US3554101A

US3554101A - Support bearing for compactor cleaner bar frame

Info

Publication number: US3554101A
Application number: US760798A
Authority: US
Inventors: Gerald E Grant; Victor Randour
Original assignee: Caterpillar Tractor Co
Current assignee: Caterpillar Inc
Priority date: 1968-09-19
Filing date: 1968-09-19
Publication date: 1971-01-12
Anticipated expiration: 1988-01-12
Also published as: DE1947317B2; DE1947317A1; DE1947317C3; JPS49482Y1

Abstract

A bearing and seal arrangement for supporting the framework which surrounds a compactor wheel and supports cleaner bars which project into the spaces between rows of compactor tamping pads. The seal is supported in radial alignment with the bearing and the bearing is of generally spherical construction to permit flexing of the framework without breaking the seal.

Description

3,257,918 6/1966 Garis United States Patent Gerald E. Grant Oswego;

Victor Randour, Aurora, Ill. 760,798

Sept. 19, 1968 Jan. 12, 1971 Caterpillar Tractor Co. Peoria, 111.

a corporation of California inventors Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee SUPPORT BEARING FOR COMPACTOR CLEANER BAR FRAME 2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 94/50 Int. Cl .t E01c 19/24 Field of Search 94/50, 50V,

SOPR References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,395,626 8/ 1968 Garis 94/50 2,334,086 11/ 1943 Greiner 94/50X 2,579,839 12/1951 Le'l'oumeau... 94/50 2,868,094 1 l 959 Andersson 94/48 3,105,424 10/1963 Dion 94/50 3,108,519 10/1963 Domenighetti. 94/50, 3,283,678 11/1966 Domenighetti. 94/50 3,427,940 2/1969 MacDonald 94/50 3,437,383 4/1969 Randour.. 94/50 3,439,594 4/1969 Cowley 94/50 Primary Examiner-Nile C. Byers, Jr. Attorney-Fryer, Tjensvold, Feix, Phillips & Lempio ABSTRACT: Abean'ng and seal arrangement for supporting the framework which surrounds a compactor wheel and supports cleaner bars which project into the spaces between rows of compactor tamping pads. The seal is supported in radial alignment with the bearing and the bearing is of generally spherical construction to permit flexing of the framework without breaking the seal.

PATENTE U JANiI 21971 3554.101 SHEET 1 BF 2 |7 34 22 INVENTORS GERALD E. GRANT VICTOR RANDOUR AT TORN EYS PATENTEU Jmnzmn 3554.101

' sum 2 or 2 INVENTORS GERALD E. GRANT VICTOR RAN DOUR BY 95 w w, F 1 i-1 I ATTORNEYS SUPPORT BEARING FOR COMPACTOR CLEANER BAR Compactor wheels are provided with spaced rows of compactor feet or pads which serve to compact the earth as the machine passes over it. In clay or other types of earth, particularly when damp, material collects between the rows of teeth reducing the efficiency of compaction. It has been common practice to providecleaner barsprojecting between the rows of teeth to remove material which tendsto collect. These cleaner bars are supported on-a frame which surrounds the wheel. The inner side of the frame is connected to the hollow spindle which supports the wheel, and at the outer side of the frame it is supported by the wheel through a bearing and seal assembly to which the present invention pertains. This bearing andseal assembly has beensubject to failure because of the heavy duty imposed when rock or hard material becomes wedged between the tamping pads. The stress imposed upon the frame imparts a twisting action which causes separation of the seal parts, loss of lubricant and failure of the bearing.

The structure of the present inventionwhich corrects these faults will best be understood from the following Specification, wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawings.

ln the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view in elevation of the compactor wheel and cleaner bar support frame taken from the outboard side.

' as seen in FIG. 2 is mounted on a conventional spindle 12.

