Heat shielded mid-roller

Details Heat shielded mid-roller Heat shielded mid-roller

1999-01-27

2001-10-09

Stormer, Russell D. (Department: 3617)

Wheel substitutes for land vehicles

With track support intermediate of end wheels

With roller support contacting lower track run

C305S193000, C301S006910

Reexamination Certificate

active

06299264

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates generally to a supporting mid-roller for the undercarriage of an endless track laying work machine and more particularly to a mid-roller having a heat shield positioned between the guide blocks of an endless track and an inner shoulder of the mid-roller.
BACKGROUND ART
Present day endless track laying work machines utilize a propulsion system in which a continuous flexible rubber belt is frictionally driven as it is entrained about a pair of wheels. Problems encountered in actually reducing such an endless track laying work machine to practice include how to maintain adequate tension on such belt around the entrained wheels, and keeping the belt in lateral alignment with the wheels when the wheels are subject to large lateral loads. Other problems are maintaining the structural integrity and providing long life for the belt, supporting mid-rollers, drive wheels, and idler wheels.
A common problem with endless track laying work machines utilizing continuous flexible rubber belts is heat. Heat is generated when the rubber belts come into contact with other drive components, such as the supporting mid-rollers, the drive wheel and the idler wheel. This is most prevalent with the supporting mid-rollers because of the speed at which they rotate in contrast to the drive and idler wheels, due to the supporting mid-roller generally being smaller in diameter.
The present invention is directed to overcome one or more of the problems as set forth above.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect of the invention a mid-roller is provided comprising a shaft defining an axis, and a pair of ends being spaced along the axis. A pair of roller segments are rotatably attached near each of the ends of the shaft and a pair of heat shields are positioned juxtaposed the roller segments.
In another aspect of the invention, a work machine is provided having a pair of track roller assemblies, one each is positioned on each side of the work machine. The track roller assemblies include a pair of endless belts defining an inner surface, an outer surface, a pair of edges, and a plurality of guide blocks. The pair of endless belts are driven by a drive wheel and an idler wheel. The pair of endless belts are tensioned between the drive wheel and the idler wheel by a tensioning system. The work machine comprises a plurality of supporting mid-rollers that are attached with said track roller frame and rotatably contact the inner surface of the pair of endless belts. The plurality of supporting mid-rollers include a shaft defining an axis. The shaft has a pair of ends that are spaced along the axis. The plurality of supporting mid-rollers include a pair of hubs. One hub is rotatably connected to the ends of the shaft. The plurality of supporting mid-rollers have a pair of individual roller segments, one each, fixedly attached to each hub. A heat shield is interposed each roller segment and the plurality of guide blocks.


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Application # 09/196,044, filed Nov. 19, 1998 Midwheel Assembly for a Track-Type Tractor.
Application # 09/238,957, filed Jan. 27, 1999 Heat Shielded Mid-Roller.

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