GB2100202A - Moving outriggered vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

A vehicle 10 has pivotted thereon outriggers comprising telescopic beams 13, 13'. Double-acting hydraulic cylinders 17, 17' are pivotted on a vehicle body 11 and on outrigger boxes 15, 15' for raising and lowering distal ends of the outriggers to support the vehicle 10. Double- acting hydraulic cylinders 18 extend and contract the outriggers. Control circuitry extends the outriggers on one side of the vehicle 10 and contracts those on the other side to effect crabwise translation of the vehicle. In a modification the raising and lowering cylinders are situated at the distal ends of the outriggers, and are pivotted directly onto floats 14, 14'. In operation, hydraulic circuitry raises the vehicle 10 on the floats 14, 14' before extending and contracting the outriggers to effect translation. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Outriggered vehicles The invention relates to outriggered vehicles, such as rubber-tired carriers or trucks for mounting mobile cranes, which are capable of crabwise translation, that is moving sideways. In construction and other industries, it is often necessary to shift a vehicle sideways into a narrow space.

The invention provides a vehicle having outriggers on each side, means for raising and lowering distal ends of the outriggers to support the vehicle, and means for extending the outriggers on one side and contracting the outriggers on the other side to effect crabwise translation.

It is possible to use a number of parts of conventional outriggered vehicles, which can thus readily be adapted according to the invention.

DRAWINGS Figure 1 is an end elevation with parts broken away of an outriggered vehicle according to the invention in the act of crabwise translation; Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a hydraulic circuit for the vehicle of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a second form of hydraulic circuit for the vehicle of Figure 1; and Figure 4 is an end elevation of a modification, i.e. a vehicle similar to Figure 1.

In Figure 1 an outriggered vehicle 10 comprises a body 11 having two pairs of ground engaging rubber-tired wheels 12 (only one pair appearing in Figure 1). The outrigger system comprises four telescopic beams 1 3 and 1 3' (two appearing) each connected at one end to one side of the vehicle body 11 for pivotal motion about an axis in the longitudinal travelling direction of the vehicle, and each extending toward the opposite side and terminating in a float 14, 14'. The two outrigger beams 1.3 or 13' connected to each side of the vehicle body are considered to make up a pair. The outrigger beams of each pair are spaced longitudinally with respect to the vehicle, and so only one beam of each pair appears in Figure 1.

The outrigger beams 1 3, 1 3' each comprise an outrigger box 1 5, 1 5' pivotally coupled at one end to the vehicle body 11, and a slide box 1 6, 1 6' telescopically fitted in the outrigger box and having the float 14, 14' pivotally coupled to its distal end. A double-acting hydraulic cylinder 1 7, 1 7' extends between and is pivotally coupled to the vehicle body 11 and the other end of each outrigger box 1 5, 1 5'. These cylinders 1 7 and 17' coact with the outrigger beams 13 and 13' to raise and lower the vehicle body 11, as well as the wheels 12, with respect to the ground G, and so are called lift cylinders.

Another double-acting hydraulic cylinder 1 8, 1 8' is mounted inside each outrigger beam 13, 1 3' and has its opposite ends connected to its two telescoping boxes 1 5, 1 5' and 1 6, 1 6' for extending and contracting the outrigger beam. The cylinders 1 8 and 18' are therefore called the extend cylinders.

The hydraulic circuit of Figure 2 has two extend control valves 1 9, 1 9' for causing extension and contraction of the two pairs of extend cylinders 1 8, 1 8' individually, and a lift control valve 20 for the extension and contraction of the four lift cylinders 17, 17'. The three control valves 19, 19', 20 conjointly enable the outrigger system to move the vehicle crabwise in either direction.An enginedriven pump 21 delivers fluid under pressure to opposite fluid chambers of the lift cylinders 17, 17' and extend cylinders 1 8, 1 8' via the lift control valve 20 and extend control valves 1 9, 1 9'. Although the three control valves 1 9, 1 9', 20 are each shown to have six ports, each valve can be thought of as having only four ports for the purposes of the invention. The three control valves are in parallel connection.

Connected between the pump 21 and the set of lift cylinders 17, 17' the lift control valve 20 is a three-position closed-centre valve. The three positions are: 1. A centre position N where all the four pertinent ports are closed; 2. A DOWN position D where a pump pressure conduit 22 communicates with a conduit 23 connected to the rod end chambers of all the lift cylinders 17, 17', and where a drain conduit 24 communicates with a conduit 25 connected to the head end chambers of all the lift cylinders via respective on-off valves 26, 26' and check valves 27, 27'; and 3. An UP position U where the pump pressure conduit 22 communicates with the conduit 25 and where the drain conduit 24 communicates with the conduit 23.

The lift control valve 20 is solenoid actuated, having a pair of solenoids 28 at its opposite ends.

