GB2134864A

GB2134864A - Articulated bus

Info

Publication number: GB2134864A
Application number: GB08403056A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Heinz Gusinde; Leopold Kravos
Original assignee: MAN Maschinenfabrik Augsburg Nuernberg AG
Current assignee: MAN AG
Priority date: 1983-02-05
Filing date: 1984-02-06
Publication date: 1984-08-22
Also published as: SE8400029D0; FR2540453A1; IT8420707V0; SE8400029L; GB8403056D0; GB2134864B; DE8303097U1

Abstract

An articulated bus has at least one trailing part (4). In order that the trailing part has a maximum load capacity without seriously jeopardizing tracking, the trailing car (4) is provided with a positively-steered tandem axle (7). If the bus has two or more trailing parts, it is the rear-most trailing part (4') which is provided with the said positively-steered tandem axle (7). Preferably this rear-most part (4) carries the engine and is connected to the rear axle (3) of the front part (1) of the bus via a cardan shaft (6). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Articulated bus This invention relates to an articulated bus having at least one trailing part with a positivelysteered axle arrangement.

The trailing car or part of an articulated bus is either positively steered (DE-GM 1 710 572) or drag-steered (German Patent Application Ski 5492).

Of these known trailing car steering arrangements, the one with the positively-steered axle provides an advantage by its good tracking and moderate wheel track, so that a trailing car fitted with this steering arrangement can be of considerable overall length. However, the load capacity of the positively-steered axle is limited by the load capacity of the two tyres used, making it impossible to exploit to the full the theoreticaliy considerable overall length of the trailing car. This is especially true if the trailing car accommodates the bus engine as is general practice.

However, the drag-steered trailing car axle can advantageously be fitted with twin tyres, allowing the drag-steered trailing car to carry twice the theoretical weight carried by the positivelysteered trailing car. A disadvantage of the dragsteered trailing car, however, is the fact that it does not track well in curves and, therefore, requires a wide wheel track.

In order to improve the tracking of the dragsteered trailing car, the overhang of the vehicle part ahead of the trailing car concerned can conceivably be increased. In that case, the wide wheel track still remains unchanged.

An object of the present invention is to provide an articulated bus having a trailing car with maximum load capacity while enabling adequate tracking and moderate wheel track.

The invention provides an articulated bus having a trailing part with a positively-steered tandem axle.

This axle arrangement provides the same load capacity as a drag-steered axle fitted with twin tyres, and because of positive steering, it enables the use of a longer trailing car, since the axle arrangement tracks very well without necessarily causing the wheel track of the front vehicle part to be exceeded.

Conceivably the same effect can be achieved also by the use of suitably enlarged wheels on a single, positively-steered trailing car axle, but in that case the capacity gain would again be reduced by the considerably enlarged wheel housings projecting into the interior of the trailing car.

Preferably, the trailing car fitted with the positively steered tandem axle is the rear trailing car of a multiple part articulated bus, the trailing member carrying the rear engine. The positivelysteered tandem axle provides an advantage also with all other trailing cars. For example, it will be possible to use fully for standing room the central trailing car of a three-part articulated bus, the central car so far having been restricted to seating room only, because of its low load capacity.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures 1 to 4 are elevational views of buses according to the invention.

In Figure 1 a two-member articulated bus has a front vehicle part 1 with a positively-steered front axle 2 and a non-steered driven rear axle 3.

The rear end of a trailing car or part 4 accommodates an engine 5, which is connected to the non-steered axle 3 of the forward vehicle part 1 through a shaft 6. The trailing car 4 has a positively-steered tandem axle 7.

The forward vehicle part is identical in the embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 4. The respective rear-most part 4' of the embodiment of Figures 2 to 4 generally conforms to that of the embodiment shown in Figure 1.

Figures 2 to 4 each show a three-part articulated bus with a central vehicle part. In Figure 2, the central vehicle part 8 has a single, positively-steered axle 9', which gives it relatively little load capacity. With this configuration the rear axle 3 of the front vehicle part 1 is connected to the engine 5 through a cardan shaft 6'.

In the embodiment of Figure 3 the non-steered axle 3 of the front vehicle part 1 is connected to the engine 5 in the rear trailing part again through a cardan shaft 6'. However, unlike the embodiment of Figure 2, this embodiment has a central vehicle part 8' - here again forming a trailing part - which gives it the same load capacity as the rear vehicle part 4".

In the embodiment of Figure 4 the central vehicle part 8" is provided with a drag-steered axle 9 fitted with twin tyres. In this case the central vehicle part 8" has the same load capacity as the central part 8' of the embodiment of Figure 3, but the wheel track is necessarily wider in a curve. The advantage of the embodiment of Figure 4 is that it also permits axle 9 of the central vehicle part 8" to be driven by simple provisions.

For this purpose, engine 5 in the rear-most trailing car 4" is connected to the axle 9 of the central vehicle part 8" via a cardar shaft 6", and is connected from there to the non-steered rear axle 3 of the front vehicle part 1 via another cardan shaft 6"'.

