TITLE: TOOL MEANS FOR MOUNTING ON A LIFT ON A WORK VEHICLE, PREFERABLY A TRACTOR WITH A LIFT.
The present invention relates to a tool carrier for mounting on a lift on a work vehicle, preferably a tractor with a lift, and comprising a base with a first and a second end boundary and with attachment arrangements for attachment to lift and top link, and a console for attachment of a tool where the console consists of a frame whose longest sides is formed by telescopic tubes.
The invention relates in particular to a tool means/carrier of the specified type, for mounting on a tractor front linkage, and is also primarily used for mounting of a land packer (drum with bars), which packs the earth in connection with ploughing with reversible plough shares, where shift of the location from side to side of the earth packer is needed.
From SU 1318181 A1 (KHUZIN VASIL KH) is disclosed a tool carrier for a cultivator to be mounted on a tractor, which has a base with a first and a second boundary and with attachment means for attachment to a lift and a top link, and a console for attachment of a tool. The console consists of a frame the longest side of which is formed by telescopic tubes. This design leads to that the toll can be displaced a greater or lesser distance of the one side of the tractor.
A tool carrier for mounting on a front lift of a tractor is known from "Kvik-Pak frontpakker", which combines a swing- and displacement function for moving a tool (packaging roller) from one side to the other side related to the length axis of the tractor. The tool carrier is here comprised of a pivotally mounted hydraulic cantilever arm on a tractors front lift system, so that the tool shifting position from one side of the tractor to the other, is swung forward ahead of the tractor in a circle movement and is lowered and displaced to the preferred work position. However, the swing function causes a very heavy load of momentum on the front lift system of the tractor together with a complicated and heavy construction, which occupy relatively much space in front of the tractor in road haulage. The many hydraulic pistons with associated tube systems also causes that the tool carrier is relatively expensive to produce.
It is thus the purpose of the invention to provide a tool carrier for mounting on the lift system of a working vehicle, preferably the front lift system on a tractor, which is more simple in its design, which makes a genuine raiseable and lower-
able cantilever arm as the one comprised by the known tool carrier superflous, but also fully meet the side shift facility which is known from said known tool carrier.
This purpose is achieved by a tool carrier of the kind stated in the preamble which is characterized in, that the frame is connected to the base by slotted telescopic tubes for performance of a displacement of the console parallel with the centre axis of the slotted telescopic tubes between two outer positions located respectively outside the first and the second side boundary of the base.
It is hereby achieved opportunity to displace the tool carrier from side to side without swinging it in an arch in front of the vehicle, by which the torque load on the front lift system is reduced as the tool carrier by the telescopic tubes perform a pure sideways displacement outside the first and the second boundary of the base. During the performance of the transverse displacement the front lift system obviously is used to lift up the tool carrier so that the tool is lifted free from the substrate. The mesh weight is also considerably less than the known tool carrier, thanks to the more simple design.
With the intention to maintain the console for attachment of tools in a given position, the console may be releasable attached in a number of positions between the two outer positions. This embodiment is however not the most preferred as it will demand for establishment of retention means, the operation of which may be time consuming.
In a preferred embodiment of the tool carrier, wherein it achieve full flexibility with respect to location simultaneously with a swift change of the tool carriers location relative to the basis and the sides of the towing vehicle consists of that the console is displaceable in the telescopic tubes to an optional work position between the two outer positions by at least one actuator arranged on the base and connected with the frame, said actuator being controlled from the cab of the working vehicle.
Hereby is achieved a possibility for swift change of the location of the tool carrier from a chosen location outside the one end of the base to a chosen posi- tion outside the other end of the basis during use of the tool carrier. During road transport it will further be possible to displace the console to a mid position wherein it is located in the extension of the lift, so that it does not take up space in the side directions relative to the working vehicle. The advantage is further that the
tool attached to the console not protrudes far ahead of the working vehicle, leading to improved operation options with this.
