FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[1] The present invention relates generally to a fabricated structure meant to work as an obstacle to brake and to produce acceleration in the vehicle
[2] The invention simulates the rough terrain application for the accelerated validation of machines or vehicles, and more particularly to the concrete track and obstacles combination designed to suit machines of different footprints and tyre sizes.
[3] The combination is able to torture the machine with the application conditions with equal or unequal distant spaced obstacles considering the type of machine and the wheels provided to the machine.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[4] There are different types of road/terrain simulation facilities available across the world for vehicular validation through accelerated tests. Generally , many test tracks are not directly suiting to the extreme terrain conditions as off-road and construction equipment segment machines working at the field or constructional sites during loading, roading and haulage applications. Many of the machines used in mining areas where the surface conditions are even worse than general off-road terrain. The vehicles are subjected to heavy undulations based on the speed and loading conditions. The repetitive loading in such environment lead to structural and sheet metal failures. The structural failures in terms of the crack development, breakage, warpage, wear, etc.
[5] Sheet metals are usually sensitive to the vibrations and resonance created in the system in these conditions. The driving habits of the operators are also additional criteria for the failure of structures in these adverse conditions. The machines under mining sector have high usage than other commercial sectors and exhaust the fatigue life of many of the components within warranty period. In order to validate these structural components, many of the manufacturers test these machines under accelerated conditions simulating the road conditions. Usually these type facilities are mostly available with defence establishments and limited few with the vehicle manufacturers. There are obstacles integrated with the torture test track with the shapes in-built in it. These types of test tracks are more for the chassis twisting and suspension tests and mostly for the commercial or army vehicles.
[6] Generally a similar set of obstacles are orientated in variety of manner in order to achieve the general motions like roll, pitch and yaw. Many of the proving ground formulate the test tracks with differently shaped obstacles in order to achieve specific kind of torture on the machine wheels like impact or oscillations. The automotive and commercial vehicles with in-built suspension and limited tyre size ranges are well tested with standard obstacle sizes across the world. There are standard track types as well proven facilities for the automobiles.
[7] These test tracks do not directly support as proving grounds for the off-road and construction equipment, mostly un-suspended, with or without chassis frames and with various tyre sizes and foot prints. Also there is no facility available across the world particularly or partly for proving the off-road and construction equipment machines on structural or endurance criteria. Few privately owned facilities built with the service experience over the years for internal objectives only provide the testing means for this segment of machines.
[8] There are different types of machines in the off-road and construction equipment segment having different capabilities like tractors, skid steer loaders, back-hoe loaders, wheeled loaders, tele-handlers, pick-n-carry cranes, graders, dumpers, etc. Every machine of these segment experiences different ground conditions during their operations or during logistics based on the type of intended applications. The machine sizes also ranging from the smallest one like skid steers to the largest one like loaders and dumpers.
[9] A standard sized obstacle track may not facilitate a common solution to these machine having different sized agricultural or industrial grade tyres. Also, the common span and obstacle orientations will not suit to the different wheel base and track width of the machines. The commonly designed obstacle will also be unfit to manoeuvre the smaller and larger diameter wheels and will create an unexpected torture inputs. Differently shaped obstacles will also demand for different designs or group of designs for similar shapes for these types of machines. Tractors and construction equipment manufacturers producing variety of wheeled products of different types find difficulty to manage the accelerated tests for these varied products for the rough terrain simulation as these machines requires different sized obstacles. Limitations on the availability of the required test tracks tend towards use of different sized metallic obstacles grouted /mounted on a RCC test tracks. As all these machines require different sized obstacles to create the required fatigue damage in the structure; the stocking of different obstacles is not suggested on cost and storage grounds. There is no test solution available in order to simulate the ground conditions for these varieties of off-road and construction equipment vehicles during their development phase.
[10] The above difficulties are obviated by the proposed invention as a comprehensive approach towards a common test solution for different machines as per their test requirements. The proposed system is not only more efficient but also is easier to handle and thereby is cost effective.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[11] The prime feature of the invention is simulating the rough terrain conditions through the scientific and calibrated arrangement of set of standardized obstacles (rumblers) on a RCC test track thru slots of embedded rails and inter-locks to suit variety of off-road and CE wheeled products according to the foot prints and tyre sizes.
[12] The invention provides an obstacle in metallic form for mounting on a test track which is itself built in such a fashion so as to receive the invented obstacles over its length. The test track referred is reinforced cement concrete civil work with specifications of civil built is well calculated in prior based on the vehicles to be used for typical number of cycles or hours and to the expected life of years. The amount of load, frequency of loading and the annual engagement in testing are considered in the design of the civil entity. The test track is constructed on similar concept of the base plate of a machining centre wherein T-slotted metal tracks are arranged. The numbers of tracks inserts are based on the criticality of the tightness required with the obstacles. The T-slots are provided in both the halves of the test track along the length with in-depth anchors with the concrete body to receive impact loads from the machine wheels. The mounting lugs of the test obstacle are so arranged to receive the locking hardware at the middle of the slot. Part of the hardware works inside the track slot while tightening and may require suitable arrangement for holding. The invention separates the actions of defining an obstacle, their orientations and the placement as per the user needs.
