Caterpillar Inc.

David W Bruce

Douglas W Bell

David Randal Hinton

Jon R Greiner

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for maintaining equal air pressure in a pair of tires on a work machine. The invention provides a valve body with a pair of piston chambers. A piston is reciprocatably positioned within each piston chamber, the pistons are biased toward a first closed end of the piston chambers. The closed end of each piston chamber is connected by a passageway to one of the tires. Each piston chamber is additionally fluidly connected to the other piston chamber. When the air pressure in each tire is above a predetermined amount the pistons are moved away from the closed end of the piston chamber and airflow is permitted between the piston chambers thereby balancing the tire pressures. If the pressure in either tire is below the predetermined minimum, the piston in that respective piston chamber moves toward the first end to block, airflow between the piston chambers.

Dual tire pressure balance system

An apparatus for controlling temperature of fluid in a rear axle assembly includes a rear axle housing having an internal component chamber. The internal component chamber has a rear axle sump located therein. The apparatus also includes a temperature control operational pressure source coupled to the internal component chamber. The apparatus further includes a diverter valve coupled to the temperature control operational pressure source. The apparatus includes a heating fluid return line interposed between the diverter valve and the rear axle sump, and includes a cooling fluid return line interposed between the diverter valve and the rear axle housing. The temperature control operational pressure source is selectively operable between (i) a first rate mode in which it advances fluid from the internal component chamber at a first flow rate, and (ii) a second rate mode in which it advances fluid from the internal component chamber at a second flow rate. The diverter valve is selectively operable between (i) a heating position in which fluid advanced by the temperature control operational pressure source is diverted to the rear axle sump via the heating fluid return line, and (ii) a cooling position in which fluid advanced by the temperature control operational pressure source is diverted to the rear axle housing via the cooling fluid return line. A method of controlling temperature of fluid in a rear axle housing is also presented.

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Decatur, IL, United States of America

David W Bruce