MULTI-AXLED VEHICLE

The present invention relates to a multi-axled vehicle in which two of the axles have simultaneously steerable wheels.

In such vehicles, the two axles with steerable wheels are generally the front axles of the vehicle (the wheels of the rear axle being non-steerable) and the steering is effected by steering gear (e.g. a steering box with a vertically extnding steering box lever) which is positioned forwardly of the leading axle and outwardly of the vehicle chassis.

Additionally the bogie generally requires four elliptical springs (one for each wheel) which means that the suspension is non-compensating.

However, for certain types of highly manoeuvrable vehicles the abovedescribed arrangement is not satisfactory. A particular case is a high mobility off-road vehicle having a centre-articulated bogie with steerable axles, the wheels being larger than in the case of road vehicles. Such vehicles require large steered wheel angles together with large wheel suspension movements and it is found that the long drag links transmitting steering movements from the steering gear to the rearmost of two steerable axles interfere with the steering and supension movements of the wheels.

It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate the abovementioned disadvantages. According to the present invention there is provided a multi-axled vehicle having a chassis with parallel side frame members and having the wheels of two of its axles simultaneously steerable by a steering mechanism which comprises a steering actuator having an input and an output, the input

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being associated with steering control means of the vehicle, and a linkage arrangement associated with said output of the steering actuator and being adapted to effect simultaneous steering of said wheels in accordance with the output from said actuator wherein said actuator is located between said two axles of the vehicle and between said side frame members.

It should be appreciated that the above reference to the steering being between the axles does not necessarily require that the actuator is at the same horizontal level as the axle. Similarly the reference does not require that the actuator i's at the same horizontal level as these members. For example, the actuator may be below the level of the side frame members.

The positioning of the steering actuator between the side frame members and the axles has the advantage that it is possible to arrange the linkage mechanism such that there is. no interference between the linkage and the wheels for large steered angles thereof, even when the wheels are wide and of large diameter, such as used aft high mobility off-road vehicles. It is therefore in relation to such vehicles that the invention has particular application. Generally, in such vehicles the axles with steerable wheels will be the front axles of the vehicle.

Preferably the two axles with steerable wheels are provided as a ' centre articulated bogie for the vehicle. A centre articulated bogie is preferred for

' off-road vehicles as it allows large suspension and hence wheel movements and also maintains nominal load sharing between the wheels of the bogie. Thus obstacles are crossed without loss of wheel contact

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with the ground and consequent high loading of wheels left in contact with the ground which could cause sinkage and bogging. This is achieved by virtue of the springs being pivoted about their centre thus acting as a balance beam as well as a spring.

The invention will be further described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

Fig. 1 is . a side view taken mid-way along the transverse centre line of one embodiment of centre articulated bogie for incorporation in a vehicle in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic plan view of one arrangement of steering mechanism for use in the bogie shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 shows the mechanism of Fig. 2 in the left -lock position; and

Fig. 4 to ^• 17 show various additional arrangements of steering mechanism for use in the bogie shown in Fig. 1.

The bogie 1 illustrated in Fig. 1 is mounted by means of a centre trunnion 2 on a vehicle and comprises twin steerable wheel and axle units 3 (which provide the front axles of the vehicle), including axle beams 3a and wheels 3w. The wheels 3w are mounted on the ends of axle beams 3a by conventional swivel axles which allow steering movement of wheels 3w relative to axle beams 3a. The suspension for the bogie comprises a pair of leaf springs 4 (only one illustrated) provided one at each side of the bogie and extending between the two axle beams 3a. Orientation of the axles is controlled by radius rods 5.

As the trunnion 2 is midway between the axles 3a, and the spring 4 is sy etrical about the

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trunnion, then the imposed load on each axle is equal. The bogie is free to articulate about the trunnion i.e. one axle can rise whilst the other falls, the limit of upward movement being the side frame members.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3 it should firstly be understood that in these Figures (and also in Figs. 4-17) the left-most axle is the front axle of the vehicle. In the steering arrangement shown in Fig. 2, the steering movement of the two wheels 3w is controlled by a common steering box 6 located about half-way between the axles and positioned to one side of 'the vehicle centre line just inboard of a chassis side-rail 7. Steering box 6 is generally conventional in that it is a form of high ratio gear

-box with an input shaft (not shown) associated the steering wheel (or <■ the like) in the cab of the vehicle, and an output shaft (not shown) for transmitting the desired steering movements to the road wheels of the vehicle. The output shaft of the steering box 6 shown in Fig; 2 is rotationally fast with two steering box lever ^' s 8 angled to each other as shown. The two wheels 3w of the bogie 1 adjacent side rail 7- are each associated with steering arms 9. These arms 9 are connected to the steering box levers 8 by means of drag links 10 via universal couplings provided by pivoting socket ends 11 and 11a. The arms 9 are each rigidly attached to respective steering levers 12, with the assembly of arms 9 and ^• levers 12 being rotatable about pivot 13.

Track rods 14 extend transversely of the vehicle chassis and are connected at one end to the levers 12 and at the other end to further steering levers 15.

