Caterpillar Inc.

Caterpillar Tractor Co.

Delbert D Dester

Thomas E Oertley

Kevin M Egle

J Scott Burdick

Daniel L Mikrut

John James Krone

Paul L Wright

Arlynn W Anderson

Edwin E Hanson

Dave E Keedy

A drive mechanism includes a drive shaft and a sprocket drive assembly. The sprocket drive assembly includes a hub mechanically coupled to the drive shaft, a first side support secured to the hub, a second side support secured to the hub, and a plurality of engagement members each interposed between the first side support and the second side support. Each of the plurality of engagement members is rotatably secured to each of the first side support and the second side support. The drive mechanism further includes a track assembly which has a plurality of shoes which are secured to one another to form a track, and a plurality of drive lugs which are mounted to the plurality of shoes. Each of the plurality of drive lugs has a first grasping notch and a second grasping notch defined therein. The plurality of drive lugs includes a first drive lug and a second drive lug which are adjacent to each other. The first grasping notch of the first drive lug and the second grasping notch of the second drive lug cooperate to engage one of the plurality of engagement members when the hub is driven by the drive shaft.

Drive sprocket which has rotating members which are engaged by drive lugs of a track

A drive mechanism includes a sprocket drive assembly which includes a hub, and a plurality of engagement members each being supported by the hub. The drive mechanism further includes a track assembly having a plurality of shoes which are secured to one another to form a track, and a plurality of drive lugs which are mounted to the plurality of shoes. The drive lugs engage the plurality of engagement members when the hub is rotated. Each of the drive lugs includes a left lateral rail segment and a right lateral rail segment. The track assembly further includes a support roller mechanically coupled to a chassis of the work machine. The support roller includes a left wheel and a right wheel. The left wheel is supported by the left lateral rail segment during advancement of the track. The right wheel is supported by the right lateral rail segment during advancement of the track.

Drive mechanism for a track type work machine having enhanced durability

Drive sprocket which has rotating members which are engaged by drive

During the operation of a track-type machine in abrasive terrain, it is common to have foreign material deposited between the engagement surfaces of a track chain assembly. The presence of this foreign material between these surfaces has been known to greatly accelerate the wear between these components. The present invention provides a pair of deflecting plates that are positioned adjacent and in overlying relation to certain engagement surfaces of various components of the track chain assembly 14. The deflecting plates direct foreign material away from contact with the engagement surfaces and thereby reduce the wear of the track chain components.

Material deflecting assembly for a track assembly

A replaceable composite tread ring for a track roller assembly of a track-type vehicle includes a non-metallic outer tread portion and a metallic inner base portion. The metallic base portion is C-shaped and encloses portions of the non-metallic tread. Conventional track roller assemblies have non-replaceable metal tread portions which produce considerable wear on the mating link rails. The subject composite tread ring prolongs the useful life of the link rails by reducing the wear of the rails, since the rails contact the non-metallic portion of the tread ring.

Composite tread ring for track roller

A track roller assembly supports and guides the link rails of the endless track of a track-type vehicle as the endless track travels along the ground. Contact between the link rails and the roller assembly is at the tread portion of the roller. A replaceable tread ring on the roller tread portion has a non-metallic outer tread portion which contacts the link rails. The tread ring is held in place by a replaceable flange plate. A separate seal plate holds the various seals in place when the flange plate is removed for replacement of the tread ring or the flange plate. Conventional track roller assemblies have non-replaceable flange plates and metal tread portions which produce considerable wear on the mating link rails. The subject roller assembly prolongs the useful life of the link rails and provides an easily replaceable flange plate and tread ring.

Track roller assembly having a replaceable flange

A steering control system is provided in which one pair of wheels of an articulated steer vehicle are steered in synchronization with the articulation steering. This is accomplished by providing a first two-position valve for directing the fluid exhausted from the rod end of one articulation steer jack to the head end chamber of one of the rear wheel steering jacks and to the rod end chamber of the other rear wheel steering jack for steering the rear wheels in a first direction and another two-position valve for directing the fluid exhausted from the rod end chamber of the other articulation steering jack to the rod end chamber of the one rear wheel steering jack and the head end chamber of the other rear wheel steering jack for steering the rear wheels in the opposite direction. The rod end and head end chambers of the rear wheel steering jacks are sized in relation to the rod end chambers of the articulation steering jacks so that the steering angle of the rear wheels is synchronized with the articulation steer angle even though the articulation steering jacks are much larger than the steering jacks for the rear wheels.

Steering control system for vehicles having dual steering

An endless track assembly for a track-type vehicle comprises a plurality of track shoes secured to an articulated chain. The links of the chain are pivotally interconnected together by pin and bushing assemblies adapted to engage a drive sprocket of the vehicle. A cushioning lug is secured to each track shoe, intermediate each pair of adjacent pin and bushing assemblies, for attenuating the noise level of the track assembly upon its engagement with the drive sprocket and for aiding in cleaning the sprocket. Each cushioning lug assembly comprises a resilient cushioning block composed of an elastomeric material, a cap mounted on the cushioning block and offset arcuate bearing flanges and a cleaning flange formed integrally on the cap.

Armored cushioning lug for track-type vehicles

A hydrostatic mechanical transmission is disclosed having an infinitely variable split torque, planetary drive unit driving a set of range gears, in part mechanically and the remainder through a hydrostatic path comprising variable displacement hydrostatic devices acting alternately as a pump or motor and controlled through a system of hydraulic valves utilizing the same fluid as the hydrostatic devices. Five forward and two reverse ranges are provided in a relatively small package. Control is effected through a manually operated shift lever providing control signals to both the variable displacement hydrostatic devices and range selector unit, with appropriate control and safety features being provided to assure positive and smooth range changes, to prevent reverse rotation in the hydraulic unit, to sense a zero speed condition in the hydraulic units, and to insure positively synchronizing and matching speed conditions for gear engagement.

Growing community of inventors

Washington, IL, United States of America

Delbert D Dester