GB2071053A - Improved grapple and shear assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

A grapple and shear assembly (11) has an arcuate shaped upper jaw (19) pivotally attached near its inner end to the outer end of a stick (12) mounted on the boom (13) of a backhoe for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis, an arcuate shaped lower jaw (20) pivotally attached at its inner end to the inner end of the upper jaw (19), a hydraulic shear means (22) mounted on the back side of the lower jaw, and a double acting hydraulic cylinder (21) attached between the upper jaw (19) and stick (12) for swinging the upper jaw. The shear means (22) can be advantageously positioned with respect to a work piece by swinging of the upper jaw (19), such that the shear means can be used for shearing both sides of an automobile frame using the most desired shearing angle, and without having to move the backhoe. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improved grapple and shear assembly This invention relates to backhoes, and more particularly to a backhoe grapple assembly having shear means operably connected thereto.

Backhoes and similar apparatus, of the type having a swinghouse, a boom on the swinghouse pivotal about horizontal and vertical axes, and a stick pivotally mounted on the boom for pivoting about a horizontal axis, are used for a variety of operations, including excavation, lifting, demolishing, and raking. More recently, backhoes have been used in the handling of automobile bodies as they are collected and prepared for crushing, baling and shredding in wrecking yards. For such use the backhoe grapple, comprising hydraulically movable upper and lower jaws pivotally attached to the outer end of the stick is provided with a shear means, such that the backhoe can be used to cut away metal parts from the automobiles, as well as for lifting and conveying of such workpieces.

Although presently available backhoe grapples, such as those disclosed in U.S. Patent Application, Serial Number 760,840, have shear means which can be advantageously used for specific cutting operations, such as for cutting through automobile tires, they lack flexibility in cutting operations. More specifically, they cannot be easily used to cut through the entire body of an automobile, primarily because of the difficulty in positioning the shear means with respect to the car body, to bring the cutting blade into the most efficient cutting relationship therewith. There have not been available backhoe grapples which permit ready adjustment of the shear means without the use of extra hydraulics, and without having to move the backhoe itself.

An improved backhoe grapple assembly, not having shear means, is disclosed in U.W. Patent Application Serial Number 76,220. Other grapple and loading devices are disclosed in the following U.S. Patents, Numbers 2,776,768; 2,883,230; 3,152,706; 3,227,297; 3,567,050; and 3,517,960.

In accordance with this invention there is provided a combination grapple and shear assembly having an arcuate shaped upper jaw pivotally attached near its inner end to the outer end of the backhoe stick, and arcuate shaped lower jaw pivotally attached at its inner end to the inner end of the upper jaw, hydraulic shear means mounted on the back side of the lower jaw, a brace pivotally connected to and extending between the lower jaw and the stick, and hydraulic means attached between the upper jaw and the stick for swinging the upper jaw. Preferably, the shear means comprises a pair of stationary cutting anvils mounted on the back side of the lower jaw and formed of rigid plates having spaced cutting edges lying adjacent each other, and a swinging shear blade mounted between such cutting anvils and swinging therealong with a shearing action.

The pivotal connection of the upper jaw to the boom at a point adjacent to but spaced from the inner end of the upper jaw permits the backhoe operator to adjust the angle of the lower jaw by swinging of the upper jaw, which in turn allows the most advantageous positioning of the shear means mounted on the back side of the lower jaw. Such double acting pivot arrangement permits the shear means to be positioned at either side of a car frame with the shear means at the same optimum cutting angle, thereby allowing shearing of the car in two or more pieces.

Moreover, the double acting pivot arrangement allows the operator to slide the work piece, such as a car axle, upwardly toward the shear pivot point, for application of the maximum shearing force.

The combination of grapple and shear means of this invention thus permits much greater efficiency in both pick up and cutting operations in an automobile wrecking yard. In view of the marginal profit potential in the reprocessing of scrap steel, such grapple assembly results in significant savings. The shear means can be advantageously positioned without the need for extra hydraulics, and without having to move the backhoe.

Further, work pieces can be moved between the cutting edges toward the pivot point of the shear means, thus allowing the cutting of thicker work pieces.

By way of example a grapple and shear assembly embodying the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an elevation view of an embodiment of the present invention applied to the outer end of the backhoe stick.

