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US 4,986,386 AGranted
Apparatus for adjusting the tread of steerable wheels of a vehicle
AssigneeKubota Corporation
InventorsMasatoshi Iwamoto, Toshinobu Owada
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A movable case for making a steerable wheel steerable is slidably held in an axle case, a tie rod for a steering operation is made telescopically movable, and the movable case and the tie rod are arranged to be locked at an extended or retracted position. At the time of effecting tread adjustment, a steering wheel is rotated to its extreme end, and the vehicle is made to run with the movable case made slidable, which allows the movable case to slide outward through the axle case, permitting tread adjustment to be carried out automatically.
Claims12
An apparatus for adjusting the tread of steerable wheels of a vehicle, comprising:
- (a) an axle case having a horizontal axis extending transversely of said vehicle and supported by a chassis of said vehicle;
- (b) a pair of movable cases which are respectively inserted into opposite ends of said axle case in such a manner as to be unrotatable about an axis thereof and axially movable;
- (c) a pair of wheel cases arranged on the left-and right-hand sides of said vehicle and each supported by an outer end of said movable case in such a manner as to be rotatable about a diagonally inclined vertical axis;
- (d) a pair of steerable wheels each supported rotatably by said wheel case and having alignment producing running resistance in the direction of returning to straight forward running at the time when said vehicle is steered leftward or rightward;
- (e) a telescopically movable tie rod connecting said pair of wheel cases to each other;
- (f) a steering mechanism for moving said tie rod leftward or rightward;
- (g) a rod lock means for controlling the telescopic movement of said tie rod by remote control;
- and
- (h) case lock means for controlling the axial movement of each of said movable cases wherein said case lock means comprises a pressure contacting member for bringing said movable case into pressure contact with said axle case, and a hydraulic cylinder for causing said pressure contacting member to be inserted into and withdrawn from a space between said movable case and said axle case.
6 more elements
A method for adjusting the tread in an apparatus for adjusting the tread of steerable wheels of a vehicle, said apparatus including:
- an axle case having a horizontal axis extending transversely of said vehicle and supported by a chassis of said vehicle;
- a pair of movable cases which are respectively inserted into opposite ends of said axle thereof and axially movable;
- a pair of wheel cases arranged on the left- and right-hand sides of said vehicle and each supported by an outer end of said movable case in such a manner as to be rotatable about a diagonally inclined vertical axis;
- a pair of steerable wheels each supported rotatably by said wheel case and having alignment producing running resistance in the direction of returning to straight forward running at the time when said vehicle is steered to the left or right;
- a telescopically movable tie rod connecting said pair of wheel cases to each other;
- a steering mechanism for moving said tie rod leftward or rightward;
- a rod lock means for selectively enabling telescopic movement of said tie rod by remote control;
- case lock means for allowing or preventing the axial movement of each of said movable cases, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) unlocking said rod lock means by remote control from within an operator's compartment so as to make said tie rod telescopically movable;
- (b) moving said tie rod either leftward or rightward by said steering mechanism so as to cause said lock-cancelled tie rod to extend or retract telescopically and causing one of said steerable wheels to be steered with said vehicle set at a standstill;
- (c) locking said rod lock means by remote control from within an operator's compartment so as to prevent the telescopic movement of said tie rod;
- (d) moving said tie rod by means of said steering mechanism in the opposite direction as to return said steerable wheel to its position of straight forward running, and steering wheel to its position of straight forward running, and steering said steerable wheel on the opposite side with said vehicle set at a standstill;
- (e) unlocking said case lock means so as to allow the axial movement of said movable case;
- and
- (f) selectively advancing and reversing said vehicle so as to cause said steered steerable wheel to return to its position of straight forward running, whereupon said movable case is extended and retracted.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.