Abstract:
A cam follower roller assembly has a shaft insertable into a roller. The shaft has a zerk in communication with the channel wherein lubricant can be added to the assembly. The design of the assembly in one embodiment is such that a larger shoulder to shaft radius stabilizes the shaft and limits the shaft from rocking or elongating within a mounting hole. When utilized in the application of a loading mechanism and carriage assembly for trash collection vehicles, one embodiment of the cam follower roller assembly provides greater life and easier serviceability.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application claims priority to provisional patent application 62/321,949 which was filed on Apr. 13, 2016, and is hereby expressly incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a cam follower roller assembly namely for attachments for a refuse collection vehicle. Cam followers are roller bearings that are designed to follow tracks or cams in a wide range of linear motion systems. These systems include certain moving parts associated with lifting mechanisms and carriage systems associated with the collection of refuse from a refuse collection bin into a collection compartment of the refuse collection vehicle. 
         [0003]    The current art of the cam follower roller assembly utilized in the application of loading mechanisms, carriage assemblies and other moving mechanisms for refuse collection vehicles requires disassembly of most if not all of the loading mechanism, carriage assembly or other associated parts in order to service the cam follower roller assembly. This requires greater time and resources for maintenance events, and leads to increased time out of the field for the vehicles associated with the current state of the art. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The cam follower roller assembly has two different embodiments that can be utilized for different applications associated with refuse collection vehicles, as well as non-refuse collection vehicles. A first embodiment has a shoulder on the shaft, while a second embodiment does not have a shoulder on the shaft but instead has a hardened steel bushing insert within the roller. The roller of either embodiment is also greasable after assembly via a grease zerk that flows grease through the body of the shaft and to the roller. Additionally, the shoulder of the shaft in the first embodiment is increased in diameter compared to the state of the art. The increased diameter increases the bearing/clamping surface and also permits a larger shoulder to shaft radius that stabilizes the shaft from rocking or elongating within a mounting hole. 
         [0005]    When mounted on certain structures associated with lifting mechanisms and carriage systems of refuse collection vehicles, the cam follower roller assembly can be removed and serviced without having to take apart the entire lifting mechanism or carriage system. The cam follower roller assembly described in this application increases the overall load capacity of the cam follower roller, is more robust in that it is not susceptible to over torqueing when the cam follower roller is installed, and is more forgiving for service replacement where worn assemblies are commonplace. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a cam follower roller assembly; 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the first embodiment of the cam follower roller assembly; 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of certain parts of a cam follower roller assembly; 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the second embodiment of certain parts of the cam follower roller assembly; 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the second embodiment of the cam follower roller assembly on a loading mechanism in a partial exploded view; 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is a detail of Section B of  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the second embodiment of the cam follower roller assembly on a loading mechanism; 
           [0013]      FIG. 8  is a detail of Section A of  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 9  is a detail of Section A of  FIG. 7  from a different perspective; 
           [0015]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the first embodiment attached to a frame of a structure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0016]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-2 , a first embodiment of a cam follower roller assembly  20  is shown. The first embodiment has a shoulder  22  on a shaft  24  that can be selectively inserted into a cavity  33  of a roller  26 . The shaft  24  has a first end  25  and a second end  27 . The shoulder  22  is positioned between the first end  25  and the second end  27 . Preferably, the shaft  24  has a first section  34  and a second section  36 . The first section  34  has a threaded portion  42  at the first end  25 . The first section  34  preferably has a diameter that is less than a diameter of the second section  36 . 
         [0017]    Again referring to  FIGS. 1-2 , the roller  26  has an edge  38  on an inside surface  39  of the roller  26 . The shoulder  22  has a bottom  40  and a top  41 . When the shaft  24  is inserted into the roller  26 , the bottom  40  of shoulder  22  makes contact with the edge  38  of the roller  26 . The second section  36  of the shaft  24  floats within the roller  26 . 
         [0018]    As best seen in  FIG. 2 , the shaft  24  has a channel  30  that branches out into secondary channels  32 . A zerk  28  is attachable to shaft  24  such that zerk  28  is in communication with the channel  30 . During operation of the assembly  20 , lubricant can be added to zerk  28 . Lubricant then travels through channel  30  and then to secondary channels  32 . Accordingly, lubricant can reach the roller  26  where the roller makes contact with the shaft  24  and shoulder  22 . 
