AM Plactraction Tread Mounting System

[efoote868]

Have you considered filing for a patent?

[Foster]

Originally Posted by efoote868

Have you considered filing for a patent?

I don't think so, and this would count as prior art, someone trying to do that would have a tough time.

I'm interested in the "replace in 15 seconds" replies. We have driven wheels, I'd like to see how your drive wheels are attached to let you do that.

Gary's design is super simple and would (could, have?) worked in a variety of tread styles. The comon rivet idea works until n+1 replacements where the hole becomes too large or the "quick change in the pit" fix where the hole also becomes too big.

My upgrade is to use glue to keep the insert in. Gary noted that the glue process had failue points:

• Glue spread keeping the wheels together
• Glue spread blocking the internal threads
• Glue melt (eating away) of the wheel material
• Lack of a good glue joint
• Hey, there will be 7 tread changes (2 season, 5 off season), why add risk

So YMMV. But it's another great Gary idea, which is why my forehead is flat from going "D'oh".

[NickE]

Originally Posted by Foster

I'm interested in the "replace in 15 seconds" replies. We have driven wheels, I'd like to see how your drive wheels are attached to let you do that.

The wheel is held on the shaft by a "snap" style external retaining ring. With snap ring pliers, one just needs to remove this ring and pull the wheel off of the shaft. The torque is transmitted through the hexagonal shaft into a broached wheel bore. This can be seen in the picture below from our 2010 robot.