JPH01301402A - Tread adjusting method for steering wheel - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To facilitate the tread adjustment for steering wheels of a tractor or the like by releasing the lock of a movable axle, driving the left and rear wheels forth and rear with the wheels taking the skirted positions under control and frictionally turning the movable axles with a major axle body to the left and the right. CONSTITUTION:A movable axle 11 locked with respect to a major axle body 10 by a positioning means is released and a pair of left and right wheels 2 are controlled to take the skirted positions shown in the plane view by a tie rod 26. In such state the tractor 1 is driven forth and the movable axle 11 is frictionally moved to the left and the right with the major axle body 10. Then said movable axle 11 is fixed by the positioning means. In such constitution, the movable axle may be constructed simply and be adjusted for treads.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a method for adjusting the tread of a steering wheel in a vehicle such as a tractor.

(Prior Art) Some vehicles, such as tractors, have adjustable steering wheels, such as front wheel treads, because it is necessary to perform work while traveling on uneven terrain such as slopes.

In this case, a movable front axle that supports the front wheels is supported by the front axle body so that it can slide and be fixed in the left and right directions, and when adjusting the tread of the front wheels, the movable front axle that supports the front wheels is moved relative to the front axle body via a rack and pinion mechanism. Those with a sliding axle, those with a movable front axle that slides using the expansion and contraction of a hydraulic cylinder installed parallel to the axis of the axle, and those with a movable front axle that uses a steering cylinder. There are some that have a sliding front axle.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) This type of adjustment device has the disadvantage that it is structurally very complex and the manufacturing cost is high.

In view of such conventional problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a tread adjustment method that allows easy tread adjustment using a pole (hour wheel) structure without using a rack and pinion mechanism, hydraulic cylinder, etc.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention provides a movable axle 11 that supports a steering wheel 2 so as to be slidable and fixed in the left-right direction on the outer end side in the left-right direction of an axle body 10, and a pair of left and right steering wheels. In a vehicle in which the shaft 2 is operated around the king pin 13 via the tie rod 26, when adjusting the tread of the steering wheel 2, the fixation of the movable axle 11 to the axle body 10 is released and the movable axle 11 is moved around the axle body 10. In addition to making it slidable in the left and right direction,
Each steering wheel 2 is restrained by a tie rod 26 so that the left and right pair of steering wheels 2 form a V-shape in plan view, and then by traveling in the front and rear direction, the movable axle 11 is connected to the axle main body 10.
It is slid in the left and right direction.

(Example) Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the illustrated example.
In the drawings to FIG. 3, reference numeral 1 indicates a four-wheel drive type tractor, and this tractor 1 has a pair of left and right front wheels 2 that can be steered,
It has a pair of left and right rear wheels 3.

A front axle frame 5 is attached to the engine 4 mounted on the front part of the tractor 1 so as to protrude forward, and a pair of front axle brackets 6 are attached to the front axle frame 5.
．． A front axle 8 is swingably suspended around a center shaft 9 via a front axle 7 .

The front axle 8 is composed of a front axle body 10 that incorporates a front wheel differential device and other drive mechanisms, and a movable front axle 11 that is fitted into both left and right ends of the front axle body 10 so as to be slidable in the left-right direction. There is. A bevel gear case 12 is fixed to the outer end of the movable front axle 11, and a front wheel case 14 is supported by the bevel gear case 12 so as to be rotatable around a king pin 13. A front wheel shaft 15 is rotatably supported by the front wheel case 14, and a wheel disc 16 of the front wheel 2 is attached to the front wheel shaft 15. Note that a gear mechanism for transmitting power from the front wheel differential device to the front wheels 2 is incorporated in the bevel gear case 12 and the front wheel case 14.

17 is a positioning means that also serves as a rotation stopper for the movable front axle 11;
It has a flat positioning plate 18, and this positioning plate 18 is arranged on the front side of the front axle 8 in the left-right direction.

The positioning plate 18 is attached to the bevel gear case 12 with bolts 19.
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5,
It is slidably brought into contact with a seat surface 20 formed on the front side of the front axle body 10, and is attached to and detached from the front axle body 10 by four bolts 21. The positioning plate 18 has two elongated holes 22 formed in a staggered manner, and four screw holes 23 are formed in the seat surface 20 of the front axle body 10 in correspondence with the two elongated holes 22 in the upper and lower directions. A hole 21 inserted into the elongated hole 22 is screwed into this screw hole 23. Note that the two long holes 22 on the upper and lower sides are formed so that the left and right end portions correspond to each other vertically, and the long holes 22 on both ends
A round hole 22a is formed in the positioning plate 18 corresponding to the outer end side.

Further, the length of the elongated hole 22 is set to match the adjustment pitch of the tread of the front wheel 2.

A knuckle arm 24 is integrally formed in the front wheel case 14, and a tie stop 26 is connected to this knuckle arm 24 via a pin 25. The tie loft 26 is for operating the front wheel 2 around the king pin 13, and one end thereof is connected to a steering arm 27. The steering arm 27 is supported on the front axle frame 5 side via a steering shaft 28 so as to be swingable left and right, and is swingable left and right in conjunction with the steering handle 29 of the tractor 1 . Note that the tie rod 26 can be adjusted to extend or contract with a turnbuckle or the like.

