Caterpillar Sarl

Caterpillar Inc.

Huan T Nguyen

Jeffrey A Deneve

Robert S Anderson

Kevin E Pielmeier

Rodney D McLamb

Mirza Q Baig

Brian R Dershem

James H Siwicke

Hasan Kabir

Reid W Waitt

Richard A Naugle

Matthew P Rosefsky

Brian R Dreshem

Christopher L Johnston

Hasan A Kabir

A lower frame assembly for use in a skid steer loader machine has front and rear end portions. A front wall is positioned at the front end portion of the lower frame assembly and is connected between a pair of side rails. Each of a pair of spaced transmissions housings with front and rear end portions is connected at the front end portion to the front wall and extends rearwardly along a respective side rail. A fuel tank is connected at the rear end portion of the transmission housings and extends between the side rails so that the fuel tank is integral with the lower frame assembly.

Lower frame assembly

A main frame assembly is assembled by manufacturing a lower frame assembly with a pair of spaced side rails. A front wall extends continuously between the side rails and a pair of spaced and separated transmission housings are connected to the front wall and extend rearwardly therefrom a predetermined distance along a respective side rail. An upper frame assembly is manufactured with a pair of spaced tower assemblies and a pair of side members connected to a respective tower assembly. The upper frame assembly is mounted to the lower frame assembly by a horizontal connection exclusively between the side members of the upper frame assembly and the respective side rails of the lower frame assembly.

Main frame assembly

A mounting and stabilizing arrangement for an engine with first and second end portions is disclosed. The mounting and stabilizing arrangement is adapted for use in a work machine with a frame assembly which includes a pair of side rails. A crossmember is connected between the pair of side rails. A bumper assembly is connected to the frame assembly at one end portion of the work machine. A pair of spaced mounts are connected to the crossmember. Each of the pair of mounts are positioned in a spaced relationship from a respective side rail. A single stabilizer is connected on the bumper assembly so that the first end portion of the engine is connected on the stabilizer and the second end portion of the engine is mounted on the pair of mounts to align the engine parallel with the pair of side rails of the frame assembly.

Engine mounting and stabilizing arrangement

An upper frame assembly for a skid steer loader machine includes a pair of spaced tower assemblies. Each of a pair of side members has a rear end portion connected to a respective tower assembly so that a front end portion of the side members extends longitudinally from the tower assemblies. A crossmember assembly extends between the pair of tower assemblies at a position between the front and rear end portions of the side members. The crossmember assembly and front end portions of the side members define an open access area. The crossmember assembly and rear end portions of the side members define an open service area. Both the open access area and open service area are unobstructed by structural elements of the upper frame assembly.

Upper frame assembly

A method of assembling a work machine, such as a skid steer loader, includes manufacturing a lower frame assembly with a pair of laterally spaced side rails which extend along the entire length of the lower frame assembly and a pair of spaced engine mounts distanced from the side rails. Then, manufacturing an upper frame assembly with a pair of laterally spaced side members which extend along the entire length of the upper frame assembly. A rear end portion of an engine is then mounted to the pair of engine mounts. The upper frame assembly is then mounted to the lower frame assembly by connecting the respective side members exclusively to the respective side rails to define a main frame assembly. A bumper assembly is then mounted to the main frame assembly through a connection with the lower frame assembly and includes an engine stabilizer. Finally, a front end portion of the engine is then connected to the bumper assembly at the engine stabilizer.

Method of assembling a work machine

An upper frame assembly is mounted to a lower frame assembly to define a main frame assembly for a work machine, such as a skid steer loader, which has distributed loading throughout the mounting therebetween. The distribution of loading is achieved by mounting the upper frame assembly along a pair of side members which extend along its length to a respective pair of side rails of the lower frame assembly which extend along its length. The side members and respective side rails of the upper and lower frame assemblies are connected by exclusive horizontal bolting therebetween.

A skid steer loader has a pair of lift arms pivotally mounted to a main frame of the loader. The lift arms are connected together by a cross member located at the forward ends of the arms. The cross member is spaced ahead of a front wall member of the main frame when the lift arms are in their lowered positions so as to create a gap between the cross member and the cross member and the front wall member of the main frame where the operator enters the loader. A combination step/stop arrangement is carried on the front wall member to provide a skid resistant stepping surface across the gap between the front wall member of the main frame and the cross member of the lift arm assembly and to prevent the lift arm assembly from moving past its lowered position.

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Forth Worth, TX, United States of America

Huan T Nguyen