Patent GB-1161820-A (GB)
Title: Automotive Vehicle.
Inventor: CARTER THOMAS
IPC: B62D49/06
Filed: 1966-12-23
Abstract: 1,161,820. Vehicle suspensions; driving several axles; steering. T. CARTER. 23 Dec., 1966, No. 57646/66. Headings B7D and B7H. [Also in Division F2] A motor vehicle has a stepped-ratio belt and pulley change-speed gear driving through a belt and pulley transmission to the differentials of front and rear axles, each differential being housed in a cylindrical housing 56, 104 rotatably supported with its axis vertical so that the axle and differential are pivotable bodily about said axis for steering. Three independent braking systems are provided, operating band brakes in the transmission. The power unit is a transverse rear-mounted I.C. engine 266. The differentials (Fig. 4) are the same for each axle, and are of the conventional planetary bevel type. A pulley 156 or 196 is secured to the differential input casing 144 to receive the drive. The differential housing 56 is supported by upper and lower bearing plates 58, 70 connected together by bolts 88 and distance tubes 90, the upper plate also supporting a shaft 172 of the belt and pulley transmission. Axle housings 50, 52 secured to the differential housing 56 enclose half shafts 46, 48. Change-speed gear and main clutch (see Division F2). Transmission.-The change-speed gear drives a transverse shaft 216 amidships of the vehicle. From pulleys 220 on the shaft 216, belts 242, 244 extend fore and aft to the axles. Belt 242 engages a pulley 276 on a shaft 172 (Fig. 4) also carrying a pulley 174 connected by a belt 179 to the pulley 156 on the differential 140. Belt 244 engages a pulley 192 on a shaft (188) (Fig. 8, not shown) also carrying a pulley (190) connected by a belt (197) to the pulley (196) on the differential (142) from which extend half shafts 102. The tensions of belts 242, 244, 179 (197) are controlled by a ratchet lever 568. This is pivoted directly (Fig. 20, not shown) to an arm 570 carrying a roller 572 (Figs. 1, 2) for tensioning the belt 242. The lever 568 is pivoted to a link 578 connected to a tensioning roller 590 for the belt 179, and to a link 596 (Fig. 2) connected to a tensioning roller 602 for the belt 244 and a tensioning roller (604) (Fig. 6, not shown) for the belt (197). In a modification (Figs. 17-19, not shown) the tensioning rollers 590 (604) are omitted. Final drive belts (944) from a pulley (942) on a shaft (940)-equivalent to shafts 172 or (188)-to the differential (836) are tensioned by mounting the shaft (940) in bearings spring-urged away from the differential. Steering (Fig. 1).-Each axle, with its differential, is pivotable about the vertical axis of its differential housing 56, 104 for steering. The two axles are interconnected by diagonal tie bars (135, 136) (Fig. 3, not shown) to turn in opposite senses. A yoke 618 secured to the front axle has its centre 620 connected by a link 634, having universally jointed end connections, to a crank-pin on a gear-wheel 638 meshing a pinion 648 on the steering shaft 646. In a modification (Figs. 11-13, not shown) with only the front axle steerable, the pinion is on a countershaft driven from the steering shaft (720) via a belt reduction gear. Brakes (Fig. 7).-Three separate braking systems are provided. All the brakes comprise V-pulleys embraced by bands (500) carrying liners (501) (Figs. 14, 15, not shown). One end (504) of the band is fixed and the other end (502) is movable towards it, against a disengaging spring (512), for brake application by a link (486). A handbrake lever 476 is connected by links 484, 486 to bands 492, 500 acting on brake pulleys 178, 198 (Fig. 1) on the shafts 172, 188 respectively. A first brake pedal 370 is connected by a link 374 to a band 380 acting on a brake pulley 224 on the shaft 216. U-shaped members 434, 436 connected to pairs of bands acting on pairs of brake pulleys 100 (Fig. 4) and (134) (Fig. 5, not shown) integral with the front and rear differential input casings are interconnected by a cable 450 passing over rollers 396, 398. Depression of a second brake pedal 414 (Fig. 1) connected by a link 412 to a bell crank 404 urges a roller 406 against the cable 450 between the rollers 396, 398 to apply the associated brakes. Suspension.-Laminated serpentine suspension springs 92, 137 are rigidly secured at their ends to the main chassis frames 26, 28. Their centres are arched to receive bars 96, 138 secured to channels 76, 78 (Fig. 4) and (122, 124, Fig. 5, not shown) extending from the bottom bearing plates 70 (116) (Fig. 8, not shown) of the differential housings.