US2237586A - Road machine - Google Patents

Description

- April 8, 1941. w. A. cos'r EI'AL ROAD MACHINE Filed May 24, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l April 1941- w. A. cosT arm. 2

ROAD MACHINE April 8, 1941. w 105T r 2.237.586

ROAD MACHINE Filed May 24, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Lk Iii Patented Apr. 8, 1941 ROAD MACHINE William A. 00st, Indianapolis, and Edgar- R.

McDonough, La Porte, Ind., assignors t0 Allis- Chalmers Manufacturing Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Delaware Application May 24, 1940, Serial No. 336,942

13 Ciaims.

section of suitable construction for connection 7 with a wheeled rear support, and at its front end the reach member is sustained in elevated position on a Wheeled front support. The drawbar which carries the circle frame or other support for the grader blade is mounted on the vehicle frame for vertical adjustment, and preferably also for lateral adjustment, about a connection between its forward end and a forward portion of the vehicle frame, and suitable mechanism is mounted on the vehicle frame intermediate the wheeled front. and rear supports for raising and lowering the rear end of the drawbar, and for side shifting it if desired.

When the vertical adjusting mechanism for the drawbar is operated to force the grader blade down into the ground, such operation develops an upward thrust upon the portion of the frame to which the vertical adjusting mechanism is secured, and said upward, thrust is counteracted by the downwardly directed load components of the grader in advance and in rear of the blade.

In operation, when the grader advances with the blade adjusted to a cutting position, the upwardly directed thrust forces which are concentrated at the portion of the frame to which the vertical adjusting. mechanism is secured, and the downwardly directed load components in advance and in rear of the blade co-operate to subject the frame to severe bending stresses. Moreover, if the grader is of the type in which draft is applied to the frame in a plane above the ground, the frame is also subjected to a force couple which tends to force the front end of the grader down and to lift its rear end, according to well established principles.

It is an objectof the invention to improve the construction of a pipe or box frame grader so as to minimize the danger of breakage of the frame under the mentioned bending stresses, particularly under the bending stresses resulting from an upthrust upon the portion of the frame to which the vertical adjusting mechanism for the blade is secured.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pipe or box frame grader in which the frame is reinforced at the portion thereof to which said vertical adjusting mechanism is secured, the reinforcement being such as to strengthen the frame against breakage under the mentioned bending stresses at saidportion.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pipe or box frame grader in which the frame section for sustaining the reach member on a wheeled support is constructed in an improved manner and so connected with the reach member that said bending stresses are prevented from harmfully concentrating at the connection between said frame section. and the reachmember.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a channel iron with a tapered end of such formation that a cylindrical reach member, such as a round pipe, may be placed into the trough between the flangesof the channel iron, with the axis of the reach member extending longitudinally of the channel iron, and so that saidchannel iron may thereafter be bonded to the reach member, as by welding, along the relatively converging edges of said tapered end, and preferably alsoalong free edge portions of the parallel flanges of the channel-iron. In this connection, the invention further contemplates to provide the mentioned tapered end with a slot extending longitudinally of the channel iron centrally between the planes of its parallel flanges, and to bond the channel iron to the reach member not only along the mentioned edge portions but also along the edges of said slot.

A still further object of the invention is to provide asimple and compact vehicle frame which is amply strong to withstand the stresses to whichit is subjected in operation, and which may be manufactured at relatively low costs.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention. Referring to the drawings accompanying and forming part. of this specification and in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts in the several views:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a partly assembled grader, disclosing generally the construction of the frame and the relative disposition of parts associated therewith including the front and rear wheeled supports and the blade supporting drawbar;

Fig. 2 is a top view of the rear portion of the grader frame shown in, Fig. 1 and parts associated therewith;

Fig. 3 is a side view, partly in section, of the of the grader frame.

rear portion of the frame and associated parts shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a rear view of the rear portion of the frame and associated parts shown in Figs. 2 and 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged View of the connection between the right rear channel and the pipe reach of the grader frame shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 5 also showing in dash-dotted lines the forward end of the channel prepared for bending it into tapered shape;

Fig. 6 is a top view of the parts shown in Fig.5;

Fig. 7 is a section on line VII-VII of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a bottom View of the connection between the pipe reach and the rear frame section; and

Fig. 9 is an enlarged section on line IXIX of Fig. 8.

