Articulated vehicle having contour control

Claim 2

A vehicle comprising: a front unit having at least one axle and a rear unit having at least two axles; driven wheels on said axles for moving said vehicle over the ground; an articulative coupling between said units providing a vertical steering axis, a longitudinal horizontal roll axis and a transverse horizontal pivot axis to enable said wheels to conform to the contour of the terrain over which said vehicle passes; and selectively operable double-acting motor means reactive in a vertical plane and about said horizontal pivot axis for applying a moment in either rotational direction about said horizontal pivot axis that is effective to force the wheels of said units to conform to the contour of said terrain.

Claim 3

The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said roll axis is provided by relatively rotatable members, said motor means being connected between said rear unit and a point on one of said members located in vertical spaced relation to said horizontal pivot axis.

Claim 4

The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said roll axis is provided by relatively rotatable members, said pivot axis being provided by draft members extending rearwardly of one of said rotatable members and connected to draft members on said rear unit.

Claim 5

The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said motor means includes hydraulically operable piston and cylinder means, pump means for supplying fluid under pressure to respective faces Of said piston mean, and valve means for directing said fluid to respective faces of said piston means.

Claim 6

The vehicle of claim 4 further including bypass means providing direct communication between opposite faces of said piston means to enable free extension and contraction of said piston and cylinder means, said valve means including means for closing said bypass means to lock said piston and cylinder means and prevent pivotal movement with respect to said horizontal pivot axis.

Claim 7

A vehicle comprising; a front unit and a rear unit, said front unit having a frame carrying an engine for driving said vehicle, said rear unit having a frame carrying a bed or the like adapted to transport a load, each of said frames having driven ground engaging means for supporting said vehicle; articulative coupling means for connecting said units together and including relatively rotatable members providing a longitudinal horizontal roll axis and pivotally arranged draft members providing a transverse horizontal pivot axis to enable said supporting means to conform to the contour of the ground, said pivot axis being located rearwardly of said roll axis and proximate to the front end of the frame of said rear unit; and selectively operable motor means reactive in a vertical plane and about said horizontal pivot axis for applying a moment about said horizontal pivot axis that is effective to force said supporting means on the frames of said front and rear units to conform to the contour of said ground.

Claim 8

A vehicle comprising; a front unit and a rear unit, said front unit having a frame carrying an engine for driving said vehicle, said rear unit having a frame carrying a bed or the like adapted to transport a load, each of said frames having driven ground engaging means for supporting said vehicle; articulative coupling means for connecting said units together and including relatively rotatable members providing a longitudinal horizontal roll axis and pivotally arranged draft members providing a transverse horizontal pivot axis to enable said supporting means to conform to the contour of the ground, said pivot axis being located rearwardly of said roll axis and proximate to the front end of the frame of said rear unit; and selectively operable motor means reactive in a vertical plane and about said horizontal pivot axis for applying a moment about said horizontal pivot axis that is effective to force said supporting means on the frames of said front and rear units to conform to the contour of said ground.

Claim 9

The vehicle of claim 6 wherein said motor means includes a double-acting hydraulic power cylinder having one end connected to the frame of said rear unit and the other end connected to a point on one of said relatively rotatable members in vertical spaced relation to said horizontal pivot axis, said cylinder operating to apply force to the respective frames of said units in order to conform said driven support means to the contour of the ground.

Claim 10

The vehicle of claim 7 further including pump means for supplying fluid under pressure to opposite sides of said power cylinder to selectively extend and retract said cylinder, and valve means having a neutral position providing free fluid circulation from and to said pump means and active positions for directing said fluid to respective sides of said cylinder, said valve means in neutral position blocking fluid flow from and to said cylinder.

Claim 11

The vehicle of claim 8 further including bypass means for bypassing fluid between opposite sides of said cylinder, and a bypass valve in said bypass means for selectively blocking and opening said bypass means.

Claim 12

A vehicle comprising: a front motorized unit having a single axle and a rear load-carrying unit having at least two axles; driven wheels on said axles for moving said vehicle over the ground; fork means providing a vertical axis adjacent the rear of said front vehicle; power cylinders on opposite sides of said vertical axis adapted to angulate said front unit relative to said rear unit and effect steering of said vehicle; a swivel coupling extending rearwardly of said fork means, said swivel coupling including inner and outer tubes having means to prevent longitudinal displacement, the centerline of said tubes defining a roll axis for said front and rear units; draft members rigidly fixed on opposite lateral sides of said outer tube and extending rearwardly thereof; draft members on said rear unit coupled to said first-mentioned draft members to provide a transverse horizontal pivot axis enabling said wheels to conform to the contour of the terrain over which said vehicle passes; bracket means on said outer tube having a portion located in vertical spaced relation to said pivot axis; and double-acting hydraulic cylinder means connected between said portion and a point on said rear unit so as to be reactive in a vertical plane and about said pivot axis, said cylinder means being selectively extensible and contractible for applying a moment about said horizontal pivot axiS to force said wheels to conform to the contour of uneven terrain.

Claim 13

A vehicle comprising: a front motorized unit having a single axle and a rear load-carrying unit having at least two axles; driven wheels on said axles for moving said vehicle over the ground; fork means providing a vertical axis adjacent the rear of said front vehicle; power cylinders on opposite sides of said vertical axis adapted to angulate said front unit relative to said rear unit and effect steering of said vehicle; a swivel coupling extending rearwardly of said fork means, said swivel coupling including inner and outer tubes having means to prevent longitudinal displacement, the centerline of said tubes defining a roll axis for said front and rear units; draft members rigidly fixed on opposite lateral sides of said outer tube and extending rearwardly thereof; draft members on said rear unit coupled to said first-mentioned draft members to provide a transverse horizontal pivot axis enabling said wheels to conform to the contour of the terrain over which said vehicle passes; bracket means on said outer tube having a portion located in vertical spaced relation to said pivot axis; and double-acting hydraulic cylinder means connected between said portion and a point on said rear unit so as to be reactive in a vertical plane and about said pivot axis, said cylinder means being selectively extensible and contractible for applying a moment about said horizontal pivot axiS to force said wheels to conform to the contour of uneven terrain.

Claim 14

The vehicle of claim 10 further including pump means for supplying fluid under pressure to opposite sides of said cylinder means, and a control valve having a neutral position providing free fluid circulation from and to said pump means and blocking fluid flow from and to said cylinder means, said control valve having separate active positions for selectively directing said fluid to respective sides of said cylinder means.

Claim 15

The vehicle of claim 11 further including bypass means for providing direct communication between opposite sides of cylinder means, and a bypass valve for closing and opening said bypass means, said bypass means when open enabling free extension and retraction of said cylinder means as said front and rear units are pitched relative to one another about said pivot axis, said bypass means when closed enabling the direction by said control valve of fluid to respective sides of said cylinder means, said control valve in neutral position and said bypass valve closed functioning to lock said cylinder means in selected positions.