US2415597A

US2415597A - Excavator and loader

Info

Publication number: US2415597A
Application number: US580774A
Authority: US
Inventors: Du Wendell A Le
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1945-03-03
Filing date: 1945-03-03
Publication date: 1947-02-11
Anticipated expiration: 1964-02-11

Description

w.' A. LE Du EXGAVATORV AND LOADER Filed llarch-3, 1945 4 Sheets-heet 1 INVENTCR w. H. Lew

ATTORNEYS W. A. LE DU EXCAVATOR AND LOADER Filled March I5, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR llu,

ATTORNEYS Refi. EL ig'. w; A, LE DU 2,415,597

EXCAVATOR AND LOADER Filed March 3, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 mwN-ron S:

ATTCRN EWE EXCAVATOR AND LOADER Filed March 3, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Feb. il, 1947 Claims.

This4 invention is directed to, and it is an object to provide an improved tractor mounted, earth excavator and loader.

Another object. of the invention is to provide a tracmr mounted, earth excavator and loader operative'- to load its scoop ahead of the tractor, and to discharge said scoop into a truck or the like at the rear of the tractor.

A further object of this invention is to embody in an earth excavator and loader, as above, a combination scoop and earth discharge chute (ci. eri- 100)- unit of novel design; said scop and chute unit being mounted for power actuated movement between a digging and scooping position ahead of the tractor adjacent the ground, and a dis-T charge and truck loading position to the rear of the tractor and some distance above the ground.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an excavator and loader as in the preceding paragraph, in which said scoop and chute unit is supported by a unique rail assembly for 'Enlevement between its front end digging position and its rear end discharging position.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by perusal of the following specication and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

l Figure 1 is a side elevation of the excavator and loader, with the scoop and chute unit in its front end digging position.

Figure 2 is a side elevation showing the scoop and chute unit moved to an intermediate position between its f ront end digging position and its rear end discharge position.

Figure 3 is a side elevation showing the scoop and chute uni't in its rear end discharge position.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the excavator and loader showing the scoop and chute unit in the intermediate position of Fig. 2.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the implement comprises a rigid, open supporting frame, indicated generally at I, which is adapted to be secured on the frame 2 of a tractor 3; the frame I projecting upwardly and being disposed in the main above said tractor. The frame I includes transversely spaced vertical end posts Il at the rear, and transversely spaced, forwardly and upwardly inclined end posts 5 at the front; the upper ends of the front posts 5 being disposed ahead of the tractor. The frame also includes suitable longitudinaland transverse braces as shown.

A longitudinally extending rail assembly, indi" cated generally at 6, comprises a pair of rails l connected together in unitary relation, with the rails including substantially semi-circular, rearwardly facing cradles 8 at their forward ends for the purpose later described. This rail assembly 6 is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on the forward and upper portion of the frame I;

by means of a cross shaft 9 connected between the upper ends of front posts 5. 'I'he shaft 9 pivots the rail assembly at a point closer to the front of the latter than to the rear, and for' swinging movement lengthwise of the tractor between an upstanding position as in Fig. 1, and

a lowered position, as shown in Figs. 2.-4 inclusive, wherein said rail assembly is disposed' at a relatively slight upward and rearwardincline mainly above the main frame and tractor. Stops I0 on the front end of the rail assembly engage cooperating parts I I on the tractor when the rail assembly is in said upstanding position while stops I2 on the rear end of said rail assembly engage frame I and limit the lowering of said assembly to a predetermined position.

A fixed pair of rails I3 are disposed in transversely spaced, longitudinal extending relation adjacent but to the outside of corresponding ones of the rails 1; said rails I3 being mounted on the frame I and extending at an upward and rearward incline from adjacent the top of front posts 5, and terminating adjacent vbut short of the vertical transversal plane of the rear end of the tractor. The incline of fixed rails I3 is considerably greater than the incline of the rails 'I of rail assembly 6 when the latter is lowered.

An elongated combination scoop and chute unit, indicated generally at Ill, comprises a scoop I5 at its front end and an open ended chute I6 at its rear end; said unit including common, full length sides. This scoop and chute unit I t is supported adjacent its forward end by a carriage which comprises a front transversely spaced pair of rollers Il and a rear transversely spaced pair of rollers I8; corresponding rollers il and I8 being alined longitudinally of the implement,

wardly projecting reduced diameter roller portion I9 transversely spaced a distance suiiicient to engage and ride the fixed rails I3. y

The tractor is provided with a rear end power winch of operator controlled type, and a cable 2| leads from this winch upwardly over direction changing pulleys 22 and 22a on the main frame and rear end of the rail assembly, respectively. Thence the cable connects with the bottom of the scoop and chute unit substantially centrally thereof.

