Abstract: A system for lubricating a pivot interface defined between adjacent components of a work vehicle may include a shaft and a shaft housing configured to receive an axial portion of the shaft such that the shaft housing is configured to rotate relative to the shaft. The system may also include an end cap installed relative to an end of the shaft housing and a sealing device configured to seal a radial gap defined between the shaft housing and the shaft at a seal location when a fluid pressure within the housing is below the seal's cracking pressure. Additionally, when the fluid pressure within the housing exceeds the cracking pressure, the sealing device may be configured to transition to an unsealed state to allow lubricant contained within the housing to flow axially between the sealing device and the shaft and be subsequently purged from the housing.

Abstract: A track vehicle includes: a frame; a rotatable driving wheel carried by the frame; a track engaged with the driving wheel; an idler wheel engaged with the track; a tensioner coupled to the idler wheel to force the idler wheel into engagement with the track; a recoiler coupled to the tensioner; and a fluid damper attached to the frame and coupled to the tensioner and the recoiler. The fluid damper includes: a fluid chamber having two ports; a piston coupled to at least one of the tensioner and the recoiler within the fluid chamber; and a restriction circuit fluidly connected to the ports and configured to form a closed fluid circuit. The restriction circuit permits a substantially unrestricted fluid flow through the closed fluid circuit when the piston moves in one direction and a restricted fluid flow through the closed fluid circuit when the piston moves in the opposite direction.

Abstract: An endless track assembly formed from interconnected links pivotally interconnected by a track pin having a wear sleeve. A track bushing formed from high strength steel is positioned over the wear bushing of the track pin and has an inner sleeve formed from composite bearing material either pressed in or bonded to its inner diameter. The internal diameter of the track bushing is sized so that rotation relative to the track pin surface is permitted when the track bushing is engaged by the teeth of a drive sprocket.

Abstract: A system for lubricating a pivot interface defined between adjacent components of a work vehicle may include a shaft and a shaft housing configured to receive an axial portion of the shaft such that the shaft housing is configured to rotate relative to the shaft. The system may also include an end cap installed relative to an end of the shaft housing and a sealing device configured to seal a radial gap defined between the shaft housing and the shaft at a seal location when a fluid pressure within the housing is below the seal's cracking pressure. Additionally, when the fluid pressure within the housing exceeds the cracking pressure, the sealing device may be configured to transition to an unsealed state to allow lubricant contained within the housing to flow axially between the sealing device and the shaft and be subsequently purged from the housing.

Abstract: A track vehicle includes: a frame; a rotatable driving wheel carried by the frame; a track engaged with the driving wheel; an idler wheel engaged with the track; a tensioner coupled to the idler wheel to force the idler wheel into engagement with the track; a recoiler coupled to the tensioner; and a fluid damper attached to the frame and coupled to the tensioner and the recoiler. The fluid damper includes: a fluid chamber having two ports; a piston coupled to at least one of the tensioner and the recoiler within the fluid chamber; and a restriction circuit fluidly connected to the ports and configured to form a closed fluid circuit. The restriction circuit permits a substantially unrestricted fluid flow through the closed fluid circuit when the piston moves in one direction and a restricted fluid flow through the closed fluid circuit when the piston moves in the opposite direction.

Abstract: An endless track assembly formed from interconnected links pivotally interconnected by a track pin having a wear sleeve. A track bushing formed from high strength steel is positioned over the wear bushing of the track pin and has an inner sleeve formed from composite bearing material either pressed in or bonded to its inner diameter. The internal diameter of the track bushing is sized so that rotation relative to the track pin surface is permitted when the track bushing is engaged by the teeth of a drive sprocket.

Abstract: A skid steer vehicle has a chassis with four drive wheels suspended from the chassis that are damped by four damping cylinders. An electronic controller varies the damping of the cylinders in an automatic mode, based on certain operational parameters of the vehicle, and in a manual mode in response to operator selection of a desired degree of suspension damping.

Abstract: A skid steer vehicle has two drive motors that are connected by belts to spring-mounted front and rear wheels.

Abstract: A skid steer vehicle is supported on four gearboxes that function both as control arms and as speed reduction gearboxes. Each side of the vehicle's chassis has two gearboxes to which it is coupled. A hydraulic motor is fixed to each side of the chassis to drive the gearboxes on that side. The motors are arranged such that their drive shafts extend longitudinally along the chassis, with a front shaft engaging the front gearbox and a rear shaft engaging the rear gearbox. The gearboxes include three speed-reducing right angle gear sets coupling an axle extending from the gearbox to the motor driving that gearbox.

Abstract: A skid steer vehicle has a suspension that includes two bogies pivotally connected to the sides of the vehicle and extending fore-and-aft along each side of the vehicle. The bogies are pivotally connected to the vehicle in the middle and have a wheel mounted at each end. A hydraulic motor is coupled to each of the bogies and drives the two wheels on each bogie.

