Vehicle with non-symmetrical drive members
AssigneeThe Charles Machine Works, Inc.
InventorsCody L. Sewell, Brant Douglas Kukuk
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle having a long track or wheel-trail wheel combination on one side and a smaller ground engaging member, such as a short track or wheel on the other. The vehicle has a work attachment on one end of as frame, which is provided clearance on the side of the vehicle with the short track or wheel. A control system is provided to allow an operator to properly control a direction of the vehicle despite the fact that different forces may be required to operate the long track and the short track or wheel.
Claims18
A vehicle comprising:
- a frame having longitudinally offset forward and rear ends and laterally offset first and second sides;
- two and only two longitudinally offset and ground-engaging first and second wheels, each wheel mechanically connected to the frame and positioned adjacent the frame's first side;
- one and only one ground-engaging third wheel mechanically connected to the frame and positioned adjacent the frame's second side;
- an auger supported by the frame at its forward end having an auger axis;
- and
- a trencher supported by the frame at its forward end and configured to discharge material into the auger;
- in which the auger is positioned forwardly of the third wheel;
- and
- wherein the third wheel engages the ground rearwardly of the first wheel, and forwardly of the second wheel.
A vehicle comprising:
- a frame having longitudinally offset forward and rearward ends, laterally offset first and second sides and a stationary footprint;
- a movable, endless and ground-engaging first track mechanically connected to the frame, positioned immediately adjacent the frame's first side and having a stationary footprint;
- and
- a movable, endless, and ground-engaging second track mechanically connected to the frame, positioned immediately adjacent the frame's second side and having a stationary footprint;
- wherein the stationary footprints of the first and second tracks have differing areas and are situated outside the stationary footprint of the frame.
A work machine having a frame and two and only two endless tracks supporting the frame, each of the tracks defining a stationary footprint, wherein the stationary footprints are laterally spaced and longitudinally offset relative to the frame, and wherein each of the stationary footprints have a different area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.