The connection of the track rods 14 to the levers 12 and 15 is via pivoting socket ends 16. The end of lever 15 remote from track rod 14 is free to rotate about pivot 17. Each steering lever 15 is fast with the swivel axle of the associated wheel. Similarly the steering arm 9 and/or the attached steering lever 12 is/are also fast with the swivel axle of the associated wheel. In the configuration illustrated in Fig. 2 the front and rear wheels 3w of the bogie are positioned for movement of the vehicle in a straight line. When the vehicle is to be turned the assembly of steering box levers 8 is rotated either right or left (depending on the direction of rotation of the output shaft from the steering box 6) and this motion is ^• effective to steer all wheels to the right or left as the case may be. More particularly. Fig. 3 shows the bogie in the left lock position. It will be seen that, as compared with Fig. 2, _s the assembly of steering box levers 8 has been rotated anti-clockwise. This motion is transmitted by drag links 10 to effect anti-ciockwise rotation (about pivot 13) of each steering arm 9/steering lever 12 assembly which thus effect movement of the associated swivel axles and hence associated wheels. Simultaneously, the anti-clockwise rotation of each steering arm 9/steering lever 12 assembly is transmitted via track rods 14 to steering lever 15 which thus moves anti-clockwise about pivot 17. This movement of levers 15 simultaneously effects movement 'of the associated swivel axles and hence the associated wheels. It will be appreciated that, in the full lock condition, there is no interference between the wheels 3w and the drag links 10.

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If it is desired that the wheels of the second axle to turn through a smaller angle than those of the first axle then this may be achieved by varying the lengths of the levers 8 with respect to each other and/or by varying the lengths of the steering arms 9 with respect to each other.

Right lock is obviously achieved by the opposite of the above described movement.

If desired, a booster cylinder 18 may be incorporated as shown in the bogie to assist in the steering of the wheels 3w.

It will be appreciated that the universal couplings 11, 11a and 16 allow for suspension travel of the wheels 3w. The steering mechanism illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 is similar to that shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and like parts are designated by the same reference numerals suffixed with '. In the case of Fig. 4, the steering box 6 ¹ has a single steering box lever 8' which, as illustrated, is horizontally disposed but could be vertical.

Steering box lever .8* is associted via a universal coupling 11a' with two drag links 10' extending generally along the centre line of the vehicle chassis. At their ends remote from lever 8', links 10' are pivotally attached by universal couplings 11 to right-angled relay levers 20. These levers 20 are pivoted as at 21 on a bearing mounted on the axle beam 3a and are pivotally attached as at 22 to the mid-points of tie rods 14*. The ends of tie rods 14' are pivotally attached by universal couplings 16' to steering lev.ers 15* which are fast with the associated swivel axles.

The manner in which the arrangement shown in Fig. 4 is effective to steer the wheels 3w will be

clear from Fig. 5 which shows the left lock position of the wheels.

The arrangement shown in Fig. 6 and 7 is generally similar to that shown in Figs. 4 and 5 save that the motion of each of relay levers 20 is transmitted to an associated steering lever 15' by an additional tie rod 23. One end of tie rod is connected to lever 20 by a pivot 24 and the other end is connected to steering lever 15' by a pivot 25. The operation of the arrangement shown in Fig. 6 will be clearly understood from Fig. 7 which shows the left lock condition.

The arrangement shown in Figs. 8 and 9 is similar to that shown in Figs. 6 and 7 save that the relay levers 20 are positioned on the same side of the axles 3a as the steering box 8*. This

^• necessitates re-positioning of tie rods 23 (as shown) which are attached' to an extension 26 of steering lever 15'. Figs. 10 and 11 show a modification of Fig. 2 but in which the steering box 6' has only one steering lever 8'. Both drag links 10' are pivotally mounted as at 27 on this lever 8'.

Figs. 12 and 13 show a further modification of Fig. 2 in which the steering levers 8' are associated with diagonally opposed steering arms 9*.

In the arrangement shown in Figs. 14 and 15, the steering box 6' is located centrally between the wheels 3w and is associated with a compound steering lever 8'. This lever 8* is pivotally attached to four drag links 10' each extending to, and being 'pivotally attached to, a respective steering lever 9 fast with the swivel axle of the associted wheel 3w.

In the arrangement shown in Figs. 16 and 17, the steering box 6' is off set from the longitudinal

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centre line of the bogie. The two wheels 3w on the same side of the longitudinal centre-line are steered in exactly the same way as shown in Fig. 2. A mirror image system is located on the opposite side of the centre line and comprises a double steering lever 30 and drag links 10*. An arrangement of two steering ^" arms 31 connected by a control rod 32 serves to transmit the output of the steering box 6' to the double steering' lever 30. Alternatively, a second steering box could be used to drive lever 30, this second box being connected to the first box by shafts and bevel boxes.

The invention has a number of advantages. In particular, the location of the steering box (6 or 6') permits drag link runs which do not hinder steered wheel angle within the maximum practical

' limits. This permits much tighter turning circles than normal which can be very advantageous where the vehicle has to manoeuvre in a limited space. The pivoting socket ends 11 (or 11')- and 16 (or 16*) allow vertical and horizontal movement of the drag links 10 (or 10'), thus allowing suspension movements as indicated in Fig. ^• 1. The arrangement permits large vertical wheel movements without steering input _a s the inner ends of the drag links (10 or 10') are located close to the centre of the arc about which the axles (3a or 3a') move during their suspension travel with a centre articulated bogie. Finally, the arrangement allows the use of the two leaf springs 4 so that the suspension is compensating.