FR2718998A1 - Axle construction, particularly for agricultural use, - Google Patents

Abstract

The axle is constructed with at least two parallel beams (1), set apart from each other, to the front and rear of the stub axles (5), which carry the wheels. The two beams are linked together, at their extremities, by the brackets (3), which support the stub axle mounting plates (9). The forward of the two beams, in terms of the normal direction of travel, is mounted so as to slide within a longitudinal collar (7), which is arranged centrally on the beams.The collar is linked to the chassis, or part of the suspension unit, of the vehicle, in such a way that it can slide on the other axle beam, so as to distribute the load onto the two beams. The lateral movement of the collar on the front beam is controlled by the displacement device, such as the jacks (27), or similar, which are fixed to the collar and are operated to maintain the collar in its neutral central position.

Description

Trailing or steering axle, especially for agricultural vehicles or

one or more truckers

associated axles.

  The present invention relates to a steering or steering axle, in particular for agricultural vehicles or

  road vehicles with one or more associated axles.

  We know from patent FR 2,304,486 in the name of TONARELLI Giovanni a self-steering axle comprising a jacketed axle body provided at its ends with wheel stub axles pivotally mounted and connected by means of arms to front and rear steering bars , alternately controlled by elements of jacks to be maintained in neutral position, or released so as to allow the axle body to slide in the jacket to orient the rockets according to the directional demand followed by the vehicle. However, such an axle requires

  the making of a set of mechanical metal parts

  welded important due to the mounting of the spindles on pivot on the axle body and therefore a manufacturing relatively

expensive.

  The subject of the invention is a simple or associated steering or steering axle (bogie, tandem, tridem, etc.), the design of which is simplified and the cost of manufacturing

is therefore reduced.

  According to the invention, a follower or steering axle is proposed, in particular for agricultural or road vehicles with one or more associated axles, characterized in that it comprises at least two axle bodies, arranged in parallel on both sides and other at the front and at the rear of the spindle axis of the wheel hubs, connected by their ends two by two to a stub axle support mounted articulated at each of their ends, at least one of the bodies axle directed forward in the normal rolling direction of the axle in service being slidably mounted in a longitudinal sleeve element disposed substantially in a centered position relative to the axle, said sleeve element being connected to the chassis or vehicle suspension elements with sliding support on the other axle body for distributing the load on the two axle bodies, the axle body directed forwards, mounted with freedom of longitudinal translation in the sleeve element being controlled in movement by means of motor translation elements, such as jacks or the like, integral with the sleeve element, so as to be brought back and maintained in neutral position with its center in the median vertical transverse plane of the axle to allow a movement of free longitudinal travel of the axle body directed towards the rear, sliding relative to the chassis or to the suspension elements of the vehicle and follower relative to the direction of travel according to the

  variable vehicle steering request.

  The axle thus defined is, as mentioned above, follower in the front rolling direction, thus accompanying the variable steering direction of the vehicle.

  Preferably, the two axle bodies are identical.

  In the same way as the front axle body, the rear axle body can also be controlled in translational movement (in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the axle) by means of associated motor translation elements, such as jacks connected to the chassis or the sleeve element, so as to be brought back and maintained in neutral position for application to reverse gear, the translation elements of the front axle body being released so as to allow in this rear rolling direction the free sliding of this body in the sleeve in

  depending on the direction of the vehicle.

  The axle is then also follower in the rear rolling direction, accompanying the variable steering orientation of the vehicle. Such a follower axle in forward

  and in reverse is called auto-follower.

  Furthermore, the sleeve element can be eliminated, the chassis or its suspension elements then being fixed directly on the front axle body and mounted in sliding support on the rear axle body, which can be restored to the neutral position. for reversing by associated translation elements. The axle in this

  simplified structure is follower in the forward direction.

  Naturally, the drive elements of the axle bodies can be controlled synchronously (double-acting cylinders) to allow a variable positive direction orientation of the wheels of the axle, useful for example to maintain a determined direction of the vehicle in the case superelevation conditions or, optionally, a neutral position orientation if this is desired

  (online maintenance). The axle is then steering.

  The invention is illustrated below with the aid of exemplary embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

  Figure 1 is a top view of a self-driving axle

  follower according to the invention; Figure la is a sectional view along line A-A of this axle; Figure lb is a sectional view along line B-B of this axle, and Figures 2 and 3 show a top view of

variant embodiments.

  The axle shown in FIGS. 1, 1a and 1b is a self-tracking axle, capable of following the request for steering direction of the vehicle both in reverse and in forward. This axle can be mounted alone on the vehicle or associated with other axles, for example in bogie, tandem or tridem, in particular on road or agricultural trailers with high load capacity. It comprises two identical parallel axle bodies 1, two clevis 3 spindle support 5 wheel hubs, each mounted articulated at the end of the axle bodies and a

  longitudinal sleeve 7 receiving the axle bodies 1.

