Caterpillar Inc.

Kevin Steiner

Mark Steven Diekevers

Temitope Olayemi Akinlua

Caroline Marie Brewer

Donovan Stuart Clarke

Timothy A Thorson

Gregory Jerome Kaufmann

Daniel Knobloch

Roger Lee Recker

Eric James Johannsen

Martin Tagore Joseph Xavier

Timothy Michael Nenne

Eric Bernard Weisbruch

Victor M Penrod

Robert L Meyer

Michael D Hasselbusch

Jeffrey Paul Nash

Christopher A Barnes

Keith D Fischer

Jianping Zheng

Richard E Livesay

Jason L Sebright

Michael Stephen Galat

Jennifer Ann Brooks

Jianjun Wang

Kevin D Eccles

Curt D Afdahi

Curt D Afdahl

Robert A Eissler

Michael Hasselbusch

A track link includes an elongate link body formed of a link body material that varies in hardness to form a first lower hardness zone, a second lower hardness zone, and a higher hardness zone. The higher hardness zone includes an upper rail surface of the elongate link body and extends substantially throughout the elongate link body outside of the first and second lower hardness zones, which surround the track pin bores. Related methodology for making a track link is also disclosed.

Scallop-resistant track link and method of making same

In one aspect, a track shoe assembly may include a shoe plate having a shoe plate body including a shoe plate attachment surface, and at least two slots extending through at least the shoe plate attachment surface. The track shoe assembly may also include a grouser having a grouser body having a grouser attachment surface, and at least two tabs, integrally formed with the grouser body, the at least two tabs extending from the grouser attachment surface, and perpendicular to the grouser attachment surface, the at least two tabs of the grouser being configured to be positioned within the at least two slots of the shoe plate. In another aspect, a method of manufacturing a track shoe assembly may include forming a shoe plate as described above, forming a grouser as described above, and attaching the grouser to the shoe plate to thereby form a track shoe assembly.

Track shoe assembly including a shoe plate and a grouser and related method of manufacture

In at least one aspect, a track shoe assembly includes a shoe plate having a shoe plate body including at least one shoe plate attachment surface defining a groove extending along a width of the shoe plate body, and a grouser having a grouser body having at least one grouser attachment surface, a cross-sectional shape of the at least one grouser attachment surface being the same as a cross-sectional shape of the groove defined by the at least one shoe plate attachment surface.

An articulated chain assembly includes standard links, a master link, and pins pivotably coupling together the standard links and master link. The master link includes a first half link and a second half link, and bolt holes extending through the first half link and the second half link. A first bolt is within a first one of the bolt holes and has a necked-down bolt shank defining a lesser necked-down axial length. A second bolt is within a second one of the bolt holes and includes a necked-down bolt shank defining a greater necked-down axial length. The first bolt and second bolt may have unequal full axial lengths.

Master link and articulated chain assembly for machine

A track roller includes a body having a revolved configuration defining an axis of rotation, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction disposed about the axis of rotation. A first axial extremity and a second axial extremity are disposed along the axis of rotation. The body of revolution further includes a first rim portion disposed proximate to the first axial extremity, and a second rim portion disposed proximate to the second axial extremity. An outboard track contact surface is disposed axially proximate to the first rim portion, and an inboard slot is disposed axially proximate to the second rim portion.

Flip-flop track rollers

A ground-engaging track includes a track chain formed of standard links and at least one master link. The master link include a first half link and a second half link, clamped together by way of a forward bolt and a rearward bolt. Clamping surfaces of the first half link and the second half link form a first tooth set and a second tooth set, respectively, which may include a total of 2 or 3 full teeth and tooth roots, confined in distribution between a forward bolt hole and a rearward bolt hole.

Ground-engaging track for machine having multi-tooth master link

A track idler includes a body of revolution defining an axis of rotation, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction disposed about the axis of rotation. A first axial extremity and a second axial extremity are disposed along the axis of rotation. The body of revolution further includes an outboard track contact surface that is disposed axially proximate to the first axial extremity, and an inboard slot is disposed axially proximate to the second axial extremity.

Flip-flop track idlers

A track link for a ground-engaging track system includes an elongate link body having an upper rail surface located in part upon each of a first link strap, a second link strap, and a middle section of the track link. The upper rail surface is formed by a wear band of sacrificial wear material having a hardness that is varied lengthwise along the upper rail surface to retard scalloping of the track link during service and forming relatively softer zones in the first and second link straps and a relatively harder zone within the middle section. Methodology for making such a track link is also disclosed.

Track link for a track joint assembly having wear band with lengthwise-varied hardness and method of making same

A track link for a machine track includes an elongate link body having an upper rail surface with an inboard peripheral edge and an outboard peripheral edge each formed upon a first link strap, a second link strap, and a middle section. The upper rail surface defines a longitudinal midline and at least one of the inboard peripheral edge or the outboard peripheral edge upon the first link strap and the second link strap is canted, in an inboard-outboard direction, to a longitudinal midline of the upper rail surface.

Track link having canted rail surface edges and machine track with same

A track joint assembly includes adjacent first and second track links each having an elongate link body with an upper rail surface located in part upon first and second link body ends and in part upon a middle section of the link. The upper rail surface forms part of a track rail having a segment formed by each of the middle sections of the elongate link bodies of the first and second track links and a compound segment formed by the two adjacent track links. The upper rail surface is formed of a sacrificial wear material that has a varying cross-sectional area structured to limit scalloping of the track links.

Track joint assembly and track link having wear band structured for anti-scalloping

A track link assembly includes a plurality of link subassemblies including a first link subassembly and a second link subassembly. Each link subassembly includes a pair of links coupled together. Each link includes a first aperture and a second aperture, and the second aperture of each link is C-shaped. The track link assembly also includes a pin element pivotably coupling each of the first link subassembly and the second link subassembly. The pin element includes a centrally positioned central portion and end portions on opposite sides of the central portion. The central portion of the pin element is configured to pass through the first aperture of a first link in each of the first link subassembly and the second link subassembly, and the end portions are configured to pass through the second apertures of a second link in each of the first link subassembly and the second link subassembly.

Track assembly for a machine

Track link for a track joint assembly having wear band with lengthwise-varied hardness

A thrust ring comprises a body including a cylindrical outer surface, a cylindrical inner surface, defining a central axis, an axial direction, a circumferential direction, a first axial end, a second axial end, and at least one recess on the first axial end, and at least one protrusion extending from the cylindrical inner surface toward the central axis.

Joint bushings for track joint assemblies

A track chain assembly includes a track pin, a first link, and a second link. The first link defines a first pair of pin passages in spaced relationship to each other by a first link pitch. The first link is mounted to the track pin such that the track pin extends through one of the first pair of pin passages. The second link defines a second pair of pin passages in spaced relationship to each other by a second link pitch. The second link is mounted to the track pin such that the track pin extends through one of the second pair of pin passages and such that the first link and the second link are rotatable with respect to each other about a longitudinal axis defined by the track pin. The second link pitch is greater than the first link pitch in a range up to twice the first link pitch.

Growing community of inventors

Tremont, IL, United States of America

Kevin Steiner