Patent ID: 11898320
Assignee: CATERPILLAR INC.
Field: Civil engineering (Other fields)
Classification: CPC E | IPC E

Claim 0:
1. A grading machine, comprising
a machine body;
a grading blade supported by a circle;
a drawbar connecting the grading blade and the circle to the machine body; and
a circle drive system including a circle drive motor with a motor shaft, a gear box, a gear coupling, and a braking mechanism,
wherein the gear box is configured to engage with and rotate the circle relative to the drawbar around a circle axis,
wherein the gear coupling includes a worm and a worm gear,
wherein the braking mechanism and the motor shaft are positioned between a housing of the circle drive motor and the worm,
wherein the braking mechanism is configured to lock the housing of the circle drive motor and the motor shaft together when the braking mechanism is engaged,
wherein one or more portions of the circle drive motor or the motor shaft include one or more grooves or notches,
wherein the braking mechanism includes one or more locking elements that are configured to engage with the one or more grooves or notches to secure one or more of the circle drive motor or the motor shaft in a locked configuration, and
wherein the one or more locking elements include one or more of ratcheted fingers, springs, or teeth.