Explosively depth hardened crawler shoes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9719158-B2
Application number	US-201414585059-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 29, 2014
Priority date	Dec 29, 2014
Publication date	Aug 1, 2017
Grant date	Aug 1, 2017

Abstract

A method of making a crawler shoe for a mobile machine having a track assembly is disclosed. The method may include casting a crawler shoe from manganese steel, the crawler shoe having at least one wear surface that engages the track assembly. The method may further include solution treating the crawler shoe to form fully austenitic manganese steel, applying an explosive material to the at least one wear surface, and detonating the explosive material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A crawler shoe, comprising:
a ground-engaging pad formed of fully austenitic manganese steel;
a ground-engaging surface disposed on a bottom side of the ground-engaging pad;
a top side opposite the bottom side;
at least one wear surface disposed on the top side, and having a hardness of at least about 280 HBW at a depth of about 5 mm; and
at least one drive lug disposed on the top side, the at least one wear surface disposed on the at least one drive lug.

2. The crawler shoe of claim 1 , wherein the ground-engaging pad is formed of fully austenitic manganese steel containing chromium.

3. The crawler shoe of claim 1 , wherein:
the crawler shoe further includes a roller path disposed on the top side; and
the at least one wear surface is disposed on the roller path.

4. The crawler shoe of claim 1 , wherein:
the crawler shoe further includes laterally spaced-apart links disposed on the top side; and
the at least one wear surface is disposed on the laterally spaced-apart links.

5. The crawler shoe of claim 1 , wherein the at least one wear surface has a hardness of at least about 350 HBW.

6. A crawler shoe, comprising:
a ground-engaging pad formed of fully austenitic manganese steel;
a ground-engaging surface disposed on a bottom side of the ground-engaging pad;
a top side opposite the bottom side;
at least one wear surface disposed on the top side, wherein the at least one wear surface is hardened by explosive depth hardening; and
at least one drive lug disposed on the top side, the at least one wear surface disposed on the at least one drive lug.

7. The crawler shoe of claim 6 , wherein the ground-engaging pad is formed of fully austenitic manganese steel containing chromium.

8. The crawler shoe of claim 6 , wherein:
the crawler shoe further includes a roller path disposed on the top side; and
the at least one wear surface is disposed on the roller path.

9. The crawler shoe of claim 6 , wherein:
the crawler shoe further includes laterally spaced-apart links disposed on the top side; and
the at least one wear surface is disposed on the laterally spaced-apart links.

10. The crawler shoe of claim 6 , wherein the at least one wear surface has a hardness of at least about 350 HBW.

Assignees

• Progress Rail Services Corp

Inventors

• Westoby Michael Charles
• Ford Gillon

Classifications

• B62D55/21

  Links connected by transverse pivot pins · CPC title

• B62D55/14

  Arrangement, location, or adaptation of rollers · CPC title

• B62D55/26

  Ground engaging parts or elements {(tracks specially adapted for amphibious vehicles B60F3/0015)} · CPC title

• C21D1/06

  Surface hardening · CPC title

• C21D9/0068

  for particular articles not mentioned below · CPC title