WHEELED ARTICULATED VEHICLE FOR UNIVERSAL USE

Abstract: Vehicle comprising two articulated vehicle parts (1, 2) each of which has ground engaging wheels (3, 4), caterpillar tracks or the like and are articulated for pivotment in relation to each other at least about one transverse horizontal axis of pivotment (7). Characteristic of the invention is that the two vehicle parts (1, 2) are adjustable relative to each other and to the ground in that their frames can be positively pivoted, by means of power exerting means (16, 28) acting between them, in relation to each other about the transverse horizontal axis of pivotment (7) and in relation to the ground bout another transverse horizontal axis of pivotment, one for each vehicle part, for instance the wheel axle of the respective vehicle parts, and that the wheels (4) or the like of the rear vehicle part (2) are carried in a known manner by wheel frames (10c) positively pivoted by second power exerting means (11) to permit raising and lowering of the rear vehicle unit in relation to the ground.

Description: WHEELED ARTICULATED VEHICLE FORUNIVERSAL USE This invention relates to a wheeled multi-part vehicle for universal use comprising a front part and a rear part which are articulated to each other and of which one part, usually the front part, is a prime mover supporting unit, while the rear part is designed to carry loads. In principle, these two vehicle parts may be of the same construction as the front and rear vehicle parts of the vehicle disclosed by Swedish Patent 390,806, in which the rear part has the form of a rearwardly open, U-shaped horizontal frame which includes rear frame portions pivoted to front frame portions and e- quipped with wheels, caterpillar tracks or the like, and which at the front is articulated to the prime mover supporting front part having wheels, caterpillar tracks or the like and together with said front part consti¬ tutes a vehicle. In this prior art vehicle the horizontal rear frame can be lifted by pivotment of the rear frame portions in relation to a transverse axis of pivotmen-t and by lifting of the front portion of the frame in relation to the front part of the vehicle which constitutes the propulsion unit of the vehicle. The rear frame can also be inclined by lifting of its front end relative to the front vehicle part, but can also be inclined in the opposite direction, i.e. forwardly, by lowering of the front end of the frame and raising of the rear end of the frame at the fulcrum in relation to the pi¬ votal rear frame portions. The rear frame can even be placed flat on the ground by making use of its pivo- tability in relation to the pivotal rear frame portions and in relation to a front drawbar device, by means of which the rear vehicle part is connected to the front tractor part by a coupling device which certainly does OMPI < -___># not resemble a conventional trailer coupling but at least partly fulfils the same task in that the rear vehicle part can be supported at its front end by the tractor which obviously is a four-v/heel tractor or other four-wheel draft vehicle having front wheels for steering the vehicle combination. The object of the present invention is to provide a construction which, if applied to a vehicle according to Swedish Patent 390,806, will possess all of the ad- vantages of the last mentioned vehicle and besides fur¬ ther advantages which increase the usefulness and ma¬ noeuvrability of the vehicle and permit steering the vehicle by relative articulation of the front and rear vehicle parts and stabilizing the coupling between the two vehicle parts, a further important object being • that the two vehicle parts shall be capable of supporting one another at their adjoining ends so that they only need one wheel pair each. The above objects and the advantages gained there- by will appear from the following specification and the appendant claims. The invention will be described hereinbelow in greater detail with reference to the accompanying draw¬ ings in which: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side view of a vehicle according to the invention and an implement connected to the front end thereof, a container being carried on the rear vehicle part in a normal position of trans¬ portation; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the vehicle in Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a view illustrating how the pivotal con¬ nection between the two vehicle units can be utilized in combination with the articulation of the rear frame portions of the vehicle rear part, which portions are wheeled and capable of pivotment in relation to the main portion of the frame. The vehicle illustrated in the drawings comprises a front part 1 and a rear part 2 which in the embodiment illustrated are each provided with one wheel pair 3 and 4, respectively. The two vehicle parts 1, 2 are interconnected by a universal joint means, generally designated 5, permitting relative pivotment of the ve¬ hicle parts about a horizontal axis of pivotment 6 which extends longitudinally of the vehicle, about a horizon¬ tal axis 7 at right