Close coupled frame steered all crawler tractor

Claim 2

In a vehicle with articulated body: end-to-end aligned body units connected one end directly to the other, and including horizontally disposed running gear frames (38, 58) individual thereto; at least one body unit including a fixed subframe complemental to the running gear frame of the body unit, the just said running gear and subframes being longitudinally slidably related whereby the running gear frame of said body unit is afforded incremental adjustability fore and aft for precisely advancing and retracting on the ground with respect to the other frame; and means (88, 90) to impart to said one running gear frame and the movement of retraction and advancement aforesaid, all while the vehicle is under continuous support on the ground by the running gear.

Claim 3

In a vehicle which is arranged with body means, with an engine thereon, and with a section of the vehicle having, at each opposite side of such section, a limitedly advancingly and retractively adjustable, supporting track frame carrying an endless track associated therewith at that side, the combination with the track frame (60) in said section, of: first drive transmitting means comprising generally athwartwise extending track driving axle means (77) in said track frames to force the associated tracks each to circulate thereabout in one or the other direction as desired; and second drive transmitting means (79) disposed between the frames and extending generally longitudinally for establishing a positive connection with the engine; said first and second means having interposed rotary means (82, 73) transferring drive between portions of the second longitudinally extending drive transmitting means and the first track driving axle means in an operative manner to minimize skid whereby, as viewed at a side thereof, said track frame is advancingly or retractively adjusting in linear amount (l.a.) in direct proportion to the amount (from y to z) by which the axle means is simultaneously forcing the associated endless track to circulate thereabout, retractively and counterclockwise, respectively, and vise versa.

Claim 4

In a vehicle which is arranged with body means, with an engine thereon, and with a section of the vehicle having, at each opposite side of such section, a limitedly advancingly and retractively adjustable, supporting track frame carrying an endless track associated therewith at that side, the combination with the track frame (60) in said section, of: first drive transmitting means comprising generally athwartwise extending track driving axle means (77) in said track frames to force the associated tracks each to circulate thereabout in one or the other direction as desired; and second drive transmitting means (79) disposed between the frames and extending generally longitudinally for establishing a positive connection with the engine; said first and second means having interposed rotary means (82, 73) transferring drive between portions of the second longitudinally extending drive transmitting means and the first track driving axle means in an operative manner to minimize skid whereby, as viewed at a side thereof, said track frame is advancingly or retractively adjusting in linear amount (l.a.) in direct proportion to the amount (from y to z) by which the axle means is simultaneously forcing the associated endless track to circulate thereabout, retractively and counterclockwise, respectively, and vise versa.

Claim 5

In a vehicle with body units steered by angulation: end-to-end aligned articulated units having individual, horizontally disposed front and rear frames (38, 58) with which the respective units are associated; tractor traction means (61, 74) individual to the units and carried by the respective front and rear frames, one body unit including a fixed subframe complemental to the individual frame concerned, the just said individual frame and subframe being longitudinally slidably related whereby the individual frame is afforded incremental adjustability fore and aft for precise movement relative to the other body uniT and operable means (88, 90) to separate the front and rear frames on the ground so that the tractor traction means can accommodate angulation of the units without interference.

Claim 6

In a vehicle with body units steered by angulation: end-to-end aligned articulated units having individual, horizontally disposed front and rear frames (38, 58) with which the respective units are associated; tractor traction means (61, 74) individual to the units and carried by the respective front and rear frames, one body unit including a fixed subframe complemental to the individual frame concerned, the just said individual frame and subframe being longitudinally slidably related whereby the individual frame is afforded incremental adjustability fore and aft for precise movement relative to the other body uniT and operable means (88, 90) to separate the front and rear frames on the ground so that the tractor traction means can accommodate angulation of the units without interference.

Claim 7

In a frame-steered articulately connected vehicle: end-to-end connected articulated front and rear sections (12,14) having front and rear frames with which the respective sections are associated; endless tracks (16, 18, 20, 22) individual to the front and rear frames, one frame capable of limited longitudinal movement relative to the section associated therewith; and operable means (94, 88, 90) to separate the front and rear frames so that the endless tracks accommodate to the angulation of frame steering, without interference.

Claim 8

In a frame-steered articulately connected vehicle: end-to-end connected articulated front and rear sections (12,14) having front and rear frames with which the respective sections are associated; endless tracks (16, 18, 20, 22) individual to the front and rear frames, one frame capable of limited longitudinal movement relative to the section associated therewith; and operable means (94, 88, 90) to separate the front and rear frames so that the endless tracks accommodate to the angulation of frame steering, without interference.

Claim 9

Multi section frame steered vehicle having: first and second relatively movable section frames relatively movable in a horizontal plane in one sense in respect of angulation therebetween along the line of travel and in an independent sense in respect of the distance by which they are spaced apart along the line of travel; steering means including a cylinder connected to the section frames effective to change angulation therebetween along the line of travel to an angle of the steering means; and independent spacing means including a cylinder connected to the section frames effective to change the distance in the spacing therebetween along the line of travel in response to changes in angulation.

Claim 10

Multi section frame steered vehicle having: first and second relatively movable section frames relatively movable in a horizontal plane in one sense in respect of angulation therebetween along the line of travel and in an independent sense in respect of the distance by which they are spaced apart along the line of travel; steering means including a cylinder connected to the section frames effective to change angulation therebetween along the line of travel to an angle of the steering means; and independent spacing means including a cylinder connected to the section frames effective to change the distance in the spacing therebetween along the line of travel in response to changes in angulation.

