Caterpillar Tractor Co.

Dale H Unruh

Jan B Yates

Frederick D Proksch

An articulated vehicle comprising first and second vehicle frames, ground engaging devices on each of the frames for engaging the underlying terrain and supporting the vehicle for movement thereover, a coupling securing the frames together for relative rolling movement about a generally horizontal axis and for relative pivotal movement about a generally vertical axis, a double-acting hydraulic cylinder interconnecting the frames at a location on at least one frame remote from the coupling, a pair of fluid flow restrictions, one connected to each end of the cylinder, and a pair of accumulators, each connected to a corresponding one of the restrictions to receive from or direct hydraulic fluid to the corresponding end of the cylinder through the associated restriction to thereby resist and dampen relative rolling movement of the frames.

Roll stiffening and dampening in articulated vehicles

A track assembly for use on track-supported vehicles, such as excavators and the like, including a driven sprocket, a rigid undercarriage which extends forwardly of the sprocket and which supports the body of the vehicle, the undercarriage being supported by a series of linearly aligned track rollers, and an idler assembly, including a rigid linking member and idler wheel. The linking member is pivotally mounted on the front of the undercarriage and extends forwardly therefrom, and the idler wheel is rotatably mounted on the front of the linking member. A motive force is attached to the undercarriage and to the linking member to selectively move the idler assembly from a first position wherein the bottom of the idler wheel is lower than the bottom of the track rollers, and a second position wherein the bottom of the idler wheel is higher than the bottom of the track rollers. An endless track forms a circuit about the sprocket, track rollers and idler wheel.

Excavator idler-outrigger

A system for producing understeer characteristics in an articulated earthmoving vehicle. A fluidic accelerometer continuously senses lateral acceleration of the vehicle to modify the operator's input signal, causing hydraulic jacks to articulate the vehicle in such a manner as to exhibit an understeer steering characteristic. The accelerometer is mounted at or near to the roll axis of the vehicle to minimize the effects of vehicle roll dynamics upon the signal communicated to the steering control system and hydraulic jacks. The accelerometer and hydraulic jack control assemblage is utilized to create understeer characteristics in both follow-up and non-follow-up type steering systems.

Understeer vehicle steering system

A fluidic device senses acceleration of a vehicle or the like and may control a fluid motor or other mechanism which is to be actuated in response to acceleration. A nozzle directs a jet of fluid across an open gap in a direction transverse to the direction along which acceleration is to be sensed. Two receiver ports are positioned to receive and divide the fluid jet in the absence of flow deflection. Upon acceleration of the device, inertial effects cause the jet flow to be slightly deflected thereby changing the amount of flow received at one receiver port relative to the other to produce a fluidic signal. The signal may be amplified and caused to actuate a fluid motor. Compensating means are provided to eliminate signal error which might otherwise arise from tilting of the device or from changes in jet fluid viscosity.

Vehicle provided with a fluidic accelerometer

A steering system for an articulated vehicle having one axle mounted thereon in a wagon-steer mode in addition to the conventional articulated-steer mode. A steering control valve, which is responsive to the movement of a manual steering control element, is ported to admit hydraulic fluid sequentially, first to a pair of wagon-steer cylinders and then to a pair of articulated-steer cylinders in both left and right steering control. The steering of the vehicle is initially through the wagon-steer movement of the one axle to facilitate high speed handling, which requires relatively small directional changes in the steering system, and is secondly through the articulated-steer movement in sequence to the wagon-steer movement to facilitate low speed maneuvering, which requires large directional changes in the steering system.

Steering system for an articulated vehicle

A cushioning, leveling and lockup system for a suspended axle vehicle having a leveling control subsystem which automatically corrects any changes in the distance between a vehicle frame and axle by communicating pressurized fluid from a pressure source to reposition fluid suspension cylinder struts, and a lockup subsystem having a lockup valve which isolates spring cushioning devices from the suspension struts, to reduce suspension cushioning, the lockup subsystem permitting rotation about the longitudinal axis of the vehicle or roll oscillation during lockup by interconnecting the cylinders through a flow path across the lockup valve.

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Peoria, IL, United States of America

Dale H Unruh