Patent GB-1135072-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to vehicles
IPC: E02F3/84
Filed: 1965-12-02
Abstract: 1,135,072. Motor vehicle driving gear. INTERNATIONAL HARVESTER CO. 2 Dec., 1965 [14 Dec., 1964], No. 51180/65. Heading B7H. [Also in Division F2] At least two wheels on each side of a vehicle are hydraulically interconnected for preventing wheel slip, each wheel driving a device which, should the wheel it is connected to spin, would act as a pump driving as motor(s) the device(s) it is in circuit with. The arrangement may be applied to an earth working vehicle comprising front and rear parts articulated together about a vertical pivot, the parts being relatively movable for steering purposes by a pair of hydraulic jacks. Each part comprises a pair of wheels and an internal combustion engine which is mounted transversely, coaxially with the wheels, and drives each wheel through a torque converter and a planetary reversing or two speed reduction gear from an output shaft extending from each of its ends. The two parts are readily separable and a device may be provided which will enable either separated part to be separately driven and controlled for transportation purposes, steering being accomplished by attaching one of the hydraulic steering motors to an arm on the device. Each ratio of the change speed and reversing gear comprises a sun gear, planet gear, grounded clutch and ring gear and is disposed within the hub of the driven wheel. The brakes, which are operated to select the appropriate ratio are hydraulically controlled, the hydraulic circuits of the front and rear parts being identical and interconnected, each circuit comprising its own control valve with means being provided so that the gears of all wheels are simultaneously and similarly operated. An hydraulic arrangement is provided for preventing wheel slip in the event of one part taking more weight than the other, as shown in Fig. 5. The engine 28 of one part drives the wheels 30 and 32 through torque converters 48 and 50 and change speed and reversing gears 114 and 116 respectively while a corresponding arrangement in the other part includes engine 26, torque converters 54 and 52 and change speed and reversing gears 118 and 120. Motors, which can also function as pumps 276, 280, 310, 306 are drivingly connected respectively to the four change speed and reversing gears and those on each side are hydraulically interconnected by the conduits 348, 350 and 386, 384 respectively. A pump 337 is driven from the torque converter 48 and operates the steering jacks through an open centre control valve 300, drawing fluid from a reservoir 298 and being connected, for supplying make-up fluid, with the conduits 348, 350 through a cooling device 302, filter 304 and valve 284 and the connections shown, which include pressure relief valves 358 and 360 and flow restricting orifices 353 and 355. With both wheels 30 and 36 operating evenly, the spool 288 of valve 284, which is biased by a spring 290, is in the position shown and fluid flows through line 346 and is returned through line 352. In the event of wheel 36 slipping, due to weight transfer on the vehicle, the device 310 acting as a pump will drive the device 276 acting as a motor, and the pressure in line 348 will rise and, acting through line 362 will move the valve spool 288 to the left whereby the cooled make-up fluid is now supplied through line 344 and returned through line 356. The arrangement for the other side of the vehicle includes an open centre valve 330 through which the jacks operating the earth working equipment of the vehicle are controlled and an otherwise identically similar arrangement. Cooling fans associated with radiators 38 and 42 are driven by motors 40 and 44 driven by pumps 328 and 365 which are, in turn, driven by the torque converters 54 and 50, respectively.