Mining vehicle

• US 4,245,714 A
• Filed: 06/19/1978
• Issued: 01/20/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Frank N. Kersey
• Original Assignee: Frank N. Kersey
• Inventors: Kersey, Frank N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Silverstrim, John P.
• Application Number:
  US05/917,085
• Time in Patent Office: 946 Days
• Field of Search: 280/492, 280/493, 280/494, 180/134, 180/135, 180/136, 180/137, 180/138, 180/139, 180/265, 180/266, 180/235
• US Class Current: 180/265
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 53/025 Comprising a transmission shaft passing through the coupling joints B62D53/021 takes precedence; trailers with powered axles B62D59/00
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/6418 with rotatable scraper bowls for dumping the soil with only elements of the scraper bowls being pivotable E02F3/6427
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/0841 Articulated frame, i.e. having at least one pivot point between two travelling gear units tractor-trailer combinations B62D53/00
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/202 Mechanical transmission, e.g. clutches, gears clutches per se F16D, gears per se F16H

Abstract

An articulated vehicle includes front and rear vehicle portions connected by a floating connector member having upper and lower vertically aligned pivot connections to the rear vehicle portion and horizontally aligned front and rear pivot connections to the front vehicle portion with wear takeup means in the pivot connections.

Claims

1. An articulated vehicle including:

a first frame portion;

a second frame portion;

articulation means joining said first frame portion and said second frame portion, said articulation means including;

a floating connector member;

upper and lower spherical bearing sleeves fixedly mounted between said floating connector member and one of said frame portions;

said floating connector member including an elongated horizontal hollow rigid linear tube member of generally square cross-section including internal divider panels defining three longitudinally extending mutually isolated compartments; and

upper and lower vertically spaced horizontal bearing sleeve support plates mounted on and extending from one end of said elongated horizontal rigid linear tube member with said upper and lower spherical bearing sleeves being respectively mounted in said upper and lower horizontal bearing sleeve support plates;

front and rear spherical bearing sleeves fixedly mounted between the other of said frame portions and said floating connector member;

upper and lower vertically oriented aligned pivot pins;

an upper spherical bushing mounted on said upper pivot pin and matingly positioned in said upper spherical bearing sleeve to permit limited universal pivotal movement of said upper pivot pin with respect to said upper spherical bearing sleeve;

a lower spherical bushing mounted on said lower pivot pin and matingly positioned in said lower spherical bearing sleeve to permit limited universal pivotal movement of said lower pivot pin with respect to said lower spherical bearing sleeve;

front and rear axially horizontally oriented and aligned pivot pins;

a front spherical bushing mounted on said front pivot pin and matingly positioned in said front spherical bearing sleeve to permit limited pivotal movement of said front pivot pin with respect to said front spherical bearing sleeve; and

a rear spherical bushing mounted on said rear pivot pin and matingly positioned in said rear spherical bearing sleeve to permit limited movement of said rear pivot pin with respect to said rear spherical sleeve.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 additionally including mechanical drive transmission means extending through one of said longitudinally extending mutually isolated compartments to provide mechanical power from motor means on one of said frame portions to driven means on the other of said frame portions.

3. The vehicle of claim 2 additionally including hydraulic hose means extending through a second one of said longitudinally extending isolated compartments.

4. The vehicle of claim 3 additionally including electrical power cable extending through a third one of said longitudinally extending isolated compartments.

5. An articulated vehicle including:

a first frame portion;

a second frame portion;

articulation means joining said first frame portion and said second frame portion, said articulation means including;

a floating connector member;

upper and lower spherical bearing sleeves fixedly mounted between said floating connector member and one of said frame portions;

front and rear spherical bearing sleeves fixedly mounted between the other of said frame portions and said floating connector member;

upper and lower vertically oriented aligned pivot pins;

an upper spherical bushing mounted on said upper pivot pin and matingly positioned in said upper spherical bearing sleeve to permit limited universal pivotal movement of said upper pivot pin with respect to said upper spherical bearing sleeve;

a lower spherical bushing mounted on said lower pivot pin and matingly positioned in said lower spherical bearing sleeve to permit limited universal pivotal movement of said lower pivot pin with respect to said lower spherical bearing sleeve;

front and rear axially horizontally oriented and aligned pivot pins;

a front spherical bushing mounted on said front pivot pin and matingly positioned in said front spherical bearing sleeve to permit limited pivotal movement of said front pivot pin with respect to said front spherical bearing sleeve;

a rear spherical bushing mounted on said rear pivot pin and matingly positioned in said rear spherical bearing sleeve to permit limited movement of said rear pivot pin with respect to said rear spherical sleeve;

wherein the upper spherical bushing on said upper spherical bushing on said upper pivot pin is in approximate horizontal alignment with said front and rear pivot pins and wherein said floating connector member includes;

an elongated linear hollow rigid tube member; and

upper and lower vertically spaced horizontal bearing sleeve support plates mounted on and extending from said elongated linear hollow rigid tube member in which said upper and lower spherical sleeves are respectively mounted;

wherein said upper pivot pin is mounted on and between an upper pair of horizontal pivot pin support plates fixedly connected to said one frame portion;

said upper bearing sleeve support plate is positioned between said upper paid or horizontal pivot pin support plates;

said lower pivot pin is mounted on and between a lower pair of horizontal pivot pin support plates fixedly connected to said one frame portion;

said lower bearing sleeve support plate is positioned between the plates of said pair of lower bearing sleeve support plates; and

additionally including first and second stop defining means rigidly connected to said hollow rigid tube member engageable with opposite sides of at least the lowermost one of the horizontal pivot pin support plates to define the limits of pivotal movement of the rigid hollow tubular member about the axes of said upper and lower vertically aligned pivot pins.