GB2367539A - Manufacturing a main frame of a work vehicle - Google Patents
Manufacturing a main frame of a work vehicle Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2367539A GB2367539A GB0122890A GB0122890A GB2367539A GB 2367539 A GB2367539 A GB 2367539A GB 0122890 A GB0122890 A GB 0122890A GB 0122890 A GB0122890 A GB 0122890A GB 2367539 A GB2367539 A GB 2367539A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- subassembly
- frame
- frame subassembly
- work machine
- rearward
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
- B62D—MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS
- B62D53/00—Tractor-trailer combinations; Road trains
- B62D53/02—Tractor-trailer combinations; Road trains comprising a uniaxle tractor unit and a uniaxle trailer unit
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
- B62D—MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS
- B62D21/00—Understructures, i.e. chassis frame on which a vehicle body may be mounted
- B62D21/18—Understructures, i.e. chassis frame on which a vehicle body may be mounted characterised by the vehicle type and not provided for in groups B62D21/02 - B62D21/17
- B62D21/186—Understructures, i.e. chassis frame on which a vehicle body may be mounted characterised by the vehicle type and not provided for in groups B62D21/02 - B62D21/17 for building site vehicles or multi-purpose tractors
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
- E02F—DREDGING; SOIL-SHIFTING
- E02F9/00—Component parts of dredgers or soil-shifting machines, not restricted to one of the kinds covered by groups E02F3/00 - E02F7/00
- E02F9/08—Superstructures; Supports for superstructures
- E02F9/0841—Articulated frame, i.e. having at least one pivot point between two travelling gear units
Abstract
A method of manufacturing a main frame (12) of a work machine (10) which includes a forward frame subassembly (14) and a rearward frame subassembly. The method includes the steps of (i) identifying a select rearward frame subassembly from a first rearward frame subassembly (16) having a first design configuration and a second rearward frame subassembly (18) having a second design configuration and (ii) coupling the select rearward frame subassembly to the forward frame subassembly (14) so as to create the main frame (12).
Description
Description
METHOD OF MANUFACTURING A MAIN FRAME OF A WORK MACHINE Technical Field
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a frame. The present invention particularly relates to a method of manufacturing a main frame of a work machine.
Background Art
It is desirable to steer a work machine by rotating a front portion of the construction machine with respect to a rear portion. In order to steer the construction machine in the above described manner, it is necessary to provide two separate frames that are pinned together about a vertical axis. It is also necessary to position and attach a hydraulic cylinder between the front portion and the rear portion to obtain the desired relative rotation or articulation of the work machine. Typically, engine and drive train components are mounted on a main frame included in the rear portion of the work machine, and a work
implement is mounted on an end frame included in the front portion of the machine.
One such main frame is described in U. S.
Patent 5,568, 841. This main frame is formed of a number of longitudinally extending components connected to a number of transversely extending components so as to form a box configuration. This main frame has a number of advantages, e. g. weight reduction, however, it also suffers from several disadvantages. In particular, the main frame is constructed as a unitary piece which can cause a number of manufacturing problems. For example, the large physical size of the main frame creates storage and shipping problems. Furthermore, manufacturing the main frame as a unitary piece increases the difficulty of subsequent manufacturing processes. In particular, the large size of a unitary main frame increases the difficulty of attaching other components thereto, e. g. axles, hydraulic systems, a cab assembly, counter weights, and cooling systems.
What is needed therefore is a method of manufacturing a main frame of a work machine which overcomes one or more of the above-mentioned drawbacks.
Disclosure of the Invention
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention there is provided a method of manufacturing a main frame of a work machine. The main frame includes a forward frame subassembly and a
rearward frame subassembly. The method includes the steps of (i) identifying a select rearward frame subassembly from a first rearward frame subassembly having a first design configuration and a second rearward frame subassembly having a second design configuration and (ii) coupling the select rearward frame subassembly to the forward frame subassembly so as to create the main frame.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a work machine.
The work machine includes a main frame having (i) a forward frame subassembly and (ii) a rearward frame subassembly. The main frame is manufactured by a process including the steps of (i) identifying a select rearward frame subassembly from a first rearward frame subassembly having a first design configuration and a second rearward frame subassembly having a second design configuration and (ii) coupling the select rearward frame subassembly to the forward frame subassembly so as to create the main frame. The work machine also includes an end frame pivotally coupled to the main frame.
