Caterpillar Tractor Co.

Caterpillar Inc.

Marvin G Getz

Robert J Purcell

Arthur J Ritter, Jr

George W Cackley

David J Balzer

Eldon D Oestmann

Ronald L Krolak

Thomas M Dennison

Brian D McFeeters

A recoil and tensioning assembly for the track and idler of a self-laying track vehicle maintains a constant tensioning force on the endless track. The assembly provides recoiling of the idler wheel during shock loading of the idler wheel or during ingestion of foreign material between the track and the idler and drive wheels. The recoil and tensioning assembly includes a recoil member which telescopes into a cylinder and includes a first chamber filled with a compressible gas and a second chamber filled with a non-compressible oil. A floating piston separates the two chambers and serves to compress the gas during a recoil cycle. Conventional recoil systems for self-laying track-type vehicles utilize pre-compressed large diameter steel coil springs to resist recoiling during light loading of the idler wheel and to return the idler wheel to normal position after recoiling during heavy loading. These coil springs are quite bulky and heavy, require considerable space, and must be maintained in a pre-compressed state under large forces. This requires extremely sturdy spring retaining devices and special assembly and disassembly procedures. The subject recoil and tensioning assembly incorporates a compressible gas spring in place of the large coil steel spring, thereby requiring less space, less weight, and easier assembly and disassembly. The subject assembly maintains a constant tension force on the endless track and responds immediately to recoil situations.

Track recoil and tensioning mechanism

Integral idler track adjusting and recoil apparatus

A drive mechanism having a steering clutch assembly, a brake assembly, and a final drive assembly housed within a unitary housing defined by separable steering clutch assembly, brake assembly and final drive assembly housings removably secured together. The individual housings define flanges which may be secured together to form the unitary housing. The secured flanges may, in turn, be secured to another support structure of the drive mechanism.

Drive mechanism having separable housing

Growing community of inventors

Morton, IL, United States of America

Marvin G Getz