[13] The obstacle mentioned is a stacked form of sections made of chords of a circle and of different heights. The required height of the obstacle to be achieved based on the requirement of the test with suitably spaced inter-locks across the sections so constrained to receive the sections below each other from top to bottom. The sections mentioned are so fabricated to provide inter-changeability across the obstacles on re-build. The sections are resting over the other across the guides to transfer thereof the load partly or fully to the ground. The strength of the obstacle is managed with number of supports with suitable thickness the metal plate. The spacing and the plate thickness solely depends on the load traversing over the obstacle which is the test specification. The outer periphery of the obstacle providing mean for the vehicle wheel to traverse over it are provided with thick cross plates placed at regular interval to ensure a smooth surface. The intervals in the surrounding plate facilitate the use of tools to hook up the obstacle sections to each other as well as the mounting of the obstacle over the track inserts. The surface plates can further be given with rolled bars or angles or chequer plates for the roll-over traction to the wheels in the wet conditions. The inter-connection lugs are suitably reinforced and welded to the sections for better clamping and well placed so as to provide reach to the tools for the assembly and removal of the sections through the top plate intervals.
[14] Since the obstacles so constructed separately from the test track, it can be adopted to a variety of machines having different foot prints but all representing a bump of same radius. Thus a single obstacle can be used to make different bump heights for the machines. A test machine can use various bump heights to achieve different torture conditions to their specific component depending on the machine’s selected gear and rpm (pre-calibrated).
[15] The arrangement of the obstacles of required height can be then arranged in different or similar patterns to provide zones of different motions including smooth, bumpy and twisting rides of the machine. The machine can be individually tested with set of arrangements for the required number of cycles for the endurance or performance tests. The obstacles are so arranged to facilitate inner sides of obstacles for the smaller machines and outer for the larger once. The invention also provides a connecting hardware of the obstacle with the test track.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[16] With reference to the following drawings, a more detailed description of different exemplary embodiments of the invention will follow below.
In the drawings:
Figure 1 Illustrates the top view of the conceptual concrete test track with the metallic obstacles according to the present invention;
Figure 2 Illustrates the cross sectional view of the conceptual concrete test track with the metallic obstacles according to the present invention;
Figure 3 Illustrates the top view of the conceptual concrete test track with the metallic obstacles according to the present invention;
Figure 4 Illustrates Sideways sectional view of the metallic obstacles arrangement on test track according to the present invention;
Figure 5 Illustrates Cross sectional view of the metallic obstacles arrangement on test track according to the present invention;
Figure 6 Illustrates assembly view of the test obstacle;
Figure 7 Illustrates solid views of the different sections of the test obstacles embodiment;
Figure 8 Illustrates different heights of test obstacles from single embodiments;
Figure 9 Illustrates basic concept of stacked sections of the test obstacle embodiment;
Figure 10 Illustrates solid concept of stacked sections of the test obstacle embodiment;
Figure 11 Illustrates conceptual sectional interlocking arrangement of the test obstacle embodiment;
Figure 12 Illustrates conceptual sectional guide arrangement of the test obstacle embodiment;
Figure 13 Illustrates cut section of the inter-lock arrangement with respect to the track rail;
Figure 14 Illustrates conceptual placement of the test obstacle embodiment on the concrete track;
Figure 15 Illustrates sectional view of the locked test obstacle embodiment on the concrete track;
Figure 16 Illustrates explored view of the locked test obstacle embodiment on the concrete track;
Figure 17 Illustrates typical mounting hardware for the test obstacle embodiment on the concrete track;
Figure 18 Illustrates typical machine width covered by the obstacles mounted on the test track; and
Figure 19 Illustrates differently sized machines proposed on the test track with pre-defined height obstacles.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[17] We shall now describe the present invention with reference to accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration but does not restrict the scope of present invention.
[18] With the reference to Fig. 1 which shows the concrete test track 1 proposed in the present invention and the related elements. Fig.2 explains the section of the RCC test surface 1 with pre-embedded slotted rails 2, 3 on right half-track and 4, 5 on the left half. The embedded rails are similar to the concept of a bed plate for the tool room machine wherein they are pre-slotted through machining in the t-shape with an aperture to insert the lock bolts. Being the concrete solid surface even though resembling to solid plate of higher thickness, the machining kind of operations are not possible or the pre-slots during pouring the concrete may not provide the sufficient strength to the holding walls of the groove, it is suggested for the use of pre-fabricated or machines mild steel rails or even the cast iron pre-slotted rails available in the market. The inserted rails 2, 3, 4, 5 are required to be firmly hold within the concrete structure 1 by strongly fixing them with the reinforcement of the civil structure so as to maintain the rigidity with the concrete as well as to sustain impact and transverse loads imposed by vehicle while using it.
[19] The current invention also supports for any suitable alternatives for fixing the rails into existing plain track by means of groove cutting and concrete inserts for anchoring the rails. The invention proposed is to have surface level slots to be available for fixing the required number of structure 6 as mentioned in Fig.3. The rails so inserted in the track surface 1 are providing mean to assemble the claimed structure 6 in the manner with adjacent or in the staggered form.