  The assembly comprises a longitudinal vertical median plane of symmetry containing the line of axes of the rockets as well as a vertical median transverse plane of symmetry. The axle bodies 1 are rectilinear and of square or rectangular section. They may possibly be of round section. They determine with the external sleeve 7, complementary to the clearance except in the median part, of slightly shorter length (for the necessary angular movement of the yoke) and in the centered position relative to the axle, a rectangular parallelepiped assembly whose elements of drums 9 and wheel hubs 11 constitute the ends. The yokes 3, identical to each other, are formed (FIG. 1b) by a set of two parallel plates 13 facing each other of essentially rectangular shape, inside which is inserted and fixed by welding the rear square 15 of the wheel stubs. The rockets 5 are mounted perpendicular to the yokes in the middle. The axle bodies 1 are connected 2 to 2 by each of their ends to the rocket support yokes. The articulation of each of the opposite ends of the plates 13 of the yoke at the respective end of the axle bodies is obtained by means of a vertical pivot 17 swiveling inside the top and bottom pivot tubes 19 fixed for example by welding on the screed plates. The sleeve 7 receives the suspension elements of the vehicle (FIG. 1 a) or directly the chassis of the vehicle, for example the fixing boxes 21 to the suspension of the vehicle (leaf springs, pneumatic lung,

  etc ...) judiciously arranged to support the vehicle.

  The axle bodies are slidably mounted parallel to the axis line of the spindles in the sleeve, respectively in

  its front and rear parts relative to the axis of the rockets.

  I 1 s are based on complementary upper and lateral sliding elements fixed on the inner wall of the sleeve, for example pads 23 made of synthetic resin (nylon) bonded to the sleeve. The axle bodies are held in their location by internal transverse spacers 25 in a substantially central position in the sleeve. These spacers participate in the rigidity of the sleeve and are distributed regularly over the length thereof, which is determined in relation to the end spacers to limit the angle of articulation of the yokes or of the steering of the wheels to an equal value. at least fifteen degrees. A set of four jacks 27, arranged opposite two by two are housed inside the sleeve, between the axle bodies. They are fixed parallel to the rocket axis line on two internal spacers 25. The push rods 29 of these jacks cooperate in pairs with two respective abutment elements 31 fixed in central position to each of the axle bodies. The rods 29 when in the retracted position provide relative to the stop a distance from which the corresponding non-locked axle body can slide to the left or to the right from a neutral position o its center is in the vertical vertical plane transverse of the axle. The jacks are controlled alternately so that in a given direction of travel or rolling, for example forward travel according to arrow, the 2 jacks associated with the front axle body lock it in neutral position with their rod in extension applied to the element corresponding stop and that the 2 rear cylinders associated with the rear axle body have their rod retracted to allow the latter to slide longitudinally over the travel to the left and to the right (equivalent with respect to the neutral point) allowed between the stop and each of the ends of the cylinder rods as shown in FIG. 1. The axis of the wheel stubs being offset at the rear relative to the front axle body locked in neutral position, this results in a follower movement of the body d rear axle which slides freely in the sleeve, on the corresponding sliding elements 23, depending on the induced steering direction of the vehicle by the axle wheels. In the reverse direction, the jacks are controlled inversely so that the rear axle body is locked in the neutral position and the front axle body is released over its permitted translational travel. The axle is then follower in the rear rolling direction thus accompanying the steering direction of the vehicle for this rolling. It will be noted that alternative embodiments can be imagined within the framework of the principle of the invention. Thus, as shown in Figure 2, the sleeve can be eliminated in a simplified embodiment. The fixing boxes 21 to the chassis or to the vehicle suspension element are fixed on the front axle body 1 and rest in sliding support on the rear axle body on a horizontal plane pad 23 'of nylon glued to the upper surface of this axle body opposite the lower flat rear surface of the housings. Two blocking cylinders 27 ', arranged opposite with symmetry with respect to the vertical median transverse plane of symmetry of the axle are fixedly attached to the rear axle body. The push rods of these jacks cooperate with respective abutment elements 31 ′ secured to the fixing housings, arranged in the middle part of these and between the two axle bodies. When the rods of the cylinders are retracted, the rear axle body can slide in the axis of the axle on the allowed travel to the right and to the left between the end of the push rods and the corresponding stop elements 31 'of the fixing boxes. In this position, the axle follows in the front rolling direction along the arrow. These rods can come in extension to bring back and maintain the rear axle body in the neutral locked position (center of the axle body in the vertical transverse median plane of the axle), useful for allowing rolling in reverse and avoiding

wheel up of the axle.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the front axle body can still be slidably mounted in a sleeve 7 ′ of section complementary to the gap (square), bearing on

  adequate sliding pads inside it

  this. This sleeve carries two cylinders 27 "arranged opposite with respect to its median transverse vertical plane and the rods of which cooperate with a central stop element 31" secured to the axle body and sliding in a corresponding longitudinal slot 33 of the sleeve. The arrangement of the cylinders 27 'of the rear axle body is identical to that of the axle in FIG. 2. Thus, the front axle body being locked in neutral position with the associated cylinder rods 27 "in extension, in thrust on the central stop element 31 ", and the rear axle body placed in the position of freedom of longitudinal sliding (rods of associated cylinders 27 'retracted), the axle is follower in the front rolling direction. On the contrary, by reversing the actuation of the jacks, by blocking the rear body in neutral position and by releasing the front body, the

rear follower bearing.

