GB2183271A

GB2183271A - Scraper/collector means attachable to a tractor

Info

Publication number: GB2183271A
Application number: GB08529112A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David James
Original assignee: MULTIMATE Ltd
Current assignee: MULTIMATE Ltd
Priority date: 1985-11-26
Filing date: 1985-11-26
Publication date: 1987-06-03
Also published as: GB2183271B; GB8529112D0

Abstract

In a yard scraper having a collecting member (12) pivotally attached to a frame (10) attachable to a tractor 3 point linkage, the collecting member is made up of a transverse member (14) and two hinged side cheeks or wings (16), and a drive in the form of a single hydraulic ram (30) or a pair of such rams. mounted back to back (40, 42) is provided to move the wings (16). A return spring (34) urges the wings (16) into a splayed apart condition. The scraper can be turned over for pushing or pulling by lifting the 3 point linkage and driving the tractor in forward or reverse as required, to tip the up-ended scraper. The drive is conveniently boxed-in by a cover (46) for protection. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improved yard scraper Field of the Invention This invention relates to a yard scraper.

A yard scraper is a device adapted to be attached to a tractor and to be moved thereby to gather muck within the confines of a generally U-shaped collecting member which scrapes the ground. In practice, although referred to as a yard scraper, the device is not only used for cleaning out yards such as farmyards, but is used to an increasing extent for cleaning out more confined spaces such as the interiors of cattle sheds, milking sheds, livestock pens and the like.

Prior Art Known yard scrapers have a collecting member principally made of metal or heavy duty rubber, which collecting member is available from the manufacturer in a number of differing widths according to the requirements of the purchaser. In one such scraper the collecting member is pivotally mounted to a frame so that it can be turned over, thus enabling the device to be used either in the "push" mode with the wings of the collecting member facing away from the tractor or in the "pull" mode with the wings facing towards the tractor. The pivotal mounting is located on the interior of the collecting member, i.e.

within the muck gathering area.

It is a general object of this invention to provide an improved and more versatile yard scraper.

The Invention The yard scraper according to the invention comprises a frame adapted to be attached to a three-point linkage of a tractor or like towing vehicle, a collecting member mounted to the frame through a generally horizontal pivot so that it can be turned over for use in the push mode or the pull mode, and means for varying the overail width of the collecting member.

The pivotal mounting between the frame and the collecting member is preferably disposed externally of the latter i.e. outside the muck collecting area. The means for width adjustment is preferably also located externally of the muck collecting area, and may at least in part be covered by a protective housing.

Due to the external horizontal pivot mounting of the collecting member, in particular on the outside face of the transverse wall section of the collecting member, the action of turning over can be arranged to be one of raising the frame by means of the three-point linkage on the tractor so that the collecting member drops by gravity into a vertical orientation in which the wing sections point downwardly and, with said wings urged towards the ground, driving the tractor either forwards (away from the scraper), to turn the collecting member over into the push mode or rearwards to turn the collecting member over into the pull mode.Whilst, as compared to the known yard scraper (in which turnover is effected via a wings directed upwards orientation) a slightly higher lift may be necessary to clear the ground, this disadvantage if it arises is greatly outweighed by the advantage of removing the pivot (and width adjustment means) from the interior of the collecting member. Moreover, any extra lift required is minimised due to the increased distance of the pivot from the three-point linkage.

Furthermore the vertical height through which it must be lifted may be effectively reduced by splaying the wings apart using the width adjusting means.

The width adjustment means preferably provides for continuous width adjustment throughout a permitted range, and also preferably comprises means for adjusting the angle of the wings relative to the transverse wall section.

Thus, in a preferred arrangement, the wings are hingedly connected to the transverse wall section and, on the external side of said wall section, are connected by a variable length linkage which includes a drive means, such as an hydraulic ram, for varying the length of said linkage to cause the wings to pivot relative to the transverse wall section. In the preferred arrangement, the linkage is a generally straight connecting member or a bell-crank in the form of two links connected to an extensible drive means between them.

The variable length linkage may be a floating linkage. This has the advantage that, in use, one wing may freely close inwards by driving the other wing outwards, thus reducing problems arising due to a requirement to maintain centralisation when driving through a passage or livestock pen which is to be cleaned wall to wall.

Alternatively, however, a dual drive means (e.g. a pair of rams acting back to back) may be employed. The dual drive means may be fixed to the rear of the collecting member.

In both instances it is preferred to employ a spring means acting on the linkage to urge the wings into the condition of maximum width.

The spring means is operative when the ram is unpowered and allows the wings to yield against the spring bias. However, when the ram is powered, it can be operated to turn the wings to any selected position of width adjustment within the permitted range and lock the collecting member at the adjusted width.

