Vehicle with variable width ground supports

Claim 2

A mobile construction machine having a superstructure including a vertically pivotal boom, the machine comprising: a chassis for supporting the superstructure; first and second ground support means for supporting said chassis on opposite sides thereof; each of said ground support means including a ground support and arm means pivotally connected to and interposed between said chassis and said ground support for pivotal movement about a generally vertical axis for adjusting relative positions of said chassis and said ground support; separable first locking means operatively interposed between said chassis and each of said ground support means for releasably securing the latter independently of each other in laterallY adjusted narrow and wide tread positions relative to said chassis; and second locking means operatively interposed between said chassis and each of said ground support means for securing the latter independently of each other in a laterally adjusted narrow tread position, said second locking means comprising, a cross bar fixedly connected to said chassis, and first and second side lugs connected respectively to said first and second ground supports wherein said cross bar is selectively connectable to either of said side lugs.

Claim 3

A machine according to claim 1 and further comprising: power operated actuating means having ends thereof connected, respectively, between said arm means connecting each of said ground supports to said chassis for at least assisting adjustment of said ground support relative to said chassis from a narrow to a wide tread position.

Claim 4

A mobile construction machine having a superstructure including a vertically pivotally adjustable boom, the machine comprising: a chassis for supporting the superstructure; a pair of ground support means for supporting said chassis on opposite sides thereof; arm means pivotally connected to and interposed between said chassis and each of said ground support means for pivotal movement about a generally vertical axis for adjusting relative positions of said chassis and said ground support means; and locking means independent of said arm means including, side lugs at opposite sides of said chassis, and a link connected between each of said ground support means and said chassis, said links pivoted respectively, on said ground support means and each having a long arm and an integral short arm, and coupling means alternately operable to connect said short arm to said side lugs upon adjustment of said ground support means to narrow tread positions and to connect said long arms to said side lugs upon adjustment of said ground support means to wide tread positions for releasably securing said support means and said chassis relative to each other.

Claim 5

A mobile construction machine having a superstructure including a vertically pivotally adjustable boom, the machine comprising: a chassis for supporting the superstructure; a pair of ground support means for supporting said chassis on opposite sides thereof; arm means pivotally connected to and interposed between said chassis and each of said ground support means for pivotal movement about a generally vertical axis for adjusting relative positions of said chassis and said ground support means; and locking means independent of said arm means including, side lugs at opposite sides of said chassis, and a link connected between each of said ground support means and said chassis, said links pivoted respectively, on said ground support means and each having a long arm and an integral short arm, and coupling means alternately operable to connect said short arm to said side lugs upon adjustment of said ground support means to narrow tread positions and to connect said long arms to said side lugs upon adjustment of said ground support means to wide tread positions for releasably securing said support means and said chassis relative to each other.

Claim 6

A mobile construction machine having a superstructure including a vertically pivotally adjustable boom, the machine comprising: a chassis means for supporting the superstructure; a pair of ground support means for supporting said chassis means on opposite sides thereof; arm means pivotally connected to and interposed between said chassis means and each of said ground support means for pivotal movement about a generally vertical axis for adjusting relative positions of said chassis means and said ground support means; and locking means independent of said arm means including, side lugs on said chassis means and said ground support means, and a link connected between said side lugs on each of said ground support means and said chassis means, said links being pivotally mounted on the side lugs of one of said chassis means and said ground support means and each link having a long arm and an integral short arm, and coupling means alternatively operable to connect said short arm to said side lugs on the other of said chassis means and said ground support means upon adjustment of said ground support means to narrow tread positions and to connect said long arms to said side lugs on the other of said chassis means and said ground support means upon adjustment of said ground support means to wide tread positions for releasably securing said support means and said chassis means relative to each other.

Claim 7

A mobile construction machine having a superstructure including a vertically pivotally adjustable boom, the machine comprising: a chassis means for supporting the superstructure; a pair of ground support means for supporting said chassis means on opposite sides thereof; arm means pivotally connected to and interposed between said chassis means and each of said ground support means for pivotal movement about a generally vertical axis for adjusting relative positions of said chassis means and said ground support means; and locking means independent of said arm means including, side lugs on said chassis means and said ground support means, and a link connected between said side lugs on each of said ground support means and said chassis means, said links being pivotally mounted on the side lugs of one of said chassis means and said ground support means and each link having a long arm and an integral short arm, and coupling means alternatively operable to connect said short arm to said side lugs on the other of said chassis means and said ground support means upon adjustment of said ground support means to narrow tread positions and to connect said long arms to said side lugs on the other of said chassis means and said ground support means upon adjustment of said ground support means to wide tread positions for releasably securing said support means and said chassis means relative to each other.

Claim 8

A machine according to claim 1 wherein each of said ground supports comprises a crawler unit including endless track means.

Claim 9

A machine according to claim 3 further comprising power means interconnecting certain of said arm means for one of said ground support means with certain of said arm means for the other of said ground support means.