GB2182006A

GB2182006A - Device for assisting movement of a wheeled motor vehicle on soft ground

Info

Publication number: GB2182006A
Application number: GB08625081A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Bohumil Fiala; Jan Juricek; Jiri Tomicek; Wolfgang Wedlich
Original assignee: TATRA KOPRIVNICE OP
Current assignee: TATRA KOPRIVNICE OP
Priority date: 1985-10-22
Filing date: 1986-10-20
Publication date: 1987-05-07
Also published as: CN86106930A; FR2592847B1; FR2592847A1; DE3635769A1; GB8625081D0; DE3635769C2; CN1004797B; GB2182006B

Abstract

A device comprises a member 6 having a surface for engaging the ground. Means 5, 41 and 43 are used to connect the member to a driven wheel 2 of a vehicle. The means is adapted to connect the member 6 outboard of the wheel and such that the ground engaging surface is able to rotate, when the wheel 2 rotates, about an axis generally parallel to but offset from the wheel axis. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Device for assisting movement of a wheeled motor vehicle on soft ground The invention concerns a device for assisting movement of a wheeled motor vehicle on soft ground.

Sinking of wheels and the loss of traction occurs when motor vehicles run on soft ground. There is very often no possibility of further movement and it is necessary to provide some assistance. A winch, run-out plates or deflation of the tyres are sometimes used to get the vehicle moving again. A solid object or another motor vehicle is necessary to which a rope can be fastened, but all too often this is unattainable on soft terrain such as desert, tundra and similar surfaces. An anchor can be used to fasten the rope to but it must have, with respect to the vehicle, a sufficient mass and it must be present in the vehicle equipment. This, together with the winch, increases unacceptably the weight of the vehicle. Handling of the anchor is usually impossible on soft groumd.When using runout plates, the soil in front of the wheels must be removed in order to allow the plates to be pushed underneath the wheels. With respect to the character of the ground, this is obviously very difficult, it demands plenty of time and so it is troublesome and tiresome.

Deflating the tyres is limited, with respect to its efficiency, to vehicles of which the wheels are only partially buried.

Czechoslovakian Patent No. 64060 discloses a device for assisting movement of a vehicle on soft ground. This device comprises a carrier having the form of a wheel, the carrier being attached as an auxiliary means-to the wheel bolts, the attachment being made by means of a joining part. Paddles are mounted by means of bolts on a bearing part of the carrier, the quantity of them being optional according to the particular requirement.

The paddles can be inclined and turned in different ways with respect to the wheel disc, the paddles having different forms with respect to the character of the ground. Nevertheless, the carrier must be firmly mounted on the wheels when using the vehicle because the paddles can be attached only to the carrier when the vehicle wheels are partially buried. The wheel disc adapted for mounting of the paddles and the requirement of having the carrier firmly mounted on the wheels increases the spring-cushioned mass of the vehicle. The paddles do not allow a decrease in the specific pressure on soft ground which limits the efficiency of this device, it not being able to be used for all kinds of soft terrain.

The invention provides a device for assisting movement of a wheeled motor vehicle on soft ground comprising a member having a surface for engaging the ground and means for connecting the member to a driven wheel of the motor vehicle, wherein the means is adapted to connect the member outboard of the wheel, and such that the said ground engaging surface is able to rotate, when the wheel rotates, about an axis generally parallel to but offset from the wheel axis.

A device according to the invention is intended to be connected to the upper exposed part of a partially buried driven wheel. Then when the wheel is driven, the ground engaging surface, rotating about its offset axis, comes round and engages the ground. At its lowermost position, the ground engaging surface is level with or outside the periphery of the wheel.

Preferably, the member is adapted to be connected by a second means to a second driven wheel of the vehicle. With a device according to this construction being connected to two driven wheels on one side of a vehicle, the attitude of the member having the ground engaging surface remains constant.

Preferably, the second means and the member are relatively movable transversely of the axes. Any variations in the wheels and where the device is attached to the wheels is allowed for with this construction.