Front wheels I and 2 of the grader shown in Fig. 1 are mounted on opposite ends of a front axle 3, and a draft pole 4 extending forwardly from the front axle is mounted thereon for horizontal movement about a pivot pin 5 centrally between the ends of the axle 3. A frame head 6, preferably in the form of a hollow casting, ex-

tends upwardly from the front axle 3 and has a rearwardly curved portion which terminates in a rearwardly and slightly upwardly directed socket, tongues 'I being equally distributed around the periphery of the socket and forming a circumferentially scalloped rear edge of the frame head 6. The front axle 3 is secured intermediate its ends to the frame head 6 for universal swinging movement relative thereto by means of a universal joint connection at the lower end 8 of the frame head 6. For a fuller disclosure of the wheeled front support comprising the front wheels I and 2 and the axle 3, and of its universal connection with the frame head 6, reference is here made to U. S. Patent 2,162,360, June 13, 1939, G. D. Shaeifer, Road grader.

A pipe 9 of circular cross section is fitted at its forward end into the socket portion of the frame head 6 and is retained therein by means of a welded seam along the scalloped rear edge of the frame head 6. The pipe 9 is straight from end to end and forms a hollow reach member The pipe reach 9 is rigidly connected at its rear with a fabricated frame section which is constructed as follows:

Channel irons II and I2 are located, respectively, at opposite sides of a plane indicated by the dash-dotted line AA in Fig. 2 and which extends centrally through the pipe reach 9 in the direction of its axis. at the right side of the graderwith reference to an operator looking forwardly from the rear of the grader-extends, in a rearward direction, axially of the pipe reach along a rearward portion of the latter and then rearwardly beyond the pipe reach in a direction away from the plane AA, the channel iron II being bent at I3 in a horizontal direction at the rear end of the pipe reach 9. In addition to the horizontal bend at I3 which directs the portion of the channel iron in rear of the pipe reach 9 away from the plane AA, the channel iron II has a vertically curved portion immediately in rear of the pipe reach 9, as best shown in Fig. 3, and due to said vertical curvature the portions of the channel iron in rear of the pipe reach 9 aredirected away from the plane which is indicated by the dash-dotted line B-B in Fig. 3, and which plane extends centrally through the pipe reach in the-direction of its axis at right The channel iron II angles to the plane AA. The rear portion of the channel iron in rear of the vertical curvature extends at an angle of slightly more than 45 in a downward and rearward direction away from the plane B-B, and another horizontal bend of the channel iron II at I4 places said last mentioned rearward portion of the channel iron II into parallelism with the plane AA, as shown in Fig. 2.

The channel iron II has a vertical web I5 and upper and lower flanges extending inwardly from the web I5 towards the plane AA, and the reference character I6 in Fig. 6 designates the inner freeedge of the upper flange at the portion of the channel iron which extends in a rearward direction away from the plane AA. The dash-dotted line C-C in Fig. 5 indicates a plane which intersects the axis of the pipe reach 9 at right angles, and it will be noted that a portion I1 of the upper flange extends parallel to the plane B-B in rear of the plane CC and has a straight edge I8 which meets the edge I6 at I9, as shown in Fig. 6. The lower flange ofthe channel iron has a portion 20 corresponding to the portion II of the upper flange, which extends parallel to the plane BB and has a straight edge (Fig. 8) which meets the free inner edge of the lower oblique flange portion in rear of the pipe reach at a point below the point I9. The distance between the edge I6 and the outer side of the web I5 represents the full width of the flanges of the channel iron, and the width of the flange portions I! and 20 is shortened by cutting these flange portions to the width which is indicated by the distance between the straight edge I8 and the outer side of the Web I5 at the portion thereof which extends parallel to the pipe reach 9.