If desired, a dual spring means may also be employed, as by fixing a spring at its centre, so that a separate spring bias acts on each wing.

The collecting member may comprise steel or like metal plates, possibly rubber edged, or more preferably may be formed principally if heavy duty rubber, possibly as an integral structure, reinforced with steel plates to stiffen the transverse wall section and the wings.

In either case, the wings may be mechani caily pivoted to the ends of the transverse wall section by vertical pivots but in the latter case the hinging of the wings may be effected by flexure of the rubber sections uniting the wings with the transverse wall section.

Brief Description of Drawings A yard scraper in accordance with the invention will now be exemplified with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows the yard scraper in perspective; Figure 2 is a diagrammatic plan view of the scraper; Figure 3 illustrates a modification; and Figure 4 serves to assist understanding of the action of turning the scraper over from the push mode to the pull mode or vice versa.

Description of Embodiments Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the illustrated yard scraper comprises a frame 10 adapted for attachment to the three-point linkage of a tractor, and a muck collecting member 12 mounted to said frame.

The collecting member 12 has a transverse wall section 14 and wings 16 pivotally connected at 18 to the ends of the transverse wall section.

As illustrated, the sections 14 and 16 of the collecting member appear as metal plates, but in practice said sections may be made of heavy duty rubber stiffened by metal plates.

The mechanical pivots 18 may thus if preferred be replaced by rubber regions connecting the transverse wall section 14 to the wings 16, which rubber regions are adapted to flex to enable the wings to hinge about vertical axes relative to the transverse wall section.

As can be seen from Figures 1 and 2, the wings 16 have extensions 20 projecting beyond the transverse wall section 14. A variable length link 22 connects these extensions 20, externally of the transverse wall section, i.e. outside the muck gathering area of the collecting member. The link 22 comprises approximately aligned link elements 24, 26 on either side of an extensible drive means in the form of an hydraulic ram 28, one link element 26 being connected to the ram cylinder 30 and the other element 24 to the operable member 32 of the ram. The link elements 24, 26 are also connected by a spring 34.

It can be seen from Figure 2 that the variable length link 22 is a wholly floating link connecting the extensions 20 of the wings 16 beyond the transverse wall section 14. This means that, given the ram has been operated to set the collecting member to a chosen width by pivoting the wings outwards, nevertheless in use one wing is able to yield inwardly by driving the other wing outwardly.

This gives the substantial advantage that, when muck collecting along a passage or like laterally confined space, the problems in maintaining a centred path of movement within the space are materially reduced.

When the ram is inoperative, the spring 34 acts to open the wings to the condition of maximum width, and either wing is then free to yield inwardly against the action of the spring.

Whilst the range width adjustment may be set by the extensibility of the ram, it is possible to incorporate mechanical limit stops if desired.

Typically, for example, the range of width adjustment will be from W (about 2 metres) to (W + W/2).

If desired, the spring may have a central fixing, thereby effectively to provide a dual spring means, one acting on each wing.

Moreover, also, if desired, as shown in Figure 3, two single acting rams 40, 42 may be fixedly mounted to a part 44 of the frame 10 instead of the single ram of Figure 2, thereby to provide dual drives, one for each wing. In this case the variable length link 22 does not have the action of the afore-described floating link.

Figure 1 shows that, externally of the collecting member 12, the variable length link 22 and the drive means 28 or 40, 42 may be for the greater part enclosed by a protective housing 46, thereby to assist in maintaining these operative parts free of muck which could hinder correct operation.

As can be seen from Figure 1, the mounting of the collecting member 12 to the frame 10 comprises a generally horizontal pivot mounting 50 on the outside of the transverse wall section 14. This is a pivot about which the collecting member 12 is free to turn, but normally cannot do so since it is resting on the ground to perform scraping.

However if, as shown in Figure 4, the frame 10 is lifted on the three-point linkage 70 of the tractor, the collecting member 12, most preferably in the condition of minimum width, will turn under gravity about the pivot 50, into a vertical orientation in which the wings 16 are directed downwardly. If the tractor linkage 70 is now operated to urge the frame 10 downwardly, the tractor can be driven either forwards (away from scraper as indicated by arrow 60) to cause the collecting member 12 to turn over; (as indicated by arrow 62), into the push mode in which the wings 16 point away from the tractor or backwards (as indicated by arrow 64) to cause the collecting member to turn over, as indicated by arrow 66, into the pull mode in which the wings point towards the tractor.It is to be noted that the operative parts accommodated within the protective housing 46 previously referred to remain on the outside of the muck collecting area, in both modes of operation.

A mechanical latch (not shown) may be provided which is automatically engaged when the scraper is in its push or its pull modes, and which when engaged permits a small amount of lost motion about the pivot but which can be disengaged, preferably by a remote control such as a cable pull, preferably operable from within the tractor cab, to enable the scraper to be released to permit unrestricted pivoting when the mode of operation is to be reversed.