[20] The arrangement of the structure 6 as shown in Fig.4 is claimed may be different for different vehicles as in Fig. 19 even they are of the similar types but of different sizes, though the cross- sectional arrangement as shown in Fig.5 remains the same. The claimed structure 6 in Fig. 6 is such designed to have balanced fitment over the half-tracked rails 2,3,4,5 as given in Fig.5. The rails are so placed in concrete structure 1 as to match the lower inter-locks 17 mentioned in Fig. 11 of the structure 6 keeping the structure perfectly transverse to the rails as per Fig. 3. The rails as maintained in level with the concrete surface as in Fig.2 for perfect fitment of the embodiment as well as to avoid pull out during torqueing the embodiments.
[21] The parallel rails are mean to provide balanced support to the embodiment 6 during use by the smallest and largest machines as shown in Fig. 18 and Fig. 19. The amount of impact by the smaller and the larger machines are distinctly different. Hence it is claimed that the multiple rails more than two in numbers if provided will ensure perfect fitments and stability of the embodiment over the track surface. The support sections 11, 12, 13 ,14 with varied thickness can be used in the structure 6 based on the loads required along the length based on the load of the traversing wheels over them. It can be decided based on the foot prints of the vehicles proposed for the test with safety margin. The Fig. 19 shows the capability of the claimed track and obstacle model to handle kind of off-road machines by managing the length of the obstacle covering the inner track of the smaller machines and the outer track of the larger machines with safety margin.
[22] Figure 3 provides tentative working of the combination of a set of equal height the structure 6 laid on railed track 1 in differently distant sets to create a test environment of a rough terrain for the test vehicles. The said set-up is proposed to be varied for the other vehicle having different wheel base but similar sized tires with just loosen, slide, locate and tighten approach. Height of the structure 6 may be varied as shown in 19, 20, 21, and 22 of Fig.8. The height of the structure 6 may be increased or decreased as per user requirement based on smaller and larger vehicle by addition or removal of sections 7, 8,9 & 10.
[23] The claimed structure 6 also termed as an obstacle assembled with the sections 7, 8, 9, 10 placed over each other as shown in Fig. 7 to produce the forms 19, 20, 21 and 22 of the structure 6.
[24] The Fig. 12 shows the support sections 11, 12, 13, 14 when cascaded together while located at places with guide plates 18 will form a semi-circular section of the required radius. The sectional bodies 7, 8, 9, 10 so stacked to match the lower and upper edges of adjoining support plates in line with their inter-locking plates 16 an 17 as given in Fig.11. The distribution of the inter-locks 16, 17 are well spread across the width of the structure and to be aligned over the rails 1, 2, 3, 4 so enable every individual sectional body 7, 8, 9, 10 to get mounted over the rails as in Fig.13. The claim suggested minimum inter-locks required to be provided for firm assembly of the obstacle as per Fig.9. The clamping can be further strengthened with additional inter-locks to intermittent sections. Triangular plates 24 distribute the clamping load across the support sections 11, 12, 13 and 14 as shown in Fig.11. The claim suggests the welded flanged nuts on the bottom of the top inter-locking plates 17 for ease in clamping and torqueing the hardware from top with the help of suitable spanner type as indicated with dotted lines in Fig.7.
[25] All the sections are rigidly held together with the help of thick flat plates 23 distantly placed so as to provide support at the sectional edges and to form a complete section. .The size and inter distance of the of plates 23 are so selected to allow general box spanner entry based on the hardware used for inter-locking clamps 16 an 17 over each section. With the flat plates, every section emerged as a separate body section 7, 8, 9, 10 and the number of vertical supports 11, 12, 13 and 14 individually provides the required strength to the section while the adjoining flat plates provide flexibility to the entire section. This helps for the bottom sections of the required height obstacle to match with the concrete surface undulations at the locations where they are being placed. The number of support sections 11, 12, 13 and 14 may be assembled or dissembled in order to achieve the appropriate height of structure 6 based on the user requirement.
[26] The height of the structure 6 is a combination of assembly height of the sectional structures 7, 8, 9, 10 and to be decided based on the type of machines in purview and their wheel sizes. The basic semi-circular structure 6 is considered as the general type of obstacle commonly used over the test surfaces. The structure 6 so designed is to support the smaller and larger vehicles under consideration as shown in Fig 19. Different embodiments when integrated together with specific combination as in Fig.3 on half widths of the test track will provide mean to achieve different types of motions like rolling, pitching, bouncing and twisting.
[27] A frictional surface plate 23 in the form of chequer which covers in round over the part or full area of the top section body 7 to provide frictional grip to the vehicle tire rolling over. The claim also suggests the square or round twisted bars or the inversed angle to be welded firmly over the flat plates 23 instead of the chequer plate to provide additional frictional area for the wheels so as to avoid slippage of wheels while ascending or descending the obstacle hump and to maintain the directional stability.
[28] As shown in FIG 15, 16 & 17, Number of fastening means 28 flanged with thick rounded rectangular plate 27 to be used for fixing the structure 6 with the track rails with the help of high tensile bolt 25 along with a washer 26 over the base lock plates without use of any reaction tool. The plate washer 27 is so dimensioned as to cover the width of the rail section to provide ease of insert through the transverse apertures 29 provided over the length of rails 2,3,4,5. The apertures 29 are so arranged to provide alternate locations for the tightening washer nuts alternatively termed as t-nuts. These distant sectional cuts are provided on parallel rails to insert or pull out the flanged nuts when not in use or for the replacements when warn out.
[29] The invented proposal proved to be simplified in design, comprehensive on utility, easy for maintenance, quicker to installation, cheaper by cost and flexible for changes according to timely need.
[30] All references to the disclosure or example being discussed are not intended to imply any limitation to scope of the invention.

