Master Link Joint Angled Abutment Surfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing master link joints in track machine chains are prone to durability issues, including fastener breakage and thread stripping, leading to machine inoperability and the need for frequent replacements.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a master link joint with angled mating abutment surfaces (45° to 53°) and thickened eyebrow areas, along with optimized ramp geometries and offset distances to distribute load effectively and reduce stress on fasteners, enhancing durability and assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional master link joint design is used, then assembly and disassembly is enabled, but durability and reliability deteriorate due to fastener breakage and thread stripping
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the threaded fasteners and shoe assembly from the master link joint design. Instead, it uses a pin connecting first half-links and a bushing connecting second half-links, eliminating the components prone to thread stripping and fastener breakage while maintaining the assembly/disassembly functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces curved ramp surfaces on the mating abutment surfaces of the half-links. These ramps with specific angles (45° to 53°) distribute loads more effectively across the joint, reducing stress concentrations that would otherwise lead to fastener failure and thread stripping.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional master link design is used, then chain assembly is achieved, but stress concentration occurs on fasteners leading to breakage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates threaded fasteners from the design, replacing them with a pin-bushing system. This removal of stress-prone components directly addresses the fastener breakage issue while maintaining straightforward assembly capabilities through the same coupling mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the mating surfaces by introducing ramps at specific angles (45° to 53°). This parameter change redistributes the stress patterns across the joint, preventing the stress concentration that causes fastener breakage in conventional designs.
3Stability of the object's composition
If traditional master link joint is used, then chain connectivity is maintained, but thread stripping occurs requiring complete master joint replacement
Solution Approach 1:
By removing the threaded fasteners and shoe assembly that are prone to thread stripping, the patent eliminates the failure mode that requires complete master joint replacement. The pin-bushing system provides equivalent connectivity without the vulnerable threaded connections.
4Ease of operation
If conventional master link design is used, then assembly functionality is achieved, but load distribution is poor causing premature failure
Solution Approach 1:
The curved ramp surfaces with angles of 45° to 53° create an optimized load distribution path. As the links engage, the ramps guide the force through a broader contact area, distributing the load more evenly across the half-links and preventing the concentrated stress that leads to premature failure in conventional flat-surface designs.
Data Source
AI summary
A master link joint for a drive chain is disclosed. The disclosed master link joint includes two master links. Each master link includes a first half link and a second half link that engage each other along mating abutment surfaces. The two master links are disposed on opposite sides of the chain. The first half links are coupled by a pin that traverses the chain and the second half links are coupled by a bushing that traverses the chain. The mating abutment surfaces include a first ramp that meets a second offset ramp at a junction or root. An angle θ defined by the second ramps of the mating abutment surfaces and a line parallel to the rail or bottom pad of the half links ranges from about 45 to about 53°.