ARRANGEMENT FOR MOUNTING A RUNNER ON A VEHICLE SLIDING ON RUNNERS

DISPOSITIF D'INSTALLATION D'UN PASSAGE SUR UN VEHICULE GLISSANT SUR LES PASSAGES

English Abstract

Arrangement for mounting a runner (2) of vehicles and devices
sliding on runners (2), such as sledges (1) functioning as a trailer
on snow, in which arrangement a runner (2) is connected to a
sledge (1) from both the tip of the runner (2) and from at least one
other point of the runner (2). The invention is implemented in such
a way that arranged between the tip of the runner (2) and the sledge
(1) is a rigid tip support (3), which is hinged in a fixed manner
turnably at both its ends, and in that between the sledge (1) and the
runner (2) is also installed at least one center support (4), which is
hinged in a fixed manner turnably at both its ends.

French Abstract

Linvention concerne la disposition de coulisseaux (2) de véhicules et de dispositifs glissant sur les coulisseaux (2), comme des traîneaux (1) servant de remorque sur la neige, dans lesquels la disposition dun coulisseau (2) est raccordée à un traîneau (1) par lextrémité du coulisseau (2) et au moins un autre point dancrage du coulisseau (2). Linvention est installée de sorte quentre lextrémité du coulisseau (2) et le traîneau (1) se trouve un support dextrémité solide (3) doté de charnières rotatives fixées aux deux extrémités, et quentre le traîneau (1) et le coulisseau (2) se trouve également au moins un support central (4) doté de charnières rotatives fixées aux deux extrémités.

Claims

7
CLAIMS
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege
is
claimed are defined as follows:
1. System for mounting a runner on a vehicle sliding on runners so that a
tip of the
runner is connected to the vehicle and at least one other point of the runner
is connected to
the vehicle, the system comprising:
a rigid tip support; and
at least one center support,
wherein the rigid tip support has a first end for pivotable attachment to the
tip of the
runner and a second end for pivotable attachment to the vehicle, and
wherein the at least one center support has a first end for pivotable
attachment to the
at least one other point of the runner and a second end for pivotable
attachment to the
vehicle.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein an element that functions as a spring and
as a shock
absorber forms the at least one center support.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one center support is formed
from two
rods hinged to each other and wherein the element is installed between the two
rods.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one center support comprises
two center
supports and wherein each of the two center supports is formed from an element
that
functions as a spring and as a shock absorber.
5. The system of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the vehicle is a sledge.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein the sledge is able to function as a
trailer on snow.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-07-11

Description

1
ARRANGEMENT FOR MOUNTING A RUNNER ON A VEHICLE
SLIDING ON RUNNERS
The object of the present invention is an arrangement for mounting a
runner of vehicles and devices sliding on runners, such as sledges
functioning as a trailer on snow, in which arrangement a runner is
connected to a sledge from both the tip of the runner and from at
least one other point of the runner.
The invention thus relates to an arrangement for mounting/fixing the
runners of vehicles and devices sliding on runners, such as sledges
functioning as a trailer on snow. Reference is made hereinafter to a
sledge, but this must be interpreted more widely to mean vehicles of
the type referred to in the preceding.
Fig. 1 presents a sledge 1' according to prior art, wherein the runner is
mounted with two supports, which are connected at their bottom ends
to a transverse shaft A. One of the two supports can be sprung. In this
embodiment the tip of the runner 2' is free, i.e. it is not supported on
the sledge.
Fig. 2 presents a second known mounting solution for a runner of a
sledge. A difference to the solution of Fig. 1 is that now also the tip of
the runner 2' is supported on the sledge 1'. The joint between the support
and the sledge is made to be slidable; as indicated with the arrow.
Fig. 3 presents yet another known solution, wherein the runner is
supported with two vertical rigid supports and the tip of the runner is
fixed to the sledge.
There have been advances in the technical development of sledges
along with the development of motor sleighs. A conventional sledge,
which typically has rigidly installed runners, no longer meets the
requirements for moving and transporting that takes place on snow
or frozen ground. To achieve smooth motion and comfort, spring
suspensions have been built into sledges for decades now and
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-07-11

