Caterpillar Inc.

Caterpillar Tractor Co.

Other

Lyle E York

Vijayakumar Ramasamy

Robert L Stalmate

Thomas C Meisel

Thomas E Cochran

James Ivan Portscheller

Wayne J Wulfert

Gary D Blomstrom

Dale C Brinkmann

Sukhwinder S Guron

Frederick D Proksch

Robert J Reed

Mohamed Abdel-Fattah Abdel-Latif

Vijay Ramasamy

Daniel E Hayward

A rotary adjustment mechanism is provided. The rotary adjustment mechanism has a first member, a second member, a first gear, a second gear, a locking gear, a spring, and a release. The first gear is rotationally attached to the first member. The second member is pivotally attached to the first member. The second gear is rotationally attached to the second member. The locking gear is moveable from a first position coupling the first gear with the second gear to a second position decoupling the first gear with the second gear. The spring biases the locking gear towards the first position. The release is coupled to the locking gear and selectively moves the locking gear to the second position.

Rotary adjustment mechanism

In order to enhance an operator's ability to control a work machine, an operator control station includes a seat assembly that is moveably mounted to a body of the work machine. The operator can control, at least in part, primary operator controllable aspects of the work machine by manipulating work machine operating controls attached to move with the seat assembly. The operator can monitor a work machine operating condition, at least in part, via a work machine operating condition display panel also attached to move with the seat assembly. In addition, the operator control station is interchangeable among a plurality of work machines of different types and sizes.

Operator control station for controlling different work machines

Vehicle seat

Seating surface for a vehicle seat

Current seat construction typically includes a mechanism by which the back portion of the seat may be adjustably reclined. These mechanisms have been known to have unacceptable relative movement between the seat components which has been the source of operator discomfort. The present invention comprehends a reclining mechanism that includes a gear connection between a pair of spaced extensions defined by a back portion of a seat assembly. The extensions engage a pair of stub shafts, each of which defines a gear assembly thereon. The stub shafts each define a hex-shaped socket and are interconnected by a shaft member. The shaft member defines a spherical hex head portion that engages the respective sockets and accommodates a preselected amount of lateral misalignment between the sides of the seat assembly and the respective stub shafts.

Reclining mechanism for a seat assembly

In the operation of a construction machine, various forces are exerted on a seat which are dampened by a shock absorber. A seat suspension mechanism is provided between the seat and the shock absorber for coordinating the movement of the seat. The seat suspension system has first and second pairs of link arms arranged on opposite sides of the seat. The first and second pairs of link arms each have a controller and follower arm which are pivotally joined substantially at a midpoint therealong. A first end of the controller arms are fixedly mounted for pivotally movement to the front portion of the base with a second end fixedly mounted for pivotally movement to the rear portion of the seat to provide movement along an arcuate path in response to the plurality of forces exerted during operation of the machine. A first end of the follower arms are operatively associated with the front portion of the bottom surface of the seat with a second end operatively associated with the rear portion of the base to provide movement along a second predetermined path. The second predetermined path allows for corrective motion to compensate the arcuate path of the controller arms which provides a substantially constant distance between the seat and a foot-operated control pedal throughout the movement of the seat.

Seat suspension system with defined path of motion

Load skidding vehicles commonly include a grapple assembly (42) which under load conditions can pivot rearwardly about its support point (52) resulting in disproportionate loading of the rear wheels and consequently instability of the vehicle. A connecting member (62) is pivotally attached between the grapple (42) and a hydraulic cylinder (74) which is attached to the skidder (2). Operation of the hydraulic cylinder (74) causes the grapple (42) to rotate about its support pivot (52). The hydraulic cylinder (74) may be locked causing the grapple (42) to be locked in relation to the boom assembly (26). During load hauling operations this mechanism is used to lock the load in a position near the vehicle resulting in increased stability. The mechanism is also of use in positioning the grapple assembly (42) with respect to the load prior to grasping it.

Load skidding vehicle

Apparatus for lifting a member using parallelogram mounted links

Floor support for mobile scraper

An improved adjustable control console for a vehicle or the like of the type including a base (16) for attachment to a vehicle (12), a head (18), rigid mounting links (30,38) pivotally interconnecting the base and the head in a manner like that of a parallelogram linkage (16,18,28,33,34,38,40,42) to allow fore and aft movement of the console, at least one control element (22) movably mounted on the console, a rigid control link (50) connected to the control element and extending therefrom towards the base and including the improvement wherein the links are selectively simultaneously extensible to allow adjustment of the spacing between the head and the base.

Adjustable control console

An operator's cab pivotally mounted to the frame of a tractor employing a screw jack for raising and positively and safely holding the cab in a raised position. When in a lowered operating position, the end of the cab spaced from the pivotal mounting is releasably secured to the frame by a pair of resilient mounting assemblies each including a first connector fixedly attached to the frame, a second connector fixedly attached to the cab, and a coupler having a body resiliently mounted to the first connector by means of a pin and resilient bushing and releasably secured to the second connector by means of a removable connecting pin. The weight of the cab is supported not by the removable connecting pin, but by mating bearing surfaces of the body and the second connector to facilitate removal of the pin. An upwardly projecting sloped surface of the first connector guides the body into supportive engagement with the mating surface thereof.

Platform - operator tilting resilient mounting for earthmoving vehicles

A track-type vehicle comprises a main frame having a pair of laterally spaced track roller frames pivotally mounted on either side thereof. The rearward ends of the track roller frames are pivotally mounted for vertical movements on opposite ends of an axle extending transversely therebetween. The axle is mounted on the main frame by a pair of self-aligning spherical bearing assemblies.

Growing community of inventors

Peoria, IL, United States of America

Lyle E York