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AssigneeCaterpillar Tractor Co.
InventorsDonald E. Clemens, Donald A. Piepho, Stephen W. Reiss
Estimating the term…
A track-type vehicle, such as a crawler tractor, comprises a pair of endless tracks mounted on either side thereof. Each of the tracks is entrained over a drive sprocket at its rearward end and over an idler at its forward end. The idler comprises a hub having a plurality of arcuate rim segments releasably attached on an annular flange thereof to define annular, track-engaging bearing surfaces. Each of the segments may be attached to the idler at a circumferentially disposed tongue and groove arrangement and an elastomeric cushioning and noise damping means may be disposed between each segment and the flange. One or more of the segments may be replaced in situ by merely moving the vehicle to expose the same.
In a track-type vehicle of the type having a pair of endless tracks mounted on either side thereof and wherein a forward end of each of said tracks is entrained about an idler disposed for rotation about an axis thereof, the improvement wherein said idler comprises a hub having an annular flange on the periphery thereof, a plurality of arcuate segments circumferentially disposed on said flange about said axis to define a rim having substantially continuous annular bearing surfaces on the periphery thereof and fastening means releasably attaching each of said segments to said hub, said fastening means comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced bolts extending radially inwardly towards said axis, through each of said segments and threadably attached to said hub.
A track-type vehicle idler disposed for rotation about an axis thereof comprising a hub having an annular flange on the periphery thereof, a plurality of arcuate segments circumferentially disposed on said flange about said axis to define a rim having continuous annular bearing surfaces on the periphery thereof, elastomatic cushioning means disposed between each of said segments and the flange of said hub and fastening means releasably attaching each of said segment to said hub.
A track-type vehicle idler disposed for rotation about an axis thereof comprising a hub having an annular flange on the periphery thereof, a plurality of arcuate segments circumferentially disposed on said flange about said axis to define a rim having continuous annular bearing surfaces on the periphery thereof and fastening means releasably attaching each of said segments to said hub, each of said segments comprising an arcuate pilot flange extending radially inwardly from such segment towards said axis and disposed in a like-shaped slot formed on a periphery of the flange of said hub.
A track-type vehicle idler disposed for rotation about an axis thereof comprising a hub having an annular flange on the periphery thereof, a plurality of arcuate segments circumferentially disposed on said flange about said axis to define a rim having continuous annular bearing surfaces on the periphery thereof and fastening means releasably attaching each of said segments to said hub, said hub further comprising a pair of laterally spaced and radially disposed plates secured to an underside of the flange thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.