A track suspension system for a vehicle having a frame and a continuous flexible track. A drive wheel is attached to the frame for engaging and driving the continuous flexible track. A leading idler arm is pivotally attached to the frame on each side thereof and a leading idler wheel is rotatably mounted for engagement with the track. A trailing idler arm is provided on each side of the vehicle and is pivotally attached to the frame and a trailing idler wheel engagement with the track is rotatably mounted to one end of each idler trailing arm. A leading mid-roller assembly engagement with the track is operably attached to the leading idler arm and a trailer mid-roller assembly is in engagement with the track and is attached to the trailing idler arm. A cushioning device interconnects the leading and trailer idler arms for providing shock absorbing function. A valve system is provided for releasing all of the pressure on the leading and trailing idler arms so that all of the weight of the tractor is on the mid-roller assembly, thereby facilitating easier turning. The valve system is also operable to put leading and trailing idler arms in either a cushioning mode for use in the fields or travel down the highway or into a non-cushioning mode for use in very soft fields.
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6. A track suspension apparatus for a vehicle having a frame, comprising:
a continuous flexible track; a drive wheel operatively attached to said frame for engaging and driving said continuous flexible track; a leading idler arm operably pivotally attached to said frame; a leading idler wheel in engagement with said track and rotatably mounted to one end of said leading idler arm; a trailing idler arm operably pivotally attached to said frame; a trailing idler wheel in engagement with said track and rotatably mounted to one end of said trailing idler arm; a mid-roller assembly in engagement with said track and operatively attached to one of said idler arms; an interconnecting structure for holding said leading and trailing idler arms in a predetermined position; and wherein said drive wheel extends below a top portion of said mid-roller assembly.
16. A track suspension apparatus for a vehicle having a frame, comprising:
a continuous flexible track having a width and lugs disposed on the inner center portion of said track which have a length which is substantially shorter than the width of said track; a drive wheel operatively attached to said frame for engaging and driving said continuous flexible track, said drive wheel being substantially the same width as the length of said lugs; a leading idler arm operably pivotally attached to said frame; a leading idler wheel in engagement with said track and rotatably mounted to one end of said leading idler arm; a trailing idler arm operably pivotally attached to said frame; a trailing idler wheel in engagement with said track and rotatably mounted to on end of said trailing idler arm; a mid-roller assembly in engagement with said track and operatively attached to one of said idler arms; and an interconnecting structure for holding said leading and trailing idler arms in a predetermined position.
15. A track suspension apparatus for a vehicle having a frame, comprising:
a continuous flexible track; a drive wheel operatively attached to said frame for engaging and driving said continuous flexible track; a leading idler arm operably pivotally attached to said frame; a leading idler wheel in engagement with said track and rotatably mounted to one end of said leading idler arm; a trailing idler arm operably pivotally attached to said frame; a trailing idler wheel in engagement with said track and rotatably mounted to one end of said trailing idler arm; a mid-roller assembly in engagement with said track and operatively attached to one of said idler arms; an interconnecting structure for holding said leading and trailing idler arms in a predetermined position; a second mid-roller assembly operatively attached to the other one of said idler arms; and wherein the first said mid-roller assembly is pivotally attached to said leading idler arm and said second mid-roller assembly is pivotally attached to said trailing idler arm.
17. A vehicle track apparatus comprising:
a frame; a continuous flexible track having an upper length and a ground-engaging lower length, the upper and lower lengths defining a vertical dimension therebetween; a drive wheel attached to the frame and having upper and lower circumferential portions and a diameter spanning a majority of the vertical dimension, the upper circumferential portion engaging the upper track length and the lower circumferential portion spaced above the lower track length, such space being less than half the diameter of the drive wheel; a leading idler assembly attached to the frame and having a leading idler arm and a leading idler wheel engaging the track and rotatably mounted to the distal end of the leading idler arm; a trailing idler assembly attached to the frame and having a trailing idler arm and a trailing idler wheel engaging the track and rotatably mounted to the distal end of the trailing idler arm; and a mid-roller assembly in engagement with the track lower length and attached to one of the idler arms.
