Caterpillar Inc.

Sunil I Mathew

Pradeep Chapagain

Charles Taylor Hudson

Dan J Becker

Patrick Simon Campomanes

Ross Paul Wietharn

Darren Brent Antoine

Amit Panjabrao Wankhade

Eugene Y Grinberg

Brook Plavec

Dave McKeever

Aaron Kenneth Amstutz

Mark J Kiesel

Hong Lian

James R Carlberg

Thomas J Grabenstetter

Brian Stuart Skauge

Brian C Wright

Craig Dale Goeppinger

David J Yanska

Stephen M Bertrand

William E Donovan

Daniel A Piterski

Walter Joseph Laylock

Craig D Goeppinger

A joint assembly includes a clamp member and a spacer plate. The clamp member includes a first jaw surface and a second jaw surface that define a gap therebetween. The spacer plate is connected to the clamp member such that the spacer plate is disposed within the gap between the first jaw surface and the second jaw surface. The spacer plate includes a body and a seal member. The body includes a perimeter. The seal member is connected to the body such that it is disposed adjacent the perimeter of the body. The seal member extends over a segment of the perimeter of the body. The seal member is in sealing engagement with the first jaw surface and the second jaw surface.

Space plate with seal for joint assembly

A support member for use with a support assembly for ground engaging tools comprises a structural member; and a resilient member that includes a base, and a contact surface, and wherein the structural member defines a direction of assembly and the resilient member defines a length and a width that are perpendicular to each other and to the direction of assembly, wherein the length exceeds the width and the base defines a centerline that is parallel to the length, and the contact face defines a centerline that is parallel to the length.

Shroud insert assembly using a resilient member

A support assembly for ground engaging tools comprises a tool () operatively connected to a working edge () of a work implement (); a support member () operatively connected to the working edge () separately from the tool a predetermined distance away () from the tool () along the sweep direction (S, S'); wherein the support member () and tool () are operatively associated with each other and are configured to provide a load path () between the tool () and the support member () along at least a portion of the sweep direction (S, S&#x2032;).

Support assembly for ground engaging tools

A spring seal for a joint assembly pivotally joining a lever arm to a machine frame includes an annular body having a W-shaped cross section. The W-shaped cross section includes a first cantilevered arm, a parallel and spaced apart second cantilevered arm, and a spring leg joining the first and second cantilevered arms. The spring seal is disposed between a bearing surface on the lever arm and a lug on the frame. The W-shaped cross section of the spring seal can collapse and relax to accommodate movement between the lever arm and the frame lug. A second spring seal can be disposed between a second bearing surface on the lever arm and a second frame lug opposite the first lug.

Seal for a joint assembly

A seal member for a joint between a pivot member movable about a rotational axis of a shaft includes a ring, a flange, and a resiliently flexible intermediate portion interposed therebetween. The ring includes annular distal and proximal ring faces disposed in spaced relationship to each other along a longitudinal axis. The flange includes a pair of flange faces disposed in spaced relationship to each other along the longitudinal axis. The flange includes outer and inner flange surfaces extending along the longitudinal axis between the pair of flange faces at, respectively, outer and inner flange perimeters thereof. The intermediate portion has a ring end that circumscribes, and is connected to, an outer circumferential ring surface of the ring and a flange end that is connected to the inner flange surface of the flange such that the ring is relatively movable with respect to the flange.

Seal member for joint of machine

A seal member for a joint between a pivot member movable about a rotational axis of a shaft includes a ring, a flange, and a resiliently flexible intermediate portion interposed therebetween. The ring includes annular distal and proximal ring faces disposed in spaced relationship to each other along a longitudinal axis. The flange includes a pair of flange faces disposed in spaced relationship to each other along the longitudinal axis. The flange includes outer and inner flange surfaces extending along the longitudinal axis between the pair of flange faces at, respectively, outer and inner flange perimeters thereof. The intermediate portion is connected to the proximal ring face of the ring and to the inner circumferential flange surface of the flange such that the ring is relatively movable with respect to the flange.