Preferably, the member is connectable by a thir,d means to the vehicle frame, the third means providing pivot axes extending generally parallel to the wheel axis. With a construction such as this being attached to one driven wheel, the attitude of the member having the ground engaging surface can remain constant.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 shows a device connected to one driven wheel on one side of a motor vehicle; Figures 2 and 3 show different devices connected to two driven wheels on one side of a motor vehicle; Figure 4 shows the device as in Figure 1 where the member having the ground engaging surface is supported by a cylindrical pin; Figure 5 shows one of the devices as in Figure 2 which is similar to that shown in Figure 4 but in which the member is supported by a ball; Figure 6 shows an openable support; Figure 7 shows a part of the other of the devices as in Figure 2, in which the member having the ground engaging surface is relatively movable; Figure 8 shows a device per se similar to that of Figure 4;; Figure 9 shows a device connected to one driven wheel on one side of a motor vehicle with means maintaining the ground engaging member in a fixed horizontal attitude; Figure 10 is a lateral view of the device, which is similar to that of Figure 4; and Figure 11 shows in detail the means maintaining the ground engaging member in a constant horizontal attitude.

A device for assisting movement of a wheeled motor vehicle on soft ground comprises a carrier 4 which is formed by an attachable part and by a carrying part. The attachable part is formed by a flange 41. The carrying part attached to it is formed by an angled arm 42 having a pin 43. The flange 41 is provided with openings 44 for attaching to wheel bolts or studs 9. A support plate 6 is rotatably mounted on a pin 43 by means of a bearing 5 which is rigidly attached to the support plate 6.

When the device is used on one driving axle 3, (Figures 1 and 4), the carriers 4 are eccentrically attached by means of nuts 10 to the wheel bolts 9 which are intended to attach a disc 1 to the driving axle 3, the wheel bolts 9 with the carrier 4 being arranged outboard of the disc 1 of both wheels 2. The support plates 6 are attached to the pins 43 of the carriers 1 by means of the bearings 5. The axial position of the bearing 5 with the support plate 6 is ensured on the pin 43 by means of a split or cotter pin 23. The pin 43 is cylindrical. The distance of the horizontal axis of the pin 43 from the horizontal axis of the driving axle 3 is great enough such that the support plate 6 in its lower position is just outside or level with the periphery of the wheel 2.A position more nearly to the horizontal axis of the driving axle 3 can be suitably chosen in the cases where soft ground alternates with firmer ground, in order to prevent damaging the support plates 6 on the firmer ground. If the support plates 6 are arranged to be beiow the wheel periphery, a faster disengagement can be achieved.

For use of the device on two driving axles 3, 3', (Figures 2 and 5 to 8), one support plate 6 is used for two wheels 2 and 2' of two driving axles 3 and 3' and a further carrier 4' is included in the device. The second carrier 4' is attached to the disc 1' of the wheel 2' of the second driving axle 3', a bearing 11 being rotatably mounted on the pin 43' of the second carrier 4'. The bearing 11 is slidably mounted in a guide 8 which is formed on the support plate 6. There are used pins 43' with balls at the ends in order to eliminate longitudinal and transversal turning movements of the wheels 2 and 2'. The axial change in distance of the pins 43 and 43', caused by suspension swinging of the wheels 2 and 2' and by different angular positions of pins 43 and 43', is accommodated by the slidable mounting of the bearing 11 in the guide 8 on the support plate 6.To ensure a simple assembly, the bearings 5 and 11 intended for mounting of spherical end pins 43 and 43' are divided in two sections, a lower section 12 and an upper section 13, the sections 12 and 13 being joined together with two connection pins 14 fixed by split or cotter pins 15.

Rollers 7 can also be mounted (Figure 3) on the pin 43' of the carrier 4', the rollers 7 coming into contact with the support plate 6.

Cylindrical pins 43' are used. Changes in the distance of the pins 43 and 43' and of the transversal and longitudinal turning movements of the wheels 2 and 2' are accommodated by rolling of the rollers 7.

If the vehicle is partially buried in soft ground, carriers 4 are mounted on the bolts 9 of one or more driven wheels 2, the mounting being executed on the upper part of the disc 1. Bearings 5 with the support plates 6 are then put on the pins 43 of the carriers 4. The wheels 2 start to come out of the ground when the support plates 6 arranged out board of the wheels 2 bear on the ground. The vehicle is lifted by the support plates 6 and moves on them as long as the wheels 2 bear with their pressure majority on the ground. If the vehicle is still not able to run on the wheels 2, they rotate and the cycle repeats until the vehicle is able to run on the wheels 2. The support plates 6 are then removed. If the soft ground is extensive, the vehicle can travel slowly with the carriers 4 still connected.

