The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 31, 1978
Filed:
Jun. 14, 1976
Carroll R Cole, Decatur, IL (US);
Caterpillar Tractor Co., Peoria, IL (US);
Abstract
A motor grader circle drive has an internal spur gear secured to the circle, and the internal gear is driven by one or two barrel worm gears, each of which in turn is driven from a hydraulic motor by an input worm and an input spiral gear keyed to the barrel worm gear, each barrel worm gear is journalled on a spindle in a support and is free to move endwise between a pair of radial flanges while being centered by a pair of belleville spring washers so as to compensate for backlash in each barrel worm gear and to permit substantially even distribution of driving force between the barrel worm gears when two are used. This structure operates at very low tooth pressures so as to permit the barrel worm gear to be made of a relatively soft material such as heat treated aluminum. The support, worm gear and input gears are made as a prefabricated sub-assembly, which is easily installed or removed; and using a soft material which wears much faster than the internal gear protects the latter from wear.