Seal member for joint of machine and method of assembling same

A self-adjusting seal for sealing a joint. The joint includes a support member, a mis-alignable component, and a changeable gap between the support member and the mis-alignable component. The seal includes a first part having a generally annular configuration formed of a resiliently crushable material and defining a planar outer seal face to statically seal to the support member and a first seal part opening extending therethrough. A second seal part axially adjoins the first part. The second seal part has a generally annular configuration formed of a rigid material and a second seal part opening extending therethrough in axial alignment with the first seal part opening. The first and second seal part openings define a non-rotation feature to prevent rotation of the seal on the support member, the second seal part defining a planer inner seal face configured to dynamically and sealingly interface with the mis-alignable component.

Circumferential debris seal for pinned joints

A pin connection for a machine is provided that comprises a structural member that defines a pin receiving bore, a bearing housing that defines a bearing receiving bore, a self-lubricating bearing that defines a pin receiving bore, and a pin that is disposed in the bores of the bearing and the structural member. The pin connection may further comprise a seal assembly that is disposed in the bearing receiving bore of the bearing housing, the seal assembly comprising a micro-cellular closed cell foam member and a first rigid member.

Seal system for dry lube pin joints

A load ring for a seal assembly includes an inner axial surface, an outer axial surface, a first frustoconical surface, a second frustoconical surface, and a rib. The inner and outer axial surfaces are cylindrical and extend along a longitudinal axis. The outer axial surface is in outward radial relationship to the inner axial surface along a radial plane which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The first and second frustoconical surfaces are annular and extend radially between the inner axial surface and the outer axial surface. The second frustoconical surface is in spaced relationship with respect to the first frustoconical surface along the longitudinal axis. The rib projects radially inwardly from the inner axial surface.

Load ring for seal assembly and seal assembly of machine

A method for protecting the suspension and frame of a vehicle is provided. The method may include providing a first working mode where the strut is at a fully expanded state, providing a second working mode where the strut is at a partially collapsed state, and providing a fail-safe working mode where the strut is at a fully collapsed state. The method may further comprise alerting the user that the strut is operating in the fail-safe working mode and servicing the strut by placing a fail-safe member into the strut.

Truck strut fail-safe

A seal assembly can be incorporated into a track joint assembly of an undercarriage of a track-type machine. The track joint can have a first member pivotable about a rotational axis relative to a second member thereof. The first member includes a seal member engagement surface defining, at least in part, an axially-extending seal cavity about the rotational axis and within which the seal assembly is disposed. The seal assembly can include a thrust ring and a seal member mounted to the thrust ring. The seal member includes a first member engagement surface, a second member engagement surface, a frusto-conical inner relief surface, a thrust ring engagement surface, and an outer relief surface.

Seal assembly for track joint assembly of undercarriage

A machine system includes a first component, a second component, and a joint assembly pivotably connecting the first and second components in a finite angular pivoting range. A boot seal seals between the first and second components, and has a rest configuration where the boot seal has a curvilinear taper, and is deformable to a squished configuration forming a radially outward bulge. The radially outward bulge stores an energy of compression of the boot seal, to bias a sealing ring in the boot seal against the second component.

Boot seal for machine system and method

A heat exchanger having a tube bundle disposed within a housing with a resilient end structure disposed in compressed, plug-forming relation at least partially across the heat exchanging cavity. The resilient end structure includes one or more boundary segments extending between an internal wall of the housing and the perimeter of the tube bundle. The boundary segment includes a combination of materials having differing compression characteristics providing enhanced support to the boundary segments.

Composite heat exchanger end structure

Tire sidewall

A work machine tire includes an annular body of elastomeric material that includes a middle radial region. A plurality of unpressurized cavities are defined by the middle radial region and are distributed in a pattern that includes a first radial band of cavities and a second radial band of cavities. Each cavity of the first radial band of cavities is oriented at a positive angle with respect to a radius therethrough, and each cavity of the second radial band of cavities is oriented at a negative angle with respect to a radius therethrough. A material volume of the middle radial region is more than one and a half times greater than the combined void volume of the plurality of cavities.

Growing community of inventors

Peoria, IL, United States of America

Sunil I Mathew