FR2521918A1 - Device for pairing esp. tractor wheels - comprises rods which hook over ring on outer wheel flange - Google Patents

Abstract

A device for arranging vehicle wheels in pairs esp. for tractors comprises a crosspiece (6) placed between the wheels which is held in place along with the extra wheel (5) by rods (15) attached to the main wheel (2). The free ends of the rods carry releasable hooks (23) which locate over a removable ring (8) placed against the external flange (5a) of the extra wheel. The ring consists of two hoops (9,10) of different diameter which are welded together so that their centres lie in a plane which is inclined w.r.t. the horizontal and vertical. In use, the larger loop bears against the wheel flange whilst the smaller hoop receives the hooks.

Description

Device for twinning vehicle wheels
It is known that twinning wheels has great advantages for certain vehicles and, in particular, for agricultural tractors because the weight of the tractor and the engine force is distributed over a much smaller surface, thanks to which slippage and wear are avoided. tires, you save fuel and you can use larger tools.

 The finger pairing naturally be made possible by means of simple and robust mechanisms.

 There are various devices allowing this pairing but they all have the same defect which lies in the need to have to rigorously align the organs of the main wheel and those which are provided on a removable ring of the added wheel because they must be joined by tie rods which are straight.

In sort, some of these devices are relatively complex and inconvenient, especially when they provide for the use of bolts, the tightening of which is random and requires the use of a crank.

 The present invention overcomes these drawbacks by providing a removable ring to which the tie rods can be hooked at any point on its circumference.

 A device for the twinning of vehicle wheels, in particular of agricultural tractors, according to the invention is of the type comprising a spacer to be placed between the two wheels to be paired and immobilized, as well as the added wheel, by means of tie rods subject to on the one hand to the main wheel and on the other hand to a removable ring placed against a flat part of the external face of the added wheel and is characterized in that the ring is formed by two unequal tori, that of larger diameter to be placed against the wheel and associated with one. the other so that the imaginary line which joins their geometric centers is oblique when 1 ring is placed vertically or horizontally, the tie rods being provided with. one of their ends, of a hook of shapes and dimensions adapted to the profile of the torus in addition. small diameter, placed most outwardly.

 According to a characteristic of the invention. each hook is crossed by a hole in which one can engage a pin and whose axis is convergent with the imaginary line which joins the centers. geometry of toroids. so that the pin cooperates by progressive wedging with one of these two toroids.

 The invention will be better understood from the detailed description below made with reference to the accompanying drawing. Of course, the description and the drawing are only given by way of non-limiting example.

 Figure 1 is a schematic sectional view of two twin tractor wheels according to the invention.

 Figure 2 is a partial schematic view illustrating the adaptability of the device according to the invention.

 Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view illustrating the establishment of a tie according to the invention.

 In FIG. 1, a tractor 1 is seen, a main wheel 2 of which is connected by a web 3 to a hub of any known type 4.

 Between the main wheel 2 and the added wheel 5, a rigid cylindrical spacer 6 is placed.

 On the wheel 2 is fixed according to a polar symmetry with respect to the center of the wheel, eyelets 7. This fixing is notably obtained by welding the eyelets 7 to nuts screwed on pre-existing bolts.

 Outside of the added wheel 5 and against a flat 5a, a ring 8 is applied which is formed by two unequal tori 9 and 10 that of larger diameter 9 which must be placed against the wheel 5.

 They are obtained here by bending and welding of steel bars and they are associated with each other by means of welds 11 and 12, so that the imaginary line a which joins their geometric centers P and is oblique there when the ring 8 is placed vertically or horizontally.

Tie rods 15 are engaged by one of their end 15a shaped as a hook in the eyelets 7 and must by their other end, be assuJettis. .the ring 8 in the manner which will now be described,
Each tie rod 15 is constituted by a rod 16 provided with a thread 17 engaged in a threaded hole of a clevis
18 articulated by an axis 19 to an operating handle 20 which is itself articulated by a. pin 21 to a support piece 22 on which one hook 23 is articulated by means of a pin 24
The hook 23 has internal shapes and dimensions adapted to the profile of the torus 10 to match the outline as exactly as possible.

