U.S. patent number 3,661,214 [Application Number 05/095,978] was granted by the patent office on 1972-05-09 for side-by-side tractor combination.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Caterpillar Tractor Co.. Invention is credited to Frank A. Grooss, William C. Morgan, Robert A. Peterson, Robert N. Stedman, Max J. Teasdale.
United States Patent |
3,661,214 |
Peterson , et al. |
May 9, 1972 |
SIDE-BY-SIDE TRACTOR COMBINATION
Abstract
Two or more tractor vehicles are disposed in a highly stable
unitized side-by-side relationship to apply increased tractive
effort to a single working implement such as a bulldozer blade.
Disengageable bracing structure couples the adjacent tractors to
maintain parallelism and a pre-determined longitudinal relationship
without subjecting localized regions of the assembly to excessive
stress. In a preferred form, the bracing maintains these
relationships while providing for independent oscillations of the
tractors in response to terrain irregularities.
Inventors: |
Peterson; Robert A. (San
Leandro, CA), Grooss; Frank A. (Morton, IL), Morgan;
William C. (Chillicothe, IL), Stedman; Robert N.
(Chillicothe, IL), Teasdale; Max J. (Joliet, IL) |
Assignee: |
Caterpillar Tractor Co.
(Peoria, IL)
|
Family
ID: |
22254470 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/095,978 |
Filed: |
December 7, 1970 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
|
635803 |
May 31, 1971 |
|
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
172/814;
180/6.48; 172/827 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E02F
3/80 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
E02F
3/76 (20060101); E02F 3/80 (20060101); E02f
003/76 () |
Field of
Search: |
;172/801,803,809
;180/6.48,14 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Pulfrey; Robert E.
Assistant Examiner: Pellegrino; Stephen C.
Parent Case Text
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 635,803, filed
5-31-71, now abandoned.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A unitized multiple tractor assembly comprising; a plurality of
tractors disposed in a substantially parallel and side-by-side
relationship, and bracing structure coupling said tractors to
maintain said relationship in the presence of unequal forces acting
on said tractors, said bracing structure having a component
coupling forward portions of adjacent ones of said tractors with a
front brace member extending transversely relative to said tractors
at the forward ends thereof and being coupled to each of said
tractors through flexible joints, said bracing structure having a
component coupling more rearward portions of said tractors with a
rear brace member extending transversely relative to said tractors
at the back ends thereof and being coupled to each of said tractors
through flexible joints, said bracing structure further having a
diagonal brace member extending between each adjacent pair of said
tractors, said diagonal brace member being coupled to one of said
tractors at a point forward from the coupling to the other thereof
and being coupled to each of said tractors through flexible joints,
said flexible joints enabling each of said tractors to undergo a
limited amount of lateral and longitudinal oscillation
independently of the others of said tractors, wherein said diagonal
brace is selectively extensible and contractible whereby one of
said adjacent pair of tractors may be advanced relative to the
other to angle a working implement carried by said unitized
multiple tractor assembly.
2. A unitized multiple tractor assembly having three tractors
disposed in a substantially parallel and side-by-side relationship
including a right tractor, a left tractor, and a center tractor
disposed therebetween, and bracing structure coupling said tractors
to maintain said relationship in the presence of unequal forces
acting on said tractors, said bracing structure being comprised
of:
a rigid front brace member extending transversely relative to said
tractors at the forward ends thereof, said front brace being
coupled to said right and left tractors by flexible joints and
being coupled to said center tractor by guide means providing for
vertical movement of said center tractor relative to said front
brace,
a pair of rear brace members each extending from said center
tractor to a separate one of said right and left tractors and each
being coupled to each of said tractors by flexible joints, and
a pair of diagonal braces, each extending from a separate side of
said center tractor to a longitudinally spaced point on a separate
one of said right and left tractors and being coupled to said
tractors through flexible joints.
