Drive assembly and suspension for ground-support vehicles

Claim 2

A ground-support drive track and suspension apparatus for driven attachment to a chassis, including a main frame assembly, comprising; a rigid track frame having means for rotatably supporting thereon an endless track, drive shaft means rotatably mounted to said track frame for driving the track about a drive axis extending laterally of the track movement, substantially concentric pivot support means at the ends of said drive shaft having means for attachment to said rigid track frame and to said chassis to pivotally support said drive shaft and said track frame for pivotal movement about the drive axis, and a resilient shock absorber means coupled between said track frame and said chassis for conjointly with said pivot support means resiliently and pivotally supporting said track frame beneath said chassis.

Claim 3

The device of claim 1 wherein said shock absorber means includes a pair of telescoped members with an internal resilient means urging the members to an expanded position and having opposite end attachment means, one of said end attachment means being connected to the adjacent frame unit and the opposite end attachment member being connected to the chassis assembly to pivotally support the frame unit, at least one attachment being releasable.

Claim 4

The device of claim 2 wherein said resilient means is selectively preloaded.

Claim 5

A ground-support drive track and suspension apparatus for driven attachment to a chassis, including a main frame assembly, comprising; a frame having means for rotatably supporting thereon an endless track, means rotatably mounted to said frame for driving the track including a drive axis extending laterally of the track movement, pivot support means having means for attachment to said frame and to said chassis to pivotally support said frame for pivotal movemEnt about the drive axis, and a resilient shock absorber means coupled between said frame and said chassis for conjointly with said pivot support means resiliently and pivotally supporting said frame beneath said chassis, wherein said pivot support means includes laterally spaced bearing supports each of said supports including a pair of telescoped annular members secured one each to the frame unit and to the chassis with their axis common to said drive axis.

Claim 6

A ground-support drive track and suspension apparatus for driven attachment to a chassis, including a main frame assembly, comprising; a frame having means for rotatably supporting thereon an endless track, means rotatably mounted to said frame for driving the track including a drive axis extending laterally of the track movement, pivot support means having means for attachment to said frame and to said chassis to pivotally support said frame for pivotal movemEnt about the drive axis, and a resilient shock absorber means coupled between said frame and said chassis for conjointly with said pivot support means resiliently and pivotally supporting said frame beneath said chassis, wherein said pivot support means includes laterally spaced bearing supports each of said supports including a pair of telescoped annular members secured one each to the frame unit and to the chassis with their axis common to said drive axis.

Claim 7

The ground-support drive track suspension of claim 4 wherein said one bearing support has the one annular member integrally formed with a drive unit housing releasably attached to the chassis assembly and the other bearing support having the one annular member secured to a mounting plate having means for releasable attachment to the chassis assembly.

Claim 8

The ground-support drive track and suspension apparatus of claim 1 wherein said track support means includes a forward track support means and a rear track support means connected to forward and rear ends of said frame unit, said drive track means being rotatably mounted as a part of said forward track support means with a concentric input drive axis, and said pivot support means being connected to said forward track support means.

Claim 9

The ground-support drive track and suspension apparatus of claim 6 having bogey wheel means including a pair of longitudinal spaced and interconnected bogey wheels with a pivotally mounting means intermediate therebetween connected to said frame unit to locate the wheels in selective engagement with the bottom run of the track, said bogey wheel means pivoting to maintain a constant tension on said track as said tread moves over irregular surfaces.

Claim 10

The ground-support drive track and suspension apparatus of claim 6 having a plurality of bogey wheel means each including a pair of longitudinal spaced and interconnected bogey wheels with a pivotally mounting means intermediate therebetween connected to said frame unit to locate the wheels in selective engagement with the bottom run of the track, each of said bogey wheel means pivoting to maintain a constant tension on the said track as said tread moves over irregular surfaces.

Claim 11

The ground-support drive track and suspension apparatus of claim 6 wherein said rear track support means includes a track idler means and attachment means, a mounting means on the frame unit aligned with the attachment means, pivotal mount means interconnecting said attachment and mounting means, and releasable locking means interconnecting said attachment and mounting means to hold the means in operative relation and releasable to permit pivoting of the attachment means to release the tension on said track.

