US2557853A - Track aligner - Google Patents

Description

June 19, 1951 D, R, ZANG 2,557,853

TRACK ALIGNER Filed Aug. 11, 1948 JNVENToR. Day/'d Zang BY I .L`M

Aff'y Patented June 19, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TRACK ALIGNER David R. Zang, Oakland, Calif.

Application August 11, 1948, Serial No. 43,651

2 Claims. l

This invention relates to improvements in stabilizers for use on track-laying tractors.

The principal object of this invention is to provide means for maintainingthe individual tracks of a track-lay-er in parallel alignment and to prevent any twisting action of the tractors and to prevent them from toeing in or out, thus eliminating strain on the track links, the axle, and the driving sprockets.

A further object is to produce a device of this character which may be attached to an ordinary tractor of the track-laying type, without materially altering its construction, one which will be easy to service, and one wherein adjustments may be readily made to accommodate for wear.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1' is a front elevation of my device, as the same appears when secured to a track-laying tractor;

Fig. 2 is a top-plan view of Fig. 1 and on a reduced scale;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view, taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 and on an enlarged scale.

Track-laying tractors usually consist of a frame, upon which the power unit is mounted, which unit drives a rear axle having a pair of sprockets, and upon which are pivotally mounted the track-laying elements.

Inasmuch as these tracks rock about the axis of the rear axles, they have an up-and-down movement at their forward ends, and as these forward ends are practically unsupported, other than by a loosely-mounted body-supported light spring, there is a tendency for the front of the tracks to toe in or out and thus to get out of alignment, which results in excessive strains being applied to the rear axle and the driving sprockets, as well as the links of the track.

Applicant has devised means for maintaining the front portions of the tracks in alignment, yet allowing for up-and-down movement of the tracks individually, at the same time maintaining the tracks against canting or twisting, thus relieving the aforementioned strains.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein, for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the tractor body, as a whole, is designated by the numeral 5, and

the rear axle by the numeral 6, which axle, in turn, drives ground-engaging tracks I and 8.

These tracks are, in turn, supported upon frame members, as shown at 9 and I I respectively.

To each of the frame members I secure a bracket, as shown at I2 and I3. As each of these brackets is the same, but one will be described.

Referring now to Fig. 3, it will be noted that the bracket I3, has a T head I4, extending therefrom, so as to provide forwardly and rearwardlyextending portions, which are slidably engaged by wear plates I6 and I'I, mounted in a housing I8, formed on the end of a spreader bar I 9, which is secured to the frame of the tractor 5.

The wear plate I6 is secured in the housing in any desired manner, while the wear plate Il is adjustably held through the medium of a bolt 2 I, freely movable through the housing and having a spring 22, inter-positioned between the housing and the head of the bolt.

Adjusting bolts 23, threadedly positioned in the housing, have their ends bearing against the wear plate, the purpose of which will be later seen.

Both of these wear plates have a hardened surface, as shown at 24.

The result of this construction is that, when the bolts 23 are adjusted so as to position the wear plate II against the T head I4, the opposite side of the T head will, in turn, be pressed against the wear plate I6. v

The adjustment is such that a nice, sliding contact is maintained between the rubbing surfaces and, as wear occurs, adjustment of the bolts will compensate for the wear.

It will be apparent that this arrangement permits the T heads to move upwardly and downwardly with the movement of the forward end of the tracks, about the axis of the shaft 6, and yet prevents the forward ends of the tracks from approaching each other, thus keeping them in alignment and, at the same time, this arrangement will eliminate any tendency of the .tracks to twist out of their parallel alignment with the ground.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes relative to the material, size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. In a tractor, a pair of rigidly xed parallel side members, a pair of vertically disposed guide brackets each carried by a respective side member, said guide brackets projecting from the adjacent forward ends of said side members and having rectilinear guide heads extending Vertically in fixed parallel relation, a spreader member xed immovably to the tractor body and'extending transversely of the forward end of said tractor between said guide brackets, and vertical guide means rigidly xed to the ends of said spreader member and engaging around said guide heads to maintain said guide brackets in constant parall lel relation.

2. In a tractor, a pair of rigidly xed parallel side members, a pair of vertically disposed guide brackets each carried by a respective side mem-- ber, said guide brackets projecting from the adjacent forward ends of said side members and having rectilinear guide heads extending Vertically in fixed parallel relation, a spreader member xed immovably to the tractor body and extending transversely of the forward end of said tractor between said guide brackets, guide sleeves rigidly fixed vertically to the ends of said spreader bar and surrounding said guide heads, wear plates interposed between the walls of said guide sleeves and said vertical guide heads, and means to adjust said wear plates.

DAVID R. ZANG.

REFERENCES CITED TheV following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,223,802 Heaslet Dec. 3, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 474,958 Germany Apr. 16, 1929

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