Caterpillar Inc.

Hydro-gear Limited Partnership

The Timken Company

Marcus Bunnow

Keith A Kabrick

Douglas W Bell

David Randal Hinton

Steven V Boyd

Edward L Walsh

A drive coupling mechanism for use in connecting an axle or other drive shaft to a wheel hub for use in a snow thrower or other vehicle, or in other applications where a driven wheel is engaged to a drive shaft. A slider member is mounted on and driven by the axle, and cooperating engagement structures located on the slider and the inner surface of the wheel hub are used to engage and disengage the wheel hub from the axle depending on the location of the slider member. A bearing ring or similar structure may be used to facilitate the engagement of the cooperating engagement structures.

Drive coupling

The present invention provides a wheel assembly for a work machine, the wheel assembly includes a hub defined about a central axis. The hub includes an inboard end, an outboard end and a rim-mounting flange. The rim-mounting flange includes an inboard surface, and outboard surface and an outer edge defined there between. The outer edge includes a groove extending toward the hub. A plurality of bores are disposed about the rim-mounting flange, each of the bores defines a bore diameter. A stud, having a shoulder defining a shoulder diameter is positioned in each of the bores. A retainer is positioned in the groove and holds each stud in its respective bore.

Wheel assembly for a work machine and apparatus for retaining wheel studs

A multi-row rolling element bearing assembly is provided for use in applications, such as differentials. The rolling element bearing assembly includes an inner race defining at least two inner raceways, an outer race defining at least two outer raceways, and a plurality of rolling elements positioned between the inner and outer raceways formed in at least two rows. The bearing assembly includes a novel lubrication system which reduces the maximum temperature attained by the bearing during operation of the bearing and the time spent at that maximum temperature. The lubrication system includes a forced lubrication port connectable to a forced lubrication system, a secondary lubrication port extending from one of said outer surfaces to said radial inner surface, and a tertiary lubrication port. The forced lubrication system delivers lubricant to the bearing through the forced lubrication port. The bearing is partially submerged in lubricant when installed in an application. The secondary lubrication ports are positioned on the bearing to be submerged in the lubricant, and lubricant flows through the secondary lubrication ports into the bearing to maintain a substantially constant level of lubricant in the bearing during operation of the bearing. The tertiary lubrication port is positioned to be above the level of the lubricant so as not to be submerged. Lubricant which is flung from nearby parts of the machine in which the bearing is mounted can enter the bearing through the tertiary ports. Lastly, the outer race is formed as a one-piece, unitary element and includes an integral flange to mount the bearing in the application as well as the outer races which are formed on the inner surface of the outer race.

Package bearing with lubrication ports

A mechanical differential assembly having an increased bearing load zone capacity. The mechanical gear assembly maintains a proper load capacity of rollers of the bearings which support a differential gear assembly. The mechanical differential assembly thus maintains alignment of the inner and outer races of the bearings regardless of an axial force placed on the bearings, any loads placed on the differential gear assembly or the like during driving condition. The mechanical differential assembly includes a differential gear assembly supported on a first end by a cylindrical bearing and supported on the second end by a pair of tapered bearings.

Mechanical differential gear assembly

A differential assembly for a work machine is disclosed. The differential assembly includes a differential enclosure having a side wall and a shaft extending from the side wall. The differential assembly also includes a drive gear having a gear bore defined therein. The drive gear is positioned relative to the shaft such that the shaft extends into the gear bore. The differential assembly further includes a gear shaft extending from the drive gear. The gear shaft has a differential axle cavity defined therein. The differential assembly also includes a differential axle positioned within the differential axle cavity. The differential assembly further includes a forward bearing assembly positioned within the gear bore such that the forward bearing assembly is interposed between a wall segment of the gear bore and the shaft, whereby the drive gear is capable of rotating relative to the differential enclosure. The forward bearing assembly includes (i) a forward cup, (ii) a forward cone, and (iii) a number of forward rollers interposed between the forward cup and the forward cone. The forward cup is secured to the drive gear such that no relative rotational movement occurs therebetween. The forward cone is secured to the shaft such that no relative rotational movement occurs therebetween.

Growing community of inventors

Decatur, IL, United States of America

Marcus Bunnow