Patent Application
20050150699
The present invention relates to an idler guide apparatus in a crawler type traveling apparatus.
In a vehicle provided with a crawler type traveling apparatus such as a bulldozer, a hydraulic excavator and a crawler crane, a predetermined slack is provided in a crawler belt by generally setting a center distance between a drive side sprocket shaft and a driven side idler shaft. At an actual traveling time, for example, there is a case that sediment, rock or the like is pinched in an engagement portion between a sprocket and the crawler belt. At this time, a tensile force (hereinafter, refer to as a shoe tension) is generated all around the periphery of the crawler belt.
In order to protect the crawler type traveling apparatus from the generated shoe tension, the crawler type traveling apparatus is provided with an idler guide apparatus which supports an idler yoke rotatably bearing an idler so as to freely slide in a longitudinal direction of the crawler type traveling apparatus, and an idler cushion apparatus which absorbs an impulse force applied to the idler.
The idler cushion apparatus keeps the center distance between the idler shaft and the sprocket shaft in a state in which the shoe tension is equal to or less than a predetermined tension value, crushes the pinched sediment, rock or the like, and prevents an engagement displacement between the sprocket and the crawler belt (hereinafter, refer to as a crawler belt jump) and a crawler belt disengagement. Further, the configuration is made such that, when the shoe tension becomes a predetermined tension value or more, the apparatus retracts the idler to the sprocket side (hereinafter, refer to as recoil), and protects the crawler type traveling apparatus.
The idler cushion apparatus mentioned above is disclosed in a positioning apparatus of a grease fitting #manufactured by the applicant of the present invention (for example, refer to patent document 1), and conventionally has been in heavy usage with called as a spring box. An idler cushion apparatus 50 shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The idler cushion apparatus 50 is provided with an adjusting cylinder 52 comprising a piston rod 51 pressing into the yoke portion 81a. The idler 83 is rotatably borne by the support portion 81b.
The piston rod 51 is internally fitted to one side of the cylinder 52 having a flange 52a in one side thereof, and a grease guide 55 having a grease passage in an inner portion of the grease guide is firmly fixed to the other end of the cylinder 52. The grease guide 55 is integrally formed with the cylinder 52.
One end side of a recoil spring 53 is brought into contact with the flange 52a, and the other end side of the recoil spring 53 is brought into contact with a bottom 54a of a cylindrical spring case 54 which becomes a cover of the recoil spring 53. A flange 54b is provided in a portion in an opposite side to the bottom 54a of the spring case 54, and a cover 56 which becomes a lid of the spring case 54 is attached thereto.
The bottom 54a of the spring case 54 is slidably externally fitted to an outer periphery of the grease guide 55. A screw is provided in an end portion of the grease guide 55. It is possible to adjust a positional relationship between the spring case 54 and the grease guide 55 by engaging a nut 57 with the screw and fastening them. A grease fitting 58 is provided in an end surface of the grease guide 55.
A window 85 to which a grease gun is inserted is formed in the track frame 82. A faucet portion 54c is formed in a leading end of the bottom 54a, and the faucet portion 54c is fitted to a hole 60a of a support plate 60 firmly fitted perpendicularly to the track frame 82.
As the idler guide apparatus which slidably guides the yoke (corresponding to a yoke unit in the patent document 1 mentioned above), the yoke rotatably bearing the idler on the track frame, there is disclosed an idle wheel (which is also referred to as an idler, and is expressed as an idler in the following description) guide apparatus (refer to patent document 2). In
In
A pair of track frames 105 are arranged in parallel in right and left sides of a vehicle, and an upper surface slide plate 106 is arranged on an upper surface of each of the pair of track frames 105. Further, a side surface guide plate 107 is welded to an outer side surface of each of the track frames 105. Both outer side surfaces of the side surface guide plate 107 are formed in parallel with an extending direction of the track frame 105. A bracket 108 is fixed by welding to each of both the inner side surfaces of the pair of track frames 105.
A lower surface slide plate 109 is welded to a lower surface of the bracket 108. The lower surface slide plate 109 faces via a gap S2 to the second slide plate 96 on a hook portion 102 formed in the bearing 94.
The first slide plate 95 of the bearing 94 is mounted on the upper surface slide plate 106 of the track frame 105, and mounts the idler 91 on the track frame 105 via the bearing 94.
Guide brackets 98 having guide surfaces 99 respectively are fastened to outer side surfaces of both the right and left bearings 94 via shims 100 by bolts 101. The guide surface 99 of the guide bracket 98 and the side surface guide plate 107 of the track frame 105 are adjusted by the shim 100 such that a slight gap S1 exists therebetween.
