Remote control vehicle

• US 6,283,220 B1
• Filed: 12/10/1999
• Issued: 09/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: J C Bamford Excavators Limited (Transmissions & Engineering Services Netherlands BV)
• Original Assignee: J C Bamford Excavators Limited (Transmissions & Engineering Services Netherlands BV)
• Inventors: Carter, Mark David
• Primary Examiner(s): Scherbel, David A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Dinh Q.
• Application Number:
  US09/458,781
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 169/24, 169/52, 180/6.48, 180/308, 180/167, 414/685, 414/729, 414/686, 901/1, 901/43
• US Class Current: 169/24
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/24 not vehicle-mounted
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/283 with a single arm pivoted directly on the chassis linkage mechanism for it E02F3/3405
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/0816 Welded frame structure
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/205 Remotely operated machines, e.g. unmanned vehicles E02F3/8866 takes precedence

Abstract

A remote control vehicle comprising a body having a front end and a rear end and provided with first and second ground engageable propulsion means respectively disposed on opposite sides of the vehicle and in which the first and second propulsion means are driven by first and second transmission means respectively to permit the vehicle to be propelled and steered by driving the propulsion means on one side of the vehicle independently from the propulsion means on the other side of the vehicle, a boom assembly having carrying means for carrying an implement on the boom assembly, the boom assembly being mounted on the body for lifting movement between a raised position and a lowered position by a lifting means and wherein the ground engageable propulsion means and the lifting means of the boom assembly are operable by a receiver, of an electromagnetic signal, provided on the body.

Claims

1. A remote control fire-fighting vehicle comprising a body having a front end and a rear end and provided with first and second ground engageable propulsion means respectively disposed on opposite sides of the vehicle and in which the first and second propulsion means are driven by first and second transmission means respectively to permit the vehicle to be propelled and steered by driving the propulsion means on one side of the vehicle independently from the propulsion means on the other side of the vehicle, a boom assembly having carrying means for carrying an implement comprising at least one of a material handling implement and a fire-fighting attachment on the boom assembly, the boom assembly being mounted on the body for lifting movement between a raised position and a lowered position by a lifting means and wherein the ground engageable propulsion means and the lifting means of the boom assembly are operable by a receiver, of an electromagnetic signal, wherein each transmission means comprises a hydrostatic motor driven by a respective hydrostatic pump, the output of each pump being controlled by an electrical signal supplied by said receiver in response to said electromagnetic signal.

2. A vehicle according to claim 1 wherein each pump is provided with at least one hydraulic servo mechanism for adjustment of the output of said pump, the servo mechanism being operable by said electrical signal.

3. A vehicle according to claim 2 wherein the servo mechanism comprises at least one hydraulically operated motor means to adjust the output of said pump.

4. A vehicle according to claim 3 wherein supply of fluid to the second motor means is controlled by an electrical signal supplied by said receiver in response to said electromagnetic signal.

5. A vehicle according to claim 1 wherein the lifting means of the boom assembly comprises a first motor means disposed between the boom and the body, supply of fluid to the first motor means being controlled by an electrical signal supplied by said receiver in response to said electromagnetic signal.

6. A vehicle according to claim 5 wherein the implement is movable relative to the boom assembly by a second hydraulic motor means.

7. A vehicle according to claim 5 wherein the second hydraulic motor means comprises a crowd ram connected between the boom assembly and the carrying means for pivotal movement of the carrying means relative to the boom assembly.

8. A vehicle according to claim 1 wherein the vehicle is provided with a first auxiliary device operable by a third motor means.

9. A vehicle according to claim 8 wherein supply of fluid to third motor means is controlled by an electrical signal supplied by said receiver in response to said electromagnetic signal.

10. A vehicle according to claim 8 wherein the first auxiliary device comprises a clamping means operable to hold a load on said implement.

11. A vehicle according to claim 1 wherein the vehicle is provided with a second auxiliary device operable by a fourth motor means.

12. A vehicle according to claim 11 wherein supply of fluid to the fourth motor means is controlled by an electrical signal supplied by said receiver in response to said electromagnetic signal.

13. A vehicle according to claim 1 wherein the vehicle has a control compartment which is disposed within a housing.

14. A vehicle according to claim 13 wherein the control compartment is enclosed by metal walls, roof and floor with connection therethrough for at least one component disposed within the control compartment.

15. A vehicle according to claim 1 wherein the vehicle has means to dispense water or other fire fighting medium therefrom.

16. A vehicle according to claim 15 wherein said means comprises a nozzle for said medium which may be controlled by an electrical signal supplied by said receiver in response to said electromagnetic signal.

17. A vehicle according to claim 16 wherein the vehicle has a reservoir to contain water fire fighting medium for dispensing by said dispensing means.

18. A vehicle according to claim 17 wherein the vehicle has a pump to feed medium from the reservoir to be dispensed from said dispensing means under pressure.

19. A vehicle according to claim 1 wherein said fire fighting attachment is carried by said carrying means.

20. A vehicle according to claim 1 wherein the vehicle is provided with at least one of an operator'"'"'s seat, operator control for propelling and steering the vehicle, operator control for lifting movement of the boom assembly and operator control for operation of at least one of a first auxiliary device and a second auxiliary device.

