GB839721A - Improvements in or relating to load transportation means - Google Patents

Abstract

839,721. Propelling vehicles. EISENWERK WESERHUTTE A. G. Nov. 27, 1957 [Dec. 7, 1956], No. 37036/57. Class 79(3) A load transporting means has power driven walking legs 2, 3, 4, Fig. 1, which are attached to the load 1, such as an excavating machine, and are movable in a vertical direction and in a horizontal plane in any direction relative to the load and relative to the ground. Each walking leg is attached to the load by one vertical extensible support, such as 5, and two horizontal extensible supports such as 6, 7. These supports may be fluid-operated rams connected to one another by ball and socket joints 15, 16 and to the load by further ball and socket joints 13, 14, the supports 5 being anchored against rotation about its own axis by a pair of triangular frames 29, 30, Fig. 7, pivoted on horizontal pins 28, 32 and interconnected at their apices by a cardan or ball and socket joint 31. A further ball and socket joint 11 connects each support 5.to a hollow, reinforced circular member 20 forming the leg. Starting from the position shown in Fig. 4, the support 6 is extended and the support 7' shortened to cause pivotal movement of the supports 5, 5<SP>1</SP> about the joints 11 so that the load 1 is swung forwardly in an arcuate path until it again rests on the ground with the supports 5, 5<SP>1</SP> inclined in the opposite direction from that shown. The supports 5, 5<SP>1</SP> are then temporarily shortened to enable them to be restored to their initial position in relation to the load in readiness for the next step forward. In an alternative method of operation, the supports 5, 5' are first vertical and are extended to lift the load which is then lowered by a forward arcuate movement about the joints 11, the supports 6, 7<SP>1</SP>, acting as brakes. A second set of walking legs, counterphased with the first, may be used so that the height of the load is kept constant. The supports 5 may be returned' to their initial positions after each step by arcuate movements about the joints 12, the supports for each leg may form acute angles with one another and they may be extended by screwed connections. A device carried by the load may control the rhythm of operation of the legs.