Semi-trailer grader

Abstract

FIELD: road construction equipment.SUBSTANCE: invention relates to earthmoving machines designed for the construction and profiling of roadbeds, road shoulder planning, levelling of agricultural areas, rice paddies, etc. The semi-trailer grader comprises a front frame made in the form of a curved box-section beam, at one end of which a connection unit with a tractor is installed, and at the other one a blade and two hydraulic cylinders for turning the blade, and a rear frame, on which an undercarriage with hydraulic tilt cylinders is fixed. The front and rear frames are connected to each other by means of a transverse horizontal hinge and a hydraulic cylinder for rotating the frames relative to the axis of this hinge. The undercarriage is made in the form of a balanced four-wheeled bogie, the body of which is connected to the rear frame by means of a hinge with a vertical axis of rotation and two hydraulic cylinders for its rotation relative to this axis. The blade tilt hydraulic cylinders are mounted on the opposite walls of the undercarriage housing and are connected by rods to the ends of the supporting axle protruding from the housing, which is pivotally mounted in the housing adapted for their mutual rotation in a vertical plane transverse to the axis of movement of the grader.EFFECT: improvement in the performance characteristics of the grader, due to an increase in the smoothness of the blade's movement and the provision of operational, real time displacement of the blade relative to the axis of movement of the tractor, whereas a comparatively large blade overhang in each direction is ensured with a relatively short length of the grader.5 cl, 10 dwg

Description

[0001] Field of technology to which the invention relates

[0002] The invention relates to the field of road construction equipment, and specifically to earthmoving machines designed for the construction and profiling of roadbeds, road shoulder planning, leveling agricultural areas, rice paddies, etc.

[0003] Technology Level

[0004] Graders are classified as self-propelled (motor graders), which incorporate a traction machine, and non-self-propelled graders, which utilize wheeled or tracked tractors to provide the necessary traction and power the grader's working equipment. Depending on the type of attachment to the tractor, graders are classified as trailed or semi-trailed. The proposed design is a semi-trailed grader, in which the undercarriage consists only of the rear bogie.

[0005] The semi-trailer grader SD-105A is known, see the book. G.V. Zabegalov. E.G. Roninson. Bulldozers, scrapers, graders. Moscow: Vysshaya shkola, 1991, Fig. 15, pp. 30-31, 206-213. Its design includes the main supporting frame, a blade, a traction frame with a rotating circle and a blade rotation mechanism, a rear axle in the form of a balance bogie, a towing device for connecting to a tractor and a hydraulic system that controls the working position of the blade, including hydraulic cylinders for raising and lowering the blade, hydraulic cylinders for the lateral transfer of the blade and the traction frame. Additionally, the grader can be equipped with a blade extension and a sloper.

[0006] Mounting a blade using a drawbar and a rotating circle is the most common solution found in various grader designs. By controlling the drawbar and blade's sideshift hydraulic cylinders from the control panel, the operator can quickly shift the blade to the side without leaving the cab. However, grader designs with rotating circles have a significant drawback: low operational reliability. This is due to the high loads placed on the main frame, to which the drawbar, rotating circle, and blade are suspended, and the complexity of securing the blade with its numerous joints. During operation, the blade is continuously subjected to high shock and vibration loads, which are transmitted to the joints, inevitably leading to wear, deformation, and other damage.

[0007] The design of the HANMA TIGER towed heavy grader, manufactured by Hanma LLC, Republic of Tatarstan, Naberezhnye Chelny, is adopted as the closest analogue, based on the presence of features similar to the essential features of the claimed technical solution (see "Overview of the Hanma Tiger towed grader" - video from Hanma.RU, VK Video, published on 04 / 28 / 2025; or "Design of the Hanma Tiger towed grader", Rutube, HANMA.RU, published on 11 / 10 / 2024). The general appearance of the closest analogue is shown in Fig. 1 from two angles (a, b).

[0008] The HANMA TIGER grader design includes a supporting frame consisting of two interconnected parts. The front part (or front frame) is constructed as a welded curved box-section beam. The front end houses the tractor coupling (drawbar), while the rear end, facing downward, houses the blade with a blade and two hydraulic cylinders for blade rotation. The rear part (rear frame) houses the undercarriage and two hydraulic cylinders that tilt the rear frame to the right or left relative to the vertical, allowing the blade to be positioned at an angle to the soil horizon.

[0009] The front and rear frames are connected by a transverse horizontal hinge and hydraulic cylinders, which allow the frames to rotate relative to the hinge axis. Changing the frame articulation angle allows the blade to be raised, lowered, and driven deeper.