The portion of the channel iron I I forwardly of the plane CC is formed by certain cutting and bending operations into a tapered shape which gradually reduces the cross section of the channel iron along the pipe reach 9, and adapts itself to the cylindrical surface of the latter. The corners 2| of the originally square end of the channel iron II are rounded as indicated in the dash-dotted outline of the channel iron shown in Fig. 5. A comparatively wide and deep V-slot 22 is cut out of the web I5,.and upper and lower flange portions 23 and 24 in advance of the plane CC are recessed, to form forwardly and outwardly curved edges thereon, as indicated at 25 in Fig. 6 for the flange portion 23, and as indicated at 8| in Fig. 8 for the flange portion 24. A short laterally directed straight edge portion 26 (Fig. 6) connects the curved edge portion 25 with the straight edge portion I8 of the upper flange, and a similar short straight edge portion 82 (Fig. 8) corresponding to the edge portion 26, is formed at the lower flange. After heating the forward end of the channel iron II the two wings formed by the described cutting operations are bent from the dash-dotted position into the full line position shown in Fig. 5, in which position they are separated from each other by a long and narrow slot 21 which bisects the angle between the forwardly converging flange portions 23 and 24.

Referring to Fig. 7 it will be noted that the outside diameter of the pipe 9 is somewhat greater than the full vertical height of the channel iron in rear of the plane C-C, and that the flange portions I1 and 20 are cut down to such a width that in the assembled positionof is also bonded, as by welding,

It and 8B of the flange portions H and 20, re-

spectively, extend axially of the pipe 9 in close proximity to the surface of the latter, while an axial surface portion of the pipe in the middle between the flange portions l1 and extends in close proximity of the inner side of the web 15.

The edges and BI of the forwardly converging substantially with the cylindrical curvature of the pipe and extend in relatively close proximity to the surface of the pipe. The described bending of the wings of the channel iron H causes a distortion of the flange portions above and below the rear end of the slot 21 in that the free edges of said flange portions are slightly pulled towards the center of the bending movement. so cut that the pipe 9 will fit between the distorted flange portions above and below the rear end of the slot 21 while the straight edges is and B0, and the curved edges 25 and 3t, extend in relatively close proximity to the surface of the pipe.

The parallel flange portions I? and it in rear of the plane C-C are bonded, as by welding, along their straight edges l8 and Eli respectively, to circumferential axial surface portions of the pipe 9 equidistant from the plane BB, the upper and lower flange portions in front of the plane C-C are bonded, as by welding, to the surface of the pipe 9 along the straight edge portions 26 and 82 and along the curved edges 25 and 8f, the edges 26 and forming a continuation of the straight edge l8, and the edges 82 and 8! forming a continuation of the straight edge 8b. The channel iron ii to the surface of the pipe 9 along the edges of the slot 27. As shown in Fig. 5, a short slotted opening 28 is formed in the web l5 centrally between the parallel flange portions l! and it in rear of the plane C--C for holding channel It in proper position in a bulldozer die with which the forward ends of the channel are bent together to form the slot 27., and a further bonded connection, as by welding, is preferably formed between the web it and the surface of the pipe 9 atthe slotted opening 28.

The foregoing description of the shape of the channel iron I i and of its connection with the pipe reach 9 also applies, in all material aspects, to the channel iron if at the left side of the plane A-A, the only difference being a reversal of the shape of the channel iron l2 with reference to the channel iron H, as will be readily apparent from Figs. 2 and i. In analogy to the channel iron II, the channel iron i2 has twohorizontal bends l3 and It and a vertical curvature between the two horizontal bends. The forward part of the channel iron 52 which is connected with the pipe reach 9 comprises an upper flange portion H with a straight edge It, a lower flange portion 20 with a straight edge 80, an upper downwardly inclined flange portion 23' with edge portions 25' and 25, a lower upwardly inclined flange portion 2 3' with edge portions BI and 82, and a slot 27' (Fig. 7), The two channel irons II and i2 form a pair of side members of the grader frame, which extend in a rearward direction axially of the pipe reach 9 at opposite sides, respectively, of the plane A-A,

and then rearwardly beyond the pipe reach in The straight edge portions 25 and 82 are ill opposite directions away from the plane A-A and in substantially the same direction away from the plane BB. Each of said side members has two relatively symmetrical forward portions, one at each side of the plane BB, and each of said symmetrical forward portions of each of said side members has a longitudinal edge portion spaced from the plane B-B and bonded to a rearward circumferential surface portion of the pipe reach, and another edge portion sloping forwardly from the longitudinal edge portion towards the plane BB and also bonded to a circumferential surface portion of the pipe reach 9.