The ability to operate in the push mode or the pull mode and to change easily from one to the other is important for cleaning out confined spaces such as livestock pens and also for manoeuvring collected muck to a disposal point and leaving it there.

The afore-described and illustrated embodiments may be modified in various ways within the scope of the invention as hereinbefore defined. For example, a double-acting ram may be employed as the drive for width adjustment, in which case the spring may possibly be dispensed with. More generally, alternative drive means may be employed, operating pneumatically, electrically or mechanically. In all instances, control is preferably from the tractor cab, by means of one or more switches or levers. It is also possible to provide different horizontal pivot mountings for the collecting member on the frame and to provide a drive for the turnover action if desired.

Finally, it will be appreciated that the use of a variable length drive link may provide the possibility for width adjustment by ways other than that of varying the angle of the wings, as by mounting the wings to the transverse wall section on slides which can move in and out, carrying extensions of the transverse wall section with them. In this last mentioned modification, the angle of the wings would preferably stay constant.

Claims

1. A yard scraper comprising a frame adapted to be attached to a three-point linkage of a tractor or like towing vehicle, a collecting member mounted to the frame through a generally horizontal pivot so that it can be turned over for use in the push mode or the pull mode, and means for varying thy overall width of the collecting member.

2. A yard scraper as described in claim 1 to which the pivotal mounting between the frame and the collecting member is disposed externally of the latter.

3. A yard scraper as described in claims 1 or 2 in which the means for width adjustment is located externally of the collecting member.

4. A yard scraper described in claim 3 in which the width adjustment means is at least in part covered by a protective housing.

5. A yard scraper as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4 in which the collecting member is pivotally mounted on the outside face of a transverse wall section thereof.

6. A yard scraper as claimed in claim 5 in which the action of turning involves raising the frame by means of the three-point linkage on thy tractor so that the collecting member drops by gravity into a vertical orientation in which wing sections thereof point downwardly and, with said wings urged towards the ground, driving the tractor either forwards (away from the scraper), to turn the collecting member over into the push mode or rearwards to turn the collecting member over into the pull mode.

7. A yard scraper as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6 to which the width adjustment means provides for continuous width adjustment throughout a permitted range, and also comprises means for adjusting the angle between wing sections of the scraper and a transverse wall section thereof.

8. A yard scraper as claimed in claim 7 wherein the wings are hingedly connected to the transverse wall section and, on the external side of said wall section, are connected by a variable length linkage which includes a drive means, for varying the length of said linkage to cause the wings to pivot relative to the transverse wall section.

9. A yard scraper as claimed in claim 8 wherein the linkage is a generally straight connecting member or a bell-crank in the form of two links connected to an extensible drive means between them.

10. A yard scraper as claimed in claim 8 or 9 in which the variable length linkage is a floating linkage, so that in use, one wing may freely close inwards by driving the other wing outwards.

11. A yard scraper as claimed in any of claims 8 to 10 to which the width adjustment means comprises an hydraulic ram.

12. A yard scraper as claimed in any of claims 8 to 10 in which a dual drive means is employed the dual drive means being fixed to the rear of the collecting member.

13. A yard scraper as claimed in claim 12 wherein the dual drive means comprises a pair of rams acting back to back.

14. A yard scraper as claimed in any of claims 8 to 13 which employs spring means acting on the linkage to urge the wings outwardly.

15. A yard scraper as claimed in claim 14 wherein the spring means is operative when the ram means is unpowered and allows the wings to yield against the spring bias.

16. A yard scraper as claimed in claim 15 wherein when the ram means is powered and can be operated to turn the wings to any selected position of width adjustment within the permitted range and lock the collecting member at the adjusted width.

17. A yard scraper as claimed in any of claims 8 to 16 wherein a dual spring means is employed, as by fixing a spring at its centre, so that a separate spring bias acts on each wing.

18. A yard scraper as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the collecting member is comprised of steel or like metal plates.

19. A yard scraper as claimed in any of claims 1 to 18 wherein the collecting member is rubber edged.

20. A yard scraper as claimed in any of claims 1 to 17 wherein the collecting member is formed principally of heavy duty rubber.

21. A yard scraper as claimed in claim 20 in which the collecting member comprises an integral structure, reinforced with steel plates to stiffen the transverse wall section and the wings.

22. A yard scraper as claimed in any of claims 18 to 21 wherein the wings are mechanically pivoted to the ends of the transverse wall section by vertical pivots.

23. A yard scraper as claimed in claim 19 or 20 or 21 wherein the hinging of the wings is effected by flexure of the rubber sections uniting the wings with the transverse wall section.

24. A yard scraper constructed arranged and adapted to operate substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.