Claim 12

The ground-support drive track and suspension apparatus of claim 6 wherein said rear track support means includes an idler means rotatably mounted on a shaft means, said rear track support means including an attachment plate means abutting a mounting plate means on the side wall of the frame unit, pin and slot means interconnecting said plate means to permit longitudinal adjustment of the rear track support means, and releasable locking means interconnecting said plate means to hold the plate means in operative relation and releasable to permit pivoting of the attachment plate means and rear track support to release the tension on said track.

Claim 13

The ground-support drive track and suspension apparatus of claim 6 wherein said frame unit includes a pair of parallel and laterally spaced side frame members, said shock absorber means includes a pair of shock absorbers located one to each side of the frame unit, each shock absorber including a pair of telescoped members with an internal resilient means urging the members to an expanded position and having opposite end attachment means, one of said end attachment means being releasably connected to an adjacent frame member and the opposite end attachment member being connected to the chassis assembly to pivotally support the frame unit.

Claim 14

The ground-support drive track and suspension apparatus of claim 11 having a plurality of bogey wheel means each including a pair of longitudinal spaced and interconnected bogey wheels with a pivotally mounting means intermediate therebetween connected to said frame unit to locate the wheels in selective engagement with the bottom run of the track, each of said bogey wheel means pivoting to maintain a constant tension on said track as said tread moves over irregular surfaces.

Claim 15

The drive track and suspension apparatus of claim 4 wherein said rear track support means includes a plurality of laterally spaced idler wheels mounted on a rotatably shaft means, end bearing means for said shaft means, said bearing means including an attachment plate means abutting a mounting plate means on the side wall of the frame unit, pin and slot means interconnecting said plate means to permit longitudinal adjustment of the rear track support, and releasable locking means interconnecting said plate means to hold the plate means in operative relation and releasable to permit pivoting of the attachment plate means and rear tread support to release the tension on said track.

Claim 16

In a vehicle, a chassis assembly including an inverted U-shaped rear chassis frame defining an elongated longitudinal tunnel with depending side walls, a track drive sub-assembly located within said tunnel with a front track support and drive shaft assembly having an input shaft, said shaft assembly including a pivot support means at the opposite ends having a common axis with said input shaft and releasably connected with a complementing pivot means on said chassis assembly, said one complementing pivot means including a common support for a drive shaft means aligned with and releasably engageable with said input shaft whereby said drive sub-assembly pivots as a unit about said common axis, and a shock absorber means connected to said chassis frame and to said sub-assembly and supporting said sub-assembly in said tunnel for pivotal movement about said shaft assembly.

Claim 17

In a vehicle, a chassis assembly including an inverted U-shaped rear chassis frame defining an elongated longitudinal tunnel with depending side walls, a track drive sub-assembly located within said tunnel with a front track support and drive shaft assembly having an input shaft, said shaft assembly including a pivot support means at the opposite ends having a common axis with said input shaft and releasably connected with a complementing pivot means on said chassis assembly, said one complementing pivot means including a common support for a drive shaft means aligned with and releasably engageable with said input shaft whereby said drive sub-assembly pivots as a unit about said common axis, and a shock absorber means connected to said chassis frame and to said sub-assembly and supporting said sub-assembly in said tunnel for pivotal movement about said shaft assembly.

Claim 18

The vehicle of claim 14 wherein said sub-assembly includes a pair of side rails with said shaft assembly connected to the forward end, a rear idler including a shaft rotatably mounted at the opposite ends to the rear ends of said side rails and being longitudinally adjustable to control the tension in said track, a plurality of bogey wheel units located in longitudinal spaced relation between said drive shaft unit and said idler unit, each bogey wheel unit including a bogey pivot shaft secured to said side rails with a pair of spaced bogey wheel elements pivotally mounted on the corresponding bogey pivot shaft, each bogey wheel element including a support hub journaled on the shaft and a pair of oppositely extending and laterally offset arms with bogey wheels supported on the outer end of each arm and located to engage the bottom run of the endless track.

