Vehicle shipping position to application position conversion

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10919586-B2
Application number	US-201815909276-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 1, 2018
Priority date	Mar 1, 2018
Publication date	Feb 16, 2021
Grant date	Feb 16, 2021

Abstract

A work machine includes a frame including an axle and an arm, a track undercarriage assembly including an undercarriage assembly connected to the arm, a drive assembly operably attached to the axle, and a track belt mounted on the drive assembly. The undercarriage assembly and the drive assembly are each configured for lateral adjustment relative to a longitudinal centerline of the frame from a first position to a second position. The drive assembly includes a drive sprocket that is assembled with the axle in a first configuration to laterally adjust the drive assembly towards the first position and a second configuration to laterally adjust the drive assembly towards the second position. The undercarriage assembly includes an undercarriage frame attached to the arm, wherein the undercarriage frame and the arm are adjustably coupled to allow the undercarriage frame to be movably adjusted between the first and the second positions.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A work machine, comprising:
a frame including an axle and an arm;
a track undercarriage assembly including an undercarriage assembly connected to the arm, a drive assembly operably attached to the axle, and a track belt mounted on the drive assembly;
wherein the axle includes an axle shaft and an axle flange, and the drive assembly includes a drive sprocket, wherein the drive sprocket includes an inner ring configured to attach to the axle flange, an outer ring configured to rotationally drive the track belt, and a collar that spans between the inner ring and the outer ring;
wherein the undercarriage assembly and the drive assembly are each configured for lateral adjustment relative to a longitudinal centerline of the frame from a first position to a second position;
wherein the drive assembly includes a spacer ring positioned between the inner ring of the drive sprocket and the axle flange to laterally adjust the drive assembly.

2. The work machine of claim 1 , wherein the drive sprocket is assembled in a first configuration such that the collar extends towards the axle shaft to laterally adjust the drive assembly towards the first position.

3. The work machine of claim 1 , wherein the spacer ring includes a first ring coupled to a second ring, wherein the first ring is sized to rest against a first face of the inner ring and the second ring is sized to rest against the axle.

4. The work machine of claim 1 , wherein the spacer ring is configured to incrementally adjust the drive assembly.

5. The work machine of claim 1 , wherein the track undercarriage assembly includes a first track undercarriage assembly opposite a second track undercarriage assembly, the first track belt configured to be moved to the second track location, and the second track belt configured to be moved to the first track location.

6. The work machine of claim 1 , wherein the undercarriage assembly includes an undercarriage frame configured to attach to the arm of the frame, wherein the undercarriage frame and the arm are adjustably coupled to allow the undercarriage frame to be movably adjusted between the first position and the second position.

7. The work machine of claim 6 , wherein the arm includes a plurality of arm holes and the undercarriage frame includes a guide arm having a plurality of undercarriage holes, and a plurality of fasteners configured to connect the arm to the guide arm through the plurality of arm holes and the plurality of the undercarriage holes to laterally adjust the position of the undercarriage frame relative to the arm.

8. A track undercarriage assembly for coupling to a frame of a work machine where the frame includes an axle and an arm, the track undercarriage assembly comprising:
a track belt;
a drive assembly configured to receive the track belt, the drive assembly configured to be adjustably connected to the arm of the frame, the drive assembly configured to be operably attached to the axle, the drive assembly configured for lateral adjustment from a first position to a second position relative to a longitudinal centerline of the work machine; and
an undercarriage assembly configured to be adjustably connected to the arm of the frame, the undercarriage assembly configured for lateral adjustment from the first positon to the second position relative to the longitudinal centerline of the work machine;
wherein the drive assembly includes a drive sprocket, wherein the drive sprocket includes an inner ring configured to attach to an axle flange of the axle, an outer ring configured to rotationally drive the track belt, and a collar that spans between the inner ring and the outer ring;
wherein the drive assembly includes a spacer ring positioned between the inner ring of the drive sprocket and the axle flange to laterally adjust the drive assembly.

9. The track undercarriage assembly of claim 8 , wherein the drive sprocket is assembled in a first configuration such that the collar extends towards the axle to laterally adjust the drive assembly towards the first position.

10. The work machine of claim 8 , wherein the spacer ring includes a first ring coupled to a second ring, wherein the first ring is sized to rest against a first face of the inner ring and the second ring is sized to rest against the axle.

11. The work machine of claim 8 , wherein the spacer ring is configured to incrementally adjust the drive assembly.

12. The work machine of claim 8 , wherein the track belt includes a first track belt opposite a second track belt, the first track belt configured to be moved to the second track belt location, and the second track belt configured to be moved to the first track belt location.

13. The track undercarriage assembly of claim 8 , wherein the undercarriage assembly includes an undercarriage frame configured to attach to the arm of the frame of the work machine in a first configuration or a second configuration, wherein the undercarriage frame and the arm are adjustably coupled to allow the undercarriage frame to be movably adjusted between the first position and the second position.

14. The track undercarriage assembly of claim 13 , wherein the arm includes a plurality of arm holes and the undercarriage frame includes a guide arm having a plurality of undercarriage holes, and a plurality of fasteners configured to connect the arm to the guide arm through the plurality of arm holes and the plurality of the undercarriage holes to laterally adjust the position of the undercarriage frame relative to the arm.

Assignees

• Deere & Co
• Kautsch Dewaine

Inventors

• Heimbuch Benjamin J
• L'Heureux Jeremy P
• Garvin Daniel
• Kautsch Dewaine

Classifications

• B62D55/10

  Bogies; Frames (track-tensioning means B62D55/30) · CPC title

• B62D55/32

  Assembly, disassembly, repair or servicing of endless-track systems · CPC title

• B62D55/084 Primary

  Endless-track units or carriages mounted separably, adjustably or extensibly on vehicles, e.g. portable track units (B62D55/07 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B62D55/065 Primary

  Multi-track vehicles, i.e. more than two tracks {(soil-shifting machines E02F; mining machines E21C)} · CPC title

• B62D55/135

  with dismountable driving crown · CPC title