AU2013359958B2

AU2013359958B2 - An improved bucket assembly

Info

Publication number: AU2013359958B2
Application number: AU2013359958A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Mark John Broderick
Original assignee: BRODERICK JENNIFER JEAN
Current assignee: Broderick Jennifer Jean
Priority date: 2012-12-13
Filing date: 2013-12-13
Publication date: 2018-03-22
Anticipated expiration: 2033-12-13
Also published as: WO2014089635A1; AU2013359958A1

Abstract

A bucket assembly (13) includes a prime mover mounting portion (21) which includes a transverse attachment member (23), opposite ends of which are fastened to support arms (25). At their lower ends the support arms are connected to the bucket rear wall (9) by pivots (39). At their upper ends the arms (25) are coupled to the fixed pivots (29) of respective bell cranks (31). The bell cranks (31) have input moving pivots (33) which are respectively coupled to the rods (34) of hydraulic tilt rams (37). The bases of the cylinders of the hydraulic rams are coupled to their respective support arms (25) by pivots (39). The output moving pivots (35) of the bell cranks are coupled to rear wall shafts (41) which in turn are connected by pivots (43) to the upper border of the rear wall (9) of the bucket.

Description

The present invention is directed to an improved hydraulically operated bucket assembly for earth moving vehicles and to an interface for coupling an implement such as a bucket to a vehicle.

BACKGROUND [02] Figures 1 and 2 depict the front and rear of a 4-in-1 bucket 1 as is known in the prior art and typically connected to the front of an earth moving vehicle such as a tractor, bulldozer or other prime mover. Such buckets generally consist of two main portions, a forward bucket floor portion 3 which has opposing sidewalls 5 that are respectively connected by pivots 7 to a rear wall portion 9. The rear wall portion 9 is in turn mounted to the prime mover.

[03] The bucket 1 is provided at either side with hydraulically operated actuators 11 in order that the bucket floor 3 may be pivoted away from the rear wall 9 from the closed configuration, illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 to an open configuration as shown in Figure 4.

[04] Buckets of the type that have been described may be used for a number of operations in addition to the standard operation when the bucket portion is closed. For example, with the floor opened away from the rearward portion the bucket can be lowered to the ground so that material between the bulldozer floor and the rear wall can be picked up by closing the floor.

[05] It would be advantageous if an improved bucket assembly were provided that allows for improved flexibility of operation when mounted to three-point linkage. Three-point linkages are available on prime movers such as tractors and other vehicles which are not dedicated earthmoving machines.

2013359958 05 Feb 2018 [06] Any references to methods, apparatus or documents of the prior art are not to be taken as constituting any evidence or admission that they formed, or form part of the common general knowledge.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [07] According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a bucket assembly for attachment to a prime mover having a three-point linkage, the bucket assembly including:

a prime mover mounting portion adapted for attachment to a three-point linkage;

a rear wall portion having an upper border pivotally coupled to the mounting portion;

a bucket floor portion pivotally coupled to the rear wall portion; and actuators arranged to selectively pivot the rear wail portion relative to the prime mover mounting portion and the bucket floor portion relative to the rear wail portion.

[08] Preferably the prime mover mounting portion comprises a transverse member supported at either end by support arms. Suitably, the support arms extend upwardly, in use.

[09] Preferably ends of the support arms distal from the transverse member are pivotally coupled to the rear wail portion.

[10] In a preferred embodiment of the invention at least one of the actuators is coupled to an assembly for pivoting the rear wall relative to the mounting portion wherein said assembly includes at least one bell crank.

[11] Preferably the bell crank includes a fixed pivot fastened to an end of the support arm opposite a pivotal connection of the support arm to the rear wall portion.

[12] According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a prime mover having a three-point linkage in combination with a bucket assembly including:

a prime mover mounting portion; adapted for attachment to a three-point linkage;

2013359958 05 Feb 2018 a bucket floor portion pivotally coupled to the rear wall portion; and actuators arranged to selectively pivot the rear wall portion relative to the prime mover mounting portion and the bucket floor portion relative to the rear wall portion;

wherein the prime mover is coupled to the prime mover mounting portion.

