Single Frame Tracked Carrier (Patent No: 743457)

Inventor: Boyd, John M.

Location: Calgary

Comments: N/A

Description: THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A single frame tracked carrier having front and rear track assemblies, each track assembly comprising two tracks mounted on a subframe for movement therewith; a prime mover mounted on said frame; driving connections from said prime mover to said front and rear track assemblies; a load carrying head between the front track assembly subframe and the frame and connecting the front track assembly subframe to the frame, which load carrying head is articulated to provide for movement of the track assembly subframe in pitch, yaw and roll relative to said frame; an articulated load carrying head between the rear track assembly sub frame and the frame and connecting the rear track assembly subframe to the frame with freedom in yaw and pitch planes, and steering means acting through said load carrying heads to counter-steer the front and rear track assemblies.

2. A single frame tracked carrier having front and rear track assemblies, each track assembly comprising two tracks mounted on a subframe for movement therewith; a prime mover mounted on said frame; driving connections from said prime mover to said front and rear track assemblies; a load carrying head between the front track assembly subframe and the frame and connecting the front track assembly subframe to the frame, which load carrying head is articulated to provide for movement of the track assembly subframe in pitch, yaw and roll relative to said frame; an articulated load carrying head between the rear track assembly subframe and the frame and connecting the rear track assembly subframe to the frame with freedom in yaw and pitch planes, and steering means acting through said load carrying heads to counter-steer the front and rear track assemblies, the front track assembly having a forwardly ramped track driven from sprocket meads at the front of the front assembly subframe and the rear track assembly having a rearwardly ramped track driven from sprocket means at the rear of the rear assembly subframe.

3. A carrier as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which the load carrying heads are provided with tunnels, and the driving connections include drive shaft means passing through the tunnels to provide power to the front and rear assemblies.

4. A carrier as claimed in claim 1 wherein the front load carrying head comprises a lower member pin-connected to a subframe of the front track assembly; an intermediate tunnel-like member pin-connected to the lower member; and a turntable bearing surface at the top of the tunnel-like member pin connected to the frame of the carrier, whereby three degrees of freedom are permitted between the front track assembly and the frame, the lower member accommodating movement in the pitch plane, the pin connection between tunnel member and lower member accommodating movement in the roll plane, and the pin connection between the turntable bearing surface and the frame accommodating movement in the yaw plane.

5. A carrier as claimed in claim 1 wherein the rear load carrying head comprises a bracket connected to the subframe of the rear track assembly; a tunnel-like member pin-connected to said bracket, said tunnel-like member forming a turntable bearing surface at the upper end thereof; and pin connections between the turntable bearing surface and the frame of the carrier, whereby the rear track assembly is permitted to move in yaw and pitch planes relative to the frame, the pin connection between the bracket and the tunnel-like member accommodating the movement in the pitch plane and the pin connection between the turntable bearing surface and the frame accommodating movement in the yaw plane.

6. A carrier as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5 wherein the driving connections include: a transmission means which transmits power to a point on the frame between front and rear track assemblies; a drive shaft means extending forwardly from the transmission means through the tunnel-like member in the front load carrying head to drive a drive sprocket at the front of the front track assembly; and a second drive shaft means extending rearwardly through the tunnel-like member on the rear track assembly to drive a driving sprocket at the rear end thereof.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein the pin connection between the lower member and the subframe, the pin connection between the lower member and the tunnel-like member and the pin connection between the turntable bearing surface and the frame, all substantially intersect a vertical straight line.

8. A carrier as claimed in claim 5 wherein the pin connection between the bracket and the tunnel-like member and the pin connection between the turntable bearing surface and the frame, all substantially intersect a vertical straight line.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 or claim 8 wherein power transmitting drive shaft means pass through said tunnel-like members, which drive shaft means are provided with joint means located substantially on said vertical straight lines.