Caterpillar Tractor Co.

Eugene R Groff

Paul L Wright

Roger L Boggs

Harold L Reinsma

Albert L Woody

Lloyd K Heinold

John W Sogge

Lawrence E Fox

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 engagement therewith with the drive sprocket. Each cushioning lug assembly comprises a resilient cushioning block composed of an elastomeric material, a cap mounted on the cushioning block and a tensioned cable secured between the cap and a respective one of the track shoes. A ball secured to the upper end of the cable may be connected to the cap by an annular retainer formed integrally with the cap, or by a separate member secured to the cap and covered by a plug.

Tensioned cushioning lug for track-type vehicles

A shoe assembly of a continuous track of a crawler type vehicle has a cover plate and a shoe. The cover plate is of a configuration sufficient for spacing first and second end portions of the cover plate a preselected distance from the shoe in the installed position. Viscoelastic material is positioned between the shoe and the first and second end portions of the cover plate. An elevated seat of one of a middle portion of the cover plate or shoe contacts a middle portion of the other of said cover plate or shoe and maintains said preselected distance.

Vibration damped shoe assembly

Drive or driven wheels of a track-type vehicle have a hub and a plurality of teeth around the outer periphery each of which are spaced one from the other by an intervening root having an opening. A biasing hoop assembly having a multiplicity of generally concentric biasing hoops encompass the hub and are positioned between the hub and teeth. Actuating apparatus extends from the root into contact with the biasing hoop assembly and is generaly movable for deflecting the biasing hoops and resisting entry into the root for dampening impact, loads, and noise of elements entering the root.

Biased actuating wheels

Apparatus is provided for reducing the noise generated by the meshing of an endless track and a drive sprocket of a track type vehicle including a pair of annular treads of resilient material. The treads are mounted about the peripheries of a respective one of a pair of cylindrical wall members provided on opposite sides of the sprocket for positioning the treads in radially aligned relationship with a respective one of the inwardly facing rail surfaces provided on a respective one of the double chains of the track. The treads are sized so that, in a free state, their outer peripheries are positioned radially outwardly of the normal position of their respective rail surfaces when the track is fully seated with the sprocket so that the rail surfaces engage and compress the treads before the track comes into full mesh with the sprocket, thereby alleviating any impact therebetween.

Noise reducing apparatus for track type vehicle drive sprockets and

A rotatable resilient contacting element attachable to track shoes of a crawler type vehicle.

Noise suppressing element for continuous track of crawler type vehicle

A shoe assembly of a continuous track of a crawler type vehicle has a vibration damping assembly substantially covering a surface of the shoe to damp shoe vibrations. The vibration damping assembly has at least one plate extending over the surface of the shoe and a viscoelastic material positioned between said shoe and plate for connecting the plate to the shoe.

Shoe assembly

A rotatable track supporting member for a track-type vehicle has a hub rotatably carried upon a track frame of such vehicle and a rim which is constructed from segmented resilient material so as to reduce the amount of noise generated by the running engagement between the rim and an endless track chain mounted for movement about the track frame.

Track supporting roller with resilient rim

A resilient contacting assembly attachable to track shoes of a crawler type vehicle. The contacting element is formed of a plurality of discs for improving the wear life of the contacting element.

Noise suppressing assembly for continuous track of crawler type vehicle

A wheel for carrying continuous track of crawler type vehicles has a set of spaced pairs of inner and outer panel members that are connected together through vibration barriers. One of the inner or outer panels is formed of a laminate.

Track carrying wheels for crawler type vehicles having improved panel

A track wheel of a crawler type vehicle has a plurality of first and second plates spaced at preselected locations for suppressing vibration of and resultant noise emitting from panels of the wheel.

Growing community of inventors

Chillicothe, IL, United States of America

Eugene R Groff