Motor vehicles – Bodies
Patent
1981-12-28
1984-05-29
Bertsch, Richard A.
Motor vehicles
Bodies
172 98, 296204, B62D 2118, B64F 122
Patent
active
044509251
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to wheeled industrial/agricultural tractors and in particular to such tractors modified to carry equipment and perform duties not normally associated with such machines.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a modified form of wheeled industrial/agricultral tractor which is suitable for use as an aircraft tug or to carry front mounted equipment.
Thus in accordance with the present invention there is provided a wheeled industrial/agricultural tractor having a chassis provided by a series arrangement of front axle support, engine block, transmission housing and back axle unit, the tractor being characterised by the provision of an equipment support frame in the form of a base plate carried beneath an operator's station portion of the chassis, and a pair of transversely spaced struts secured to the front portion of the base plate and arranged to extend forwardly thereof, the front ends of the struts having attachment means for the support of equipment at the front of the tractor, and in that first and second attachment means are provided for respectively securing the base plate and struts to the chassis.
In a tractor in accordance with the preceding paragraph by making the base plate of a substantial thickness (eg. 1" to 2" mild steel plate), the base plate not only forms part of the equipment support frame but also doubles as a ballast weight. This renders a tractor in accordance with the present invention particularly suitable for use as an aircraft tug since the necessary overall machine weight and desirable weight distribution can readily be achieved. When used as an aircraft tug a front equipment mounting plate carrying a front hitch may be attached to the front ends of the struts and a rear equipment mounting plate carrying a rear hitch may be attached to the rear portion of the base plate. In such an arrangement the pushing or pulling forces associated with the hitches are transmitted via the frame to the chassis.
In a preferred construction the base plate extends longitudinally from a location rearward of the rear wheels to a location in the vicinity of the junction between the engine block and transmission housing.
Transversely the base plate may extend over the full width of the tractor at certain locations with cut-outs to accommodate the rear wheels.
When a cab is fitted to the tractor this can be supported from the base plate and the base plate can form the floor of the cab.
The first attachment means preferably secure the base plate to the underside of a differential centre housing of the back axle unit, to the underside of the transmission housing, and to trumpet housings of the back axle unit.
The second attachment means comprises a transversely extending cross member which extends between the struts and is secured to the front axle support.
Alternatively the second attachment means may secure the struts to mounting points provided on the sides of the engine block.
It is a further feature of the present invention that the engine installation is arranged to enable body panelling over the front portion of the vehicle to provide good vision of any equipment mounted on the front of the tractor.
Thus, a radiator for engine cooling is disposed forwardly of the engine, the height of the radiator being less than that of the engine so that body panelling which covers the front portion of the tractor may extend from the front of the operators station in a downwardly sloping manner to give the improved forward vision referred to above.
As will be appreciated the above improved forward vision is of particular importance in a tractor for use as an aircraft tug. It has been found, by appropriate shaping of the above downwardly sloping body panelling arrangement to arrange that if the tractor is fitted, for example, with a front mounted NATO hitch with the inside of the top hitch jaw at the specified height of 30" from the ground, the top of the hitch pin will be clearly visible to the tractor driver as will also the front end of a stan
REFERENCES:
patent: 1843422 (1932-02-01), Henry
patent: 3924702 (1975-12-01), Heggen
patent: 3963084 (1976-06-01), Misan
patent: 4124079 (1978-11-01), Crow
patent: 4131225 (1978-12-01), Baver et al.
patent: 4155415 (1979-05-01), Lely
Bertsch Richard A.
Farris Robert L.
H. Cameron Gardner Ltd.
Massey-Ferguson Services N.V.
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