A yoke (the bearing 94 in the case of
In the idler guide apparatus 90 described in the patent document 2, the idler 91 repeats a sliding motion together with the yoke (the bearing 94) during the vehicle's travel, and the first slide plate 95 of the bearing 94 and the upper surface slide plate 106 of the track frame 105 are worn away. At this time, the gap S2 between the second slide plate 96 of the bearing 94 and the lower surface slide plate 109 provided in the bracket 108 of the track frame 105 is enlarged.
Further, the downward force is not always applied to the idler 91, for example, when the crawler type traveling apparatus travels on a rough ground, there is generated a matter that the idler 91 is upthrown to the above by a concavity and convexity of the ground. In addition, when the vehicle moves backward, a tensile force is applied to the crawler belt traveling in an upper portion of the track frame 105, the crawler belt traveling in the upper portion is pulled by a backward rotation of the sprocket, and the idler is lifted to the upper side.
As a result, an upward force is applied to the idler 91 from a lower side in
In the crawler type traveling apparatus, in order to maintain a stability in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle with respect to a load applied to a working machine mounted on the vehicle, the idler and the sprocket are respectively operated as support points for maintaining the stability in the longitudinal direction. Accordingly, in general, as the idler guide apparatus, the abrasion of the guide member for regulating movement of the idler in a vertical direction is larger than the abrasion of the guide member for regulating movement of the idler in an axial direction of the idler shaft.
When the gap S2 between the second slide plate 96 of the bearing 94 and the lower slide plate 109 of the track frame 105 becomes larger due to the abrasion generated in the manner mentioned above, the bearing 94 and the track frame 105 come into collision with each other by moving along the gap S2.
Accordingly, a slapping sound is generated due to the collision between the bearing 94 and the track frame 105, and a traveling noise is increased. Further, there is generated a problem that a play is generated between the idle shaft 92 and the bearing 94, thereby triggering, for example, an oil leak of a lubricating oil injected between the idle shaft 92 and the bearing 94.
Any means for adjusting the gap in the idler guide apparatus is not provided in the crawler type traveling apparatus. Accordingly, the gap is kept in an increased state until the worn guide plate is replaced. As a result, the traveling noise of the crawler type traveling apparatus is loud.
An object of the present invention is to solve the conventional problems mentioned above, and to provide an idler guide apparatus which easily adjusts a gap between a guide surface provided in a lower surface of a track frame and a guide portion of a bearing in an idler yoke, that is, a gap S2 between a lower surface slide plate provided in a lower surface of a track frame and a guide plate of the idler yoke facing to the lower surface slide plate, achieves a low traveling noise, and prevents an oil leak of a lubricating oil in the idler guide apparatus.
The object of the present invention can be achieved by each of inventions described in first to fifth aspects of the present invention.
In other words, in accordance with a most main feature of the present invention, as described in a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an idler guide apparatus having a first guide surface and a second guide surface which are respectively provided in an upper surface and a lower surface of a track frame and form slide surfaces in a radial direction of an idler in a crawler type traveling apparatus, wherein an idler yoke rotatably bearing the idler is mounted on the first guide surface provided in the upper surface of the track frame, and an adjusting mechanism for adjusting a gap between the second guide surface provided in the lower surface of the track frame and a guide plate of the idler yoke facing to the second guide surface is formed in the idler yoke.
Further, in accordance with a main feature of the present invention, as described in a second aspect of the invention, the idler yoke is configured such as to have a taper-like block having a first inclined surface and an idler yoke slidably contacted by surface so as to lap over the first inclined surface, and an adjusting mechanism for sliding the taper-like block on the first guide surface and displacing the idler yoke in a perpendicular direction to the track frame is formed in the idler yoke.
Further, in accordance with a main feature of the present invention, as described in third to fifth aspects of the invention, actuating means for sliding the taper-like block on the first guide surface is provided in the adjusting mechanism.
In accordance with the present invention, even if the gap between the second guide surface provided in the lower surface of the track frame and the guide plate of the idler yoke facing to the second guide surface is increased due to the abrasion, it is possible to easily adjust the gap by the adjusting mechanism formed in the idler yoke. Moreover, since the adjusting mechanism is formed in the idler yoke, it is possible to easily adjust the gap even in a working field in which the vehicle provided with the crawler type traveling apparatus works.