 After having adjusted approximately the total length of the tie rod by screwing more or less the cap 18 on the thread 17, we place the hook 23 on the torus 10 as shown by the arrow F1 (Figure 1) and then fold the handle 20 in the direction of arrow F2 (Figures 1 and 3).

 All the parts 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22 constitute a toggle joint whose principle is well known and makes it possible to bring the two axes 19 and 21 closer or apart, which amounts to shortening or lengthening the total length of the tie rod 15.

 In order for such a device to function and to ensure non-floating fixing, it is essential that an elastic member is interposed between the two ends.

 Here, this elasticity is obtained, thanks to the invention, by the ring 8 itself, the toroids 9 and 10 of which can deform elastically in the manner of a torsion bar as shown in FIG. 2 .

 Referring to this figure, we see indeed that the torus 9 and the torus 10 normally occupy the position shown in solid lines and that if, during the actuation of the toggle in the direction of its locking, strong traction is exerted on the torus 10, it occupies the position shown in dotted lines, for example, while the torus 9 has undergone a non-perceptible twist on fate.

 This torsion exerts a significant force which ensures effective locking of the wheel 5 against the spacer 6 and of the spacer 6 against the wheel 2.

We have shown here toroids 9 and 10 whose cross-section is circular, which has several advantages,
Besides that it is easier to find in the trade of cylindrical drawing. it can be seen in FIG. 2 that the same ring 8, formed from the same two toroids 9 and 10, can be used for different wheels, in particular with regard to the inclination that the hook 23 can take relative to its pivot axis 24.

 FIG. 2 shows two positions of the hook 23 respectively in solid lines and in dotted lines with respect to a given and arbitrary position of the torus 10.

 It is clear that this latitude in the relative orientation between the torus 10 and the hook 23 is made possible by the fact that the internal shape of the hook 23 is an arc of a circle whose radius is the same as that of the torus 10, so that the support surface between these two elements is maximum while allowing this relative movement.

 The assembly which constitutes the toggle joint (parts 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22) could function perfectly even if the hook 23 was rigidly connected to the support 22. But then the device would not be adaptable to different rims.

 The articulation of the hook 23 by an axis 24 gives, precisely, this adaptability.

According to a characteristic of the invention, each hook 23 is traversed by a hole 25 in which a pin 26 can be engaged and whose axis is convergent with the line; imaginary a so that the pin 26 cooperates by progressive wedging with the one of toroids 9 or 10, that is to say, here, with torus 10 (tir. 3),
This assembly constitutes a safety blocking guaranteeing perfect immobilization of the hooks 23 relative to the torus 10 despite the vibrations
and other stresses on these parts.

The invention is not limited to the single embodiment described and
shown but on the contrary embraces all variants.

 In particular, the toroids 9 and 10 can be obtained by other means than those described and can also be made of materials other than steel,

Claims (3)

 1- Device for the twinning of vehicle wheels, in particular of agricultural tractors, of the type comprising a spacer (6) to be placed between the two twin wheels (2 and 5) and immobilized, as well as the added wheel (5 ), by means of tie rods (15) secured on the one hand, to the main wheel (2) and, on the other hand, to a removable ring (8) placed against a flat (Sa) of the external face of the wheel added (5), characterized in that the ring (8) is formed by two unequal tori (9 and 10), that of larger diameter (9) having to be placed against the wheel (5) and associated one with the other so that the imaginary line (a) which joins their geometric centers (had y) is oblique when the ring (8) is placed vertically or horizontally, the tie rods (15) being provided, at one of their ends, a hook (23) of shapes and dimensions adapted to the profile of the toroid (10) of smaller diameter, placed most outwardly.  2- Device according to claim 1, characterized in that each hook (23) is crossed by a hole (25) in which one can engage a pin (26) and whose axis is convergent with the imaginary line (a) which joins the geometric centers (fi and y) of the toroids (9 and 10) so that the pin (26) cooperates by progressive wedging with one of the two tori (9 or 10).  3- Device according to tvendication 5, characterized  in that each tie rod (15) is articulated to a support (22)  by means of a handle (20) in order to constitute  a toggle joint, the hook (23) being articulated by an axis  (24) to this support (22).