Caterpillar Inc.

Benjamin Thomas Nelson

Jason Weber

John B Salomon

John James Krone

Michael G Cronin

Brian Mintah

Michael William Bridenbaugh

Daniel Wilson Hoyt

Andrew J Krajnik

Stephen Dockstader

Jacob Andrew Scheirer

Codey Ryan Seaman

Sarah J Borgman

Colin Swan Garnett

Dale C Messmore

A work machine includes a frame, a traction system, an engine, an implement system, an operator cab with a roof; a machine control system, and a secondary control system. The secondary control system is configured to interface with the machine control system and includes a secondary control device, a control module, a communication module, a base plate, and two rails. The base plate is configured to support the control module and the communication module, and protect the plurality of harness connections. The two rails are configured to support the base plate in an operation orientation and a service orientation and each include a plurality of channels configured to support the base plate in the service orientation.

Secondary control system and method for mounting with service orientation

A routing assembly for routing an electrical connection between two or more sub-systems in a work machine includes a hose, a coupling member, a wiring harness, and a grommet. The hose defines a conduit. The coupling member defines a through-bore fluidly coupled with the conduit. The wiring harness facilitates passage of one or more electrical wirings through each of the conduit and the through-bore to enable electrical communication between the two or more sub-systems. The grommet is retentively engaged with the coupling member and the wiring harness respectively with a first force and a second force. The first force is greater than the second force facilitating a movement of the wiring harness with respect to the grommet without disengaging the grommet from the coupling member.

Routing assembly for routing electrical connections

An assembly for use in adjusting a pitch of a tool relative to a machine may have a link with a first end connectable to the tool and a second end connectable to the machine. The assembly may also have a bushing configured to engage a slot in at least one of the machine and the tool. An offset bore may be formed in the bushing. The assembly may also have a pin passing through the offset bore of the bushing and the link. The bushing may be reconfigurable between a plurality of discrete positions within the slot to incrementally adjust the pitch of the tool relative to the machine.

Pitch adjustment assembly for machine-mounted tool

An axle assembly and method for assembling such axle assembly for a vehicle are disclosed. The axle assembly may comprise meshed ring and pinion gears, a center housing portion, and left and right leg housing portions. The center housing portion may include a center housing defining a center cavity in which the bevel gear is disposed, and at least one channel having an entrance port into the center cavity. The axle assembly may include a first conduit configured to branch off of the first channel in a first direction and a second conduit configured to branch off of the first channel in a second direction. Such channels and conduits may be integral to the center housing or substantially external to the center housing.

Axle porting to legs

A hydraulic pump housing comprises passages formed in an inner wall separating the gear cavity and the pump cavity to allow for the movement of fluid into and out of the gear cavity, thereby alleviating some of the power loss caused by churning lubricating oil. The hydraulic pump may comprise spaces integrally formed in axially opposing surfaces of the gear cavity walls adjacent the area where the gears mesh to enable the churning oil to expand and flow around the gears.

Efficiency spur gear set housing

A drive axle housing system may minimize churning of splash and spray oil within a drive axle housing. The drive axle housing system includes apparatus for incorporation into the axle, the apparatus including an oil churning reduction member that may be affixed to the interior walls of the axle housing. The oil churning reduction member includes interior surfaces adapted to closely align with interior moving gear components of the axle to minimize efficiency losses due to oil movement. The system may also incorporate an annular element, affixed to the axle housing and closely aligned with the backside of a ring gear component of the differential axle. The combined use of the member and the element may substantially reduce torque losses attributable to excessive churning of oil.

Drive axle housing system for reducing oil churning

A hydraulic actuator for pump control is disclosed. The hydraulic actuator includes two hydraulically isolated chambers for actuation in one direction and two hydraulically isolated chambers for actuation in an opposite direction. Each of the four chambers is connected to a source of high pressure fluid by an electronically controlled pressure reducing valve.

Growing community of inventors

Dunlap, IL, United States of America

Benjamin Thomas Nelson