INFLATABLE TRACK Russian patent published in 2000 - IPC

FIELD: transport engineering; crawler vehicles. SUBSTANCE: proposed track has outer support band, road wheels, three-dimensional form and folding side surfaces with provision of air delivery into track lower half. Track is divided into compartments with partitions which can be made flexible. Track is made of elastic material. Inner side of track band has bosses for meshing with drive sprocket. Support outer band is provided with tread. Track has paths with rims for road wheels. Side surfaces are corrugated and foldable like bellows. Track volume can be changed several times. Slot made between rims over entire inner perimeter of track permits delivery of air through slot into lower half by means of centrifugal or blade fan through deflector. EFFECT: improved operating characteristics of inflatable track. 2 cl, 3 dwg