Circle drive system for a grading machine
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorsNathaniel K. HARSHMAN, Akilan APPAVU, Anand KESHEOREY
Life of this patent
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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 including 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 gear box includes a first gear that rotates about a first axis of rotation that is parallel to the circle axis, and the gear box also includes a second gear that rotates about a second axis that is parallel to the circle axis and spaced away from the first axis of rotation.
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 circle drive motor and a gear box, wherein the gear box is configured to engage with and rotate the circle relative to the drawbar around a circle axis, wherein the gear box includes a first gear that rotates about a first axis of rotation that is parallel to the circle axis, and wherein the gear box includes a second gear that rotates about a second axis that is parallel to the circle axis and spaced away from the first axis of rotation.
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 circle drive motor and a gear box,
- wherein the gear box includes a first gear coupled to a first shaft, wherein the first gear and the first shaft rotate around a first gear box axis of rotation, wherein the gear box includes a second gear coupled to a second shaft, wherein the second gear and the second shaft rotate around a second gear box axis of rotation, wherein the first gear box axis of rotation and the second gear box axis of rotation are parallel and spaced apart.
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 circle drive motor with a motor axis;
- a gear coupling coupled to the circle drive motor;
- and
- a gear box driven by the circle drive motor and the gear coupling, wherein the gear box is configured to engage with and drive a rotation of the circle,
- wherein the gear box includes at least a first axis of rotation and a second axis of rotation, wherein the first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation are parallel to each other and to the circle axis, wherein the first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation are offset from each other.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.