed between said stem and said track pins to arrest all relative movement between said body portion and stem after said body portion has been drawn into engagement with said bosses by rotation of said stem.

7 2. The endless track of claim 1 wherein the pitch of the threads of said first portion is smaller than the pitch of said second portion.

3. The endless track of claim 5 wherein a recess is provided through said bearing bosses on the first longitudinal side of one shoe permitting insertion of said track pins into said bosses on said second longitudinal side of an adjacent shoe, said recess also permitting access to and rotation of said stem within said body portion, and a selflocking plug threaded into said recess after said pins are positively engaged to said bosses.

4; An endless track embodying articulated track shoes, each shoe having a first pair of spaced bearing bosses extending beyond one side thereof and a second pair of spaced bearing bosses extending beyond the opposite side thereof, means pivotally connecting said first pair of bosses on a first shoe to said second pair of bosses on a second shoe, said means formed by spaced track pins, each pin defined by a body member having a tapered portion and a cylindrical journal extending therefrom, each of said second bearing bosses having a tapered recess therein adapted to receive the tapered portion of each pin, threaded means threadedly connecting each of said track pins to each boss of said second bearing bosses, said last mentioned means having a head portion so that the threaded means may be turned in one direction to secure the pins within the second pair of bosses and turned in the opposite direction to move said pins out of said first bearing bosses, said cylindrical journal of each pin extending beyond each of said second bosses and connected to each of said first bosses, said cylindrical portion being confined within said first boss, each of said first bosses having a removable journal to provide access to said cylindr-ical journal, each of said threaded means being formed by a stem member having first and second threaded portions, said first portion being adapted to be threadedly connected to said body portion of each pin and said second portion adapted to be threadedly connected to each boss of said second pair of bosses.

5. The endless track of claim 4 wherein the pitch of the threads of the second portion is greater than the pitch of the threads of said first portion.

6. A vehicle track comprised of a plurality of shoes, means pivotally connecting said shoes to each other, said means comprising a plurality of track pins, each of said track pins having a tapered body portion and a cylindrical journal, means connecting each pin to each of said shoes, each of said means comprised of an elongated stemmember having a head port-ion and separate first and second threaded portions, said second portion having threads which are greater in pitch than the threads of said first portion, said first portion being threadedly connected to said pin, said second portion being threadedly connected to one of said shoes.

7. A track pin for articulating the shoes of an endless track together, said pin having a tapered body portion, a cylindrical journal and a cylindrical segment, said body portion disposed betweeen said cylindrical journal and said cylindrical segment, said pin being formed with a bore therethrough, said bore being threaded near one end of said pin, an elongated stem member positioned in the bore of said pin, said stem having a head portion and first and second threaded portions, said first portion being threadedly connected to the threads in said bore, said second portion being adapted to be threadedly connected to one of the shoes of the endless track, the threads of said second portion having a pitch greater than the pitch of the threads of said first portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,494,568 Allen May 20, 1924 1,956,580 Knox May 1, 1934 2,061,223 Cunningham et al. Nov. 17, 1936 2,264,135 Kaminsky Nov. 25, 194-1

Claims

1. AN ENDLESS TRACK, EMBODYING ARTICULATED TRACK SHOES, EACH SHOE COMPRISING FIRST AND SECOND LONGITUDINAL SIDES, A PAIR OF SPACED BEARING BOSSES EACH FORMED WITH A CAVITY THEREIN SECURED TO SAID FIRST LONGITUDINAL SIDE, DUAL AXIALLY SPACED SEPARATE TRACK PINS, EXTENDING FROM SAID SECOND LONGITUDINAL SIDE OF EACH OF SAID SHOES, EACH PIN HAVING ONE END EXTENDING INTO THE CAVITY IN THE BEARING BOSSES OF ADJOINING SHOES, SAID BEARING BOSSES BEING FORMED TO COMPLETELY COVER ONE END OF SAID PIN, SEALING MEANS DISPOSED IN THE CAVITY OF THE SAID BEARING BOSSES BETWEEN EACH SAID PIN AND ITS RESPECTIVE BEARING BOSS TO COMPLETELY ENCLOSE THE END OF SAID PIN WITHIN THE CONFINES OF SAID BEARING BOSS, SAID BEARING BOSSES AND PINS OCCUPYING A SPACE THAT INSURES A MINIMUM OF 40% OF SAID FIRST LONGITUDINAL SIDE BEING USED FOR FULL AGGRESSIVE GROUSING, BEARINGS DISPOSED BETWEEN EACH SAID PIN AND EACH SAID BOSS, EACH SHOE HAVING BEARING BOSSES INTEGRALLY FORMED ON SAID SECOND LONGITUDINAL SIDE, FASTENING MEANS ENGAGING EACH OF SAID LAST MENTIONED BOSSES FOR DETACHABLY SECURING SAID PINS TO SAID LAST MENTIONED BOSSES, SAID TRACK PINS COMPRISING A BODY PORTION PROVIDED WITH KNURLS CORRESPONDING TO KNURLS FORMED WITHIN SAID BOSSES ON SAID SECOND LONGITUDINAL SIDE, SAID LAST MENTIONED MEANS BEING FORMED BY A STEM PROVIDED WITH FIRST AND SECOND PORTIONS THREADED, RESPECTIVELY, TO SAID BODY PORTION AND TO SAID LAST MENTIONED BOSSES, AND LOCKING MEANS ADAPTED TO BE DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID STEM AND SAID TRACK PINS TO ARREST ALL RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID BODY PORTION AND STEM AFTER SAID BODY PORTION HAS BEEN DRAWN INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID BOSSES BY ROTATION OF SAID STEM.