Caterpillar Tractor Co.

Caterpillar Inc.

Richard E Livesay

Owen R Thompson

Delwin E Cobb

Paul L Wright

Riaz A Shaikh

John L Bender

Glen A Spindel

Mark Steven Diekevers

Eric James Johannsen

Charles E Grawey

Kevin Steiner

Robert J Purcell

James A Garman

Christopher J Stickling

Lloyd K Heinold

Preston L Gale

Brent C Bargfrede

Orrin A Stemler

George J Jackson

Nathan Gutman

Joseph W Puckett

Peter Hakkenberg

Nathan G Rozenboom

Robert A Hohmann

Stephen D Swift

Blair A Maust

Frederick J Shane

Nate G Rozenboom

Chris J Stickling

Greg O Taylor

Phillip W Dawson

Arlyn J Arians

A machine is provided including a frame and at least one track, such as first and second ground engaging tracks, coupled with the frame. A plurality of pins are provided which each couple together at least two of the links of the tracks and include an outer diameter, a first end and a second end. The first and second ends of the pin may be press fit in first and second bores of first and second links of the tracks, respectively. A non-directional surface finish along a first portion of the length of the pin within the first bore forms a fluid seal with the first bore, whereas a directional surface finish along a different portion of the length of the pin within the first bore inhibits removal of the first end of the pin from the first bore. A method of coupling together machine components via an enhanced press fit is further provided, utilizing a pin having a first surface finish configured to form a fluid seal with a bore of a machine component, and a second surface finish configured to inhibit removal of the pin from the bore.

Machine component configuration for enhanced press fit and press fit coupling method

A track assembly for a track-type machine is disclosed. The track assembly includes inner and outer track links. A rotatable bushing is positioned about a track pin and a sleeve bearing is positioned about the track pin. A first seal member is disposed between an inner track link and the rotatable bushing and a second seal member is disposed between inner and outer track links. A first thrust ring is engaged with the rotatable bushing and a second thrust ring is engaged with the sleeve bearing. A first contact member is engaged with the first seal member and a second contact member is engaged with the second seal member. The first and second contact members are configured to inhibit wear of the first and second seal members.

Track assembly having wear inhibiting contact members

A track type work machine is provided including a roller frame having a rotatable idler mounted at an end thereof. A gas spring is operable to absorb selected loads on the idler, and is isolated from loads transverse to a reciprocation axis of the gas spring by a recoil system. A method of providing for load absorption from the idler is also provided. The method includes positioning a gas spring between the idler and a roller frame of the work machine, and operably coupling the idler to the gas spring to selectively transmit loads from the idler thereto.

Idler recoil and adjustment system for track type work machine

A work machine, and a work machine idler mounting assembly is provided, including a frame, a mounting member proximate an end of the frame, an idler support block adjacent the mounting member. At least one removeable spacer is positionable between the idler support block and the frame to adjust relative positions thereof.

Vertical idler adjuster for track type work machine

A base edge protection system is provided for use with a base edge having at least one securing structure attached therewith. The base edge protection system comprises a base edge protector having a shroud portion and a tail portion, attached to said shroud portion, which is structured and arranged to extend through a securing structure opening attached to the base edge. A retaining device is adapted for attachment to the tail portion and retains the base edge protector on the base edge by contact with the securing structure.

Base edge protection system and method

A compactor tooth has a replaceable wear tip mounted to a mounting block carried on the cylindrical exterior surface of a landfill-compactor wheel of a compactor machine. The mounting block has an external surface formed to engage a complementary internal cavity of the wear tip and includes a pair of circumferentially spaced sides oriented not more than 5 degrees from perpendicular to the cylindrical exterior surface of the wheel. The replaceable tip has a body with an exterior ground-engaging surface, a mounting end and a mounting-base receiving cavity opening through the mounting end. The cavity is configured to receive the mounting block thereinto and has a pair of circumferentially spaced side surfaces configured to be in close abutting relationship to a respective one of the circumferentially spaced sides of said mounting block.

Compactor tooth

A compactor tooth has a replaceable wear tip mounted to a mounting block carried on the cylindrical exterior surface of a landfill-compactor wheel of a compactor machine. The mounting block has an external surface formed to engage a complementary internal cavity of the wear tip and includes a pair of circumferentially-spaced sides oriented not more than 5 degrees from perpendicular to the cylindrical exterior surface of the wheel. The replaceable tip has a body with an exterior ground-engaging surface, a mounting end and a mounting-base receiving cavity opening through the mounting end. The cavity is configured to receive the mounting block thereinto and has a pair of circumferentially-spaced side surfaces configured to be in close abutting relationship to a respective one of the circumferentially-spaced sides of the mounting block.

