Patent GB-589614-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in vehicles
IPC: B60K17/34
Filed: 1944-11-02
Abstract: 589,614. Road-vehicle undercarriages. GRAHAM, E. K. P. Nov. 2, 1944, No. 21509. Convention date, Nov. 10, 1943. [Class 108 (ii)] In a vehicle in which the body is wholly carried by a pair of running-gears pivotally attached to the body one on each of two opposite sides, and in which each running-gear comprises at least two wheels rotatably mounted in a carrier frame; the two carrier frames being interconnected by an equalizing device so that rotation of one frame relatively to body causes rotation of the other in the opposite direction; each carrier frame has a journal fixed thereto and extending into the vehicle body and the equalizing device is located within the body and operatively connected to the journals. In the tractor shown in Fig. 1, the wheel-carrying frames 2 are pivotally mounted on the body 1 by journals 3 and the drive is transmitted in known manner from the engine unit 5 through gearing 6 to two clutches 8 having steering brakes 7 and from each clutch 8 through a chain gear or other transmission 9 to a shaft 10 and thence through chains 11 to the shafts of the driving wheels 4. The equalizing device comprises'a a differential gearing arranged within the body and consists of outer wheels 12 secured to the journals 3 and an intermediate wheel 'or wheels 13 mounted on a shaft 14 or shafts journalled in the body. To reduce shock, the shaft 14 may be supported resiliently. In a modification, the equalizing device is spaced from the journals 3 to the inner ends of which the wheels 12 are connected by chain gearing. In another form of equalizing device, Fig. 4, the shaft 14 of the wheels 13 is journalled in a frame 17 which is rotatable about the axis of the wheels 12 and is connected to a worm wheel 18 engaged by a worm 19; rotation of which by a crank 20 raises or lowers the forward end of the body, the rear end being simultaneously lowered or raised. The shaft 14 or the worm 19 may be mounted resiliently. In another construction, the equalizing device consists of an arrangement of pulleys and flexible chains, ropes &c. and in a further construction, diametrically-opposite parts of the journals 3 are connected by oppositelyextending links to the endsof transverselyarranged balance beams which are pivoted to the body and may comprise leaf springs. As shown in Fig. 7, the wheel-carrying frames 32 are arranged transversely, the journals 3 being rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The drive is transmitted from the engine unit 35 to-two clutches 38 provided with steering brakes 37 and, from one clutch, through chain gearing 39 to the central shaft 40 which drives one pair of wheels 4 through gearing 41, the drive from the other clutch being transmitted .through chain gearing 42 to two tubular shafts 43 and thence through bevel gears 44 to the other pair of wheels. The equalizing device comprises a flexible element, e,g., a chain 45, running over wheels 46 on the journals 3 and over guide wheels 47 on the body. The Specification as open to inspection under Sect. 91, comprises also a construction of tractor, Fig. 8 (Cancelled), having two pairs of frames 2, 52, an equalizing device being inserted only between the frames 52 which carry only one wheel. The drive is transmitted from the engine unit (not shown) through steering clutches 58 and chain gearing &c. to shafts 10, 60 and thence through chains 11, 61 to the wheels 4, 54. The equalizing device comprises gear wheels 62 secured to the journals 53 and meshing with one or more wheels 63 journalled in the body. The equalizing devices in the various constructions may be adjustable. This subject-matter does not appear in the Specification as accepted.