[13] According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a mechanical interface for coupling an implement, for example and without limitation a bucket or a self-loading fertilizer spreader to a three-point linkage of a prime mover, said interface including:

a prime mover mounting portion adapted for attachment to a three-point linkage;

a rearward portion of the implement having a border pivotally coupled to said mounting portion; and at least one actuator arranged to selectively pivot the rearward portion relative to the prime mover mounting portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [14] Preferred features, embodiments and variations of the invention may be discerned from the following Detailed Description which provides sufficient information for those skilled in the art to perform the invention. The Detailed Description is not to be regarded as limiting the scope of the preceding Summary of the Invention in any way. The Detailed Description will make reference to a number of drawings as follows:

[15] Figures 1 and 2 depict a prior art 4-in-1 bucket.

[16] Figures 3 and 4 are stylized side views of a prior art 4-in-1 bucket in closed and open configurations respectively.

[17] Figure 5 is a view of the rear of a bucket according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention in a first configuration of operation and coupled to a prime mover.

2013359958 05 Feb 2018 [18] Figure 6 is a further view of the bucket in a second configuration wherein the rear wall of the bucket has been tilted out and down from the mounting portion and wherein the bottom of the bucket has been opened.

[19] Figures 7 to 9 are somewhat stylized side views of the bucket in various modes of operation.

[20] Figure 10 shows the bucket in operation and coupled to a prime mover.

[21] Figure 11 shows an implement that may be used with embodiments of the invention.

[22] Figure 12 and 13 show a further use of an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [23] Referring now to Figures 5 and 6, there is depicted a bucket assembly 13 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention in use and mounted to a prime mover 45 by means of a three point linkage comprising three support members 15, 17 and 19.

[24] As indicated in Figure 6, the bucket assembly 13 includes a prime mover mounting portion 21 which includes a transverse attachment member 23 to opposite ends of which are fastened support arms 25. At their lower ends the support arms are connected to the bucket rear wall by pivots 39 (visible in Figure 5). At their upper ends the arms 25 are coupled to the fixed pivots 29 of respective bell cranks 31. The bell cranks 31 have input moving pivots 33 which are respectively coupled to the rods 34 (visible in Figure 5) of hydraulic tilt rams 37. The bases of the cylinders of the hydraulic rams are coupled to their respective support arms 25 by pivots 39 (visible in Figure 5). The output moving pivots 35 of the bell cranks are coupled to rear wall shafts 41 which in turn are connected by pivots 43 to the upper border of the rear wall 9 of the bucket assembly 13.

2013359958 05 Feb 2018 [25] Consequently, by extending the hydraulic ram rods 34, the beil cranks 31 rotate about their fixed pivots 29 so that the rear wall shafts 41 force the upper edge of the rear wall 9 outward thereby causing it to swing about the pivotal connection 39 between its lower border and the support arms 25.

[26] This action causes the rear wall 9 of the bucket to swing from the relatively upright position shown in Figure 5 to the tilted position shown in Figure 6. It should be noted that in Figure 6 the hydraulic rams 11 for operating the bottom of the bucket have been operated to withdraw their rods so that the bottom of the bucket 3 has been swung about pivots 7 away from the rear wall 9 of the bucket thereby bringing the bucket to the open configuration that is depicted.

[27] The hydraulic rams 11 and 37 are coupled to hydraulic circuit 14 by means of hoses. The hydraulic circuit is conventional and includes controls for an operator to selectively operate either or both the actuators 37 and 11 as desired.

[28] Referring now to Figures 7 to 9, a simplified view of a side of the bucket is shown in use. In Figure 7 the rods 34 of the hydraulic rams 37 are withdrawn into the actuator cylinders so that the rear 9 of the bucket is pivoted to a closed position relative to the mounting portion support arm 25. In Figure 8 the rods 34 have been extended from the cylinders thereby, via bell crank 31 and shaft 41, forcing the rear wall 9 of the bucket to swing clockwise about the pivot and tilt downwards as shown. In this configuration the leading edge of the bucket bottom tilts downward so that the bucket may be used to dig into earth 10.

