Caterpillar Inc.

Kevin R Paarlberg

Paul Douglas Hagen

Vern I Woodruff

Kenneth W Huck

A latch for a link assembly is disclosed. The link assembly has (i) an internally threaded sleeve and (ii) an externally threaded rod positioned within the internally threaded sleeve so that the externally threaded rod is meshingly engaged with the internally threaded sleeve. The latch includes a handle portion operable between a lock mode and an unlock mode, wherein when the handle portion is (i) in the lock mode relative rotation between the internally threaded sleeve and the externally threaded rod is prevented and (ii) in the unlock mode relative rotation between the internally threaded sleeve and the externally threaded rod is allowed. The latch also includes an engagement portion secured to the handle portion. The engagement portion is (i) detached from the link assembly so that the engagement portion can be spaced apart from the link assembly and (ii) configured to engage a segment of the link assembly such that when (1) the handle portion is in the unlock mode and (2) the segment of the link assembly is engaged with the engagement portion, rotation of the handle portion around a longitudinal axis of the link assembly causes relative rotation between the internally threaded sleeve and the externally threaded rod. An associated method of adjusting the length of a link assembly is also disclosed.

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Sycamore, IL, United States of America

Kevin R Paarlberg