In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a method of manufacturing a work machine. The method includes the steps of (i) identifying a select rearward frame subassembly from a first rearward frame subassembly having a first design configuration and a second rearward frame subassembly having a second design configuration, (ii) attaching a first work machine
component to the select rearward frame subassembly, (iii) attaching a second work machine component to a forward frame subassembly, (iv) coupling the select rearward frame subassembly to the forward frame subassembly after the attaching steps so as to create a main frame, (v) securing an end frame to the main frame so that the end frame can pivot relative to the main frame, and (vi) coupling a work implement to the end frame.
Brief Description of the Drawings
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a frame arrangement of a work machine which incorporates the features of the present invention therein (note that only the frame assembly, the lift arm assembly, and the work implement of the work machine is shown for clarity of description);
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the main frame of the work machine of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a first rearward frame subassembly and a second rearward frame subassembly detached from the forward frame subassembly of the main frame of the frame arrangement of FIG. 1; and
FIG. 4. is a perspective view of the main frame of FIG. 3 after attaching work machine components to the select rearward frame subassembly and the forward frame subassembly and then coupling select rearward frame subassembly to the forward frame subassembly.
Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 4 there is shown a work machine 10 which incorporates the features of the present invention therein. Work machine 10 includes a main frame 12, an end frame 20, a lift arm assembly 84, and a work implement 22. Work machine 10 also includes a number of work machine components such as an axle 28, a cab assembly 30, a pair of counter weights 56 (note only one is shown), a battery 24, hydraulic systems (not shown), pumps (not shown), and cooling systems (not shown).
As shown more clearly in FIGS. 2 and 3, main frame 12 includes a forward frame subassembly 14 and a rearward frame subassembly 16. Forward frame subassembly 14 includes a side plate 36, a side plate 38, an upper hitch assembly 32, and a lower hitch assembly 34. Forward frame subassembly 14 also includes a number of cab supports 40 and a pair of cross supports 42. Upper hitch assembly 32 is secured to an upper edge of side plate 36 and an upper edge of side plate 38 such that upper hitch assembly 32 is interposed side plates 36 and 38. Lower hitch assembly 34 is secured to an interior surface of side plate 36 and an interior surface of side plate 38 such that lower hitch assembly 34 is interposed side plates 36 and 38. Cab supports 40 are secured to and extend outwardly from upper hitch assembly 32. Cross supports 42 are secured to and extend between side plates 36 and 38. Side plate 36 has an end portion 66
which has a number (e. g. 6) of apertures 68 defined therein. In a similar manner side plate 38 has an end portion 64 which has a number (e. g. 6) of apertures 68 defined therein.
Rearward frame subassembly 16 includes a lateral wall 46, a lateral wall 48, a floor plate 44, and a brace 54. Rearward frame subassembly 16 also includes a bracket 50 and a bracket 52. Bracket 50 has end portion 72 with a number (e. g. 6) of apertures 74 defined therein. Bracket 52 also has an end portion 70 with a number (e. g. 6) of apertures defined therein. Lateral wall 46 is secured to a side edge of floor plate 44. In a similar manner, lateral wall 48 is secured to another side edge of floor plate 44 such that floor plate 44 is interposed lateral side wall 46 and lateral side wall 48. Bracket 50 is secured to an end edge of lateral wall 46. Bracket 50 is also secured to a surface of floor plate 44. Bracket 52 is secured to an end edge of lateral wall 48. Bracket 52 is also secured to the surface of floor plate 44.
Brace 54 is secured to and extends between brackets 50 and 52. It should be understood that constructing rearward frame subassembly 16 in the above described manner defines a cavity 26 in rearward frame subassembly 16.
A method or procedure is used to manufacture work machine 10. In particular the method begins with constructing forward frame subassembly 14 and rearward frame subassembly 16 in the above described manner.
It should be understood that forward frame subassembly
14 and rearward frame subassembly 16 are formed as two independent, separate subassemblies of main frame 12.
