Motor vehicles – Having at least one wheel both driven and steerable – Steerable wheel has exclusive axis of pivot
Patent
1984-08-02
1986-07-01
Pekar, John A.
Motor vehicles
Having at least one wheel both driven and steerable
Steerable wheel has exclusive axis of pivot
180312, B60K 1730
Patent
active
045974683
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to a compact industrial vehicle which is fitted or, is adapted to be fitted, with an appliance. More specially the invention relates to a compact loading vehicle with a loading shovel or if desired with a digging contrivance, a snow plow or some other appliance.
Operations undertaken with such attachments frequently have to take place in situations where space is at a premium, as for example on highway construction sites, in narrow streets, in ships' holds or in connection with indoor building or assembly operations. For such construction sites highly maneuverable compact motorized loaders may be used that are sold under the name of "Bobcat". With such vehicles steering is by braking that wheels on one side or even turning them in the opposite direction to the other side so that a very tight turning circle is possible. However, there is then the drawback of rapid tire wear and substantial loading or churning up of the ground; furthermore the vehicle is hard to drive, because the wheel spacing has to be small. Moreover to shorten the vehicle the loading means is pivoted on the back end on both sides of the vehicle and runs forwards along the side of the vehicle, but this makes it harder for the driver to get on and off the vehicle and obstructs his view and the vehicle is more likely to tip over. A further substantial shortcoming is the small ground clearance.
On the other hand the construction of very small, maneuverable industrial vehicles with steered driven axles also runs up against considerable difficulties since conventional wheel steering systems only make it possible for the wheel on the inner side when cornering to be swiveled through about 40.degree., although steered and driven axles have been designed to swivel through up to 60.degree.. It has not however so far been possible for wheels on driven axles to be swiveled through larger angles because of the design of the shafts with two universal joints.
Furthermore an industrial vehicle as been proposed in the German Offenlegungsschrift specification No. 2,902.446 with four driven wheels that are mounted on separate upright wheel legs. The drive shaft is in this case placed within a hollow steering shaft and the means for supporting the wheel bearing and a bevel transmission for connection of the upright driving shaft with the horizontal driving shaft are placed next to each wheel near its axis. This known vehicle, that was designed as a light-weight and light-duty vehicle, has a quite inadequate ground clearance because of the components associated with the wheels, and the driver has to keep such lack of clearance constantly in mind more specially during off-road operations. Furthermore the known design of vehicle was hardly suitable for use with appliances like shovels having a heavy power requirement for operation.
In connection with attempts in the prior art to design industrial vehicles which may be steered in all directions (see the German Gebrauchsmuster Pat. No. 8,031,892), there was a proposal to mount the wheels of a fork lift truck like the wheels of a gantry or load-straddling crane on special freely swiveling legs running radially upwards from the wheels. Each wheel hub was then to be fitted with a hydraulic or electric drive motor. For steering, the wheel legs were to be swiveled by way of bevel gearing. Because all of the vehicle body was placed higher up than the level of the tops of the wheels, the vehicle was relatively tall and its center of gravity was correspondingly high up, so that stability was impaired and might well be insufficient for lifting heavy loads.
In a further proposal (see German Offenlegungsschrift specification No. 2,905,528) aimed at improving the design of the vehicle and more specially to increase stability and make it easier to board, parts of the chassis were to be placed like a gantry over the wheels. This known form of chassis had an outer chassis with the legs and a lower inner chassis obstructing the swiveling of the wheels. This form of chassis design would not be suitab
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patent: 3306390 (1967-02-01), Jamme
patent: 3677572 (1972-07-01), Fontan
patent: 4289214 (1981-09-01), Spence
Mini-Tractor Takes On Full Size Jobs, Machine Design, Apr. 22, 1982.
Kramer-Werke GmbH
Pekar John A.
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