Deere & Company

Trent A Luoma

Nathan Joseph Horstman

Steven Ryan Whiteman

Galen C Thomas

Reginald M Bindl

Neil Vincent Harber

Brent Allen Smith

Jeffrey Alan Bauer

Mark E Hull

Francisco Ruiz

Angel Torrado

Dharmendra Sharma

Nathan J Horstman

Angel Ramon A Torrado

A suspension system supports a chassis relative to a crawler mechanism including a continuous track. A link is rotatable about an axis extending transversely through a first portion. The first portion includes a projections extending radially inwardly, and peripheral openings defined by spaces between the projections. An axle member secured to the crawler mechanism includes peripheral shafts extending radially outward from the axis and positioned in an associated peripheral opening. Each resilient member is positioned within an associated peripheral opening and engages an associated peripheral shaft, damping movement of the peripheral shaft relative to the link. An auxiliary roller assembly includes a yoke and a plurality of auxiliary rollers coupled to the yoke. The yoke is rotatable relative to the crawler frame about a yoke axis. The auxiliary rollers are aligned along a direction of travel of the track and are configured to engage an inner surface of the track.

Suspension system for work vehicle

A suspension system supports a chassis relative to a crawler mechanism that includes a continuous track. A link is rotatable about an axis extending transversely through a first portion. The first portion includes a projections extending radially inwardly, and peripheral openings defined by spaces between the projections. An axle member secured to the crawler mechanism includes peripheral shafts extending radially outward from the axis and positioned in an associated peripheral opening. Each resilient member is positioned within an associated peripheral opening and engages an associated peripheral shaft, damping movement of the peripheral shaft relative to the link. The suspension system further includes an auxiliary roller assembly including a yoke and a plurality of auxiliary rollers coupled to the yoke. The yoke is rotatable relative to the crawler frame about a yoke axis. The plurality of auxiliary rollers is aligned along a direction of travel of the continuous track and is configured to engage an inner surface of the track.

A vehicle and drive system control method for a vehicle including first and second traction elements coupled to the vehicle, a variable displacement pump, a bi-directional variable displacement first motor coupled to the first traction element, and a bi-directional second motor coupled to the second traction element. The pump, and first and second motors are coupled fluidly in series with one another. A control unit can determine a desired speed for the traction elements, and determine pump, first and/or second motor displacements based on the desired speed. First and second speed sensors can sense output speeds of the motors, and the pump, first and/or second motor displacements can be determined based on the motor output speeds. Articulation and steering sensor signals can also be used to determine pump, first and/or second motor displacements.

Drive system with serially arranged variable displacement componentry

A work vehicle comprises a frame, a circle gear mounted to the frame to rotate relative thereto, a moldboard coupled to the circle gear to rotate therewith, and a circle drive gearbox comprising gearing, a first worm, and a second worm, the gearing meshing with the circle gear, the first and second worms meshing with the gearing.

Multi-worm circle drive gearbox

A tandem housing for a motor grader comprises an exterior multi-layer first wall, an exterior second wall, and an exterior rim. The first wall comprises a main plate and a reinforcement plate reinforcing the main plate. The rim is coupled to the first wall and the second wall so as to provide a periphery of the tandem housing laterally between the first wall and the second wall. The main plate, the reinforcement plate, and the rim cooperate to provide a weld groove. A weld is positioned in the weld groove.

Growing community of inventors

Dubuque, IA, United States of America

Trent A Luoma