Articulated chain with mid-pitch drive and replaceable drive bushing
AssigneeCaterpillar Tractor Co.
InventorsRichard E. Livesay, Paul L. Wright
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved articulate chain (10) including pivotally interconnected sections (12,14,16) of spaced, coacting links (18,20,22) having the chain driving members (54) intermediate the pivot connections (58,60) to reduce the chain loads thereon. The links (18,20,22) are locked together in a common plane (56) by integral externally splined projections (82) extending therefrom into the internally splined drive bushing (96) to resist torque loads and increase the structural integrity of the chain (10). The links (18,20,22) are releasably coupled together to permit expeditious disassembly and reassembly thereof for servicing.
Claims12
An articulated chain (10) including a plurality of pivotally interconnected sections (12,14,16), each section (12,14,16) having a pair of spaced, side-by-side, coacting links (18,20,22), said links (18,20,22) being independently pivotally connected about first and second pivot axes (36,38) to respective ones of the links of adjoining sections (12,14,16), the chain (10) being engaged with a sprocket, wherein the improvement comprises:
- means (54) for releasably coupling said links (18,20,22) together, for locking the links together in a common plane (56) and for drivingly engaging the sprocket, said means (54) being positioned intermediate the pivot axes (36,38) and including spline means (98,84) for non-rotatably locking said pair of links (18,20,22) in said common plane 56.
An articulated chain (10) including a plurality of pivotally interconnected sections (12,14,16), each section having a pair of spaced, side-by-side, coacting links (18,20,22) and a mid pitch drive bushing (96) disposed between said pair of links (18,20,22), wherein the improvement comprises:
- means (54) for locking and maintaining said pair of links (18,20,22) together in a common plane (56), said means including internal and external splines (98,84) mateably engaging one another, said splines (98,84) being cooperatively positioned on respective ones of said links (18,20,22) and bushing (96).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.