angles thereto and about a vertical axis 8. As will appear from a following section of the specification the universal joint means 5 in combina¬ tion with a number of operating cylinders constitutes an assembly permitting pivotment of the vehicle parts in relation to each other about the vertical axis 8 and the horizontal axis 7 both for steering the vehicle during travel and for pivotment of the two vehicle parts in relation to each other about the transverse axis of pivotment 7. The rear vehicle part 2 nay be of the same embodimen as the rear vehicle part in the construction according to Swedish Patent 390,806, i.e. it may be in the form of a rearwardly open U-shaped frame 10 including a trans¬ verse front frame beam 10a and two side frame beams 10b which are of the same construction but mirror re- versed. To the rear ends of said two side frame beams 10b there are pivoted two identical, but mirror reversed wheel frames 10c constituting rear extensions of the U-shaped frame 10 and carrying the ground engaging wheels 4 of the rear vehicle part 2. The rear wheel frames 10c are pivotal in relation to the side beams 10b by means of operating cylinders 11 in fundamentally the same manner as in the construction according to the above-mentioned Swedish Patent 390,806. In the embodiment illustrated the major portion of the universal joint means 5 is supported by a fasten¬ ing 12 at the rear end of the front vehicle part 1, while the front beam 10a of the rear vehicle part 2 is connected to the universal joint means 5 so as to be capable of pivoting about the transverse axis of pivotment 7. In the embodiment illustrated two parallel plates 13 thus extend from the front beam 10a of the rear vehicle part 2, and the head 14 of a pivot pin is received between said plates 13. The longitudinal axis of said pivot pin coincides with the horizontal longitudinal axis of pivotment 6 and the pivot pin is mounted and axially fixed in a bearing housing 15 which in turn is pivoted to the fastening 12 by hinge means to permit pivotment of said bearing housing about the vertical axis 8. -The two vehicle parts 1, 2 can pivot in relation to each other about the transverse horizontal axis 7 by the action of a operating cylinder 16 which has for instance one cylinder end pivoted to a fastening 17 on the front frame 10a of the rear vehicle part while it has its piston rod end connected to the front vehicle part 1, e.g. at the head 14 of the pivot pin, so that by moving the piston in the cylinder in either of two opposite directions the two vehicle parts can be swung in relation to each other about the transverse horizontal axis of pivotment 7, and in dependence on the direction in which the piston is moved in the cylinder 16 the axis of pivotment 7 can be moved in upward or downward direction from the position in Fig. 1, which normally occurs combined with a tilting movement of the two ve¬ hicle parts 1, 2 in opposite directions relative to each other by rocking about the wheel axes 18, 19 or possibly by rocking on the wheels. However, the rear frame portions 10c can be pivoted at the same time about the axis of pivotment 20 in relation to the frame 10, if it is desired to raise or lower the frame parallel with the ground or if it is desired to incline the frame at a certain angle. Fig. 3 illustrates how by such a pivotment at the pivot pins 7 and 20 the frame 10 can be lowered or raised by means of the cylinders 11, 16 CMPI -n and only the front vehicle part 1 be tilted. In this way the frame 10 can for instance be placed flat on a road or on the ground in a field. The front vehicle part 1 is a prime mover supporting unit for propulsion of and power supply to the vehicle. The prime mover (or for instance two such prime movers) can be coupled to the wheels 3 of the front vehicle part, in which case said vehicle part 1 forms the draft vehicle or tractor, but the prime mover can also drive a hydraulic pump for operation of hydraulic motors which are coupled to the wheels of the front vehicle part 1 and/or the rear vehicle part 2, which is customary in agricultural implements. The prime mover also ope¬ rates a hydraulic pump for power supply to the hydraulic cylinders 11, 16 and two further cylinders 21 (see Fig. 2) the function and arrangement of which are described in the following. The two cylinders 21 have their one ends pivoted to the rear end of the front vehicle part 1 at fulcra 22a, 22b located on either side of and spaced from the longitudinal axis of pivotment 6, while the two cylinders 21 have their opposite ends (the piston road ends) pi¬ voted to the front end of the rear vehicle part 2 at fulcra 22c, 22d spaced more closely to the longitudinal axis of pivotment 6 so that a moment of pivotment can be produced between the two vehicle parts 1, 2 about the vertical axis of pivotment 8 by means of the cylin¬ ders 21. By projection of the piston of one cylinder 21 and retraction of the piston of the other cylinder the two vehicle parts can thus be positively pivoted in relation to each other about the vertical axis 8, and by connection - for normal propulsion - of the two