Caterpillar Tractor Co.

Donald E Clemens

Glenn M Haslett

Dennis L Blunier

Donald A Piepho

Stephen W Reiss

In the track of a track-type vehicle, the track shoes are bolted and keyed to the track line to substantially reduce or eliminate shear and bending stresses on the bolts. The elimination or reduction of movement resulting in shear on the bolts between the track shoe and the master link is of particular importance.

Track shoe and bolt retention arrangement

An improved sprocket configuration for use in a track-type vehicle drive. The tooth configuration and tooth pocket configuration accommodate packing of the pocket and permit limited displacement of the chain without excessive wear of the chain bushings. The pocket configuration is relatively deep so as to permit a preselected amount of packing in the pocket root to minimize the chain bushing displacement. The improved tooth configuration provides a rounded topping surface avoiding bushing wear as may occur with sharp corner tooth configurations of the prior art.

Sprocket member configuration

A track-type vehicle, such as a crawler tractor, comprises a pair of endless tracks mounted on either side thereof. Each of the tracks is entrained over a drive sprocket at its rearward end and over an idler at its forward end. The idler comprises a hub having a plurality of arcuate rim segments releasably attached on an annular flange thereof to define annular, track-engaging bearing surfaces. Each of the segments may be attached to the idler at a circumferentially disposed tongue and groove arrangement and an elastomeric cushioning and noise damping means may be disposed between each segment and the flange. One or more of the segments may be replaced in situ by merely moving the vehicle to expose the same.

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Tremont, IL, United States of America

Donald E Clemens