US1786430A - Endless-track vehicle - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 30, 1930. A, KEGRESSE 1,786,430

ENDLESS TRACK VEHI CLE Filed April 13, 1928 c: um ulm Patented Esc. 39, 1939 sara ADOLPHE KGR'ESSE, OF SURESNES, FRANCE ENDLESSTRA CK VEHICLE Application filed April 13, 1928, Serial No. 269,780, and in France April 15, 1927.

In vehicles of the endless track belt type, it has heretofore been usual to employ spindles for pivotally connecting the roller-carrying members ot' the train that bear on the lower 5 stretch of the belt; and it has also beenusual to employ for the saine purpose trunnions that are disposed centrally or' the train between the rollers. The iirst oi these two arrangements, however, requires a considerable lo spacing of the rollers in order to enable the passage of the floating axle or spindle therebetween; while the second arrangement, although it permits the rollers to be positioned closer together than the irst one, necessitates an outward slanting of the rollers with relation to the longitudinal vertical plane of the bearing train which involves complicated and expensive assembling and fitting up.

rlChe object of my invention is to provide 2e improved articulating or connecting devices for the component parts of the bearing train which will eliminate the above-mentioned disadvantages. y

ln the accompanying drawing:

Figure l is a view in side elevation showing the invention installed;

Fig. 2 is a section through the floating trunnions of one of the secondary rocking beams;

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section through 30 the supporting axle; and

Fig. 4 is a modification of Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, l indicates the supporting or carrier axle, connected in some suitable manner (not shown) with the chassis of the vehicle; the latter, will be apparent, being of the endless ilexible track belt type. The axle, as is customary, carries the r ller train which bears on the lower stretch ofthe track belt 49 and which, in the construction illustrated, embodies front and rear groups of double rollers 9 disposed at opposite `sides of axle l,

each group itself comprising two rollers, one in front of the other., connected to and carried by auxiliary rocking vbeams 8. as hereinafter described. lt is to be understood, of course, that there is a track belt at each side of the vehicle, and that each belt has a roller train associated with it.

To eachend of axle l is secured a sleevelike element 11 provided with a pair of spaced, depending cheeks 2 and 3; said sleeve, as a matter of fact, being made in two parts which are arranged end to end in abutting relation, and each of which carries one of the cheeks at its outer end, as shown in Fig. 3. The sleeve is designed to support the main rocking beam 6, which is of inverted troughshape in cross-section (Figs. 2%) so as to span and lit over the two central rollers of the train; said beam and cheeks having a central pivotal connection to permit the required rocking movement of the beam.

In the construction illustrated, this connection embodies a pair of laterally-projecting, annular trunnions 5 which iit rotatably in annular bearings 4l; the bearings being here shown as formed on or in the cheeks 2 and 3, while the trunnions 5 are provided on plates l2 secured to the side members of the beam 6, though such arrangement may, of course, be reversed; The beamis of convex or bow-shaped formation with its opposite end portions curved downward and terminating between the rollers of the respective Jfront and rear pairs (Fig. l); and the aforesaid beam ends are joined to the central portions of the previously-mentioned auxiliary beams 8 by pivotal connections similar to that be tween the cheek members of the sleeve and the main beam 6, the trunnions 7 thereof being, in this instance, formed on plates 13 secured to the sides of beam 6, while the bearings 14: are provided on or in the adjacent beams 8, which latter are flat instead ofHY trough-shaped in section. This arrangement likewise may be reversed, with the trunnions provided on the auxiliary beams and the bearings on or in the plates 18. Balls or other anti-friction elements l5 may be interposed between the trunnions 7 and bearings 14, as indicated in Fig. Ll.

As will be understood from the foregoing, the mounting above described enables the rollers to be set very close to one another.7 owing to the fact that the use of spindles pivotally connecting the main and auxiliary beams and passing between the rollers is entirely eliminated, the connections being effooted solely by the interfitting trunnions and bearings which are themselves extremely short or shallow. This elimination of spindles is a matter of importance, because the spindles :frequently canse the rollers to be- "5`come jammed, dne to the entrance and lodging of foreign bodies into the space between the rollers and their fixed spindles. The pivotal connections of the train, moreover, are symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis ot the system, and the shape of the main beam (5 is such as to render it extremely rigi d and strong. Needless to say, the construction illustrated is not intended to be strictly limitative, as the invention is clearly susceptible of modificatione and changes Within its scope as claimed.

`Having thus d scribed my invention` I claim:

A bearing train for endless flexible track belts, comprising; a supporti. axle a sleeve fitted on and secured to said axle and provided with a pair ot' spaced depending cheeks, ay main rocking beam having` doWn-trn'ned end portions;7 the central portion of the beam being disposed between and pivotdly connected to said cheeks, and bearing rollers conneeted twoandtwo to said beam ends, the pirotal connection between the cheeks' and the central portion of the beam consisting et a pair of short trlinnions provided on one oit the two connected elements, and shallow bearings provided on the other element to receive the trunnions therein but free ot' axial connection between said trnnnions.

3:; In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my inif'ention I have signed my name.

ADOLPHE KGRESSE.

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