Referring to Fig. 2, the reference numeral 29 designates a plate which is preferably made in two halves, one at each side of the plane AA, the two halves having relatively adjacent edges which are secured together by a Welded seam 30. The forward portion of the plate 29 is placed on top of the rear portion of the pipe reach 9, and rearwardly diverging side edges 3| and if of the plate 29 extend away from the plane A-A in substantially the same directions, respectively, as the rearwardly diverging portions of the channel irons If and if. A forwardly recessed rear edge 33 extends between the side edges 3| and 32, and rounded corners iii are formed by arcuate edge portions connecting the side edges 3! and 32, respectively, with the forwardly recessed rear edge As shown in Fig. 3, the plate 29 is curved vertically in substantial conformity with the vertical curvature of the channel irons I l and if in rear of the pipe reach, and as may be seen from Fig. 4, the two halves of the plate 29 are slightly angled relative to each other in laterally and downwardly inclined directions.

Due to the described formation of the plate 29, the rearwardly diverging edges 3! and 32 may contact the upper flanges of the channel irons fl and It in rear of the pipe reach 9 and the forward portion of the plate 29 may rest on the pipe reach 9 between the parallel edge portions it and iii of the channel irons which are secured to the pipe reach 9. The plate '29 is secured to the top of the pipe reach 9 by a welded seam at its forward edge, and the sides of the plate 1.9 are secured to the upper flanges of the channel irons H and I2 by welded seams along the edges .39 and 32, The welded seams along the edges 3i and 32 are preferably continued forwardly up to the contact of the plate 29 with the pipe reach 9, and also rearwardly around the rounded rear corners it of the plate 29 to the inner edges of the upper flanges of the channel irons.

Another plate is secured to the rear of the pipe reach 9 and to the rearwardly diverging portions of the channel irons H and H2 at the bottom side of the grader frame, as shown in Figs. 3 and 8. The pipe reach 9 has a rectangular notch 84 (Fig. 6) cut out of its wall between the parallel bottom flanges 2d and ft of the channel irons, the notch extending forwardly from the rear edge of the pipe reach and being somewhat narrower than the spacing between the adjacent edges 89 and M! of the flanges 21] and 29'. The forward portion of the plate 34 overlaps the rear end of the pipe 9 and extends partly over the rear end of the notch 84, the remaining portion of the notch in front of the plate 34 being closed by a cover 35' which is placed over the notch 84 within the pipe and is secured to the pipe by a welded seam along the front and side edges of the notch at A tubular control shaft hearing it extends in a forwardly and downwardly inclined direction through the forward portion of the plate 34 and past the rear edge of the cover 34, the bearing being adapted to support a control shaft for a circle turn mech anism, not shown, and being suitably retained in place, as by welding to the plate 34 and to the cover 34. The slot 84 and cover 34' within the pipe 9 afford clearance for a universal joint which may be secured to the control shaft sup ported by bearing 15, immediately in front of said bearing. Rearwardly diverging side edges 16 and 11 of the bottom plate 34 extend along the bot tom flanges of the channel irons II and I2, the plate 34 being vertically curved, as shown in Fig. 3, to conform with the vertical curvature of the channel irons II and I2. A forwardly recessed rear edge extends between the side edges 16 and I1, and connects with the side edges through curved edge portions 83 at the rounded rear corners of the plate 34. The forward end of the plate 34 is secured to the bottom of the pipe reach 9 by a welded connection in the space between the bottom flanges 20 and 29 of the channel irons, said welded connection being diametrically opposed to the welded connection between the top plate 29 and the pipe reach, and extending along the forward edge of the plate 34 so as to connect the latter to the exposed portions of the pipe wall and to the cover 34'. The plate 34, like the plate 29, is connected to the channel irons II and I2 by welded seams along its edges 16 and 11, these seams being preferably continued forwardly up to the contact of the plate 34 with the bottom of the pipe 9, and rearwardly around the rounded corners 83 of the plate 43 to the inner edges of the lower flanges of the channel irons.

