Diesel tractor for articulated mine vehicles

Claim 2

A diesel tractor for articulated mine vehicles which comprises: a frame including spaced, parallel rectangular tubular members interconnected at their extreme front ends by a transverse member and extending rearwardly to inverted U-shaped portions; a diesel engine mounted on the frame just behind the transverse member and between the rectangular tubular members; a power shift transmission mounted on the frame behind the engine and between the rectangular tubular members; a differential mounted on the frame behind the power shift transmission and between the rectangular tubular members and including axles extending outwardly through the inverted Ushaped portions of the tubular members of the frame; planetary hub means mounted on the axles and positioned outside of the rectangular tubular members of the frame; tire means mounted on the planetary hub means and comprising the sole support for the diesel shuttle car tractor; and an operator''s compartment extending between the rectangular tubular members of the frame and positioned behind the differential; said rectangular tubular members of the frame extending rearwardly from said operator''s compartment for connection to a trailer; all of the component parts of the tractor being positioned beneath a normally horizontally disposed plane extending tangent to the tops of the tire means; said forward portions of the tubulAr members of the frame comprising relatively reduced vertical dimensions and said inverted U-shaped portions and the trailer connection portions of the frame comprising substantially increased vertical dimensions.

Claim 3

The diesel tractor for articulated mine vehicles according to claim 1 wherein the frame is further characterized by side portions projecting laterally outwardly from the rectangular tubular members and extending in front of the tire means, one of said side portions supporting a fuel tank and an air cleaner for the diesel engine, and the other side portion supporting an oxy-catalyst scrubber which receives the exhaust from the diesel engine.

Claim 4

The diesel tractor for articulated mine vehicles according to claim 2 wherein the frame further includes a grille for protecting the engine which comprises a pair of channel members extending upwardly from the intersections of the rectangular tubular members and the transverse member, a pair of channel members extending transversely between the upwardly extending members, and brace members extending angularly downwardly from the upper end of the vertically extending members to the rectangular tubular members of the frame.

Claim 5

The diesel tractor for articulated mine vehicles according to claim 1 wherein the operator''s compartment includes an operator seat which faces laterally so as to facilitate concurrent observation of both the diesel shuttle car tractor and the trailer connected thereto.

Claim 6

A diesel tractor for articulated mine vehicles which comprises: a frame including spaced, parallel rectangular tubular members interconnected at their extreme front ends by a transverse rectangular tubular member and extending rearwardly to inverted U-shaped portions; said parallel rectangular tubular members being further characterized by forward portions having relatively reduced vertical dimensions and rearward portions including the inverted U-shaped portions and having relatively increased vertical dimensions; a diesel engine mounted on the frame between the forward portions of the parallel rectangular tubular members thereof; a power shift transmission mounted on the frame behind the diesel engine and between the parallel rectangular tubular members; a differential mounted on the frame behind the power shift transmission and between the parallel rectangular tubular members and including axles extending outwardly through the inverted U-shaped portions of the parallel rectangular tubular members of the frame; planetary hub means mounted on the axles and positioned outside the parallel rectangular tubular members of the frame; tire means mounted on the planetary hub means and comprising the sole support for the diesel tractor; and an operator''s compartment extending between the parallel rectangular tubular members of the frame and positioned behind the differential; said parallel rectangular tubular members of the frame extending rearwardly from said operator''s compartment for connection to a trailer; all of the components of the diesel tractor being positioned beneath a normally horizontally disposed plane extending tangential to the tops of the tire means.

Claim 7

A diesel tractor for articulated mine vehicles which comprises: a frame including spaced, parallel rectangular tubular members interconnected at their extreme front ends by a transverse rectangular tubular member and extending rearwardly to inverted U-shaped portions; said parallel rectangular tubular members being further characterized by forward portions having relatively reduced vertical dimensions and rearward portions including the inverted U-shaped portions and having relatively increased vertical dimensions; a diesel engine mounted on the frame between the forward portions of the parallel rectangular tubular members thereof; a power shift transmission mounted on the frame behind the diesel engine and between the parallel rectangular tubular members; a differential mounted on the frame behind the power shift transmission and between the parallel rectangular tubular members and including axles extending outwardly through the inverted U-shaped portions of the parallel rectangular tubular members of the frame; planetary hub means mounted on the axles and positioned outside the parallel rectangular tubular members of the frame; tire means mounted on the planetary hub means and comprising the sole support for the diesel tractor; and an operator''s compartment extending between the parallel rectangular tubular members of the frame and positioned behind the differential; said parallel rectangular tubular members of the frame extending rearwardly from said operator''s compartment for connection to a trailer; all of the components of the diesel tractor being positioned beneath a normally horizontally disposed plane extending tangential to the tops of the tire means.