2
runners are mounted on a joint in such a way that that they give to
accommodate unevenness of the ground.
Mounting the runners of devices moving on runners differs from
mounting the wheels of devices running on wheels mainly in that a
runner meets the running surface, such as the ground, for a longer
distance and rocking of the runner by means of a transverse axis, i.e.
a mounting joint, is desirable for the sake of smooth motion and
runner durability.
The mounting of a runner in such a way that its tip is free and the
mounting is only in the middle of the runner is known in the art. In
this case a strong torsion is exerted on the mounting joint when the
sledge turns. There is also the danger that in the sideslip movement
of the runner forming in conjunction with the turning the runner will
hit a solid object or the tip of the runner will "bite" into an object, such
as the rear of a tree trunk. Likewise, when crossing a deep depression,
such as a ditch, or when coming down a river bank reaching ice, the tip
of the runner might be pressed into soft ground.
For the sake of safety and mechanical durability, it is desirable to fix the
tips of the runners to the frame of the device with an articulated support.
Fixing the tip of a runner to the frame of a sledge is problematic because the
rocking of the runner in the joint causes a change in the distance of the tip
of
the runner in relation to the frame. Many types of solutions to the problem
have
been presented. The fixing of the tip support of the runner to the frame can
be
sliding or the tip support can be variable in length. A sliding mounting joint
of
a runner can, for its part, be used with a tip support that is hinged in a
fixed
manner.
The mounting of the runner becomes even more problematic when spring
suspension is added to it. The springing movement, i.e. the changing of the
distance of the hinge point of the runner with respect to the frame of the
sledge
also changes the position of the tip of the runner with respect to the frame
of
the sledge. In practice this is addressed by increasing the designed sliding
trajectory of the tip support.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-07-11

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The problems caused by detrimental substances, such as sand, dust, rust
and frozen water in the sliding points is problematic in all the
aforementioned arrangements. Additionally, a sliding joint often causes a
disturbing noise and it is also a wearing part.
The purpose of the present invention is to achieve an arrangement for
mounting a runner on a vehicle sliding on runners, which arrangement
does not have the aforementioned drawbacks.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system
for
mounting a runner on a vehicle sliding on runners so that a tip of the runner
is
connected to the vehicle and at least one other point of the runner is
connected
to the vehicle, the system comprising a rigid tip support and at least one
center
support. The rigid tip support has a first end for pivotable attachment to the
tip
of the runner and a second end for pivotable attachment to the vehicle. The at
least one center support has a first end for pivotable attachment to the at
least
one other point of the runner and a second end for pivotable attachment to the
vehicle. Notably, the ends of the rigid tip support and the ends of the at
least
one center support are for pivotable attachment in a way that does not allow
sliding.
In some embodiments, an element that functions as a spring and as a shock
absorber forms the at least one center support.
In some embodiments, the at least one center support is formed from two rods
hinged to each other and wherein the element is installed between the two
rods.
In some embodiments, the at least one center support comprises two center
supports and wherein each of the two center supports is formed from an
element that functions as a spring and as a shock absorber.
In some embodiments, the vehicle is a sledge.
In some embodiments, the sledge is able to function as a trailer on snow.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-07-11