[29] Figure 9 shows a further configuration in which the bucket bottom has been swung open from the rear of the bucket by operation of the actuators 11 (not shown in Figure 7 and 8).

2013359958 05 Feb 2018 [30] Figure 10 shows the bucket 13 in use coupled to the prime mover 45 via the three way linkage of members 15,17 and 19.

[31] Embodiments of the present invention are advantageous because they provide a compact bucket assembly that allows for the bucket bottom to be tilted downward so that it can be used for digging directly into the ground beneath the prime mover.

[32] It will be realized that, embodiments of the invention assist where it is required to fit a 4in1 bucket to a 3 point linkage or similar but where insufficient pivoting of the bucket is provided by the prime mover or attaching linkages.

[33] While the invention has been described with reference to buckets it could be used for implements other than a 4in1 bucket. For example a self loading fertilizer spreader 60 is shown in Figure 11. As shown in Figures 12 and 13, a coupling arrangement according to an embodiment of the present invention may be used for rotating the spreader 60 from the position shown in Figure 12 to that of Figure 13.

[34] With reference to Figure 12, there is depicted a mechanical interface for coupling an implement, for example and without limitation a bucket or a self-loading fertilizer spreader 60 to a 3 point linkage 62 of a prime mover. The assembly includes a prime mover mounting portion 64. A rearward portion 66 of the implement 60 is coupled by means of pivot 68 to the prime mover mounting portion 64. An at least one actuator 70 is arranged to selectively pivot the rearward portion relative to the prime mover mounting portion by means of a hydraulic circuit such as circuit 14 of Figure 5.

[35] In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific to structural or methodical features. The term “comprises” and its variations, such as “comprising” and “comprised of is used throughout in an inclusive sense and not to the exclusion of any additional features.

2013359958 05 Feb 2018 [36] It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to specific features shown or described since the means herein described comprises preferred forms of putting the invention into effect. The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the proper scope of the appended aims appropriately interpreted by those skilled in the art.

[37] Throughout the specification and claims (if present), unless the context requires otherwise, the term substantially or about will be understood to not be limited to the value for the range qualified by the terms.

[38] Any embodiment of the invention is meant to be illustrative only and is not meant to be limiting to the invention. Therefore, it should be appreciated that various other changes and modifications can be made to any embodiment described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

2013359958 05 Feb 2018

Claims

1. A bucket assembly for attachment to a prime mover having a three-point linkage, the bucket assembly including:

a prime mover mounting portion adapted for attachment to a three-point linkage;

a bucket floor portion pivotally coupled to the rear wall portion; and actuators arranged to selectively pivot the rear wall portion relative to the prime mover mounting portion and the bucket floor portion relative to the rear wall portion.

2. A bucket assembly according to claim 1, wherein the prime mover mounting portion comprises a transverse member supported at either end by support arms.

3. A bucket assembly according to claim 2, wherein ends of the support arms distal from the transverse member are pivotally coupled to the rear wall portion.

4. A bucket assembly according to either claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the support arms, in use, extend upwardly.

5. A bucket assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the actuators is coupled to an assembly for pivoting the rear waii relative to the mounting portion.

6. A bucket assembly according to claim 5, wherein said assembly includes at least one bell crank.

7. A bucket assembly according to claim 6, wherein the at least one bell crank includes a fixed pivot fastened to an end of the support arm opposite a pivotal connection of the support arm to the rear wall portion.

2013359958 05 Feb 2018

8. A prime mover having a three-point linkage in combination with a bucket assembly including:

a prime mover mounting portion adapted for attachment to a threepoint linkage;

a bucket floor portion pivotally coupled to the rear wall portion; and actuators arranged to selectively pivot the rear wall portion relative to the prime mover mounting portion and the bucket floor portion relative to the rear wall portion;

wherein the prime mover is coupled to the prime mover mounting portion.

9. A mechanical interface for coupling an implement to a three-point linkage of a prime mover, said interface including:

a prime mover mounting portion adapted for attachment to a three-point linkage;

a rearward portion of the implement having an upper border pivotally coupled to said mounting portion; and at least one actuator arranged to selectively pivot the rearward portion relative to the prime mover mounting portion.

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