Operation The scoop and chute unit I4, together with the rail assembly 6, tend to move by gravity, when cable 2I is paid out, to the position shown in Fig. l, wherein the rail assembly is in upstandingposition, with said scoop and chute unit I4 in front end digging position; the front rollers I'I then seating in cradles 8. When the scoop and chute unit is in this digging position, a. forwardly facing hook 23 on the bottom of such unit engages over cross shaft 9 and prevents the unit from falling forwardly or rising under the thrust of a digging operation; the hook being so engaged by slight forward falling of said scoop and chute unit.

After the scoop l5 is filled by advancing the tractor, the operator actuates winch 2D and pulls in the cable 2|, which results first, in the rail assembly swinging from the upstanding position of Fig. 1 to the lowered but inclined position of Fig. 2. Thereafter continued pull on the cable causes the loaded scoop and chute unit to leave the cradles 8 and ride rearwardly on the rail assembly 6; the hook 23 having cleared the cross shaft 9 when the rail assembly swung to its lowered position.

When the double front rollers I1 reach the lower ends of the fixed relatively steeply inclined rails I3, the roller portions I9 engage and ride up said rails causing the forward or scoop end of unit I4 -to raise relative to the rear end thereof, as the rear rollers t8 remain on rails T. Upon the rollers Il and I8 reaching the rear ends of the rails I3 and 'I respectively, and at which time roller portions I9 abut against cradles 24 on the upper ends of rails I3, the scoop and chute unit is positioned, as in Fig. 3, at a rearward and downward slope; the rear open end of chute I6 being above and to the rear of the tractor. The load in the scoop I5 then discharges by gravity from the scoop l5, through the chute I6, and

`into the body of a truck or the like stationed at the rear ofthe tractor. Upon release of the cable 2|, the implement gravitationally returns to its front end digging position and the above described cycle is repeated.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as substantially fulls the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in `practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful and upon which letters Patent is desired:

l. An excavator and loader comprising an overhead frame adapted to be mounted on a tractor, an elongated rail assembly, means pivotally mounting the rail assembly on the frame for swinging movement in a longitudinal vertical plane between an upstanding position in a substantially vertical plane in front of the tractor and a lowered longitudinally extending position...... above and over the tractor, a. scoop' and 'chute u-nit supported on the rail assembly for move'- ment therealong, said unit including a scoop at its front end and a rear discharge chute, said scoop and chute unit being in front end digging position when at the lower end of the rail assembly and the latter is in said opstanding position,` and said scoop and chute unit being in a rear end discharge position when at the rear end of the rail assembly and the latter is in said lowered position, power means to swing the rail assembly from upstanding to lowered position and to move the scoop and chute unit therealong from digging to discharge position, and means operative upon movement of said scoop and chute unit to discharge position to relatively elevate the front end thereof whereby to impart a. downward and rearward incline thereto; said last named means comprising a rearwardly and upwardly inclined member mounted on the frame alongside the rail assembly, and a laterally projecting element on the scoop and chute unit positioned to engage and ride up said inclined member upon movement of said unit to discharge position.

2. An excavator and loader as in claim l in which the scoop and chute unit includes longitudinally spaced rollers adapted to ride the rail assembly; said laterally projecting element being an extension of a front roller.

3. An excavator and loader comprising an overhead frame adapted to be mounted on a tractor, an elongated rail assembly, means pivotally mounting the rail assembly on the frame for swinging movement in a longitudinal vertical plane between an upstanding position in a sub- 'stantially vertical plane in front of the tractor and a lowered longitudinally extending position above and over the tractor, a scoop and chute unit supported on the rail assembly for movement therealong, said unit including a, s'coop at its front end and a. rear discharge chute, said scoop and chute unit being in front end digging position when at the lower end of the rail assembly and the latter i's in said upstanding position, and said scoop and chute unit being in a rear end discharge position when at the rear end of the rail assembly and the latter is in said lowered position, power means to swing the rail assembly from upstanding to lowered position and to move the scoop and chute unit therealong from digging to discharge position, and means operative upon movement of said scoop and chute unit to discharge position to relatively elevate the front end thereof whereby to impart a. downward and rear' ward incline thereto; the 'rail assembly having transversely spaced, parallel rails and the scoop and chute unit including front and rear pairs of transversely spaced rollers adapted to ride on said rails, said last named means comprising other rail-s longitudinally mounted at an upward and rearward incline on the fra-me on opposite sides of the rail assembly position when the latter is,

plane between an upstanding position in a subunit supported on the rail assembly for movement therealong, said vunit including a scoop at its front end and a rear discharge chute, said scoop Aand chute unit being in front end digging position when at the lower end of the rail assembly and the latter is in said upstanding position, and said scoop and chute unit being in a rear end discharge position when at the rear end of the rail assembly and the-latter is in said lowered position, and power means to swing the rail assembly and to move the scoop and unit therealong; the scoop and chute unit being supported by transversely spaced rollers and the rail assemblirlifg including transversely spaced rails upon which the rollers are adapted to ride, there being ciadles on said rails at the front end arranged toA receive said rollers and to thus support the scoop and chute unit in its Adigging position.

