US 6,581,718 B1Granted

Steering arrangement for articulated tracked vehicles

AssigneeAlvis Hagglunds Aktiebolag

InventorsMats Vigren, Max Thoren

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Abstract

An arrangement for the steering and coupling together of two associated tracked units to form an articulated tracked vehicle set, includes a first upright for releasable coupling to a fixture on one of the tracked units, a second upright for coupling to a fixture on the other tracked unit, a first steering link which is connected in an articulated manner to the first upright about a first horizontal axis and a second steering link which is connected in an articulated manner to the second upright about a second horizontal axis, parallel with the first horizontal axis. The first and second steering links are mutually joined to a steering link unit about a steering pivot with a vertical axis of articulation. Hydraulic ram cylinder units are arranged so as to control relative turning movements between the first upright and the steering link unit, between the second upright and the steering link unit, and between the first and second steering links. The first upright is formed so as to be able to be anchored rigidly in one of the tracked units while the second upright is formed so as to be capable of rotation in bearings in the fixture on the other tracked unit about a longitudinal horizontal axis.

Arrangement for the steering and coupling together of two associated tracked vehicle units to form an articulated tracked vehicle set, characterized in that the arrangement comprises

a) a first upright (12, 116), formed so that it can be releasably coupled to a fixture (14, 122) on one of the tracked vehicle units;
b) a second upright (16), formed so that it can be coupled to a fixture (18) on the other tracked vehicle unit;
c) a first steering link (20) which is connected in an articulated manner to the first upright (12, 116) about a first horizontal, transverse axis (A);
d) a second steering link (22) which is connected in an articulated manner to the second upright (16) about a second horizontal, transverse axis (B) which is parallel with the first horizontal axis (A);
that
e) the first and second steering links (20, 22) are mutually joined to a steering link unit (26) about a steering pivot (24) with a vertical axis of articulation (C);
that
f) at least a first hydraulic ram cylinder unit (32) is mounted on the first upright (12, 116) and connected to the steering link unit (26) in order to control relative turning movements between the first upright (12, 116) and the steering link unit (26) about the first horizontal transverse axis (A);
that
g) at least a second hydraulic ram cylinder unit (46) is mounted on the second upright (16) and connected to the steering link unit (26) in order to control relative turning movements between the second upright (16) and the steering link unit (26) about the second horizontal transverse axis (B);
and that
h) at least a third hydraulic cylinder ram unit (62, 64) is connected between the first and second steering links (20, 22) in order to control relative turning movements between these steering links about the vertical point of articulation (C), in which the one upright (12, 116) is formed so as to be able to be anchored rigidly in one of the tracked vehicle units and the second upright (16) is formed so as to be capable of rotation in bearings in the fixture (18) in the other tracked vehicle unit about a longitudinal horizontal axis (H).

9 more elements

Abstract

Claims16