3. A powered earth working apparatus comprising:
a plurality of tractors disposed in a substantially side-by-side
and parallel relationship,
a bulldozer blade disposed forwardly from said tractors and in a
substantially transverse relationship thereto,
a push arm coupling said blade to each of said tractors whereby
said blade is carried thereby and whereby said blade forms a front
cross brace between said tractors,
a rear cross-brace member extending transversely between each
adjacent pair of said tractors at a position spaced rearwardly from
said blade, and
a diagonal brace member extending between an adjacent pair of said
tractors and being coupled to one of said pair of tractors at a
point situated forwardly from the coupling to the other of said
pair of tractors,
said blade being coupled to said push arms through flexible joints
and said rear cross braces and said diagonal brace being coupled to
said tractors through flexible joints whereby each of said tractors
is capable of a limited amount of independent motion,
bracing extending between said blade and at least one of said push
arms independently of said flexible joint therebetween for holding
said blade in a substantially erect position, said bracing
comprising
a singletree arm having a central portion thereof pivotally coupled
to said blade substantially midway between an adjacent pair of said
tractors, and a pair of braces each coupling a separate end of said
single tree arm with said push arm of a separate one of said
tractors, said braces having flexible couplings to said singletree
arm and said push arms.
4. The combination defined in claim 3 wherein said singletree arm
and said pair of braces are coplanar with the plane defined thereby
being inclined relative to said blade and said push arms.
5. A powered earth working apparatus comprising: a plurality of
tractors disposed in a substantially side-by-side and parallel
relationship,
a bulldozer blade disposed forwardly from said tractors and in a
substantially transverse relationship thereto,
a push arm coupling said blade to each of said tractors whereby
said blade is carried thereby and whereby said blade forms a front
cross brace between said tractors, said blade being coupled to said
push arms through flexible joints
a rear cross-brace member extending transversely between each
adjacent pair of said tractors at a position spaced rearwardly from
said blade, and
a diagonal brace member extending between an adjacent pair of said
tractors and being coupled to one of said pair of tractors at a
point situated forwardly from the coupling to the other of said
pair of tractors,
a torsion bar extending parallel to said blade between said
adjacent pair of tractors and being attached to said blade by means
providing for rotary movement of said torsion bar,
first and second levers projecting radially from spaced apart
portions of said torsion bar, and
a pair of links each coupling a separate one of said levers with
said push arm of a separate one of said tractors, said links having
a flexible coupling to said levers and to said push arms.
6. The combination defined in claim 5 wherein said levers project
from said torsion bar at substantially differing angles relative to
the axis thereof.
7. The combination defined in claim 5 wherein a first of said
levers and the associated one of said links is situated in the
region between a pair of said flexible joints which couple said
blade to said push arms and wherein the other of said levers and
the other of said links are situated outside said region.
8. Brace structure for unitizing a plurality of tractors disposed
in a substantially side-by-side and parallel relationship, and
which are capable of traveling in different directions in the
absence of said brace structure, said brace structure
comprising:
a bulldozer blade disposed forwardly from said tractors and in a
substantially transverse relationship thereto,
at least a pair of push arms coupling said blade to each of said
tractors to support said blade thereon, said blade and push arms
jointly forming a front cross brace between said tractors, for
preventing divergence or convergence of the front ends of said
tractors,
a rear cross-brace extending transversely and interconnecting each
adjacent pair of said tractors at a position spaced rearwardly from
said blade, and
a single diagonal brace member means extending diagonally and
interconnecting an adjacent pair of said tractors for preventing
distortion of the frame defined by said pair of tractors and said
front and rear cross braces.
9. The combination defined in claim 8 wherein said blade is coupled
to said push arms through flexible joints and wherein said rear
cross brace and said diagonal brace member means are coupled to
said tractors through flexible joints whereby each of said tractors
is capable of a limited amount of independent motion, and further
comprising bracing extending between said blade and at least one of
said push arms independently of said flexible joint therebetween
for holding said blade in a substantially erect position.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to tractors and more particularly to the
combining of a plurality of separable tractor vehicles for
operation as a unitary traction device for powering a common
load.
In earthworking projects and other operations of the type in which
tractors are employed there is a continuing demand for increased
tractive effort to power larger working implements or to apply more
force to existing equipment. Strip mining, for example, requires
the removal of large volumes of overburden and can be greatly
facilitated through the use of larger bulldozers and related
equipment. Similar needs are often present in connection with
highway construction, land reclamation and in many other
situations.