It should be noted that when there in the following is stated an actuator or oil motor, this should be understood as at least one actuator or oil motor. Thus the tool carrier according to the invention may comprise more than one actuator or oil motor for displacement of the tool.
In a further embodiment of the tool carrier according to the invention it is fur- ther preferred that the actuator/actuators consists of an oil motor/oil motors attached to the hydraulic system of the working vehicle, said oil motor operates a gear wheel engaged with a pull chain connected to the frame.
Hereby is achieved a relatively swift change between the outer positions of the tool carrier, while this solution is relative inexpensive.
In a further embodiment of the tool carrier according to the invention, the actuator/actuators may consist of an oil motor/oil motors attached to the hydraulic system of the working vehicle, said oil motor/oil motors operating a drum with wire connected to the frame.
Using wires there is achieved a flexibility concerning the displacement of the frame between its outer positions.
In a further embodiment of the tool carrier according to the invention, it is preferred that the actuator consists of an oil motor attached to the hydraulic system of the working vehicle, said oil motor operating a spindle screw, alternatively a spindle which is connected to the frame.
To enable the displacement of the frames with the telescopic tubes, and therewith the console for mounting of a working tool, between the outer positions, the telescopic tubes may consist of sliced tubes with square-, hexagonal-, octagonal-, or polygonal sectional profile.
It is further preferred that the slicing of the square tubes are oriented towards the console for mounting of a working tool.
In the intend to enable an oblique positioning of a relevant tool in the tool carrier relative to the direction of travel of the working vehicle, the console may be pivotally mounted to the telescopic tubes, and retainable in positions, wherein a line between mounting points for working tools on the console forms an angle to the telescopic tubes.
The invention is disclosed further in the following with regard to the drawing, wherein
Fig. 1 is a perspective oblique front view, of a first embodiment of a tool carrier according to the invention,
Fig. 2 is a perspective oblique rear view, of the tool carrier shown in fig. 1 according to the invention,
Fig. 3 is a perspective oblique view from below of the tool carrier shown in fig. 1 according to the invention,
Fig. 4 is a perspective oblique rear view of another embodiment of a tool carrier according to the invention, where it is provided with a tool in the shape of an earth packer displaced to the left side of a lift attachment,
Fig. 5 shows the same as fig. 4, but where the earth packer is displaced to the mid position,
Fig. 6 shows the same as fig. 4, but with the tool displaced to the right side of a lift attachment, and
Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of the tool carrier comprising two actuators.
Fig. 1 is an oblique perspective front view of a first embodiment of a tool carrier 2 according to the invention. The tool carrier 2 comprises a base part 4 with a first end boundary 6 and a second end boundary 8. The base part 4 comprises further an attachment arrangement 10 for attachment to a not shown lift, and an attachment arrangement 12 for a not shown top rod, both related to a not shown working vehicle, which mainly consists of a tractor comprising a front lift.
The base part 4 comprises on the lower side 14 sliced square tubes 16, cf. fig. 3, which forms a first rectangular frame, the longest sides of which is formed by the square tubes 16 in which is arranged second square tubes 18 in a telescopic manner, and in said square tubes18 again in a telescopic manner are arranged third square tubes 20, which by cross plates 22 forms a frame 24, which also forms a console 24 for attachment of a not shown tool.
On the base part is further shown an oil powered motor 26 which is intended for attachment to the hydraulic system on the working vehicle via a not shown hose system. The oil powered motor 26 is suited for via a pull system, consisting of a chain-drive system (not shown) of par example a spindle connection (not shown), attached to the frame 24, to displace this between the two outer positions. The oil powered motor 26 is controlled from a not shown control panel on the working vehicle so that the console 24 can be displaced steplessly between a position outside the first side 6 of the base part 4, to the shown position outside the second side 8 of the base part 4, as it appears from fig. 1 , fig. 2 and fig. 3.
