Crown for a Link in a Ground Engaging Track System

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016137239-A1
Application number	US-201414543045-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 17, 2014
Priority date	Nov 17, 2014
Publication date	May 19, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a system and method for a link for a track chain in a ground-engaging track system. The link has an elongate link body including a first and a second crown. The elongate link body includes a shoe surface and a rail surface. The shoe surface is configured to contact a track shoe coupled to the elongate link body. The rail surface is opposite the shoe surface and has a first end section, a middle section, and a second end section. The first and second crowns on the rail surface each define a convex portion of the rail surface. The first crown is positioned on the first end section and the second crown is positioned on the second end section. The first and second crowns are configured to delay scallop formation in the rail surface.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A link for a track chain in a ground-engaging track system comprising:
an elongate link body including:
a shoe surface configured to contact a track shoe coupled to the elongate link body, and
a rail surface opposite the shoe surface, the rail surface having a first end section, a middle section, and a second end section; and
first and second crowns on the rail surface that each define a convex portion of the rail surface, wherein the first crown is positioned on the first end section and the second crown is positioned on the second end section, and wherein the first and second crowns are configured to delay scallop formation in the rail surface.

2 . The link of claim 1 , wherein the middle section of the rail surface includes a third crown that defines a convex portion of the rail surface.

3 . The link of claim 1 , wherein the middle section has a middle section length and the first and second end sections have equal end section lengths, and wherein the length of the middle section is greater than the sum of the lengths of the first end section and the second end section.

4 . The link of claim 2 , wherein the rail surface forms a convex longitudinal profile that extends from the first end of the rail surface to the second end of the upper rail surface.

5 . The link of claim 4 , wherein the elongate link body has a body length, and wherein the radius of the convex longitudinal profile is greater than the body length.

6 . The link of claim 2 , wherein the first crown, the second crown, and the third crown form the entire rail surface.

7 . The link of claim 2 , wherein the first crown, the second crown, and the third crown define a uniform rail surface.

8 . The link of claim 1 , wherein the elongate link body further includes:
an inboard side; an outboard side located on an opposing side of the link body from the inboard side; a track pin bore formed in a first link body end; and a bushing bore formed in a second link body end, wherein the track pin bore and the bushing bore communicate between the inboard and outboard sides and are configured to receive a track pin and bushing therein, respectively, for coupling the elongate link body with another elongate link body in the track chain.

9 . The link of claim 1 , wherein the first crown and the second crown each include a hardened material, and wherein the elongate link body further includes a material softer than the hardened material.

10 . The link of claim 1 , wherein the elongate link body is attached to at least one other elongate link body composing the track chain, wherein the attachment between the elongate link body and the at least one other elongate link body produces a single wide portion of the track chain, and wherein at least one of either the first crown and the second crown is further configured to extend over the single wide portion.

11 . A track assembly comprising:
a plurality of elongate links connected to form a track chain, each of the elongate links comprising:
a lower surface configured to contact one of the track shoes;
a rail surface opposite the lower surface, the rail surface having a first end section, a middle section, and a second end section; and
first and second crowns on the rail surface that each define a convex portion of the rail surface, wherein the first crown is positioned on the first end section and the second crown is positioned on the second end section, and wherein the first and second crowns are configured to delay scallop formation in the rail surface, and
a plurality of track shoes coupled to the track chain.

12 . The assembly of claim 11 , wherein the middle section of the rail surface includes a third crown that defines a convex portion of the rail surface.

13 . The assembly of claim 12 , wherein the middle section has a middle section length and the first and second end sections have equal end section lengths, and wherein the middle section length is greater than the sum of the lengths of the first end section and the second end section.

14 . The assembly of claim 11 , wherein the first crown, the second crown, and the third crown form the entire rail surface.

15 . The assembly of claim 11 , wherein the first crown, the second crown, and the third crown may be made of a sacrificial wear material.

16 . The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the sacrificial wear material includes a hardened material, and wherein each of the elongate links further includes a material softer than the hardened material.

17 . The assembly of claim 11 , further comprising rotatable track engaging elements including a first idler, a second idler, a drive sprocket, and a plurality of track rollers, wherein the track assembly defines a travel path extending about each of the first and second idlers, the drive sprocket, and the plurality of track rollers, and wherein the first and second idlers and the drive sprocket have parallel axes of rotation arranged in a triangular pattern.

18 . The assembly of claim 11 , further comprising a second track chain including a plurality of elongate links, wherein each of the track chain and the second track chain having an inboard side and an outboard side and defining a track pin bore and a bushing bore communicating between the inboard and outboard sides, and further comprising a plurality of track pins and a plurality of bushings coupling together the track chain and the second track chain.

19 . A link for a track chain in a ground-engaging track system comprising:
an elongate link body including:
a shoe surface configured to contact a track shoe coupled to the elongate link body, and
a rail surface opposite the shoe surface, the rail surface having a first end section, a middle section, and a second end section; and
first, second, and third crowns on the rail surface that each define a convex portion of the rail surface, wherein the first crown is positioned on the first end section, the second crown is positioned on the second end section, and the third crown is positioned on the middle section, wherein the middle section has a middle section length and the first and second end sections have equal end section lengths, and wherein the length of middle section is greater than the sum of the lengths of the first end section and the second end section, and wherein the first, second, and third crowns are configured to delay scallop formation in the rail surface.

20 . The link of claim 19 , wherein the first crown, the second crown, and the third crown form the entire rail surface.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Steiner Kevin
• Brewer Caroline
• Akinlua Temitope
• Knobloch Daniel
• Clarke Donovan
• Nenne Timothy

Classifications

• B62D55/21 Primary

  Links connected by transverse pivot pins · CPC title

• B62D55/14

  Arrangement, location, or adaptation of rollers · CPC title