The selective energization of these solenoids causes the shifting of the valve to either of its offset DOWN or UP positions. The on-off valves 26, 26' are also solenoid actuated individually to shift from their normal closed positions to open positions. Connected between these on-off valves and the lift cylinders 1 7, 1 7', the check valves 27, 27' serve the purpose of blocking reverse flow from the head end chambers of the lift cylinders under load. The check valves are pilot operated from the conduits connected to the rod end chambers of the lift cylinders 1 7, 1 7', permitting the drainage of the fluid from the head end chambers upon delivery of the pressurized fluid to the rod end chambers.

Upon shifting of the lift control valve 20 to the DOWN position D, the pump 21 delivers the pressurized fluid to the rod end chambers of the lift cylinders 17, 17'. The result is the contraction of these lift cylinders and, the lowering of the vehicle body 11 and wheels 1 2. The shifting of the lift control valve 20 to the UP position U, on the other hand, causes the delivery of the pump pressure to the head end chambers of the lift cylinders 1 7, 17', provided that the on-off valves 26, 26' are open.

Thereupon the lift cylinders extend, causing the downward pivotal motion of the outrigger beams 13, 13' and, consequently, the lifting of the vehicle body 11 off the ground G.

The first extend control valve 1 9 associated with the first pair of extend cylinders 1 8 is also of three-position closed-centre design. The three positions of this extend control valve are: 1. A centre position N where all the four pertinent ports are closed; 2. A CONTRACT position C where the pump pressure conduit 22 communicates with the rod end chambers of the first pair of extend cylinders 1 8 via a conduit 29, and where their head end chambers communicate with the drain conduit 24 via a conduit 30; and 3. An EXTEND position E where the pump pressure conduit 22 communicates with the head end chambers of the first pair of extend cylinders 18 via the conduit 30, and where their rod end chambers communicate with the drain conduit 24 via the conduit 29.

The first extend control valve 1 9 has a pair of actuating solenoids 31 at its opposite ends for shifting to either of its offset CONTRACT and EXTEND positions. When shifted to the CONTRACT position, the valve 1 9 causes the contraction of the first pair of extend cylinders 1 8, and therefore, of the corresponding first pair of outrigger beams 1 3. When shifted to the EXTEND position, on the other hand, the valve 1 9 causes the extension of the first pair of extend cylinders 1 8 and hence of the first pair of outrigger beams 13.

Associated with the second pair of extend cylinders 18', the second extend control valve 19' is essentially similar in construction and operation to the first extend control valve 1 9. The second extend control valve 19' has three operating positions N', E' and C' corresponding respectively to the positions N, E and C of the first extend control valve 1 9. A pair of actuating solenoids 31' at the opposite ends of the valve 1 9' selectively shifts the same to the two offset positions E' and C' from the neutral position N', placing the pump 21 in communication with the head end and rod end chambers of the second pair of extend cylinders 18'. Thus the second pair of outrigger beams 13' extend upon displacement of the second extend control valve 19' to the EXTEND position E', and contract upon its displacement to the CONTRACT position C'.

When the vehicle is to be crabbed to the left, as viewed in Figure 1, the operator shifts the first extend control valve 19 to the EXTEND position E through energization of one of the solenoids 31. The pump 21 will deliver the pressurized fluid to the head end chambers of the first pair of extend cylinders 18 thereby causing leftward extension of the first pair of outrigger beams 1 3. The operator proceeds to shift the lift control valve 20 to the UP position U, and to shift all the on-off valves 26, 26' to the ON position, through energization of the pertinent solenoids.Thereupon the pump 21 will deliver the pressurized fluid to the head end chambers of all the set of lift cylinders 1 7, 1 7'. Thus extended, the lift cylinders will cause the downward pivotal motion of all the outrigger beams 1 3 and 13' relative to the vehicle body 11 and so will raise the latter off the ground G. The solid lines of Figure 1 depict the vehicle in this phase of crabwise translation.

The next step is the shifting of the first extend control valve 1 9 to the CONTRACT position C, and of the second extend control valve 1 9' to the EXTEND position E'. These valves 19, 1 9' will then direct the pressurized fluid from the pump 21 to the rod end chambers of the first pair of extend cylinders 18 and to the head end chambers of the second pair of extend cylinders 18', respectively. With the consequent contraction of the first pair of outrigger beams 13, and extension of the second pair 13', the vehicle body 11 will move leftward, crabwise, to the phantom position of Figure 1 , while being raised off the ground.Then the lift control valve 20 may be shifted to the DOWN position D to place the pump 21 in communication with the rod end chambers of all the lift cylinders 1 7, 1 7'. The lift cylinders will contract in a controlled manner, until the wheels 12 of the vehicle come to rest on the ground.

One cycle of lateral translation of the vehicle is now completed. The same cycle may be repeated to an extent necessary to bring the vehicle to a desired location. The vehicle can be crabbed in the opposite direction through an analogous procedure. Should the ground be uneven, the vehicle body will experience torsional stress during such crabwise translation. One solution to this problem is to divide the body into front and rear parts and to connect them with a swivel union. Alternatively the amount of the lift cylinder extensions may be controlled so as to take up the ground undulations.

