Ground engaging machine having articulation hitch, and method
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorsMatthew T. Hansen, Brian C. Howson, Christopher Carpenter, David R. Shields
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A ground engaging machine includes a first and a second frame unit, and an articulation hitch coupling together the first and second frame units. The articulation hitch includes a pin, a first and a second bearing positioned about the pin, and abutting a first and a second axial side of an annular protrusion of a hitch plate in one of the first and second frame units. A clamping mechanism of the articulation hitch clamps the first and second bearings between first and second clamping components, such that they are preloaded against the annular protrusion.
Claims18
A ground engaging machine comprising:
- a frame including a first frame unit having a first and a second hitch plate defining a first and a second bore, respectively, and a second frame unit having a middle hitch plate positioned between the first and second hitch plates and defining a third bore in register with the first and second bores, and including an annular protrusion extending inwardly into the third bore;
- an articulation hitch coupling the first and second frame units together, and including a pin defining an articulation axis, and a first and a second bearing, the first and second bearings each including a tapered roller bearing having an inner race, an outer race and a plurality of rollers between the inner and outer races, and being positioned about the pin and abutting a first and a second axial side of the annular protrusion, respectively;
- the pin having a first end coupled to the first hitch plate, a second end coupled to the second hitch plate, and a first thread;
- the articulation hitch further including a clamping mechanism having a first clamping component positioned axially outward of the first bearing, and a second clamping component positioned axially outward of the second bearing and including a shoulder formed on the pin, and a spacer positioned about the pin and located axially between the first clamping component and the first bearing;
- and
- the first clamping component including a complementary thread rotated into engagement with the first thread to reduce an axial distance between the first and second clamping components such that the first and second bearings are clamped between the shoulder and the spacer and preloaded against the annular protrusion via a preload applied by the clamping to both the inner and outer races and the rollers in each of the first and second bearings.
An articulation hitch assembly for coupling a first frame unit to a second frame unit in a ground engaging machine, where the first frame unit includes a first and a second hitch plate defining a first and a second bore, respectively, and the second frame unit includes a middle hitch plate defining a third bore and having an annular protrusion extending inwardly into the third bore, and being positionable between the first and second hitch plates such that the third bore is in register with the first and second bores, the articulation hitch assembly comprising:
- a pin defining an articulation axis, and having a first end configured to couple to the first hitch plate, a second end configured to couple to the second hitch plate, and a first thread;
- a first and a second bearing positioned about the pin and being configured to abut a first and a second axial side of the annular protrusion, respectively;
- and
- a clamping mechanism having a first clamping component positioned at a first location axially outward of the first bearing, and a second clamping component positioned at a second location axially outward of the second bearing;
- and
- the first clamping component including a complementary thread engaged with the first thread and being rotatable circumferentially about the articulation axis to decrease an axial distance between the first and second clamping components, such that the first and second bearings are clamped therebetween and preloaded against the annular protrusion when the articulation hitch assembly couples the first frame unit to the second frame unit;
- wherein the first clamping component includes an end cap and the complementary thread includes an internal thread within a bore formed in the end cap, and the second clamping component includes a shoulder formed on the pin.
A method of connecting a first frame unit to a second frame unit via an articulation hitch in a ground engaging machine comprising the steps of:
- installing a first and a second bearing within a bore defined by a middle hitch plate of the first frame unit, such that the first and second bearings abut opposite sides of an annular protrusion extending inwardly into the bore;
- positioning the middle hitch plate between an upper and a lower hitch plate of the second frame unit, such that the bore registers with an upper and a lower bore defined by the upper and lower hitch plates, respectively;
- rotating a threaded clamping component about a threaded pin defining an articulation axis and being inserted through the registering bores and coupled with each of the upper and lower hitch plates;
- and
- reducing an axial distance between the threaded clamping component and a second clamping component via the step of rotating such that the first and second bearings are clamped therebetween and preloaded against the annular protrusion;
- wherein the step of rotating includes rotating an end cap comprising the threaded clamping component, and the step of reducing further includes reducing the axial distance between the end cap and a shoulder formed on the pin and comprising the second clamping component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.