In theory, greater tractive effort can be provided for by scaling
up the size of existing tractor designs. In practice, several
serious difficulties may be encountered in using this approach to
the problem. Very large tractors are extremely expensive to
construct and operate and are therefore limited to certain
specialized applications in which high costs can be justified. A
user cannot economically employ such a tractor for a variety of
general purpose operations, many of which may not require extremely
high tractive force. Further, serious problems arise in connection
with transporting a very large tractor from one job site to
another. Such tractors may exceed the load carrying capacity of
many trucks, aircraft, highway bridges, road beds and the like and
may have dimensions which also create problems in transporting the
tractor by ordinary means.
For these reasons, it is frequently preferable to combine two or
more smaller tractors into a unitized assembly for powering a
single large load. The component tractors of such a unit may be
disengaged from each other when necessary for separate use,
maintenance, and for shipping purposes. Thus, such a unit is much
more adaptable and efficient from the standpoint of the general
purpose user in that extremely high tractive effort is available
when needed with the unit being readily divisible into two or more
separately usable units of smaller capacity.
In combining separately usable tractors to function as a unitized
traction device for a common load, it has heretofore been the
practice to arrange the tractors in tandem. One tractor is situated
behind the other and the two are coupled through a pivotable hitch,
with the controls of the two tractors being coordinated for
operation by a single individual. U.S. Pat. No. 3,245,488 to R. A.
Peterson, issued Apr. 14, 1966, and entitled "CONTROL ARRANGEMENT
AND STEERING OF TRACTORS IN TANDEM" discloses a multiple tractor
unit of this general type.
These tandem coupled tractor units are available commercially and
have proven to be very useful in many working situations. However,
the tractive base of such a unit is not appreciably broader than
that of a single tractor and there is no substantial gain in
stability with respect to lateral forces. Where a very broad
bulldozer blade or other implement is to be carried by the unit,
very high off-center stresses may be present and substantial design
complications are required to strengthen the assembly and to
prevent unwanted pivoting of one tractor relative to the other
about the coupling therebetween. Still another characteristic of
the tandem arrangement is that the implement is supported by only
one of the tractors with the other functioning principally to
provide tractive force.
For these and other reasons, the tandem coupled multiple tractor
units lack certain operational characteristics which would be
highly desirable for some applications, particularly where very
broad working implements are to be powered by the unit.
Some gain in the breadth of the tractive base may be realized by
utilizing the "Siamese" type of tractor, an example of which is
described in U.S. (Reissue) Pat. No. Re. 24,175 to R. A. Peterson,
issued July 3, 1956, for "TRACTOR WITH TWIN POWER PLANTS." In these
systems, two crawler tractor bodies each carrying a separate engine
but only one track are coupled together in a parallel relationship.
This provides for increased tractive effort and much more efficient
steering in an arrangement which can be divided into two parts for
shipping purposes. However, the components are not complete
tractors and cannot readily be adapted for separate use and thus
the system is not a multiple tractor unit in the sense that the
term is used herein.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a unitized multiple tractor assembly
providing for increased tractive effort with a broader, more
stable, tractive base and reduced stress concentrations. The
component tractors do not require complex modifications to adapt to
the unitized assembly and may readily be separated for shipping,
servicing, or individual use. Each component tractor may contribute
directly to the support of a common working implement such as a
bulldozer blade and each may apply tractive force directly
thereto.
In accordance with the invention, the component tractors are
disposed in an essentially side by side relationship and are
coupled together by bracing structure which maintains a forced
parallelism and a pre-determined longitudinal relationship in the
presence of high loading forces of variable magnitude and direction
and without requiring massive structure at any localized region of
the assembly. In general, elements of the bracing extend
transversely relative to the tractors at both forward and rearward
locations to maintain parallelism and extend diagonally to maintain
the longitudinal relationship. Where appropriate, a bulldozer blade
or other implement carried by the unit may be a component element
of the bracing while still being adjustable in any of several ways.