5. An excavator and loader comprising an overhead frame adapted to be mounted on a tractor, an elongated rail assembly, means pivotaily mounting the rail assembly on the frame for swinging movement in a longitudinal vertical plane between an upstanding position in a substantially vertical plane in front of the tractor and a lowered longitudinally extending position above and over the tractor, a scoop and chute Vunit supported on the rail assembly for movement therealong, said unit including a scoop at its front end and a rear discharge chute, said scoop and chute unit being in front end digging position when at the lower end of the rail assembly and the latter is in said upstanding position, and said scoop and chute unit being in a rear end discharge position when at the rear end of the rail assembly and the latter is in said lowered position, and power means to swing the rail assembly and to move the scoop and unit therealong; there being holding means between the scoop and chute unit and rail assembly operative to prevent relative lowering or forward tilting of said unit when in said digging position, such latter means includimng ahook projecting from the bottom of the .in front ofthe tractor and a lowered longitudinally extending position above the tractor, an elongated scoop and chute unit including a scoop at its front end and a rear discharge chute, front and rear transversely spaced pairs of rail engaging rollers supporting said unit, said scoop and chute unit being in front end digging position when at the lower end of the rail assembly and the latter is in said upstanding position, and

n said scoop and chute unit being in a rear end discharge position when at the rear end of the rail assembly and the latter is in said lowered position, and power means to swing the rail assembly and lto move the scoop and unit therealong; said power means comprising a winch mounted on the tractor adjacent the rearI and a cable leading upwardly from the winch over a direction changing pulley on the overhead frame, thence leading to and over another direction changing pulley on the rear end of the rail assembly, and then being connected to the scoop and chute unit, whereby said cable is a single means effective to both swing the rail assembly to lowered position and to move the scoop and chute unit therealong from front to rear.

7. An excavator and loader as in claim 6 in which the rear pair of rollers is disposed some distance ahead of the rear end of the chute; said cable connecting to the scoop and chute unit adjacent the transversal plane of said rear pair of rollers.

8. An excavator and loader comprising an overhead frame adapted to be mounted on a tractor, an elongated, unitary rail assembly including transversely spaced, parallel rails, means pivoting the rail assembly intermediate its ends on the overhead frame adjacent the front ends of the ,latter for swinging movement in a longitudinal vertical plane between an upstanding position in front of the tractor and a lowered longitudinally extending position above the tractor, an elongated scoop and chute unit including a scoop at its front end and a rear discharge chute, front and rear transversely spaced pairs of rail engaging rollers supporting said unit, said scoop and chute unit being in front end digging position when at the lower end of the rail assembly and the latter is in said upstanding position, and said scoop and chute unit being in a rear end discharge position when at the rear end of the rail assembly and the latter is in said lowered position, and power means to swing the rail assembly and to move the scoop and unit therealong; there being cradles on the front ends of the rails to receive and support the front pair of rollers when the scoop and chute unit is in digging position.

9. An excavator and loader comprising an overhead frame adapted to be mounted on a tractor,

an elongated, unitary rail assembly including transversely spaced, parallel rails, means pivoting the rail assemblyintermediate its ends on the overhead frame adjacent the front ends 0f the latter for swinging movement in a longitudinal vertical plane between an upstanding position in front of the tractor and a lowered longitudinally extending position above the tractor, an elongated scoop andchute unit including a scoop at its front end and a rear discharge chute,

front and rear transversely spaced pairs of rail engaging rollers supporting said unit, said scoop and chute unit being in front end digging position when at the lower end of the rail assembly and the latter is in said upstanding position, and said scoop and chute unit being in a rear end discharge position when at the rear end of the rail assembly and the latter is in said lowered position, and power means to swing the rail assembly and to move the scoop and unit therealong; there being cradles on the front ends of the rails to receive and support the front pair of rollers when the scoop and chute unit is in digging position, and a holding hook projecting from the bottom of said unit intermediate its ends and automatically engaging with a cross shaft which comprises the rail assembly pivot, when said front rollers are in said cradles.

10. In combination, a prime mover, a frame supported by the prime mover adjacent the forward end thereof, a rigid continuous rail unit pivoted intermediate its ends to the frame, the unit in one operating position extending in a sub- 7 stantially vertical plane ahead of the prime mover and in another operating position lying substantially longitudinally above and over the prime mover, power means to move said unit from its first named position to its second named position, the pivotal connection between Vthe rail unit and frame including a shaft, a cradle at the Iorward end of the rail unit, a scoop, rollers on the scoop engageable with the rails of the rail unit and ridable along the same, a hook on the back of the scoop, the hook being engageable with the shaft and the forward rollers being engageable with the cradle when the rail unit is in vertical position whereby to hold the scoop from then falling forwardly or downwardly, and means to pull the scoop along the rails when the rail unit is lying in its substantially longitudinal position.

WENDELL A. LE DU.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

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