         [0019]    A fastener  43  can be positioned on the threaded portion  42  such that the shaft  24  can be positioned in a variety of positions depending on the application of the cam follower roller system  20 . As shown in  FIG. 10 , the cam follower roller assembly  20  is shown in an exploded view wherein the cam follower roller assembly  20  is attached to a structure  90 . The shaft  24  is inserted through an opening in the structure. A flat washer  92 , a split lock washer  93  and the fastener  43  secure the assembly  20  to the structure  90 . A flat washer  91  is positioned between the structure  90  and the shoulder  22  and then the roller  26  is positioned. 
         [0020]    Now in  FIGS. 3-4 , certain parts of a second embodiment of a cam follower roller assembly  120  are shown. This second embodiment is similar to the first embodiment, however, the shaft  124  does not include a shoulder. The shaft  124  can still be selectively inserted into a cavity  123  of a roller  126 . 
         [0021]    The shaft  124  has a first end  125  and a second end  127 . A mounting member  150  is at the first end  125 . Again referring to  FIGS. 3-4 , the roller  126  is adjacent a bushing insert  152 . When the shaft  124  is inserted into the roller  126 , the shaft slides through the cavity  123 . 
         [0022]    As best seen in  FIG. 4 , the shaft  126  has a channel  130  that branches out into secondary channels  132 . A zerk  128  is attachable to shaft  126  such that zerk  128  is in communication with the channel  130 . During operation of the assembly  120 , lubricant can be added to zerk  128 . Lubricant then travels through channel  130  and then to secondary channels  132 . Accordingly, lubricant can reach the roller  126  where the bushing insert  152  makes contact with the shaft  124 . 
         [0023]    The mounting member  150  comprises a pin flange  154  that has openings  156 . When being fastened to an existing device, a fastener  143  such as a bolt can be positioned through each opening  156  and secured to a structure such as a pin plate utilizing nut  192 . The parts listed above are preferably made of metal. 
         [0024]    Now referring to  FIGS. 5-9 , a cam follower roller system  220  is detailed which utilizes the second embodiment shown in  FIGS. 3-4  in the application of a lifting mechanism or carriage  225  of a trash collection vehicle (not shown). For this particular application, additional parts are utilized such that the cam follow roller system can easily be mounted and removed from the carriage  225  without the need to disassemble any other part of the carriage  225 .  FIGS. 5-6 and 9  show the parts of cam follower roller system  220  in a partially exploded position, while  FIGS. 7-8  show then in a non-exploded view. 
         [0025]    For the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 5-8 , the cam follower roller system  220  comprises a shaft  124 , a pin plate  160 , a support boss  162 , and a roller  126 . As seen best in  FIGS. 6 and 8 , the shaft  124  is inserted through an opening  163  in the pin plate  160 , then through opening  165  in the support boss  162 , and the finally through the cavity  123  of the roller  126 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , a rail  170  makes contact with the roller  126 . Additionally, a thrust washer  191  can be placed between the roller  126  and a frame  197  of the carriage  225 . 
         [0026]    Fasteners  143  are placed through the openings  156  of the pin flange  154  of the mounting member  150  and are fastened to secondary openings  161  of the pin plate  160  via bolts and nuts  192 . The system  220  also preferably includes the zerk  128 , channels  130  and secondary channels  132  such that the roller  126  and bushing insert  152  can be lubricated. 
         [0027]    In operation of the specific application shown in  FIGS. 7-9 , as the grabbing member  180  is lifted vertically up the rails  170 , the roller  126  and bushing  152  rotate while the shaft  124  does not as it is fixed. The rail  170  is positioned such that it prevents the roller  126  from falling off the end of the shaft  124 . 
         [0028]    It is to be understood that the embodiments described above can be utilized for a variety of applications in which it would be beneficial to have cam follower roller assemblies that can be detached from other structures and mechanisms without having to take apart those other structures and mechanisms. As for the specific application involving a carriage of a refuse collection vehicle shown in  FIGS. 5-9 , the additional parts described are utilized in the preferred embodiment for that particular application. 
         [0029]    Having thus described the invention in connection with the preferred embodiments thereof, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that various revisions can be made to the preferred embodiments described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is my intention, however, that all such revisions and modifications that are evident to those skilled in the art will be included with in the scope of the following claims.