Strength Track Bushing

• US 20110079451A1
• Filed: 10/01/2009
• Published: 04/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Steiner, Kevin L., Clarke, Donovan S.
• Application Number:
  US12/571,984
• Publication Number:
  US 20110079451A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/6.7
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/092 with lubrication means lubricating in general F16N
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/21 Links connected by transverse pivot pins
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/04 Brasses; Bushes; Linings

Abstract

An improved strength track bushing (150) is disclosed. The bushing (150) may be used as a bearing around a track pin (144) interconnecting shoes (132) of a track (120) on a track-type tractor (100). The bushing (150) may include a hollow cylindrical wall (163) having an inner diameter (166), an outer diameter (176), and an annular lubrication cavity (164) circumnavigating the inner diameter (166) of the hollow cylindrical wall (163). The bushing (150) includes specific dimensional ratios between the width (174) of the cylindrical wall (163), the size of the inner diameter (166), the size of the outer diameter (176), the width (170) of the annular cavity (164), and the depth (172) of the annular cavity (164). By appropriately sizing such dimensions, the strength of the bushing and thus its ability to avoid cracking in use is greatly improved.

Claims

1. A bushing (150), comprising:

a hollow cylindrical wall (163) having an inner diameter (166) and an outer diameter (176); and

an annular cavity (164) extending circumferentially around the inner diameter (166) of the cylindrical wall (163), the cylindrical wall (163) having a thickness (174) of A and the annular cavity (164) having a width (170) of B, the ratio of A to B being at least about 1 or more to about 1.

2. The bushing (150) of claim 1, wherein the A to B ratio is about 1.5 to about 1.

3. The bushing (150) of claim 1, wherein the annular cavity (164) has a depth (172) of C, and the ratio of A to C is at least about 15 to about 1.

4. The bushing (150) of claim 3, wherein the ratio of A to C is about 30 to about 1.

5. The bushing (150) of claim 3, wherein the ratio of B to C is about 30 or less to about 1.

6. The bushing (150) of claim 5, wherein the ratio of B to C is about 20 to about 1.

7. The bushing (150) of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical wall (163) has an outer diameter (176) of D and an inner diameter (166) of E, the ratio of D to B being at least about 2 to about 1.

8. The bushing (150) of claim 7, wherein the ratio of D to B is about 7.5 to about 1.

9. The bushing (150) of claim 7, wherein the ratio of E to B is at least about 2 to about 1.

10. The bushing (150) of claim 7, wherein the ratio of E to B is about 4.5 to about 1.

11. The bushing (150) of claim 1, wherein the annular cavity (164) has a depth (172) of C, the cylindrical wall (163) has an outer diameter (176) of D, and the cylindrical wall (163) has an inner diameter (166) of E, and wherein the ratio of D to C is at least about 50 to about 1.

12. The bushing (150) of claim 11, wherein the ratio of D to C is about 150 to about 1.

13. The bushing (150) of claim 11, wherein the ratio of E to C is at least 50 to about 1.

14. The bushing (150) of claim 13, wherein the ratio of E to C is about 100 to about 1.

15. The bushing (150) of claim 1, wherein the bushing (150) has a length (180) of F, and the ratio of F to B is about 5 or more to about 1.

16. The bushing (150) of claim 15, wherein the ratio of F to B is about 9.45 to about 1.

17. A bushing (150) having a hollow cylindrical wall (163) with an inner diameter (166), an outer diameter (176), and an annular lubrication cavity (164), the bushing (150) having a Clarke Factor of less than about 1.

18. A track-type tractor (100), comprising:

a chassis (102);

an engine (104) supported by the chassis (102);

an undercarriage (118) supporting the chassis (102), the undercarriage (118) including at least one rotatable track (120) operatively connected to the engine (104), the track (120) including a plurality of shoes (132);

a plurality of track pins (144) linking the shoes (132) together, each track pin (144) including a substantially cylindrical housing (154) having a central reservoir (156) and a lubrication channel (160) extending through the housing (154); and

a bushing (150) surrounding each track pin (144), each bushing (150) including a substantially cylindrical housing (163) having an annular cavity (164) on an inner diameter (166), the bushing (150) have a length (180) of F and the annular cavity (164) having a width (170) of B, the ratio of F to B being about 5 or more to about 1.

19. The track-type tractor (100) of claim 18, wherein the track pin lubrication channel (160) has a diameter of G, and the ratio of B to G is about 2 or less to 1.

20. The track-type tractor (100) of claim 19, wherein the bushing (150) has a Clarke Factor of less than about 1.