Cleated snow chain

DETAILED DESCRIPTION It is the purpose of the invention to provide an inexpensive, largely slip-free snow chain which runs quietly and shows little wear, and which may also be made from an existing metal snow chain.
This purpose is achieved in that the tread area is provided with at least one plastic and/or rubber and/or metal section, either partly or wholly.
When mention is made hereinafter of a plastic and/or a rubber and/or a metal section, this is not intended to mean that the invention is restricted to a plastic and/or a rubber and/or a metal section, but that the said invention relates to a plurality of plastic and/or rubber and/or metal sections, or to a plurality of parts of plastic sections.
Thus the basic concept upon which the invention is based is to be perceived in that at least a part of the tire tread is equipped with a metal chain, which is provided partly or wholly with synthetic plastic material.
This provides considerable advantages.
A snow chain of the type according to the invention has a longer life than conventional snow chains.
The chain runs extraordinarily quietly, and since even a most inexpensive chain may also be provided with various profiles (whereas, in the case of a tire, this is very costly), the chain may be adjusted initially to the relevant snow conditions.
The chain as a whole is dimensionally stable, i.
e.
it does not twist easily and the plastic sections may also be provided on both sides.
Thus when one side becomes worn, the chain can be "rotated", in such a manner that the unworn part, which was on the tire, now faces the road surface.
The chain according to the invention has a better grip than conventional chains, and it is also possible to fit "spikes", or the like anti-skid means, in order to prevent the vehicle from slipping sideways or to shorten the braking distance.
Further, this chain is less expensive to produce and the sections according to the invention may also be fitted to existing metal snow chains.