SUSPENSION DEVICE FOR TRACKED VEHICLES

Abstract

The invention concerns a suspension device for a tracked vehicle, comprising a track assembly (10) at the side of a centre beam (14), comprising a track support beam (20), two wheels (21, 22), several support wheels (23) and an endless track (11) that runs in a plane of rotation (A, A), a first suspension mounting with which the support wheels (23) are suspended at the track support beam (20) in a manner that allows pivoting, a second suspension mounting comprising a combination of a first spring strut (25A) and a first pendulum arm (26A) and a second spring strut (25B) and a second pendulum arm (26B) with which combinations the centre beam (14) of the chassis is spring-damped at a forward and rear end of the track support beam (20). According to the invention, a first pendulum arm (26A) is located in front of the second pendulum (26B), each pendulum arm (26A, 26B) is fixed at its first end in a manner that allows pivoting at a first joint (27, 27) the centre beam (14) of the chassis and at its second end at a second joint (28, 28) at the track support beam (20), each spring strut (25A, 25B) is fixed at one of its ends (30, 30) in a jointed manner at the centre beam (14) of the chassis and at its second end (31, 31) is fixed in a jointed manner at a pendulum arm (26A, 26B), the pendulum arms (26A, 26B) pivot in a plane-parallel manner with the planes of rotation (A, A) of the track (11).

Claims

1. A suspension device for a tracked vehicle, which vehicle comprises a pair of track assemblies where one track assembly is located on each side of a center beam that is a component of the chassis of the vehicle, and each track assembly comprises a track support beam, a first wheel that is mounted in bearings in a manner that allows rotation at a forward end of the track support beam, a second wheel that is mounted in bearings in a manner that allows rotation at a rear end of the track support beam, and of which wheels one is a driving wheel, several support wheels and an endless track that in a driving manner runs over the said wheels and support wheels in a plane of rotation, a first suspension mounting with which each support wheel is suspended at the track support beam in a manner that allows pivoting at one end of a support wheel pendulum arm, a second suspension mounting comprising a combination of a first spring strut and a first spring-damping pendulum arm and a combination of a second spring strut and a second spring-damping pendulum arm with which combinations the center beam of the chassis is spring-damped at a forward and rear end of the track support beam, wherein each first and second spring-damping pendulum arm comprises a double-armed lever, of which one lever and the second lever are mutually united at an intermediate web, that the intermediate web at each first and second double-armed lever formed in this way is mounted in bearings in a manner that allows pivoting at an axis at a joint in the center beam of the chassis such that the said double-armed levers can pivot in planes that are parallel with the plane of rotation of the track, that one lever of each first and second double-armed lever formed in this way is mounted in bearings in a manner that allows pivoting at an axis at a joint in the track support beam, that the second lever of each first and second double-armed lever formed in this way is united in a manner that transfers power with the center beam of the chassis through one of the said first and second spring struts, and that the center beam that is supported in a spring-damped manner at the track support beam can pivot freely and its attitude can be controlled within a pre-determined specified range of angles through the influence of a motion conversion arrangement arranged at one of the joints with the ability to convert a rotating motion at the joint to a forward and return translational motion at the joint.

2. The suspension device according to claim 1, whereby the first suspension mounting comprises a spring-loaded suspension with which each one of the support wheels suspended at the support wheel track support beam is suspended in a spring-loaded manner that allows pivoting at the track support beam.

3. The suspension device according to claim 1, whereby the first and second double-armed levers are oriented along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

4. The suspension device according to claim 1, whereby one lever of the first and second double-armed levers is oriented obliquely upwards and in a direction forwards or oriented obliquely upwards and in a direction backwards, seen in the normal direction of travel of the vehicle.

5. The suspension device according to claim 1, whereby one lever of the first and second double-armed levers is longer than the second lever.

6. The suspension device according to claim 1, whereby the levers of the first and second double-armed levers are mutually set in a V shape.

