Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
  • B62D—MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS
  • B62D15/00—Steering not otherwise provided for

Definitions

• the subject of the present invention is an arrangement of drive wheels, which is designed for producing the drive force for vehicles, various transfer devices, or equivalent, the said arrangement comprising a combination of a) a construction, such as a frame plate, to be rotated around a first shaft, the said first shaft being substantially perpendicular to the plane of the running base, b) a motor and a power transmission, by means of which the said construction is rotated around the said first shaft, c) a set of wheels, whose wheels are turnably connected to the said first construction by means of articulated shafts or equivalent, d) a first steering mechanism, by means of which the wheels of the said set of wheels are guided to run, during rotation of the said first construction, along such tracks that the axis lines of the wheels intersect each other substantially on the same straight line or substantially at the same point, e) a second steering mechanism, which is coupled to the said first steering mechanism so that the line or point of intersection of the axis lines of the wheels in the set of wheels can be deviated in relation to the axi
• prior-art transport equipment and tractive equipment is arranged either by means of tractive wheels and/or by means of separate steering wheels so that the wheels can be turned in the desired direction by means of a separate steering mechanism.
• a separate steering mechanism In most cases such a steering system does not permit turning by more than 45 degrees, which results in a remarkably high requirement of turning space.
• the objective of the present invention is to provide a new arrangement of drive wheels, whose exclusive purpose is not only to eliminate drawbacks present in prior art in respect of power transmission and steering but also to permit technico-economically optimum production costs for the new arrangement.
• the invention is mainly characterized in that the said second steering mechanism includes a steering lever mounted to the frame of the equipment by means of a universal ball joint or equivalent and fitted so that by means of the said one steering lever it is possible to deviate the line or point of intersection of the axis lines of the wheels of the set of wheels arbitrarily so that both the direction of drive and the speed of travel of the equipment can be selected steplessly and freely by means of one selection of the position of the said steering lever.
• the invention is based on an alteration of the internal equilibrium of forces in a wheel set consisting of wheels which are, by means of particular power transmission units, made to rotate concentrically along a circular track, which are connected to one another in a certain way, which are in themselves known, and which have diameters of appropriate size, so that the wheel set proceeds in the desired direction at the selected speed, while it is, by means of the frame construction, connected to a stationarily mounted wheel or set of wheels or to a second or several drive wheel units of corresponding type.
• the arrangement of drive wheels in accordance with the invention offers, e.g., the following advantages, which are important in practice: 1) very simple methods and devices can also be used for the power transmission, 2) in situations of starting and at low travel speeds remarkably high tractive forces are achieved with little power,
• the sets of wheels in accordance with the invention can be applied to automatic steering systems by simple means, 8) if necessary, the invention permits the use of wheels of small dimensions, because the drive is not accomplished by means of axle transmission, 9) another important advantage of the invention is that, when a steering bar, preferably a steering lever, is used that is, in accordance with the invention, mounted to the frame of the apparatus by means of a universal ball joint or equivalent, by means of one steering bar or lever it is possible to select both the direction of travel and the speed of travel of the apparatus steplessly and according to free choice In this way the steering of the tractive equipment can be made precise and quick and logical, e.g., so that the apparatus travels exactly in the direction towards which the steering lever is deviated and at a speed that corresponds the angle of deviation of the steering lever.
• the drive wheel arrangement in accordancd with the invention can be applied to all such transport, traction and shifting duties that take place on a reasonably smooth running base and in which substantial requirements are imposed on the steering quality, tiacti ⁇ n capacity, and in which high travel speed is not the most decisive factor.
• the following could be mentioned in particular:
• Traction vehicles and transport equipment provided with an arrangement of wheels in accordance with the invention may be provided with various lifting mechanisms, whereby the possibilities of use of the equipment can be made more versatile.
• Figure 1 is a side view of a vehicle provided with a drive wheel arrangement in accordance with the present invention.
• Figure 2 shows the same as Fig. 1, as viewed from above.
• Figure 3 is a schematical presentation of the geometry of components of a wheel arrangement in accordance with the present invention.
• Figure 4 shows an embodiment related to the design of the steering linkage of a wheel arrangement in accordance with the invention.
• Figure 5 shows an example on the linkage to the frame plate of the wheels in a wheel arrangement in accordance with the invention.
• Figure 6 shows an example on the coupling of the steering rods of a wheel in the wheel arrangement in accordance with the invention.
• FIG. 7 shows the principle of travelling of the arrangement of wheels in accordance with the invention
• Figures 1 and 2 illustrate an apparatus wherein a wheel set 10 in accordance with the invention is mounted to the same frame 13 together with two wheels 11a and 11b mounted stationarily to the forks 14.
• the apparatus consists of a frame 13, onto which the electric motor 15, operating as the power source, is mounted.