In some preferred embodiments of the invention, the bracing
maintains the above described relationships and stress distribution
while providing for independent oscillation of each component
tractor in response to terrain irregularities and the like.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a
multiple tractor combination in which component tractors may
perform parallel functions and are more completely unitized for
applying tractive effort to a common load while being readily
separable for independent use and for shipping, maintenance, and
the like.
It is another object of the invention to provide a multiple tractor
unit which is more stable in the presence of large load forces of
variable directions and magnitude and which is relatively free of
localized stress concentrations.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a multiple
tractor unit in which the tractors are held in a pre-determined
side-by-side relationship while being capable of independent
oscillations.
The invention, together with further objects and advantages
thereof, will be better understood by reference to the following
description of preferred embodiments in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the accompanying drawings:
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a first embodiment of the invention in
which two tractor vehicles are unitized with a single large
bulldozer blade;
FIG. 2 is a plan view of a second embodiment of the invention in
which a pair of tractors are unitized for carrying and operating a
single bulldozer blade and in which the tractors are independently
oscillatable in response to ground irregularities;
FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the unitized dual-tractor and
bulldozer embodiment of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a plan view of still another embodiment of the invention
in which a pair of independently oscillatable tractors are coupled
together as a unit with a single bulldozer and in which the
bulldozer blade may be angled relative to the direction of travel
of the tractor unit;
FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of the unitized multiple tractor
embodiment of FIG. 4; and
FIG. 6 is a plan view of still another embodiment of the invention
in which three tractors form a unitary traction device with each
being independently oscillatable relative to the others.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to the drawing and more particularly to FIG. 1
thereof, there is shown a left-hand tractor vehicle 11 and a second
or right-hand tractor vehicle 12 which are coupled together for
unitized operation in conjunction with a single very large
bulldozer blade 13. The tractors 11 and 12 may be crawler tractors
of essentially conventional design except insofar as couplings and
control coordinating elements are added for the purpose of
unitization as will hereinafter be described. In accordance with
the invention, the two tractors 11 and 12 are disposed in a spaced
apart side-by-side relationship, with the bulldozer blade 13 being
situated forward from the tractors and in transverse relation
thereto.
In accordance with an important advantage of the invention, the
blade 13 is carried by both tractors 11 and 12 and both apply
tractive force directly thereto. For this purpose, each tractor 11
and 12 has a pair of push-arms including outer push-arms 14 and
inner push-arms 16 having rearward ends coupled to opposite sides
of the associated tractor by ball and socket joints 17 so that the
arms may pivot in vertical planes. The forward end of each push-arm
14 and 16 is coupled to the back of blade 13 at one of a series of
spaced apart pivot joints 18. To hold the blade 13 in an upright
position, one of a pair of tilt braces 19 and 19' extends from the
central portion of each outer push-arm 14 to the top of the back of
the blade 13 and is pivotably connected to each such element. To
provide for adjusting the tilt of the blade 13, one of the braces
19' may be a double acting fluid jack, with the other brace 19
being of fixed length. Operation of the jack 19' thus acts to
change the tilt of the blade 13 in the manner described in U.S.
Pat. No. 3,049,820 to R. W. Lichti, issued Aug. 21, 1962, and
entitled "DIAGONAL BRACE MOUNTING FOR BULLDOZER BLADES." The
elevation of blade 13 is controlled by a pair of lift jacks 21 at
each tractor 11 and 12 extending from pivot connections 22 at the
sides of the associated tractor body to the back of the blade at
pivot couplings 23. Thus, contraction of the jacks 21 raises the
blade 13 and push-arms 14 and 16 through a pivoting motion about
joints 17 while extension of the jacks 21 lowers the blade.