Claim 19

The vehicle of claim 15 wherein said side rails include plates slidably abutting said guide plates on said idler unit, said guide plates having a longitudinal slot and a vertically spaced opening, the rail plates having a longitudinal slot aligned with the opening of the guide plate and an opening aligned with the slot of the guide plate, individual pin means extending through the aligned slot and openings, a tension rod releasably secured to the side rails in alignment with one of said pin means to adjustably space said guide plates to control the tension of said track, corresponding ones of said pin means being removable from each of said overlapping plates to permit pivotal forward movement of the rear idler assembly for removal of tension from said track.

Claim 20

In a vehicle, a chassis assembly including an inverted U-shaped rear chassis frame defining an elongated longitudinal tunnel with depending side walls, a track drive sub-assembly located within said tunnel with a front track support and drive shaft assembly having an input shaft and a rear track idler assembly secured to a pAir of supporting side rails and with a plurality of bogey wheel assemblies secured to the side rails between said front and rear assemblies and with an endless flexible track looped about said assemblies, said shaft assembly including a pivot support means at the opposite ends having a common axis with said input shaft including tubular means telescoped into complementing tubular support means including a common support for an input drive shaft means aligned with the releasably slidably engageable with said input shaft whereby said drive sub-assembly pivots as a unit about said common axis, said complementing tubular support means being bolted to said chassis frame and establishing a plugin mounting of the pivot support means, each of said bogey wheel assemblies including a bogey pivot shaft secured to said side rails with a pair of spaced bogey wheel elements pivotally mounted on the corresponding bogey pivot shaft, each bogey wheel element including a support hub journaled on the shaft and having a pair of oppositely extending and laterally offset arms with bogey wheels supported on the outer end of each arm and located to engage the bottom run of the endless track, said idler assembly including end guide plates, side rails include rail plates slidably abutting said guide plates, said guide plates having a longitudinal slot and a vertically spaced opening, the rail plates having a longitudinal slot aligned with the opening of the guide plate and an opening aligned with the slot of the guide plate, individual coupling bolt means extending through the aligned slot and openings, a tension bolt threaded to the side rails forwardly of and in alignment with one of said coupling bolt means and defining a locating stop for such coupling bolt means to adjustably space said guide plates to control the tension of said track, corresponding ones of said bolt means being removable from each of said overlapping plates to permit pivotal forward movement of the rear idler assembly for removal of tension from said track, a pair of shock absorbers connected one each to each side rail and the adjacent side wall of the chassis frame, each shock absorber including a pair of telescoped cylinder members with an internal coil, each of said cylinders having end bushings mating with mounting shafts on said side rails and said chassis frame, and means releasably secured to the ends of the mounting shafts to releasably lock the absorber in position.

Claim 21

In a vehicle, a chassis assembly including an inverted U-shaped rear chassis frame defining an elongated longitudinal tunnel with depending side walls, a track drive sub-assembly located within said tunnel with a front track support and drive shaft assembly having an input shaft and a rear track idler assembly secured to a pAir of supporting side rails and with a plurality of bogey wheel assemblies secured to the side rails between said front and rear assemblies and with an endless flexible track looped about said assemblies, said shaft assembly including a pivot support means at the opposite ends having a common axis with said input shaft including tubular means telescoped into complementing tubular support means including a common support for an input drive shaft means aligned with the releasably slidably engageable with said input shaft whereby said drive sub-assembly pivots as a unit about said common axis, said complementing tubular support means being bolted to said chassis frame and establishing a plugin mounting of the pivot support means, each of said bogey wheel assemblies including a bogey pivot shaft secured to said side rails with a pair of spaced bogey wheel elements pivotally mounted on the corresponding bogey pivot shaft, each bogey wheel element including a support hub journaled on the shaft and having a pair of oppositely extending and laterally offset arms with bogey wheels supported on the outer end of each arm and located to engage the bottom run of the endless track, said idler assembly including end guide plates, side rails include rail plates slidably abutting said guide plates, said guide plates having a longitudinal slot and a vertically spaced opening, the rail plates having a longitudinal slot aligned with the opening of the guide plate and an opening aligned with the slot of the guide plate, individual coupling bolt means extending through the aligned slot and openings, a tension bolt threaded to the side rails forwardly of and in alignment with one of said coupling bolt means and defining a locating stop for such coupling bolt means to adjustably space said guide plates to control the tension of said track, corresponding ones of said bolt means being removable from each of said overlapping plates to permit pivotal forward movement of the rear idler assembly for removal of tension from said track, a pair of shock absorbers connected one each to each side rail and the adjacent side wall of the chassis frame, each shock absorber including a pair of telescoped cylinder members with an internal coil, each of said cylinders having end bushings mating with mounting shafts on said side rails and said chassis frame, and means releasably secured to the ends of the mounting shafts to releasably lock the absorber in position.