Figure 2 is an enlarged elevation view of the improved grapple and shear assembly of this invention.

Figure 3 is a view similar to that of Figure 2 showing the position of the shear means after swinging of the stick.

Figure 4 is an enlarged section view taken along line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the upper jaw of the grapple shown in the above Figures.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, the grapple and shear assembly 11 is shown mounted on the outer end of stick 12, which in turn is pivotally mounted on the outer end of boom 13 for pivotal movement about point 14. Boom 13 is mounted on swinghouse l5ofbackhoe l6forverticalswinging, the position thereof being controlled by hydraulic cylinder 17, Hydraulic cylinder 18 controls stick 12 for the raising and lowering of assembly 11.

Grapple and shear assembly 11 comprises a grapple having arcuate shaped upper and lower jaws 19,20, the position of which is controlled by hydraulic cylinder 21, and shear means 22, secured to the backside of lower jaw 20.

Grapple and shear assembly 11 has been positioned adjacent the right side of overturned automobile 24, preparatory to cutting through the side of the automobile and completely severing the automobile. Dotted line position 26 illustrates the position of grapple and shear assembly 11 after the backhoe operator has manipulated hydraulic cylin ders 17, 18 and 21 to position grapple and shear assembly 11 at the desired angle for cutting the other side of the automobile frame. As will be explained in more detail with respect to Figure 2, the angle at which lower jaw 20 and cutting means 22 are brought into contact with the sides of automobile 24 will be the same for either side of the automobile, and such can be accomplished without the need for extra hydraulics or movement of backhoe 16.

Referring to Figures 2,3, upper jaw 19 is swingably connected by mounting pin 27 to the outer end of stick 12, such point of swingable connection being at a slight distance from the inner end of upper jaw 19.

Double acting hydraulic cylinder 21 has piston rod 28 pivotally connected at point 29 to pivotal links 31,32, with link 31 extending to the approximate midpoint of upper jaw 19, and link 32 being connected near the outer end of stick 12. Lower jaw 20 is swingably connected at its inner end to the inner end of upper jaw 19, by means of connector pin 33. Adjustble brace 34, consisting of telescoping parts 36,37 is pivotally connected between stick 12 and mounting plate 38 disposed on lower jaw 20, with part 37 having a knock out pin 39 for fixing the two parts in a desired position relative to each other.

Shear means 22 comprises a pair of stationary steel anvil plates 41,42, as shown in Figure 4, which are affixed as by welding to the back and lower sides of single tine lower jaw 20. Anvil plates 41,42 are spaced apart from each other to receive shear blade 44 therebetween in close fitting relation, shear blade 44 being pivotally connected at point 46 to lower jaw 20. Double acting hydraulic cylinder 47 extends from mounting plate 38 and pivotally connects to rear portion 48 of shear blade 44, at pivot point 49. Anvil plates 41,42 have cutting edges 51,52 along the inner sides of their working faces 53, 54, as shown in Figure 4.

Shear blade 44 is swingably mounted on pivot 46 between anvil plates 41,42 to swing therebetween.

As hydraulic cylinder 47 is actuated shear blade 44 swings about pivot 46 in a shearing action relative to anvil plates 41,42.

Shear blade 44 also has a work face 58 which has a somewhat angular shape, defining shear edges 59 on both sides thereof. The working face 58 and shear edges 59 are both obliquely oriented, adjacent the lower end of shear blade 44, so as to extend obliquely of a radius from pivot 46 and define a piercing edge 61 which confronts and points toward anvil pltes 41,42, as shown in Figures 2, 3.

Upper jaw 19 is formed of a pair of rigid tines 60, 62, as shown in Figure 5, which interleave with the single tine of lower jaw 20 as jaws 19,20 are closed relative to each other, such that objects of both large and small size my be gripped by the jaws.