Claim 8

The diesel tractor for articulated mine vehicles according to claim 5 wherein the frame further comprises opposed side portions each extending laterally outwardly from one of the parallel rectangular tubular members and positioned in front of the tire means, one of said side portions supporting a fuel tank and an air cleaner for the diesel engine, and the other side portion supporting an oxy-catalyst scrubber which receives the exhaust from the diesel engine.

Claim 9

The diesel tractor for articulated mine vehicles according to claim 5 wherein the frame further includes a grille comprising a pair of channel members extending upwardly from the intersections of the parallel rectangular tubular members and the transverse rectangular tubular member of the frame, a channel member extending between the upper ends of the upwardly extending channel members, and brace members extending angularly between the upper ends of the upwardly extending channel members and the parallel rectangular tubular members of the frame.

Claim 10

The diesel tractor for articulated mine vehicles according to claim 5 wherein the operator''s compartment is further characterized by a laterally facing operator''s seat positioned to facilitate concurrent observation of the operation of the diesel tractor and a trailer connected thereto.

Claim 11

A diesel tractor for articulated mine vehicles which comprises: a frame including spaced, parallel rectangular tubular members interconnected at their extreme front ends by a transverse rectangular tubular member and extending rearwardly to inverted U-shaped portions; said parallel rectangular tubular members including forward portions characterized by relatively reduced vertical dimensions and rearward portions including the inverted U-shaped portions characterized by relatively increased vertical dimensions; said frame further including side portions extending outwardly from the forward portions of the parallel rectangular tubular members of the frame; a grille mounted at the extreme front end of the frame and comprising upright channel members interconnected at their upper ends by a transverse channel member and brace members extending angularly downwardly from the upper ends of the upright members to the parallel rectangular tubular members of the frame; a diesel engine mounted on the frame beween the forward portions of the parallel rectangular tubular members; one of said side portions of the frame supporting a fuel tank and an air cleaner for the diesel engine, and the other side portion supporting an oxy-catalyst scrubber for receiving the exhaust from the diesel engine; a power shift transmission mounted on the frame between the parallel rectangular tubular members and behind the engine; a differential mounted on the frame behind the power shift transmission and between the parallel rectangular tubular members; said differential including axles extending outwardly through the inverted U-shaped portions of the parallel rectangular tubular members of the frame; planetary hub means mounted on the axles and positioned outside the parallel rectangular tubular members of the frame; tire means mounted on the planetary hub means and comprising the sole support for the diesel tractor; and an operator''s compartment extending between the parallel rectangular tubular members of the frame and positioned behind the differential; said parallel rectangular tubular members of the frame extending rearwardly from said operator''s compartment for connection to a trailer; all of the operating components of the diesel tractor being positioned beneath the normally horizontally disposed plane extending tangent to the tops of the tire means.

Claim 12

A diesel tractor for articulated mine vehicles which comprises: a frame including spaced, parallel rectangular tubular members interconnected at their extreme front ends by a transverse rectangular tubular member and extending rearwardly to inverted U-shaped portions; said parallel rectangular tubular members including forward portions characterized by relatively reduced vertical dimensions and rearward portions including the inverted U-shaped portions characterized by relatively increased vertical dimensions; said frame further including side portions extending outwardly from the forward portions of the parallel rectangular tubular members of the frame; a grille mounted at the extreme front end of the frame and comprising upright channel members interconnected at their upper ends by a transverse channel member and brace members extending angularly downwardly from the upper ends of the upright members to the parallel rectangular tubular members of the frame; a diesel engine mounted on the frame beween the forward portions of the parallel rectangular tubular members; one of said side portions of the frame supporting a fuel tank and an air cleaner for the diesel engine, and the other side portion supporting an oxy-catalyst scrubber for receiving the exhaust from the diesel engine; a power shift transmission mounted on the frame between the parallel rectangular tubular members and behind the engine; a differential mounted on the frame behind the power shift transmission and between the parallel rectangular tubular members; said differential including axles extending outwardly through the inverted U-shaped portions of the parallel rectangular tubular members of the frame; planetary hub means mounted on the axles and positioned outside the parallel rectangular tubular members of the frame; tire means mounted on the planetary hub means and comprising the sole support for the diesel tractor; and an operator''s compartment extending between the parallel rectangular tubular members of the frame and positioned behind the differential; said parallel rectangular tubular members of the frame extending rearwardly from said operator''s compartment for connection to a trailer; all of the operating components of the diesel tractor being positioned beneath the normally horizontally disposed plane extending tangent to the tops of the tire means.

Claim 13

The diesel tractor according to claim 9 further including telescoping trailer means connected to the parallel rectangular tubular members of the frame by means of an articulated joint.