7. The suspension device according to claim 1, whereby one lever and the second lever of the first and second double-armed levers are each arranged to pivot in planes which planes are parallel to each other while being located at a distance from each other, and that the said one lever pivots in a side compartment that is limited between the center beam of the chassis and the track support beam while the said second lever pivots in a plane that is located in an internal compartment that is limited inside the center beam of the chassis.

8. The suspension device according to claim 7, whereby the first and second spring struts are incorporated into the internal compartment that is limited inside the center beam of the chassis.

9. The suspension device according to claim 1, whereby the forward and return translational motion is collinear with a central line that intersects two of the axles of the joints.

10. The suspension device according to claim 1, whereby the arrangement to convert motion comprises any one of the following: an excentrically operating geared motion mechanism, a sliding mechanism, an epicyclic gear.

11. A tracked vehicle comprising the suspension device according to claim 1.

12. The tracked vehicle of claim 11, wherein the tracked vehicle is a forestry machine.

Description

[0021] An embodiment of the invention will be described below in more detail with reference to the attached drawings, of which:

[0022] FIG. 1 shows a view in perspective of a tracked vehicle in the form of a forestry machine equipped with a suspension device according to the invention,

[0023] FIG. 2 shows a view in perspective with a partially enlarged part of a part of a centre beam that is a component of a tracked vehicle with a suspension device in an alternative first embodiment of the invention,

[0024] FIG. 3 shows a view in perspective with a partially enlarged part of a rear frame part that is a component of a tracked vehicle equipped with a suspension device in an alternative second embodiment of the invention,

[0025] FIG. 4 shows a view in perspective of a track assembly viewed outwards from a side of the chassis of a vehicle, where the enlargement of detail that is part of the drawing shows in more detail an excentrically operating geared motion mechanism,

[0026] FIG. 5 shows schematically a side view, partially in cross-section, of the excentrically operating geared motion mechanism viewed along the line V-V in FIG. 4,

[0027] FIGS. 6A, 6B show a view in perspective of first and second pendulum arms, designed as double-armed levers, that are components of a suspension device according to the invention

[0028] FIG. 7 shows schematically a plan view of a vehicle, with partially cut-away parts, equipped with a suspension device according to the invention,

[0029] FIGS. 8A, 8B show a side view from the rear and a cross-sectional view along line VIII-VIII in FIG. 8A of a centre beam that is a component of a tracked vehicle with a spring strut that has been incorporated into an inner compartment of the same,

[0030] FIGS. 9A, 9B show schematically a side view from the outside of a track assembly and a side view from the inside of a track assembly viewed outwards from the chassis side of the vehicle,

[0031] FIGS. 10A, 10B show in a side view of a track assembly equipped with a suspension device according to the invention that, following the contours of the surface, moves over an obstacle in the terrain.

[0032] A tracked vehicle is generally denoted in the drawings by 1, which tracked vehicle is articulated (has an articulated frame) and comprises a vehicle combination that consists of a forward 1A and a rear 1B vehicle unit that are united in a jointed manner by an articulated joint 2. The articulated joint 2 rotates around a vertical axis of rotation C, see also FIG. 2. In this way the forward vehicle 1A and the rear vehicle 1B can pivot relative to each other in the sideways direction. The tracked vehicle 1 comprises control cylinders 3 that are active at the articulated joint 2.

[0033] The tracked vehicle 1 given as an example is constituted by, in the following embodiment of the invention that is described here, by a forestry machine. To be more precise, it is constituted by a vehicle combination in the form of what is known as a forwarder, whose forward vehicle unit 1A supports a superstructure that includes a drive motor 4 and driver's cabin 5, and whose rear vehicle unit 1B supports a superstructure that includes a lifting crane 6 and a load compartment 7 for timber.

