SIDE GUIDE ASSEMBLY AND FOREST MACHINE TRACK

Abstract

The present invention relates to a side guide assembly for a forest machine track. The side guide assembly comprises a side guide having grooves for receiving ends of a C-shaped track link, and clamping means for releasably clamping the ends of the C-shaped track link against edges of the grooves. The invention also relates to a forest machine track.

Claims

1. A side guide assembly for a forest machine track, wherein the side guide assembly comprises: a side guide having grooves for receiving ends of a C-shaped track link, and clamping means for releasably clamping the ends of the C-shaped track link against edges of the grooves.

2. The side guide assembly according to claim 1, wherein the clamping means comprises a wedge arrangeable between the side guide and the C-shaped track link.

3. The side guide assembly according to claim 2, wherein the side guide comprises a slot for receiving the wedge.

4. The side guide assembly according to claim 3, wherein the slot and the wedge have sloped surfaces arrangeable against each other.

5. The side guide assembly according to claim 3, wherein a bottom end of the side guide comprises a through-hole and the wedge comprises a groove, a through-hole or a threaded blind hole that is essentially concentric with the through-hole of the side guide when the wedge is arranged in the slot.

6. The side guide assembly according to claim 5, wherein the clamping means comprises a bolt with a washer and a nut, wherein the bolt is arrangeable through the through-hole of the side guide and the groove or the through-hole of the wedge and the nut is attachable to an end of the bolt for securing the wedge in the slot.

7. The side guide assembly according to claim 5, wherein the clamping means comprises a bolt with a washer, wherein the bolt is arrangeable through the through-hole of the side guide into the threaded blind hole of the wedge for securing the wedge in the slot.

8. The side guide assembly according to claim 1, wherein the bottom end of the side guide comprises a through-hole and the clamping means comprises a bolt that is arrangeable through the through-hole of the side guide into a threaded through-hole of the C-shaped track link for securing the side guide in the C-shaped track link.

9. The side guide assembly according to claim 1, wherein the bottom end of the side guide comprises at least one projecting part arrangeable against an edge of the C-shaped track link.

10. The side guide assembly according to claim 1, wherein the side guide is made of iron alloy.

11. A forest machine track, comprising: a plurality of track plates, a plurality of C-shaped track links attached to ends of the plurality of track plates, and a plurality of connecting links with which the C-shaped track links of adjacent track plates are connected to each other, wherein to at least one of the plurality of C-shaped track links is attached a side guide assembly according to claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate a side guide assembly according to an embodiment of the invention attached to a C-shaped track link.

[0034] FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded view of the assembly as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B.

[0035] FIG. 3 illustrates a partial view of a forest machine track according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] The same reference signs are used of the same or like components in different embodiments.

[0037] FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate, seen from different directions, a side guide assembly according to an embodiment of the invention attached to a C-shaped track link.

[0038] The side guide assembly comprises a side guide 101 that is releasably attached to the C-shaped track link 102. The C-shaped track link 102 consists of curved end sections 103 and 104, and a centre section 105 between them. The C-shaped track link 102 can be attached to a track plate in a forest machine track.

[0039] The side guide 101 has grooves 106 and 107 in opposite sides in the width direction of the side guide 101. The grooves 106 and 107 are parallel to each other, and they extend in the thickness direction of the side guide 101. The side guide 101 also has a slot 108 in a bottom end 109 of the side guide 101.

[0040] As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the side guide 101 is arranged in connection with the C-shaped track link 102 in such a manner that an end 110 of the C-shaped track link 102 is in the groove 106, an end 111 of the C-shaped track link 102 is in the groove 107 and the bottom end 109 of the side guide 101 is facing the centre section 105 of the C-shaped track link 102. The side guide assembly comprises a wedge 112, a bolt 113 with a washer 114 and a nut 115 with which the ends 110 and 111 of the C-shaped track link 102 have been clamped against edges 116 and 117 of the grooves 106 and 107, respectively.

[0041] The wedge 112 is arranged in the slot 108, between the side guide 101 and the C-shaped track link 102. The wedge 112 and the slot 108 have sloped surfaces, which are arranged against each other. The bottom end 109 of the side guide 101 has a through-hole 118 that extends in the longitudinal direction of the grooves 106 and 107. The wedge 112 has a groove 119 that is essentially concentric with the through-hole 118 of the side guide 101 and that extends in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the through-hole 118 of the side guide 101 when the wedge 112 is in the slot 108. The bolt 113 is arranged through the through-hole 118 of the side guide 101 and the groove 119 of the wedge 112. The nut 115 is attached to an end of the bolt 113 for securing the wedge 112 in the slot 108.

[0042] The clamping of the ends 110 and 111 of the C-shaped track link 102 against the edges 116 and 117 of the grooves 106 and 107 was achieved by tightening the bolt 113 and/or the nut 115. When the bolt 113 and/or the nut 115 was tightened, the wedge 112 moved in the longitudinal direction of the grooves 106 and 107. Because of the sloped surfaces in the wedge 112 and the slot 108, the wedge 112 simultaneously moved the side guide 101 in a perpendicular direction away from the centre section 105 of the C-shaped track link 102. The bolt 113 and/or the nut 115 were tightened until the ends 110 and 111 of the C-shaped track link 102 were clamped against the edges 116 and 117 of the grooves 106 and 107. The side guide 101 can be detached from the C-shaped track link 102 by loosening the bolt 113 and/or the nut 115, whereby the clamping of the ends 110 and 111 of the C-shaped track link 102 against the edges 116 and 117 of the grooves 106 and 107 is released.

[0043] The bottom end 109 of the side guide 101 comprises projecting parts 120 and 121, which are arranged against an edge 122 of the centre section 105 of the C-shaped track link 102. The projecting parts 120 and 121 prevent the side guide 101 from moving in the longitudinal direction of the grooves 106 and 107 when the side guide 101 is attached to the C-shaped track link 102.

[0044] FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded view of the assembly as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B.

[0045] FIG. 3 illustrates a partial view of a forest machine track according to an embodiment of the invention. The forest machine track can be fitted around two or more tyres of a forest machine to improve traction and flotation.

[0046] The forest machine track of FIG. 3 comprises track plates 123, which are connected to each other by using C-shaped track links 102 and connecting links 124. The C-shaped track links 102 are attached to the ends of the track plates 123. The C-shaped track links 102 of adjacent track plates 123 are connected to each other with the connecting links 124. Each connecting link 124 is engaged with two C-shaped track links 102. When the forest machine track is fitted around tyres, the longitudinal direction of the track plates 123 is essentially perpendicular to the direction of travel.

[0047] A side guide 101 is releasably attached to each C-shaped track link 102. The side guides 101 are used to keep the forest machine track on top of tyres and to prevent the forest machine track to get misaligned.

[0048] Only advantageous exemplary embodiments of the invention are described in the figures. It is clear to a person skilled in the art that the invention is not restricted only to the examples presented above, but the invention may vary within the limits of the claims presented hereafter. Some possible embodiments of the invention are described in the dependent claims, and they are not to be considered to restrict the scope of protection of the invention as such.