Abstract: Motor graders have a longitudinal main frame which carries a circle mounting bar that pivots on a horizontal axis at a connecting end and that has a carrying portion remote from its connecting end. A circle rotates on a vertical axis on the mounting bar carrying portion, and a grader blade is mounted on the circle. The present improved circle mounting bar is a box-like beam with internal vertical webs, and the beam increases in width from its connecting end toward a carrying portion of box-like cross section which is a separate part integrally welded to the beam. The shape of the beam in plan is intermediate between an isosceles triangle with its apex at the connecting end and a parabola with its apex at said end so as to give optimum uniformity of stress, throughout the length of the mounting bar, to both vertical and lateral forces.

Abstract: A motor grader has a circle with integral, depending arms at the rear, and the lower ends of the arms extend forwardly so that blade mountings, comprising bearing housings pivoted at their lower ends to the extremities of the arms, extend upwardly in very close proximity to the fronts of the arms. Two hydraulic cylinder and piston units for tilting the blade mountings are carried in sleeves which are integral with and between the arms, directly behind the upper end portions of the blade mountings, which permits the use of very short stroke pistons that are well protected from damage by earth and rocks piled up by the blade. In addition the units are mounted in spherical bearing and socket means for limited universal movement within the sleeves. Further, the piston rods extend along shallow chords of a circle struck about the pivots which mount the bearing housings, so working forces are applied substantially axially to the piston rods in all positions of the bearing housings.

Abstract: An improved support and bearing for mounting the grader blade assembly of a motor grader on the depending support arms of the motor grader circle. Upright bearing housings are mounted on the arms and positioned forward thereof. Each housing has a forwardly open upper jaw and a forwardly open jaw the interiors of which are lined with anti-friction wear strips, and the blade assembly support rails are slidable in the wear strips, the latter being retained by detachable side plates on the housings. One of the lower wear strips is adjustable to maintain a snug sliding fit between the lower rail and all the wear strips in the lower jaws. The wear strips for the upper jaws are mounted in carriers that are vertically movable in the jaws to accommodate lack of parallelism in the support rails.

Abstract: An apparatus for cutting an arcuately-shaped worm includes a support shaft adapted to carry a worm blank thereon and journalled in a frame which is mounted for pivotal movement about a fixed axis so that the worm blank may be simultaneously rotated on its axis and arcuately translated about the fixed axis relative to a cutter. The shaft is rotated by a drive means, and arcuate translation of the shaft is provided by a worm gear which is journalled in the frame and driven off the shaft, with the worm engaging a fixed gear segment, so the rate of rotation and of arcuate translation are coordinated.

Abstract: An improved blade clamping mechanism for a motor grader blade which has blade support rails carried in pivoted blade support means for lateral sliding movement, and in which confining surfaces in the blade support means restrict both vertical and fore-and-aft movement of the rails in the support means. A clamp lever is pivoted on the circle of the motor grader and has a clamp arm which can be turned in a vertical plane against the bottom of the lower support rail with a high mechanical advantage to force the rail against an overlying confining surface; and a single action hydraulic cylinder and piston unit which turns the lever simultaneously presses a clamp shoe against the rear of the upper support rail. The clamps are normally locked by hydraulic pressure on the piston, and released by moving a manually controlled valve to a drain position so that a return spring acting on the clamp shoe can move the shoe and the lever to a release position.

Abstract: A motor grader has a circle which includes integral depending arms at the rear, blade carrying structure is supported forward of the arms on transverse pivots which are at the lower extremities of the arms, and hydraulic cylinder and piston units are supported for limited universal movement in sleeves which are integral with the circle, the pistons of said units being pivotally connected to the blade carrying structure for tilting the latter about the transverse pivots. The cylinder unit supports include flanged collars on the cylinders on which spherical bearings are removably mounted, and bearing sockets in the sleeves consisting of two annular elements which are detachably connected to each other. Flexible dust proofing boots enclose the spherical bearings and sockets; and an interengaging slot and hub restrict rotation of each unit in the sleeve.

Abstract: An improved circle mounting bar and circle assembly for a motor grader includes a beam with a connecting end, and integral with the other end of the beam is a circle carrying structure in which an annular upright wall with an outwardly extending integral top flange and a removable bottom flange forms an outwardly open annular cavity. The circle structure is rotatably mounted between the flanges and cooperates with the wall and flanges to form a closed annular chamber which is sealed by circumferential seals, and an internal ring gear is on the circle structure in the cavity. An opening in the upright wall toward the beam accommodates an input drive element that engages the ring gear, and in that area the upright wall is the outer wall of a sealed housing that houses the input element and also contains lubricant for said element and the ring gear.