US1854013A - Tread link - Google Patents

Description

April 12, 1932 A. P. ARMINGTON ET AL, 1,854,013

TREAD LINK Filed OCL. 27, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet' l -mf /z ATTORNEYS April l2, 1932. A. HARMINGTON E'r AL f 1,854,013

TREAD LINK Filed Oct. 27, k1931 2 Sheets-'Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 12, 1932 srATEs PATENT ori-cs ARTHUR P. ARMINGTON AND STEWART F. ARMINGTON, F WvILLOUGI-IBY, AND GEORGE E. ARMINGTON, OF SOUTH EUCLID, OHIO, lASSIGNORS T0 THE EUCLID ROAD MA- CHINERY COMPANY, OF E'CLID, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO Y TREAD LINK Application led October 27, 1931,. Serial No. 571,378.

This invention relates to links for endless tread linkages of the type adapted to functionA as beams in their ground-engaging stretches. A linkage capable of so functiont? ing is disclosed in'Patent No. 425,600, issued April 15, 1890, toEdwards, and its -manner of use is disclosed in Patent No. 1,458,962, issued June 19, 1923, to Athey.

' An analysis of the structure of the Athey linkage shows thateach linkv comprises essentially a shoe element having hinge means at its ends and an upstanding bracketportion and tension elementsV pivotally supported on the bracket portion. And, in a groundengaging stretch of the linkage the shoe elements are stressed in compression, the tension elements are stressed -in tension, and are supported in spaced relation above theshoe element-s to complete a beam inflexible upwardly. It will be noticedthat there are a large number of these tension elements`,"two for each link, andy that stresses are transferred from one to another of them through the pins by which they are connected, so that lost motion due to wear at any of'these points `is cumulative throughout the stretch.v

Another type of link capable of so functioning in a linkage'is shown in PatentV No. 1,808,446, issued June 2, 1931, to Arthur P. Armington. 1 Y

This linkr is one, in which thebeam characteristic is imparted'by truss-forming members rigidly associated' lwith their shoe elements, and acting as levers, each truss-'forming element of one shoehaving a face adapted to abut a corresponding face rof the next adjacent Vshoe to prevent upward' flexing of the stretch. This type has the advantage of simplicity over the Athey type, butin operation has been found to wear rapidly at the 'faces of' the truss-forming members fdue to sliding motion between abutting faces .in the ground-engaging stretch, which motion takes place as the links progress through the Zone of maximum stress, Vintermediate the f ends of the stretch. Y f

Generally the objects of this invention are improvements upon these two types of links, and in a sense to attain the advantages of both, without the disadvantages of either. Y

and

Briefly we accomplish this by providing links each having a shoe element connected with those of its adjacent links, each having a tension element cooperative directly with those of both its adjacent links, each shoe element having an upstanding bracket portion means movably supporting its tension element thereupon, whereby in a stretch of said linkagethe shoe members of the links may act in compression, the tension elements ymay coact as a separate tension member, and

the bracket portions of the links will locate t-he elements of said tension member to complete a beam, the tension elements of which are free to-assume straightened' relation inA the directions of their stresses. Thus, all of the parts of each tension element are rigidly associated, as integral, and in a linkage thetension element of one link directly engages those of the two adjacent links to providev a tension coupling therebetween.

The exact nature of this invention together with further vobjects and advantages thereof i will be apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the`-accompanying drawings, illustrating parts as in "ground-engaging position and in VwhichFigs. 1, 2 and 3 are plan, and end andl side elevations respectively of a link embodyingour invention, broken' lines in 3 indicating the manner of engagement of the tension element in a linkage; Figs. 4 and 5 ar-ejseparate :details ,of the two principal members of the link shown in Figs. 1 3, as in the plane of lines 4 5, Figs. land 2; Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are plan, end and side elevations respectively of another form of link embodying our invention, F ig. 8 including broken lines to indicaterthe manner of cooperation of the tension elements in a linkage,'and Figs. 9 and 10 are separate details of the two principal members of the link shown in Figs. 6 7, as in ther-plane of lines 9, 10, Figs. 6 and 7.

VTiNith reference now to the embodimenty illustrated in Figs. 1-5 inclusive, the principal members of the link are a tension element 1v supported upon a base member 2 by a lpivotal connection provided by the pin 3.

vr'The lower portion of the base member 2 compris-es a flat shoe element f4 which may li t) be generally hollow indicated, having a lower ground-engaging surface 5, thereabove a pair of rail surfaces 6, and hinge means at its ends in the form of staggered lugs 7 having the hinge-pin-receiving openings 8.

rlhe base member has one or more bracket' portions 9 upstanding from the shoe element and carrying the pin 3 transversely extending in elevated position. The bracket portions 9 include shelf portions 10 for a purpose to be described.

The tension element 1 has a through opening 11 by Which it is mounted upon the pin 3 between the bracket portions 9 of the base member. rl"he tension element comprises a pair of hook means 12, 13, rigidly related and with their bends in opposite directions as shown Figs. 3 and et. These hook means are preferably flat-faced as at 12 and 13 for engaging corresponding parts of similailinks with ample bearing surface. The tension element also has a face 151- overhanging the shelf of the member to limit the motion of the tension member upon the pin 3 in one direction.

In operation an endless linkage is made up of a plurality7 of such links assembled together by hinge pins in the openings 8 Vin th-e usual manner. The linkage is preferably mounted to travel from left to right, Fig. 3, in which case it Will be noted that the supporting axi 3 of the tension element is so located that in the ground-engaging stretch of said linkage the faced portion 13 of the hook means 13 Will be ahead of, and the faced portion 12 of the hook means 12 Will be behind, the axis. The tension element is engaged by those of the next adjacent links as indicated in broken lines Fig. 3.