A mechanical retention system is disclosed for detachably retaining a ground engaging tool onto an earthworking implement. The retention system uses an elongated steel retainer, which has a convolute spring portion between opposite the end portions of the retainer to allow the retainer to be compressible in one direction in order to be mounted through a retainer opening in the tool into a retainer pocket in the mounting portion of the implement.

Mechanical retention system for ground engaging tools

Replaceable wear members used in the past have usually includes shortcomings which have caused the product to be less than desirable. The present system for attaching a wear member to a parent member provides many advantages over the past configurations. For example, the unique configuration of the mounting base and wear member include cooperating slide and place engagement elements for mounting purposes. Also, a unique low profile retainer is used to retain the wear member, which allows for more use of the wear member before replacement is required, thus resulting is less throw-away material.

Wear member attachment system

A tip assembly for an edge of an implement of a work machine includes an adapter secured to the edge of the implement. The adapter has an adapter aperture extending therethrough. The tip assembly also includes an implement tip having a tip aperture extending therethrough, the implement tip is positioned relative to the adapter such that the adapter aperture and the tip aperture align to form a passageway. The tip assembly further includes a sleeve subassembly positioned within the passageway. The sleeve subassembly includes (i) a first member, (ii) an intermediate member, and (iii) a second member. In addition, the tip assembly includes a fastener mechanically coupled to the sleeve subassembly wherein rotation of the fastener causes (i) the intermediate member to move in a first direction, and (ii) the first and second members to move in a second direction so as to tightly secure the sleeve subassembly within the adapter aperture.

Tip assembly for an edge of an implement of a work machine

A tooth assembly includes a tip and an adapter, with the tip being replaceably secured to the adapter by a retaining mechanism. It is advantageous to have a tooth assembly that, due to mating load transfer surfaces between the tip and adapter, allows the effective transfer of forces from the tip directly into the adapter without creating undesired resultant forces on the retaining mechanism. In the subject arrangement, the retaining mechanism utilizes a double flex pin that eliminates the need for supplemental devices or components to retain such retaining pin. In particular, the pin is provided with a pair of protrusions defining a detent valley therebetween on one surface thereof that receives a detent protrusion provided on the nose of the adapter. The retaining pin is caused to flex in one direction by insertion through a curved passage through the tip and adapter to snugly secure the tip to the adapter and is caused to flex in a direction perpendicular to the first direction to locate the detent protrusion of the adapter in the detent valley of the pin. The force necessary to flex the pin sufficiently to allow the detent to escape from the detent valley prevents the pin from being lost during use.

Tooth assembly and retaining mechanism

Implement assemblies have previously used mechanically attached adapters that are secured to the base edge by bolts and/or other wedging type mechanisms. In these known implement assemblies, the wedge member has a tendency, during use, to become loose and fall out which allows the adapter to fall off of the base edge. In the subject arrangement, a clamp member is disposed in a longitudinally extending opening of an upper strap of an adapter and a wedge member is forcibly driven into the assembly such that the wedge member is disposed between the clamp member and the adapter to effectively secure the upper strap in intimate engagement with a mounting portion of an implement. At the same time, a resilient pad member is disposed between the adapter and the wedge member which effectively biases the adapter into intimate contact with the mounting portion of the implement. This arrangement allows both the wedge member and the clamp member to move in conjunction with the adapter, thus, eliminating if not reducing any tendency of the wedge member to become loose and fall out.

Implement assembly with a mechanically attached adapter

Tooth assemblies having a tip attached to an adapter by a retaining mechanism is normally utilized in order to readily replace the tip which is a high wear element. It is advantageous to have a tip that due to its interface with the adapter allows effective transfer of forces being subjected to the tip directly to the adapter without creating undesired resultant forces trying to force the tip from the adapter. In the subject arrangement, a tip has a cavity with a load bearing bottom surface at the bottom of the cavity and a pair of parallel spaced apart load bearing surfaces adjacent thereto. The tip also has an ear extending from one of the side walls thereof, a longitudinally extending groove defined therein, and a pin receiving opening 56 defined therein that extends through a top wall, the one side wall and a bottom wall of the tip and intersects the longitudinally extending groove. The adapter has a forward end which mates with the load bearing bottom surface and the pair of parallel spaced apart load bearing surfaces of the tip and has a raised lug on one side thereof which is disposed, upon assembly, in the longitudinally extending groove. A pin is forced through a pin receiving opening and contacts the raised lug to secure the tip to the adapter.

Tip to adapter interface

An indexing apparatus for a track press machine moves and positions a track chain assembly into and out of the work area of the track press machine. The indexing apparatus includes upper and lower indexing portions, each having a powered drive mechanism for contacting and driving the track chain assembly. Fluid operated cylinders apply a force between the drive mechanisms and the track chain to prevent slippage. Fluid motors power the drive mechanisms to positively and continuously move the track chain. The indexing cycle is automatically controlled for fast and consistent work operations.

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Peoria, IL, United States of America

Richard E Livesay