US 6,394,204 B1Granted

Crawler or tracked vehicle having pivotable tracks

Assigneemacmoter S.p.A.

InventorAlois Johann Haringer

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Abstract

A crawler or tracked vehicle has a running gear with separately operable tracks, and a vehicle body pivotably connected to the running gear about a substantially horizontal pivot axis that allows the running gear to pivot relative to the vehicle body. The two tracks can pivot independently of each other and independently of the vehicle body. At least one spring arrangement preferably including a spring and a shock absorber is arranged on each side of the body, and is respectively connected between the running gear and the vehicle body. The spring may be vertically or horizontally oriented.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A tracked vehicle comprising:

a vehicle body comprising a body frame;
separately operable first and second crawler track arrangements, which each respectively comprise a longitudinal support member extending parallel to a longitudinal axis of said tracked vehicle, front and rear track deflection wheels mounted rotatably on said longitudinal support member, track support wheels mounted rotatably on said longitudinal support member between said front and rear track deflection wheels, and a crawler track that runs around said longitudinal support member, is deflected around said front and rear track deflection wheels, and is supported by said track support wheels, wherein said first and second crawler track arrangements are respectively arranged on opposite left and right sides of said body frame;
first and second pivot axles, which are respectively connected to said body frame on said opposite left and right sides thereof and extend laterally and substantially horizontally therefrom perpendicularly relative to said longitudinal axis of said tracked vehicle, and which are respectively connected to said longitudinal support members of said first and second crawler track arrangements so as to pivotally support said first and second crawler track arrangements relative to said vehicle body;
first and second spring arrangements which are respectively connected directly or indirectly to said body frame of said vehicle body on said opposite left and right sides thereof, and which are respectively connected directly or indirectly to said longitudinal support members of said first and second crawler track arrangements at respective locations spaced away from said first and second pivot axles, and which respectively include first and second springs;
and
first and second pivot guide arrangements which each respectively comprise an upper guide member connected to said body frame of said vehicle body respectively on said left side or said right side thereof, and a lower guide member connected to said longitudinal support member of said first crawler track arrangement or said second crawler track arrangement respectively, wherein said first and second pivot guide arrangements are separated and spaced apart from said first and second springs of said first and second spring arrangements respectively, and wherein said upper guide member and said lower guide member are slidably interconnected to each other to allow mutual relative sliding of said upper guide member and said lower guide member along each other when said respective first or second crawler track arrangement pivots around said respective first or second pivot axle relative to said vehicle body.

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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

A tracked vehicle comprising:

a vehicle body comprising a body frame;
separately operable first and second crawler track arrangements, which each respectively comprise a longitudinal support member extending parallel to a longitudinal axis of said tracked vehicle, front and rear track deflection wheels mounted rotatably on said longitudinal support member, track support wheels mounted rotatably on said longitudinal support member between said front and rear track deflection wheels, and a crawler track that runs around said longitudinal support member, is deflected around said front and rear track deflection wheels, and is supported by said track support wheels, wherein said first and second crawler track arrangements are respectively arranged on opposite left and right sides of said body frame;
first and second pivot axles, which are respectively connected to said body frame on said opposite left and right sides thereof and extend laterally and substantially horizontally therefrom perpendicularly relative to said longitudinal axis of said tracked vehicle, and which are respectively connected to said longitudinal support members of said first and second crawler track arrangements so as to pivotally support said first and second crawler track arrangements relative to said vehicle body;
first and second spring arrangements which are respectively connected directly or indirectly to said body frame of said vehicle body on said opposite left and right sides thereof, and which are respectively connected directly or indirectly to said longitudinal support members of said first and second crawler track arrangements at respective locations spaced away from said first and second pivot axles, and which respectively include first and second springs;
and
first and second pivot guide arrangements which each respectively comprise an upper guide member connected to said body frame of said vehicle body respectively on said left side or said right side thereof, and a lower guide member connected to said longitudinal support member of said first crawler track arrangement or said second crawler track arrangement respectively, wherein said first and second pivot guide arrangements are separated and spaced apart from said first and second springs of said first and second spring arrangements respectively, and wherein said upper guide member and said lower guide member are slidably interconnected to each other to allow mutual relative sliding of said upper guide member and said lower guide member along each other when said respective first or second crawler track arrangement pivots around said respective first or second pivot axle relative to said vehicle body.

3 more elements