  It should also be noted that the axle can still be actively controlled in a given orientation, as mentioned above, to impose a maintenance in the rolling line for example or compensate for a slanting of the vehicle. The cylinders (double effect in this case) must then be controlled in synchronism two by two, either in position adjustment towards the rear preferably, or again on the front or both simultaneously with the possibility of translating slightly laterally

  the chassis of the vehicle relative to the wheels.

  The axle bodies can possibly have different lengths compensated by an elongation

corresponding screeds.

  Furthermore, the axle according to the invention can be composed in multiple forms, alone or associated in assembly

bogie, tandem or tridem, etc ...

Claims (10)

RESELL ICAT IONS   1. Trailing or steering axle, in particular for agricultural or road vehicles with one or more associated axles, characterized in that it comprises at least two axle bodies (1), arranged parallel on either side to the front and rear of the spindle axle (5) of the wheel hubs, connected by their ends two by two to a clevis (3) rocket support mounted articulated at each of their ends, at least one of the axle body (1) directed forwards in the normal rolling direction of the axle in service being slidably mounted in a longitudinal sleeve element (7, 7 ') disposed substantially in a centered position relative to the axle, said sleeve element (7, 7 ′) being connected to the chassis or to the suspension elements (21) of the vehicle with sliding support on the other axle body for distributing the load on the two axle bodies, the axle body directed forwards, mounted with freedom of trans longitudinal lation in the sleeve element being controlled in movement by means of motor translation elements, such as jacks (27, 27 ', 27 ") or the like, integral with the sleeve element, so as to be brought back and maintained in neutral position with its center in the median vertical transverse plane of the axle, to allow a movement of free longitudinal travel of the axle body directed towards the rear, sliding relative to the chassis or to the suspension elements of the vehicle and follower with respect to the direction of travel according to the variable steering demand of the vehicle. 2. Trailing or steering axle according to claim 1, characterized in that, the axle bodies (1) are identical to each other.   3. Trailing or steering axle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, in the same way as the front axle body (1), the rear axle body (1) is also controlled in translational movement in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the axle, by means of associated motor translation elements, such as jacks (27, 27 ') connected to the chassis or sleeve (7, 7'), so as to be brought back and maintained in neutral position for application to reverse gear, the translation elements (27, 27 ") of the front body (1) being released so as to allow this body to slide freely in this direction of rear rolling in the sleeve. depending on the direction of the vehicle in this rolling backwards.   4. Trailing or steering axle according to one of the   previous claims, characterized in that the   drive elements (27, 27 ', 27 ") of the axle bodies are controlled synchronously (double-acting cylinders) to allow a variable positive steering orientation of the axle wheels, useful for example to maintain a steering determined of the vehicle in the case of superelevation conditions or, possibly, a neutral position orientation if this is desired (keeping in line). 5. Trailing or steering axle according to claim 4, characterized in that said translation elements (27, 27 ', 27 ") (double-acting cylinders) are controlled synchronously on each of the axle bodies (1) to translate slightly , laterally, the vehicle chassis relative to its wheels.   6. Trailing or steering axle according to one of the   previous claims, characterized in that said   yokes (3), identical to each other, consist of a set of two parallel plates (13) of essentially rectangular shape, inside which is inserted and fixed, for example by welding, the rear square (15) wheel flares.   7. Trailing or steering axle according to one of the   previous claims, characterized in that   the articulation of the yoke at each of the two-to-two ends of the axle bodies (1) is carried out by means of vertical pivots (17) swiveling inside the top and bottom pivot tubes (19) fixed for example by solder on   end parts of the screed plates.   8. Trailing or steering axle according to one of the   previous claims, characterized in that the one or more   axle bodies (1) pivot in sliding in the sleeve (7, 7 ') bearing on complementary upper and lateral sliding elements fixed on the internal wall of the sleeve, for example buffers (23, 23') in   synthetic resin (nylon) bonded to the sleeve.   9. Trailing or steering axle according to one of   previous claims, characterized in that said   sleeve (7, 7 ') has internal stiffness spacers (25), support for cylinders (27), regularly distributed over its length, separating the front and rear axle bodies (1) and which delimit the ends of the sleeve l 'allowed angle of articulation of the yoke (3) and therefore   wheel spindles, angle of at least fifteen degrees.   10. Trailing or steering axle according to claim 1, characterized in that the sleeve (7, 7 ') is eliminated, the vehicle chassis or its suspension elements (21) being fixed directly to the front axle body (1 ) and mounted in sliding support on the rear axle body (1), which can be restored to neutral position for reverse   by associated translation elements (27 ').