21. A vehicle according to claim 1 wherein the boom assembly has said carrying means at an outer end thereof and an inner end of the boom assembly is mounted on the body at or adjacent the rear end of the body and in said lowered position the boom assembly extends forwards from said inner end so that the implement is disposed forward of the front end of the body.

22. A vehicle according to claim 21 wherein the boom assembly is disposed on one side of a longitudinal axis of the vehicle which axis is disposed midway between said first and second ground engageable propulsion means.

23. A vehicle according to claim 1 wherein the vehicle is provided with a condition sensor means, and the condition sensor means providing a signal to a transmitter, of an electromagnetic signal, provided on the body and wherein the electromagnetic signal is transmitted by the transmitter on the body to a receiver disposed at a location remote from said vehicle.

24. A vehicle according to claim 1 wherein the vehicle has at least one camera to provide a signal to a transmitting means, provided on the vehicle, for transmission of an electromagnetic signal to a receiving means disposed at a location remote from the vehicle for display of an image provided by the camera.

25. A vehicle according to claim 1 wherein the boom assembly comprises a generally “

L”

shaped member comprising a single lift arm assembly which extends forwardly along one side only of the vehicle and a pivot member which is rigid with the lift arm assembly, which projects from the inner end of the lift arm assembly on one side thereof and extends transversely across the body from one side of the lift arm assembly to a position adjacent the opposite side of the body, the pivot member being pivotally mounted on the body by pivotal mounting means which are spaced apart transversely of the body and are adjacent an upper rear end part of the body on opposite sides of the body.

26. A vehicle according to claim 25 wherein the body comprises a pair of transversely spaced side members on which said ground engageable propulsion means are mounted, and the pivotal mounting means is supported by a pair of transversely spaced upright members disposed adjacent the rear of the body and which extend upwardly from said side members at the rear of the control region.

27. A vehicle according to claim 26 wherein the side members comprise loop case compartments comprising a transversely inner wall and a transversely outer wall joined by top and bottom walls and end walls and a member providing one of said walls is provided integrally with the member which provides at least part of one plate of each upstanding member.

28. A vehicle according to claim 1 wherein the body is provided with an engine, two pairs of ground engageable propulsion wheels disposed on opposite side of the body, an hydraulic drive means including first and second variable displacement pumps driven by the engine and operatively connected to first and second hydraulic motors disposed on opposite sides of the body, each pump being drivably connected on two ground engageable propulsion wheels of an associated one of said pair of wheels on the associated side of the body by first and second endless loops each of which is engaged with a driving wheel driven by the pump and with a driven wheel connected to an associated one of the ground engageable wheels of said pair and propulsion control means whereby the hydraulic drive means can drive the pair of wheels on one side of the vehicle at the same or a different speed and/or direction from the pair of wheels on the other side of the vehicle to propel and steer the vehicle.

29. A vehicle according to claim 28 wherein the ground engageable propulsion wheels are disposed on opposite sides of the body, each propulsion wheel being carried on an outer end of a stub axle which is housed, so as to be rotatable about an axis of rotation, in a stub axle housing member mounted on the body and the body is provided with a longitudinally extending loop case compartment, one on each side of the vehicle, each loop case compartment having a transversely inner wall and a transversely outer wall joined by top and bottom walls and end walls, said stub axle housing member or members being mounted on the outer wall with said driven wheels or wheels disposed within said compartment.

30. A vehicle according to claim 29 wherein two stub axle housing members are provided on each side of the vehicle and each of said housing members are mounted on said outer wall with said driven wheels disposed within the compartment with said driving wheels disposed within the compartment therebetween with said loops engaged with respective driving and driven wheels.

31. A vehicle according to claim 1 wherein the boom assembly comprises a single lift arm assembly which extends forwards along one side only of the vehicle and an inner end of the lift arm assembly is pivotally mounted on the body by pivotal mounting means disposed on said one side only of the vehicle.

32. A vehicle according to claim 31 wherein the vehicle comprises a transmission case means, disposed on one side of the vehicle, having therein said first and second transmission means.

33. A vehicle according to claim 32 wherein the first transmission means comprises a first drive member projecting from one side of the transmission case means and drivingly connected to the first ground engageable propulsion means and the second transmission means comprises a second drive member projecting from the opposite side of the transmission case means and extending transversely across the vehicle so as to be drivingly connected to the ground engageable propulsion means.

34. A vehicle according to claim 32 wherein the transmission case means comprises a pair of spaced, preferably parallel, side walls between which said first and second transmission means are disposed.

35. A vehicle according to claim 34 wherein the side walls are provided with extension parts which comprise side walls of an upright disposed on said one side only of the vehicle and providing in an upward region thereof, said pivotal mounting means for the boom assembly.

36. A vehicle according to claim 1 wherein the remote control unit has a left hand joystick and a right hand joystick to provide propulsion control of the vehicle.

37. A vehicle according to claim 36 wherein the remote control unit is provided with at least one auxiliary joystick arranged to provide operation of at least one of the first auxiliary and second auxiliary.