5. A track suspension apparatus for a vehicle having a frame, comprising:
a continuous flexible track; a drive wheel operatively attached to said frame for engaging and driving said continuous flexible track; a leading idler arm operatively pivotally attached to said frame; a leading idler wheel in engagement with said track and rotatably mounted to one end of said leading idler arm; a trailing idler arm operatively pivotally attached to said frame; a trailing idler wheel in engagement with said track and rotatably mounted to one end of said trailing idler arm; a mid-roller assembly in engagement with said track and operatively attached to one of said idler arms; an interconnecting structure for holding said leading and trailing idler arms in a predetermined position; and means for operably releasing said interconnecting structure whereby said idler arms can freely pivot, thereby causing the lower part of said track to be supported only by said mid-roller assembly whereby a shorter support surface on the bottom of said track will facilitate easier turning.
18. A vehicle track apparatus comprising:
a frame; a continuous flexible track having an upper length and a ground-engaging lower length, the upper and lower lengths defining a vertical dimension therebetween; a drive wheel attached to the frame and having upper and lower circumferential portions and a diameter spanning a majority of the vertical dimension, the upper circumferential portion engaging the upper track length and the lower circumferential portion spaced above the lower track length; a leading idler assembly attached to the frame and having a leading idler arm and a leading idler wheel engaging the track and rotatably mounted to the distal end of the leading idler arm; a trailing idler assembly attached to the frame and having a trailing idler arm and a trailing idler wheel engaging the track and rotatably mounted to the distal end of the trailing idler arm; and a mid-roller assembly in engagement with the track lower length and attached to one of the idler arms, the mid-roller assembly including at least one mid-roller and the space between the lower circumferential portion of the drive wheel and the lower track length being less than the diameter of the mid-roller.
1. A track suspension apparatus for a vehicle having a frame, comprising:
a continuous flexible track; a drive wheel operatively attached to said frame for engaging and driving said continuous flexible track; a leading idler arm operatively pivotally attached to said frame; a leading idler wheel in engagement with said track and rotatably mounted to one end of said leading idler arm; a trailing idler arm operatively pivotally attached to said frame; a trailing idler wheel in engagement with said track and rotatably mounted to one end of said trailing idler arm; a mid-roller assembly in engagement with said track and operatively attached to one of said idler arms; an interconnecting structure for holding said leading and trailing idler arms in a predetermined position; and cushioning means associated with said interconnecting structure for providing a shock absorbing function when said leading and trailing idler wheels move with respect to each other due to pivoting of said idler arms when irregular surfaces are encountered by said track, said cushioning means comprising a fluid control device operably attached at one end thereof to one of said idler arms and operatively attached at the other end thereof to the other one of said idler arms.
4. A track suspension apparatus for a vehicle having a frame, comprising:
a continuous flexible track; a drive wheel operatively attached to said frame for engaging and driving said continuous flexible track; a leading idler arm operatively pivotally attached to said frame; a leading idler wheel in engagement with said track and rotatably mounted to one end of said leading idler arm; a trailing idler arm operatively pivotally attached to said frame; a trailing idler wheel in engagement with said track and rotatably mounted to one end of said trailing idler arm; a mid-roller assembly in engagement with said track and operatively attached to one of said idler arms; an interconnecting structure for holding said leading and trailing idler arms in a predetermined position; cushioning means associated with said interconnecting structure for providing a shock absorbing function when said leading and trailing idler wheels move with respect to from each other due to pivoting of said idler arms when irregular surfaces are encountered by said track; means for sensing the relative pivotal position of said leading and trailing swing arms; and means associated with said sensing means for causing said swing arms to return to said predetermined position after having moved from said predetermined position due to performing a shock absorbing function.
