US2128881A

US2128881A - Road grader

Info

Publication number: US2128881A
Application number: US77682A
Authority: US
Inventors: Emil C Iverson
Original assignee: J D ADAMS Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: J D ADAMS MANUFACTURING Co
Priority date: 1936-05-04
Filing date: 1936-05-04
Publication date: 1938-08-30
Anticipated expiration: 1955-08-30

Description

1933- E. c. IVERSON 2,128,881

ROAD GRADER Filed May 4, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 HIHHII ROAD GRADEH Filed May 4 195 N N N 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Uh! n I m I g n o mum. H

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3.5%: (Ive/P IIHHHI ll Patented Aug. 30, 1938 ROAD GRADER- Emil C. Iverson, Indianapolis, Ind., assignor to J. D. Adams Manufacturing Company, Indianapolis, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application May 4, 1936, Serial No. 77,682

1 Claim.

My invention relates to road-graders, and specifically to road graders of the so-called highlift type in which the blade mounting mechanism is so arranged that the blade can be disposed at one side of the grader in an approximate- 1y verticalposition.

It is the object of my invention to construct a grader of this type in which the range of adjustment of the blade will be increased and in which the placing of the blade in the "high-lift position will be facilitated.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a relatively long frame supported at its front and rear ends on suitable wheels, and beneath this frame I mount an adjustable draw-bar carrying the grader blade.- Preferably, the front-end of the draw-bar is connected to the front end of the frame through a universal connection, while the rear end of the draw-bar is connected to an intermediate point of the frame by three crank and link connections which serve toadjust the rear end of the draw-bar laterally of the machine and to rock it about a generally longitudinal axis. The forward portion of the main frame-i. e., that portion lying ahead of the crank and link connectlons-is formed as a single central member of box section; and the draw-bar, for substantially its entire length, is similarly formed. The use of single box-section members for the longitudinal member of the draw-bar and for the front portion of the main frame decreases materially the respective widths of the main frame and draw-bar at all points where their interference might adversely affect the adjustment of the blade in and to its high-lift" position.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention: Figs. 1 and 2 are a plan and a side elevation respectively of a road grader embodying my invention; Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a fragmental perspective view showing the blade in its high-lift position.

As is clear from Figs. 1 and 2, the mad-grader embodies front and rear axles H and I2 each provided with laterally spaced wheels l3. A main frame It extends between the axles II and I2, the connection of the main frame to the front axle preferably being through the medium of a ball-and-socket joint l5 to give the main frame, in efiect,a three-point support.

As shown in Fig. 3, the forward portion of the main frame is formed of a single member of boxsection. This member is conveniently built up of two structural steel channels with their flanges abutting and welded together. The rear ends of the channels forming'the main frame are spread apart so as to increase the lateral dimension of the connection between the main frame and the rear axle. To stiffen the main frame, those portions of the channels which are spread apart at the rear are interconnected by a reinforcing plate It welded to the lower channel-flanges.

At a point about the middle or slightly in rear of the middle of the main frame, there is secured in place thereon a pair of laterally extending brackets l8 which are conveniently welded in place. The box-section portion of the main frame extends from the front thereof rearwardly to and conveniently beyond the brackets l8.

Mounted beneath the main frame I4 is a drawbar consisting of a central longitudinal member 20 secured to the rearend of which, as by welding, is a transversely extending cross-member 2| located approximately in or slightly in advance of the vertical plane containing the brackets l8. The longitudinal draw-bar member 20, like the front portion of the frame It, is preferably of box-section.

The front end of the member 20 is connected through a universal connection 22 with the front end of the main frame If to permit the rear end of the draw-bar to be swung laterally of the machine and the entire draw-bar to be rocked about a vertical axis. For the purpose of controlling the adjustment of the rear end of the draw-bar, there are mounted near the outer ends of the brackets l8 cranked lift-arms 24 the cranks of which are universally connected to lift-links 25 and 26 whose lower ends are connected respectively to widely spaced points on the cross-member 2| of the draw-bar. Preferably, the outer end of each of the cranks 24 is provided with a rigid ball adapted to be received in a spherical socket 21 in or near the upper end of the associated lift-link. For purposes which will become apparent hereinafter, one of the lift-links, here shown as the lift-link 25, is shown as provided with two sockets for the reception of the ball end of the associated lift arm, one socket 21 being located on the side of the link at a distance from the end and the other socket (21') being formed at the extreme upper end of the lift link. Balland-socket connections may also be used between the lower ends of the lift-links and the crossmember 2| of the draw-bar.

A third crank 30 mounted on a longitudinal axis near the center-line of the frame has its free end connected through a link 3| with some point on the draw-bar, preferably a point near one end of the draw-bar cross-member 2|. The link 3| is connected to the crank and the draw-bar through suitable universal connections, preferably ball-and-socket joints as shown.

Mounted on the draw-bar is a ring which is adjustable about an axis normal to the plane of the draw-bar and which, through the medium of depending brackets l8, carries the grader blade 31.

The means for controlling adjustment of the two cranks 24 and the crank 30 may take any desired form. In the particular grader shown in the drawings, these cranks are arranged for adjustment by power derived from a small internal combustion engine mounted near the rear end of the frame somewhat in advance of an operators platform 42. Each of the cranks extends rearwardly into association with gearing, the gearing associated with the cranks 24 being disposed in casings 43, and the gearing associated with the crank 30 being located in the housing 44. Power for operating the gearing contained in any of. the housings 43 and 44 is supplied from the engine 40 under the control of suitable clutches located in a control box 45 and selectively operable by control handles 46 mounted in the control box 45 in position to be adjusted by an operator on the platform 42. The angular position of the ring 35 on the draw-bar may be controlled by suitable gearing mounted on the draw-bar and arranged to be supplied with power through a suitable flexible shaft 41 extending rearwardly to the control box 45.

the crank II. The three cranks, the links associated with them, and the points of attachment of the three links to the draw-bar are so arranged,

however, that the blade 31 can be swung from its customary position beneath the frame to a, vertical poution at one side of the frame, as indicated in Fig. 4 and in dotted lines in Pig. 3. In this position of the blade, the extreme narrow width of the front portion of the main frame l4 and of the longitudinal member II of the drawbar are of great advantage; for if these portions of the structure had greater widths, they might interfere with each other and prevent the placing of the blade in its vertical position. Further, the reduction in the width of the draw-bar and main frame increases materially the range and facility of adjustment of the blade in and around its vertical position.

I claim as my invention:

In a road grader, a main frame, a draw-bar disposed beneath said main frame and having its front end connected thereto through a universal connection, a scraper blade mounted on said draw-bar, and means for adjusting the rear end of said draw-bar laterally and vertically, said means comprising a pair of cranks, bearings for supporting said cranks for rotation about longitudinal axes spaced outwardly from and on opposite sides of said main frame, and links connecting said cranks respectively with spaced points on said draw-bar near the rear end thereoi' the radius of each crank being less than the distance between its axis and the main frame, whereby each crank may be swung for a full revolution about its axis; EMEL C. IVER/SON.