Land vehicles – Wheeled – Running gear
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-17
2001-10-09
English, Peter C. (Department: 3619)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Running gear
C280S124110
Reexamination Certificate
active
06299188
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
1. Field of Art
The present invention relates to an agricultural vehicle having a front axle mounted on a suspension in a manner that permits the front axle to move up and down in relation to the vehicle body and to pivot about the vehicle longitudinal axis so as to allow the wheels on the ends of the axle to move up and down independently. A tractor of this type is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,216,812.
2. Description of Prior Art
In a vehicle in which the front axle can only pivot about a longitudinal axis of the vehicle and cannot move up and down in relation to the vehicle body, it is possible to limit the rotation of the front axle along the vehicle longitudinal axis by providing fixed stops on the vehicle body that collide with the top surface of the housing of the axle at the limits of its permitted range of movement. Such suspension stops cannot however be used when the axle can move up and down as they would allow excessive pivoting of the axle when the axle has moved away from the vehicle body.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a suspension stop for appropriately limiting the rotation of the axle about the longitudinal axis of the vehicle regardless of the height of the vehicle body above the axle.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
According to the present invention, there is provided an agricultural vehicle having a front axle mounted on a suspension in a manner that permits the front axle to move up and down in relation to the vehicle body and to pivot about the vehicle longitudinal axis so as to allow the wheels on the ends of the axle to move up and down independently.
The vehicle is characterized in that the housing of the axle comprises a stop plate that projects vertically upwards towards the vehicle body and the vehicle body comprises abutment surfaces. The abutment surfaces straddle the stop plate and abut the side edges of the stop plate thus limiting the permitted range of rotation of the front axle about the vehicle longitudinal axis.
In the invention, because of its vertical length, the stop plate remains between the abutment surfaces in all vertical positions of the axle relative to the vehicle body and the stop plate will abut different regions of the abutment surfaces depending on the height of the vehicle body above the axle. By suitably shaping the side edges of the stop plate and the abutment surfaces it is possible to vary the range of angular movement of the axle in dependence upon the height of the vehicle above the axle.
The abutment surfaces on the vehicle body and the stop plate are preferably so shaped as to minimise the range of rotation of the axle about the vehicle longitudinal axis when the height of the vehicle above the axle is small (e.g. to avoid interference between the steerable wheels and the tractor chassis) and to maximise the range of rotation of the axle about the vehicle longitudinal axis when the height of the vehicle above the axle is large.
To this end the stop plate may have a first region nearer the axle housing in which the side edges of the stop plate have a small angle of taper and a second region further from the axle housing in which the sides edges of the stop plate have a larger angle of taper.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1383203 (1921-06-01), Hartsock
patent: 5322310 (1994-06-01), Hurlburt
patent: 5879016 (1999-03-01), Altherr et al.
patent: 2-102811 (1990-04-01), None
patent: 6-48150 (1994-02-01), None
Barnard Eric
Pertusi Pierluigi
English Peter C.
Miller Larry W.
New Holland North America Inc.
Stader John William
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