With reference now to the embodiment of Figs. @-10 inclusive. the principal members Aof' this link are a tension element 1a support-V ed on a base member 2a by a pivotal connection provided by the pin 3.

As in the first embodiment, the lower portion of the base member 2a, comprises a ll'at shoe element la Which may be generally hollow as indicated, having a lovver groundengaging surface 5a, thereabove a pairof rail surfaces 6a, `and hinge means at its ends in the form of staggered lugs 7a. having the hinge-pin-receiving openings 8a.

i The base member has one or more bracket portions 9a, upstanding from the shoe element and carrying the pin 3 transversely eX- tending in elevated position. The bracket portions 9a include shelf portions 10a.

The tension element 1a has a through openine- 11a by Which it is mounted upon the pin 3 between the bracket portions 9a of the base member. The tension element comprises hook and eye portions and 21 respectively, so located that the pin-receiving opening 11a. is beyond one of these portions With respect to the other, in the example illustrated being beyond the eye portion 21 With respect to the hook portion 20. It Will be apparent that both of these latter portions comprise essentially hook means, and they are preferably .flat-faced as at 20 and 21 for engaging corresponding parts of similar links With ample bearing surface. The tension element also has a face 14a overhanging the shelf 10a of the base member to limit the motion of the tension member upon the pin 3 in one direction.

In operation, as before, an endless link- 4age is made up of a plurality of such links assembled together by hinge pins in the openings' 8a in the usual manner. The linkage is preferably mounted to travel from left to right Fig. 8, in Which case it will be noted that the supporting aXis 3 of the tension element 1a is ybehind the faced portions 20 and 21 of the latter. In the linkage, the 'hook portion 2O of a following link Will engage in the eye Vportion 21 of its next adjacent leading link, with the faces 20 and 21 of the two parts in abutting relation, as indicated in broken lines Fig. 8.

It Will be noted that with both forms of links disclosed herein, the tension elements engage each other directly, as in a chain, to form by themselves alone, a complete tension member, none of the tension stresses along this member being carried by the pins 3. The duty of the latter is therefore merely to position the tension elements in spaced relation above the shoe elements. The load upon the pins 3 is consequently light, there is practically no motion thereabout, and although it follows that 'there Will be 'substantially no Wear at the pins, still such Wear as may take place Will be immaterial 'so far as concerns functioning of the parts. In any event the tension members are free to adjust themselves along the lines of their stresses, so that there is no sliding bearing at Atheir faced portions. Consequently these latter do not Wear, and the capacity of the linkage to function in stretches Without upward -flexure, remains unimpaired.

Vhat We claim is:

1. In a tread linkage of the class described. a plurality of links, each having a shoe element connected With those of its adjacent links, each having a tension element cooperative directly with those of both its adjacent links, each shoe element having an upstanding bracket portion and means movably supporting its tension element thereupon, whereby in a stretch of said linkage the shoe members of the links may act in compression, the tension elements may coact as a complete tension member.y and the bracket portions of the links Will locate the elements of said tension member to complete a beam, the tension elements of which are free to assume straightened relation in the directions of their stresses.

2. A tread link of the class described comprising a shoe element having hinge means at its ends and an upstanding bracket portion, a tension element comprising a pair of hook means rigidly related with their bends in opposite directions, said tension element having pivotal connection with said bracket portion, and being adapted to cooperate with the tension elements of adjacent similar links in a linkage to provide a tension coupling therebetween.

8. A tread link of the class described com-` its ends and an upstanding bracket portion,

vand a tension element pivotally supported upon said bracket portion and having a pair of rigidly associated faced portions adapted to cooperate with corresponding portions of adjacent similar links in a linkage to provide a tension coupling therebetween, the supporting aXis of said tension element being beyond one of said faced portions with respect to the other faced portion thereof. l

5. A tread link of the class described comprising a shoe element having hinge means at its ends and an upstanding bracket portion, and a tension element pivotally supported upon said bracket portion and having a pair of rigidly associated faced portions adapted to cooperate with corresponding portions of adj acentsimilar links in a linkage to provide a tension coupling therebetween, the supporting axis of said tension element being so located that in said linkage one of said faced portions of said elements will be ahead, and the other behind said axis.

6. In a tread linkage of the class described, a plurality of links, each having a shoe element connected with those of its adjacent links, each having a rigid tension element cooperative directly with those of both its adjacent links, each shoe element having an upstanding bracket portion and means movably supporting its tension element thereupon, whereby in a stretch ofsaid linkage the shoe members kof the links may act in compression, the tension elements may coact as a complete tension member, and the bracket portions of the links will locate the elements of said tension member to completea beam, the tension elements of which are free to assume straightened relation in the directions of their stresses. y V

7. A tread link of the class described comprising a shoe element having hinge means at its ends and a rigidly upstanding bracket portion, and a tension element pivotally supported upon said bracket portion and having a pair of face portions adapted to bear directlyagainst corresponding portions of the tension elements of adjacent similar links in a linkage to provide a tension coupling therebetween.

8. A tread link of the class described comprising a shoe Velement having hinge means at its ends and an upstanding bracket portion, and a tension element pivotally supported upon said bracket portion and having a pair of rigidly interassociated faced portions adapted to cooperate with corresponding portions of adjacent similar links in a linkage to provide a tension coupling therebetween.

In testimony whereof We hereby aiX our signatures.

ARTHUR P. ARMINGTON. STEWART F. ARMINGTON. GEORGE E. ARMINGTON.

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