The adjusting mechanism for adjusting the gap may be constituted by the mechanism for sliding the taper-like block having the first inclined surface on the first guide surface provided on the upper surface of the track frame and displacing the idler yoke in the perpendicular direction to the track frame by utilizing the first inclined surface, as described in the second aspect. It is possible to easily lift up the idler having a great mass by the simple adjusting mechanism utilizing a wedge effect achieved by the first inclined surface of the taper-like block, whereby it is possible to easily adjust the gap.
The adjusting mechanism for adjusting the gap is not limited to the adjusting mechanism as described in the second aspect, but can be configured such that a guide moving member which can move close to and apart from the second guide surface is arranged in the guide plate of the idler yoke. It is possible to adjust the gap between the guide member and the second guide surface, by adjusting an approaching amount at which the guide moving member is moved close to the guide plate.
In addition, the adjusting mechanism can employ the other configurations as far as the configuration can adjust the gap.
In the case of using the taper-like block as described in the second aspect, it is possible to employ actuating means for sliding the taper-like block on the first guide surface. The actuating means can employ a configuration provided with an adjusting bolt pressing the taper-like block and a spring pressing the taper-like block to the adjusting bolt side, and a configuration using a cylinder apparatus in place of the adjusting bolt.
The position adjustment of the taper-like block using the adjusting bolt can be executed by manually rotating the adjusting bolt, or rotating the adjusting bolt by utilizing a drive motor or the like. In the case that a control motor is used as the drive motor, the slide position of the taper-like block can be adjusted on the basis of a remote control, for example, a remote control from a control compartment.
In the case of the actuating means using the cylinder apparatus, it is possible to employ a grease cylinder or a hydraulic cylinder utilizing a discharge pressure from a hydraulic pump, as the cylinder apparatus. In the case of using the hydraulic cylinder, the slide position of the taper-like block can be adjusted on the basis of the remote control.
It is easy to slide the taper-like block and position the taper-like block by using the actuating means, and the gap can be adjusted in response to the slide position of the taper-like block moved by the actuating means.
According to the present invention, even if the gap in the guide portion of the idler guide apparatus is increased due to the abrasion of the first guide surface and the second guide surface, the increased gap can be easily corrected. Moreover, the correction of the gap in the guide portion of the idler guide apparatus can be easily executed in the working field in which the vehicle works.
Accordingly, it is possible to provide an idler guide apparatus which can easily adjust a gap, can prevent a play between an idler shaft and a bearing and can lower a traveling noise.
A description will be specifically given below of an idler guide apparatus according to a preferable embodiment of the present invention on the basis of the accompanying drawings by using an example that the idler guide apparatus is arranged in a crawler type traveling apparatus of a bulldozer. The idler guide apparatus of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below, but various configurations can be employed as far as it is possible to adjust a gap between a second guide surface 35 provided in a lower surface of a track frame and a guide plate of the idler yoke facing to the second guide surface 35.
An idler 13 is borne in a front end portion of a track frame 11 of the crawler type traveling apparatus 10 so as to be movable and rotatable in a longitudinal direction via an idler guide apparatus 20. The idler guide apparatus 20 is borne by an idler cushion apparatus 50, and has a buffering function with respect to an external force moving the idler 13 to a spool side and applied to the guide apparatus.
A sprocket 12 rotationally driven by a drive engine (not shown) is arranged in a rear end portion of the track frame 11 of the crawler type traveling apparatus 10. A crawler belt 17 is wound between the sprocket 12 and the idler 13. The crawler belt 17 traveling in a lower side of the track frame 11, that is, the crawler belt 17 traveling in a side contact with the ground surface in the crawler belt 17 wound between the sprocket 12 and the idler 13 is supported by a plurality of track rollers 15.
Further, the crawler belt 17 traveling in an upper side of the track frame 11, that is, the crawler belt 17 traveling in a side apart from the ground surface in the crawler belt 17 wound between the sprocket 12 and the idler 13 is supported by a carrier roller 16.
The idler guide apparatus 20 is attached to a front side of the idler cushion apparatus 50. The idler guide apparatus 20 is provided with a taper-like block 26 mounted on the track frame 11, and an idler yoke 30 mounted on the taper-like block 26. The idler yoke 30 and the taper-like block 26 can slide on the track frame 11 along a lateral direction in
As shown in
The piston rod 51 is internally fitted to one side of the cylinder 52 having a flange 52a in one side, and a grease guide 55 having a grease passage in an inner portion is firmly fixed to the other end of the cylinder 52. The grease guide 55 is integrally formed with the cylinder 52.
