ARE RUBBER BELT GEARS ALTERNATIVES TO TRADITIONAL WHEELED GEARS AT TRACTORS AND WORKING MACHINES?

摘要

First the vehicles Challenger 95 and 35/45 are presented with all their data and characteristics. Further rubber belt gears from the companies Marshall (England), Bridgestone (Japan), Claas (Germany) and Maison Dickson (USA) are described. Compared to tractors the rubber belt gear develops already at low slip larger drawbar pull than a wheel-vehicle at higher slip. The efficiency of rubber belts is with 85% over a large drawbar pull range higher than that from comparable 4WD tractors with 72%, which decreases thereby quickly. Productivity increase of 14-22% for rubber belts is derived. Theoretically tractors in the loose soil have a 25 to 50% higher mean contact pressure. The practical measurements gave a similar result. The soil compaction under the rubber belt is in spite of the smaller theoretical contact pressure similarly large like that at tractors with larger contact pressure. Indeed a tractor causes at one passage only two loads, front - and rear axle, whereas a rubber belt causes at one passage on the same place 6 to 8 loads by rollers. In the loose soil rubber belt gears work in reference to soil stress similarly like tractors. They are more expensive and on the street not as comfortable as wheel vehicles. Indeed their productivity in the terrain is larger.