WE CLAIM:

1. A detachable structure in order to create an obstacle on a road surface for testing a vehicle or reducing the vehicle speed comprising:
? At least one slide rails (2,3,4 & 5) reinforced parallel on the road surface (1);
? At least one detachable structure (6) mounted on the said rails (2,3,4&5); and
? Plurality of sections (11, 12, 13 & 14) of equal or varied thickness mounted on each other.

2. The detachable structure claimed in claim 1, wherein the rails (2, 3, 4 & 5) are made up from metal and reinforced into concrete or any other material of road surface.

3. The detachable structure claimed in claim 1, wherein the sections (11, 12, 13 & 14) having multiple vertical support plates.

4. The detachable structure claimed in claim 1, wherein the vertical support plates of the sections (11, 12, 13 & 14) provided with multiple guide plates (18) to arrange the sections (11, 12, 13 & 14) over each other in order to form a semi-circular section of the required radius based on a user’s requirement.
5. The detachable structure claimed in claim 1, wherein the vertical support plates of the sections (11, 12, 13 & 14) provided with plurality of locking plates (16 & 17) in order to lock the sections (11, 12, 13 & 14) against each other by a fastening means ( 25 & 28).

6. The detachable structure claimed in claim 5, wherein the locking plates (16 & 17) provided with triangular plate (24) to distribute the clamping load across the sections (11, 12, 13 & 14).

7. The detachable structure claimed in claim 1, wherein the sections (11, 12, 13 & 14) provided with multiple flat plates (23) in order to provide support at the sectional edges and to form the structure (6) and form a chequer.

8. The detachable structure claimed in claim 1, wherein the flat plates (23) may be provided with square or round twisted bars or inversed angles or combination of thereof to provide additional frictional area.

9. The detachable structure claimed in claim 5, wherein the fastening means ( 25 & 28) used for mounting the structure 6 on the rails (2,3,4 &5) comprises:
? At least one rounded rectangular plate (27);
? At least one high tensile strength bolt (25) along with a washer (26); and
? At least one nut (28) which can be fitted to the bolt (25).