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US 9,739,034 B2Granted
Vehicle with non-symmetrical drive members
AssigneeThe Charles Machine Works, Inc.
InventorsCody L. Sewell, Brant Douglas Kukuk
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle having a long track or wheel-trail wheel combination on one side and a smaller ground engaging member, such as a short track or wheel on the other. The vehicle has a work attachment on one end of its frame, which is provided clearance on the side of the vehicle with the short track or wheel. A control system is provided to allow an operator to properly control a direction of the vehicle despite the fact that different forces may be required to operate the long track and the short track or wheel.
Claims24
A vehicle comprising:
- a plurality of endless track assemblies;
- a frame having opposed forward and rear ends and laterally spaced first and second sides, the frame being moveably supported on a surface of the ground by the plurality of endless track assemblies;
- wherein one and only one of the plurality of endless track assemblies is disposed on the first side and one and only one of the plurality of endless track assemblies is disposed on the second side such that the first and second endless track assemblies define fixed footprints of unequal area.
A vehicle comprising:
- a frame comprising a forward and a rearward end;
- a trencher connected to the forward end of the frame having a rotatable digging chain;
- an auger defining an auger axis and connected to the frame;
- a first endless track assembly movably supporting the frame and defining a first surface contact area;
- a second endless track assembly movably supporting the frame and defining a second surface contact area, wherein the second surface contact area is smaller than the first surface contact area;
- and
- wherein the auger axis extends forward of the first surface contact area but does not extend forward of the second surface contact area.
4 more elements
A vehicle comprising:
- a frame having opposed forward and rear ends and laterally spaced first and second sides;
- and
- two and only two powered ground-engaging members supporting the frame and comprising:
- a first ground engaging member supporting the frame at its first side and having a first forward edge of ground contact adjacent the forward end of the frame;
- and
- a second ground engaging member supporting the frame at its second side and having a second forward edge of ground contact offset rearwardly from the first forward edge of ground contact.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.