Track pad wear indicator
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorsDavid J. Hakes, Benoit Abello, Roger E. Lawson, Zoran Marjanovic
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A track pad is disclosed for use for a track type mobile machine having a sprocket and an idler wheel. The track pad may have a first link with a rail surface configured to engage the sprocket and the idler wheel, and a second link oriented generally parallel with the first link and having a rail surface configured to engage the sprocket and the idler wheel. The track pad may also have a shoe connected to the first and second links at a side opposite the rail surfaces, and a wear indicator formed within the rail surface of at least one of the first and second links.
Claims18
A track pad for a track type mobile machine having a sprocket and an idler wheel, the track pad comprising:
- a first link having a rail surface configured to engage the sprocket and the idler wheel;
- a second link oriented generally parallel with the first link and having a rail surface configured to engage the sprocket and the idler wheel;
- a ground engaging element connected to the first and second links at a side opposite the rail surfaces;
- and
- a wear indicator formed within the rail surface of at least one of the first and second links, wherein the wear indicator includes a plurality of recesses formed within the rail surface of at least one of the first and second links.
A method of retrofitting a track of an existing track type machine with a track pad wear indicator, the method comprising:
- measuring an amount of wear in links of a track pad forming a portion of the track;
- and
- fabricating at least one recess within a least one of the links of the track pad, the at least one recess corresponding with the amount of wear measured in the links.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.