US3585883A

US3585883A - Device for mounting tire chains

Info

Publication number: US3585883A
Application number: US696207A
Authority: US
Inventors: Theodor Insam
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1967-01-09
Filing date: 1968-01-08
Publication date: 1971-06-22
Anticipated expiration: 1988-06-22

Abstract

A yoke-shaped chain tightener, comprising a rigid guide member and a cooperating member slidable therealong, is placed behind a raised automobile wheel having a traction chain draped over its tire, with the extremities of the yoke curved forwardly at opposite sides of the wheel. A male and a female coupling element are fastened to opposite ends of the rear stringer of the chain, of which the female element may constitute a terminal link, and are loosely fitted into respective seats on the two members which are initially spaced apart and can be moved toward each other by manipulation of a handgrip at one yoke extremity. One coupling element, preferably the male one, is pivotable against a restoring spring force for snap-action engagement with the other element whereupon the two seats can be again separated and the yoke withdrawn.

Description

United States Patent Theodor lnsam [72] Inventor Jochbergstrasse 20, Kitzbuhel, Tirol, Austria [21] AppLNo. 696,207

[22] Filed .Ian.8,l968

[45} Patented June 22, 1971 [32] Priority Jan. 9, [967,Jan. 16, 1967 [33] Austria [3 l] A208/67 and A394/67 [$4] DEVICE FOR MOUNTING TIRE CHAINS 3,099,928 8/1963 Showers, Jr.

ABSTRACT: A yoke-shaped chain tightener, comprising a rigid guide member and a cooperating member slidable therealong, is placed behind a raised automobile wheel having a traction chain draped over its tire, with the extremities of the yoke curved forwardly at opposite sides of the wheel. A male and a female coupling element are fastened to opposite ends of the rear stn'nger of the chain, of which the female element may constitute a terminal link, and are loosely fitted into respective seats on the two members which are initially spaced apart and can be moved toward each other by manipulation of a handgrip at one yoke extremity. One coupling element, preferably the male one, is pivotable against a restoring spring force for snap-action engagement with the other element whereupon the two seats can be again separated and the yoke withdrawn.

PATENTEDJUNZZIBH 3585;883

SHEET 1 OF 5 Theodor Insam INVIZN'IOR.

PATENTEU JUN22 I971 Theodor I nsam INVENTOR.

BY R9 Attorney PATENTEUJUN22I97I 3585 883 Theodor Insam INVENTOR.

PATENTEDJUN2287| 8585;888

SmiiT l- SF 5 Theodor Insam INVEN'IOR.

arl flaws Attorney PATENTEUJUN22IH7I 3,585,883

smear 5 OF 5 59 6a in @74 4 5 7 f3 5 8 Theodor Insam INVENTOR.

Attorney DEVICE FOR MGUN'IING TIRE CHAINS My present invention relates to an implement for mounting a traction chain on the tire of an automotive vehicle wheel to prevent skidding on snowy or otherwise slippery terrain.

in my concurrently filed application Ser. No. 696,179 entitled Snow-Chain Applicator For Vehicle Wheel now abandoned, I have disclosed a device for draping a tire chain with front and rear stringers around a vehicle wheel to be harnessed, that device including a three-pronged rack adapted to reach into the space between the wheel and an overhanging fender so that the chain may be properly positioned without the need for insertion of ones hands into this narrow clearance. The general object of my present invention is to provide convenient means for fastening a chain so positioned, particularly the inconveniently accessible rear stringer thereof, in an expeditious manner with avoidance of contact between the user's hands and the tread surface of the tire.

A more particular object of my invention is to provide a set of mating coupling elements, forming part of the aforeclescribed device, which easily interlock and are readily releasable even under inclement weather conditions, owing to a simple and compact construction not subject to functional impairment by dirt or ice.

These objects are realized, pursuant to the present invention, by the provision of a male and a female coupling element which are fastened to opposite ends of the rear stringer of a chain to be mounted, these elements being adapted for snap action interlocking engagement upon being moved from a spaced-apart position to a position of closest approach; such movement is effected with the aid of a chain tightener having two relatively movable members which form respective seats for the two coupling elements, the latter being held in these seats loosely enough to be withdrawable therefrom upon subsequent reversal of motion of the tightener members.