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The mounting of the runner is therefore done in such a way that the tip
support
of the runner is rigid ( does not stretch or contract) and is hinged in a
fixed
manner to the tip of the runner and correspondingly to the frame (mounting
rod) of the sledge, and the vertical supporting of the runner is done with an
arrangement that allows horizontal movement of the runner in relation to the
frame of the sledge using a rigid or sprung center support that is hinged in a
fixed manner. A runner can be supported also with a plurality of vertical
supports.
One of the advantages of the invention that can be mentioned is that no
sliding
joints at all are needed for the mounting of the runner, but instead all the
joints
can be implemented as noise-free, durable and simple solutions having small
clearances.
In the following, the invention will be described in more detail by the aid of
some preferred embodiments with reference to the attached drawings,
wherein
Fig. 1 presents a mounting of the runners of a sledge
according to the state of the art.
Fig. 2 presents a second mounting of the runners of a
sledge according to the state of the art.
Fig. 3 presents a third mounting of the runners of a sledge
according to the state of the art.
Fig. 4 presents the mounting of the runners of a sledge
according to one embodiment of the invention.
Fig. 5 presents the mounting of the runners of a sledge
according to a second embodiment of the invention.
Fig. 6 presents the mounting of the runners of a sledge
according to a third embodiment of the invention.
Fig. 7 presents the mounting of the runners of a sledge
according to a fourth embodiment of the invention.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-07-11

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Fig. 8 presents the mounting of the runners of a sledge
according to a fifth embodiment of the invention.
Fig. 9 presents a series of diagrams of the functioning
of the sprung mounting according to Fig. 6.
Fig. 4 presents the mounting of a runner according to one
embodiment of the invention. The sledge is marked with the
reference number 1 and the runner with the reference number 2.
Here only one runner is addressed, but typically on a sledge there are
two side by side. The supporting of the runner is implemented with
two supports hinged at their ends in such a way that the tip support 3
handles the supporting of the runner 2 in the horizontal direction and
the center support 4 handles the supporting of the runner 2 in the
vertical direction. As the runner moves to accommodate
unevennesses in the base on which it moves, compensation of the
horizontal movement of the mounting point B of the runner 2 caused
by the circular trajectories of the tip support and the runner occurs
with a rocking motion of the center support. The length of the center
support 4 must be sufficient compared to the combined horizontal
distance of movement of the tip support 3 and the tip of the runner
2, to avoid an unreasonably large change in the distance of the
runner and the frame of the sledge as well as to avoid excessive
"tilting" with respect to the frame of the sledge.
In the embodiment presented by Fig. 5 the center support 4 is sprung
and provided with shock absorption. This element must be sufficiently
robust to receive also the lateral forces of the runner 2. Otherwise
the structure is the same as in the embodiment of Fig. 4.
Fig. 6 presents a different structure of the sprung center support 4.
In it the center support 4 is composed of two rods that are hinged to
each other, between which a spring is installed. This structure is
described in more detail in Fig. 9, which presents the position of the
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-07-11

6
runner and its mounting means in four different operating situations
a-d.
Fig. 7 shows a solution according to the invention, wherein the
springing of the center support is implemented in a different manner
than in the preceding embodiment. A lever mechanism, which is
supported on a combined spring element/shock absorber element 4,
forms the center support.
Fig. 8 presents an embodiment of the invention wherein the tip
support 3 is installed in the same manner as in the other various
alternatives of the invention. Instead of one center support 4, in this
embodiment there are two center supports 4, both of which are
formed from the combined spring element/shock absorber element.
In this case one of the center supports is disposed closer to the front
part of the runner and the other closer to the rear part of the runner.
What is therefore essential in the invention is a tip support 3 that is
hinged in a fixed manner, which tip support is installed between the
mounting rod of the sledge 1 and the tip of the runner 2. The phrase
hinged in a fixed manner means that the tip support is hinged so as
to turn around a transverse axis, but not in a way that allows sliding.
It is also essential that at least one center support 4, in addition to
the tip support 3, is between the sledge 1 and the runner 2. Each
center support is hinged in a fixed manner at both its ends. If there
is more than one center support, they are separate, i.e. they are not
connected to each other at any point.
It is obvious to the person skilled in the art that the invention is not
limited to the embodiments described above, but that it can be varied
within the scope of the claims presented below.
The characteristic features possibly presented in the description in
conjunction with other characteristic features can also, if necessary,
be used separately to each other.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-07-11

Representative Drawing