Tracked vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9586635-B2
Application number	US-201514706345-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 7, 2015
Priority date	May 7, 2014
Publication date	Mar 7, 2017
Grant date	Mar 7, 2017

Abstract

A track system for steerable vehicles having at least one axle. The track system is capable of adjusting to changes in terrain by pivoting in clockwise and counterclockwise directions relative to an axle assembly as the vehicle moves across the ground. The pivotal movement of the track system relative to the axle assembly is restricted by a limiter attached to an inboard member of the track system frame. Pivotal movement is limited by the axle assembly housing engaging the limiter when the track system pivots in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction to a maximum point along a pivot arc.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A track system comprising:
a drive sprocket having an inboard side and an outboard side;
a track hub connected to the drive sprocket on the outboard side;
a frame configured to support the track hub, wherein the track hub allows rotation of the sprocket relative to the frame;
an endless track supported on the drive sprocket, wherein rotation of the drive sprocket drives movement of the endless track;
a limiter having and opening with and edge, connected to the frame on the inboard side of the drive sprocket; and
an axle assembly on the inboard side of the drive sprocket comprising an axle and a housing, the axle is connected to the drive sprocket and rotatable relative to the housing, a bottom side of the housing is disposed within the opening to engage the edge of the opening so that movement of the frame relative to the housing is limited.

2. The track system of claim 1 wherein the axle assembly comprises a spacer connected between the axle and the track hub.

3. The track system of claim 1 the axle assembly further comprising a steering arm connected to the housing for pivoting the frame and the housing about a steering pivot axis.

4. The track system of claim 1 wherein the frame comprises a first end and a second end, wherein a first roller is supported at the first end of the frame and the second roller is supported at the second end of the frame.

5. The track system of claim 4 wherein the track is routed around the drive sprocket, the first roller, and the second roller.

6. The track system of claim 5 wherein a profile of the track is generally triangular.

7. The track system of claim 5 wherein the drive sprocket engages the track at a top vertex and wherein the first roller and the second roller both engage the track at bottom vertices.

8. The track system of claim 1 wherein a profile of the track comprises a quadrilateral.

9. The track system of claim 1 wherein the opening of the limiter is D-shaped.

10. The track system of claim 1 wherein the limiter comprises a flange to connect the limiter to the frame.

11. The track system of claim 10 wherein the flange is disposed in a vertical plane and the opening of the limiter is disposed in a horizontal plane.

12. The track system of claim 1 wherein the frame comprises an inboard member and an outboard member, wherein the limiter is connected to the inboard member and a portion of the drive sprocket is disposed between the inboard member and the outboard member.

13. The track system of claim 1 wherein the frame comprises an inboard member and an outboard member, wherein the limiter is integrally formed on the inboard member and the opening is disposed in a horizontal plane.

14. The track system of claim 1 wherein the limiter is disposed below the axle assembly.

15. The track system of claim 1 wherein the frame comprises an inboard frame assembly disposed inboard of the drive sprocket, and an outboard frame assembly disposed outboard of the drive sprocket; wherein the limiter comprises a flange that is connected to the inboard frame assembly and the opening is disposed in a horizontal plane.

16. The track system of claim 15 comprising a strut to connect the inboard frame member to the outboard frame member.

17. The track system of claim 15 comprising:
a first roller disposed between the inboard frame assembly and the outboard frame assembly; and
a second roller disposed between the inboard frame assembly and the outboard frame assembly;
wherein the track is supported on the drive sprocket, the first roller, and the second roller.

18. The track system of claim 17 wherein the first roller is disposed at a first end of the frame and the second roller is disposed at a second end of the frame.

19. The track system of claim 18 further comprising a plurality of bogie rollers connected to the inboard frame assembly and a plurality of bogie rollers connected to the outboard frame assembly; wherein each bogie roller is disposed below a line defined by an axis of rotation of the first roller and an axis of rotation of the second roller.

20. The track system of claim 1 wherein the opening is defined by a first wing and a second wing connected by a bridge.

21. A vehicle comprising:
a chassis;
an engine supported on the chassis;
an axle assembly comprising an axle and a housing supported on the chassis, wherein the axle is rotatable relative to the housing in response to operation of the engine;
a drive sprocket having an inboard side and an outboard side, the drive sprocket being connected to the axle on the inboard side of the drive sprocket and rotatable in response to rotation of the axle;
a track frame comprising an inboard member and an outboard member situated such that a portion of the drive sprocket is disposed between the inboard member and the outboard member;
a track hub supported by the track frame and connected to a track hub side of the drive sprocket to allow the drive sprocket to rotate relative to the track frame; the track hub having an axis of rotation;
an endless track supported on the drive sprocket, wherein rotation of the drive sprocket drives movement of the endless track to propel the chassis; and
a limiter connected to the inboard member;
wherein a portion of the housing is disposed within the limiter so that movement of the track frame relative to the housing is limited by the housing engaging the limiter.

22. The vehicle of claim 21 further comprising a drive hub connected between the axle and the drive sprocket.

23. The vehicle of claim 21 the axle assembly further comprising a steering arm connected to the housing for pivoting the track frame and the housing about a steering pivot axis to steer the chassis.

24. The vehicle of claim 21 wherein the portion of the housing disposed within the limiter comprises a bottom side of the housing.

25. The vehicle of claim 24 wherein the limiter comprises an opening and wherein the bottom side of the housing is disposed within the opening.

26. The vehicle of claim 21 wherein the track frame comprises a first end and a second end, wherein a first roller is supported at the first end of the track frame and the second roller is supported at the second end of the track frame.

27. The vehicle of claim 26 wherein the track is routed around the drive sprocket, the first roller, and the second roller.

28. The vehicle of claim 27 wherein a profile of the track is generally triangular.

29. The vehicle of claim 27 wherein the drive sprocket engages the track at a top vertex and wherein the first roller and the second roller both engage the track at bottom vertices.

30. The vehicle of claim 25 wherein the opening of the limiter is substantially circular.

31. The vehicle of claim 21 wherein the limiter comprises a flange to connect the limiter to the track frame.

32. The vehicle of claim 31 wherein the limiter comprises an opening disposed within a horizontal plane and the flange is disposed in a vertical plane; the portion of the housing disposed within the limiter is disposed within the opening.

33. The vehicle of claim 21 wherein the limiter is disposed below the axle assembly.

34. The vehicle of claim 21 in which the limiter comprises a flange that is connected to the i

Assignees

• Charles Machine Works

Inventors

• Sewell Cody L

Classifications

• B62D55/30

  Track-tensioning means · CPC title

• B62D55/15

  Mounting devices, e.g. bushings, axles, bearings, sealings {(with lubrication means B62D55/092)} · CPC title

• B62D55/12 Primary

  Arrangement, location, or adaptation of driving sprockets · CPC title

• B62D55/10 Primary

  Bogies; Frames (track-tensioning means B62D55/30) · CPC title

• B62D55/24

  of continuously flexible type, e.g. rubber belts · CPC title