Advantageously, in accordance with a more specific aspect of my invention, one of the two coupling elements (preferably the male one) is transversely displaceable, against a suitable restoring force such as gravity and/or the stress of a spring, by camming action exerted upon it by the other element. Thus, for example, the transversely displaceable element may be a hook with a beak having a beveled leading edge engageable by the approaching female element. The latter may be a bracket, a loop or the like and, in a specific instance, may be constituted by a link of the stringer itself; when of looped configuration, the female element is advantageously mounted substantially horizontally on its seat so that the beak of the cooperating hook can drop into it by swinging in a substantially vertical plane bisecting the loop.

According to another important aspect of my invention, the chain tightener temporarily supporting the two coupling elements comprises a yoke-shaped guide member, e.g. a pipe or a rod, slidably engaged by a cooperating member, the latter having an extension terminating at an extremity of the guide member to facilitate relative displacement of the two membets and of their respective seats for the coupling elements. The curved shape of the guide member allows it to be positioned behind a wheel to be harnessed, with the extremities of this member projecting forwardly at opposite sides of the wheel so as to be readily accessible for manipulation of the coupling elements. Initially, the seats for these two elements are separated by a distance corresponding to a substantial portion of the length of the guide members, e.g. up to about half that length: this separation allows one of the coupling elements to be attached to its seat substantially midway of the yoke before the latter is placed behind the wheel, whereupon the other coupling element may be seated on its supporting member at a. location near one of the forwardly projecting ends of the yoke. A handgrip at the opposite yoke extremity may conveniently serve to pull the last-mentioned coupling element behind the wheel into contact with its mate. The forward stringer may then be locked directly in front of the wheel.

The invention will be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective rear view of a chain-mounting implement according to the invention, together with the lower part of a tire to be harnessed thereby;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the midportion of the implement of FIG. I in a coupling position thereof and with parts broken away;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the tightener members of the implement of FIGS. I and 2, taken on the line III-III of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a top view of a female coupling element of part of the assembly of FIGS. l and 2;

H6. 5 is a top view of the vehicle wheel and the mounting device of FIG. I, with the tire chain omitted;

FIG. 6 is a partial end view taken on the line VI-Vl of FIG. 5, showing the implement together with a portion of the tire and chain;

FIG. 7 is a top view of a modified implement according to the invention;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view drawn to a larger scale and taken on the line VIII-VIII of FIG. 7;

FIGS. 9 and 10 are views similar to FIG. 7, showing the implement thereof in two different positions as well as part of the associated vehicle wheel;

FIGS. ll, 12 and B3 are perspective views of different coupling elements adapted to be used with the implements shown in the preceding FIGS.

FIG. 14 is a top view of a female coupling element so usable;

FIG. 15 is an end view of the element shown in FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is a side view of the element shown in FIGS. 14 and 15;

FIG. 17 is a side view of a male coupling element generally similar to that illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a female coupling element adapted to cooperate with the male element of FIG. 17;

FlG. 19 is a top view of a seat for the element of FIG. 18; and

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of part of another modified chain tightener with the male coupling element of FIG. 17 and a cooperating female element.

In FIG. 1 I have shown an automobile wheel with tire 72 to which a traction chain 30 is to be attached without any need for raising the wheel; the rear stringer 30' of this normally open chain terminates in a pair of

links

11, 12. Link 11 is fastened to a hook-shaped coupling element 21 having a beak 6 which faces a coacting female coupling element 13 in the form of an upstanding plate provided on one side with a loop 8; terminal link 12 is fastened to the plate 13. A chain tightener disposed for the most part behind the wheel comprises a curved and rigid pipe 1 traversed by a cable 18; one end of pipe 1 is fastened to a handle 20, the cable 18 emerging from the opposite end of the pipe and being attached at that point to a handgrip 19. A bracket 17 secured to pipe 1 supports the yoke-shaped tightener on the ground in a raised position as best seen in FIG. 6. FIGS. 5 and 6 also show that the central portion of the yoke is disposed behind the wheel while its extremities curve forwardly at opposite sides of the rim of the tire 72.

