Articulated crawler dozer with direct load path structure

• US 7,451,840 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2005
• Issued: 11/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Radke, Daniel Dean, Nagorcka, James Arthur, Allen, Lyal Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Hurley; Kevin
• Application Number:
  US11/286,733
• Publication Number:
  US 20060124380A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,091 Days
• Field of Search: 180/9.44, 180/6.64, 280/461.1, 373/66
• US Class Current: 180/9.44
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 21/073 between wheels on the same axle but on different sides of the vehicle, i.e. the left and right wheel suspensions being interconnected
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/09 Construction vehicles, e.g. graders, excavators
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 21/186 for building site vehicles or multi-purpose tractors tracked vehicles B62D55/10; tractors in general B62D49/00; building site vehicles in general E02F; lift-trucks B66F
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/0655 Articulated endless track vehicles steering specially adapted for trailers B62D13/00; articulated buses B62D47/025; tractor-trailer combinations or road trains comprising a uni-axle unit and a uni-axle trailer B62D53/02
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/112 with fluid springs, e.g. hydraulic pneumatic
• 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

Abstract

An articulated loader has an articulated chassis, two A-frames, and four track assemblies. A narrow portion each of the A-frames faces a narrow portion of the other A-frame. The articulated chassis includes a front portion and a rear portion. Likewise, there is a front or first A-frame and a rear or second A-frame. The A-frames are connected to the overall chassis at points close to but offset from the point of vehicle articulation via ball joints and via hydraulic suspension cylinders toward the wider portions of the “A”s. The chassis of the vehicle is suspended above the first and second A-frames. The vehicle is propelled along the ground by tracks that are independently suspended. The bulk of the load from the blade, i.e., the blade load, is transferred directly to the tracks via the first and second Aframes; the first and second ball joints and pivot connections between the first and second A-frames and the track frames for each track assembly. Thus the chassis sees little of the blade load allowing for a lighter, less bulky vehicle.

Claims

1. An articulated dozer, comprising:

a blade;

a C-frame, the blade operatively connected to the C-frame;

a front chassis portion;

a rear chassis portion connected to the front chassis portion via an articulation joint;

a first A-frame;

a second A-frame, a length of the second A-frame being approximately equal to a length of the first A-frame, the front chassis portion and the rear chassis portion, respectively suspended above the first and second A-frames;

a first ball joint; and

a second ball joint, a narrow portion of the first A-frame connected to the front chassis portion via the first ball joint, a narrow portion of the second A-frame connected to the rear chassis via the second ball joint, the first ball joint and the second ball joint in proximity to the articulation joint;

a first track system pivotally attached to a first side of a wide portion of the first A-frame;

a second track system pivotally attached to a second side of the wide portion of the first A-frame, the C-frame connected to the first A-frame;

a third track system pivotally attached to a first side of a wide portion of the second A-frame;

a fourth track system pivotally attached to a second side of the wide portion of the second A-frame, a greater portion of a blade load transferring directly to the first and second track systems via the C-frame and the first A-frame, a remainder of the blade load transferring directly to the third and forth track systems via the first ball joint, the second ball joint and the second A-frame.

2. The articulated dozer of claim 1, wherein a greater portion of a blade load transfers directly to the first and second track systems via the C-frame and the first A-frame, a reminder of the blade load transferring directly to the third and fourth track systems via the first ball joint, the second ball joint and the second A-frame.

3. An articulated dozer, comprising:

a blade;

a blade mounting structure, the blade operatively connected to the blade support frame;

a first chassis portion;

an articulation joint;

a second chassis portion connected to the first chassis portion via the articulation joint;

a first chassis support frame;

a second chassis support frame, a length of the second support frame being approximately equal to a length of the first support frame, the first chassis portion and the second chassis portion, respectively suspended above the first and second chassis support frames, the first chassis support frame pivotally attached to the first chassis portion in proximity to the articulation joint, the second support frame pivotally attached to the second chassis portion in proximity to the articulation joint;

a first track system pivotally attached to a first side of the first chassis support frame;

a second track system pivotally attached to a second side of the first chassis support frame, the blade support frame connected to the first support frame;

a third track system pivotally attached to a first side of the second support frame;

a fourth track system pivotally attached to a second side of the second support frame.

4. The articulated dozer of claim 3, wherein a greater portion of a blade load transfers directly to the first and second track systems via the blade mounting structure and the first chassis support frame, a remainder of the blade load transferring directly to the second chassis support frame and the third and fourth track systems.

5. The articulated dozer of claim 3, wherein the first chassis support frame comprises a first A-frame.

6. The articulated dozer of claim 4, wherein the second chassis support frame comprises a second A-frame.

7. The articulated dozer of claim 3, wherein the blade mounting structure comprises a C-frame.