After the construction thereof, forward frame subassembly 14 and rearward frame subassembly 16 are positioned relative to each other such that (i) the apertures 68 defined in side plate 36 are linearly aligned with the apertures 74 defined in bracket 52 and (ii) the apertures 68 defined in side plate 38 are linearly aligned with the apertures 74 defined in bracket 50. Once positioned in the above described manner a fastener 80 (e. g. a bolt) (see FIG. 3) is advanced through each of the aligned apertures 74 and 68 so as to couple forward frame subassembly 14 and rearward frame subassembly 16 thereby forming main frame 12. Another fastener which can be used in the present invention is commercially available from Huck
International, located in Saltlake City, Utah, as the
HP8 Power Bolt. In addition, a tool which can be utilized to set the HP8 fasteners is also available from Huck International as Huck Power rig 940.
It should be appreciated that forming forward frame subassembly 14 and rearward frame subassembly 16 as two independent, separate subassemblies of main frame 12 is an advantage of the present invention. For example, forward frame subassembly 14 and rearward frame subassembly 16 are each physically smaller than main frame 12, therefore these subassemblies can be manipulated (e. g. moved from one position to another during the manufacturing process) much easier than the relatively large main
frame 12. Furthermore, it should be appreciated that (i) a relatively large machining complex is required to manufacture a relatively large structure (e. g. a large frame), (ii) a large machining complex is more expensive than a smaller machining complex, thus utilizing a relatively large machining complex adds to the manufacturing cost of a structure, (iii) forward frame subassembly 14 and rearward frame subassembly 16 are each smaller than main frame 12. Therefore, the present invention results in a decrease in manufacturing costs by first independently constructing forward frame subassembly 14 and rearward frame subassembly 16 with relatively small machining complexes and then coupling these two subassemblies together to form main frame 12. In addition, the relatively small forward frame subassembly 14 and rearward frame subassembly 16 can be stored and shipped much easier than the larger main frame 12.
Once main frame 12 is formed in the above described manner work machine components can be secured thereto. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, axle 28 can be secured to main frame 12 in a well known manner. In addition, cab assembly 30 can be secured to main frame 12. In particular, a support plate 58 (see FIG. 4) is secured to cab supports 40 (see FIG. 3), and a number of support members 62 are secured to support plate 58 such that the support members 62 extend upwardly from support plate 58. A roof plate 60 is then attached to support members 62
such that support members 62 are interposed support plate 58 and roof plate 60.
Other work machine components which can be attached to main frame 12 include battery 24 and counter weight 56. Specifically, battery 24 is attached to main frame 12 so that battery 24 is positioned within cavity 26 defined by rearward frame subassembly 16. Counter weight 56 is attached to bracket 52 and lateral wall 48. It should be appreciated that another counter weight (not shown) can be attached to bracket 50 and lateral side wall 46 in a similar manner.
Referring now to FIG. 1, end frame 20 is mechanically coupled to main frame 12. In particular, upper hitch assembly 32 and lower hitch assembly 34 define a location 82 at which end frame 20 is coupled to main frame 12. End frame 20 is coupled to upper hitch assembly 32 and lower hitch assembly 34 so that end frame 20 can rotate relative to main frame 12 around a vertical axis 76 in the directions indicated by arrow 78. Lift arm assembly 84 is mechanically coupled to end frame 20 such that lift arm assembly 84 can move relative to end frame 20 in the directions indicated by arrow 86. In addition, work implement 22 is mechanically coupled to an end of lift arm assembly 84.
An alternative method for manufacturing work machine 10 is similar to the method described above with the exception that the appropriate work machine components are attached to forward frame subassembly
14 and rearward frame subassembly 16 prior to coupling forward frame subassembly 14 to rearward frame subassembly 16. For example, the following work machine components can be attached, (i) cab assembly 30 and axle 28 are attached to forward frame subassembly 14 and (ii) counter weight 56 and battery 24 are attached to rearward frame subassembly 16.
Once these work machine components are attached to either the forward frame subassembly 14 or the rearward frame subassembly 16, then forward frame subassembly 14 and rearward frame subassembly 16 are coupled in the above described manner.