Details of the construction and mounting of the tubular yoke member I and the two

coupling elements

13, 21 are shown with greater clarity in FIGS. 2-4. As best seen in FIG. 2, cable 18 is anchored inside the pipe 1 to a cylindrical slider 10 having a lateral arm 5 projecting outwardly through a lon gitudinal slot in pipe 1, this slot extending over approximately half the length of the pipe. Arm 5 forms a socket 4 (FIG. 3) above the pipe to serve as a seat for a lug 26 on plate 13 which is thus removably supported on the slider ill for displacement along the right-hand half of yoke member l as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2. Another arm 2, pivotable about a pin 23 which is secured to the yoke l near the center thereof, has a similar socket 3 to receive a lug 2.4 projecting laterally from hook 211. The lower end of arm 2 passes into the tubular member l through a cutout 7 (FIG. 1) and is anchored in the interior thereof to a short compression spring 21 3 bearing upon a partition lie. The assembly 2, 2i is thus vertically swingable, against the restoring force of spring M, from a normal position of operative alignment with loop it into an off-normal position illustrated in dot-dash lines (FIG. 2) in which the beak 6 clears that loop and allows its leftward movement for interlocking engagement, the beak thereupon snapping into the loop 8 to establish the coupled position illustrated in FIG. 2. This interlocking is brought about by a pull on handgrip 119 which moves the assembly w, b, 13 toward the hook 2i against the force of a biasing spring 115 which surrounds the cable l8 and bears upon the partition l6 while being partly received in socket it), thus tending to keep the latter in the starting positions illustrated in FIG. ii in which the coupling elements l3 and 211 are separated by about half the length of yoke 1. Spring M may form an integral extension of spring H5.

in harnessing the tire 72 with the chain 30 by means of the implement illustrated in FIGS. 1-6, the user first places the chain loosely on the tire, eg with the aid of a pronged applicator of the type referred to above. Next, the male fastener Zll attached to the end ill of rear stringer 30' is inserted into its seat 3 on arm 2 of yoke ll; this can be easily done in front of the wheel and before the yoke is placed in its position illustrated in FlGS. E, and 6. Next, with the extremity of the yoke bearing the handle 29 still projecting forwardly from behind the wheel, the coupling element 13 attached to link 112 is inserted into its seat 4 on the arm d which at this point is positioned close to the handle 20. Finally, the user pulls the handgrip w to draw the slider ill with its looped coupling element 13 toward the hook Zll whose beak 6 has an inclined leading edge 22 whereby the approaching loop 8 cams this beak upwardly to bring about the interengagement of the two coupling elements. When the user thereafter releases the handgrip l9, spring urges the slider w away from partition 116 so that arm 5 is detached from lug 26 to release the coupling element l3 from its seat; yoke ll may then be moved to the left FIGS. l and 2) to complete the disengagement of the tightener from the chain by withdrawing the arm 2 from lug 24 of hook 211.

In FlGS. 7ltl l have illustrated a modified chain tightener which differs from that of the preceding Figures in that its rigid yoke 63 is in the shape of a bar that forms the inner member of a telescoped assembly and serves for the guidance of a surrounding tubular member as which is about half as long as the yoke 63. If the latter has a uniform curvature (circular or helicoidal), tube as may be rigid; otherwise this tube should be substantially noncompressible but sufiiciently flexible to fit thechanging shape of its guide member 63. An arm 64, pivoted to an end of rod or bar 63 at 65, forms a seat for one of two mating coupling elements as described hereinabove; this seat may be held in a normal position by a suitable restoring spring or the like, not shown, similar to spring 2145 of FIG. 2 Another seat as is rigid with a terminal sleeve 67 of tube as initially positioned approximately midway along guide bar 63; the opposite end of tube 66 is provided with a sleeve 7i serving as a handle for holding that tube in position while a handgrip 70 rigid with bar 63 is pulled to bring the two mats 6d, 68% into mutual proximity as illustrated in FIG. it As shown in FIG. 8, tube 66 may be of circular cross section partly obstructed by a diaphragm plate 69 which has a noncircular (here rectangular) opening for positive engagement with the correspondingly profiled guide bar 63. The operation of the system of IFIGS. 7ll0 is similar to that of the previous embodiment; after the two coupling elements mounted on seats 64' and 6% have become interlocked, the relative movement of

members

63 and 66 is again reversed to release these coupling elements from the tightener.

FIG. ilil shows another type of female coupling element adapted to be used with the chain tighteners heretofore described. This element comprises an upright plate 3i with a lug 32, adapted to fit into a corresponding seat on the tightener such as, for example, the

formation

64 or 6% of FlGS. '7li0. Plate 311 has a vertical slot 33 adapted to receive the beak of a hook-shaped male counterpart which may have the form illustrated in FIG. l2, i.e. a bent pin 34 traversing a boss 35 rotatably mounted on a supporting plate 336 from which a lug 337 extends rearwardly for insertion into its own seat. A spring 38 tends to hold the hook 334 against a stop 39 on plate as, the beak 94B of the hook being cammed upwardly upon approaching a coacting female element such as the slotted plate 31 of HG. llll. Since the hook 34 is swingable relative to its shank 37, the associated seat as well as the seat of the confronting female element may be fixedly mounted on their respective tightener members.