[0034] The forward 1A and rear vehicle units 1B of the vehicle 1 comprise a pair of driven track assemblies 10, each of which comprises, one on each side of a centre beam that is a component of the chassis of the vehicle, a track assembly with a driven endless track 11. A drive unit, not shown in the drawings, is assigned to each track assembly 10 at the relevant vehicle unit 1A, 1B in known manner, for propulsion of the vehicle combination.

[0035] The chassis of the vehicle is supported by the pair of track assemblies 10 on pendulum arms 26A, 26B that extend in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and that are arranged in pairs, in the form of one forward member and one rear member, one on each side of a central chassis or framework unit that comprises what is known as a centre beam 14. As is shown in FIG. 3, the said centre beam 14 forms part of a frame or chassis that is a component of each vehicle unit 1A, 1B and that in known manner supports a propulsion chain, a control arrangement, etc.

[0036] With reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, the centre beam 14 of the chassis comprises a load-bearing frame that, in order for it to be lightweight and resistant to twisting, demonstrates a box form that limits an internal compartment B. See also FIGS. 7, 8A and 8B.

[0037] As is made most clear by FIG. 2, the centre beam 14 of the chassis is manufactured from two longitudinal beams 14a, known as frame beams, that extend in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle unit, each of which has an upper flange 14b, a lower flange 14c and a connective web 14d. The said internal compartment B is limited principally between the said frame beams 14a that are separated by a distance. The two longitudinal frame beams 14a are united between their upper flanges 14b along essentially the complete length by a transverse piece of sheet metal 15 equipped with holes, while, in order to stiffen the chassis further, the frame beams 14a are united by a number of upper and lower transverse beams, not shown in the drawings.

[0038] As is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 with respect to the rear vehicle unit 1B, the frame beams 14a are separated by struts with a transverse construction 16, the task of which is to form fixtures for the mounting of the said lifting crane 6, and attachment points for the hydraulic cylinders 3 that not only are components of the control unit of the articulated vehicle 1, but also hydraulic cylinders 17 that are components of a stabilisation unit that is arranged at the articulated joint of the articulated joint with the task of guiding and controlling the motion of the articulated joint around what is known as an oscillation axis that extends along the common longitudinal axis of the connected vehicle units 1A, 1B.

[0039] Turning again to FIG. 2, there is shown a part of a centre beam 14 that is a component of a tracked vehicle with a suspension device according to the present invention in an alternative first embodiment with an open suspension system.

[0040] Reference number 10 denotes a track assembly and reference number 14 denotes a centre beam that is a component of the chassis of the vehicle. The track assembly 10 comprises a track support beam 20 of the type known as a skid beam, two wheels 21, 22 that are mounted in bearings on axles in a manner that allows rotation at a forward and at a rear end of the track support beam, of which wheels one is a driving wheel, several support wheels 23, and an endless track 11 that in a driving manner runs over the said wheels and support wheels in a plane of rotation A, A, a first suspension mounting, with which the support wheels 23 are suspended at the track support beam 20 in a manner that allows pivoting one at each end of a pendulum arm 24, a second suspension mounting comprising a combination of a first spring strut 25A and a first pendulum arm 26A and a combination of a second spring strut 25B and a second pendulum arm 26B with which combinations the centre beam 14 of the chassis is spring-damped at a forward and rear end of the track support beam 20. The first pendulum arm 26A that is a component of the track assembly 10 is located in front of the second pendulum 26B, when viewed in the normal direction of forward travel of the vehicle. Each pendulum arm 26A, 26B is fixed at its first end in a manner that allows pivoting at a first joint 27, 27 at the centre beam 14 of the chassis and is fixed at its second end in a manner that allows pivoting at a second joint 28, 28 in the track support beam 20. Each spring strut 25A, 25B is fixed at one of its ends 30, 30 in a jointed manner at the centre beam 14 of the chassis and at the other of its ends 31, 31 in a jointed manner at the pendulum arm 26A, 26B. It should be understood that the said pendulum arms 26A, 26B pivot in planes that are parallel to the plane of rotation A, A of the track 11.

