Case Corporation

Brian D Vik

Thomas G Lykken

Peder L Pederson

Timothy J Bock

Russell V Stoltman

A tracked suspension for a tractor or other work vehicle is disclosed having an endless belt, a belt tensioner, a drive wheel, and a plurality of idler wheels mounted to a suspension frame or idler carriage, the assembly being arranged such that the belt tension provided by the tensioner is absorbed within the frame and is not transmitted to the axle extending from the tractor that drives the tracked suspension. The tracked suspension can be adjusted by loosening or removing mounting bolts that fix the suspension to beams extending from the vehicle, sliding the suspension toward or away from the vehicle, and tightening the bolts. By absorbing the belt tensioning forces within the tracked suspension itself, rather than transmitting the belt tensioning forces to the axle, the suspension can be more easily adjusted without requiring the removal and replacement of the drive axle.

Tracked suspension

An agricultural tractor with four ground contacting suspensions, two front and two rear disposed on opposite sides of the vehicle can be steered such that its front suspension lies behind its rear suspension. The front suspension can pivot about an articulation joint in the vehicle and also about a wheel-end steering joint such that when it is in an extreme left or right turn position, the front suspension cannot be turned about the wheel-end steering joint while holding the articulation joint in an extreme left or right turn position without causing the front suspension to interfere with and contact the rear suspension.

Work vehicle with nested steering

A resilient suspension element for use in a resilient system for supporting roller wheels from the undercarriage of a tracked vehicle having a rubber track. The resilient suspension element includes a T-shaped and a U-shaped rigid mounting component, with the inside surface of a U-shaped resilient component secured to the leg of the T-shaped component and the outside surface secure to the inside surface of the U-shaped rigid mounting component. A resilient suspension element is secured to each end of a beam, extending transverse to the axles of the roller wheels mounted thereon, to provide resilient support in the vertical direction and limited resilience to 'fore' and 'aft' and rolling motion of the beam, and the roller wheels mounted thereon, with respect to the undercarriage.

Resilient support element for roller wheels of a rubber tracked vehicle

A system for supporting roller wheels from the undercarriage of a tracked vehicle having a rubber track. A beam, extending transverse to the axles of the roller wheels mounted thereon, is supported at each end by a resilient suspension element which provides resilient support in the vertical direction and limited resilience to 'fore' and 'aft' and rolling motion of the beam, and the roller wheels mounted thereon, with respect to the undercarriage

Growing community of inventors

Fargo, ND, United States of America

Brian D Vik