The construction as described to this point ties together the two
tractors 11 and 12 and the blade 13 to form a unit in which the
blade 13 is carried by both tractors and in which both tractors
directly supply tractive effort thereto. Although the blade 13 may
be of unusually great breadth, it is not subjected to extreme
bending forces inasmuch as it is supported at points distributed
along substantially its entire length by the spaced apart push-arms
14 and 16. However, in the absence of further provisions, extremely
precise coordination of the movement of the two tractors 11 and 12
is needed to avoid concentrated stresses at several points such as
the center portion of the blade between the two tractors or the
joints 17 and 18 at each end of the push-arms. Under certain
conditions, such as in turning and where localized ground
irregularities are encountered, these exceedingly high stresses
cannot be avoided even by the most precise coordination of the two
tractors. Accordingly, the unitized multiple tractor assembly is
provided with additional bracing members to avoid these stress
concentrations and thus to avoid the need for very massive
construction of several components. To be effective for this
purpose, such means must aid in holding the tractors 11 and 12 in
the parallel relationship and in the pre-determined longitudinal
relationship which in this embodiment includes co-planarity of the
front and rearward ends of both tractors.
To hold the two tractors 11 and 12 in forced parallelism, a rear
cross-brace 24 extends transversely therebetween in spaced
relationship from the blade 13 and preferably at the back of the
tractors. To provide for separate use of the two tractors 11 and 12
when desired, the cross-brace 24 is attached to each thereof by a
disengageable connection such as a pair of ball and socket joints
26 each coupling one end of the cross-brace to the drawbar
structure 27 of the adjacent tractor. Thus, the cross-brace 24
acting in conjunction with the blade 13 and tractors 11 and 12
forms a rectangular structure which locks the two tractors into the
desired parallel relationship without subjecting the blade 13 and
push-arms 14 and 16 to excessive stresses.
To hold the two tractors 11 and 12 in the side-by-side longitudinal
relationship without excessive stress on the components which
support the blade 13, a diagonally directed brace 28 extends
between the two inner push-arms 16 and is coupled to each thereof
by a ball and socket joint 29. Since the joint 29 which couples
brace 28 to one push-arm 16 is situated well to the rear of the
joint 29' at the other push-arm, the brace effectively resists any
tendency of the rectangle defined by the blade 13, cross-brace 24,
and the two tractors 11 and 12 to distort into a parallelogram and
thereby severely stress the several connections between these
elements. In the absence of the diagonal brace 28, such
concentrated stresses could easily arise from a slight difference
in the speeds or effective traction of the two tractors. Inasmuch
as the unitized multiple tractor assembly is generally steered by
changing the relative speeds of the two tractors, such stresses
would necessarily arise during turns.
To further strengthen the structure against distortion in the
presence of stress, a diagonal brace 31 extends from each of the
push-arms 14 and 16 to connect with the back of blade 13 at the
region forward from the center of the associated one of the
tractors 11 and 12. To avoid concentrating stress at localized
regions of the push-arms 14 and 16, braces 31 connect thereto
through pivot joints 32, having pivot axes normal to the plane
defined by the push-arms, and are connected to the back of the
blade 13 through torsion bar assemblies 33. The torsion bar
assemblies 33 relieve the stress which might otherwise develop from
tilting of the blade 13 and from lateral loading forces thereon and
may be of the general type described in the hereinbefore identified
U.S. Pat. No. 3,049,820. Each such assembly 33 is comprised of a
horizontal torsion bar 34 disposed parallel to the back of the
blade 13 and having ball and socket connections 36 at each end to
one of the diagonal braces 31. Each such torsion bar 34 is coupled
to the back of the blade 13 through a pair of upwardly projecting
ears 37 which are pivoted to brackets 38 projecting rearwardly from
the blade with the pivot axis being parallel to that of the torsion
bar. As described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,049,820, the slight freedom of
movement of torsion bar 34 about the pivot formed by ears 37 and
brackets 38 provides for resisting distortion of the right angle
relationship of the push-arms 14 and 16 and blade 13, but does not
concentrate stress in a single one of the diagonal braces during
tilting of the blade.
To further strengthen the assembly, an essentially similar torsion
bar assembly 33' is attached to the back of the blade 13 between
the two inner push-arms 16 by ears 37' and brackets 38'. One of an
additional pair of diagonal braces 31' extends from each end of a
torsion bar 34' to the push-arms and ball and socket joints 39
connect the braces with both the torsion bar and the push-arms.
Suitable techniques for coordinating the movements of two tractors
for control by a single operator are known to the art. Such systems
require signal lines between the two tractors which may variously
be hydraulic or electrical conduits according to the type of system
employed. In the present invention, the necessary control
connection conduits 41 preferably extend along the rear cross-brace
24.