1. An articulated bus having a trailing part with a positively-steered tandem axle.

2. An articulated bus as claimed in claim 1, and comprising at least two trailing parts, wherein the rear-most trailing part is provided with the said positively-steered tandem axle and carries the engine.

3. An articulated bus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the engine is connected to the rear axle of the front part of the bus via a cardan shaft.

4. An articulated bus as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein a central trailing part is fitted with a steerable single axle or a tandem axle.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Articulated bus This invention relates to an articulated bus having at least one trailing part with a positivelysteered axle arrangement. The trailing car or part of an articulated bus is either positively steered (DE-GM 1 710 572) or drag-steered (German Patent Application Ski 5492). Of these known trailing car steering arrangements, the one with the positively-steered axle provides an advantage by its good tracking and moderate wheel track, so that a trailing car fitted with this steering arrangement can be of considerable overall length. However, the load capacity of the positively-steered axle is limited by the load capacity of the two tyres used, making it impossible to exploit to the full the theoreticaliy considerable overall length of the trailing car. This is especially true if the trailing car accommodates the bus engine as is general practice. However, the drag-steered trailing car axle can advantageously be fitted with twin tyres, allowing the drag-steered trailing car to carry twice the theoretical weight carried by the positivelysteered trailing car. A disadvantage of the dragsteered trailing car, however, is the fact that it does not track well in curves and, therefore, requires a wide wheel track. In order to improve the tracking of the dragsteered trailing car, the overhang of the vehicle part ahead of the trailing car concerned can conceivably be increased. In that case, the wide wheel track still remains unchanged. An object of the present invention is to provide an articulated bus having a trailing car with maximum load capacity while enabling adequate tracking and moderate wheel track. The invention provides an articulated bus having a trailing part with a positively-steered tandem axle. This axle arrangement provides the same load capacity as a drag-steered axle fitted with twin tyres, and because of positive steering, it enables the use of a longer trailing car, since the axle arrangement tracks very well without necessarily causing the wheel track of the front vehicle part to be exceeded. Conceivably the same effect can be achieved also by the use of suitably enlarged wheels on a single, positively-steered trailing car axle, but in that case the capacity gain would again be reduced by the considerably enlarged wheel housings projecting into the interior of the trailing car. Preferably, the trailing car fitted with the positively steered tandem axle is the rear trailing car of a multiple part articulated bus, the trailing member carrying the rear engine. The positivelysteered tandem axle provides an advantage also with all other trailing cars. For example, it will be possible to use fully for standing room the central trailing car of a three-part articulated bus, the central car so far having been restricted to seating room only, because of its low load capacity. Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures 1 to 4 are elevational views of buses according to the invention. In Figure 1 a two-member articulated bus has a front vehicle part 1 with a positively-steered front axle 2 and a non-steered driven rear axle 3. The rear end of a trailing car or part 4 accommodates an engine 5, which is connected to the non-steered axle 3 of the forward vehicle part 1 through a shaft 6. The trailing car 4 has a positively-steered tandem axle 7. The forward vehicle part is identical in the embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 4. The respective rear-most part 4' of the embodiment of Figures 2 to 4 generally conforms to that of the embodiment shown in Figure 1. Figures 2 to 4 each show a three-part articulated bus with a central vehicle part. In Figure 2, the central vehicle part 8 has a single, positively-steered axle 9', which gives it relatively little load capacity. With this configuration the rear axle 3 of the front vehicle part 1 is connected to the engine 5 through a cardan shaft 6'. In the embodiment of Figure 3 the non-steered axle 3 of the front vehicle part 1 is connected to the engine 5 in the rear trailing part again through a cardan shaft 6'. However, unlike the embodiment of Figure 2, this embodiment has a central vehicle part 8' - here again forming a trailing part - which gives it the same load capacity as the rear vehicle part 4". In the embodiment of Figure 4 the central vehicle part 8" is provided with a drag-steered axle 9 fitted with twin tyres. In this case the central vehicle part 8" has the same load capacity as the central part 8' of the embodiment of Figure 3, but the wheel track is necessarily wider in a curve. The advantage of the embodiment of Figure 4 is that it also permits axle 9 of the central vehicle part 8" to be driven by simple provisions. For this purpose, engine 5 in the rear-most trailing car 4" is connected to the axle 9 of the central vehicle part 8" via a cardar shaft 6", and is connected from there to the non-steered rear axle 3 of the front vehicle part 1 via another cardan shaft 6"'. CLAIMS

5. An articulated bus as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the central trailing part is provided with a drag-steered axle.

6. An articulated bus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the drag-steered axle is connected to the engine of the rear-most trailing part via a cardan shaft and to the non-steered rear axle of the front bus part via a second cardan shaft.

7. An articulated bus substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the embodiments as shown in the accompanying drawings.