APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A RUBBER CATERPILLAR TRACK WITH TENSILE MEMBERS

Abstract

An apparatus for producing a rubber caterpillar track with tensile members has a cylindrical internal shape for forming the inside contour of the rubber caterpillar track, wherein the internal shape has a cylindrical dome which, in the circumferential direction (U) on its radial outer side, has a plurality of recesses for accommodating unvulcanized shaped elements for internal teeth, and has a cylindrical external shape for forming the outside contour of the rubber caterpillar track, wherein the external shape has a plurality of external shape segments in the circumferential direction (U). The external shape segments each have a recess on their radial inner side for accommodating an unvulcanized shaped element for external teeth. The invention further relates to a method for producing a rubber caterpillar track with tensile members.

Claims

1. An apparatus for making a rubber caterpillar track having tensile members, the apparatus comprising: a cylindrical inner mold configured to form the inner contour of the rubber caterpillar track; said cylindrical inner mold having a cylindrical mandrel defining a radially outer side and a circumferential direction U; said cylindrical mandrel defining a plurality of first recesses on said radially outer side in said circumferential direction U; said first recesses being configured to receive unvulcanized shaped elements for inner teeth; a cylindrical outer mold configured to form an outer contour of the rubber caterpillar track; said cylindrical outer mold having a multiplicity of outer mold segments; said outer mold segments each defining a radially inner side; and, said outer mold segments each having a second recess configured to receive an unvulcanized shaped element for outer teeth on said radially inner side.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a deformable jacket configured to hold said outer mold segments together in said circumferential direction U and to press said outer mold segments together from radially outward.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said outer mold segments are mounted in a radially moveable manner with respect to said cylindrical inner mold.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said outer mold segments define an opening in a radially outward direction.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein: said unvulcanized shaped element for said outer teeth defines a radially outer surface; and, said opening essentially corresponds to said radially outer surface of said unvulcanized shaped element.

6. A method for making a rubber caterpillar track using an apparatus having a cylindrical inner mold configured to form the inner contour of the rubber caterpillar track, the cylindrical inner mold having a cylindrical mandrel defining a radially outer side and a circumferential direction U, the cylindrical mandrel defining a plurality of first recesses on the radially outer side in the circumferential direction U, the first recesses being configured to receive unvulcanized shaped elements for inner teeth, a cylindrical outer mold configured to form an outer contour of the rubber caterpillar track, the cylindrical outer mold having a multiplicity of outer mold segments, the outer mold segments each defining a radially inner side, and the outer mold segments each having a second recess configured to receive an unvulcanized shaped element for outer teeth on the radially inner side, the method comprising the steps of: introducing unvulcanized shaped elements for said inner teeth into corresponding first recesses of the cylindrical mandrel of the cylindrical inner mold; applying an unvulcanized body of the rubber caterpillar track with tensile members onto the shaped elements for said inner teeth and the radially outer side of the mandrel; introducing unvulcanized shaped elements for outer teeth into corresponding second recesses of said cylindrical outer mold; assembling the cylindrical inner mold and the cylindrical outer mold; and, vulcanizing the body of the rubber caterpillar track with the unvulcanized shaped elements for the inner teeth and the unvulcanized shaped elements for the outer teeth.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] The invention will now be described with reference to the drawings wherein:

[0029] FIG. 1 is a perspective schematic illustration of a device according to the invention without rubber caterpillar track;

[0030] FIG. 2 shows the view of FIG. 1 with inserted unvulcanized shaped elements for internal teeth and unvulcanized body of the rubber caterpillar track;

[0031] FIG. 3 shows the view of FIG. 2 with placed-on unvulcanized shaped elements for external teeth;

[0032] FIG. 4 shows the view of FIG. 3 with outer mold segments;

[0033] FIG. 5 shows the view of FIG. 4 with placed-on, spaced-apart jacket; and,

[0034] FIG. 6 shows the view of FIG. 5 with pulled-together jacket.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0035] The device has an inner mold 1 which is of cylindrical form and which extends over a width B and in a circumferential direction U. The inner mold 1 has a cylindrical mandrel 10, laterally on the outer surface of which in a radial direction R there is formed, in the center, a multiplicity of apertures or recesses 11 for receiving unvulcanized shaped elements for internal teeth 30 of a rubber caterpillar track 3. The radial outer surface of the mandrel 10 is delimited laterally in terms of width B by lateral delimitations 12 which each have radial slots 13.

