Caterpillar Tractor Co.

David J Balzer

Robert J Purcell

Eldon D Oestmann

Orville E Kessinger, Jr

Thomas M Dennison

Marvin G Getz

Rollin P Van Zandt

James D Sickinger

Integral idler track adjusting and recoil apparatus

An equalizer bar support assembly has an equalizer bar (14) mounted on a bearing (24) carried by a flanged bearing support (25) on a track roller frame (16). A support plate (98,150) is attached to one end portion of the flanged bearing support (25). In one embodiment, a bulkhead (100) having a ring portion (130) is bolted to the support plate (98) so that the ring portion (130) is wedged between a tapered outer circumference (120) of the support plate (98) and a contact surface (140) of a support member (78) of the track roller frame (16 ). The support plate (98) is firmly secured to the roller frame (16) and yet is readily removable therefrom. In another embodiment, the support plate (150) has a means (164) thereon to limit the axial movement of the support plate (150) relative to the roller frame (16) during the application of force to remove the support plate (150) from the track frame (16).

Equalizer bar support assembly

A power drive assembly (10) wherein a driven member (14), such as an input clutch gear of a final drive (11), is removably connected to a driving member (12) by a shaft (17), such as a quill shaft, having splined connection (19,20) to the driving member (12) and splined connection (22,23) to the driven member (14). A control rod (24) is connected to the quill shaft (17) and is adjustably positioned within a final drive shaft (15) of power drive assembly (10) so as to effect selectively connection and disconnection of the quill shaft splines relative to the driving member (12) and driven member (14). Access to the control rod is through an opening (39) in a wall portion (38) of the power drive assembly housing (35) which may be selectively closed by a closure member (40) and which is adapted to mount a pulling device (43) removably connected to the control rod. The assembly (10) is arranged to permit disconnection of the driving member from the driven member so as to permit independent operation of the vehicle engine when desired, or to permit towing of the vehicle with the final drive (11) disconnected from the driving member (12) when desired. The arrangement further permits the removal of the bevel gear of the cross shaft drive arrangement when desired without removing the final drive (11).

Shaft puller

A service brake actuating assembly is effective to bring friction material into contact with the opposite sides of a rotating disc by urging such elements in an axial direction toward a reaction wall. A compact parking and emergency brake actuating assembly extends through the wall and is alternately effective to also clampingly engage the disc by urging such elements in the opposite axial direction.

Brake housing and actuating mechanism

Steering control valves selectively pressurize and vent fluid-actuated clutches and brakes of a crawler tractor steering system. Each control valve has an internal spool assembly, coupled to a foot pedal by a cable, which modulates brake pressure as a function of a pedal position and which establishes a maximum brake fluid pressure thereby eliminating the need for additional system components for such purposes. The control valves also provide a feedback fluid pressure, to resist pedal depression with a force proportional to the brake fluid pressure, enabling an operator to sense the degree of braking which is present at different degrees of pedal depression.

Pressure modulating control valve for steering systems or the like

Brake apparatus including plural actuating assemblies

A release mechanism for a normally applied, spring-loaded brake includes a valve manually operable by a control cable to direct pressurized fluid from a residual source to the brake to release it. The valve includes pump device whereby further operation of the control cable will pressurize residual fluid in the valve to release the brake if system fluid pressure is lost. The valve is below sump oil level so that it is always flooded with oil. This supplies fluid to the valve pump device during loss of system pressure and also allows for bleeding the brake release mechanism by siphoning action whenever the valve is operated.

Brake control mechanism

The invention provides a suspension system for track-type vehicles. The system comprises a resilient assembly for mounting on the track roller frame of the vehicle which includes a tubular member having a stack of resilient pads therewithin and a plurality of spaced coaxial resilient members therearound. The mounted assembly effectively cushions relative vertical and horizontal movement between the track roller frame and main frame of the vehicle. An alternate embodiment includes a resilient assembly having a plurality of obliquely oriented resilient pads mounted upon the track roller frame to form a pocket for receiving a complimentary mating bracket secured to the main frame of the vehicle. The assembly effectively cushions horizontal and vertical relative movement between the main and track roller frames of the vehicle.

Growing community of inventors

East Peoria, IL, United States of America

David J Balzer