In the coacting female element is swingably mounted for downward tilting by the approaching beak surface 40, as by being carried on the suitably biased arm 66 of FIG. 7, the hook 34 may be rigid with its

support

36, 37. This has been illustrated in H0. H3 where the female coupling element has the shape of a loop all with a shank 42 removably held in the slot of mounting arm 64 which pivots about a pin 43 in a recess of bar 63 against the force of a leaf spring 44 as indicated by arrow A. in principle it is thus immaterial whether the male or the female coupling element yields upon the approach of its mate to facilitate interlocking; usually, however, space considerations may make it easier for a hook to pivot upwardly than for a loop or eye to move downwardly.

H68. 714 to to show a particularly simple construction for a female coupling element adapted to be used in a device according to the invention. This element is a bracket 50 in the form of a generally .l-shaped strip of sheet metal or the like whose longer leg 52 forms a lug 26a receivable in the slot of a mounting piece such as a block 27 forming a seat therefor, this block being similar to the

formations

64, 68 described above and having therefore been shown only schematically. The shorter leg 5i of bracket 5% abuts the forward face of block 27 and is linked with leg 52 by a reinforcing strip 54 which may be a bolt, a rivet or an expanding pin (i.e. a helicoidally coiled resilient strip). The bight portion of bracket St has a notch 55 accommodating the beak of an oncoming hook, this notch having sloping flanks for guiding the hook into engagement with the bracket. Leg 52 also serves as an anchorage for the associated chain link l2 and, for this purpose, has cutout 49 which may be similar to a cutout 56 of a cooperating hook 2111 having substantially the same contour as the hook 21 of FIGS. 1 and 2. Hook 210, which consists of flat sheet metal or the like, terminates in a lug 24a receivable in a mounting block such as the one shown at 2% in FIG. 20 Cutout 56 separates the body of the hook from a flexible tongue which may be pushed aside to facilitate attachment of chain link 1 1.

An angled coupling element such as hook 21a may also cooperate with a looped coupling element 61. as shown in FIG. M. The latter element may be fastened by a similar loop 62 to the terminal link 12 of the chain or may itself constitute that terminal link. A seat 57 horizontally supports the loop 61 and overlies it with a flange 6b having a gap 5% for the adjoining link 62; this gap has a rearwardly sloping bottom surface 59 which lifts the link 62 to help detach the loop at from its seat upon the engagement of this loop by a mating hook which draws it forwardly in the direction of arrow B.

in FIG. 20 l have shown the hook 21a of FIG. l7 mounted by its shank Na in a block 28 rigid with a leaf spring 87 which is fastened to a tubular guide member 88 generally similar to the tube 66 of FIGS. 7ll0. The other member of the chain tightener shown in FIG. 20 consists of a pair of wires 73 which may have a certain degree of flexibility if the tube $8 is not uniformly curved. The wires 73 terminate in a pair of prongs M which engage a loop 83 fastened by another loop 81 to the end of the chain stringer in the manner heretofore described for loops er and 62. An extension 86 of wires 73 underlies the loop b3 and prevents it from moving downwardly along the prongs 84. The prongs 84 are separated by a gap 85 which clears the beak 6a of hook 21a to let it drop into the loop $3. The operation of this assembly is analogous to that of the embodiment previously described.

it will thus be apparent that my invention may be realized in a variety of ways, not necessarily limited to the structural details specifically described and illustrated, without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

lclairn:

ll. A device for mounting a traction chain with front and rear stringers on a tire of a vehicle wheel, comprising a male coupling element fastened to one end of the rear stringer of a chain to be mounted; a mating female coupling element fastened to the other end of said rear stringer, said elements being adapted for snap-action interlocking upon being moved into mutual engagement; and a chain tightener with two relatively movable members forming respective seats for said coupling elements, the latter being movable by said members into interlocking engagement and withdrawable from said seats upon subsequent reversal of motion of said members; the seat of one of said elements being transversely displaceable and provided with restoring means tending to hold said one element in operative alignment with the other element, at least one of said element having a camming surface for moving said transversely displaceable element against the force of said restoring means upon said elements approaching each other.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said male element is a hook with a beak confronting said female element, said beak having a leading edge constituting said camming surface.

