Caterpillar Inc.

Caterpillar Tractor Co.

James A Garman

Stephen D Swift

Richard E Livesay

Ali A Bitar

Arlyn J Arians

The fluid seals on the currently available piston assemblies are ineffective for blocking the leakage of electrical signals between the piston and the cylinder. The present invention utilizes an electrically conductive split ring seated in an annular groove in a piston and an electrically conductive annular spring disposed between the split ring and the piston to resiliently urge the split ring into conductive engagement with the hydraulic cylinder while providing continuous electrical contact between the split ring and the piston to block the leakage of electrical signals.

Piston assembly for a hydraulic cylinder

Adapter for an implement

A tool assembly for installing and removing horizontally oriented retaining pins in a mechanical joint between a bucket tooth and a tooth adapter includes first and second lever members and first and second threaded members which are threadably connected to the respective first and second lever members. The second lever member is pivotably connected to the first member. The tool assembly is adapted to be placed over a bucket tooth having a horizontally oriented retaining pin, with the second threaded member aligning with and contacting the retaining pin. As the first threaded member is rotated, a portion of the first lever member contacts the tooth and the second threaded member contacts the pin and forces the pin into the joint, or out of the joint. Conventionally, a large drift pin and hammer are used to remove retaining pins. However, these tools are not useable on horizontally oriented retaining pins. The subject tool assembly quickly and easily installs and removes retaining pins in a joint between a bucket tooth and a tooth adapter.

Tool assembly

Retaining mechanisms are normally utilized for securing a tooth to an adapter. Many times the forces necessary to secure the retaining mechanism in an assembled position is not high enough to maintain assembly during use. In the subject arrangement, the retaining mechanism includes a pin having a means thereon for forming a shoulder and a plurality of conical spring washers each having an inner surface defining an opening having a diameter of a predetermined size which is smaller than the outer diameter of the shoulder means. During assembly, the shoulder means of the pin is forced through the opening of the respective conical spring washers from a concave side thereof. In order to disassemble the pin, the shoulder means of the pin must be forced through the respective openings. In instances where the pin must be removed from the same side that it is installed, a much higher force is required to force the shoulder means through the opening of the respective first, second, and third conical spring washers. Consequently, a retaining mechanism is provided which has very high resistance to inadvertent disassembly during use.

Retaining mechanism for a tooth assembly

Implement tooth adapter

Implement base edge protector

A tool assembly for installing and removing a fastening apparatus in a mechanical joint between two or more elements includes a rod which is axially movable, a plurality of tools positionable on the movable rod, and a power source for moving the rod member between first and second positions. The fastening apparatus includes a reusable fastening member and a disposable and deformable ring adapted to be deformed into the joint by said tool assembly. The tools can be manipulated into various positions on the movable rod for installing and removing the fastening apparatus. Securing together large size elements, such as cutting edges and tooth adapters on earthmoving buckets and blades, using conventional nut and bolt threaded fasteners, requires extremely large service tools and considerable time and effort by several service personnel. The threaded fasteners are generally not reusable due to corrosion abrasive wear. The subject tool assembly quickly and easily installs, or removes, a reusable mechanical fastening apparatus in a joint between a plurality of large work elements.

Fasteners, such as bolts, are normally utilized to provide an arrangement to secure two members together. When working forces are applied to the assembled members trying to tear them apart, the size of the bolts and the ability to apply the proper torque to the bolts on the job site become limitations. In the subject arrangement, a fastener assembly is provided having a hollow cylindrical pin with an enlarged portion at one end and a plurality of ridges and grooves at the other end. A hollow cylindrical shear ring, having a chevron shaped cross-section taken along its longitudinal axis, is placed, during assembly, in intimate contact with the plurality of ridges and grooves. A hollow cylindrical compression ring is placed, during assembly, in contact with the hollow cylindrical shear ring. Upon application of an external force, the hollow cylindrical compression ring is forced over the hollow cylindrical shear ring causing the material of the hollow cylindrical shear ring to flow around the plurality of ridges and into the plurality of grooves to provide a positive retainer. The subject arrangement can be easily assembled and disassembled at the job site by use of a hydraulic tool assembly.

Fastener assembly

Cutting edge assemblies are normally utilized on the leading edge of implements to protect the leading edge of the implement from wear. In order to have a readily removable cutting edge assembly that can be replaced in the field, it is necessary to provide fastening means to retain the respective components to the implement. Since a surface and corresponding holes in the respective elements of the cutting edge assembly must be provided, the respective components are weakened and thus tend to break when used under high load conditions. In this subject arrangement, a cutting edge assembly is provided having a base edge with a scalloped leading edge. A plurality of teeth is provided and each tooth is releasably attached in space relation to the base edge. A plurality of base edge protectors is also provided and each protector is connected to the base edge between the respective teeth of the plurality of teeth. Furthermore, each tooth of the plurality of teeth has a bottom portion which extends rearwardly from a forward end portion and subtends from a top portion thereof between two holes located therein. The plurality of teeth and the plurality of base edge protectors provide a substantially continuous cutting edge for the implement while the bottom portion provides additional strength to the respective teeth.

Cutting edge assembly for an implement

Apparatus (10) for retaining a joint (12) of an endless track (14) for a crawler-type vehicle is provided which includes a metal preform (64,66) which is pressed into a retainer cavity (60,62) surrounding and located at each of the ends of the joint (12) of the track (14). The cavities (60,62) are cooperatively formed by a pin groove (70) in the opposite end portions (40,42) of the pin (20) and a link socket (72) in the respective link outboard end portions (26,27) and which are disposed in registry with the pin grooves (70). Once intruded into the cavities (60,62), the formed-in-place retainers (64,66) thereby provided virtually eliminate any end play in the joint (12) during operation of the crawler vehicle.

Method of retaining and repairing a track joint

Apparatus for retaining a joint of an endless track for a crawler-type vehicle is provided which includes a metal preform which is pressed into a retainer cavity surrounding and located at each of the ends of the joint of the track. The cavities are cooperatively formed by a pin groove in the opposite end portions of the pin and a link socket in the respective link outboard end portions and which are disposed in registry with the pin grooves. Once intruded into the cavities, the formed-in-place retainers thereby provided virtually eliminate any end play in the joint during operation of the crawler vehicle.

Track joint retaining apparatus

Apparatus and method of turning a bushing of a track chain link assembly is disclosed which enables the bushing to be turned in place in the link assembly, thereby eliminating the need to disassembly the link assembly in order to effect the bushing turn. The apparatus includes clamping means having three jaws for clamping the bushing, each of which has a deformable insert of an aluminum alloy so that, upon application of the clamping force, the shape of insert can change to accommodate one-sided sprocket wear on the bushing and insure intimate clamping contact therewith. Each of the deformable inserts is supported on an arcuate surface of a support block which has apertures and grooves for providing space into which material of the insert can extrude to facilitate the ability of insert to conform to the bushing. The grooves are oriented longitudinally so as to provide a mechanical interlock between the insert and the support blocks, thus eliminating any slippage between the block and insert as the links are being rotated.

Apparatus and method for turning a track bushing

A suspension system for tandem axle vehicles includes resilient suspension members connected between torque arm members and suspension arm members. The torque arm members are interconnected by a torsion equalizer member.

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Eureka, IL, United States of America

James A Garman