[0010] Compared with the above-mentioned analogs with a rotary circle, the design of the HANMA TIGER grader is significantly simpler, has smaller dimensions and has higher operational reliability, due to the simplicity and reliability of the blade mount and its rotation mechanism, made in the form of a pair of hydraulic cylinders.

[0011] However, in this design, in order to move the blade in one direction or another, for example to cut slopes, the operator will need to stop the machine and manually reinstall the blade on the carrier plate (P), for which a number of mounting holes (R) are provided on the blade, see Fig. 1b.

[0012] Another disadvantage is the rigid design of the undercarriage, which copies all the unevenness of the soil, causing the blade to “jump”.

[0013] The proposed invention is aimed at eliminating the above-mentioned disadvantages and creating a grader design with high operational reliability, which will provide fully automated adjustment (setting) of the position of the working element (blade).

[0014] The technical result achieved by using the proposed invention consists in improving the performance characteristics of the grader by increasing the smoothness of the grader blade and providing the ability to quickly, in real time, shift the blade relative to the axis of movement of the tractor, while providing a relatively large blade extension of up to 1.5 meters in each direction with a relatively short length of the grader.

[0015] Additionally, the design provides the ability to increase the weight of the grader to improve its operating efficiency, and the ability to change the geometry of the blade, which expands the possibilities of using the grader.

[0016] Disclosure of the essence of the invention

[0017] The essence of the invention, as a technical solution, is that in a semi-trailer grader containing a front frame made in the form of a curved box-section beam, at one end of which a connection unit with a tractor is installed, and at the other - a blade and two hydraulic cylinders for turning the blade, and a rear frame on which an undercarriage with tilt hydraulic cylinders is fixed, wherein the front and rear frames are connected to each other by means of a transverse horizontal hinge and a hydraulic cylinder for turning the frames relative to the axis of this hinge, according to the claimed invention, the undercarriage includes a housing and a supporting axle installed in it with two pairs of wheels fixed at the ends of the supporting axle by means of balancers, while the body of the undercarriage is connected to the rear frame by means of a hinge with a vertical axis of rotation and two hydraulic cylinders for turning it relative to this axis,and the tilt hydraulic cylinders are mounted on the opposite walls of the housing and are connected by rods to the ends of the supporting axis protruding from the housing, which is mounted in the housing in a pivotal manner with the possibility of their mutual rotation in a vertical plane transverse to the axis of movement of the grader.

[0018] One difference between the proposed design and its closest analogue is the rear axle, which is a balanced bogie with a supporting axle, at the ends of which two pairs of wheels are attached via balance beams. The balanced wheel mounting, combined with the articulated joint of the supporting frame, allows for maximum compensation for uneven terrain and ensures a very smooth ride for the grader blade.

[0019] Another distinctive feature of the proposed design is the undercarriage's attachment to the rear frame via a vertical hinge and two hydraulic steering cylinders. This creates an additional degree of freedom for the unit, allowing the grader and its working tool (blade) to be shifted relative to the tractor's axis of motion. This provides a sufficiently large blade overhang of up to 1.5 meters in each direction, despite the grader's relatively short overall length. Blade overhang is controlled quickly and remotely from the tractor cab, via the hydraulic steering cylinders, controlled from the hydraulic control panel.

[0020] The hinged connection of the undercarriage body with the supporting axle and the fastening of the tilt hydraulic cylinders on the walls of the body with the possibility of interaction of the rods with the ends of the supporting axle protruding from the body allows the tilting of the undercarriage body and the associated articulated frame with the blade relative to the supporting axle, at an angle to the ground level, which improves the penetration of the blade into the ground.

[0021] Preferably, the front frame is made with a rectangular cross-section, gradually increasing from its front end to the rear, which allows for increased strength and reliability of the frame at the blade attachment point and at the same time saving metal in the front end area, where the loads are low.

[0022] The front frame is designed in a longitudinal section with a smooth radius bend towards the rear end, which allows for optimal load distribution along the length of the frame and reduces fatigue stress, thereby increasing the reliability of its operation and the reliability of the grader design as a whole.

[0023] The rear frame, in preferred embodiments of the device, is made in the form of a hollow welded box-section structure.

[0024] At the same time, both parts of the supporting frame, both front and rear, are adapted to fill their internal volume with loose ballast material, such as sand, sand and gravel mixture, etc., which makes it possible to quickly increase the weight of the grader while maintaining its dimensions, increasing its operating efficiency.

[0025] The design provides the ability to increase the width of the blade due to the side sections, pivotally connected to the blade and made with the ability to change and fix their angular position.

