Toe-in/toe-out adjustment mechanism

Details Toe-in/toe-out adjustment mechanism Toe-in/toe-out adjustment mechanism

2000-01-06

2001-08-14

Morano, S. Joseph (Department: 3617)

Wheel substitutes for land vehicles

Track guide or alignment mechanism

C305S125000, C305S143000, C305S145000, C305S153000, C305S120000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06273530

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the toe-in/toe-out orientation of a wheel. It is particularly well adapted for adjusting the toe-in/toe-out orientation of an idler on a belted tracked vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Track vehicles comprise a vehicle main frame having a track frame extending therefrom. An engine powers a transmission that drives two drive wheels extending out each side of the vehicle. The track frame is provided with two idlers spaced along a longitudinal axis from the drive wheels. The track frame has left and right sides that may be rigidly joined together, or joined together by an equalizer bar or axle. A track is entrained about each drive wheel/idler pair. Track rollers may also extend downwardly from the track frame to run on the track an distribute the weight of the vehicle. The track can be conventional steel crawler chain to which grouser plates are attached, rubber belted tracks of the type used on agricultural tractors, or ladder tracks wherein a flexible cables or chains are coupled to one another by transversely extending members.
For any track vehicle to work properly, the track must be correctly tensioned and the idler wheel correctly oriented relative to the driven wheel. This is especially true with belted track tractors because of the high tension loads. With the Deere 8000T series of belted track tractors, manufactured and marketed by the assignee of the present application, the idler is rotatively mounted to a tension link. The idler defines a transverse axis. The tension link in turn is pivotally coupled to a J-link. The pivot axis of the tension link relative to the idler is parallel to the transverse axis of the idler. The J-link in turn is pivotally coupled to the track frame. The J-link is pivotable about a vertical axis. The J-link can be pivoted and locked in place by two screws extending inwardly from the sides of the track frame. By adjusting the position of the idler wheel about the vertical axis relative to the track frame the toe-in/toe-out orientation of the idler can be adjusted.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a compact, simple and robust adjustment mechanism for controlling the toe-in/toe-out orientation of the idler in a tracked vehicle.
The adjustment mechanism of the present invention is mounted to a frame and comprises an alignment cam having a tension link pivot pin. The alignment cam and tension link pivot pin being either a single integral part, or two separate parts. The alignment cam is provided with an actuating arm that is coupled to a longitudinally extendible adjusting member. The longitudinally extendible adjusting member comprising a screw jack. A tension link is pivotally mounted to the tension link pivot pin. Camming surfaces on the alignment cam are skewed with respect to the transverse axis defined by the tension link pivot pin so that rotation of the alignment cam twists the tension link and thereby the idler wheel predominately about a vertical axis. Albeit to a lesser degree, rotation of the alignment cam also twists the tension link and idler about a longitudinally extending horizontal axis. Therefore by extending or retracting the screw jack, the toe-in/toe-out orientation of the idler wheel can be adjusted.


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Deere & Company Technical Manual entitled “8100T, 8200T, 8300T and 8400T Tractors Repair”, cover and pp. 80-05-3 and 4, 80-10-3,and 80-15-4, John Deere Waterloo Works TM1621 (Jul. 10, 1997) printed in the U.S.A.

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