Circle drive system for a grading machine
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorsNathaniel K. Harshman, David L. Cox, Benjamin J. Kovalick, Bruce R. Vahling
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A grading machine includes a machine body, a grading blade supported by a circle, a drawbar connecting the grading blade and the circle to the machine body, and a circle drive system. The circle drive system includes a circle drive motor and a gear box. The gear box is configured to engage with and rotate the circle relative to the drawbar around a circle axis. The circle drive motor includes an axis of rotation that is perpendicular to the circle axis, and the gear box includes an axis of rotation that is parallel to the circle axis.
Claims20
A grading machine, comprising
- a machine body;
- a grading blade supported by a circle;
- a drawbar connecting the grading blade and the circle to the machine body;
- and
- a circle drive system including
- a top portion,
- a bottom portion opposite the top portion and adjacent the circle,
- a circle drive motor,
- a gear box, and
- a worm gear coupling connecting the circle drive motor to the gear box,
- wherein the gear box is located below the worm gear coupling and includes at least one planetary gear set, and is configured to engage with and rotate the circle relative to the drawbar around a circle axis, wherein the circle drive motor includes an axis of rotation that is perpendicular to the circle axis, and wherein the gear box includes an axis of rotation that is parallel to the circle axis.
A grading machine, comprising:
- a grading blade supported by a circle;
- a drawbar connected to the circle;
- and
- at least one circle drive system including
- a top portion,
- a bottom portion opposite the top portion and adjacent the circle,
- a circle drive motor,
- a gear box, and
- a worm gear coupling connecting the circle drive motor to the gear box,
- wherein the gear box is located below the worm gear coupling, includes at least one planetary gear set, and includes a gear box axis of rotation, and is configured to engage with and rotate the circle relative to the drawbar around a circle axis, and wherein the circle drive motor includes an axis of rotation that is perpendicular to the gear box axis and to the circle axis.
A blade positioning system for a grading machine, comprising:
- a circle coupled to a grading blade, wherein the circle is rotatable around a circle axis;
- and
- a circle drive system, including
- a top portion,
- a bottom portion opposite the top portion and adjacent the circle,
- a circle drive motor with a motor axis;
- a worm gear coupling coupled to the circle drive motor;
- and
- a gear box driven by the circle drive motor and the worm gear drive coupling,
- wherein the gear box is located below the worm gear coupling and includes at least one planetary gear set, and is configured to engage with and drive a rotation of the circle,
- wherein the motor axis is perpendicular to the circle axis.
A grading machine, comprising:
- a grading blade supported by a circle;
- a drawbar connected to the circle;
- a first circle drive system coupled to a front portion of the circle;
- and
- a second circle drive system coupled to the front portion of the circle,
- wherein each circle drive system includes
- a top portion,
- a bottom portion opposite the top portion and adjacent the circle,
- a circle drive motor,
- a gear box, and
- a worm gear coupling connecting the circle drive motor to the gear box,
- wherein each gear box is located below the worm gear coupling and includes at least one planetary gear set, and includes a gear box axis of rotation and is configured to engage with and rotate the circle relative to the drawbar around a circle axis, and wherein each circle drive motor includes an axis of rotation that is perpendicular to the gear box axes and to the circle axis, and
- wherein the first circle drive system and the second circle drive system are coupled to the front portion of the circle at laterally offset positions relative to a centerline of the machine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.