3. A device as defined in claim 2 wherein said hook is provided with a shank received in said displaceable seat, said restoring means including a resilient connection between said displaceable seat and the associated member of said chain tightener.

4. A device as defined in claim 3 wherein said resilient connection comprises a leaf spring supporting said displaceable seat on said associated member.

5. A device as defined in claim 3 wherein the seat for said female element is a block with a face confronting said hook and a recess in said face, said female element being a generally J-shaped strip with a longer leg received in said recess and a shorter leg bearing upon said face, said legs being separated by a bight portion having a notch for engagement with said beak.

6. A device as defined in claim 3 wherein said female element is a loop and the seat thereof has formations in engagement with said loop for holding same in a substantially horizontal plane on the level of said beak, the latter being swingabie in a substantially vertical plane bisecting said loop.

7. A device as defined in claim 6 wherein said formations include a pair of upstanding prongs forming a gap therebetween for passage of said beak.

3. A device as defined in claim 7 wherein one of said members is a tube and the other of said members comprises a pair of parallel wires extending within said tube and projecting therefrom, said prongs being integral with said wires.

9. A device for mounting a traction chain with front and rear stringers on a tire of a vehicle wheel, comprising a male coupling element fastened to one end of the rear stringer of a chain to be mounted; a mating female coupling element fastened to the other end of said rear stringer, said elements being adapted for snap-action interlocking upon being moved into mutual engagement; and a chain tightener with two relatively movable members forming respective seats for said coupling elements, the latter being movable by said members into interlocking engagement and withdrawable from said seats upon subsequent reversal of motion of said members; said members being a yoke-shaped guide member, positionable with forwardly curving extremities behind a vehicle wheel draped with a traction chain to be mounted thereon, and a cooperating member slidable along said guide member, said cooperating member having an extension terminating at one extremity of said guide member for facilitating relative displacement of said members.

10. A device as defined in claim 9 wherein said chain tightener is provided with biasing means tending to maintain said members in a normal relative position in which said seats are separated by a substantial portion of the length of said guide member.

11. A device as defined in claim 10 wherein said guide member is a curved pipe and said cooperating member is a slider received in said pipe, the latter having a lateral projection forming one of said seats, said pipe being provided with a longitudinal slot penetrated by said projection.

12. A device as defined in claim 11 wherein said extension comprises a cable fastened to said slider and emerging from said pipe at an end remote from the location of said slider in said normal position. 1

l3. A device as defined in claim 12 wherein said biasing means comprises a coil spring surrounding part of said cable within said pipe.

14. A device as defined in claim 9 wherein said guide member is a curved rod and said cooperating member is a tube embracing a substantial portion of said rod.

15. A device as defined in claim 14 wherein said rod is substantially twice as long as said tube.

16. A device as defined in claim 9 wherein said guide member is provided with support means for stabilizing said chain tightener on the ground.

Claims

1. A device for mounting a traction chain with front and rear stringers on a tire of a vehicle wheel, comprising a male coupling element fastened to one end of the rear stringer of a chain to be mounted; a mating female coupling element fastened to the other end of said rear stringer, said elements being adapted for snap-action interlocking upon being moved into mutual engagement; and a chain tightener with two relatively movable members forming respective seats for said coupling elements, the latter being movable by said members into interlocking engagement and withdrawable from said seats upon subsequent reversal of motion of said members; the seat of one of said elements being transversely displaceable and provided with restoring means tending to hold said one element in operative alignment with the other element, at least one of said element having a camming surface for moving said transversely displaceable element against the force of said restoring means upon said elements approaching each other.

6. A device as defined in claim 3 wherein said female element is a loop and the seat thereof has formations in engagement with said loop for holding same in a substantially horizontal plane on the level of said beak, the latter being swingable in a substantially vertical plane bisecting said loop.

8. A device as defined in claim 7 wherein one of said members is a tube and the other of said members comprises a pair of parallel wires extending within said tube and projecting therefrom, said prongs being integral with said wires.

12. A device as defined in claim 11 wherein said extension comprises a cable fastened to said slider and emerging from said pipe at an end remote from the location of said slider in said normal position.

13. A device as defined in claim 12 wherein said biasing means comprises a coil spring surrounding part of said cable within said pipe.