Caterpillar Inc.

Caterpillar Sarl

Solar Turbines Inc.

Kolin J Kirschenmann

Gary C Bryant

Robert W Briggs

Andrew M Rummer

John J Maas

Larry T Ryterski

Robert L McNabb

William Pack

Craig B Kelley

Clifford E Miller

Michael J Vance

Gail F Westendorf

Terry Allen Coins

Matthew P Jacobs

Ian McCulloch

Don J Robinson

Off-highway truck

Portion of an off-highway truck

Tractor portion of an articulated work machine

The present invention includes a resilient cab mounting apparatus for resiliently mounting a cab structure, incorporating a roll over protective structure, onto a vehicle frame. The cab mounting apparatus includes a first resilient member which is positioned between the cab structure and the frame members and held in place by use of a mounting structure having an attached upper flange.

Vibration-isolation cab mounting apparatus

This invention utilizes a cast corner member (20) as a support base for the load bearing members (14) of a roll over protection structure (10). The cast corner member (20) has an end portion (34) comprising at least one gusset (40) which telescopically engages a tubular member (14). The gusset (40) has a tapered configuration which defines a free end portion (36) that has a reduced cross-sectional area and is positioned within the tubular member (14) in slightly spaced relationship to at least one of the side walls of the tubular member (14). When the end portion (34) of the corner member (20) is telescopically received within the tubular member (14), a groove is formed to receive a weld bead (22) which secures the two members together. Since the area of the weld bead (22) is inherently the weakest portion of the structure, the gusset (40) functions to direct bending stresses to an area away from the weld bead (22) to prevent the weld from cracking when the roll over protection structure (10) encounters a bending load.

Structural weld joint with internal gusset

Growing community of inventors

Decatur, IL, United States of America

Kolin J Kirschenmann