It will be seen from Figures 2,3, that the backhoe operator can move grapple and shear assembly 11 laterally from the position of Figure 2 to that of Figure 3 without altering the angle of lower jaw 20 with respect to the horizontal, such angle being indicated by dotted lines 64, 66. That is, athough the angle of stick 12 changes from one position to the other, the position of lower jaw 20, and hence the position of shear means 22, remains the same from one position to the other. Such maintenance of position of shear 22 is accomplished by means of the double pivot points of upper jaw 19. As stick 12 moves from left to right positions hydraulic cylinder 21 is operated to effect upward pivoting of upper jaw 19 about mounting pin 27, thereby causing counterclockwise pivoting of lower jaw 20 about connector pin 33.As a resuit, grapple and shear assembly 11 can be brought into the most advantageous shearing position and then shifted laterally to another position while maintaining the same advantageous cutting angle. Because of such flexibility, automobile bodies can be completely severed in the shortest possible time, without the need for extra hydraulics and without having to move the backhoe itself.

The combination grapple and shear means embodying this invention can also be used to exert a maximum shearing force on work pieces held between the shear blade and anvil plates. A work piece, such as an axle, can be initially gripped by the shear means and the upper jaw of the grapple pivoted downwardly. This action, together with upward swinging of the stick, causes the work piece to move toward pivot point 46 of the shear means, thereby bringing into play the greatest shearing force, and allowing the shearing of axles and similar pieces in the least amount of time.

The hydraulic backhoe grapple described above has hydraulic shear means which can be advantageously positioned with respect to a work piece without the need for extra hydraulics. The grapple has shear means which can be readily controlled for reaching and cutting of materials in the work area of the backhoe without having to move the backhoe.

The improved grapple and shear assembly is one capable of efficiently shearing the two sides of an automobile frame, preparatory to severing the frame. The assembly can be readily adjusted to move a work piece toward the pivot point of the shear means, to bring into effect maximum shearing force on the work piece.

Claims (10)

1. A combination grapple and shear assembly to be mounted on the stick of a backhoe for manipulating an adjacent work piece comprising: upper and lower jaws having inner ends pivotally attached together with a connector pin, the lower jaw having a front side confronting the upper jaw and also having a back side, a hydraulic means attached between the upper jaw and the stick for swinging the upper jaw, a brace pivotally connected to and extending between the lower jaw and the stick, hydraulic shear means mounted on the back side of the lower jaw, and mounting means attaching the upper jaw to the stick and including a mounting pin adjacent to but spaced from the connector pin and swingably mounting the upper jaw on the stick, the swinging of the upper jaw causing swinging of the lower jaw and reorientation of the lower jaw and shear means relative to the stick for applying the shear means to the work piece at an advantageous angle.

2. The combination grapple and shear assembly of claim 1 wherein the hydraulic shear means comprises a pair of stationary cutting anvils mounted on the back side of the lower jaw and formed of rigid plates having spaced and parallel cutting edges adjacent each other, and a swinging shear blade mounted between such cutting anvils and swingable therealong with a shearing action.

3. The combination grapple and shear assembly of claim 2 wherein the swingable shear blade has a rear corner portion, and wherein the hydraulic means for operating the shear blade comprises a double acting hydraulic cylinder mounted on the back side of the lower jaw and having a piston rod pivotally connected to the rear corner portion of the shear blade.

4. The combination grapple and shear assembly of claim 1 wherein the hydraulic means for swinging the upper jaw comprises a double acting hydraulic cylinder pivotally mounted on the stick and having a piston rod pivotally connected to the upper jaw at its approximate mid-point.

5. The combination grapple and shear means of claim 4wherein the piston rod of the hydraulic means for swinging the upper jaw is pivotally connected by a first link member to the upper jaw, with a second link member pivotally connected between the stick and the point of pivotal connection of the piston rod and the first link.

6. The combination grapple and shear assembly of claim 1 wherein the upper and lower jaws are formed with interleaving tines, with the upper jaw having two tines and the lowerjaw having a single tine.

7. The combination grapple and shear means of claim 1 wherein the brace comprises an adjustable rod pivotally connected between the stick and the back side of the lower jaw.

8. The combination grapple and shear means of claim 7 wherein the adjustable rod is formed in a two part telescoping construction, with the two parts affixed in a desired setting by means of a knock out pin.

9. A grapple and shear assembly for mounting on the stick of a backhoe, the assembly being substantilly as herein described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.

10. A backhoe including a grapple and shear assembly as claimed in any preceding claim.