A pipe brace 36 extends between the rearwardly diverging portions of the channel irons I I and I2 in proximity to the rear ends of the plates 29 and 34, the pipe brace 36 being welded at its opposite ends to the inner sides of the webs of the channel irons I I and I2. Another pipe brace 31 is welded to the webs of the channel irons I I and I2 at the portions of the latter which extend parallel to the plane AA, in rear of the pipe reach 9. Secured to the extreme rear ends of the channel irons I I and I2, preferably by welding, is a vertical plate 38 which affords a mounting base for a wheeled rear support comprising a transverse rear axle 39 and a pair of rear wheels 40 and 4|.

member 43, suitable mechanism 44 being provided for side shifting the axle 39 in the brackets v 42 and 42' relative to the plate member 43. The

plate 43 is pivotally connected to the plate 38 by a pair of concentric rings 45 and 46 which are respectively secured to the plates 38 and 43 and rotatable relative to each other about the horizontal axis of a bolt at the center of the rings 45 and 46 to permit transverse tilting of the rear axle 39 relative to the grader frame. In order to retain the axle 39 in any transversely tilted position relative to the main frame, a crank 41 is mounted on the grader frame for rotation about a horizontal axis extending longitudinally of the grader, and a link 48 connects the crank 41 with the plate 43, the link 48 being pivoted at 85 on the plate 43 in transversely offset relation to the common center of the rings 45 and 46. The

crank 41 is journaled in a bearing 49 secured to the pipe brace 31, and in a bearing 50 secured to The rear wheels 49 and 4| are leanably r mounted on opposite ends of the axle 39, suitable the rear plate 38 as shown in Fig. 3. A housing 5| enclosing a suitable mechanism for rotating the crank 41 and for retaining it in any rotated position is mounted on the shaft of the crank 41 between the bearings 49 and 50, the housing 5| being retained in a rotatively fixed position on the shaft of the crank by means of a vertical strap 52 shown in Fig. 4 which is secured at its upper end to the housing 5| and at its lower end to the channel I2. The mechanism within the housing 5| for rotating the crank 41 is preferably operated by power from a gear box 53, suitable shafting, not shown, being provided to transmit power from the gear box 53 to the mechanism within the housing 5|. The gear box 53 is mounted on a pair of standards 54 which are secured to the rear plate 38, and a suitable source of power, not shown, is provided to furnish driving power for the gear box. The pipe brace 31 furnishes a suitable mounting base for the mentioned source of power, such as an internal combustion engine which may be secured to brackets 14 on the pipe brace 31 laterally of the bearing 49.

The drawbar of the grader comprises a T-shaped frame structure 56 which is universally connected at its forward end with the frame head 6 by means of a ball and socket connection 51 at the rear of the downwardly extending portion of the frame head 6. A circle frame 58 is suitably mounted on the T-shaped drawbar 56 in a conventional manner, and a grader blade 59 is mounted on the circle frame for adjustment relative to the drawbar about the center of the circle frame, the details of the blade mounting being likewise of conventional construction and therefore not shown in the drawings. A pair of lifting links 69 and 6| are universally connected to the rear cross member of the drawbar 56, the lower end of the link 69 being universally connected at 62 to the right end of the cross member, and the lower end of the link 6| being universally connected at 63 to the left end of the cross member. The lifting links 60 and GI are suspended from the main frame of the grader in the following manner:

As best shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, a pair of lift supports 65 and 66 extend laterally from the right side of the grader at the connection of the pipe reach 9 with the channel iron I I, and a similar pair of lift supports 65 and 66' extend laterally from the left side of the grader at the connection of the pipe reach 9 with the channel iron I2. The lift supports 65 and 66 are preferably made in the form of separate castings, each having a flat base abutting the outer side of the web I5 of the channel iron II, and both being secured to the channel iron II by welded seams along the edges of their bases. The forward lift support 65 is spaced from the rearward lift sup port 66 by a top plate 61 which bridges the gap between the two supports and extends beyond their bases over the top flange portion I1 of the channel iron II. The top plate 61 is secured to the lift supports 65 and 66 and to the flange portion I1 by welded seams along the side edges of the plate and along the edges overlying the flange portion I1. A plate 81, similar to the plate 61, is secured to the bottom edges of the lift supports and to the bottom flange portion 20 of the channel iron I I The lift supports 65 and 66' at the left side of the grader are constructed and secured to the channel iron I2 in the same manner as has just been described in connection with the lift supports 65 and 66 and with reference to the channel-iron ll. That is, a top plate 61' and abottom-plate 81, corresponding to the top and bottom plates 61 and 81, are secured to thelift supports 65 and 66' and to the top and bottom flange portions l1 and 2B of the channel iron I2.