Figure 3 shows a second form of hydraulic circuit for the vehicle 10 of Figure 1. This circuit differs from Figure 2 only in the arrangement of two extend control valves 11 9, 11 9'. The first extend control valve 11 9 is connected between the pump 21 and the first pair of extend cylinders 18, as is the first extend control valve 1 9 of Figure 2, but the second extend control valve 11 9' is connected between the first valve 11 9 and the second pair of extend cylinders 18'.

The two offset positions of the first extend control valve 11 9 are as follows: 1. A CONTRACT position C for connecting the pump line 22 with a conduit 129 leading to the rod end chambers of the first pair of extend cylinders 18 and for communicating a conduit 1 30, leading to the head end chambers of the first pair of extend cylinders, with the drain conduit 24; and 2. An EXTEND position E for connecting the pump line 22 with the conduit 130 and the conduit 129 with the drain conduit 24.

In addition to its closed centre position the second extend control valve 11 9' has: 1. A first offset position I for connecting the conduits 129 and 130 with the rod end chambers and head end chambers, respectively, of the second pair of extend cylinders 18'; and 2. A second offset position II for connecting the conduits 1 29 and 1 30 with the head end chambers and rod end chambers, respectively, of the second pair of extend cylinders 1 8'.

The circuit of Figure 3 offers the advantage that, if the second extend control valve 119' is set in its first offset position I, only the first extend control valve 11 9 needs to be activated for the simultaneous extension or contraction of all the outrigger beams 13 and 13'. In Figure 2, on the other hand, both extend control valves 1 9, 1 9' must be activated for the extension and contraction of all the outrigger beams. The following table gives the working positions of the two extend control valves 119 and 119' in various combinations and the resultant functions of the extend cylinders 18 and 18'.

First Extend Second Extend Control Valve 11 9 Control Valve 119' Function C I Contraction of all outrigger beams C II Leftward translation of vehicle body E I Extension of all outrigger beams E II Rightward translation of vehicle body In order to effect leftward translation of the outriggered vehicle 1 0, as in Figure 1, with the hydraulic circuit of Figure 3, the first extend control valve 11 9 may be shifted to the EXTEND position E, with the second extend control valve 11 9' held in neutral.The valve 11 9 will then direct the pressurized fluid from the pump 21 to the head end chambers of the first pair of extend cylinders 18 thereby causing leftward extension of the first pair of outrigger beams 1 3. The second pair of outrigger beams 13' are now assumed to be contracted.

Then all the lift cylinders 17 and 17' are extended as in Figure 2 to raise the wheeled vehicle body 11 off the ground. While the vehicle body is thus lifted, the first extend control valve 11 9 is shifted to the CONTRACT position C, and the second extend control valve 11 9' to the second offset position 11.

Thereupon, as is apparent from the above table, the vehicle body undergoes leftward translation, since then the first pair of extend cylinders 1 8 are contracted, and the second pair 18' extended. Then all the lift cylinders 1 7 and 17' are contracted to lower the vehicle body onto the ground.

In Figure 4 another outriggered vehicle 110 differs from the vehicle 10 of Figure 1 in having an outrigger system of generally H-shaped configuration in end view. The outrigger system includes two pairs of longitudinally spaced, telescopic beams 11 3 and 113' rigidly connected to the wheeled vehicle body 11 and extending horizontally. Each outrigger beam has a lift cylinder 11 7, 11 7' depending from its extensible end and terminating in the float 14, 14'. Each outrigger beam has an extend cylinder 118, 118' mounted therein.

As in the vehicle 10 of Figure 1, the lift cylinders 11 7 and 11 7' serve to raise and lower the vehicle body 11 in coaction with the outrigger beams 113 and 113', and the extend cylinders 11 8 and 11 8' function to extend and contract the outrigger beams. The hydraulic circuit of Figure 2 or Figure 3 can be applied to the vehicle 110 to move the vehicle crabwise. The vehicle has the advantage of not being much affected by ground undulations.

Claims (9)

1. A vehicle having outriggers on each side, means for raising and lowering distal ends of the outriggers to support the vehicle, and means for extending the outriggers on one side and contracting the outriggers on the other side to effect crabwise translation.

2. A vehicle according to claim 1 in which the said means are hydraulic.

3. A vehicle according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the means for raising and lowering the distal ends of the outriggers comprise double-acting hydraulic cylinders each pivoted between a vehicle body and an outrigger.

4. A vehicle according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the means for raising and lowering the distal ends of the outriggers comprise double-acting hydraulic cylinders secured at the said distal ends.

5. A vehicle according to any of claims 2 to 4 in which the means for extending and contracting the outriggers comprise double-acting hydraulic cylinders.

6. A vehicle according to any of claims 2 to 5 comprising a lift control valve having up, neutral and down positions for raising and lowering the distal ends of the outriggers.

7. A vehicle according to any of claims 2 to 6 comprising extend control valves having extend, neutral and contract positions for outriggers on each side.

8. A vehicle according to claim 7 or claim 8 in which the valves are solenoid operated.

9. A vehicle as herein described with reference to Figure 1 or 4 and Figure 2 or 3 of the drawings.