Caterpillar Inc.

Nathaniel Harshman

Benjamin J Kovalick

David Cox

Bruce Raymond Vahling

Nathan Tissier

Ernest Everett Stoops

James David Costner, Iii

Tanner Cade Koehne

Michael C Gentle

Nikhil Sharma

Lankesh Mathur Shanmukappa

Akilan Appavu

Eric Matthew Gray

Lankesh Kumar Mathur Shanmukappa

Jonathan M Bloot

Sean Michael Hayes

Rena J Kanegae

Davida R Reang

Anand Kesheorey

Sean Hayes

A hydraulic system for operating a circle drive gear of a grading machine includes a pump configured to output pressurized fluid, a directional control valve fluidly coupled to the pump, a bidirectional hydraulic motor located downstream of the directional control valve and fluidly coupled to the directional control valve via hydraulic lines. The hydraulic motor has an output shaft that is configured to be rotationally driven by pressurized fluid output by the pump. Dual counterbalance valves may be disposed within the hydraulic circuit of the directional control valve and hydraulic motor such that any gearbox driven by the hydraulic motor is protected from external opposing forces. Accordingly, motion in the circle drive system is hydraulically locked at the beginning and release of a circle rotation command with the help of fluid pressure in the hydraulic lines.

Hydraulic systems for grading machines

Circle assembly for a motor grader

In some implementations, a lift assembly for a moldboard of a snow wing assembly of a machine may include a lifting mechanism, coupled to an undercarriage assembly of the machine, configured to lift the moldboard of the snow wing assembly to a bench height associated with the moldboard. The lift assembly may include a hinge rotatably mounted on a bar of the lifting mechanism, wherein the bar defines a first axis, and wherein the hinge is rotatably coupled to the moldboard about a second axis. The lift assembly may include a first rotational mechanism, coupled to the lifting mechanism and the hinge, configured to rotate the hinge and the moldboard about the first axis. The lift assembly may include a second rotational mechanism, coupled to the hinge and the moldboard, configured to rotate the moldboard about the second axis.

Snow wing assembly having independent rotational controls

In some implementations, a lift assembly for a moldboard of a snow wing assembly of a motor grader may include a first lifting mechanism mechanically coupled to an undercarriage assembly of the motor grader. The first lifting mechanism may be configured to lift the moldboard of the snow wing assembly a first portion of a bench height associated with the moldboard. The lift assembly may include a second lifting mechanism mechanically coupled to the first lifting mechanism and the moldboard. The second lifting mechanism may be configured to lift the moldboard of the snow wing assembly a second portion of the bench height associated with the moldboard.

Dual stage lift system for a snow wing

A grading machine includes a machine body, a grading blade supported by a circle, a drawbar connecting the grading blade and the circle to the machine body, and a circle drive system. The circle drive system includes a circle drive motor and a gear box. The gear box is configured to engage with and rotate the circle relative to the drawbar around a circle axis. The circle drive motor includes an axis of rotation that is perpendicular to the circle axis, and the gear box includes an axis of rotation that is parallel to the circle axis.

Circle drive system for a grading machine

A retention assembly to slidably retain a blade to a support bracket of a grader machine. The retention assembly includes a yoke adapted to be coupled to the support bracket, and the yoke includes a base wall, a first sidewall extending directly from the base wall, the first sidewall being configured to face the blade, and a second sidewall extending directly from the base wall, the second sidewall configured to face away from the blade and spaced apart from the first sidewall to define a cavity therebetween, along with the base wall. A retainer extends from at least one of the first sidewall, the second sidewall, and the base, and a bearing arrangement is received within the cavity and adapted to support the blade for sliding movement of the blade relative to the bearing arrangement. The retainer engages the bearing arrangement and retains the bearing arrangement within the cavity.

Retention assembly for grader machine blade

Disclosed is a seal assembly for a grading machine. The grading machine may include a machine body, a blade assembly, and a circle assembly supporting the blade assembly. The circle assembly may include a circle having a plurality of gear teeth. The grading machine may also include a drawbar assembly connecting the circle assembly to the machine body. The seal assembly may include a non-metallic seal component extending circumferentially around an inner circumference of the circle assembly for sealing the plurality of gear teeth.