Attaching the work machine components to either forward frame subassembly 14 or rearward frame subassembly 16 prior to the coupling to form main frame 12 is advantageous because it decreases the difficulty of manufacturing work machine 10. For example, attaching the work machine components to the physically smaller forward frame subassembly 14 or rearward frame subassembly 16 is much easier as compared to trying to attach the work machine components to the relatively large main frame 12.
Therefore, attaching the work machine components to forward frame subassembly 14 or rearward frame subassembly 16 prior to the formation of main frame 12 results in a more efficient, cost effective, method for manufacturing work machine 10.
In still another alternative method for manufacturing work machine 10, forward frame subassembly 14 can be coupled with either rearward
frame subassembly 16 or a rearward frame subassembly 18. As shown in FIG. 3, rearward frame subassembly 18 is similar in construction to rearward frame subassembly 16. In fact, rearward frame subassembly 18 includes the same components as rearward frame subassembly 16, e. g. a lateral wall 46, a lateral wall 48, a floor plate 44, and a brace 54. However, rearward frame subassembly 18 has a different design configuration in that rearward frame subassembly 18 is larger than rearward frame subassembly 16. Therefore, coupling forward frame subassembly 14 to rearward frame subassembly 18 results in a larger main frame 12. The larger main frame 12 can then be utilized to manufacture a larger work machine 10. Thus, it should be appreciated that the method of manufacturing work machine 10 which utilizes rearward frame subassembly 18 is identical with the previously described methods with the exception that a rearward frame subassembly is selected from rearward frame subassembly 18 and rearward frame subassembly 16 and then the select rearward frame subassembly is coupled to forward frame subassembly 14 in the manner described above.
However, it should be understood that more than two rear frame subassemblies can be included in the group from which the select rearward frame subassembly is identified. In particular, it should be understood that more than two design configurations (i. e. the large design configuration of rearward frame subassembly 18 and the smaller design configuration of rearward frame subassembly 16) can be included in the
group from which the select rearward frame subassembly is identified. For example, a design configuration in which the rear frame subassembly does not define a cavity can be included.
It should be appreciated that keeping the physical configuration of forward frame subassembly 14 constant while providing a number of alternative rearward frame subassembly design configurations (e. g. rearward frame subassembly 16 and rearward frame subassembly 18) for coupling to forward frame subassembly 14 is another advantage of the present invention. Specifically, keeping the physical configuration of forward frame subassembly 14 constant while providing several alternative rearward frame subassembly design configurations provides an economical method to produce and utilize main frames 12 designed for a wide range of applications. For example, having a standardized configuration of forward frame subassembly 14 ensures that different main frame 12 configurations (e. g. large or small) can be manufactured without altering the physical design of forward frame subassembly 14. Being able to utilize any one of several rear frame subassembly design configurations without altering forward frame subassembly 14 enhances the versatility of manufacturing work machine 10.
Industrial Applicability The present invention is utilized to manufacture a main frame 12 of a work machine 10. In particular, the present invention provides a method of manufacturing a main frame 12 of a work machine 10 which is more efficient, versatile, and cost effective as compared to other methods of manufacturing a frame of a work machine.
Other aspects, objects and advantages of this invention can be obtained from a study of the drawings, disclosures, and the appended claims.
Claims (14)
1. A work machine, comprising : main frame having (i) a forward frame subassembly and (ii) a rearward frame subassembly, the main frame is manufactured by a process including the steps of (i) identifying a select rearward frame subassembly from a first rearward frame subassembly having a first design configuration and a second rearward frame subassembly having a second design configuration and (ii) coupling the select rearward frame subassembly to the forward frame subassembly so as to create the main frame; and an end frame pivotally coupled to the main frame.
2. The work machine of claim 1, wherein: the process of manufacturing the main frame includes the step of attaching a first work machine component to the select rearward frame subassembly prior to the coupling step.
3. The work machine of claim 2, wherein: the select rearward frame subassembly defines a cavity configured to receive the first work machine component, and the first work machine component is attached to the select rearward frame subassembly so that the first work machine component is positioned within the cavity.
4. The work machine of claim 2 or 3, wherein : the process of manufacturing the main frame further includes the step of attaching a second work machine component to the forward frame subassembly prior to the coupling step.