[0041] In the following and onwards, there is described with reference to FIG. 3 a suspension device according to the present invention in an alternative second embodiment in a discrete protected design.

[0042] FIG. 4 shows a track assembly 10 that is a component of the present invention, as it appears when viewed from the chassis side of the vehicle 1, and onwards in the outwards direction. As is made clear, the track assembly 10 comprises a track support beam 20 which is here constituted by what is known as a skid beam, two wheels 21, 22 that are mounted in bearings in the track support beam in a manner that allows rotation on axles that are perpendicular to the axis of rotation C of the articulation and located at a forward and at a rear end of the track support beam 20, and one of which wheels 21 is a driving wheel, several support wheels 23 that are spring-loaded suspended at the track support beam at each end of a pendulum arm 24 that is itself also mounted in bearings in a manner that allows rotation at the track support beam 20 on a hub 25 with an axis that is perpendicular to the axis of rotation C (FIG. 3) of the articulation. In the embodiment example that is described here, the track assembly 10 is equipped with five support wheels 23, each one of which is suspended at the track support beam 20 in a manner that allows free pivoting at the relevant pendulum arm 24. In this way, the track assembly 10 uses a hub 25 in which a torsional spring of elastic material is included, for example rubber, at the joint of the said pivoted arms 24 for the support wheels 23.

[0043] In an alternative design that is best made clear by FIGS. 2 and 3, the support wheels 23 can be formed in what is known as a first suspension mounting and be suspended at the track support beam at a hub by means of pendulum arms of the type known as tandem arms that are freely pivotable (and not spring-loaded). In other words, they are suspended at a pendulum arm with two shanks arranged in essentially a V shape. As has been previously described, the endless track 11 is a driving track and is arranged to run in a pathway around the said relevant wheels 21, 22, support wheels 23, and in certain regions also over an upper part of the track support beam 20.

[0044] In another design of the invention, a first suspension mounting is formed with which the support wheels 23 are suspended in a spring-loaded way one at each end of a pendulum arm 24, at the track support beam 20 that is a component of the track assembly 10. What is known as a second suspension mounting is also included in the invention, which mounting includes a pivot arm arrangement with two pendulum arms that connected in a manner that allows pivoting between the centre beam 14 of the chassis and the track support beam 20, whereby the said pendulum arms that operate in pairs are fixed in a jointed manner between the two wheel axles of the two wheels 21, 22 at the track support beam 20.

[0045] As is shown in FIG. 4, the said second suspension mounting comprises for each track assembly a pivot arm arrangement that includes a combination of a first spring strut 25A and a first pendulum arm 26A with which the centre beam 14 of the chassis is able to pivot in a spring-damped manner at a forward end of the track support beam 20, and a combination of a second spring strut 25B and a second pendulum arm 26B with which the centre beam 14 of the chassis is pivoted in a spring-damped manner at a rear end of the track support beam 20.

[0046] Of the two pendulum arms 26A, 26B that operate in pairs, one is located in front of the other when viewed in the normal direction of forward travel of the vehicle, and each one of the said pendulum arms for the forward vehicle unit 1A shown in FIG. 1 is oriented obliquely backwards upwards, and for the rear vehicle unit 1B oriented obliquely forwards upwards, such that each one of the pendulum arms that operate in pairs together with its connected parts forms geometrical parallelograms.

[0047] As is shown in FIGS. 4 and 7, the two pendulum arms 26A, 26B can be pivoted in a plane A, A that is parallel to the plane of rotation of the track 11 in the track assembly 10. As is made clear in general by FIG. 4, each pendulum arm 26A, 26B is fixed at its first end in a manner that allows pivoting at a first joint 27, 27 at the centre beam 14 of the chassis and at its second end at a second joint 28, 28 at the track support beam 20. Furthermore, each spring strut 25A, 25B is fixed at one of its ends 30, 30 in a jointed manner at the centre beam 14 of the chassis and at its second end 31, 31 in a jointed manner at a pendulum arm 26A, 26B. Furthermore, the said pendulum arms 26A, 26B are arranged to pivot in planes that are parallel to the plane of rotation of the track 11.

[0048] As is most clearly shown by FIGS. 4 and 6A, 6B, the said pendulum arms 26A, 26B comprise in one design of the invention double-armed levers with two lever arms 26:1, 26:2 placed essentially in a V shape that are united at an intermediate web 26:3, and where the first intermediate web 26:3 of the pendulum arm 26A is mounted in bearings in a manner that allows pivoting at a first joint that is defined by a hub shell 27 of the frame beam 14a, partially visible in FIG. 3, at the centre beam 14 of the chassis. In a corresponding manner, the web 26:3 of the second pendulum 26B is mounted in bearings in a manner that allows pivoting at a second joint that is defined by the hub shell 27 in the parts, partially visible in FIG. 4, of the frame beam 14a that is a component of the centre beam 14 of the chassis.

[0049] With reference also to FIG. 7, it is made clear how the one longer lever 26:1 and the shorter second lever 26:2 of the first and second pendulum arms 26A, 26B, respectively, are arranged to pivot each in planes A, A that are parallel to each other, while being located at a distance from each other. As is most clearly shown by FIG. 7 and FIGS. 8A, 8B, the one longer lever 26:1 of the pendulum arms 26A, 26B pivots in a side compartment that is generally denoted by B1 and that is limited between the centre beam 14 of the chassis and the track support beam 20, while the shorter second lever 26:2 pivots in a plane that is located in the compartment B that is limited inside the centre beam 14 of the chassis.

[0050] With reference also to FIG. 5, the one considerably longer lever 26:1 of the first pendulum arm 26A is equipped at its free end with a guide plug, with which it is mounted in bearings in a manner that allows pivoting at a hub shell 28 at a first joint in the track support beam 20, and the considerably shorter second lever 26:2 is in connection in a manner that transfers power with the centre beam 14 of the chassis through the said first spring strut 25A. In a corresponding manner, the one considerably longer lever 26:1 of the second pendulum arm 26B is equipped at its free end with a guide plug, with which it is mounted in bearings in a manner that allows pivoting at a hub shell 28 at a second joint in the track support beam 20, and the considerably shorter second lever 26:2 is in connection in a manner that transfers power with the centre beam 14 of the chassis through the said second spring strut 25B.

[0051] The said relevant spring struts 25A, 25B are united in a jointed manner at the ends partly with the shorter second lever 26:2 of the pendulum arm 26A, 26B, and the centre beam 14 of the chassis, respectively.

[0052] It should be understood that the spring struts 25A, 25B, each one of which advantageously comprises a hydraulic cylinder, can through a valve function, not shown in the drawings, in a hydraulic circuit with a flow of pressurised medium, apply a torque to the said second lever 26:2 with which the position of the centre beam 14, and thus also of the superstructure, can be controlled relative to the track assembly 10 and the base with respect to attitude or level, independent of the ground conditions. In other words, the design according to the invention makes it possible to actively pivot or raise/lower the centre beam 14 of the chassis relative to the track assembly 10 in a design in which the spring struts 25A, 25B at the second set of spring struts comprise hydraulic cylinders. Alternatively, the flow of hydraulic medium can be restricted, blocked, such that the said relevant hydraulic cylinder offers limited spring facility or damping, or locks, quite simply, the centre beam 14 of the chassis in a fixed position relative to the track assembly 10.

[0053] FIG. 9A displays in more detail the first and second joints at the relevant hub shell 27 between the first and second pendulum arms 26A, 26B and the track support beam 20, and FIG. 9B displays the first and second joints at the relevant hub shell 28 between the first and second pendulum arms 26A, 26B and the centre beam 14 of the chassis, i.e. at one of the frame beams 14a.

[0054] Reference designator C-C (a) denotes a centre-centre distance between the first and second axes of rotation of the pendulum arms 26A, 26B at the relevant hub shell 27 with the centre beam 14 of the chassis, while reference designator C-C (b) denotes a centre-centre distance between the first and second axes of rotation of the pendulum arms 26A, 26B at the relevant hub shell 28 with the track support beam 20.

[0055] It should be understood that, in an alternative design of the invention in which the track assembly 10, and in this way also the forward and rear joints 27, 28 of the pendulum arms 26A, 26B with the centre beam 14 of the chassis or track support beam 20, will carry out parallel motions relative to each other in a vertical plane, the separations of the axes of the joints, or their C-C dimensions, i.e. C-C (a) and C-C (b), will be constant. In this design the centre beam 14 of the chassis is limited to pivot parallel at the track assembly 10.

[0056] In a further alternative design, however, the suspension device may be so designed that C-C (a), i.e. the distance between the joints of the pendulum arms 26A, 26B at the relevant hub shell 27 at the centre beam 14 of the chassis, is always constant, while C-C (b), i.e. the distance between the joints of the pendulum arms 26A, 26B at the relevant hub shell 28 at the track support beam 20, is allowed to vary within a pre-determined specified interval, for example 200 mm, which linear margin of motion is denoted by C-C (b) in FIG. 9.

[0057] FIG. 9B shows how the track assembly 10 (i.e. the chassis) can take up different angles upwards or downwards relative to a reference line C1 that may represent a horizontal plane. Furthermore, there is illustrated with the central line C2, which passes through the relevant first and second joints 28 of the pendulum arms 26A, 26B at the track support beam 20, how these two lines set at an angle to each other through the two centre axes C-C (a) and C-C (b), respectively, will intersect each other if the bogie 10 takes up an angled position relative to the horizontal plane. It should be understood that forces (breaker forces) that are collinear with the central lines C-C (a), C-C (b) through the axes 28 of the relevant first and second joints can arise if the bogie 10 pivots freely in the manner that is illustrated in FIG. 9B.

[0058] Once again with reference to FIGS. 4, 5 and 6A, 6B: in order to make it possible for the track assembly 10 to pivot freely and to control its attitude within a pre-determined specified range of angles , for example 20 relative to the horizontal plane C1, the present suspension device comprises in an alternative design an arrangement arranged at any one of the joints 27, 27; 28, 28 that has the ability to convert a rotating motion at any one of the said joints for the pendulum arms 26A, 26B to a forward and return translational motion in a direction that is collinear with a central line C-C (a), C-C (b) that intersects the axles 27, 28 of the relevant joint or joints.

[0059] In the embodiment that is described here, the arrangement comprises an excentrically operating geared motion mechanism in the form of an excentric coupling of the type that is shown schematically in the enlarged drawing of detail in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, and it is arranged to convert the rotating motion at any one of the joints 27, 27; 28, 28 to a forward and return translational motion.

[0060] It should in this case be understood that in the design described here, only the second pendulum arm 26B is equipped with the said arrangement for the conversion of motion. Thus, the first pendulum arm 26A is not equipped with the said arrangement.

[0061] In an alternative design, it would, of course, be possible for the arrangement for the conversion of motion to be constituted by any arrangement with an equivalent function known to one skilled in the arts, for example some form of epicyclic gear that allows epicyclic motion. In its most trivial form, the arrangement could be constituted by, for example, some type of simple sliding mechanism.

[0062] FIGS. 10A, 10B show how a track assembly 10 equipped with a suspension device according to the invention, with a large surface contact with respect to area, a large traction, permits the tracks to follow the contour of the surface when the track moves over an obstacle in the terrain.

[0063] The invention is not limited to what has been described above and shown in the drawings: it can be changed and modified in several different ways within the scope of the innovative concept defined by the attached patent claims.