Caterpillar Sarl

Caterpillar Inc.

Brian R Dershem

Jeffrey A Deneve

Robert S Anderson

Kevin E Pielmeier

Rodney D McLamb

Mirza Q Baig

Huan T Nguyen

Hasan Kabir

James H Siwicke

Reid W Waitt

Matthew P Rosefsky

Cary Safe

Brad Lemke

Richard A Naugle

David D Henderson

Matthew Flower

Christopher L Johnston

Hasan A Kabir

Thomas P Ewing

Steven F Reynolds

A linkage arrangement is disclosed to provide an articulated machine with an arrangement that allows two frame structures to both articulate and oscillate relative to one another. The linkage arrangement includes a three point pivot arrangement with an angled link. Two of the pivots provide for articulation while two of the pivots provide for oscillation. The two pivots involved for oscillation are of lower overall height than the overall height for the two pivots providing the articulation, thereby reducing overall machine height while maintaining structural integrity.

Linkage arrangement

A frame for a tracked skid steer loader machine or multi-terrain loader machine is provided having a structural design that enables the loader machine to be modularly assembled using a variety of pre-assembled components, namely a lower frame assembly, an upper frame assembly and an undercarriage. The lower frame assembly includes a pair of recessed channels formed on a base portion of the lower frame assembly and extending the width of the lower frame assembly. The undercarriage includes right and left track assemblies connected by a pair of crossmembers. Each recessed channel is engagingly associated with a respective crossmember of the undercarriage, thereby allowing for the modular assembly of a loader machine when the recessed channels of the lower frame assembly are mounted over the crossmembers of the undercarriage. An upper frame assembly may be mounted on the lower frame assembly before or after the lower frame assembly is mounted onto the undercarriage.

Main frame for a tracked skid steer loader machine

A lift boom assembly includes a pair of lift arm assemblies. Each of the lift arm assemblies include a main lift link with a rear end portion and a second lift link. The second lift links each have a first end portion, a second end portion pivotally connected to a frame of a work machine to define a first pivot, and a central portion pivotally connected to the rear end portion of a respective main lift link to define a second pivot. A pair of control links each having a first end portion that is pivotally connected to the frame of the work machine to define a third pivot. A second end portion of the control links being pivotally connected to a respective one of the main lift links to define a fourth pivot with each of the first, second, third, and fourth pivots being located above the lower portion of the frame. The pivots of the components are located on an upper portion of the work machine so that the components cooperate together to achieve a simple and efficient lift boom design.

Lift boom assembly

Skid steer loader exterior design

A lower frame assembly for use in a skid steer loader machine has front and rear end portions. A front wall is positioned at the front end portion of the lower frame assembly and is connected between a pair of side rails. Each of a pair of spaced transmissions housings with front and rear end portions is connected at the front end portion to the front wall and extends rearwardly along a respective side rail. A fuel tank is connected at the rear end portion of the transmission housings and extends between the side rails so that the fuel tank is integral with the lower frame assembly.

Lower frame assembly

A main frame assembly is assembled by manufacturing a lower frame assembly with a pair of spaced side rails. A front wall extends continuously between the side rails and a pair of spaced and separated transmission housings are connected to the front wall and extend rearwardly therefrom a predetermined distance along a respective side rail. An upper frame assembly is manufactured with a pair of spaced tower assemblies and a pair of side members connected to a respective tower assembly. The upper frame assembly is mounted to the lower frame assembly by a horizontal connection exclusively between the side members of the upper frame assembly and the respective side rails of the lower frame assembly.

Main frame assembly

A mounting and stabilizing arrangement for an engine with first and second end portions is disclosed. The mounting and stabilizing arrangement is adapted for use in a work machine with a frame assembly which includes a pair of side rails. A crossmember is connected between the pair of side rails. A bumper assembly is connected to the frame assembly at one end portion of the work machine. A pair of spaced mounts are connected to the crossmember. Each of the pair of mounts are positioned in a spaced relationship from a respective side rail. A single stabilizer is connected on the bumper assembly so that the first end portion of the engine is connected on the stabilizer and the second end portion of the engine is mounted on the pair of mounts to align the engine parallel with the pair of side rails of the frame assembly.

Engine mounting and stabilizing arrangement

A releasable locking mechanism has a lockbar which locks a hydraulic cylinder in an extended position for holding a liftarm assembly of a machine in a raised position. The lift cylinder has a body and an extendable rod which incorporates structure thereon acting upon the lockbar to release the locked hydraulic cylinder so that the liftarm assembly is moved from the raised position to a lowered position with minimal operator intervention. The operator intervention occurs only when the liftarm assembly is in the lowered position or when the lift cylinder is locked in the extended position. The lockbar is movable between an inoperative position wherein the lockbar is releasably connected to the liftarm assembly and an operative position wherein the lockbar is in bearing engagement with the body of the lift cylinder to prevent retraction of the rod. A release lever is connected to a lift cylinder and is movable between a rest position wherein the release lever is adjacent and substantially parallel with the lift cylinder and a working position wherein a notched end portion of the release lever is forced against a pin assembly releasably connected on the lockbar to lift the lockbar out of bearing engagement with the body of the lift cylinder.

Releasable locking mechanism for a liftarm of a machine

A method of assembling a work machine, such as a skid steer loader, includes manufacturing a lower frame assembly with a pair of laterally spaced side rails which extend along the entire length of the lower frame assembly and a pair of spaced engine mounts distanced from the side rails. Then, manufacturing an upper frame assembly with a pair of laterally spaced side members which extend along the entire length of the upper frame assembly. A rear end portion of an engine is then mounted to the pair of engine mounts. The upper frame assembly is then mounted to the lower frame assembly by connecting the respective side members exclusively to the respective side rails to define a main frame assembly. A bumper assembly is then mounted to the main frame assembly through a connection with the lower frame assembly and includes an engine stabilizer. Finally, a front end portion of the engine is then connected to the bumper assembly at the engine stabilizer.

Method of assembling a work machine

An upper frame assembly is mounted to a lower frame assembly to define a main frame assembly for a work machine, such as a skid steer loader, which has distributed loading throughout the mounting therebetween. The distribution of loading is achieved by mounting the upper frame assembly along a pair of side members which extend along its length to a respective pair of side rails of the lower frame assembly which extend along its length. The side members and respective side rails of the upper and lower frame assemblies are connected by exclusive horizontal bolting therebetween.

A skid steer loader has a pair of lift arms pivotally mounted to a main frame of the loader. The lift arms are connected together by a cross member located at the forward ends of the arms. The cross member is spaced ahead of a front wall member of the main frame when the lift arms are in their lowered positions so as to create a gap between the cross member and the cross member and the front wall member of the main frame where the operator enters the loader. A combination step/stop arrangement is carried on the front wall member to provide a skid resistant stepping surface across the gap between the front wall member of the main frame and the cross member of the lift arm assembly and to prevent the lift arm assembly from moving past its lowered position.

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Sanford, NC, United States of America

Brian R Dershem