5. The work machine of claim 4, wherein: the second work component includes an axle.
6. The work machine of claim 4 or 5, wherein: the second work component includes a cab assembly.
7. The work machine of any preceding claim, wherein: the coupling step of the process includes the step of bolting the rearward frame subassembly to the forward frame subassembly.
8. A method of manufacturing a work machine, comprising the steps of: identifying a select rearward frame subassembly from a first rearward frame subassembly having a first design configuration and a second rearward frame subassembly having a second design configuration; attaching a first work machine component to the select rearward frame subassembly;
attaching a second work machine component to a forward frame subassembly ; coupling the select rearward frame subassembly to the forward frame subassembly after the attaching steps so as to create a main frame; securing an end frame to the main frame so that the end frame can pivot relative to the main frame; and coupling a work implement to the end frame.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein: the coupling the select rearward frame subassembly to the forward frame subassembly step includes the step of bolting the select rearward frame subassembly to the forward frame subassembly.
10. The method of claim 8 or 9 wherein: the second work machine component includes an axle.
11. The method of any of claims 8 to 10, wherein: the second work machine component includes a cab assembly.
12. The method of any of claims 8 to 11, wherein: the forward frame subassembly includes an upper hitch subassembly and a lower hitch subassembly, and
the upper hitch subassembly and the lower hitch subassembly define a location on the main frame at which the end frame is secured to the main frame.
13. A work machine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in accompanying drawings.
14. A method of manufacturing a work machine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in accompanying drawings.
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US67992700A | 2000-10-05 | 2000-10-05 |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB0122890D0 GB0122890D0 (en) | 2001-11-14 |
| GB2367539A true GB2367539A (en) | 2002-04-10 |
Family
ID=24728959
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB0122890A Withdrawn GB2367539A (en) | 2000-10-05 | 2001-09-24 | Manufacturing a main frame of a work vehicle |
Country Status (3)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| JP (1) | JP2002227247A (en) |
| DE (1) | DE10148498A1 (en) |
| GB (1) | GB2367539A (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN102009693A (en) * | 2010-12-02 | 2011-04-13 | 江苏柳工机械有限公司 | Rear frame of loader |
Families Citing this family (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KR20070044035A (en) | 2004-09-14 | 2007-04-26 | 가부시키가이샤 고마쓰 세이사쿠쇼 | Crawler frame fixation structure for construction machine |
Citations (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB1114632A (en) * | 1965-05-11 | 1968-05-22 | Allis Chalmers Mfg Co | Improved vehicle chassis |
| GB1596877A (en) * | 1977-07-11 | 1981-09-03 | Caterpillar Tractor Co | Vehicle frame |
| GB2244418A (en) * | 1990-06-02 | 1991-12-04 | Kubota Kk | Frame structure far attaching a working implement |
| US6158525A (en) * | 1998-07-10 | 2000-12-12 | Komatsu Ltd. | Main frame structure and steering case of construction equipment |
-
2001
- 2001-09-24 GB GB0122890A patent/GB2367539A/en not_active Withdrawn
- 2001-09-28 JP JP2001300973A patent/JP2002227247A/en not_active Withdrawn
- 2001-10-01 DE DE2001148498 patent/DE10148498A1/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB1114632A (en) * | 1965-05-11 | 1968-05-22 | Allis Chalmers Mfg Co | Improved vehicle chassis |
| GB1596877A (en) * | 1977-07-11 | 1981-09-03 | Caterpillar Tractor Co | Vehicle frame |
| GB2244418A (en) * | 1990-06-02 | 1991-12-04 | Kubota Kk | Frame structure far attaching a working implement |
| US6158525A (en) * | 1998-07-10 | 2000-12-12 | Komatsu Ltd. | Main frame structure and steering case of construction equipment |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN102009693A (en) * | 2010-12-02 | 2011-04-13 | 江苏柳工机械有限公司 | Rear frame of loader |
| CN102009693B (en) * | 2010-12-02 | 2012-07-11 | 江苏柳工机械有限公司 | Rear frame of loader |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| JP2002227247A (en) | 2002-08-14 |
| DE10148498A1 (en) | 2002-10-17 |
| GB0122890D0 (en) | 2001-11-14 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |