Friday, June 24, 2011

Brake and Steering Controls.

These are the components for the brake and steering linkages. The clevises are machined flat, then bent to shape red hot. The prototype clevises appear to be made by drop forging. Once formed they are brazed to the rod using silver solder flux and manganese bronze filler wire.





This picture shows the components of the steering stand, the steering arms, linkage parts and levers. The base of the stand and the web were cut out by CNC. The rest of the stand and the steering arms were made on the lathe and using hand tools.
Note the steering arms are very close to the design of the prototype.




The steering stand assembled (brazed).









This image shows the brake pedals on the shaft that operates the right hand turning brake, the left hand brake pedal hinges on this shaft and has the actuating lever attached.







The brake pedals were CNC machined from 6.5 mm steel plate, the treads were fluted using a D bit and then brazed on. The pockets on the sides of pedals were machined to 1mm deep using a 1mm diam 4 flute carbide end mill at 8000 RPM at a feed rate of 100 mm per minute cutting 0.25mm per pass with 40% cut over. This cutter has performed remarkably well considering the slow RPM




The right hand bell crank was also pocketed with the 1mm cutter.









The left hand side of the brake shaft is the axle for the main clutch lever.








The rear of the tractor showing the brake linkages coupled.