Undercarriage system for a tracked work vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9663164-B2
Application number	US-201314391101-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 28, 2013
Priority date	Jul 30, 2012
Publication date	May 30, 2017
Grant date	May 30, 2017

Abstract

An undercarriage system for a tracked work vehicle is provided that includes a tensioning system configured to provide tension to a continuous track. Additionally, the undercarriage system includes an undercarriage beam having a first opening and a second opening. The first opening is located on an upper face of the undercarriage beam and is configured to enable insertion of the tensioning system inside a cavity of the undercarriage beam. The second opening is located at one longitudinal end of the undercarriage beam and is configured to enable a portion of the tensioning system to extend through the second opening. Furthermore, the tensioning system pivotably couples to an idler wheel via a pivot assembly, and the idler wheel is configured to engage the continuous track.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An undercarriage system for a tracked work vehicle, comprising:
a tensioning system configured to provide tension to a continuous track;
an undercarriage beam extending between a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end, the undercarriage beam comprising:
a first opening located on an upper face of the undercarriage beam between the first and second longitudinal ends, wherein the first opening is configured to enable insertion of the tensioning system into a cavity of the undercarriage beam; and
a second opening located at the first longitudinal end of the undercarriage beam, wherein the cavity is defined within the undercarriage beam between the first and second openings, and wherein the second opening is configured to enable a portion of the tensioning system to extend through the second opening to enable the tensioning system to pivotably couple to an idler wheel via a pivot assembly, and wherein the idler wheel is configured to engage the continuous track,

wherein at least a portion of the tensioning system extends through the cavity from the first opening to the second opening.

2. The undercarriage system of claim 1 , wherein the tensioning system comprises an extension arm, an actuator, and an overload protection system.

3. The undercarriage system of claim 2 , wherein the overload protection system comprises a coil spring or a hydraulic accumulator.

4. The undercarriage system of claim 2 , wherein the actuator comprises a hydraulic cylinder.

5. The undercarriage system of claim 1 , comprising a cover plate configured to cover the first opening after insertion of the tensioning system.

6. The undercarriage system of claim 1 , comprising a plurality of roller wheels arranged in pairs, wherein the roller wheels of each pair are laterally separated from one another by a distance greater than or equal to a width of the undercarriage beam.

7. The undercarriage system of claim 1 , wherein the undercarriage beam is formed from ductile iron.

8. An undercarriage system for a tracked work vehicle, comprising:
a tensioning system configured to provide tension to a continuous track;
an undercarriage beam comprising:
a first opening located on an upper face of the undercarriage beam, wherein the first opening is configured to enable insertion of the tensioning system into a cavity of the undercarriage beam,
a second opening located at one longitudinal end of the undercarriage beam, wherein the second opening is configured to enable a portion of the tensioning system to extend through the second opening to enable the tensioning system to pivotably couple to an idler wheel via a pivot assembly, and wherein the idler wheel is configured to engage the continuous track; and
a third opening located at an opposite longitudinal end of the undercarriage beam from the second opening, wherein the third opening is configured to provide core support during a casting process.

9. A method for manufacturing an undercarriage system for a tracked work vehicle, comprising:
inserting a tensioning system in to a cavity of an undercarriage beam through a first opening in an upper face of the undercarriage beam, wherein the cavity is within the undercarriage beam and extends between the first opening and a second opening in a longitudinal end of the undercarriage beam;
extending a portion of the tensioning system through the second opening; and
tensioning a continuous track using the extended portion of the tensioning system.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the tensioning system comprises an actuator, an overload protection system, and an extension arm, wherein a portion of the extension arm is configured to extend through the second opening.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein tensioning the continuous track comprises pivotally coupling the extended portion of the extension arm to an idler wheel via a pivot assembly, and biasing the idler wheel extended towards the continuous track.

12. The method of claim 9 , comprising covering the first opening by securing a plate to the undercarriage beam after inserting the tensioning system into the cavity of the undercarriage beam.

13. An undercarriage system for a tracked work vehicle, comprising:
a continuous track;
a pair of idler wheels each configured to engage the continuous track;
a tensioning system configured to tension the continuous track by biasing each idler wheel longitudinally outward, wherein the tensioning system comprises an extension arm, an actuator, and overload protection system;
an undercarriage beam disposed about the tensioning system, wherein the undercarriage beam comprises:
a first opening located on an upper face of the undercarriage beam, wherein the first opening is configured to enable insertion of the tensioning system into a cavity defined within the undercarriage beam; and
a second opening located at a longitudinal end of the undercarriage beam, wherein the second opening is configured to enable the extension arm to protrude through the opening to rotatably couple with a respective idler wheel via a pivot assembly,
wherein the cavity extends between the first and second openings within the undercarriage beam, and

wherein the tensioning system extends through the cavity from the first opening to the second opening.

14. The undercarriage system of claim 13 , comprising a plurality of roller wheels arranged in pairs, wherein the roller wheels of each pair are laterally separated from one another by a distance greater than or equal to a width of the undercarriage beam.

15. The undercarriage system of claim 13 , wherein the overload protection system comprises a coil spring or a hydraulic accumulator.

16. The undercarriage system of claim 13 , wherein the actuator is a hydraulic cylinder.

17. The undercarriage system of claim 13 , wherein the undercarriage beam is formed from ductile iron.

18. The undercarriage system of claim 13 , wherein the undercarriage beam comprises a pair of vertical arms configured to couple the undercarriage system to an axle structure and to transfer torsional loads to the axle structure.

19. The undercarriage system of claim 18 , wherein the, vertical arms is configured to provide support to the upper face of the undercarriage beam.

20. The undercarriage system of claim 13 , wherein the second opening is smaller than the first opening.

21. The undercarriage system of claim 13 , further comprising a third opening located at an opposite longitudinal end of the undercarriage beam from the second opening, wherein the third opening is configured to provide core support during a casting process.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Vik Brian D
• Zurn Daniel J

Classifications

• B62D55/14

  Arrangement, location, or adaptation of rollers · CPC title

• B62D55/305 Primary

  acting on pivotably mounted idlers · CPC title

• B62D65/00

  Designing, manufacturing, e.g. assembling, facilitating disassembly, or structurally modifying motor vehicles or trailers, not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• Y10T29/49449

  Traction apparatus, e.g., for tractor · CPC title