• V-belt 16 driven by the electric motor 15
• a movement rotating in the desired direction is transmitted to the frame plate 17 of the wheel set.
• the frame plate 17 rotates in the direction R, clockwise. The opposite direction of rotation is equally good.
• the forks 19 are mounted to the frame plate 17 by means of vertical shafts 18, and the wheels 10a, 10b and 10c of the wheel set 10 are mounted to the forks by means of the shafts 20.
• the steering rods 21 are linked at one end to the forks 19, in the same position in respect of each fork 19, and at the other end to the steering lever 22, which is by means of the universal ball joint 23 mounted to the socket 24 in the frame 13.
• the frame plate 17 of the wheel set 10 is mounted to the frame 13 of the apparatus by means of a ball bearing 25. As was stated above, the other end of the apparatus is supported on wheels 11a, 11b, which are mounted to the frame 13 by the intermediate of rolling shafts 26 and stationary forks 14.
• the wheels 10a, 10b and 10c revolve concentrically around the journalling centre of the steering lever 22 and of the steering rods 21. If the steering lever 22 is turned in the direction II, the apparatus starts moving in the same direction.
• the wheel set 10 consisting of the wheels 10a, 10b and 10c produces a movement in the same direction and the apparatus as a whole turns towards the said direction with a turning radius characteristic of the combination formed by the set of wheels of the turning wheels and by the wheels mounted stationarily. All directions of movement between the said main directions I, II, III,IV are also possible.
• the apparatus described above start s its movement exactly in the direction towards which the steering lever 22 is shifted.
• the arrangement of drive wheels illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 consists of wheels 10 that have been made, by means of particular power transmission mechanisms, to revolve on the plane of travel clockwise, which wheels are shown in Figures 1 and 2 as consisting of three wheels 10a, 10b and 10c.
• the axes or axis lines L of the wheels 10 intersect each other in the same projection point A of the plane of rotation.
• the line of effect of the said force can be defined as follows: when the wheel set is placed on the xy-plane so that the point B is at the origo and the wheels 10 revolve clockwise around the point B, the force acting upon the wheel set and producing the progress T is directed in the positive direction of the y-axis when the point A is shifted along the x-axis in its positive direction.
• r a , r b and r c illustrate the routes of passage of the individual wheels 10a, 10b and 10c of the wheel sets on the plane of travelling when the wheel set makes progress in accordance with the principle described above.
• the axis lines L of the wheels 10 do not have to intersect each other in the same point, but for the accomplishment of the inventive idea it is sufficient if they intersect the same normal of the plane of rotation whose projection on the plane is point A, this in the case in which different wheels of the wheel set have diameters of different size, as compared with each other.
• a wheel set 10 of the type described above When a wheel set 10 of the type described above is connected together with either a stationary ordinary wheel set 11a, 11b or one or several special wheel sets 10 in accordance with the invention, mounted to the same frame, the steering mechanism of the said special wheel set being, in known ways, synchronized with the first-mentioned wheel set, an apparatus is produced whose running can be controlled in a highly versatile way.
• the traction device described above and illustrated in the figures is suitable for use in many different apparatuses, e.g., as a traction unit for a wheelchair or equivalent.
• An embodiment of the invention in which two wheel sets of the type described above are mounted to the same frame and base is particularly well suitable for traction and transportation duties on aeroplanes, terminals, or factory and warehouse halls.
• the frame of the traction device may be provided with a lifting mechanism for automatic securing of freight car pallets or cargo platforms.
• the wheel set 10 subject of the invention consists of wheels 10a,10b,10c, 10a' ,10b', 10c', linked to the frame plate 17 by means of different radii, the axis centres 12 of the said wheels revolving concentrically around the point B and the axis lines L of the said wheels intersecting each other in the same point A or on the same line, whose projection in the plane parallel to the frame plate 17 is the said point A.
• the controlling of the wheels 10e can be arranged so that the fork 19 of the wheels is fastened to a telescope construction 27. 28, which is at the opposite end connected to the said point A or to a corresponding straight line, to which the corresponding telescope arms 27. 28 of the various wheels 10e are coupled.
• the arms 27, 28 control the wheels so that, when the frame plate 17 revolves,, the axis lines L of the wheels 10e intersect each other in the same point A, whereby the desired speed and direction of movement of the drive wheel in accordance with the invention is produced by varying the position of the said point. in relation to the centre of rotation B of the frame plate 17.
• the wheels 10f are fastened to the fork 19 so that the steering rods 29 are attached to the forks 19 at a certain distance d in relation to the plane T of the axes of rotation 20 of the wheels 10f.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Transportation (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Handcart (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=8513755

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Cited By (1)

Citations (3)

• 1980
  • 1980-09-10 FI FI802844A patent/FI802844A/fi not_active Application Discontinuation
• 1981
  • 1981-09-02 EP EP19810902495 patent/EP0060261A1/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 1981-09-02 AU AU75383/81A patent/AU7538381A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1981-09-02 WO PCT/FI1981/000069 patent/WO1982000807A1/en unknown

Patent Citations (3)

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