In the above described embodiment of FIG. 1, the two tractors 11
and 12 are forcibly held in the preferred relationship relative to
each other and relative to the blade 13 without excessive
structural complication and without creating localized regions of
extreme stress. However, in many instances, it is desirable that
the two tractors be able to undergo several forms of movement
independently of each other while being forcibly held in the
parallel side-by-side relationship. It is advantageous, for
example, if each tractor may oscillate about a longitudinal axis,
rock relative to a transverse axis, and rise or drop without
forcing a corresponding motion of the other tractor. This limited
freedom of movement is desirable in that it further reduces
potential stress concentrations, particularly where there are
localized irregularities in the ground or other surface over which
the multiple tractor unit must travel. Referring now to FIGS. 2 and
3 in conjunction, a second embodiment of the invention is shown in
which the component tractors are capable of this kind of limited
independent movement.
As in the previous instance, the multiple tractor unit 42 has
side-by-side left-hand and right-hand tractors 43 and 44
respectively. To support a bulldozer blade 46, which is situated
forward from the tractors 43 and 44 and transverse thereto, each
tractor has a C-frame 47. Each such C-frame 47 includes arms 48,
connected by an integral cross member section 49 at the front ends,
which extend rearwardly on opposite sides of the tractor and which
are coupled thereto at ball and socket joints 51 so that the
C-frames may be pivoted about an axis transverse to the associated
tractor. Pivoting of the C-frames 47 is effected by a pair of
hydraulic lift jacks 52 each of which is carried at the forward end
of a separate one of the tractors 43 and 44. Each jack 52 has a
lower end pivotably coupled to the center of the C-frame cross
member 49 and an upper end pivotably coupled to a bracket 53 at the
top forward end of the associated tractor.
A forwardly projecting ball 54 is mounted at the center of each
C-frame cross member section 49 and is received in one of a pair of
sockets 56 on the back of the blade 46 thereby providing a flexible
coupling between the blade and each of the two tractors 43 and
44.
The universal type of coupling between the blade 46 and tractors 43
and 44 formed by the balls 54 and sockets 56 provides for the
support of the blade and the application of tractive force thereto
while providing for the limited independent movements of either
tractor in response to ground irregularities as discussed above. To
lock the two tractors 43 and 44 into the desired parallel
relationship without interfering with this freedom of movement, a
rear cross-brace 57 again extends between the two tractors in
parallel relationship to the blade and at a position rearwardly
spaced therefrom. The cross-brace 57 may again be connected between
the drawbar structures 58 of the two tractors and is coupled
thereto by ball and socket joints 59 wherein the balls 61 are part
of the tractor drawbars and project upwardly therefrom.
The bracing between the two tractors 43 and 44 formed by the blade
46 and rear cross-brace 57 defines a rectangle which, in the
absence of further bracing, would be capable of distorting into a
parallelogram inasmuch as the joints 54 and 59 are all pivotable.
Thus, the blade 46 and cross-brace 57 maintain the tractors
parallel but do not by themselves force the desired longitudinal
relationship therebetween. This is accomplished by an additional
brace 62 which extends diagonally between the two tractors 43 and
44. Brace 62 is coupled to the inside track roller frame 64 of each
tractor by a ball and socket joint 63 with the joint 63' at one of
the tractors 43 being situated well forwardly of the joint at the
other of the tractors 44. Thus, the brace 62 in conjunction with
blade 46 and cross brace 57 locks the two tractors 43 and 44 into
the desired unitary system while providing for the above described
independent movements of each tractor.
When the forward cross-brace is a working implement, such as the
bulldozer blade 46, which must be held upright, an additional
connection to the tractors is needed for this purpose. A highly
advantageous means is a single-tree assembly 66 which extends from
the upper center portion of the blade 46 to the inside arm 48' of
each C-frame 47 to hold the blade erect without restricting the
above described freedom of movement of the two tractors.