cylinders 21 and the cylinder 16 to the hydraulic system so that said cylinders constitute damping cylinders, the two vehicle parts 1, 2 can perform pivoting movements in relation to each other about the axes 7, 8 against a certain damping action. Under these circumstances the possible stroke lengths of the two cylinders 21 OMPI may need to be restricted. The positive pivotment of the vehicle parts 1, 2 in relation to each ether about the vertical axis 8 by means of the cylinders 21 is utilized according to the invention for steering the vehicle, which is advantageous at cross-country travel and particularly when travelling on marshy or snow-covered ground. When driving in winter cross-country and over snow-covered ground the rear vehicle part 1 can be utilized as a 1 0 kind of rudder for steeering the vehicle, and when driven by means of hydraulic motors at all four wheels, the vehicle can as a consequence be used for cross-country travel also under very difficult nature of the terrain and ground. ■ j *- Driving on a very steep ascent and also on a very steep descent, the risk of rearward or forward overturn¬ ing of the vehicle can be entirely eliminated by lower¬ ing of the frame 10 in the manner illustrated in Fig. 3. Another very important advantage is that the possi- 2 bility of lowering the frame in the manner illustrated in Fig. 3 can be utilized for reversing the vehicle against a container or load which can be fetched in the manner described in Swedish Patent 390,806 and il¬ lustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 thereof, an essential 25 difference being that in the vehicle according to the present invention the two vehicle parts can be positively pivoted in relation to the ground and to each other by means of the cylinder arrangement illustrated. This possibility of tilting the front vehicle part Q 1 forwardly or rearwardly is very advantageous in the use of the vehicle as a carrier of e.g. agricultural implements. In Figs. 1 and 2 there is shown at 25 very schematically an example of a wheeled agricultural im- pelement, and at 26 there is shown an example of a fork 5 "tyP e drawbar coupling known from draft vehicles and intended for automatic connection with an implement by movement of the draft vehicle towards the implement. The drawbar coupling is supported by a hitch 26' con¬ nected to the vehicle part 1. In Fig. 1 the implement 25 is shown as a wheeled implement • which is moved with the wheels 25' engaging the ground. Instead of wheels 25' the implement can be supported on the ground by runners 27, but alterna¬ tively the implement can be freely supported in rela¬ tion to the ground, which is very advantageous in many cases. If the implement 25 is freely supported in re- lation to the ground, any ground sensing means whatever can be used instead of the runners 27, and said ground sensing means may be adapted to automatically control the hitch 26' to keep the implement 25 at a given dis¬ tance from the ground independently of irregularities, but the present invention also suggests that such a ground sensing means 27 be used in combination with the cylinder 16 for controlling the height of the imple¬ ment 25 over the ground by pivotment of the vehicle part 1 about the transverse horizontal axis of pivot- ment 7. It is understood that the draft vehicle 1 can be uncoupled from the drawn vehicle part 2 and used as a vehicle together with the wheeled unit 25 although the draft vehicle has but one wheel pair 3. In this case the unit 25 forms a supporting unit equipped with for instance support wheels 25'. As shown in Fig. 1 by dash lines, a further cylinder or a pair of cylinders 28 can, if desired, be connected between the vehicle part 1 and the frame 10. The power delivered by the cylinder 16 can be increased by means of the cylinder 28 in that the two cylinders 16 and 28 are caused to cooperate for pivotment of the vehicle parts in relation to each other, but in addition the frame 10 can be positively kept in horizontal position or a desired angular position with regard to the ground, at the same time as the vehicle part 1 is pivoted in relation to the vehicle part 2 about the transverse OMPI horizontal axis of pivotment 7. It should be observed that for normal driving the two vehicle parts 1, 2 support each other at their ad¬ joining ends by means of the cylinder 16 (or by means of both cylinders 16, 28) and that the two cylinders 16, 28, if coupled as damping cylinders, shall be so arranged as to permit under these circumstances but a restricted damped pivotability about the transverse horizontal axis of pivotment 7. Alternatively, use can be made, at the articulation between the two vehicle parts, of a locking device by means of which the two vehicle parts, whenever desired, can be locked against pivotment about the transverse axis of pivotment 7. The implement 25 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 may be supposed to be a combine harvester and the load 30 shown by dash and dot lines on the rear vehicle part 2 may be a container receiving cereals which from the combine harvester 25 is conveyed, e.g. blown, through