Crawler shoe and method for making same

A crawler shoe comprising:

• a solid main body formed of steel plate and having an upper surface, a lower surface, opposite lateral sides and opposite front and rear sides;
• means on said main body for articulately and releasably connecting said crawler shoe to an adjacent crawler shoe;
• a roller path plate welded on said upper surface of said main body, said roller path plate being formed of steel weld deposited on said upper surface of said main body;
• drive lugs welded to said upper surface of said main body on opposite sides of said roller path plate;
• and a belly pan formed of steel plate welded to said lower surface of said main body.

A crawler shoe comprising:

• a solid main body formed of steel plate and having an upper surface, a lower surface, opposite lateral sides and opposite front and rear sides;
• means on said main body for articulately and releasably connecting said crawler shoe to an adjacent crawler shoe;
• a roller path plate welded on said upper surface of said main body;
• drive lugs welded to said upper surface of said main body on opposite sides of said roller path plate;
• and a belly pan formed of steel plate welded to said lower surface of said main body;
• said main body being formed of tempered steel plate of a predetermined degree of strength;
• said roller path plate being formed of steel of said predetermined degree of strength and of a predetermined degree of hardness;
• said drive lugs being formed of austenitic manganese steel;
• and said belly pan being formed of abrasion-resistant steel plate of said predetermined degree of strength and of a degree of hardness higher than said predetermined degree of hardness.

A crawler shoe comprising:

• a solid main body formed of tempered steel plate of a predetermined degree of strength and having an upper surface, a lower surface, opposite lateral sides and opposite front and rear sides;
• means on said main body for articulately and releasably connecting said crawler shoe to an adjacent crawler shoe;
• a roller path plate formed of steel welded on said upper surface of said main body, said roller path plate being of said predetermined degree of strength and having a predetermined degree of hardness;
• drive lugs formed of austinitic manganese steel welded to said upper surface of said main body on opposite sides of said roller path plate;
• end gussets welded to and projecting from said opposite lateral sides of said main body;
• and a belly pan formed of abrasion-resistant steel plate welded to said lower surface of said main body and to said gussets, said belly pan being of said predetermined degree of strength and of a degree of hardness higher than said predetermined degree of hardness.

A crawler shoe comprising:

• a solid main body formed of steel plate and having an upper surface, a lower surface, opposite lateral sides and opposite front and rear sides;
• means on said main body for articulately and releasably connecting said crawler shoe to an adjacent crawler shoe, said means comprising at least one projection on said front side of said body and at least one indentation on said rear side of said body, said body having a pin hole in said projection and having a pin hole to adjust said indentation;
• a roller path plate welded on said upper surface of said main body;
• drive lugs welded to said upper surface of said main body on opposite sides of said roller path plate;
• end gussets welded to and projecting from said opposite lateral sides of said main body;
• and a belly pan formed of steel plate welded to said lower surface of said main body and to said gussets.

A method for making a crawler shoe comprises the steps of:

• tempering by heat treatment sheet steel of a predetermined degree of strength;
• flame cutting a main body of desired shape from the tempered sheet steel;
• drilling pin holes in said main body;
• welding a roller path plate to the upper surface of said main body;
• and
• providing other components including at least one drive lug and a belly pan and welding said components to said main body.