Apparatus for shifting center of gravity of a work vehicle

In a work vehicle (10) having a center of gravity (12), a body (14) having first and second end portions (80,82) and a lower portion (16) having first and second continuous track assemblies (18,20) each having a track frame (19,21), the improvement comprising:

• said lower portion (16) having a subframe (102), said subframe (102) having first and second end portions (108,110) and being movably connected to the track frames (19,21) at locations sufficient for maintaining said track assemblies (18,20) in a preselected spaced-apart relationship one relative to the other;
• first, second, third and fourth links (122,122',124,124') each having first and second end portions (126,130;126';130';128'132'128',132'), said first and second links (122,122') being positioned on opposite sides (134,136) of the work vehicle (10), each of the first end portions (126,126') of the first and second links (122,122') being pivotally connected to the first end portion (80) of the body (14), each of the second end portions (130,130') of the first and second links (122,122') being pivotally connected to the first end portion (108) of the subframe (102), said third and fourth links (124,124') being positioned on the opposite sides (134,136) of the work vehicle (10), each of the first end portions (128,128') of the third and fourth links (124,124') being pivotally connected to the second end portion (82) of the body (14), each of the second end portions (132,132') of the third and fourth links (124,124') being pivotally connected to the second end portion (110) of the subframe (102);
• and
• first and second hydraulic cylinders (160,162) each having first and second ends (164,165,166,167), each first end (164,166) being pivotally connected to the first end portion (80) of the body (14) and each second end (165,167) being pivotally connected to a respective one of the links (122,122'), said cylinders (160,162) being of a construction sufficient for controllably pivotally moving the body (14) relative to both of the track assemblies (18,20) for selectively, controllably shifting the center of gravity (12) relative to both of said track assemblies (18,20).

In a work vehicle having a center of gravity (12), a body (14) having first and second end portions (80,82) and a lower portion (16) having first and second continuous track assemblies (18,20), said track assemblies (18,20) each having a track frame (19,21) having first and second end portions (92,93,94,95), the improvement comprising:

• said lower portion (16) having a subframe (102) and a crossbar (104), said subframe (102) having first and second end portions (108,110) and being moveably connected to the track frames (19,21) at locations sufficient for positioning said track assemblies (18,20) one relative to the other, said crossbar (104) being movably connected to the subframe (102) and in contact with the first end portions (92,94) of the track frames (19,21);
• first, second, third and fourth links (122,122';124,124'), each having first and second end portions (126,130,126',130',128,132,128',132'), said first and second links (122,122') being positioned on opposite sides (134,136) of the work vehicle (10) and each having their first end portiion (126,126') pivotally connected to the first end portion (80) of the body (14) and their second end portion (130,130') pivotally connected to the crossbar (104), said third and fourth links (124,124') being positioned on opposite sides (134,136) of the work vehicle (10) and each having their first end portion (128,128') pivotally connected to the second end portion (82) of the body (14) and their second end portion (132,132') pivotally connected to the second end portion (11) of the subrame (102) and each being a double acting cylinder (170,172) of a construction sufficient for controllably maintaining the body (14) relative to the lower portion (16) against forces exerted on the work vehicle (10);
• and
• first and second hydraulic cylinders (174,176) each having first and second ends (178,179,180,181) and each having their first end (178,180) pivotally connected to the body (14) and their second end (179,181) pivotally connected to a respective one of the first and second links (122,122'), each of said hydraulic cylinders (174,176) being of a construction sufficient for controllably pivotally moving the body (14) relative to both of the track assemblies (18,20) for controllably shifting the center of gravity (12) relative to both of said track assemblies (18,20).