Abstract: A skid steer vehicle has a drive system that includes a hydraulic motor coupled to a speed-reduction gearbox. One or more drive shafts extend fore-and-aft from the gearbox and are coupled at each end to two axle housings. Each axle housing includes two reduction gear sets and an axle. Each of the axles extends outward from the vehicle and a wheel is fixed to its outer end. A spur gear on a parallel shaft inside the axle housing engages a spur gear on the axle and drives it to provide one gear reduction. A bevel gear in the axle housing engages a bevel gear on the parallel shaft to provide another gear reduction. The vehicle has a drive system located on each side of the vehicle to collectively drive four wheels.

Abstract: A skid steer vehicle has a drive system that includes hydraulic motor coupled to a reduction gearbox. A driveshaft extends fore-and-aft from the gearbox and is coupled at each end to a combined housing including a reduction gear set and an axle. The axle extends laterally outward from the vehicle and a wheel is fixed to its outer end. There are two housings on either end of the driveshaft. There are two such drive systems on the vehicle, one on either side. Thus the vehicle has two separate drive systems, each capable of independently driving two wheels on opposing sides of the vehicle.

Abstract: A control system for a skid steer vehicle reads a load height sensor, a load amount sensor, and a vehicle speed sensor to derate the otherwise commanded acceleration, deceleration and turning rate on the vehicle when the vehicle has too great a load, too high a load, or the vehicle is going too fast.

Abstract: A skid steer vehicle has a chassis with an engine mounted thereon and is supported by four suspensions located at the left front, the left rear, the right front and the right rear of the vehicle. The suspensions include control arms that extend laterally away from the vehicle that are connected to struts for steering the vehicle. Wheels are connected to the struts to support the vehicle. Two wheels on the left side of the vehicle are driven by a first hydraulic motor and two wheels on the right side of the vehicle are driven by a second hydraulic motor. The wheels can be steered such that the front wheels point to the left and the rear wheels point to the right, and such that the front wheels point to the right and the rear wheels point to the left.

Abstract: A skid steer vehicle with steerable suspension has hydraulic motors coupled to four steerable wheels. The wheels are turned by hydraulic actuators and the vehicle is steered either by turning the wheels or by driving the wheels on opposite sides of the vehicle in opposite directions and skid steering the vehicle.

Abstract: A skid steer vehicle is supported on four gearboxes that function both as control arms and as speed reduction gearboxes. Each side of the vehicle's chassis has two gearboxes to which it is coupled. A hydraulic motor is fixed to each side of the chassis to drive the gearboxes on that side. The motors are arranged such that their drive shafts extend longitudinally along the chassis, with a front shaft engaging the front gearbox and a rear shaft engaging the rear gearbox. The gearboxes include three speed-reducing right angle gear sets coupling an axle extending from the gearbox to the motor driving that gearbox.

Abstract: A skid steer vehicle has sprung suspensions, variable displacement pumps and motors connected to those pumps that drive the wheels on the vehicle as well as an electronic controller that receives signals that indicate fore-and-aft acceleration of the skid steer vehicle. Based on these signals, the controller determines whether the forward acceleration exceeds a predetermined value and locks up the rear suspensions if that value is exceeded. It also determines whether the forward deceleration exceeds a predetermined value and locks up the front suspensions if that value is exceeded. The signals can be provided by an accelerometer, a satellite receiver, wheel/motor speed sensors, sensors in the pumps that signal the specific displacement of the pumps such as their swash plate positions, or memory locations that contain previously calculated specific displacement commands that are used to drive the pumps to a particular specific displacement.

Abstract: A skid steer vehicle has sprung suspensions that can be locked to prevent vertical movement with respect to the chassis of the vehicle. The operator controls include a switch that the operator can manipulate to lock the suspensions on command. The switch is mounted on a joystick that is used to perform other vehicle functions such as moving the vehicle, raising loader arms, or tilting the bucket or other implement attached to the loader arms. The switch is located on the joystick such that the operator can manipulate the switch without having to remove his hands from the joystick.

Abstract: A skid steer loader has a chassis with spring-loaded suspensions that are pivotally coupled to the chassis closer to the center of gravity than the wheels. The suspensions include fore-and-aft extending swing arms that pivot about a lateral axis with respect to the chassis. A torsion spring such as a torsion bar is coupled to the control arm to provide torsional support for the suspension. The torsion spring is anchored to the chassis nearer the center of gravity than the point where the swing arm is coupled to the chassis.

Abstract: A skid steer vehicle has a drive system that includes hydraulic motor coupled to a reduction gearbox. A driveshaft extends fore-and-aft from the gearbox and is coupled at each end to a combined housing including a reduction gear set and an axle. The axle extends laterally outward from the vehicle and a wheel is fixed to its outer end. There are two housings on either end of the driveshaft. There are two such drive systems on the vehicle, one on either side. Thus the vehicle has two separate drive systems, each capable of independently driving two wheels on opposing sides of the vehicle.