Snow Car (Patent No: 403861)

Inventor: Dupuis, Aime, (assignee)

Location: Fairview

Comments: N/A

Description: Having regard to the foregoing disclosure, the patent of which this specification forms part confers, subject to the conditions presecribed in the patent act, 1935, the exclusive right, privilege and liberty of making, constructing, using and vending to others to be used, the invention as defined in claims submitted by the patentee as follows:-

(1) A caterpillar traction assembly for attachment to an automobile, comprising in combination, a framework, the forward ends of said framework being sourcely bolted to the rear portion of the chassis of said automobile, an axle positioned laterally under the rearward portion of said framework, a spring suspension assembly secured upon said axle, said assembly being pivotally secured for forward and rearward motion at its upper portion of said framework, wheels rotatably secured upon the ends of said axle and positioned in alignment with the rear drive wheels of said automobile and endless belts extending around said wheels and said drive wheels.
(2) The device as defined in claim 1 in which said wheels are provided with the pneumatic tires, said tires being of the same size as those provided upon the rear drive wheels of said automobile, and in which said endless belts are provided with grooves upon the inner surfaces, the perimeter of said tires being receivable in said grooves.
(3) In combination with the device as defined in claim 1 means for exerting a pre-determined rearward force upon said axle, whereby said belts are maintained at a pre-determined tension.
(4) The device as defined in claim 3 in which said means comprises a spring actuated tension controlling mechanism, said mechanism extending between said axle and a portion of said framework.
(5) A caterpillar traction assembly for attachment to an automobile, comprising in combination, a framework consisting of a pair of spaced longitudinally extending bars and bracing bars extending laterally therebetween, the forward ends of said longitudinally extending bars being secured to the rearward portion of the chassis of said automobile, an axle positioned laterally under the rearward portion of said framework, a spring suspension assembly secured upon said axle, a bearing shackled upon the upper portion of said assembly, a laterally extending pin secured centrally upon the underside of one of said bracing bars, said bearing being mounted upon said pin, wheels rotatably secured upon the ends of said axle and positioned in alignment with the rear drive wheels of said automobile, endless belts extending around said wheels and said drive wheels, and means for exerting a pre-determined rearward force upon said axle whereby said belts are maintained at a pre-determined tension.
(6) The device as defined in claim 5 in which said wheels are provided with pneumatic tires, said tires being of the same size as those provided upon the rear drive wheels of said automobile and in which said endless belts are provided with grooves upon their inner surfaces, the perimeter of said tires being receivable in said grooves.
(7) He device as defined in claim 5 in which said means comprises a bracket secured at its upper end upon said framework and having an aperture formed in the lower end thereof, a rod extending through said aperture and secured at one end upon said axle, an adjustable nut threadably secured upon the opposite end of said rod, and a coil spring positioned about said rod and bearing between said bracket and said nut.
(8) Winter equipment for attachment to automobiles comprising in combination, a caterpillar traction assembly, said assembly consisting of a framework, the forward ends of said framework being secured to the rearward portion of the chassis of said automobile, an axle positioned laterally under the rearward portion of said framework, a spring suspension assembly secured upon said axle, a bearing shackled upon the upper portion of said assembly, a laterally extending pin secured centrally upon the underside of a portion of said framework, said bearing mounted upon said pin, wheels rotatably secured upon the ends of said axle and positioned in alignment with the rear drive wheels of said automobile, said wheels being provided with pneumatic tires of the same size as those upon said rear drive wheels, endless belts extending around said wheels and said drive wheels, the inner surfaces of said belts being provided with a longitudinally extending groove in which perimeters of said tires are receivable, means for exerting a predetermined rearward force upon said axle whereby said belts are maintained at a pre-determined tension, a pair of skiis, and means for securing said skiis beneath the front wheels of said automobile.
(9) The device as defined in claim 8 in which means for securing said skiis beneath said front wheels comprises wheel receiving saddles secured upon said skis and engaging with the lower portions of the circumference of said wheels, a pair of brackets, each of said brackets extending across the center line of one of said wheels and ebing secured at its ends upon one of said saddles, and a pair of sleeves, each of said sleeves being formed upon the inside central portion of one of said brackets and pivotally mounted over the outwardly projecting end of the axle upon which the adjacent wheel is rotatably mounted.
(10) The device as defined in claim 8 in which said first mentioned means comprises a bracket secured at its upper end upon said framework, and having as aperture formed in the lower end thereof, a rod extending through said aperture and secured at one end upon said axle, and adjustable nut threadably secured upon the opposite end of said rod, a coil spring positioned about said rod and bearing between said bracket and said nut.