Individual drive or guide lug for endless rubber track drives

Abstract

An individual replacement drive and or guide lug for missing or worn lugs on the inside circumference of various endless rubber tracks used on multi-surface vehicles. A user of multi-surface vehicles with endless rubber track drives can install the present design without the purchase of an expensive new rubber track. The original equipment manufacturer installs rubber tracks that have reinforced rubber composition lugs vulcanized on the inside circumference of the track. These rubber lugs interlock with openings in the equipment drive sprockets to drive the endless rubber track and the applicable equipment. After 250 to 500 hours of use or when used in a harsh environment the rubber drive or guide lugs start shearing and breaking off. When the drive or guide lugs start wearing additional load is placed on the remaining lugs which causes additional lugs to shear off until total equipment failure occurs. It requires 4 to 7 drive lugs to make contact with the drive sprocket segment of the endless rubber track for proper operation of the multi-surface vehicle. To install the present invention properly the surface of the inner track where the original reinforced rubber drive or guide lug was located must be prepared. When the original drive or guide lug fails it leaves an irregular surface and must be ground flat with the inner track belt substrate. To achieve proper indexing a template is placed over the track belt for locating two holes for the grade 8 bolts. After the bolts with the washer next to the head are inserted the replaceable drive/guide lug is placed over the bolts. A power impact wrench is used to tighten until the bolt head and washer compresses into the outer circumference of the track belt.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING AND PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Attachment 1:

FIG. 1 consists of a one sheet drawing showing the present invention consisting of 3 items.

• • Item 1 Basic Drive or Guide Body
  • Item 2 Grade 8 bolt
  • Item 3 Grade 8 washer

Item 1 is a replica of the lug drive or guide found on the inside surface of endless rubber track that are on the multi-surface type vehicles. It is made of metallic and or non metallic material. The present design can be machined or formed to size.

Item 2 (two required) is a full thread grade 8 bolt. It is long enough to extend through the outside surface of the endless rubber track and a minium 80% through the present design.

Item 3 is a grade 8 washer to match the size of the grade 8 bolt. It acts as a retainer to keep the head of the bolt from pulling through the outer surface of the track when it is tightened.

Operation:

In operation the present invention is used to replace missing or worn drive or guide lugs and can be installed by the user in the field or in a designated repair center resulting in the minimum amount of downtime and a huge cost savings. In addition the drive/guide lugs of the present invention can be removed from retired endless rubber tracks and installed on active tracks that have missing lugs.

Claims

1. An individual replacement drive lug or guide for endless rubber tracks used on multi-surface vehicles such as front loaders and earth moving and agriculture equipment comprising: a single part configuration machined or formed in the shape of a single rubber track drive or guide lug and constructed with rigid metal or non-metallic material. The material strength is equal to or greater than the original rubber vulcanized track lugs located on the inside circumference of the endless rubber track supplied by the original equipment manufacture. The present invention is attached to the endless rubber substrate in the same location of the missing drive/guide lugs with two grade 8 bolts and washers. The useful life of the present invention has proven to be equal to or greater than the drive/guide lugs located on the inside surface of the endless rubber track drives that are installed on the equipment supplied by the original equipment manufacturer.