Patents by Inventor Hector M. Matthys

Hector M. Matthys has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8011740
    Abstract: A track type tractor includes a modular track roller frame made up of easily assembled sub-components. Among these sub-components are an idler recoil assembly that may slide into, and then fastened to a housing as a unit to create a track roller frame assembly. The idler recoil assembly includes a gas spring telescoping section and a length adjustment telescoping section located between a housing contact end and a yoke contact end. Although suspended above a floor of the housing, the idler recoil assembly may only be attached to the housing in a plane via an array of fasteners that surround a shaft axis. The housing encloses the idler recoil assembly against debris entry, but includes an access cover for servicing the gas spring and/or adjusting track tension via the length adjustment feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Hector M. Matthys
  • Patent number: 7980639
    Abstract: A tracked machine may be equipped with a debris guard in order to inhibit entry of debris from an exterior to an interior of a track roller frame. An idler, track roller frame, track and debris guard may be configured to create a difficult to traverse serpentine debris entry pathway into the track roller frame. This may be accomplished by flanking opposite sides of a track chain with a pair of guard plates, and further inhibiting debris entry by including an in board guard shield that defines a slot that surrounds a portion of the idler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Hector M. Matthys
  • Publication number: 20090200862
    Abstract: A track type tractor includes a modular track roller frame made up of easily assembled sub-components. Among these sub-components are an idler recoil assembly that may be slide into, and then fastened to a housing as a unit to create a track roller frame assembly. The idler recoil assembly includes a gas spring telescoping section and a length adjustment telescoping section located between a housing contact end and a yoke contact end. Although suspended above a floor of the housing, the idler recoil assembly may only be attached to the housing in a plane via an array of fasteners that surround a shaft axis. The housing encloses the idler recoil assembly against debris entry, but includes an access cover for servicing the gas spring and/or adjusting track tension via the length adjustment feature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2008
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Inventor: Hector M. Matthys
  • Publication number: 20090200859
    Abstract: A tracked machine may be equipped with a debris guard in order to inhibit entry of debris from an exterior to an interior of a track roller frame. An idler, track roller frame, track and debris guard may be configured to create a difficult to traverse serpentine debris entry pathway into the track roller frame. This may be accomplished by flanking opposite sides of a track chain with a pair of guard plates, and further inhibiting debris entry by including an in board guard shield that defines a slot that surrounds a portion of the idler.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2008
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Inventor: Hector M. Matthys