Other

Smith Patents, L.l.c.

John H Atkinson, Jr

Fred P Smith

A single unit of the new deployment system includes a housing to which an electric drive motor is externally mounted. The deployment system for each vehicle requires at least a pair of deployment units: one each for right and left wheels. Each unit includes a reversible electric drive motor having an armature shaft; an intermediate drive shaft; a worm axially affixed to the intermediate drive shaft; an output shaft; a shock damper affixed to the output shaft; a worm gear affixed to the shock damper, the worm gear meshing with the worm, and providing rotational locking for said output shaft; and a deployment arm coupled to the output shaft, the deployment arm having rotatably mounted thereto a friction drive disc, said friction drive disc having peripherally attached thereto a plurality of chain segments. Torque applied to the output shaft by the electric motor is limited either by a spring-loaded clutch axially mounted on the intermediate drive shaft or by a circuit which limits current drawn by the electric drive motor to a preset maximum.

Torque-limited electric servo system for deploying a vehicle snow chain traction system

An mounting system for chain traction systems installable on wheeled vehicles having a beam or live axle. Includes four threaded coupling nuts, each of which is threadably secured to a threaded end of one of the U-bolt shackles which secure the axle to either a set of leaf springs or to an air bag assembly. A cross plate ties each lateral pair of coupling nuts together. A mounting tube bolts to the cross plates, a mounting plate bolts to the mounting tube, and the traction system components bolt to the mounting plate. Elongated bolt holes provide a wide range of adjustability between the bolted-together components for proper positioning of the mounting bracket within an x-y plane. For adjustability in a &ldquo;z&rdquo; direction, spacers of varying thickness may be inserted between the coupling nuts and the cross plates. The components may be welded together when properly positioned.

Adjustable mounting assembly for a rapidly-deployable ice chain system for wheeled vehicles

An improved snow chain system for wheeled vehicles that can be rapidly deployed and rapidly retracted, includes a rotatably-mounted friction drive disc having a circumferential edge that is pressure biased against the sidewall of a tire. Multiple arcuate chain attachment plates, which interlock much like a laminar puzzle, are placed end-to-end to form a ring-shaped unit. The ring-shaped unit is held together and to a planar surface on the friction drive disc by a plurality of bolts, each of which passes through a single attachment plate and through the friction drive disc. Each arcuate attachment plate has either one or two chain segments attached thereto. In the case where only a single chain segment is attached, a U-shaped anchoring chain link is welded to the attachment plate. In the case of attachment of a pair of chain segments, a M-shaped anchoring link is employed. The invention facilitates replacement of individual chain segments or chain segment pairs while retaining structural integrity of the circular ring.

Growing community of inventors

Provo, UT, United States of America

John H Atkinson, Jr