a tube 31 to the container. Among other examples of agricultural implements which can be moved and driven by the motor-driven ve¬ hicle according to the invention, mention can be made of ploughs, harrows, annular rollers, mowing machines etc. , and in winter the vehicle can be used for snow clearance work, in which case the plough (like e.g. a combine harvester or a spraying ramp) can be supported free from the ground. The implement 25 could also be a snow clearing machine from which the snow is blown to the container 30 which, when full, can be carried away on the vehicle or be deposited at a suitable loca¬ tion for further transportation on another vehicle. Because of the universal usefulness of the wheeled multi-part vehicle according to the invention it is desirable that the width of the rear vehicle part 2 is adaptable for instance to two different container widths or for other purposes. If the vehicle is driven on a road or used for ploughing with a number of parallel OMPI ploughs and the rear vehicle part 2 need not be exploit¬ ed for a purpose other than constituting the requisite unit for stabilization and supporting the vehicle com¬ bination in relation to the ground, it may be desirable for the width of the rear vehicle part 2 to be as narrow as possible, but if the vehicle combination is used for spreading fertilizers or for transporting a bulky load, it may be desirable for the vehicle part 2 to be as broad as possible. To permit such an adaptation in the vehicle according to the invention without ne¬ cessitating an exchange of the vehicle part 2 for variou uses, the front frame beam 10 is adapted to be lengthene and shortened. In the illustrated embodiment the front frame beam 10 is therefore divided into three sections, such as two outer frame sections 32a, 32b and a central frame section 32c which is hollow and accommodates the adjoining ends of the two outer end portions 32a, 32b of the front frame beam 10. To permit movement towards and away from each other in the central frame section 32a the two outer end portions 32a, 32b are connected for instance by means of a screw 29 which is right-handed and left-handed in opposite end portions and engages nuts 33 connected to the frame sections 32a, 32b. The screw can be rotated over a gearing 34 from the vehicle part 1. Alternatively, the screw can be rotated by means of a handcrank for adjustment of the distance between the frame side beams 10b of the frame 10, or a hydraulic cylinder assembly can be utilized instead of screw and nut means. By means of the described arrangement the distance between supporting ramps 35 on the frame side beams 10b for supporting a container or other load can be adjusted as desired, in dependence on the width of the load 30. Besides, the described device can be used to facilitate loading and unloading of a container 30. On normal loading and unloading of a container the ve¬ hicle is reversed towards the container such that the OMPI latter is accommodated between the frame side beams 10b and such that the ramps 35 (after the rear vehicle parts 2 has been lowered) are moved in beneath corre¬ sponding supporting ramps on the container 30, where- upon the container is lifted in that the frame 10 of the vehicle part 2 is raised. But it is also possible to set the side frame beams 10b at so large a distance from each other that the rearwardly open ϋ-frame 2 can be reversed to straddle a load, say a container 30, whereupon the two frame side beams 10b can be moved together by shortening of the front frame beam 10, which can be facilitated by causing the vehicle at the same time to move slightly back and forth. As a result, the supporting ramps 35 can be successively moved closer to the load 30 so that they are finally positioned beneath corresponding supporting ramps on the load 30, whereupon the load is raised in the described manner, unloading can take place in the reverse order. As already mentioned, an implement mounted at the front of the vehicle according to the invention, such as the implement 25, if it is to be supported without any ground engagement, can be controlled with regard to the distance from the ground both by means of the hitch 26"; if there is one, and by pivotment (tilting) of the front vehicle part 1. If the rear vehicle part 2 carries a load in the form of a liquid container for soil spraying by means of an implement 25 in the form of sprayer ramp, it is possible within the limits set by the pivotability of the vehicle parts to keep the liquid container in a horizontal position despite ground inclinations. Driving on an ascent, one can for example prevent that the vehicle becomes heavy at the back as a result of the liquid flowing rearwardly in a not en¬ tirely full container, collecting in the rear section of the container, and driving on an ascent, one can also tilt a liquid container forwardly to move the centre of gravity of the load closer to the front vehicle part. o.