As it appears from the before mentioned figures, but most clearly in fig. 3, the slicing in the square tubes 16, 18, 20, is faced against the console 24, which makes the displacement of the tool from a position outside the first side boundary 6 of the base part 4 to a position outside the second side boundary 8 of the base part as shown, possible.
In fig. 4 is shown a further embodiment of the tool carrier 2, where the primary difference in relation to the tool carrier disclosed in fig. 1 , fig. 2, and fig. 3, and described above is, that the sliced telescopic tubes 16, 18, 20 carrying the console
24, consists of tubes with a hexagonal sectional profile, and that there is mounted an earth packer 28 in the console 24. The tool carrier 2 is here shown with the console displaced outside the second side boundary 8 of the base part 16.
In fig. 5 is shown the embodiment of the tool carrier 4, disclosed in fig. 4, where the console carries the tool 28 displaced into a position ahead of the attachment arrangement 10 and the top rod 12. This position of the console 24 of the tool carrier is suitable during road transport with the tool from one work area to another, since the breath of the tool carrier is delimited to an absolute minimum, which will not limit the overview of the driver of the working vehicle/tractor.
In fig. 6 is the embodiment of the tool carrier 2 shown in fig. 4 shown where the console 24 by the oil powered motor 26 is displaced to a position outside the first side boundary 6 of the base part 4.
In fig. 4, fig. 5 and fig. 6 it further appears that the tool is pivotally mounted to the console 24 by a pivot connection 30.
To minimize the wear and friction between the telescopic tubes 16, 18, 20 during displacement of the console24, there might, as indicated in fig. 3, be arranged sliding plates 32 at least in the transition points between the first and the second telescopic tubes 16, 18, and between the second and the third telescopic tubes 18, 20.
In fig. 7 is shown a further preferred embodiment of a tool carrier 2 according to the invention, wherein the base part 4 comprises two oil powered motors 26, 26' which is aimed for attachment to the hydraulic system of the working vehicle via a not shown hose system. The oil powered motors 26, 26' are suited for, via a pull system, which may consist of a wire pull system (not shown), or a chain-drive system (not shown) or a spindle connection (not shown) connected to the frame 24, to displace the frame 24 between the two outer positions. The operation of the oil powered motors 26, 26' is controlled from a not shown control panel on the work- ing vehicle, in a manner that the console 24 can be displaced stepless between a position outside the first side 6 of the base part 4, to the shown position outside the second side 8 of the base part 4, in the same way as it appears in fig. 1 , fig. 2 and fig. 3.
The tool carrier 2 operates as follows. The tool carrier is mounted on the front lift on par example a tractor, so that the lift is exploited to raise and lower the tool carrier. A tool, par example an earth packer is mounted on the console 24, where it can be raised and lowered by the lift, and displaced to a free chosen working position outside the first- or second side boundaries 6, 8 of base part, by the side displacement functions of the tool carrier, by activating the actuator 26, 26' (oil motor), depending on the current work situation, where after the tool is lowered down to the working position by the lift.
In the embodiment of the tool carrier 2 shown in fig. 7, the console 24 is pivo- tally mounted to the telescopic tubes 16, 18, 20 by a frame 32, the first side of which has an arched course 34, and lockable in positions by locking means 36, 38 in a manner that a line between mounting points for the working tool 28, in the shown embodiment a drum on the console 24, forming an angle with the telescopic tubes 16, 18, 20.
It should finally be noted that the inventor have realized that the tool carrier 2 according to the invention may have other embodiments the ones described above and disclosed in the accompanied drawings, par example the actuator might con-
sist of motor powered by pressurized air, or an electric powered motor, and further that turning of the console 24, to make an angle with the telescopic tubes 16, 18, 20, might be provided with an actuator operated from the cab of the tractor. However this does not change the basic idea forming a tool carrier in a manner, that it without protruding far ahead from the working vehicle, can displace a tool from one side of a working vehicle to the other.