Patent ID: 7451840
Filing Date: 2008-11-18
Classification: B60G,B62D,E02F

Abstract:
1. An articulated dozer, comprising: a blade; a C-frame, the blade operatively connected to the C-frame; a front chassis portion; a rear chassis portion connected to the front chassis portion via an articulation joint; a first A-frame; a second A-frame, a length of the second A-frame being approximately equal to a length of the first A-frame, the front chassis portion and the rear chassis portion, respectively suspended above the first and second A-frames; a first ball joint; and a second ball joint, a narrow portion of the first A-frame connected to the front chassis portion via the first ball joint, a narrow portion of the second A-frame connected to the rear chassis via the second ball joint, the first ball joint and the second ball joint in proximity to the articulation joint; a first track system pivotally attached to a first side of a wide portion of the first A-frame; a second track system pivotally attached to a second side of the wide portion of the first A-frame, the C-frame connected to the first A-frame; a third track system pivotally attached to a first side of a wide portion of the second A-frame; a fourth track system pivotally attached to a second side of the wide portion of the second A-frame, a greater portion of a blade load transferring directly to the first and second track systems via the C-frame and the first A-frame, a remainder of the blade load transferring directly to the third and forth track systems via the first ball joint, the second ball joint and the second A-frame.