[0036] The device furthermore has an outer mold 2 which has a multiplicity of outer mold segments 21 which together form a cylindrical arrangement. The outer mold segments 21 are held from radially outside by a deformable jacket 20 and can be pressed together in a radially inward direction by the jacket. Each outer mold segment 21 has a recess 22 which corresponds to the contour of an unvulcanized shaped element for an external tooth 31. Here, the outer mold segments 21 are of areally open form in a radially outward direction such that the outer surface of the unvulcanized shaped element for an external tooth 31 can project radially outward out of the opening 24 and, there, can come into contact with the inner surface of the jacket 20.

[0037] For the guidance of the outer mold segments 21, these each have guide elements 23 in the form of pegs 23 which extend from the outer mold segments 21 in the width direction B and engage into the radial slots 13 of the lateral delimitations 12. In this way, the outer mold segments 21 are prevented from moving in the circumferential direction U and are thus positioned in this direction. However, mobility within the slot 13 is provided in the radial direction R, such that height compensation in the radial direction R is possible.

[0038] As a result of the device, a rubber caterpillar track 3 with tensile members 33 can now be produced as follows:

[0039] The unvulcanized shaped elements for internal teeth 30 are inserted into the recesses 11 of the inner mold 10 (see FIG. 1) such that the shaped elements fill the recesses and, radially at the outside, terminate in as flush a manner as possible with the outer surface of the mandrel 10. Then, on the outer surface of the mandrel 10, the unvulcanized body 32 of the rubber caterpillar track 3 is constructed from layers of elastomer material and tensile members 33 embedded therein, such that the unvulcanized shaped elements for internal teeth 30 and the unvulcanized body 32 are as far as possible in complete areal contact with one another (see FIG. 2).

[0040] In parallel, the outer mold segments 21 are assembled to form a chain correspondingly to the circumference of the outer surface of the unvulcanized body 32 of the rubber caterpillar track 3, and the unvulcanized shaped elements for external teeth are inserted into the recesses 22. The chain of outer mold segments 21 is then rolled onto the unvulcanized body 32 of the rubber caterpillar track 3, such that the pegs 23 engage into the radial slots 13 (see FIGS. 3 and 4).

[0041] Then, the jacket 20 is laid around the outer mold segments 21 (see FIG. 5) and is subsequently pulled together (see FIG. 6), such that the unvulcanized shaped elements for internal teeth 30, the unvulcanized body 32 of the rubber caterpillar track 3 and the unvulcanized shaped elements 31 for external teeth are pressed radially against one another and are held in this state. Here, elastomer material of the unvulcanized shaped elements of the external teeth 31 can be forced radially outward through the openings 24 of the outer mold segments 21 against the inner side of the jacket 20 in order to compensate deviations of the shaped elements of the external teeth 31.

[0042] In this state, the unvulcanized rubber caterpillar track 3 can be vulcanized, wherein this can be performed in an autoclave, because, in accordance with the device according to the invention and the corresponding method, it is not necessary for a high pressure to be exerted on the unvulcanized elements 30, 31, 32 for the purposes of shaping the rubber caterpillar track 3. Also, there is no need for unvulcanized material to be pressed into the mold 1, 2. In this way, it is possible to prevent flows of the elastomer material within the mold from resulting in displacements of the tensile members 33, which could move these out of the desired position such as the neutral phase.

[0043] Rather, according to the invention, the unvulcanized elements 30, 31, 32 are compressed by the pressure of the jacket 20 only to such an extent that the contact surfaces with respect to one another reliably remain joined together during the vulcanization process, and can thus be cohesively connected by the vulcanization process. The pressure of the jacket 20 is however too low to be able to effect flows of the elastomer material within the pre-molded unvulcanized elements 30, 31 and 32 and thereby effect relatively great displacements of the tensile members 33, as a result of which such displacements can, according to the invention, be avoided.

[0044] It is understood that the foregoing description is that of the preferred embodiments of the invention and that various changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

Part of the Description

[0045] B Width [0046] R Radial direction, radius [0047] U Circumferential direction [0048] 1 Inner mold [0049] 10 Mandrel [0050] 11 Recesses of the mandrel 10 [0051] 12 Lateral delimitation [0052] 13 Radial slots of the lateral delimitation 12 [0053] 2 Outer mold [0054] 20 Jacket [0055] 21 Outer mold segments, jacket segments [0056] 22 Recesses or recesses of the outer mold segments 21 [0057] 23 Guide elements or pegs of the outer mold segments 21 [0058] 24 Openings of the outer mold segments 21 [0059] 3 Rubber caterpillar track [0060] 30 Unvulcanized shaped elements for internal teeth, tooth ribs, internal teeth [0061] 31 Unvulcanized shaped elements for external teeth, profile ribs, external teeth, profiling [0062] 32 Unvulcanized body of the rubber caterpillar track 3 [0063] 33 Tensile members