Tractor scraper apron drive
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorsAshish Ashwinbhai Shah, Leon Joseph Bezaire, Senthilkumar Somasundaram
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A tractor scraper includes a tractor portion and a scraper portion. The scraper portion may include a bowl and an apron disposed adjacent a forward end of the bowl. The tractor scraper may also include a drive configured to raise the apron. The drive may include an actuator drivingly connected to a pinion. The drive may also include a rack connected to the apron and the pinion in a manner allowing the actuator to raise the apron by driving the rack with the pinion. The rack may be connected to the apron in a manner allowing relative movement between the rack and the apron.
Claims20
A tractor scraper, comprising:
- a tractor portion;
- a scraper portion disposed rearward of the tractor portion, the scraper portion including
- a bowl, and
- an apron disposed adjacent a forward end of the bowl;
- and
- a drive configured to raise the apron, the drive including
- an actuator drivingly connected to a pinion;
- a rack connected to the apron and operably engaged to the pinion to allow the actuator to raise the apron by driving the rack with the pinion, wherein the rack is connected to the apron in a manner allowing relative movement between the rack and the apron.
A tractor scraper, comprising:
- a tractor portion;
- a scraper portion disposed rearward of the tractor portion, the scraper portion including
- a bowl, and
- an apron disposed adjacent a forward end of the bowl, the apron including a front face;
- and
- a drive configured to raise the apron, the drive including
- an actuator drivingly connected to a pinion, and
- a rack pivotally pinned to the front face of the apron, wherein the pinion is operably engaged to the rack to allow the actuator to raise the apron by driving the rack with the pinion, and wherein the rack is guided between the pinion and a retainer engaging a face of the rack opposite the pinion.
A tractor scraper, comprising:
- a tractor portion;
- a scraper portion disposed rearward of the tractor portion, the scraper portion including
- a bowl, and
- an apron with a forward face disposed adjacent a forward end of the bowl;
- and
- a drive configured to raise the apron to open the forward end of the bowl, the drive including
- an actuator drivingly connected to a pinion;
- a rack connected to the apron and operably engaged to the pinion to allow the actuator to raise the apron by driving the rack with the pinion, wherein a shape of the rack differs from a shape of a vertical cross-section of the forward face of the apron.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.