Next, we will explain how to adjust the front wheel tread. Normally, the positioning plate 18 is fixed to the front axle body 10 by four bolts 21 of the positioning means 17, and therefore the movable front axle 11 is fixed to the front axle body 10 so as not to be slidable in the left-right direction. Of course, the movable front axle 11 is also immovable.

Therefore, when adjusting the tread of the front wheels 2, the fixation between the movable front axle 11 and the front axle body 10 by the positioning means 17 is released, and at the same time, the left and right front wheels 2 are adjusted so that they have a V-shape in plan view. The angle of the front wheel 2 is changed and restrained by a tie rod 26. In this case, if the tread is to be made smaller, each elongated hole 2 of the four bolts 21 should be
Loosen these bolts 21, leaving the bolt 21 on the right end side of No. 2, and completely remove the other two bolts 21. Also front wheel 2
By shortening the tie rod 26, the angle changes so that the left and right sides form a V-shape in plan view. Note that either the release of the fixation of the front axle 8 or the change of the angle of the front wheel 2 may be performed first.

Once these tasks are completed, move the tractor 1 forward (A
), the movable front axle 11 is slid inward in the left-right direction (in the direction of arrow B) with respect to the front axle body 10 within the range of the elongated hole 22. That is, the left and right front wheels 2 are in a V-shape in plan view, and each front wheel 2 is restrained by a tie rod 26, so when the tractor 1 is moved forward, the front wheels 2 move depending on the direction of movement (arrow C). An external force is applied to the front axle 11 in the direction of arrow B, and the movable front axle 11 slides in the direction of arrow B within the range of the elongated hole 22. When both the left and right movable front axles 11 slide by the length of the elongated hole 22, after stopping forward movement, tighten the two loosened bolts 21, and
The remaining two bolts 21 are tightened to fix the positioning plate 18 to the front axle body 10.

This will make the tread smaller by one pinch on each side.

When adjusting two pitches or more on both the left and right sides, the position of the bolt 21 used can be changed midway through.

If the tread is to be made larger, the tractor 1 may be moved backwards.

After the tread adjustment, the tie rods 26 are adjusted to achieve a predetermined toe-in.

The positioning means 17 may use a positioning shaft 30 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. This positioning shaft 30 is fixed to the bevel gear case 12 side, and has a fitting hole 31 formed in the front axle body 10 parallel to its axis.
It is slidably fitted inside. Therefore, the movable front axle 11
is prevented from rotating by a positioning shaft 30. Further, a plurality of positioning recesses 32 are formed in the positioning shaft 30 in the axial direction, and a positioning bolt 33 on the front axle body 10 side is removably engaged with any of the recesses 32.

Note that although the embodiment has been illustrated with respect to the front wheel 2 side, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the same can be implemented on the rear wheel 3 side as long as steering is possible.

(Effects of the Invention) According to the present invention, when adjusting the tread of the steering wheel 2, the fixation of the movable axle 11 to the axle body 10 is released, and the movable axle 11 is in a state where it can freely slide on the axle body 10 in the left and right direction. At the same time, the pair of left and right steering wheels 2 have a V-shape in plan view. Each steering wheel 2 is restrained by the tie rod 26 as shown in FIG.
After that, by traveling in the front-back direction, the movable axle 11
Since the movable axle 11 is slid in the left and right direction with respect to the axle body 10, conventional rack and pinion mechanisms, hydraulic cylinders, etc. are not required. It has the advantage of being very simple in structure and easy to adjust the tread.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 5 show a first embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is an overall plan view, FIG. 2 is a cutaway plan view of essential parts, FIG. 3 is a sectional front view of the same, and FIG. 4 5 is a cross-sectional front view of the positioning means, FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional front view taken along the line X-X in FIG. 4, FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional front view showing the second embodiment of the positioning means, and FIG. It is a YY arrow view. 1...Tractor, 2...Front wheel (steering wheel), 8...
Front axle, 10... Front axle body, 11... Movable front axle, 17... Positioning means, 26... Tie rod.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) Move the movable axle 11 that supports the steering wheel 2 to the axle body 10.
In a vehicle in which a pair of left and right steering wheels 2 are provided on the outer end side in the left and right direction so as to be slidable and fixed in the left and right direction, and a pair of left and right steering wheels 2 are operated around the king pin 13 via a tie rod 26,
When adjusting the tread of the steering wheel 2, the fixation of the movable axle 11 to the axle body 10 is released to make the movable axle 11 slidable in the left and right direction on the axle body 10, and the pair of left and right steering wheels 2 is adjusted. Each steering wheel 2 is restrained by a tie rod 26 so that it has a V-shape in plan view, and then the movable axle 11 is slid in the left-right direction with respect to the axle body 10 by traveling in the front-rear direction. A method for adjusting the tread of a steering wheel, characterized by: