GB1558604A

GB1558604A - Skid-steer loader

Info

Publication number: GB1558604A
Application number: GB2818376A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Inst Cercetare Si Proiectare T
Current assignee: Inst Cercetare Si Proiectare T
Priority date: 1976-07-07
Filing date: 1976-07-07
Publication date: 1980-01-09

Description

(54) SKID-STEER LOADERS (71) We, INSTITUTUL DE CERCETARI Si PROIECTARI PENTRU UTILAJE DE CON STRUCTII DE DRUMURI (I.C.P.U.C.) Braila, a State enterprise organised and existing under the laws of Romania, of: Sos eaua, Industriei, No. 17, Braila, Romania, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement.

This invention relates to skid-steer loaders.

There are known skid-steer loaders in which the controls comprise two fore-andaft movable hand-operated levers for controlling the forward and reverse movements and the steering of the loader and two pedals for controlling the movement of the loading equipment. Disadvantages of such loaders are that the control movement for the steering of the loader is not in sympathy with the steering directions, the preciison of the control of the loading equipment is impaired because the operator's feet are used rather than his hands. Furthermore, the operator needs to move his hands or feet position to control the speed of travel of the loader or operate the brakes.

There are also known skid-steer loaders in which the controls comprise a lever movable fore-and-aft for controlling the travelling of the loader in the forward and reverse directions. A steering wheel is mounted on the lever. In order to have full control of the travelling and steering of the loader it is desirable to use both hands on the steering wheel so making it difficult to control the loading equipment during travel.

The object of the invention is to obviate or mitigate the above disadvantages.

According to the invention there is provided a skid-steer loader comprising a boom which can be raised and lowered, a bucket on the free end of the boom movable between positions for unloading and loading thereof, a seat and controls for the operator of the loader, the controls comprising two control sticks each movable in four mutually perpendicular directions from a central position, one of the control sticks being movable in a forward direction from the central position for controlling the travelling of the loader in a forward direction, movable in a rearward direction from the central position for controlling the travelling of the loader in a reverse direction, movable in a leftward direction from the central position for steering the loader to the left and movable in a rightward direction from the central position for steering the loader to the right, and the other of the control sticks being movable in two mutually opposite directions from the central position respec tively to raise and lower the boom and movable in the remaining two mutually opposite directions from the central position to move the bucket into positions respectively for unloading and loading thereof.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing showing in plan the arrangement of an operator's seat and controls in a skid-steer loader.

In the drawing, a loader comprises a boom (not shown) which can be raised and lowered, and a bucket (not shown) movable between positions for unloading and loading thereof. The controls comprise two control sticks 1 and 2 for operation by hand by the loader operator when seated on a seat 3 and two pedals 4 and 5.

Each control stick is movable in four mutually perpendicular directions x, y, z and v from a central position. In the case of control stick 1 movement thereof in the forward direction x controls the travelling of the loader in the forward direction, movement in the rearward direction y controls the travelling of the loader in the reverse direction, movement in the leftward direction z steers the loader to the left and movement in the rightward direction v steers the loader to the right. In the case of control stick 2 movement thereof in the directions x and y respectively lowers and raises the boom and movement in the directions z and v respectively controls the unloading and loading of the bucket.Each control stick is movable in intermediate angular directions from the central position to give rise to component control movements in any two adjacent ones of the four mutually perpendicular directions x, y, z and v.

The pedal 4 is provided to control the speed of travel of the loader and the pedal 5 is provided to operate the brakes of the loader.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A skid-steer loader comprising a boom which can be raised and lowered, a bucket on the free end of the boom movable between positions for unloading and loading thereof, a seat and controls for the operator of the loader, the controls comprising two control sticks each movable in four mutually perpendicular directions from a central position, one of the control sticks being movable in a forward direction from the central position for controlling the travelling of the loader in a forward direction, movable in a rearward. direction from the central position for controlling the travelling of the loader in a reverse direction, movable in a leftward direction from the central position for steering the loader to the left and movable in a rightward direction from the central position for steering the loader to the right, and the other of the control sticks being movable in two mutually opposite directions from the central position respectively to raise and lower the boom and movable in the remaining two mutually opposite directions from the central position to move the bucket into positions respectively for unloading and loading thereof.

2. A skidrsteer loader substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accomDanvinz drawinz.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. direction z steers the loader to the left and movement in the rightward direction v steers the loader to the right. In the case of control stick 2 movement thereof in the directions x and y respectively lowers and raises the boom and movement in the directions z and v respectively controls the unloading and loading of the bucket. Each control stick is movable in intermediate angular directions from the central position to give rise to component control movements in any two adjacent ones of the four mutually perpendicular directions x, y, z and v. The pedal 4 is provided to control the speed of travel of the loader and the pedal 5 is provided to operate the brakes of the loader. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A skid-steer loader comprising a boom which can be raised and lowered, a bucket on the free end of the boom movable between positions for unloading and loading thereof, a seat and controls for the operator of the loader, the controls comprising two control sticks each movable in four mutually perpendicular directions from a central position, one of the control sticks being movable in a forward direction from the central position for controlling the travelling of the loader in a forward direction, movable in a rearward. direction from the central position for controlling the travelling of the loader in a reverse direction, movable in a leftward direction from the central position for steering the loader to the left and movable in a rightward direction from the central position for steering the loader to the right, and the other of the control sticks being movable in two mutually opposite directions from the central position respectively to raise and lower the boom and movable in the remaining two mutually opposite directions from the central position to move the bucket into positions respectively for unloading and loading thereof.