Caterpillar Inc.

Timothy Michael Waters

Timothy A Thorson

Billy R Bedford

Thomas J Yaniak

Jason Ray Walker

Bryan Dale Van Dyke

James O Barlow

Timothy James May

Weixue Tian

Edward De Jesus Rivera

Qinyang Rao

Valerie Annette Ross

Xuekui Lan

Kevin Nemec

Jim Wu

Allan John Woldow

A nickel-based alloy for forming a seal ring is disclosed. Such seal rings, in use may be static or rotating and may be used in a variety of applications, such as in wheel assemblies of machines. Using the alloy, the seal ring may be manufactured using a centrifugal casting method. The disclosed alloy includes a chromium content greater than at least 13.5% by weight, a boron content less than 3% by weight, a carbon content less than 2% by weight, and nickel content greater than 70% by weight. The nickel alloy may have a carbon plus boron atomic content divided by chromium atomic content less than 1.1. This alloy allows for the rapid cooling of centrifugal casting while maintaining a grain morphology suitable for relatively low leakage and relatively high durability. When the alloy is formulated, the seal ring is formed by centrifugal casting.

Seal ring

A torque converter includes a housing, and an impeller shell disposed within the housing. The impeller shell has a back wall, and a plurality of fins radially arranged and extending outwardly from the back wall. The torque converter further includes a backing hub rigidly coupled to the back wall of the impeller shell. The backing hub has a barrier element extending therefrom. A free end of the barrier element is disposed proximal to the housing to restrict a flow of fluid therebetween.

Torque converter and a method for cooling a clutch assembly of the torque converter

A manifold for a torque converter assembly is disclosed. The manifold may have a base portion configured to be fixedly connected to a frame of a mobile machine. The base portion may have a first face, a second face, and an outer radial surface located between the first face and the second face. The manifold may also have a sleeve portion extending axially away from the second face of the base portion. The sleeve portion may have an outer radial surface. The base portion may further have a first passageway configured to receive hydraulic fluid. The first passageway may have an inlet in the outer radial surface of the base portion and an outlet in the outer radial surface of the sleeve portion. The manifold may also have a second passageway configured to receive hydraulic fluid. The second passageway may have an inlet in the first face and an outlet in the second face.

Torque converter assembly with fluid manifold

A metal face seal assembly for sealing between machine components includes a first subassembly and a second subassembly rotatable relative to the first subassembly. Compressible seals positioned between inner and outer seal members of the subassemblies provide a non-axial sealing load, whereas at least one metallic biaser provides an axial face load to bias inner seal members of each subassembly together at a rotatable interface.

Metal face seal assembly and machine using same

A method of forming a seal assembly around a shaft is disclosed. The method includes (a) urging a first seal member against a second seal member so as to produce a load between a first seal face and a second seal face, (b) measuring the load produced between the first seal face and the second seal face during the urging step, and (c) securing a first support member to the shaft when a predetermined load value between the first seal face and the second seal face is attained so as to fix the relative position between the first seal member and the second seal member such that the predetermined load is substantially maintained between the first seal face and the second seal face. An associated seal assembly geometry is also disclosed.

Method of forming a seal assembly around a shaft

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Peoria, IL, United States of America

Timothy Michael Waters