[0026] Brief description of drawings

[0027] The essence of the proposed technical solution, the possibility of its industrial applicability and the possibility of achieving the technical result are confirmed by the following examples of implementation and drawings, which depict:

[0028] in Fig. 1 - the closest analogue of the HANMA TIGER trailed grader, in two angles (a, b);

[0029] Fig. 2 - general view of the proposed grader, with an enlarged fragment of the coupling unit;

[0030] Fig. 3 shows a top view of the grader;

[0031] in Fig. 4 also, side view; in Fig. 5 bottom view; in Fig. 6 rear view;

[0032] Fig. 7 shows the tilt of the blade to the left (a) and to the right (b) at an angle to the horizon;

[0033] Fig. 8 shows the grader in working position, coupled to a tractor;

[0034] Fig. 9 and 10 - show the displacement of the blade relative to the axis of movement of the tractor.

[0035] Implementation of the invention

[0036] The general appearance of the proposed semi-trailer grader is shown in Fig. 2. The main frame of the grader is made of two parts articulated with each other: the front frame 1, which carries the blade 2, and the rear frame 3, on which the running balance trolley 4 is fixed.

[0037] The front frame 1 is a welded beam structure of box section, having a smooth radius bend in the longitudinal section from the front to the rear end, which gives the frame 1 an external resemblance to a question mark (Fig. 2, 4).

[0038] At the front end of the frame 1, a unit 5 for connecting to a tractor is located, for example a towbar or other towing device.

[0039] On the rear end of the front frame 1, directed vertically downwards, brackets are made for the vertical axis 6 of the hinged fastening of the blade 2, and on the lower end of the frame 1, hydraulic cylinders 7 and 8 for turning the blade are fixed, the rods of which are rigidly connected to the rear surface of the blade 2, see Figs. 3 and 5.

[0040] The cross-section of front frame 1 gradually increases from the front to the rear end, where blade 2 is mounted. This increases the strength and load-bearing capacity of frame 1 in the area of ​​greatest loads and positively impacts the overall reliability of the grader structure. This also ensures efficient metal consumption.

[0041] The rear frame 3 is also made in the form of a welded box-shaped structure and is connected to the front frame 1 by means of a transverse horizontal hinge 9 and a hydraulic cylinder 10 installed diagonally between frames 1 and 3.

[0042] Both the front 1 and rear 3 frames are adapted for the possibility of filling them with ballast material, for example, sand, crushed stone, sand and gravel mixture (SGM), concrete mortar, etc. To enable filling with material, a hatch 11 is made in the upper wall of the frame 3 (see Fig. 2, 3), and in the front frame 1 there is an opening at the front end, closed by a panel of the towing device.

[0043] A four-wheel balance bogie 4 serves as the rear support axle of the grader. The bogie includes a supporting axle 12 and two pairs of pneumatic wheels 13, secured to the ends of the axle 12 by means of balancers 14 (see Fig. 3, 5).

[0044] The supporting axle 12 is mounted in the housing 15 in a pivotal manner, with the pivot axis located on the central longitudinal axis of the housing. The pivot axis may be formed as a single unit with the supporting axle 12, which in this case has a cross-shaped form (see Fig. 5).

[0045] The body 15 of the undercarriage is connected to the rear frame 3 by means of a vertical axis 16, which forms the axis of the hinge joint, and two hydraulic cylinders 17 and 18 of rotation, located on the sides relative to the axis 16 and ensuring the rotation of the undercarriage relative to this axis.

[0046] On the opposite side walls of the body 15 of the undercarriage, tilt hydraulic cylinders 19 and 20 are vertically fixed, the rods of which are rigidly connected to the sections of the supporting axle 12 protruding from the body 15. By controlling the operation of the hydraulic cylinders 19 and 20, it is possible to tilt the articulated frames 1 and 3 of the grader to the right or left relative to the vertical at an angle α, while the blade 2 fixed on the frame 1 also changes its position relative to the soil horizon (see Fig. 7 a, b), which facilitates the cutting of the blade 2 into the soil to form the required relief.

[0047] Blade 2 is equipped with standardized blades, comparable in size to those found on other specialized equipment, making them easy to replace. If necessary, the blade's working width can be increased by using side sections 21, which are pivotally connected to blade 2 and allow for adjustment and locking of their angular position.

[0048] To work with a grader, use a tractor with a traction class of 3 or higher, which has four pairs of hydraulic outlets for connecting the grader's hydraulic system.

[0049] The tractor is connected to the grader and the grader hydraulic system is connected to the tractor hydraulic system (see Fig. 8).

