Idler for undercarriage system in track-type machine and wear pad for same
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorsMichael Stephen Galat, Temitope O Akinlua
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An idler for an undercarriage system in a track-type machine includes an idler rim having an outer rim surface extending around an idler axis of rotation, and a plurality of one-piece wear pads attached to the idler rim upon a first axial side and a second axial side of a radially projecting central guide flange. Each of the one-piece wear pads includes a sacrificial head supported on the outer rim surface, and having a base in interlocking engagement with the idler rim.
Claims20
An idler for an undercarriage system in a track-type machine comprising:
- an idler rim including an outer rim surface extending circumferentially around an idler axis of rotation and forming a radially projecting central guide flange;
- a plurality of one-piece wear pads attached to the idler rim upon a first axial side of the radially projecting central guide flange and upon a second axial side of the radially projecting central guide flange;
- and
- each of the plurality of one-piece wear pads including a sacrificial head supported on the outer rim surface and having an outer link-contact surface, and a base in interlocking engagement with the idler rim.
An idler for an undercarriage system in a track-type machine comprising:
- an idler rim including an outer rim surface extending circumferentially around an idler axis of rotation, and an inner surface forming a shaft bore extending between a first axial idler side and a second axial idler side;
- the first axial idler side including a first axial end face extending radially inward from the outer rim surface, and the second axial idler side including a second axial end face extending radially inward from the outer rim surface;
- and
- the idler rim further including a plurality of pad retention channels arranged in a first set extending radially inward from the outer rim surface and axially inward from the first axial end face, and a second set extending radially inward from the outer rim surface and axially inward from the second axial end face.
An idler wear pad for an idler in an undercarriage system comprising:
- a one-piece pad body including an elongate sacrificial head having an inner idler-contact surface, and an outer link-contact surface extending fore and aft between a first head end and a second head end and having an arcuate longitudinal profile that is upwardly convex;
- and
- the one-piece pad body further including a neck attached to the elongate sacrificial head longitudinally between the first head end and the second head end and extending downwardly from the inner idler-contact surface, and a base extending outwardly from the neck both fore and aft to interlock the one-piece pad body within a pad retention channel in an idler.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.