US2981428A

US2981428A - Tractive vehicle mounted bucket

Info

Publication number: US2981428A
Application number: US703723A
Authority: US
Inventors: Kenna E Noffsinger
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1953-09-16
Filing date: 1957-12-02
Publication date: 1961-04-25
Anticipated expiration: 1978-04-25

Description

April 25, 1961 K. E. NOFFSINGER 2,981,428

TRACTIVE VEHICLE MOUNTED BUCKET Original Filed Sept. 16. 1953 ATTORNEYS United States Patent TRA'CTIV E VEHICLE MOUNTED BUCKET Kenna E. Nofisinger, Red House, W. Va.

Original application Sept. 16, 1953, Ser. No. 380,498,

now Patent No. 2,815,138, dated Dec. 3, 1957. Divided and this application Dec. 2, 1957, Ser. No. 703,723

3 Claims. (Cl. 214501) This invention relates to material handling apparatus to be used in combination with a self-propelled tractive vehicle of either the wheeled or crawler type. More particularly this invention relates to material handling apparatus of the type including a bucket or scoop positioned on a tractive vehicle through the agency of arms.

This application is a division of my co-pending application Ser. No. 380,498, filed September 16, 1953, now 11.3. Patent No. 2,815,138.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide material handling apparatus to be used in combination with a self-propelled tractive vehicle of either the wheeled or crawler type for earth moving, digging and handling or for loading and dumping other materials such as sand, gravel, etc. The applications of the apparatus of the present invention are not limited to the materials specifically mentioned but include the moving, handling, digging and carrying of a variety of materials.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide apparatus to be used in combination with a selfpropelled tractive vehicle which includes a revolving bucket or scoop positioned with respect to thetractive vehicle by a pair of arms. By virtue of this unique construction, the apparatus can be combined with a relatively light tractive vehicle and when so combined is capable of doing work which heretofore could only be done by relatively larger and heavier tractive vehicles. The foregoing advantageous features of the present invention are achieved since the digging action of the revolving bucket does not depend entirely upon the pulling or pushing power of the tractive vehicle on which it is mounted, as is the case with prior constructions.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide apparatus to be used in combination with a garden tractor wherein the bucket can be equipped with one, two, or more wheels, such as caster wheels, mounted on its bottom so that when in its upright position it can be transported with great ease.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention, of which there are many, will become readily apparent from a detailed consideration of the following descrip tion when taken in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation showing a garden tractor provided with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a view in top plan of the apparatus of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a view in side elevation showing the bucket mounting.

Although the transmission of rotary movement to the bucket is disclosed as being a chain drive, other transmissions can be employed. Thus, for example, the rotation of the bucket can be eifected by a hydraulic motor, hydraulic cylinder or cylinders, or other known mechanical means such as chains, gears,.etc., or combinations of any of the above.

The present invention can be adapted to a small gar- 2,981,428 Patented Apr. 25, 1961 den-type tractor for the purpose of moving materials. Such a structure is shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. As will be appreciated, it-is not practical from a cost standpoint to provide a means to raise the bucket since to do so would make the initial outlay on a garden tractor,

equipped with the present invention, so great as to take it beyond practical limits. Accordingly, in lieu of means to raise the bucket, one or more caster wheels can be mounted on the bottom of the bucket to serve as a transporting means. Thus, when the bucket is rotated to its upright carrying position, the wheel or wheels will support the bucket and the whole can be rolled to a desired place for dumping or spreading of the material carried at which time the bucket will again be rotated to discharge the material. Referring more specifically to the drawings, a conventional garden-type tractor, designated generally by the numeral 90, is shown in Figures 1 and 2. A take-off shaft 88 from the motor 89 of the tractor extends to one side of the vehicle and is provided with a sprocket 91. Similarly, a sprocket 92 is mounted on one side of a bucket 93 by means of a stud or shaft 98 fixed normally to the side of the bucket 93. An endless chain 94 mechanically connects the pair of

sprockets

91 and 92. By means of this arrangement, a transmission is effected between the prime mover of the tractor and the bucket 93. A housing 95 completely encloses this transmission and supports stud 98. On the other side of the vehicle, an arm 99 is provided having one end rigidly connected to the tractor and the end supporting a stud or shaft fixed to the side of bucket 93. Each of

studs

98 and 100 is hearing supported in housing 98 and arm 100 respectively.

As distinguished from other constructions referred to in US. Patent No. 2,815,138, housing 95 and arm 99 do not function as pivoting arms. A caster wheel 96 is mounted in the bottom of the bucket 93 by suitable brackets 97. It will be noted from the drawing that the caster wheel 96 is recessed in the bottom of the bucket 93. Since the bucket is not to be lifted by the housing 95 and arm 99, it is not necessary to maintain a 1:1 sprocket ratio, and as shown in the drawings, it is possible to use a reducing ratio.

Although the description has been with reference to life size tractors and the like, it will be appreciated that it is within the purview of the present invention to include any structures which embody the teachings contained herein without regard to size. Thus, the present invention is intended to cover scale models and toys, in addition to life size tractive vehicles.

The invention has been shown and described in detail, but various modifications in the construction, in arrangement of parts, and in the operation may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a self-propelled tractive vehicle having a frame and a pair of Wheels mounted on opposite ends of a shaft extending through said frame, a material handling receptacle having cutting edges at opposite sides thereof, a pair of receptacle positioning arms separately and immovably attached at their inner ends to the frame of the vehicle and separately pivoted at their outer ends to said receptacle, means adapted to rotate said receptacle in both a clockwise and counterclockwise direction, and a caster wheel mounted on the bottom of said receptacle in a fashion that said receptacle can be filled with earth, rotated to an upright position with said caster wheel in rolling contact with the ground and thereafter said tractive vehicle can be moved forwards or backwards with said receptacle supported on said wheel.

2. In combination with a self-propelled two-wheeled tractive vehicle, a pair of parallel arms secured immovably to the opposite sides of said vehicle and extending forwardly therefrom in a substantially horizontal direction, an open-ended receptacle pivotally supported between the outer ends of said arms for rotation on a horizontal axis transverse to said vehicle, said receptacle-having cutting edges at the opposite sides of its open end substantially parallel with the rotational axis of said receptacle, a caster wheel supported from the lower closed end of said receptacle, and means for rotating said receptacle on itsrotational axis in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions.

3. In combination with a self-propelled two-wheeled tractive vehicle having a frame, a prime mover mounted on said frame and a single pair of wheels mounted on the opposite ends of a shaft extending through the opposite sides of said frame; a pair of parallel arms secured immovably to the opposite sides of said frame and extending forwardly therefrom in a substantially horizontal direction, an open-ended receptacle pivotally supported between the outer ends of said arms for rotation on a horizontal axis transverse to said vehicle, said receptacle having cutting edges at the opposite sides of its open end substantially parallel with the rotational axis of said receptacle, a caster wheel supported from the lower closed end of said receptacle, and means operatively connected between said receptacle and said prime mover for rotating said receptacle on its rotational axis in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,359,841 Russell Nov. 23, 1920 1,974,099 Berney Sept. 18, 1934 2,347,314 Drol-l Apr. 25, 1944 2,537,010 Anderson Jan. 9, 1951 2,545,074 Dielschneider Mar. 13, 1951 2,636,627 Stoker Apr. 28, 1953