One end side of a recoil spring 53 is brought into contact with the flange 52a, and the other end side of recoil spring 53 is brought into contact with a bottom 54a of a cylindrical spring case 54 which becomes a cover of the recoil spring 53. A flange 54b is provided in a portion of the spring case 54 in an opposite side to the bottom 54a, and a cover 56 which becomes a lid of the spring case 54 is attached thereto.
The bottom 54a of the spring case 54 is slidably externally fitted to an outer periphery of the grease guide 55. A screw is provided in an end portion of the grease guide 55. It is possible to adjust a positional relationship between the spring case 54 and the grease guide 55 by engaging a nut 57 with the screw and so as to fasten. A grease fitting 58 is provided in an end surface of the grease guide 55.
A window 85 to which a grease gun is inserted is formed in the track frame 11. A faucet portion 54c is formed in a leading end of the bottom 54a, and the faucet portion 54c is fitted to a hole 60a of a support plate 60 firmly fitted perpendicularly to the track frame 11.
In order to strengthen a tension of the crawler belt 17, it is preferable to enlarge a center distance between a sprocket (not shown) and the idler 13. For this purpose, the grease gun inserted from the window 85 is fitted to the grease fitting 58, and the grease is injected to the cylinder 52 via the grease guide 55. Accordingly, the piston rod 51 protrudes and the idler 83 is extruded, whereby the center distance can be enlarged.
In order to weaken the tension of the crawler belt 17, it is preferable to move the idler 13 to the sprocket side. For this purpose, the center distance can be reduced by discharging the grease from the cylinder 52, contracting the piston rod 51, and pulling back the idler 13 to the sprocket side by the tensional force applied to the crawler belt 17.
An energizing force of the recoil spring 53 is always applied to the idler 13. Accordingly, when the idler 13 is exposed to a great impact force from an external portion and the idler 13 is displaced to the sprocket side, it is possible to absorb the impact force by the recoil spring 53.
In this case,
As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the idler guide apparatus 20 is provided with the taper-like block 26 mounted on the track frame 11, and the idler yoke 30 mounted on a first inclined surface 26a of the taper-like block 26. The idler yoke 30 and the taper-like block 26 can slide on the track frame 11 along a lateral direction in
In the case that the piston rod 51 is only configured such as to be brought into contact with the idler yoke 30, the idler yoke 30 and the taper-like block 26 slide in a left direction in
As shown in
The idler shaft 18 and each of the bearings 21 can be positioned in an idler axial direction, for example, by engaging a groove in a peripheral direction formed in the idler shaft 18 with a pair of bolts 22 inserted to the groove. Each of the bolts 22 is engaged with the bearing 21, and can be risen and set into the groove of the idler shaft 18.
Flange portions 21a and 21b and a hook portion 21c protruding toward an outer side are formed in each of the bearings 21. An inclined surface 24c inclined in a longitudinal direction of the crawler type traveling apparatus 10 is formed in lower surfaces of the flange portions 21a and 21b.
Rails 23 and 24 are fastened to the inclined surface 24c formed in the lower surfaces of the flange portions 21a and 21b via a bolt 25. Grooves 23a and 24a having a second inclined surface 30a inclined in the longitudinal direction of the crawler type traveling apparatus 10 are formed in the rails 23 and 24.
The taper-like block 26 forming the wedge-shaped first inclined surface 26a by the first inclined surface 26a and the bottom surface 26b is fitted to the grooves 23a and 24a of the rails 23 and 24, whereby the first inclined surface 26a can be slid along the second inclined surface 30a. The first inclined surface 26a and the second inclined surface 30a form parallel inclined surfaces.
A slide plate 28 is firmly fixed to the bottom surface 26b of the taper-like block 26, and the slide plate 28 is mounted on a slide plate 27 firmly fixed to the upper surface of the track frame 11.
A slide plate 31 is firmly fixed to an upper surface of the hook portion 21c, and the slide plate 31 is arranged so as to face to a slide plate 33 firmly fixed to a lower surface of a bracket 32 formed in an inner side of the track frame 11. A gap S2 is formed between the slide plate 31 and the slide plate 33.
The lower surface of the bracket 32 firmly fixing the slide plate 33 is also described by an expression the lower surface of the track frame 11, in the specification, claims and abstract of the present application, regarding the bracket 32 as a part of the constituting member of the track frame 11.
Accordingly, it is possible to bear the idler yoke 30 having the bearing 21 by the taper-like block 26, and to load the idler yoke 30 having the taper-like block 26 and the idler yoke 30 on the slide plate 27 firmly fixed to the upper surface of the track frame 11.
