US1865091A

US1865091A - Clamshell bucket

Info

Publication number: US1865091A
Application number: US553909A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harry E Dunkelberger
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1931-07-30
Filing date: 1931-07-30
Publication date: 1932-06-28
Anticipated expiration: 1949-06-28

Description

June H. E. DUNKELBERGER 1,365,091

CLAMSHELL BUCKET Filed July 30, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l M s s 09 Q0 M \N M m r 8 w o W N w w WWW Mml m h\ QM m N N III N ,i @x k\ Fh-Tna EY June 28, 1932. H. E. DUNKELBERGER 1,365,091

CLAMSHELL BUCKET Filed July so, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTUR Patented June 28, 1932 UNITED STATES HARRY E. DUNKELBERGER. or wnmron, wEs'r vmenim CLAMSHELL BUCKET Application filed Jul so, 1931. Serial No. 553,909.

This invention relates broadly to dredging and loading apparatus, and more specifically to grab-buckets of the so-called clam shell type.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a clam shell bucket which shall be specially strong and durable in its construction, which shall be composed of a minimum number of parts, and which shall be particularly efficient in operation.

A further object is to provide, in a bucket or scoop of the character referred to, a novel and improved lever arm whereon are mounted the sheaves through which closing of the bucket jaws is effected.

A still further object is to structurally improve and simplify existing forms of excavating and loading mechanisms of the type referred to. I

In describing the invention in detail, reference is herein had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a clam shell bucket embodying my invention, the bucket jaws being shown in open position;

Figure 2 is a section on line 22, Fig. 1; Figure 3 is a top plan view of the bucket; and

Figure 4 is a section on line 44,Fig. 3.

' Referring'to said drawings, 1 and 2 designate generally cooperating scoop members, or bucket jaws, which are pivotally related to permit relative shifting thereof to and from closed load-carrying positions. Each of said bucket jaws comprises a pair of substantially parallel side walls 3 provided in V the form of heavy metal castings. Each of said side-wall castings embodies, preferably as an integral part thereof, a longitudinally extending arm 3 Said arms have their inner ends forming bearing portions mounted for rotary movements upon the opposite end portions of a shaft or hinge pin 4 which con stitutes an axis for both bucket jaws.

The parallel arms 3 of each bucket have their outer ends shaped toform heavy angularly disposed heads 5 which terminate in transversely alined lips or flanges 6, and attached to said flanges by means of bolts or rivets are

bottom plates

7 and 8 disposed substantially in the angular-relation shown. An adjustable wear-receiving blade 9 may be associated with each bottom plate or element 8, as shown,but such constitutes no part of the invention herein claimed. 7

Eachof'the heads 5 of the arms 3 of the bucket jaw 1 has provided therein a recess -in relatively spaced relation upon opposite ends of a pivot pin let carried by the lower ends of links which, in turn, have their upper ends mounted on the opposite ends of a pivot pin 16 carried midway between the ends of a pair of horizontally disposed parallel arms 17; and attached to the opposite ends of said arms 17 are the usual cables 18 by which the bucket and its load are suspended from the boom of the usual dredging, excavating, orloading machine.

Mounted in the head portions 13 of the suspension bars 11 in alinement with the pivot pins 14 and 16 is a pivot pin 19, and pivotally mounted on the outer ends of said pin 19 are the upper ends of bars 20 by means of which the outer, or bottom, end of the bucket jaw 2 is supported, the lower ends of said bars being received in the slots 10 provided, as aforesaid, in the heads 5 of the arms 3 of the bucket jaw 2 and being attached to said heads by means of horizontally alined pivot pins 21.

Rigidly attached to the inner face of the bottom plate 7 of the bucket jaw l, as by means of bracket strips 22, are the rear ends of a pair of heavy slabs 23 which, in the open position of the

jaws

1 and 2, extend horizontally across the top portion of the bucket and have their opposite ends located at a suitably short distance from the bottom plate 7 of the jaw 2. Said slabs, which occupy spaced parallel relation, have the hinge-pin 4: extended therethrough with an end of a heavy bar-like member 24 interposed therebetween. A hub-like bearing member 25 having an end flange 26 is attached to the outer face of each slab 23, as by means of bolts or rivets 27 directed through said flanges 26, the slabs 23 and the interposed end of the spacing member or counterbalance 24, such bolts or rivets maintaining said parts in fixed relation on said'hinge pin l. Said bearing members :25 abutthe adjacent bearing portions of the arms 3 of the bucket arms, spacing thelatter relative to the said slabs.

