Pivoting Device for Crawler Track Units
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing construction machinery requires significant installation effort and poses a risk of accidents during the process due to the limited swivelling angle of the steering cylinder, necessitating additional articulated brackets for swivelling the crawler track units from transport to working positions and vice versa.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves coupling the consoles of adjacent lifting columns with a swivel gear, allowing for a swivelling angle exceeding 90° without the need for remounting, by using a coupling rod that maintains a distance from the articulations, enabling the swivel gear to handle both steering and swivelling movements between transport and working positions without installation work.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If additional articulated brackets are provided at the slewing ring to enable further swivelling of the crawler track unit, then the swivelling angle is increased, but the device complexity and installation effort increase
Solution Approach 1:
The steering cylinder is designed to perform multiple functions: it enables both the swivelling movement from transport to working position and the steering movement in transport position. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for additional articulated brackets, resolving the contradiction between swivelling angle and device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the swivelling function and steering function into a single articulated connection between the steering cylinder and the crawler track unit. This merging of functions allows the steering cylinder to achieve both positioning and steering capabilities without requiring separate mechanical components, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining versatility
2Adaptability or versatility
If the steering cylinder is remounted to different articulated brackets to achieve further swivelling, then the swivelling angle is increased, but the installation effort and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The steering cylinder is pre-configured with a single articulated bracket connection that is designed to accommodate both the swivelling and steering movements. This preliminary configuration eliminates the need for remounting operations, thereby eliminating installation time loss while maintaining the required swivelling angle
Solution Approach 2:
The single articulated connection is designed to be universal, handling both positioning and steering functions. This design eliminates the need for multiple articulated brackets and the time-consuming process of remounting the steering cylinder, resolving the contradiction between swivelling angle and installation time
3Device complexity
If the steering cylinder is used with a limited swivelling angle of approx. 45°, then the device complexity is reduced, but the adaptability to achieve working position is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The articulated connection between the steering cylinder and the crawler track unit is designed with dynamic characteristics that allow it to accommodate both the swivelling movement (up to 90°) and the steering movement. This dynamic design enables a single connection to perform multiple functions that would otherwise require multiple rigid connections, resolving the contradiction between device complexity and swivelling angle
Data Source
AI summary
A construction machine (1) with a machine frame (2) and lifting columns (8) carrying crawler track units (4). The lifting columns (8) include consoles (10) coupled in pairs to the machine frame (2) by articulations (20, 22, 24, 26) and a coupling rod (18). The mutual distance of the articulations (20, 24; 22, 26) on a console (10) is of a length and/or the coupling rod (18) is of a shape that, when the crawler track units (4) swivel between limit positions of a swivel gear (14), the coupling rod (18) maintains a distance to the articulations (20, 22) facing the machine frame and/or to the lifting columns (8) over a swivelling angle range in excess of 90°, starting from the working position. The swivel gear (14) effects both the steering and the swivelling movements respectively in and from a transport position (5) to the working position and back.