If the device is used only on one driven wheel 2, the pin 43 is cylindrical. The support plate 6 is guided parallel with the plane of the wheel 2. To ensure a smooth bearing of the support plate 6 on the ground, the bearing 5 is arranged in front of the centre of gravity of the support plate 6, considered in the direction of forward movement.

The carriers 4 and 4' are mounted on the discs 1 and 1' of the wheels 2 and 2' approximately at the same angle when using the device on more driving axles 3 and 3'.

In Figure 9, 10 and 11 a device comprises a carrier 4 which is formed by an attachable part and by a carrying part. The attachable part is formed by a flange 41 and the carrying part attached to it is formed by an arm 42 with a pin 43. The flange 41 is provided with openings 44 in order to attach it to the wheel studs, bolts or screws 9. A support plate 6 is rotatably mounted on the pin 43 by means of a bearing 5 which is rigidly attached to the support plate 6. A bearing 17 is rigidly attached to one end of the support plate 6. A carrying rod 21 is swingably connected at one end to the bearing 17 by means of a cylindrical pin 18. The other end of the carrying rod 21 is also swingably connected to the vehicle 22 by means of a pin 18' and a bearing 17' attached to the vehicle.

When the vehicle wheels are partially buried, the carriers 4 with the support plates 6 are connected to the outboard side of the discs 1 of both wheels 2 of the driving axle 3 on the wheel bolts 9 by means of nuts 10. The axial position of the bearing 5 with the support plate 6 is fixed by a split or cotter pin 23 on the pin 43, the axial position of the carrying rod 21 and of the pins 18 and 18' being fixed in the bearings 17 and 17' by means of split or cotter pins 24 and 24'.

If the vehicle comes out from the ground, the wheels 2 turn until the position is reached where the support plates 6 bear on the ground. The vehicle is lifted by the support plates 6 and moves on them as long as the wheels 2 bear by their pressure majority on the ground. This activity repeats as long as the vehicle is able to run on its wheels 2. The support plate 6 is held by means of the carrying rod 21 in a horizontal position, so preventing it from being jammed or pressed into the ground.

Claims

1. A device for assisting movement of a wheeled motor vehicle on soft ground comprising a member having a surface for engaging the ground and means for connecting the member to a driven wheel of the motor vehicle, wherein the means is adapted to connect the member outboard of the wheel, and such that the said ground engaging surface is able to rotate, when the wheel rotates, about an axis generally parallel to but offset from the wheel axis.

2. A device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the member is adapted to be connected by a second means to a second driven wheel of the vehicle.

3. A device as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the second means and the member are relatively movable transversely of the axes.

4. A device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the member is connectable by a third means to the vehicle frame, the third means providing pivot axes extending generally parallel to the wheel axis.

5. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each of the first and second means has an element with apertures adapted to receive the wheel bolts of the driven wheel.

6. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each of the first and second means has a pin for rotatably supporting the member.

7. A device as claimed in Claims 5 and 6, wherein each of the first and second means has an angled arm extending from the element to the pin.

8. A device as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the third means comprising a rod pivotally connectable to the member by means of a pin and pivotally connectable to the vehicle frame by means of a pin.

9. A device for assisting movement of a wheeled motor vehicle on soft ground substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

10. A device for releasing a wheel motor vehicle from soft ground including a supporting member provided with a supporting surface for bearing on the ground and means attaching the supporting member to a driven wheel, wherein the supporting member mounted on an outer side of the driven wheel rotatably by means of a pin and the supportirig surface is spaced from the axis of the driven wheel at a distance which is lower than a rolling radius of driven wheel.

11. A device according to Claim 10, wherein the supporting member is swingable and slidable on a further pin, said further pin being firmly attached to an outer side of a further driven wheel.

12. A device according to Claim 10 or 11, wherein the supporting member is attached to the driven wheel by means of a carrier, said carrier having two ends, a first end provided with said pin and a second end being firmly attached to the driven wheel by means of fasteners of said driven wheel, the supporting member being attached to the said further driven wheel by means of a further carrier having two ends, a first end being provided with said further pin and a second end being firmly attached to the said further driven wheel by means of fasteners of said further driven wheel, said further pin being mounted on the supporting member slidably in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

13. A device according to Claim 10, wherein the supporting member is connected with the vehicle by means of a rod having two ends, a first end being provided with a first pin rotatably mounted on the supporting member and a second end being provided with a second pin rotatably mounted on the vehicle outside of said driving wheel.

14. A device according to Claim 13, wherein said second pin is rotatably mounted on the frame of the vehicle.