Method and apparatus for retaining a track chain joint

A method of assembling a joint of an endless track chain for track-type machines to prevent end play in the joint, the joint including a pair of links and a cylindrical pin, each link including a laterally outwardly offset outboard end collar having a boss extending outwardly therefrom and a bore therethrough, each boss having a outer side surface, and said pin including opposite end portions, each end portion being pressed and non-rotatably mounted into a respective one of said bores of said outboard end collars, the method comprising the steps of:

• forming a annular groove about each of the end portions of the pin;
• placing a swage tool against the outer side surface of the boss in axial alignment with the pin;
• applying a sufficient force on the swage tool to form at least one mechanically formed nodule extruded from the side surface of the boss into a respective one of the grooves, the nodule having a cross-sectional configuration substantially conforming to the groove.

An apparatus for retaining the track joints of an endless track chain for track-type machines to prevent end play in such joints, each joint including first and second pairs of links and a cylindrical pin, each link of the first pair of links having an inboard end collar with a first bore therethrough, and each link of the second pair of links having an outboard end collar with a pin boss extending outwardly therefrom and a second bore therethrough, the boss having a outer side surface, and the pin having opposite end portions, each end portion being pressed and non-rotatably mounted into a respective one of the second bores of the outboard end collars, the apparatus comprising;

• a annular groove formed in each of the opposite end portions of the pin, each groove being disposed within the bore at a location along the pin boss;
• and
• at least one mechanically formed nodule protruding from the outer side surface of the boss into respective ones of the pin grooves, each nodule having a cross-sectional configuration substantially conforming to its groove and being formed from material that has been permanently extruded from the side surface of the pin boss into the groove.