Secured to the outer end of each lift support 65 and 66 is a cap 68 which cooperates with a semicircular recess of its associated lift support to form a spherical bearing seat 18. Similar caps 68 are secured to the outer ends of the lift supports 65 and 66 to form a pair of spherical bearing seats 18' (Fig. 4).

A lift arm 64, shown in Fig. l, is secured to a shaft which is journal'ed in two bearings respectively retained in the spherical bearing seats I8 of the lift supports 65" and 66'. Also mounted on the mentioned bearings'is a housing 69 which encloses suitable worm and gear mechanism for rotating the shaft of the liftarm 64 within its bearings. gear mechanism within the housing 59 is connected with a suitable driving mechanisminclud- .ing a shaft Ill for rotating the lift arm 64 by power from the gear box 53.

A lift arm corresponding to the lift arm 64, and a housing enclosing worm andgear mechanism corresponding to the housing 69, are mounted on the lift supports 65 and 66 at the right side of the grader in exactly thesame manner as has just'been described in connection with the lift b supports 65' and 66 at the left side of the grader. That is, suitable bearings for the shaft of the" lift arm and for the worm'and gear housing at the right side of the grader are mounted in the spherical bearing seats 18 of the lift supports 65 and 68, and the worm and gear mech anism for rotating the lift arm attheright side of the grader is suitably connected with the gear box". 5350 thatthe lift arms at opposite sides of the grader may be rotated by power, either jointly'or separately, or in thesame or in opposite directions; as is well known in the art. In the completely assembled graderthe lift arm and associated mechanism shown in Fig. 1 at the left side of the grader is duplicated at the right side of the grader, as will be understood by those skilled in the art, the right lift arm and associated-mechanism having been omitted in Fig. 1 for purposes of disclosure. The left link 6! is universally connected at its upper end to the lift arm 64 at the left side of the grader, and it will be understood that thelift link 60 is similarly connected to the. lift arm at the right side of the grader.

Suitable'mechanism for side shifting the drawbar of the grader may be connected .to a lug H which is secured to the cross member of the dlawbar 56 at the end thereof at which the lift link 60 is connected. The side shift mechanism isnot shown in the drawingsand maybe constructed in any suitable manner. Preferably a crank shaft is mounted in brackets 12 and 13 indicated in Fig. 3 and connected by a suitable link with the lug 1|, the bracket 12 being secured to'the bottom plate 34 and the bracket '13 being secured to the pipe brace 36'.

Itwill be noted that the forward. portion of the fabricated rear sectionof the frame and a rearward portion of the pipe reach overlap each other and are rigidly secured together to form a The worm element of the worm and reinforced connection which comprises three zones, namely, a central zone of greatest strength to which-the lift supports 65, BB andfiii, lit are secured, and two adjacent zones of gradually de creasing strength, one in front and the other in rear of the central zone. The gradual decrease of the strength of the reinforcement in the forward zone is effected by the taper of the forward ends of the channel irons II and I2, and the gradual decrease of the strength of the reinforcement in the rearward zone is effected by the forward recesses at the rear of the plates 29 and Min combination with the rearward and downward divergence of the channels H and 12 in the rearward zone. In operation of the grader more or less pressure is applied to the blade by downward thrust upon the links GI] and BI, and the resulting reaction is taken up on the portion of the frame to which the lift supports 65, 66 and 65, 6B are secured, andwhich portion of the frame, as stated, is the one which is most strongly reinforced. Vertical bending stresses to which the frame issubject due to said reaction are prevented from harmfully concentrating at the connection between the rear frame section and the pipe reach by the gradual decrease of the strength of the reinforcement in the mentioned zones forwardly and rearwardly of the central zone at which the lift supports are secured to the frame.

