Including Gas Recoil Patents (Class 305/148)
  • Patent number: 8870303
    Abstract: An integrated track adjustment/recoil unit is compressed between a front track roller frame and rear track roller frame of telescopic track roller frame during a recoil event. The integrated track adjustment/recoil unit defines an oil volume separated from a gas volume by a recoil piston, which moves closer to the idler along a recoil line responsive to a recoil event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Todd Edwin Moser
  • Publication number: 20130233628
    Abstract: An integrated track adjustment/recoil unit is compressed between a front track roller frame and rear track roller frame of telescopic track roller frame during a recoil event. The integrated track adjustment/recoil unit defines an oil volume separated from a gas volume by a recoil piston, which moves closer to the idler along a recoil line responsive to a recoil event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2012
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: CATERPILLAR, INC.
    Inventor: Todd Edwin Moser
  • Patent number: 8348356
    Abstract: An idler recoil and tension adjustment assembly is disclosed which provides a visual indication to the operator when either the idler recoil section or the tension adjustment section has developed a leak. The idler recoil and tension adjustment assembly includes a housing that accommodates a reciprocating shaft that includes both an idler recoil section and a tension adjustment section. The tension adjustment section is in communication with the grease port and the idler recoil section is in communication with a gas port. The grease and gas ports are coupled to the reciprocating shaft at an attachment section disposed between the idler recoil and tension adjustment sections. A blocking plate is slideably mounted to the attachment section and a shaft or roller is provided inside the housing so that when a leak develops in one of the sections the blocking plate may provide a visual indication to the operator as to which section, the idler recoil or the tension adjustment, is experiencing a leak.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Regini Selvapal Ehuraj
  • Publication number: 20120007420
    Abstract: An idler recoil and tension adjustment assembly is disclosed which provides a visual indication to the operator when either the idler recoil section or the tension adjustment section has developed a leak. The idler recoil and tension adjustment assembly includes a housing that accommodates a reciprocating shaft that includes both an idler recoil section and a tension adjustment section. The tension adjustment section is in communication with the grease port and the idler recoil section is in communication with a gas port. The grease and gas ports are coupled to the reciprocating shaft at an attachment section disposed between the idler recoil and tension adjustment sections. A blocking plate is slideably mounted to the attachment section and a shaft or roller is provided inside the housing so that when a leak develops in one of the sections the blocking plate may provide a visual indication to the operator as to which section, the idler recoil or the tension adjustment, is experiencing a leak.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Applicant: CATERPILLAR, INC.
    Inventor: Regini Selvapal Ehuraj
  • 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
  • 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
  • Patent number: 7156185
    Abstract: A soil stabilizer treating earth includes a stabilizer frame, a rotor rotatably mounted thereon and including a cutting tool for cutting earth and being movable such that the rotor may engage various depths of earth, a rotatable axle, and a track apparatus mounted on the rotatable axle, the track apparatus supporting the stabilizer frame and providing for movement of the stabilizer frame and rotor across the ground surface. The track apparatus may include a continuous flexible track having an upper length and a ground-engaging lower length and including an inner surface, an axle wheel mountable to the rotatable axle for rotational movement therewith, the axle wheel engaging the inner surface of the flexible track along the upper length to drive the flexible track in response to rotation of the axle, and an apparatus frame for mounting the axle wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: ATI, Inc.
    Inventor: Kenneth J. Juncker
  • Patent number: 6682155
    Abstract: A track tension actuator is provided for a track assembly having, an idler wheel, a drive wheel, a drive track entrained about the drive wheel and idler, and a hydraulic motor operable to advance the drive wheel. A drive circuit is operable to supply pressurized fluid to the hydraulic motor. The actuator is coupled to the idler wheel, and includes a travel chamber, travel piston, a recoil chamber, and a recoil piston. The recoil chamber is pressurized to urge the recoil piston in a first direction away from the drive wheel. The drive fluid pressurizes the travel piston, which in turn contacts and urges the travel piston in a second direction against the recoil piston to reduce the track tension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2004
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Brian D. Hoff, Thomas E. Oertley
  • Patent number: 6543861
    Abstract: A tensioning device is provided for maintaining the tension on a continuous flexible track of a track apparatus. The track apparatus includes an idler wheel which engages the flexible track and which is movable between a first non-deflected position and a second deflected position. A dampening mechanism extends between an idler axle which supports the idler wheel and the frame of the track apparatus in order to exert a force on the idler axle to urge the idler wheel towards the non-deflected position. The dampening mechanism progressively increases the force on the idler axle as the idler wheel moves towards the deflected position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: AgTracks, Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn W. Kahle, David L. Juncker, Jamsheed Reshad
  • Patent number: 6310798
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory which can secure the stability of data holding characteristics and data read/write characteristics for a tunnel diode having a small peak/valley ratio, and to provide a method for manufacturing such a semiconductor memory. The peak/valley ratio of a tunnel diode can be improved by arranging a tunnel insulating film on the bottom portion of the ground direct contact forming the tunnel diode; the resistance of high resistance load can further be increased by arranging a tunnel insulating film on the bottom portion of the storage node direct contact; and data holding characteristics can be improved while controlling the column current by setting the power voltage impressed to the high resistance load higher than the power voltage impressed to the bit line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Rui Morimoto
  • Patent number: 6027185
    Abstract: A recoil and slack adjustment mechanism for tensioning an endless track chain of an undercarriage assembly of a work machine includes a ram assembly and an accumulator assembly. The ram assembly includes a ram housing having a ram chamber defined therein. A recoil ram is movably housed within the ram chamber. The recoil ram has a ram subchamber defined therein. The tensioning ram is movably housed within the ram subchamber and is coupled to a front idler roller of the undercarriage assembly. A check valve is disposed between the ram chamber and the ram subchamber such that fluid pressure from the accumulator assembly is selectively exerted on the tensioning ram thereby urging the front idler roller so as to bias the track chain of the undercarriage assembly. The recoil and slack adjustment assembly provides continuous, constant tensioning of the track chain, and does not require the use of live hydraulics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2000
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Elmer R. Crabb