Claim 11

Method of negotiating turns with articulately steered vehicle body units, with frames individual to the units, and with endless crawler tracks individual to the frames, each track having one crawler track end adjacent the adjacent crawler track end on the other unit, said method characterized by the steps of: temporarily forcibly separating at least the one adjacent crawler track end portion of at least one endless crawler track from the adjacent crawler track end; and steering the vehicle with articulation and without interference from the crawler tracks while so forcibly separated, the track separation accomplished by: conjointly separating the endless crawler tracks of one frame in entirety (FIG. 4) from the adjacent crawler track ends of another frame.

Claim 12

Method of negotiating turns with articulately steered vehicle body units, with frames individual to the units, and with endless crawler tracks individual to the frames, each track having one crawler track end adjacent the adjacent crawler track end on the other unit, said method characterized by the steps of: temporarily forcibly separating at least the one adjacent crawler track end portion of at least one endless crawler track from the adjacent crawler track end; and steering the vehicle with articulation and without interference from the crawler tracks while so forcibly separated, the track separation accomplished by: conjointly separating the endless crawler tracks of one frame in entirety (FIG. 4) from the adjacent crawler track ends of another frame.

Claim 13

Procedure for coordinating the application of power in a self-powered interconnected vehicle arranged with front and rear running gear frames, with articulated body means connecting the vehicle, and with sources of power for the vehicle, the procedure characterized by the steps of: delivering rotary power to the running gear frames at the same drive rate to sustain them on their way; applying compressive and tensile power between the front and rear frames to change the spacing by movement of separation and approach, selectively; and changing the rotary power to a disproportionate delivery to the frames at both certain times when the compressive power is applied so that during their movement of separation the front one of the frames has the relatively fast drive rate, and at other times when the tensile power is applied so that during their movement of approach the rear ones of the frames have the relatively fast drive rate.

Claim 14

Procedure for coordinating the application of power in a self-powered interconnected vehicle arranged with front and rear running gear frames, with articulated body means connecting the vehicle, and with sources of power for the vehicle, the procedure characterized by the steps of: delivering rotary power to the running gear frames at the same drive rate to sustain them on their way; applying compressive and tensile power between the front and rear frames to change the spacing by movement of separation and approach, selectively; and changing the rotary power to a disproportionate delivery to the frames at both certain times when the compressive power is applied so that during their movement of separation the front one of the frames has the relatively fast drive rate, and at other times when the tensile power is applied so that during their movement of approach the rear ones of the frames have the relatively fast drive rate.

Claim 15

Procedure for coordinating the application of power in a self-powered interconnected vehicle arranged with front and rear running gear frames, with articulated body means connecting the vehicle, and with sources of power for the vehicle, the procedure characterized by the steps of: producing a demand (R.T.) for one attitude of setting of the steering; separately producing a demand (S.A.) for a different attitude of setting of the vehicle steering; supplying compressive power between the front and rear frames to increase their space by movement of separation (M.S.) when the demand is for one steering setting (R.T.); and supplying tensile power between the front and rear frames to decrease their space by movement of approach when the demand is for a different setting (S.A.).

Claim 16

Procedure for coordinating the application of power in a self-powered interconnected vehicle arranged with front and rear running gear frames, with articulated body means connecting the vehicle, and with sources of power for the vehicle, the procedure characterized by the steps of: producing a demand (R.T.) for one attitude of setting of the steering; separately producing a demand (S.A.) for a different attitude of setting of the vehicle steering; supplying compressive power between the front and rear frames to increase their space by movement of separation (M.S.) when the demand is for one steering setting (R.T.); and supplying tensile power between the front and rear frames to decrease their space by movement of approach when the demand is for a different setting (S.A.).

Claim 17

ProcedUre for operating the power train between the engine of an articulated vehicle and sets of supporting track frames for that vehicle, each frame of which carrying an endless track associated therewith, the one frame of at least one set shiftably supporting a portion of the articulated vehicle for adjustment thereto by a linear amount fore and aft, said procedure comprising the steps of: receiving torque drive in a path as input to the tracks on the one frame; transmitting torque drive in a path as output from said engine; and transferring the drive between the output and input paths at varying rate by a drive ratio adjustable to minimize skid whereby, as viewed at the side thereof, each of the one track frames is adjusting fore and aft by about the same linear amount as the adjusted ratio torque drive input transferred to the associated endless track is simultaneously forcing the track to circulate at a varying rate about said frame, retractively and counterclockwise, respectively, and vice versa.

Claim 18

ProcedUre for operating the power train between the engine of an articulated vehicle and sets of supporting track frames for that vehicle, each frame of which carrying an endless track associated therewith, the one frame of at least one set shiftably supporting a portion of the articulated vehicle for adjustment thereto by a linear amount fore and aft, said procedure comprising the steps of: receiving torque drive in a path as input to the tracks on the one frame; transmitting torque drive in a path as output from said engine; and transferring the drive between the output and input paths at varying rate by a drive ratio adjustable to minimize skid whereby, as viewed at the side thereof, each of the one track frames is adjusting fore and aft by about the same linear amount as the adjusted ratio torque drive input transferred to the associated endless track is simultaneously forcing the track to circulate at a varying rate about said frame, retractively and counterclockwise, respectively, and vice versa.