While in the foregoing a preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it should be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to the exact details of construction herein shown and described, for various modifications within the scope of the appended claims may occur to persons skilledin the art.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a road machine, a wheeled rear support; a frame section supportingly connected with said rear support; a tubular reach member extending forwardly from said frame section; said reach member having a rearward portion and said frame section having a forward portion overlapping each other and rigidly secured together to form a reinforced connection between said frame section and reach member; a wheeled front support connected with said reach member forwardly of said reinforcedconnection; a surface working tool; and supporting means for said tool including a bracket structure secured to said reinforced connection between said frame section and said reach member.

2. In a road machine, a wheeled rear support; a frame section supportingly connected with said rear support and havinga pair of forwardly extending relatively opposed side members; a

tubular reach member extending forwardly from said frame section and having a rear portion thereof arranged between said side members and rigidly secured thereto to form a reinforced connection between said reach member and said frame section; each of said side members having a forwardly tapering end portion of gradually diminishing height'secured to said'reach member; a wheeled front support connected with said reach member forwardly of said reinforced connection; a surface working tool; and supporting means for said surface working tool including a bracket structure secured to said reinforced connection at a portion thereof rearwardly of said tapering end portions of said side members.

3. In a vehicle frame, a tubular reach member and a pair of side members extending, in rearward directions, along and beyond rearward portions of said reach member at opposite sides,

respectively, of an axial central plane through said reach member, each of said side members having a forward portion tapering transversely of a plane extending through the axis of said reach member at right angles to said first mentioned plane, and both of said side members being rigidly secured, along said tapering portions thereof, to said rearward portions of said reach member.

4. In a vehicle frame, a tubular reach member and a pair of side members extending, in a rearward direction, axially of said reach member along rearward portions of said reach member at opposite sides, respectively, of an axial central plane through said reach member, and then rearwardly beyond said reach member in opposite directions away from said plane; each of said side members having a forward portion tapering transversely of a plane extending through the axis of said reach member at right angles to said first mentioned plane, and both of said side members being rigidly secured, along said tapering portions thereof, to said rearward portions of said reach member.

5. In a vehicle frame, a tubular reach member and a pair of side members extending, in a rearward direction, axially of said reach member along rearward portions of said reach member at opposite sides, respectively, of an axial central plane through said reach member, and then rearwardly beyond said reach member in opposite directions away from said plane and, in substantially the same directions away from a plane extending through the axis of said reach member at right angles to said first mentioned plane;

each of said side members having a forward portion tapering transversely of said second mentioned plane and both of said side members being rigidly secured, along said tapering portions thereof, to said rearward portions of said reach member,

6. In a vehicle frame, a tubular reach member and a pair of side members extending, in a rearward direction, along and beyond rearward portions of said reach member at opposite sides, respectively, of an axial central plane through said reach member; each of said side members having two relatively symmetrical forward portions, one at each side of a plane extending through the axis of said reach member at right angles to said first mentioned plane, and each of said symmetrical portions of each of said side members having a longitudinal edge portion spaced from said second plane and bonded to a rearward circumferential surface portion of said reach member, and another edge portion sloping forwardly from said longitudinal edge portion towards said second plane and also bonded to a circumferential surface portion of said reach member.

7. In a vehicle frame, a tubular reach member, a pair of side members extending, in a rearward direction, along rearward circumferential surface portions of said reach member at opposite sides, respectively, of an axial central plane through said reach member, and then rearwardly beyond said reach member in opposite directions away from said plane; said side members being rigidly secured to said reach member along said rearward circumferential surface portions of the latter; and a plate member secured to said reach member between said side members and to portions of said side members rearwardly of said reach member.