Further, it is possible to lift the idler yoke 30 upward with respect to the track frame 11 by sliding the taper-like block 26 on the slide plate 27. Accordingly, it is possible to adjust the gap S2 between the slide plate 31 in the side of the idler yoke and the slide plate 33 in the side of the track frame.
In this case, in accordance with the present invention, the guide surface of the slide plate 27 firmly fixed to the upper surface of the track frame 11 is called as a first guide surface 34, and the guide surface of the slide plate 33 firmly fixed to the lower surface of the bracket 32 formed in the track frame 11 is called as a second guide surface 35.
As shown in
When an external force in an axial direction of the idler shaft 18 is applied to the idler 13, the guide surface 36a of the guide bracket 36 is brought into contact with the guide plate 39, thereby preventing the idler 13 from moving in the idler axial direction.
Actuating means for adjusting the position of the taper-like block 26 is constituted by an adjusting bolt 41 for pressing the taper-like block 26 in a left direction in
The adjusting bolt 41 is engaged with a screw hole 23c pieced in a projection portion 23b of the rail 23, and a protruding amount of the adjusting bolt 41 from the projection portion 23b to the taper-like block 26 can be fixed by a lock nut 42.
The spring 43 is arranged between the bearing 21 and the taper-like block 26. It is possible to inhibit the taper-like block 26 from executing an unnecessary movement in a left direction in
Actuating means for sliding the taper-like block 26 on the slide plate 27 is configured by the adjusting bolt 41 and the spring 43.
When the slide plate 31 and the slide plate 33, and the slide plate 27 and the slide plate 28 are worn away from the state shown in
At this time, the taper-like block 26 is slid in the left direction in
Then, it is possible to adjust a gap S2′ between the slide plate 31 in the side of the idler yoke 30 and the slide plate 33 in the side of the track frame in a reduced state as shown in
At this time, the protruding amount of the piston rod 51 of the idler cushion apparatus 50 is not changed, and the pressing force to the idler yoke 30 by the idler cushion apparatus 50 comes to a fixed state.
The description is given of the configuration in which the adjusting bolt 41 is manually rotated, but, the adjusting bolt 41 may be rotated via a drive motor or the like. Further, it is possible to control a rotational amount of the adjusting bolt 41 by using a control motor which can control a rotational amount as the drive motor, and it is possible to adjust the gap S2 between the slide plate 31 in the side of the idler yoke and the slide plate 33 in the side of the track frame by means of a remote control.
The other configurations than the configuration using the grease cylinder 44 as the actuating means in the second embodiment are the same as the configurations in the first embodiment. Accordingly, in the description of the second embodiment, the description of the same configurations as those of the first embodiment will be omitted by using the same reference numerals of the same configurations as those of the first embodiment. A description will be given below mainly of the different configurations from the first embodiment.
In
The taper-like block 26 is inhibited from an unnecessary movement, that is, a play in the left direction in
The piston 45 can be expanded by loosening a valve screw 47 of the grease cylinder 44 and injecting a grease in a grease nipple 46. Further, the piston 45 can be contracted by taking out the grease from the grease nipple 46.
Using the grease cylinder 44 makes it possible to increase the pressing force sliding the taper-like block 26, whereby the slide of the taper-like block 26 can be smoothly executed. Further, a hydraulic cylinder can be employed in place of the grease cylinder 44. By remote controlling the hydraulic cylinder, it is possible to adjust the gap S2 between the slide plate 31 in the side of the idler yoke and the slide plate 33 in the side of the track frame by a remote control.
In accordance with the present invention, even in the working field of the vehicle provided with the crawler type traveling apparatus, it is possible to easily adjust the gap S2 between the slide plate 31 in the side of the idler yoke and the slide plate 33 in the side of the track frame. Accordingly, it is possible to easily prevent the play between the idler shaft and the bearing, and easily reduce the traveling noise in the working field.
Moreover, in order to adjust the gap mentioned above, it is not necessary to detach the idler so as to execute a welding repair of the wear part and a replacement of the wear part as is different from the conventional one. Accordingly, it is possible to easily execute the adjusting work for adjusting the gap even in the working field in which any equipment for detaching the idler having a great mass in the conventional configuration.
Accordingly, in the working field of the vehicle provided with the crawler type traveling apparatus, the gap can be adjusted all the time when it is necessary to adjust the gap.
In accordance with the present invention, the technique of the present invention can be applied to a guide apparatus in which a slide member arranged between a pair of guide surfaces is brought into slide contact with one guide surface, and a gap is provided with respect to the other guide surface, wherein it is necessary to adjust the gap mentioned above.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 10714905 | Nov 2003 | US |
| Child | 10988631 | Nov 2004 | US |
