Work vehicle and ring gear bearing arrangement therefor

Claim 1

A work vehicle, comprising: a draw bar frame having a plurality of recesses; a work element; a ring gear having first and second legs and being of a general "L" cross sectional configuration and fixedly connected to the work element; a plurality of shoes each having an end having at least one slot extending generally vertically along the end in the installed position with the shoe movably connected to the frame and the first ring gear leg positioned between the shoe and an overlaying frame portion; first means for selectively movably and fixedly connecting the shoe to the frame; second means for controllably moving the shoe toward and from the ring gear; a plurality of first bearing strips positioned between and in load bearing contact with the first leg of the ring gear and the overlaying frame portion, each of said first bearing strips having at least one portion of a construction sufficient for generally vertically insertion into a respective recess, generally vertical removal from said recess, and for maintaining said first bearing strip against generally horizontal movement relative to said frame in response to preselected forces subjected thereon by the ring gear, said first bearing strips being formed of organic plastic having fiberglass strands and being of a thickness sufficient for maintaining the ring gear spaced from the overlying frame; and a plurality of second bearing strips each being of a general "L" cross sectional configuration and positioned over an end portion of a respective shoe and between and in load carrying contact with said shoe and the first and second legs of the ring gear, each of said second bearing strips having at least one lug of a construction sufficient for insertion into a respective generally vertical shoe slot, removal from said slot, and for maintaining said second bearing strip against generally horizontal movement relative to said shoe in response to forces subjected thereon by the ring gear, said second bearing strip being formed of organic plastic having fiber glass strands and being of a size sufficient for maintaining the ring gear spaced from all portions of the shoe.