RU2446073C2 - Caterpillar mover - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: transport.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to machine building. Caterpillar mover comprises caterpillar chain, track rubber rollers fitted on tank torsion suspension crank lever ends, guide roller running on crank axle, caterpillar track tensioner, drive sprocket fitted on transmission output shaft, shock-absorbers and retainers limiting torsion suspension crank travel. Track rubber rollers features two diameters. First roller, if seen from guide roller, and the next odd track rollers feature larger diameter than even track rollers. Difference in diameters makes 1.1-2.0 of crank travel. Caterpillar track top flight thrusts on larger diameter track rollers. Smaller diameter track rollers do not touch tract top flight even at maximum travel torsion suspension. Guide roller crank arm makes 0.2-0.4 of guide roller diameter. Crank proper is equipped with shock absorber and travel limiters to allow guide roller spontaneous up-down travel in plane perpendicular to caterpillar track support surface. Crank end is directed downward in initial position while, in end position, it is directed toward track rubber rollers.

EFFECT: higher cross-country capacity.

2 cl, 2 dwg

Description

The present invention relates to the field of technology on a caterpillar track, in particular, to armored vehicles, specifically to the design of the tank, and is aimed at improving the design of the caterpillar mover, increasing its "survivability" in combat conditions.

Currently, tanks use caterpillar propulsion devices with a sufficiently high efficiency (efficiency) and with sufficient speed. This was achieved, in particular, by the use of supporting rollers with internal shock absorption and serving as a support, for the upper branch of the caterpillar in order to reduce its oscillations (runout) during tank movement.

A device is known for a caterpillar propulsion device, for example, a T-34 tank (an analogue is a Soviet tank). (“Modeller-constructor”, monthly popular scientific and technical magazine of the Komsomol Central Committee, No. 5, 1988, pp. 19-23, Moscow, “Young Guard” publishing house. M. Baryatinsky “T-34 in battle”, Moscow, publishing house YAUZA, EKSMO 2008, p. 124).

Each of the two caterpillar propulsors of the tank contains a caterpillar, five support double rubberized rollers of large equal diameter, equal to 830 mm, arranged sequentially in a row in the same plane, a guide roller, a driving wheel with rollers, acting as a sprocket wheel.

The supporting double rubberized rollers are mounted rotatably at the ends of the crank levers of an elastic, spring, tank suspension and move in the normal plane, i.e. normal to the supporting surface of the tank’s caterpillar up and down by the amount of “travel” of the suspension and serve as a support for the upper branch of the caterpillar.

The guide roller rotates on the axis of the crank mounted on board the tank body, with the ability to move it with a device for tensioning or loosening the track during its assembly and disassembly.

The drive wheel with rollers is mounted on the output shaft of the transmission.

The advantage of this device is its simplicity, i.e. the presence of only the most necessary links, which reduces the percentage of damage to the caterpillar mover in combat conditions.

The disadvantage of this device is the insufficiently high efficiency, relatively low speed due to chaotic oscillations (runout) of the upper branch of the caterpillar caused by the movements of the support double rubberized rollers during the movement of the tank.

A device is known for a caterpillar mover, for example, a T-72 tank (the prototype is a Soviet tank) (Modeller-Designer, monthly popular scientific and technical magazine of the Komsomol Central Committee, 1985, No. 65, pp. 9-11, Moscow, “Young guard ").

Each of the two caterpillar propulsors of the tank contains a caterpillar, six double rubberized track rollers, arranged sequentially in a row in the same plane, three supporting single-plate rollers with internal cushioning and serving as a support for the upper track branch, a guide roller, a sprocket wheel, and three hydraulic shock absorbers.

The supporting double rubberized rollers of the same diameter are fixed with the possibility of rotation at the ends of the crank levers of the elastic, torsion, suspension of the tank, move in the normal plane, i.e. normal to the supporting surface of the tank’s caterpillar up and down by the amount of “travel” of the suspension without touching the upper branch of the caterpillar.

Supporting single-disc rollers with internal shock absorption are rotatably mounted on short axes, rigidly connected to the side of the tank body, and are driven into rotation by the frictional force arising from the movement of the track, the upper branch of which rests on these rollers.

The guide roller rotates on the axis of the crank mounted on board the tank body, with the ability to move it with a device for tensioning or loosening the track during its assembly and disassembly.

The drive wheel sprocket is mounted on the output shaft of the transmission.

Hydraulic shock absorbers are mounted on the torsion bar suspensions of the 1st, 2nd and 6th support double rubberized rollers, serve to quickly “damp” the tank’s suspension vibrations, and the crank levers of these suspensions in their movement are limited by stops fixed on the tank’s hull.

The advantage of this device is a more relaxed operation of the upper branch of the caterpillar, which increases the efficiency of the caterpillar mover, its speed, and the "softness" of the torsion bar suspension. In addition, the increased track height (due to the presence of supporting rollers) allows you to overcome a higher obstacle, such as a wall.

The disadvantage of this device is the complexity of the design, due to the increased number of links (nodes), the increased height of the caterpillar mover due to the presence of support rollers, which increases the frontal area of the caterpillar mover and all this increases the percentage of its damage in combat conditions, i.e. reduced "vitality" of it.

The permeability of the tank depends mainly on clearance, i.e. the distance from the lowest point or surface of the body to the supporting surface of the track, and the ability to overcome obstacles, such as a moat, the wall depends on the height of the track mover.

The aim of the invention is to improve the design of the caterpillar mover and, as a result, increase its "survivability" in combat conditions.