The front end portions of the slabs 23, which together constitute a lever arm, have mounted thereon a pluralityof sheaves 28 about which are passed-the j awc'l.0sing cable 29. Said cable, whichleads from the winding drum of the machine, is disposed in a plurality of passes between said sheaves 28 and a plurality of corresponding sheaves 30 mounted on the pivot pin'19 between the head portions 13 of the suspension bars 11 and has its end permanently attached to an anchor pin 31 mounted in theislabs 23 of the lever arm at asuitable point, preferably adj acent to the hinge pin 4, as shown.

The bar-like member 2% hereinbefore referred to is designed asa counterbalance for the lever arm, being attached to and extending forward between the slabs of the latter to or toward the front ends thereof. Additionally, said bar-like member, hereinafter referred to as a counterbalance, serves not only as means whereby said slabs orlever arm members 23am maintained rigidly in spaced relation, but va'lso'as-a reinforcement for said lever arm. Said counterbalance is curved to underlie said-sheaves 28 with sufficient clearance to avoid interference with the normal rotation of said sheaves. Obviously, the additional weight thereby afforded to the front end of the lever arm is utilized, when the cable 29 is slacked, for facilitating automatic, or gravity-induced, actuation of the bucket jaws to their relatively spread, or bucket opening, positions.

What is claimed is- 1. In a bucket of the character mentioned, a pair'of bucket jaws, a:hinge pin upon which said jaws are relatively shif-table, :a lever arm mounted for rotary'movements on said hinge pin, said arm comp-rising relativelv spaced members attached at their rear en s 'to one of said bucket jaws, sheaves mounted between the front ends of said arm members, and a counterbalance carried between said front ends in underlying relation to said sheaves, said counterbalance having an end mounted on said hinge pin and forming a spacer for said arm members.

2. In a bucket of the character mentioned, a pair of bucket jaws, a hinge pin upon which said aws are relatively shiftable, a lever arm mounted intermediate its ends upon and having rotary movement relative to said hinge pin, said arm being formed of substantially parallel slabs which have their rear ends fixed to one of said bucket jaws, a counterb-alancing member carried by the front end of said arm in spacing relation to the slabs of the latter and having an end mounted on said hinge pin, and sheaves carried by said arm over said counterbalancing member.

3. In a bucket of the character'mentioned, a pair of bucket jaws, a hinge pin upon which said jaws are relatively shiftable, a lever arm mounted for rotary movements on said hinge pin, said arm embodying substantially parallel elements fixed at their rear ends to one of said bucket aws and carrying sheaves upon their front ends, and a counterbalance mounted on the front end of said arm and maintaining the elements-of the latter in spaced relation, said counterbalance having an end rotatable with said arm on said hinge pin and being curved to afford clearance for the under peripheries of said sheaves.

4:. In a clam shell bucket, a hinge pin, a pair of bucket jaws having'bearing portions mounted for rotary movements on said hinge pin, a lever arm comprising separate substantially parallel members mounted intermediate their ends for rotary movements on said hinge pin, spacing members interposed between said arm members and the adjacent bearing portions of said aws, and a counterbalance for said arm interposed in spacing relation to the front end portionsof the arm members and having an end mounted on said hinge pin, andmeans-rigidly connecting said arm members, said counterbalance and said spacing members.

5. In a clam shell bucket, a hinge pin, a pair of bucket jaws having bearing portions mounted on said pin, a lever arm comprising substantially parallel slab-like members mounted for rotary movement on said pin, and a lever arm counterbalance member mounted on said pin in spacing relation to said lever arm members and extending forwardly between the corresponding ends of and attached to the latter.

6. In a clam shell bucket, a hinge pin, a pair of bucket j aws having bearing portions mounted on said pin, a lever arm comprising substantially parallel slab-like members mounted for rotary movement on said pin, each of said members having attached thereto hub-like bearings which serve to space the lever arm relative to the adjacent bearing portions of the bucket jaws, and a counterbalance for said lever arm mounted rigidly in spacing relation to the front end portions of the members of the latter and having an end mounted on said hinge pin.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

HARRY E. DUNKELBERGER.