Claim 22

A track drive apparatus adapted to connect to a vehicle chassis to define a ground support, comprising a track assembly including an endless track means suspended upon a support between longitudinally spaced rotatable means, pivotal mounting means connecting at least one of said rotatable means to said support and including means to hold the rotation means in a first position with said track means under tension and releasably to allow pivoting of the rotatable means to a second position to release the tension on said track means, said one rotatable means being a rear idler assembly including a shaft rotatably mounted at the opposite ends in a pair of guide arms having forwardly projecting guide plates, said support means having side plates slidably abutting said guide plates, said guide plates having a longitudinal slot and a vertically spaced opening, said side plates having a longitudinal slot aligned with the opening of the guide plate and an opening aligned with the slot of the guide plate, individual pin means extending through the aligned slot and openings, a tension rod releasably secured to the side rails in alignment with one of said pin means to adjustably space said guide plates to control the tension of said track, corresponding ones of said pin means being removably from each of said overlapping plates to permit pivotal forward movement of the rear idler assembly for removal of tension from said track.

Claim 23

A track drive apparatus adapted to connect to a vehicle chassis to define a ground support, comprising a track assembly including an endless track means suspended upon a support between longitudinally spaced rotatable means, pivotal mounting means connecting at least one of said rotatable means to said support and including means to hold the rotation means in a first position with said track means under tension and releasably to allow pivoting of the rotatable means to a second position to release the tension on said track means, said one rotatable means being a rear idler assembly including a shaft rotatably mounted at the opposite ends in a pair of guide arms having forwardly projecting guide plates, said support means having side plates slidably abutting said guide plates, said guide plates having a longitudinal slot and a vertically spaced opening, said side plates having a longitudinal slot aligned with the opening of the guide plate and an opening aligned with the slot of the guide plate, individual pin means extending through the aligned slot and openings, a tension rod releasably secured to the side rails in alignment with one of said pin means to adjustably space said guide plates to control the tension of said track, corresponding ones of said pin means being removably from each of said overlapping plates to permit pivotal forward movement of the rear idler assembly for removal of tension from said track.

Claim 24

A track drive apparatus adapted to connect to a vehicle chassis to define a ground support, comprising a track assEmbly including an endless track means suspended upon a rigid support between longitudinally spaced rotatable means, pivotal mounting and input drive means connecting at least one of said rotatable means to said rigid support and including an axial in-line drive coupling means, and intermediate bogey wheel means including a pivot support extending laterally of the track means and having fore and aft bogey wheels connected for simultaneous and corresponding pivotal movement whereby the track means is maintained under constant tension with the pivotal movement of said bogey wheel element.

Claim 25

A track drive apparatus adapted to connect to a vehicle chassis to define a ground support, comprising a track assEmbly including an endless track means suspended upon a rigid support between longitudinally spaced rotatable means, pivotal mounting and input drive means connecting at least one of said rotatable means to said rigid support and including an axial in-line drive coupling means, and intermediate bogey wheel means including a pivot support extending laterally of the track means and having fore and aft bogey wheels connected for simultaneous and corresponding pivotal movement whereby the track means is maintained under constant tension with the pivotal movement of said bogey wheel element.

Claim 26

The track drive apparatus of claim 19 wherein including a plurality of bogey wheel means, each bogey wheel means having a supporting shaft with a pair of laterally spaced bogey elements with a hub journaled on said shaft, each element having said fore and aft bogey wheels secured to said hub by supporting arms.