Caterpillar Tractor Co.

Caterpillar Inc.

Glenn M Haslett

Dennis L Blunier

Robert D Roley

Donald E Clemens

A track roller assembly supports and guides a portion of the endless track of a track type vehicle as that portion of the track travels between a drive wheel and an idler wheel of the vehicle. The rim portions of the roller assembly include a plurality of alternating resilient non-metallic rings and metallic rings. The non-metallic rings are compressed between the metallic rings to increase the diameter of the outer walls of the rings. The link rails contact the non-metallic rings only. Conventional track supporting rollers have metallic treads which generate noise and impact against the metal link rails. The rollers often fail to rotate due to insufficient friction with the link rails. The subject roller assembly, with resilient rings in contact with the link rails, generates low levels of noise and vibration and produces sufficient friction to rotate the rollers.

Track roller assembly

PCT No. PCT/US79/00724 Sec. 371 Date Sept. 14, 1979 Sec. 102(e) Date Sept. 14, 1979 PCT Filed Sept. 14, 1979 A seal assembly wherein a resilient seal (84) is disposed within an open annular recess (82) defined in a first member (56). A second member is disposed adjacent to and is deflectable toward and away from the recess (82) opening. Means (90) within the recess (82) and responsive to the spacing between the first (56) and second (74) members are effective to deflect the seal (84) of the first (56) and second (74) members over substantially the entire range of deflection of the members (56, 74).

Seal assembly

PCT No. PCT/US79/00253 Sec. 371 Date Apr. 20, 1979 Sec. 102(e) Date Apr. 20, 1979 PCT Filed Apr. 20, 1979 PCT Pub. No. WO80/02269 PCT Pub. Date Oct. 30, 1980. A crawler type vehicle including a main frame (10), a track frame (14), a continuous track (24) having upper and lower runs composed of plural rigid track links (26) mounting track shoes (28) and pivotally interconnected by pins (30) and bushings (42), an idler sprocket (16) on the track frame and a drive sprocket (20) engaging some of the bushings. The invention contemplates the improvement of a flexible belt (46) unattached to but supporting the upper run of the track assembly.

Slack control for crawler type track assemblies

PCT No. PCT/US79/00841 Sec. 371 Date Oct. 15, 1979 Sec. 102(e) Date Oct. 15, 1979, PCT Filed Oct. 15, 1979 A stabilized seal structure (24,124,224) for use in a seal space (20,120,220) defined by a first wall (17), a second wall (18) confronting the first wall and variably spaced therefrom, a third wall (19) extending across the seal space between the first and second walls, and a fourth wall (16) extending across the space oppositely of the third wall (19). The seal structure includes a seal member (25,125,225) defining a first leg (26,126,226), a second leg (27,127,227) having a sealing portion (34,134,234) engaging the second wall, and a bight portion (28,128,228) extending adjacent the fourth wall. The legs and bight portion cooperatively define a load member space (29,129,229) receiving a load ring (30,130,230). At least one of the bight portion of the seal ring and the fourth wall is provided with an annular recess (31,13,231) facing the other element. The recess permits compression of the seal ring while effectively maintaining the effective volume of the seal ring space during initial compression of the seal ring by accommodating the portion of the bight of the seal ring overlying the recess during such initial compression. Resultingly, the sealing portion of the seal ring is maintained in effectively fixed relationship to the confronting wall during such initial compression, thereby providing improved stability in the sealing functioning of the seal structure.

Stabilized seal structure

A track link assembly including a plurality of track links having track pin receiving apertures therein, a plurality of track pins extending through associated ones of the apertures and pivotally interconnecting adjacent ones of the links, a plurality of roller bushings rotatably mounted on the ends of the pins, and a plurality of track shoes secured to respective ones of the links.

Track link assembly having roller bushings

A track chain includes a plurality of track pin bushings as is well known, to seat in recesses defined by a drive sprocket. Each track pin bushing defines a plurality of angled protrusions which act as wear surfaces between the bushing and the sprocket, and also act to force foreign matter from recesses of the sprocket in which bushings are seatable.

Track bushing providing external deposits of wear resistant material

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.

Growing community of inventors

Peoria, IL, United States of America

Glenn M Haslett