This goal is achieved by the fact that the caterpillar mover containing the caterpillar, supporting double rubberized rollers, arranged sequentially in a row in the same plane and fixed with the possibility of rotation at the ends of the crank arms of the torsion bar suspension of the tank and moving in the plane normal to the track surface of the track up and down the value of the "stroke" of the torsion bar suspension, a guide roller rotating on the axis of the crank mounted on board the tank body, with the possibility of changing its position by a device serving for I tension or weakening of the track during its mounting-dismantling, the drive wheel-sprocket mounted on the output shaft of the transmission, shock absorbers and stops-limiters of the "stroke" of crank levers of the 1st, 2nd and last supporting double rubberized rollers of the torsion bar suspension, differs the fact that the supporting double rubberized rollers are made in 2 sizes in diameter, while the first from the guide roller and the subsequent odd supporting double rubber rollers in a sequential row are made larger in diameter than the even supporting double rollers rubberized rollers in this row, the difference in the sizes of their diameters being 1.1-2.0 of the “stroke” of the crank levers of the torsion bar suspension of the tank, the upper track branch rests on the support double rubberized rollers of a larger diameter, and the support double rubberized rollers of a smaller diameter not they touch the upper branch of the track even when the torsion suspension of these support rubber rollers is completely "tucked", the "shoulder" of the guide roller crank is 0.2-0.4 times the diameter of the guide roller, the crank itself is equipped with an elastic element, ensuring automatic movement of the guide roller up and down in the normal plane, i.e. normal to the track surface, under the influence of the latter, with a shock absorber and stops restricting its movement, and in the initial position, the end of the crank is directed downward, and in the final position it is directed towards the supporting rubberized rollers.

Figure 1 shows a General view of the caterpillar mover (side view).

Figure 2 shows the node I (in the initial and final positions).

The device of the caterpillar mover contains a caterpillar 1, double supporting rubberized rollers of a larger diameter 2 and a smaller diameter 3, a sprocket wheel 4, a guide roller 5 and its crank 6. An elastic element of the crank 6, a device for tensioning or loosening the track 1 during its mounting-dismantling , shock absorbers and stops-limiters are not conventionally shown in the drawing).

The work of the caterpillar mover.

1. The movement of the tank on a flat surface.

The lower and upper branches of the track 1 move with the same linear speed. The elastic element of the crank 6 of the guide roller 5 and its shock absorber (not shown conventionally in the diagram) maintain the operational tension of the upper track branch.

2. The movement of the tank on an uneven surface.

The operation of the caterpillar mover is characterized by a change in the support length of the lower branch of the caterpillar 1, which arises under the influence of the relief of the overcome terrain, as well as a change in the position of the upper branch due to the impact of the supporting double rubberized rollers of larger diameter 2 on which it rests, while the supporting double rubberized rollers with a smaller diameter 3 do not touch the upper branch of the track 1 even with the maximum “stroke” of their torsion suspensions.

The resulting changes in the length of the track 1 circuit are partially compensated by the movement of the guide roller 5 under the influence of the track 1. The elastic element of the crank 6 of the guide roller 5, the shock absorber and the stops-limiters of the crank 6 support the operational tension of the upper branch of the track 1 and "dampen" its vibrations.

3. The movement of the tank through an obstacle, such as a wall.

When hitting a wall, the elastic element of the crank 6 of the guide roller 5 “softens” the impact by changing the deviation of the crank 6 towards the supporting double rubberized rollers 2 and 3.

The deviated guide roller 5 rises upward with a crank 6, entraining the front part of the track 1, while increasing the height of the front part of the track 1, while the maximum increase in height corresponds to the length of the "shoulder" of the crank 6 of the guide roller 5.

As the barrier is overcome, the elastic element of the crank 6 of the guide roller 5 returns the latter to its original position, while restoring the operational tension of the upper branch of the track 1.

4. The movement of the tank in reverse.

In this case, the upper branch of the caterpillar 1 acts on the guide roller 5 and it is possible to move it from its initial position towards its final position, but the operation of the caterpillar mover is not disturbed.

Claims (2)

1. A caterpillar mover containing a caterpillar, rubberized track rollers located in one plane and fixed with the possibility of rotation at the ends of the crank arms of the torsion bar suspension of the tank, and moving up and down in the plane normal to the track surface of the track, the torsion bar stroke, a guide roller rotating on the axis of the crank mounted on board the hull of the tank, with the possibility of changing its position by a device that serves to tension or weaken the track during its mounting-dismantling, its sprocket wheel mounted on the output shaft of the transmission, shock absorbers and stop stops for the torsion bar crank arms of the 1st, 2nd and last rubberized support rollers of the torsion suspension, characterized in that the rubberized support rollers are made in two diameters, the first from the guide roller and the subsequent odd support rubber rollers are made of a larger diameter than the even support rubber rollers, and the difference in the sizes of their diameters is 1.1-2.0 of the travel of the crank levers of the tank’s ionic suspension, the upper track branch rests on the larger rubberized support rollers, and the smaller rubberized support rollers do not touch the upper track branch even when the torsion suspension of these rubberized support rollers is full, the guide roller crank arm is 0.2-0.4 sizes the diameter of the guide roller, the crank itself is equipped with an elastic element that automatically moves the guide roller up and down in the normal plane, i.e. normal to the supporting surface of the track under the influence of the latter, the shock absorber and stops restricting its movement, and in the initial position, the end of the crank is directed downward, and in the final position is directed towards the supporting rubberized rollers. 2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the first from the guide roller and the subsequent odd reference rubberized rollers are made of a smaller diameter than the even reference rubberized rollers.

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