Axle protector for tracked vehicle
OwnerJeff Fergusoninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A seal protection assembly for protecting an axle, wheel, gasket, and seal for a wheel attached to an axle on a vehicle. The assembly includes a body housing, a rim edge, and a mounting bracket. The assembly is mounted to the vehicle to protect the wheel axle, gasket, and seal from harmful contact with extraneous material from the operating environment of the vehicle, while allowing for maintenance access to the axle components. Multiple assembly sets for protecting all of the wheel seals on a vehicle are also disclosed along with a method for manufacturing the assembly.
Claims20
A seal guard protection apparatus for protecting a seal for a wheel with an outer rim supported by an interior support wall and interior rim defining an inner pocket, the wheel attached to an axle on a vehicle, the apparatus protecting the seal from extraneous material, comprising:
- a body housing;
- a rim edge supported by a distal end of the body housing such that the rim edge is positioned in a gap relation to the interior support wall of the inner pocket of the wheel to protect against the extraneous material while allowing the wheel to rotate;
- and
- a mounting bracket attached to a proximate end of the body housing for supporting the body housing on said vehicle.
A seal guard protection apparatus set for protecting a wheel seal assembly with an inner seal and an outer seal from extraneous material, the set comprising:
- a first rim-edge, seal-protection apparatus for protecting the inner seal;
- and
- a second rim-edge, seal-protection apparatus for protecting the outer seal, the first and second protection apparatus including a rim edge supported by a distal end of a body housing such that the rim edge is positioned in a gap relation to an interior support wall of an inner pocket of a wheel to protect against the extraneous material while allowing the wheel to rotate.
A seal guard protection apparatus set for protecting the wheel seal assemblies on a two axle vehicle with four wheels, each wheel having both an inner seal and an outer seal, the set comprising:
- eight rim-edge, seal-protection assemblies, wherein a protection apparatus is located at the inner seal of each wheel and another protection apparatus is located at the outer seal of each wheel, wherein each protection apparatus includes a rim edge supported by a distal end of a body housing such that the rim edge is positioned in a gap relation to the interior support wall of the inner pocket of the wheel to protect against the extraneous material while allowing the wheel to rotate.
A method for protecting a seal between a wheel including an outer rim supported by an interior support wall and interior rim defining an inner pocket and a axle, the axle supported by an axle support, the method comprising:
- manufacturing an axle protector with a rim edge on the distal end of a body housing;
- constructing a mounting bracket on the proximate end of the body housing;
- and
- mounting the mounting bracket to the axle support so that the rim edge is in a gap relation to the interior support wall of the interior pocket of the wheel so that the wheel may rotate while minimizing the effects of the extraneous material on the axle seal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.