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19. The track apparatus of
a frame; a continuous flexible track having an upper length and a ground-engaging lower length, the upper and lower lengths defining a vertical dimension therebetween; a drive wheel attached to the frame and having upper and lower circumferential portions and a diameter spanning a majority of the vertical dimension, the upper circumferential portion engaging the upper track length and the lower circumferential portion spaced above the lower track length; a leading idler assembly attached to the frame and having a leading idler arm and a leading idler wheel engaging the track and rotatably mounted to the distal end of the leading idler arm; a trailing idler assembly attached to the frame and having a trailing idler arm and a trailing idler wheel engaging the track and rotatably mounted to the distal end of the trailing idler arm; and a mid-roller assembly in engagement with the track lower length and attached to one of the idler arms, the mid-roller assembly including at least one mid-roller and the drive wheel extending below the top level of the mid-roller.22. The track apparatus of claim 21 wherein the mid-roller assembly includes at least two axially-offset mid-rollers, including at least one on either side of the drive wheel.23. The track apparatus of claim 22 wherein the mid-roller assembly includes a plurality of mid-rollers on both sides of the drive wheel.24. The track apparatus of claim 21 wherein the drive wheel diameter is at least one and a half times the diameter of the leading idler wheel.25. The track apparatus of claim 21 wherein the drive wheel diameter is at least one and a half times the diameter of the trailing idler wheel.
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This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/165,641 filed Dec. 13, 1993 and now abandoned.
The present invention relates generally to a track system for vehicles and more particularly to a rubber track of a continuous type which can be attached to an agricultural tractor or other vehicle of a similar type which needs to traverse either soft or wet ground, or ground which should not be compacted any more than is necessary.
Track-type vehicles are commonly used for moving earth or the like in road construction and other earth moving tasks. While these track machines have on occasion been used for agricultural purposes, they are not in common usage in most parts of the country. These track systems are typically metal tracks of a continuous type.
Agricultural tractors and other large agricultural implements, such as combines or the like, are quite heavy and because all this weight is distributed to a relatively small area on the tires of these vehicles, they cause a great deal of compaction of the earth. This is adverse to growing crops thereon, which typically needs loose soil. Furthermore, there are many times when fields are simply too wet for an ordinary agricultural tractor or agricultural implement, such as a combine, to enter the fields because they would merely become bogged down in the mud due to the fact that there is such a small area of the tire which is in contact with the ground. It is of course well known that the more the weight is distributed to a larger ground engaging structure the less likely it is to compact the earth or to get stuck in the mud. Consequently, there has been some development of track systems such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,919 to Langford.
One particular need is for a track system which can be used on agricultural equipment as it is currently being produced rather than to design an entirely new track system for an agricultural tractor, combine, etc.
Another need is for such a track system which provides a suspension which permits cushioning. Also, if such a conversion kit were to be placed on an agricultural tractor or the like, the advantage of having a large ground engaging portion thereon becomes a disadvantage when it is desired to turn the vehicle. Consequently there is a need to solve this particular problem.
The present invention relates generally to a track suspension system for a vehicle having a frame and a continuous flexible track. A drive wheel is attached to the frame for engaging and driving the continuous flexible track. A leading idler arm is pivotally attached to the frame on each side of the vehicle and a leading idler wheel is rotatably mounted thereon for engagement with the track. A trailing idler arm is provided on each side of the vehicle and is pivotally attached to the frame. A trailing idler wheel in engagement with the track is rotatably mounted to one end of each idler trailing arm.
A leading mid-roller assembly in engagement with the track is operably attached to the leading idler arm and a trailer mid-roller assembly is in engagement with the track and is attached to the trailing idler arm. A cushioning device interconnects the leading and trailing idler arms for providing a shock absorbing function when the leading and trailing idler wheels move away from each other due to pivoting of the leading and trailing idler arms.
A valve system is provided for releasing all of the pressure on the leading and trailing idler arms so that all of the weight of the tractor shifts to the mid-roller assembly, thereby facilitating easier turning. The valve system is also operable to put leading and trailing idler arms in either a cushioning mode for use in the fields or travel down the highway and also into a non-cushioning mode for use in very soft fields or to disconnect the hydraulic systems for repair.