-q-i By so tilting. the container, the contents thereof can be utilized "to the last drop" or emptying of the con¬ tainer facilitated. These and other advantages described in the foregoing are only but a few examples of the many possiblities offered by the vehicle according to the invention in various uses. The invention is not restricted, as regards its details, to the above-described embodiment but can be modified in various ways. Of possible modifications, one has already been described in the foregoing, namely the possibility of making use of the cylinder designat¬ ed 28. The cylinders 16, 28 illustrated should of course be mounted so as to act with a favourable pivoting moment when operated, and for this purpose use may naturally be made of many other solutions than that illustrated. The same applies to the control cylinders 21 arranged in V-form. Another self-explanatory modification is to adapt the stroke lengths of the various cylinders in dependence on the size and desired pivoting angles of the vehicle parts. Moreover, the hitch 26* at the front end of the front vehicle part 1 can be exploited for pivotment of the vehicle parts in relation to each other or to a heavy implement 25 moving in engagement with the ground. All these possible modifications fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. OMPI

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A wheeled multi-part vehicle for universal use comprising two articulated front and rear vehicle parts (1, 2) each being equipped with at least one wheel pair or corresponding means, such as caterpillar tracks, 5 for propulsion of the vehicle, said two interconnect¬ ed vehicle parts being positively pivotal in relation to each other about a first horizontal transverse axis of pivotment (7) by power exerting means disposed be¬ tween the vehicle parts, preferably a hydraulic cylinder - j g assembly (16, 28), c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the two vehicle parts (1, 2) are so arranged that the frame of the front vehicle part (1) can pivot in rela¬ tion to the ground about a second transverse horizontal axis of pivotment (e.g. 18) which is spaced forwardly -J5 from the first transverse axis of pivotment (7), and such that the frame of the rear vehicle part (2) can pivot in relation to the ground about a third transverse horizontal axis of pivotment (e.g. 19 or 20) located behind the first transverse axis of pivotment (7) , by 0 pivotment of the vehicle parts (1, 2) in relation to each other by the action of the power exerting means, that the second transverse axis of pivotment is the common axis of rotation (18) for the wheel pair (3) of the front vehicle part (1) or a horizontal transverse 5 line between the ground engaging points of the front wheels (3) , and that the third transverse axis of pivot¬ ment is the common axis of rotation (19) of the wheel pair (4) of the rear vehicle part, a transverse line connecting the ground engaging points of the rear wheels Q (4) , and/or a horizontal transverse axis of pivotment (20) between the major part of the frame (10) and rear wheel frame (10c) or wheeled rear frame portions (10c) of the rear vehicle part (2) , said rear frame portions (10c) being adapted to be positively pivoted in a known manner by operating cylinders (11) . 2. A wheeled multi-part vehicle as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the two vehicle parts (1, 2) , for instance for steering the vehicle when driven, are also adapted to be positive pivoted in relation to each other about a vertical axis of pi¬ votment (8) which is disposed between the vehicle parts (1, 2) close to the first horizontal axis of pivotment (7). 3. A wheeled multi-part vehicle as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the rear vehicle part (2) in a manner known per se has a rearwardly open U-shaped frame (10) the longitudinal frame sides (10b) of which are provided with rear extension parts (10c) which are pivoted to said longitudinal frame sides for positive pivotment about a transverse horizontal axis of pivotment (20) by means of a hydraulic cylinder as¬ sembly (11) , and that the frame (10) of the rear vehicle part by positive pivotment about the last-mentioned transverse horizontal axis of pivotment (20) in rela¬ tion to the rear frame extension parts (10c) and by pivotment by the action of the first mentioned cylinder assembly (16, 28) in relation to the front vehicle part (1) about the first mentioned transverse axis of pivot- ment (7) is raisable and lowerable in plane parallel or adjustable at an angle to the longitudinal axis or the ground under simultaneous levelling of the angle that the longitudinal axis of the front vehicle part (1) makes with the ground. 4. A wheeled multi-part vehicle as claimed in claims 1 and 3, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the frames of the rear and front vehicle parts (1, 2) are pivotal in relation to each other about the first mentioned transverse horizontal axis of pivotment (7) by the ac- tion of at least two hydraulic cylinders (16, 28) each of which acts between said two vehicle parts via one moment arm or angle.

Inventors: PLYMOTH INGE ALEXANDER
Applicants: PLYMOTH INGE ALEXANDER
Application year: 1981
Main classification: B62D53
IPC codes: B60P1, B62D53