Constant track tension system for snowmobiles

摘要

A system for maintaining substantially uniform tension in an endless track for a track driven vehicle having a vehicle body and a suspension assembly and in which a tensioned endless track passes around end support and guide members, one of said end support and guide members being imparted vertical and some horizontal displacement relative to a rigid frame upon response of the suspension system to variations in loading and/or to terrain irregularities. The constant tension system provides a cam member having a cam surface in contact with the bottom surface of the top lay of the endless track, the cam member being supported by the suspension system and movable in correlation with movements of the suspension system so that differences in track length or track tension caused by movement of the suspension system will be compensated for and substantially uniform track tension will be maintained during travel of the suspension system. A method of minimizing variations in tension or length of an endless track means on a snowmobile including presetting a selected tension in the endless track while the suspension system is in one position, and nonlinearly compensating for variations in tension forces acting upon said endless track during changes in position of at least one of said end support means and associated suspension system.