Assembly 66 has a pair of braces 67 each extending upwardly and
forwardly from a bracket 68 at the forward portion of a separate
one of the inside arms 48' of the C-frames 47. Each brace 67
inclines towards blade 46 at an angle of about 45.degree. and is
inclined at a smaller angle, 15.degree. in this instance, towards
the center of the blade 46 to connect with one end of a single-tree
member 69 at a pivot joint 71. The opposite end of each brace 67 is
connected to the C-frame bracket 68 through another pivot joint 72
and the pivot axes of both sets of joints 71 and 72 are normal to
the plane defined by the two braces 67. Single-tree 69 is itself
pivoted, at a point midway between the joints 71, to the top
central portion of the blade 46 by a pivot pin 76 which is also
aligned normal to the plane defined by the two braces 67.
The single-tree assembly 66 functions to hold the blade 46 erect,
with only minor changes in pitch, while the tractors undergo
sizable oscillations. In a representative embodiment of the
invention, one of the tractors may turn approximately 20.degree.
about a longitudinal axis extending through ball joints 54 and 59
while the other tractor oscillates a similar amount in a reverse
rotational sense. While at this extreme position, one tractor is
still capable of rising approximately 4 feet relative to he other.
Thus, the system is well able to accommodate to severe terrain
irregularities without creating extreme stresses in any of the
structural components.
Variations may be made in the structure for holding the blade 46
upright while still providing for separate oscillation and
independent lifting of the tractors and still other modifications
are possible to provide for greater adjustability of the blade or
other implement. FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate a construction in which
the above described single-tree assembly is replaced with a torsion
bar assembly 77 and in which one tractor may be advanced relative
to the other to angle the blade. In this modification of the
invention, the two tractors 43' and 44' carry a bulldozer blade 46'
on C-frames 47', with the blade being joined to the C-frame through
universal joints formed by balls 54' and sockets 56' in an
arrangement which may be essentially similar to that hereinbefore
described with reference to the embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3.
Referring again to FIGS. 4 and 5, the side-by-side relationship of
the two tractors 43' and 44' is again stabilized by a rear
cross-brace 57' extending between the drawbars 48' of the two
tractors and coupled thereto through ball and socket joints 59',
and by a diagonal brace 62' extending between ball and socket
joints 63' at the adjacent sides of the two tractors. To control
the elevation of the blade 46', one of a pair of synchronized
hydraulic lift jacks 52' is coupled between each C-frame 47' and a
bracket 53' at the top front of the associated one of the tractors
43' and 44'.
In any of the several embodiments of the invention described
herein, certain elements described as rigid braces may be made
adjustable in length by any of various means to provide desired
forms of adjustability to the multiple tractor unit as a whole. In
the embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5 for example, the diagonal brace 62'
which extends between the two tractors 43' and 44' is a hydraulic
jack which may be extended or contracted to provide for moving one
tractor slightly ahead of the other and for holding the two
tractors in this relationship. This provides for angling the blade
46' relative to the direction of travel of the tractors 43' and
44'. The ball and socket connections at the several joints 54' and
59' between the tractors 43' and 44', the blade 46', and the
supplementary bracing structures 57' and 62' as described above
readily provide for this operation.
Assembly 77, which holds the blade 46' upright in this embodiment
of the invention, is comprised of a torsion bar rod 78 disposed
parallel to the blade and which has ends extending through a pair
of spaced apart brackets 79 at the back of the blade so that the
torsion bar is held thereon while being rotatable. One of a pair of
short levers 81 and 81' extends radially from each end of the
torsion bar 78 at the brackets 79, the two levers forming an angle
of approximately 90.degree. with respect to each other relative to
the axis of the torsion bar. Links 82 and 82' extend from the ends
of levers 81 and 81' respectively to the top of the adjacent one of
the C-frames 47', the links being coupled to the levers and to the
C-frames by ball and socket joints 83 and 84 respectively. Thus,
while some minor change of pitch may occur, the blade 46' is held
in an essentially upright position irrespective of lateral or
longitudinal oscillations of one tractor relative to the other.