Seal assembly for a grading machine

A method is disclosed, which may include determining a distance of movement of a component of a machine; determining a load factor on the component over the distance of movement; estimating a remaining useful life of at least one of the component, or a wear component associated with the component, based on the distance of movement and the load factor; and performing one or more actions based on the estimated remaining useful life.

Remaining useful life prediction for a component of a machine

A pin for a coupler assembly for rotatably coupling a beam of a circle assembly of a grader machine with a bracket of a moldboard assembly of the grader machine includes a body defining a head portion and a shank portion. The shank portion integrally extends from the head portion. The head portion is adapted to be seated over one or more of the beam and the bracket. The shank portion is adapted to pass through the beam and the bracket to rotatably couple the beam and the bracket about the shank portion. A grease gallery is defined through the head portion, extending into the shank portion. The body defines multiple grease passages branching out from the grease gallery up to corresponding sections of an outer surface of the shank portion where the beam and the bracket are correspondingly adapted to lie in rotatable registration with the shank portion.

Pin for coupler assemblies

A circle drive system with clutch protection in motor graders is disclosed. The circle drive system includes a hydraulic motor that is configured to receive a pressurized fluid and generate a torque for a rotation of a circle and a moldboard. The circle drive system also includes a gearbox to transfer the torque generated by the hydraulic motor to the circle. Further, the circle drive system includes a clutch connected to the hydraulic motor at one end and to the gearbox at another end. In addition, the circle drive system also includes a hydraulic circuit having a pressure relief valve to relieve the pressurized fluid supplied to the hydraulic motor when a pressure of the pressurized fluid exceeds a predefined threshold. The pressure relief valve thereby, limits the torque generated by the hydraulic motor to less than or equal to a torque capacity of the clutch.

Circle drive system with clutch protection in motor graders

A control system for a grading machine includes a circle angle sensor coupled to a circle. The circle is coupled to and supports a grading blade, and the circle angle sensor is configured to measure an angular position of the circle. The control system also includes a blade load sensor configured to measure a load on the grading blade. The control system also includes a circle drive system including a circle drive motor and a controller. The circle drive motor is configured to engage with and rotate the circle around a circle axis, and the controller is configured to control the rotation of the circle under a circle rotation command by monitoring the angular position of the circle and the load on the grading blade.

Circle drive control system for a grading machine

In accordance with one or more aspects, a circle drawbar for a motor grader has a drawbar frame having two elongated members, and a circle frame that has a surface defined by an inner and outer diameter. The circle frame has a circle gear located radially inward of the inner diameter, allowing the circle frame to be rotatable relative to the drawbar frame around an axis of the circle gear. A platform having a top, bottom, and an edge depends from the drawbar frame and covers the circle gear. A debris remover is connected to the platform and removes debris from the surface of the circle frame as the circle frame rotates.

Motor grader circle drawbar debris remover

A grading machine includes a machine body, a grading blade supported by a circle, a drawbar connecting the grading blade and the circle to the machine body, and a circle drive system including a circle drive motor and a gear box. The gear box is configured to engage with and rotate the circle relative to the drawbar around a circle axis. The gear box includes a first gear that rotates about a first axis of rotation that is parallel to the circle axis, and the gear box also includes a second gear that rotates about a second axis that is parallel to the circle axis and spaced away from the first axis of rotation.

A sealing assembly for a circle member of a motor grader is provided. The sealing assembly includes a plurality of cover segments disposed adjacent to an inner circumference of the circle member. At least one of the plurality of cover segments defines a gap in association with a component disposed adjacent to the at least one of the plurality of cover segments. The sealing assembly also includes a sealing element removably disposed on the at least one of the plurality of cover segments and extending into the gap. The sealing element is adapted to sealingly engage each of the at least one of the plurality of cover segments and the component.

Sealing assembly

A grading machine includes a machine body, a blade assembly, a circle supporting the blade assembly and including a plurality of teeth, a drawbar assembly connecting the circle to the machine body, and a cover plate coupled to a bottom portion of the drawbar assembly. The drawbar assembly includes a plurality of blocks, and the cover plate is configured to be coupled to the drawbar assembly via the plurality of blocks.

Growing community of inventors

Sullivan, IL, United States of America

Nathaniel Harshman