Caterpillar Inc.

Timothy Edward Camacho

Wayne George Styck

Curtis John Caldwell

Aaron J Gnagey

Kent D Smith

Wayne G Styck

Shawn Philip Fanello

Kory D Gerbick

Jonathan R Whitehead

Kevin J Klein

A lift machine includes a machine chassis, a boom extending from the machine chassis, and a connector extending from the boom for coupling to a load. The machine further includes a control system that determines a lift capacity of the machine based on a skew of the connector caused by the load.

Lift capacity system for lifting machines

A machine includes a frame, ground-engaging elements coupled to the frame, and a hoisting system having a sideboom and a fairlead. The hoisting system also includes a hook pulley block and a hoisting cable extending through the fairlead and the hook pulley block and held in tension such that the hoisting cable couples pivoting of the fairlead to pivoting of the sideboom. The pivotable fairlead may be instrumented with position, cable loading, and cable feed sensors.

Pipelayer machine having hoisting system with pivotable fairlead

A pipelayer providing higher lifting capacities without adding weight or size to an undercarriage or boom of the pipelayer is disclosed. The pipelayer is designed and sized to have a maximum lifting capacity when the boom is extended from the undercarriage a predetermined, relatively short distance. However, in use the boom often needs to extend further away from the undercarriage, and in so doing the lifting capacity of the pipelayer decreases. The present disclosure provides additional lifting capacity in that extended range by selectively deploying a counterweight away from the undercarriage once the boom is extended past the predetermined distance. In so doing, not only is the lifting capacity of the pipelayer increased, but the size and weight of the undercarriage and boom are not increased. This enables standard sized undercarriages and other supporting structure to be used, thereby aiding in maneuverability and shipping of the pipelayers, while at the same time reducing manufacturing and usage costs.

Lightweight high-performance pipelayer

A pipelayer frame for a track-type machine having an engine compartment, a first track frame, and a second track frame is disclosed. The frame has a center frame removably attachable within the engine compartment, a first side frame removably attachable to the first track frame and to the center frame, and a second side frame removably attachable to the second track frame and to the center frame. The frame also has a spacer assembly removably attachable to the first side frame. The frame further has an adjustable assembly located between the second side frame and the center frame, the adjustable assembly being configured to adjust a distance between the second side frame and the center frame.

Common pipelayer frame for multiple machine configurations

A conversion kit for converting a pipelayer frame of a first width to a different width is disclosed. The conversion kit has a spacer, removably attachable to a first side of the pipelayer frame, and a first plurality of replacement brackets for removably attaching the first side to a first track frame. The first plurality of replacement brackets have a different length than a first plurality of existing brackets that the first plurality of replacement brackets replace. The kit also has a second plurality of replacement brackets for removably attaching a second side of the pipelayer frame to a second track frame. The second plurality of replacement brackets have a different length than a second plurality of existing brackets that the second plurality of replacement brackets replace.

Growing community of inventors

Morton, IL, United States of America

Timothy Edward Camacho