Caterpillar Tractor Co.

Marvin E Beyers

Robert W Untz

Donald G Boundy

Anthony E Kirn

Dwaine R Barnes

Charles E Grawley

Robert M Wilcox

Floyd S Dadds

Spaced elastomer ribs cooperating with the outer cylindrical surface of a flexible track belt within the confines of each track shoe site with a sufficient volume of elastomer in each rib will, when a track shoe is attached to the sites, be deformed to increase the stiffness of the belt in the flexing area between adjacent track shoes and improve the resistance to the ingress of dust and the like between the belt and the underside of each track shoe due to the resiliency of the elastomer in the ribs, allowing them to maintain continuous contact with the underside of the track shoe and the cylindrical belt.

Sealed track belt arrangement

Replaceable tire tread belt

Replaceable tire tread belt and tire carcass with a buttressed sidewall

A track belt assembly is disclosed which includes an elastomeric belt, a shoe externally mounted on the belt, a keeper member internally mounted on the belt, a threaded bolt, and a removable retaining device which is interlockingly associated with the keeper member for screw threadably receiving the bolt therein and allowing the shoe and keeper member to be drawn clampingly together and tightly to the belt.

Track belt assembly

The invention comprises a tube-tire patch, and a method and apparatus for applying said patch. The patch comprises a cured rubber member with a concave surface internally reinforced with a fabric and having a stem integral with said member and upraised generally centrally from said concave surface. The patch includes an uncured rubber layer covering the concave surface and a removable protective cover generally coextensive with the concave surface and fully covering the uncured rubber layer. The patch is especially useful for patching a punctured tube-tire. A tube-tire patch as described above is inserted through the puncture after appropriate buffing and cleaning about the puncture with the stem portion of the patch extending through the puncture. The protective cover is removed from the concave surface through the puncture and thereafter a pulling force is exerted upon the stem and away from the puncture. A pressurized fluid such as air or steam is passed into and out of the tube-tire while a band is generally maintained about the outer circumference of the tube-tire and support, generally in the form of two bands, is generally maintained against the inner circumference thereof. Heat is generally applied to the patch to quickly cure the uncured rubber layer and thereby form a strong and effective patch. The heat can preferably be applied internally as by using steam as the pressurized fluid and/or externally as by using a heated pad clamped onto the tire over the patch.

Tube-tire patch and method and apparatus for applying same

A wheeled vehicle which has two members connected by an upright joint has a pair of hydraulic steering jacks coupled between the members on opposite sides of the joint, and the vehicle is steered by normally causing both jacks to pivot the members under the control of a steering wheel. The hydraulic steering system utilizes a constant displacement pump driven by the vehicle engine, and includes a follow-up means which senses the pivoting movement and deactivates the jacks when turning of the steering wheel ceases, so the operator may steer the vehicle by manipulating the wheel in a conventional manner. Selector valve means in the hydraulic system functions to automatically direct all or nearly all of the fluid to one jack if pump output is insufficient to drive both jacks as fast as is called for by the operator's rotation of the steering wheel.

Hydraulic steering system for articulated vehicles

Track belts designed to fit circumferentially around a pneumatic bladder or tire carcass can be sealed against the ingress of soil and rock between the track shoes attached about the outer periphery of the belt by forming individual and permanent flat sites on the outer circular periphery of the belt so the flat undersurface of each track shoe is nested on a flat shoe site and therefore does not have triangular shaped gaps under its leading and trailing edges. A transverse rib of elastomer, raised from the surface belt between each of the adjacent flat sites further seals the belt in the narrow gaps formed between adjacent track shoes thereby preventing the ingress of soil and rock in these gaps when the shoes pass through a footprint formed as the pneumatic supported system is rolled. In elevation the outer surface of this pneumatic carcass supported belt is polygonol in appearance with a ridge or rib located at each joint between adjacent flat surfaces of the shoe sites which are circumferentially disposed around the belt.

Growing community of inventors

Peoria, IL, United States of America

Marvin E Beyers