Caterpillar Inc.

Benjamin Isaac Jones

David Jennings Hakes

Benoit Abello

Gustavo Acosta

Mircea Dumitru

Paul Prest

Jason Randall Beckerdite

Udo Nott

Thomas Ellmann

Thomas E Oertley

Scott Hudson

Zachary Tyler Donlan

Scott Howard Magner

Stan Robert Parrott

Allen Jay Weeks

George H Meiner, Iii

Jianjun Wang

Jacob Pitman

An onboard track machine wear measurement system has an ultra-sonic probe that is attached to an undercarriage of the machine that is disposed adjacent a track chain assembly, and a controller that is in communication with the ultra-sonic probe. The controller is configured to determine the thickness of a load bearing wall of a track component of the track chain assembly.

Ultrasonic wear measurement for a track pad

A track pad includes a shoe member that has two bottom voids extending upwardly from the ground engaging surface of the shoe member, and which form a central support pillar having a serpentine surface laterally on side of the central support pillar, and another serpentine surface laterally on the other side of the central support pillar. The two bottom voids form oval perimeters at the ground engaging surface.

Track shoe with large cavities on ground engaging surfaces having a protruding sidewall or an oval perimeter

A swage tool includes a plurality of swage projections that each defines an angular circumferential extent, and the sum of each of these angular circumferential extents is at least 290 degrees.

Single press ring groove for a cartridge pin assembly

Track pad includes a first link member that extends upwardly from the shoe member including a first lug member extending from the first link member in a first direction, as well as a second lug member and a third lug member both extending from the first link member in a second direction opposite of the first direction. The track pad also defines a first side cavity that extends from the first lateral end toward the second lateral end, jogging from the front end toward the rear end along the track chain traveling direction, and downwardly toward the ground engaging surface.

Reduced material hydraulic mining shovel track pad

A component for a track-type machine comprises a body, a through-bore extending through the body forming an inner wall, and a bushing located in the through-bore. The bushing comprises a bearing surface, an outer surface engaging the inner wall, a flange extending from the outer surface and extending into the inner wall, and retention features located in the outer surface proximate the flange. The retention features comprise voids in the bushing filled-in by material of the body. Methods of manufacturing a component for a track-type system comprises casting-in-place a bushing with a flange and retention features into the component.

Cast-in track system component bushing

A drive component is disclosed. The drive component may include a base of a first material having a first hardness and a plurality of wear inserts of a second material having a second hardness greater than the first hardness. The plurality of wear inserts may extend from an interior of the base to an exterior surface of the base. The base and the plurality of wear inserts may be a composite casting.

Wear inserts cast in a wear surface of a drive component

A track pad may include a base member and a roller path member extending from the base member. The roller path member may include a roller path surface for engaging with a roller of a machine. The roller path member may include a leading side and a trailing side in a direction of travel of the machine. The roller path member may include a hardened region that extends from the roller path surface and a body region adjacent the hardened region. The hardened region may have a greater hardness than the body region. The hardened region may have a uniform depth from the leading side to the trailing side of the roller path member.

Track pad with uniform hardened region

A track chain member includes a shoe member, and a first rail member extending from the shoe member. The first rail member includes a first lug defining a first bore defining a first longitudinal axis and including a first bushing retention shelf disposed in the first bore, as well as a second lug including a second bushing retention shelf disposed in the second bore. A third lug extends in a direction opposite that of the first lug and second lug and is disposed axially between the first lug and the second lug.

Track pin and bushing retention design for a track chain

A track chain assembly comprises a plurality of interlocking track chain members wherein each track chain member defines a track chain traveling direction, a lateral direction perpendicular to the track chain traveling direction, and includes a shoe member defining a shoe width along the lateral direction; and a first track pad member defining a first track pad maximum width along the lateral direction, and a second track pad member defining a second maximum track pad width along the lateral direction, wherein a ratio of either track pad maximum widths to the shoe member width ranges from 1:4 to 3:4. The first and the second track pad members each include a first projection disposed at one lateral extremity of the first track pad member and a second projection disposed at another lateral extremity of the second track pad member.

Roller path of a track pad for a track chain

A track joint assembly includes a first track shoe and a second track shoe, and a cartridge pin coupling together the first track shoe and the second track shoe. A sealed and lubricated track joint is formed by pin lugs on the first and the second track shoes, a cartridge pin, a pin retainer, a pin bore extending through pin lugs of the coupled-together track shoes, and a pin stop located in one of the pin lugs to inhibit displacement of the cartridge pin.

Track joint assembly in machine track having pin stop for cartridge pin retention

A cartridge pin assembly in a track chain assembly includes a sleeve bearing having a flared end.

Sleeve bearing having a flared end

A replacement kit includes a first coupler that includes a first inner axial end, a first outer axial end, and a first coupler attachment portion including a first forked oblong structure that defines a first minor axis with a first minor axis length, and a first major axis with a first major axis length that is greater than the first minor axis length, and including a first prong, a second prong disposed axially away from the first prong, and defining a first predetermined axial distance, and a first cam surface disposed between the first prong and the second prong.

Rotating installation for an idler block

A machine track includes a track shoe having a first outboard edge and a second outboard edge, and a first set of pin lugs and a second set of pin lugs. A roller pad is positioned between the sets of pin lugs and includes a roller contact surface extending between a first roller pad end and a second roller pad end. The first roller pad end includes a relatively softer material, and the second roller pad end includes a relatively harder material that forms a trimming edge for trimming off interfering material of an adjacent track shoe in a machine track that is plastically deformed by way of roller contact with the adjacent track shoe during service.

Anti-toenailing track shoe

A ring seal system is disclosed. The ring seal system may include a first ring assembly that includes a first sealing surface. The ring seal system may include a second ring assembly that includes a second sealing surface. The ring seal system may include a plate, between the first ring assembly and the second ring assembly, that includes a first contact surface and a second contact surface. The ring seal system may include a coating on the first contact surface and the second contact surface. The first contact surface may be mechanically connected to the first sealing surface to form a first seal with the first sealing surface. The second contact surface may be mechanically connected to the second sealing surface form a second seal with the second sealing surface.

Plate between ring assemblies of a ring seal system

An idler wheel for a tracked machine can comprise a cylindrical hub defining a central axis, an annular tread disposed concentrically about the cylindrical hub, a pair of side plates connecting the cylindrical hub and the annular tread, and a webbing connecting the cylindrical hub and the annular tread between the pair of side plates. A method for manufacturing an idler wheel comprises assembling a cylindrical hub, an annular tread, first and second side plates and at least one web.

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Bartonville, IL, United States of America

Benjamin Isaac Jones