If the two levers 81 and 81' are situated directly over the balls
56' which couple the blade 46' to C-frames 47', then angling of the
blade by advancing one tractor has a minimal effect on the ability
of the torsion bar assembly to adjust to independent oscillations
of the tractors. However, this positioning of the levers may not
always be practical due to the presence of other elements such as
the lift cylinders 52'. If both levers 81 and 81' are located
either inside or outside the span between sockets 56', the blade
angling will reduce the ability of the torsion bar assembly 77 to
accommodate to tractor oscillation. This is avoided in the
embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5 by situating one lever 81' inside the
span between the sockets 56' and situating the other lever outside
the span. In particular, lever 81' connects to the inside arm of
C-frame 47' of tractor 44' while lever 81 connects to the outside
arm of the C-frame of tractor 43'.
The structure for joining tractors to form a unitary traction
device as hereinbefore described may be adapted to units having
more than a pair of component tractors. Referring now to FIG. 6,
there is shown a unitized assembly 86 having three component
tractors including a left-hand tractor 87, center tractor 88 and
right-hand tractor 89. The three tractors 87, 88 and 89 are again
shown in a combination which includes blade 91, it being understood
that the blade may be replaced with another form of working
implement. If the unitized tractor assembly 86 is to push, or draw,
a separately supported load, a simpler structural member may be
substituted for the blade to provide the cross-bracing at the
forward portions of the three tractors.
To couple each of the three tractors 87, 88 and 89 to the blade 91,
each tractor has a C-frame 92 with a pair of arms 93 which extend
rearwardly along opposite sides of the tractor and which are
coupled thereto at pivot joints 94. The two outermost tractors 87
and 89 are coupled to the blade 91 by ball and socket couplings 96
at the center of the associated C-frame 92. As will hereinafter be
discussed in more detail, the center tractor 88 is free to move
vertically relative to the blade 91 as well as the other two
tractors; and accordingly, the coupling between the center tractor
and the blade 91 is by means of a roller 97 mounted at the center
of the associated C-frame 92 on a shaft 98 which projects forward
therefrom into a vertically aligned guide channel member 99. Guide
99 is secured to the back of blade 91 and has inwardly angled edges
101 that lock the roller 97 into the guide channel. Thus, the
forward end of the center tractor 88 is constrained against lateral
movement to maintain parallelism with the outer tractors 87 and 89
while being free to move vertically independently of the other
tractors and independently of the bulldozer blade 91.
The bracing structure for maintaining the three tractors in a
parallel relationship is completed by a pair of rear cross-braces
102 each of which extends transversely between the center tractor
88 and a separate one of the outer tractors 87 and 89. Each rear
cross-brace 102 is coupled to the associated one of the outer
tractors 87 and 89 by a ball and socket joint 103 at the tractor
drawbar structure 104. To provide for independent vertical movement
of any one tractor, the rear cross-braces 102 connect to the
drawbar 106 of the center tractor 88 through a compound pivot and
ball and socket joint assembly 107.
Assembly 107 may have a connector member 108 forming a socket which
engages with an upright ball stud 109 on the center tractor drawbar
106 and which has a pair of spaced apart parallel wings 111 at each
side between which the adjacent end of a cross-brace 102 is
received. Pins 112 pivotably couple each cross-brace 102 to the
connector wings 111.
The rectangular configuration defined by the blade 91, rear
cross-braces 102, and the tractors 87, 88 and 89 is braced against
unwanted distortion into a parallelogram by a pair of diagonal
braces 113 each of which extends between the rearward portion of
the center tractor 88 to the forward portion of a separate one of
the outer tractors 87 and 89. Each of the diagonal braces 113 is
coupled at each end to the adjacent tractor through a ball and
socket joint 114 so that the braces do not restrict the desired
independent motions of any one of the tractors.
To hold the blade 91 upright without inhibiting the desired freedom
of movement of the three tractors 87, 88 and 89, a torsion bar 78'
is journaled to the back of the blade in the manner hereinbefore
described with reference to the embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5 and is
coupled to the C-frames 92 of the outermost tractors 87 and 89 in
the previously described manner by levers 81" and diagonal links
82". Torsion bar 78' is situated above the level of the C-frame 92
of the center tractor 88 and has no direct connection thereto.
It will be apparent that many variations and modifications are
possible within the scope of the invention.
* * * * *