[0050] All further manipulations to adjust the position of the blade 2 are carried out from the tractor cabin through the control panel, by means of which a person controls the operation of hydraulic cylinders 7, 8, 10, 17, 18, 19, 20, which are part of the grader’s hydraulic system.

[0051] With the exception of hydraulic cylinder 10, which operates alone, all other hydraulic cylinders operate in sync with each other: when the piston rod of one cylinder retracts, the other extends by the same amount, and vice versa. This ensures a rigid fixation of the structure being moved by the hydraulic cylinders and a stable, fixed position during subsequent operation.

[0052] A power cylinder is used as a hydraulic cylinder 10, the design of which not only allows the rod to be moved by a given amount, but also ensures the ability to maintain its position until a new command from the control system.

[0053] By retracting or extending the rod, the hydraulic cylinder 10 rotates the front frame 1 relative to the rear frame 3, which ensures the lifting, lowering and deepening of the blade 2, and the position of the blade in height is adjusted.

[0054] To transfer the grader to the transport position, by controlling the hydraulic cylinder 10, the angle between frames 1 and 3 is increased to the maximum, as a result of which the blade 2 is lifted off the ground and the weight of the grader is transferred to the undercarriage 4, which allows the grader to be moved to the work site.

[0055] To move the grader into the working position, the angle between frames 1 and 3 is reduced by retracting the hydraulic cylinder rod 10, which lowers the blade 2 and deepens it.

[0056] The rotation of the blade 2 to the right or left relative to the axis (direction) of movement of the tractor is performed by two hydraulic cylinders 7 and 8 (see Figs. 3, 5, 6). The maximum angle of rotation of the blade 2 is up to 45° in either direction.

[0057] By controlling hydraulic cylinders 19 and 20, the angle of inclination of blade 2 relative to the horizontal is set. The maximum inclination angle of blade 2 from the horizontal position in each direction is 13.5°.

[0058] During normal soil leveling and profiling operations, blade 2 is positioned symmetrically to the grader's hitch axis. Moreover, by connecting the undercarriage body 15 to the frame 3 via a vertical hinge 16 and the presence of hydraulic steering cylinders 17 and 18, the proposed design allows for the quick movement of blade 2 to the right or left by up to one and a half meters relative to axis O (see Figs. 9, 10).

[0059] Compensated articulated frames and the presence of a balanced undercarriage contribute to the smooth running of the grader and improve the accuracy of soil surface planning with a blade.

[0060] When the front wheel of the pair hits an obstacle (stone, unevenness), the rear part of the grader rises / lowers only half the height / depth of the unevenness, due to which the blade changes its position in height only slightly.

[0061] The proposed grader allows you to work at relatively high speeds and at the same time provides the ability to remove a fairly large layer of soil in one pass (up to 30 cm for heavy soils).

[0062] At the same time, the small dimensions make the grader maneuverable, and the proposed improvements allow for a quick response to changes in the surrounding environment and real-time adjustment of the blade position.

[0063] Upon completion of the work, the grader is moved to the transport position, the blade 2 is raised and, if it is necessary to reduce the overall dimensions, it is turned to the extreme position, and thus transported to the parking place.

Claims

1. A semi-trailer grader comprising a front frame made in the form of a curved box-section beam, at one end of which a coupling unit with a tractor is mounted, and at the other - a blade, and two hydraulic cylinders for turning the blade, and a rear frame on which an undercarriage with hydraulic tilt cylinders is fixed, wherein the front and rear frames are connected to each other by means of a transverse horizontal hinge and a hydraulic cylinder for turning the frames relative to the axis of this hinge, characterized in that the undercarriage includes a housing and a supporting axle installed in it with two pairs of wheels fixed at the ends of the supporting axle by means of balance beams, wherein the housing of the undercarriage is connected to the rear frame by means of a hinge with a vertical axis of rotation and two hydraulic cylinders for turning it relative to this axis, and the hydraulic tilt cylinders are mounted on opposite walls of the housing and are connected by rods to the ends of the supporting axle protruding from the housing, mounted in a pivotal manner in the housing,with the possibility of their mutual rotation in a vertical plane transverse to the axis of movement of the grader, 2. The grader according to claim 1, characterized in that the front frame has a rectangular transverse section, gradually increasing from its front end to the rear, and a longitudinal section with a smooth radius bend towards the rear end, directed downwards.

3. The grader according to item 1, characterized in that the front frame is adapted to fill its internal volume with bulk material.

4. The grader according to claim 1, characterized in that the rear frame is made in the form of a hollow welded box-section structure, adapted for filling its internal volume with bulk material.

5. The grader according to claim 1, characterized in that the blade is equipped with two side sections articulated with it, designed with the ability to change and fix their angular position.

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