8. In a vehicle frame, a tubular reach member,

a pair of side members extending, in a rearward direction, axially of said reach member at opposite sides, respectively, of an axial central plane through said reach member, and then rearwardly beyond said reach member in opposite directions away from said plane; each of said side members having longitudinal edge portions at opposite,

sides, respectively, of a plane extending through the axis of said reach member at right angles to said first mentioned plane, and being bonded along said longitudinal edge portions to rearward circumferential surface portions of said reach member, and each of said side members also having relatively inclined edge portions, at opposite sides, respectively, of said second plane,

sloping forwardly from said longitudinal edge away from said plane; each of said side members having longitudinal edge portions at opposite sides, respectively, of a plane extending through the axis of said reach member at right angles to said first mentioned plane, and being bonded along said longitudinal edge portions to' rearward circumferential surface portions of said reach member, and each of said side members also having relatively inclined edge portions, at opposite sides, respectively, of said second plane, sloping forwardly from said longitudinal edge portions towards said second plane and also bonded to circumferential surface portions of said reach member; and a plate member secured to said reach member between said side members and to portions of said side members rearwardly of said reach member, said plate member having a pair of rearwardly diverging side edges ex-- tending away from said first mentioned plane in substantially the same directions, respectively, as

said side members, and said plate member alsohaving a forwardly recessed rear edge between said rearwardly diverging side edges thereof.

10. In a vehicle frame, a tubular reach member, a pair of side members extending, in a rearward direction, axially of said reach member atv opposite sides, respectively, of an axial central plane through said reach member, and then rearwardly beyond said reach member in oppo- 1 site directions away from said plane; each of said side members having longitudinal edge portions at opposite sides, respectively, of a plane extending through the axis of said reach member at right angles to said first mentioned plane, and being bonded along said longitudinal edge portions to rearward circumferential surface portions of said reach member, and each of said side members also having relatively inclined edge portions, at opposite sides, respectively, of said second plane, sloping forwardly from said longitudinal edge portions towards said second plane and also bonded to circumferential surface portions of said reach member; and a pair of relatively opposed plate members'respectively secured to diametrically opposed portions of said reach member between said side members and to portions of said side member rearwardly of said reach member, each of said plate members having a pair of rearwardly diverging side edges extending away from said first mentioned plane in substantially the same directions, respectively, as said side members, and each of said plate members having a forwardly recessed rear edge between said rearvvardly diverging side edges thereof.

11. In a vehicle frame, a cylindrical reach member, and a channel iron having relatively opposed parallel flange portions extending axially of said reach member at one side of a plane intersecting the axis of said reach member at right angles intermediate its ends, and relatively inclined flange portions converging, at the other side of said plane, from said parallel flange portions towards a plane extending centrally between said parallel flange portions through the axis of said reach member; said parallel flange portions being bonded, along straight edges thereof remote from the web of said channel iron, to circumferential surface portions of said reach member at said one side of said first mentioned plane; and said inclined flange portions being recessed to form curved continuations of said straight edges, respectively, and being bonded along said curved edge continuations to circumferential surface portions of said reach member at said other side of said first mentioned plane.

12. In a vehicle frame, a cylindrical reach member, and a channel iron having relatively opposed parallel flange portions extending axially of said reach member at one side of a plane intersecting the axis of said reach member at tween said parallel flange portions through the L axis of said reach member; said parallel flange portions being bonded, along straight edges thereof remote from the web of said channel iron,

to circumferential surface portions of said reach member at said one side of said first mentioned plane; and said inclined flange portions being recessed to form curved continuations of said straight edges, respectively, and being bonded along said curved edge continuations to circumferential surface portions of said reach member at said other side of said first mentioned plane; and the web of said channel iron having, at its intersection with said second mentioned plane, a slot between said converging flange portions, and being bonded to a surface portion of said reach member along the longitudinal edges of said slot.

13. In a vehicle frame, a cylindrical reach member, and a channel iron having relatively opposed parallel flange portions extending axially of said reach member at one side of a plane intersecting the axis of said reach memher at right angles intermediate its ends, and relatively inclined flange portions converging, at the other side of said plane, from said parallel flange portions towards a plane extending centrally between said parallel flange portions through the axis of said reach member; said parallel flange portions being bonded, along straight edges thereof remote from the web of said channel iron, to circumferentiat surface portions of said reach member at said one side of said first mentioned plane; and said inclined flange portions being recessed to form curved continuations of said straight edges, respectively, and being bonded along said curved edge continuations to circumferential surface portions of said reach member at said other side of said first mentioned plane; and the web of said channel iron having, at its intersection with said second mentioned plane, openings at opposite sides of said first mentioned plane, and being bonded to surface portions of said reach member along the edges of said openings.

. WILLIAM A. COST.

EDGAR R. McDONOUGI-I.

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