Patent ID: 6024183
Filing Date: 2000-02-15
Classification: B62D

Abstract:
A tension management system mounted to a machine having a friction drive between a drive wheel of the machine and a track belt, a source of pressurized fluid, a reservoir, a frame assembly, and a hydraulic actuator arrangement acting through an idler wheel to tension the track belt with respect to the friction drive wheel, wherein the tension management system comprises:a first sensor operative to sense the speed of the drive wheel;a second sensor operative to sense the speed of the track belt;a third sensor operative to sense the operating pressure in the hydraulic actuator arrangement;a hydraulic valve arrangement connected between the source of pressurized fluid, the hydraulic actuator arrangement, and the reservoir; anda controller operative to receive the sensed speeds of the drive wheel and the track belt and determine their respective linear output speeds sand deliver control signals to the hydraulic valve arrangement to control the tension of the track belt on the drive wheel in response to the difference in linear output speed between the drive wheel and the track belt changing from a predetermined value.