Granted Patent B2

US 12,366,234 · App. 17/736,247 · Granted Jul 22, 2025

Inventors: Romas J. Povilonis (Naperville, IL); David A. Mork (Yorkville, IL)

Assignee: CATERPILLAR INC.

F04B23/04F04B17/05F04B53/22

Abstract

Claims (28)

1. A pump stack for a machine, comprising:

a first pump mounted at a front end to a gearbox of the machine, the first pump including a first pump shaft;

a second pump mounted to a rear end of the first pump, the second pump including a housing, a flange protruding from the housing, and a second pump shaft configured to engage with the first pump shaft, the flange comprising:

a longitudinal axis extending along a length of the flange;

a transverse axis extending along a width of the flange;

a first pair of mounting holes configured to connect an auxiliary pump to the housing, wherein

the first pair of mounting holes are located at a first radial distance relative to the second pump shaft, and

the first pair of mounting holes are positioned on a first axis inclined at a first acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the flange; and

a second pair of mounting holes configured to connect a bracket to the housing, the second pair of mounting holes being located at a second radial distance relative to the second pump shaft, the second radial distance being greater than the first radial distance,

wherein the bracket extends across a gap between the flange and one of the gearbox or a chassis of the machine, and the bracket further includes:

a first end that is attached to the flange, and

a second end that is attached to one of the gearbox or the chassis of the machine.

2. The pump stack of claim 1 , wherein the second pair of mounting holes are positioned on respective axes inclined at a second acute angle relative to each other.

3. The pump stack of claim 2 , wherein the respective axes are each inclined at respective third acute angles relative to the longitudinal axis of the flange.

4. The pump stack of claim 1 , wherein the second pair of mounting holes are positioned on one side of the first axis.

5. The pump stack of claim 1 , wherein the first pair of mounting holes are positioned on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis.

6. The pump stack of claim 1 , wherein at least one mounting hole of the first pair of mounting holes and the second pair of mounting holes is threaded.

7. The pump stack of claim 1 , wherein the second pump shaft includes a splined recess configured to receive a shaft of the auxiliary pump.

8. The pump stack of claim 1 , wherein the bracket is attached to the housing of the second pump via the second pair of mounting holes, the bracket also being attached to one of the gearbox or a chassis of the machine.

9. The pump stack of claim 1 , wherein the bracket includes an elongated structural member extending from the first end to the second end.

10. The pump stack of claim 1 , wherein

the first end of the bracket is attached to at least one mounting hole of the second pair of mounting holes of the flange via a fastener, and

the second end of the bracket is attached to the gearbox or the chassis via another fastener.

11. The pump stack of claim 10 , wherein the first end of the bracket is attached to the second pair of mounting holes of the flange via a pair of fasteners.

12. The pump stack of claim 10 , wherein the second end of the bracket is attached to the gearbox or the chassis via a pair of fasteners.

13. The pump stack of claim 1 , wherein the flange includes a first flange surface connected to the housing of the second pump and a second flange surface disposed opposite to and separated from the first flange surface by a thickness of the flange.

14. The pump stack of claim 1 , wherein the flange is integral with the housing of the second pump.

15. The pump stack of claim 1 , wherein the flange is removably attachable to the housing of the second pump.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (26)