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved track system for vehicles.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved suspension system for track vehicles.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a suspension system which prevents and counteracts torque roll to maintain the idlers and mid-rollers from pivoting to the top of the drive wheel, thereby keeping them fully supporting the portion of the track which is engaging the earth.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved suspension system with a cushioning and shock absorbing structure.
A still further object of the invention is to provide such a track system which has the ability to release the leading and trailing arms so that their associated idler wheels move up to cause a smaller ground engagement portion, thereby making the vehicle easier to turn.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a mid-roller assembly which permits the drive wheel to extend below and between it whereby a larger drive wheel can be used while the mid-wheel assembly can, at the same time, support a large area of the track thereunder.
Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in accordance with the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an agricultural tractor having a rubber track system of the present invention attached thereto;
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view taken along line 2--2 of FIG. 1 showing the track system of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a view like FIG. 2, but showing the track system with the hydraulic fluid released, thereby creating a shorter load support for easier turning of the vehicle;
FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the control system for the present invention which allows cushioning of the load through the idler wheels and idler arms and also the system which allows the system to convert between a full load support of FIG. 2 and a shorter load support of FIG. 3 for turning or the like;
FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial cross sectional view taken along line 5--5 of FIG. 3 and showing the idler wheels and mid-roller assemblies;
FIG. 6 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view taken along 6--6 of FIG. 3 showing the mid-roller assemblies and the lower portion of the continuous rubber track;
FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross sectional view of a typical type of valve (52) as shown in FIG. 4;
FIG. 8 is a side elevational view like FIG. 2, but showing a modified version having a unified mid-roller assembly and a larger drive wheel which extends down below the top of the mid-roller assembly;
FIG. 9 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken along line 9--9 of FIG. 8;
FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken along line 10--10 of FIG. 9; and
FIG. 11 is a view of the FIG. 8 device, showing it in the mode for shorter load support for easier turning.
Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views, FIG. 1 shows an agricultural tractor (10) having the rubber track system (11) attached to the rear wheel assembly thereof and with the normal rubber tires removed therefrom. A drive wheel (12) is rotatably attached to the tractor (10) through an axle (13) to which it is rigidly affixed. The axle (13) is rotatably mounted by a (126) (136) rigidly attached to the subframe (127) and pivotally attached by pin (137) to bracket (135). The bracket (135) is rigidly attached to the trailing arm (31). Similarly, a bracket (125) rigidly attached to leading arm (21) is operably, pivotally attached to the other end of the subframe (127) by a link (126) which is pinned at the top thereof to member (127) (125) and at the bottom thereof to the subframe (127) by a pin (128). Further structures can be used instead of the link (126) which can allow some lost motion between the arm (21) and the subframe (127). Also, of course, this link structure (126) could be on both ends of the subframe (127) or on the trailing end instead of the leading end in order to permit the idler arms (23) and (33) leading and trailing arm (21) and (31) to move to the position shown in FIG. 11 and between the position shown in FIGS. 8 and 11 as is needed for proper operation of the device. Otherwise, the apparatus shown in FIGS. 8-10 works exactly like the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-7, with the same control system being utilized.
Accordingly, it will be appreciated that the preferred embodiment disclosed herein does indeed accomplish the aforementioned objects. Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. For example, the hydraulic cylinder could be placed below the pivot pins (22 and 32) on the leading and trailing swing arms (21 and 31) instead of being up higher on extensions of the swing arm members where they are shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. It is therefore to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.
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Executed on | Assignor | Assignee | Conveyance | Frame | Reel | Doc |
Jul 25 1997 | AgTracks, Inc. | (assignment on the face of the patent) | / | |||
Aug 08 2003 | AGTRACKS, INC | ATI, INC | CHANGE OF NAME SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS | 019458 | /0526 |
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