Belt tensioning mechanism

Abstract

A belt tensioning mechanism is provided for use with a vehicle having an axle pivotably connected to a frame of the vehicle with inextensible belts entrained about wheel assemblies mounted on either side of the vehicle for transmitting tractive effort to the earth. Some systems provide tensioning of belts by producing a separating force between only the wheel assemblies on one side of the vehicle independent from the tensioning of the other side while others provide tensioning of track having sprocket driving members by using bulky complicated mechanisms for providing the tensioning of the track and to provide relative motion of the front axle from one side to the other. In the subject arrangement, an axle is connected to a frame by a swivel bearing being slidably disposed on a pin, such that, the axle moves longitudinally relative to the frame while still being able to swivel about the pin. Furthermore, an adjusting mechanism is provided to produce the force necessary to sufficiently tension the belts to provide frictional drive between the belts and the drive wheel assemblies. In one of the embodiments, the adjusting mechanism includes a force generating mechanism responsive to fluid pressure transmitted thereto from a pump. This arrangement allows the axle to move relative to the frame in the longitudinal direction in the event that a foreign object passes between one of the belts and its respective wheel assembly without requiring a large bulky mechanism that would be impractical for use on large industrial vehicles.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.