Master link joint for a track undercarriage and method of retrofitting an existing undercarriage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9926024-B2
Application number	US-201113151947-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 2, 2011
Priority date	Jun 29, 2010
Publication date	Mar 27, 2018
Grant date	Mar 27, 2018

Abstract

A master link joint for a drive chain is disclosed. The disclosed master link joint includes two master links. Each master link includes a first half link and a second half link that engage each other along mating abutment surfaces. The two master links are disposed on opposite sides of the chain. The first half links are coupled by a pin that traverses the chain and the second half links are coupled by a bushing that traverses the chain. The mating abutment surfaces include a first ramp that meets a second offset ramp at a junction or root. An angle θ defined by the second ramps of the mating abutment surfaces and a line parallel to the rail or bottom pad of the half links ranges from about 45 to about 53°.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A master link for a drive chain, comprising:
a first half link including a first rail, a bore for receiving a pin and a first mating abutment surface; and
a second half link including a second rail, a bore for receiving a bushing or pin, and a second mating abutment surface;
when the first half link and the second half link are assembled, the first mating abutment surface of the first half link abutting the second mating abutment surface of the second half link,
the first and second mating abutment surfaces each including a first ramp, a second ramp, and a root disposed between the first and second ramps,
the second ramps of the first and second mating abutment surfaces of the first and second half links extending at an angle θ with respect to the first and second rails respectively that ranges from about 45 to about 53°.

2. The master link of claim 1 wherein the first half link further includes a third ramp that meets the second ramp of the first half link and that is at least substantially parallel to the first ramp of the first half link, wherein lines coplanar with the first and third ramps of the first half link are spaced apart by a first offset distance, the first half link having a first thickness at the bore, a ratio of the first offset distance to the first thickness ranging from about 0.75 to about 1.2.

3. The master link of claim 2 wherein the first offset distance of the first half link ranges from about 40 to about 50 mm.

4. The master link of claim 2 wherein the angle θ of the first half link is about 50°.

5. The master link of claim 1 wherein the second half link further includes a third ramp that meets the second ramp of the second half link and that is at least substantially parallel to the first ramp of the second half link, wherein lines coplanar with the first and third ramps of the second half link are spaced apart by a second offset distance, the second half link having a second thickness at the pin or bushing, a ratio of the second offset distance to the second thickness ranging from about 0.9 to about 1.35.

6. The master link of claim 5 wherein the second offset distance of the second half link ranges from about 40 to about 50 mm.

7. The master link of claim 5 wherein the angle θ of the second half link is about 50°.

8. The master link of claim 1 , comprising a shoe coupled to the first half link and the second half link, wherein the second half link includes a shoe abutment surface that is engaged by the shoe, and wherein the second half link includes an eyebrow area extending along the shoe abutment surface and extending at least partially around the bushing or pin, the eyebrow area has a lateral thickness greater than a thickness of the second half link at the bore.

9. The master link of claim 1 wherein the second half link includes an eyebrow area extending at least partially around the bushing or pin, the eyebrow area having a lateral thickness greater than about 50 mm.

10. The master link of claim 1 wherein the first and second half links each include an eyebrow area extending at least partially around bores, the eyebrow areas of the first and second half links each having a lateral thickness, the lateral thickness of the eyebrow area of the second half link being from about 20 to about 50% greater than a lateral thickness of the first half link.

11. The master link of claim 1 wherein a ratio of the ramp offset distance over a track pitch ranges from about 0.1 to 0.25.

12. A machine comprising:
a drive chain;
a master link joint for the drive chain including two pairs of links, each pair including a first half link and a second half link, the two pairs of links being disposed on opposite sides of the chain;
each first half link including a bore for accommodating a pin that couples the first half links, each first half link including a first rail;
each second half link including a bore for accommodating a bushing or pin that couples the second half links, each second half link including a second rail;
a shoe coupled to the first and second half links of each pair;
the first and second half links of each pair each comprising first and second mating abutment surfaces respectively, the first and second mating abutment surfaces each including two ramps including a first ramp extending past its respective bore, each first ramp meeting a second ramp at a root,
a line planar with the second ramp and a line parallel to its respective first or second rail defining an angle θ ranging from about 45 to about 53°.

13. The machine of claim 12 wherein the angle θ is about 50°.

14. The machine of claim 12 wherein each half link further includes a third ramp that meets with the second ramp and that is at least substantially parallel to the first ramp, lines coplanar with the first and third ramps being spaced apart by an offset distance, the first and second half links each including a thickness at their respective bores, the offset distances of the first and second half links each ranging from about 0.75 to about 1.35 of the thicknesses at their respective bores.

15. The machine of claim 12 wherein the offset distance ranges from about 40 to about 50 mm.

16. The machine of claim 12 wherein a ratio of the ramp offset distances over the track pitch ranges for each link ranges from about 0.1 to about 0.25.

17. The machine of claim 12 , wherein the second half links each include a shoe abutment surface that is engaged by the shoe, and wherein the second half links each including an eyebrow area extending along the shoe abutment surface and extending at least partially around its respective bore, the eyebrow areas having a lateral thickness greater than a thickness of the second half links at the bore.

18. The machine of claim 12 wherein the second half links each including an eyebrow area extending at least partially around the bushing, the eyebrow areas having a lateral thickness greater than about 50 mm.

19. A method for retrofitting an existing chain of a track-driven machine with an improved master link, the method comprising:
removing an existing master link joint from the chain;
providing two master links, each of the master links including a pair of half links, each of the pair of half links including a first half link and a second half link, each of the first half links including a bore for accommodating a pin and a first rail, each of the second half links including a bore for accommodating a pin or bushing and a second rail, the first and second half links each including first and second mating abutment surfaces respectively, the first and second mating abutment surfaces each including two ramps including a first ramp extending past its respective bore and meeting a second ramp at a root, each of the second ramps extending outwardly from each of the respective first ramps, a line coplanar with each of the second ramps and a line parallel to the respective first or second rail defining an angle θ ranging from about 45 to about 53°;
coupling the first half links together and to another pair of links in the chain with the pin;
coupling the second half links together with the pin or bushing;
engaging the first and second mating abutment surfaces of each pair; and
connecting a shoe to all four half links.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein connecting the shoe comprises:
providing a shoe abutment surface on each of the second half links, the shoe abutment surface having unthreaded sections;
positioning the shoe over the shoe abutment surface;
driving

Assignees

• Clarke Donovan S
• Plouzek John M
• Cobb Laurence J
• Trone Matthew W
• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Clarke Donovan S
• Plouzek John M
• Cobb Laurence J
• Trone Matthew W

Classifications

• B62D55/213

  Master track links · CPC title

• Y10T29/4973

  Replacing of defective part · CPC title

• B62D55/28

  detachable · CPC title

• B62D55/32 Primary

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

• B62D55/20 Primary

  of articulated type, e.g. chains {(with lubrication means B62D55/092)} · CPC title