A brake assembly of conventionalconstruction is generally indicated at 13. At 14 a gear reduction assembly is illustrated which transmits torque between a driving axle 15 and the wheel. The frame for supporting thecleaner bars has an inner beam 16 and an outer beam 17 connected by

end beams

18 and 19. The

end beams

18 and 19 support cleaner bars 20, there being one between each two rows of teeth at the forward end and rearward end of the compactor. This arrangement of cleaner bars is desirable because compactors are very often operated alternately in forward and reverse directions instead of turning as they reach the end of an area being compacted.

The present invention is particularly concerned with the support of the outer compactor frame member 17. The support extends outwardly from a plate 22 as shown on FIGS. 2 and 3 where it is greatly enlarged, which is secured as by a circle of bolts 23 to the outer face of the c'ompactor wheel. This secured to the collar by bolts 27. The shaft 24 supports the inner race of a sphericalbearing $0,which is retained by a plate 28 and bolts 29. The outer races 31 of this bearing are received in an annular cavity at the inner end of a hollow shaft 32 which extends outwardly into and supports a quill shaft 33. The latter is clamped to the upper side of the outer frame 17 by a fitting 34 (see also FIG, 1 Thebearing is of the so-called spherical type which enables some flexing movement when the outer frame member 17 is subjected to heavy shock and stress. Such movement has given rise to seal failure on seals conventionally disposed axially outwardly of the bearing. In accordance with the present invention the seal provided by a pair of metal-to-metal seal rings 35 is sufficiently larger than the bearing to be supported in radial alignment therewith and thus is substantially immune from destructive forces and/or mismatch of the metal seal faces that would allow leakage resulting from the flexing movement referred to. The seal elements 35 are of a well-known construction and are supported on rubberlike tori as shown at 36 which are confined by outer seating ramps, one provided in the collar 25 and the other in an adapter ring 38 held in place by a circle of cap screws 40. Adapter ring 38 contains a plug 41 for filling the unit with lubricant.

We claim:

1. In a tractor compactor wheel having a frame for supporting cleaner bars which extend between tamping pads on the periphery of the wheel; the frame having an outboard beam and a bearing connecting said beam with the central outboard part of the wheel, said bearing having inner and outer races, means supporting the inner race with respect to the wheel, and means supporting the outer race with respect to the outboard beam, the improvement which comprises an annular seal structure of greater diameter than the bearing for preventing loss of bearing lubricant, and means supporting said annular seal structure concentric to and in radial alignment with the bearing, said armular seal structure comprising a pair of seal rings and a pair of rubberlike tori, each of said tori being positioned between one of said seal ring pairs and said support means and being in sealing contact with both said one of said seal ring pairs and said support means thereby serving to support said seal rings as well as sealing against said seal rings and support means.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which the bearing is of the spherical type which allows flexing between the frame and the wheel, and wherein said means supporting the inner race comprise a shaft supporting said inner race and said means supporting said outer race comprise a hollow shaft having an an- 50 nular cavity therein'receiving said outer race.

Claims

1. In a tractor compactor wheel having a frame for supporting cleaner bars which extend between tamping pads on the periphery of the wheel, the frame having an outboard beam and a bearing connecting said beam with the central outboard part of the wheel, said bearing having inner and outer races, means supporting the inner race with respect to the wheel, and means supporting the outer race with respect to the outboard beam, the improvement which comprises an annular seal structure of greater diameter than the bearing for preventing loss of bearing lubricant, and means supporting said annular seal structure concentric to and in radial alignment with the bearing, said annular seal structure comprising a pair of seal rings and a pair of rubberlike tori, each of said tori being positioned between one of said seal ring pairs and said support means and being in sealing contact with both said one of said seal ring pairs and said support means thereby serving to support said seal rings as well as sealing against said seal rings and support means.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which the bearing is of the spherical type which allows flexing between the frame and the wheel, and wherein said means supporting the inner race comprise a shaft supporting said inner race and said means supporting said outer race comprise a hollow shaft having an annular cavity therein receiving said outer race.