Boxed plate construction frame with plates of varying thicknesses

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10513294-B2
Application number	US-201715805399-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 7, 2017
Priority date	Nov 7, 2017
Publication date	Dec 24, 2019
Grant date	Dec 24, 2019

Abstract

A chassis frame including a first section and a second section. The first section includes a top plate having a first thickness, a bottom plate, and a plurality of side plates extending from the top plate to the bottom plate. The second section includes a top plate having a second thickness, a bottom plate, and a plurality of side plates extending from the top plate to the bottom plate. The first section and the second section are joined at least one transition joint. Each transition joint includes a protrusion configured to engage a pocket. Each pocket is defined by angular edges of the top and bottom plates of the first section. Each protrusion defined by angular edges of the top and bottom plates of the second section.

First claim

We claim:

1. A chassis frame of an agricultural sprayer comprising:
a first section comprising:
a top plate having a first thickness;
a bottom plate spaced apart from the top plate; and
a plurality of side plates extending from the top plate to the bottom plate;

a second section comprising:
a top plate having a second thickness;
a bottom plate spaced apart from the top plate; and
a plurality of side plates extending from the top plate to the bottom plate;

wherein the first section and the second section are joined at least one transition joint, each transition joint comprising:
a pocket defined by angular edges of the top and bottom plates of the first section;
a protrusion defined by angular edges of the top and bottom plates of the second section, the protrusion configured to engage the pocket;
a first joining plate is disposed along a first seam between the angular edge of the top plate of the first section and the angular edge of the top plate of the second section, the first joining plate including an upper surface interconnected to a lower surface of the top plate of the first section and to a lower surface of the top place of the second section to couple together the rear portion of the chassis frame and the front portion of the chassis frame; and
a second joining plate is disposed along a second seam between the angular edge of the bottom plate of the first section and the angular edge of the bottom plate of the second section, the second joining plate including a lower surface interconnected to an upper surface of the bottom plate of the first section and to an upper surface of the bottom place of the second section to couple together the rear portion of the chassis frame and the front portion of the chassis frame.

2. The chassis frame of claim 1 wherein the angular edges of the top and bottom plates of the first section are aligned with the angular edges of the top and bottom plates of the second section so as to be in contact with each other.

3. The chassis frame of claim 1 wherein the first thickness is greater than the second thickness.

4. The chassis frame of claim 3 wherein the first thickness is 0.25 inch.

5. The chassis frame of claim 3 wherein the second thickness is 0.1875 inch.

6. The chassis frame of claim 1 wherein the first section of the chassis frame is a portion of the chassis frame supporting a boom of the agricultural sprayer.

7. The chassis frame of claim 1 wherein the second section of the chassis frame is a portion of the chassis frame supporting an engine compartment of the agricultural sprayer.

8. A method of manufacturing a chassis frame for an agricultural sprayer comprising:
forming a first section of the chassis frame, wherein forming the first section comprises:
providing a top plate having a first thickness;
providing a bottom plate spaced apart from the top plate; and
coupling a plurality of side plates to the top plate at a first end and orienting the plurality of side plates to extend between the top plate and the bottom plate;

forming a second section of the chassis frame, wherein forming the second section comprises:
providing a top plate having a second thickness;
providing a bottom plate spaced apart from the top plate; and
coupling a plurality of side plates to the top plate at a first end and orienting the plurality of side plates to extend between the top plate and the bottom plate; and
joining the first section and the second section at a transition point formed by angular edges of the top and bottom plates of the first section aligned with angular edges of the top and bottom plates of the second section, wherein joining the first section and the second section at a transition point comprises:
creating a transition point pocket defined by the angular edges of the top and bottom plates of the second section of chassis frame;
creating a transition point protrusion defined by the angular edges of the top and bottom plates of the first section of chassis frame;
engaging the transition point protrusion with the transition point pocket;
aligning the angular edges of the top and bottom plates of the transition point pocket with the angular edges of the top and bottom plates transition point protrusion to form a seam between the angular edges;
coupling the top plate of the transition point pocket to the top plate of the transition point protrusion by way of fixing an upper joining plate to bottom surfaces of the top plates; and
coupling the bottom plate of the transition point pocket to the bottom plate of the transition point protrusion by way fixing a lower joining plate to top surfaces of the bottom plates.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the first thickness is greater than the second thickness.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the first thickness is 0.25 inch.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the second thickness is 0.1875 inch.

12. A chassis frame comprising:
a front portion of the chassis frame comprising:
a top plate having a first thickness;
a bottom plate spaced apart from the top plate; and
a plurality of side plates extending from the top plate to the bottom plate;

a rear portion of the chassis frame coupled to the front portion of the chassis frame at at least one transition joint, the rear portion comprising:
a top plate having a second thickness less than the first thickness;
a bottom plate spaced apart from the top plate; and
a plurality of side plates extending from the top plate to the bottom plate;

wherein each transition joint comprises:
a pocket defined by angular edges of the rear portion of the chassis frame; and
a protrusion defined by angular edges of the front portion of the chassis frame, the protrusion configured to engage the pocket;
a first joining plate is disposed along a first seam between the angular edge of the top plate of the front section and the angular edge of the top place of the rear section, the first joining plate including an upper surface interconnected to a lower surface of the top plate of the front section and to a lower surface of the top place the rear section to couple together the rear portion of the chassis frame and the front portion of the chassis frame; and
a second joining plate is disposed along a second seam between the angular edge of the bottom plate of the front section and the angular edge of the bottom plate of the rear section, the second joining plate including a lower surface interconnected to an upper surface of the bottom plate of the front section and to an upper surface of the bottom place of the rear section to couple together the rear portion of the chassis frame and the front portion of the chassis frame.

13. The chassis frame of claim 12 wherein:
the pocket of each transition joint is formed at a corner of the rear portion of the chassis frame at an end of the front portion of the chassis frame adjacent the front portion of the chassis frame; and
the protrusion of each transition joint is formed at a corner of the front portion of the chassis frame at an end of the front portion of the chassis frame adjacent the rear portion of the chassis frame.

14. The chassis frame of claim 12 wherein the first thickness is 0.25 inch.

15. The chassis frame of claim 12 wherein the second thickness is 0.1875 inch.

16. The chassis frame of claim 12 wherein:
a thickness of the bottom plate of the front portion of the chassis is equal to the first thickness; and

a thickness of the bottom plate of the rear portion of the chassis is equal to the second thickness.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Schwalbe Blaine A
• Pilney Brian
• Winkel Steven N

Classifications

• B62D21/186

  for building site vehicles or multi-purpose tractors (tracked vehicles B62D55/10; tractors in general B62D49/00; building site vehicles in general E02F; lift-trucks B66F) · CPC title

• B60Y2200/224

  Boom carrying vehicles, e.g. for irrigation · CPC title

• B62D27/023 Primary

  Assembly of structural joints · CPC title

• A01M7/0082

  Undercarriages, frames, mountings, couplings, tanks · CPC title

• B62D25/082

  Engine compartments · CPC title