US3290805A

US3290805A - Earthworking machines

Info

Publication number: US3290805A
Application number: US316003A
Authority: US
Inventors: Tourneau Robert G Le
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1963-10-14
Filing date: 1963-10-14
Publication date: 1966-12-13
Anticipated expiration: 1983-12-13

Description

Dec. 13, 1966 R. G. LE TOURNEAU 3,2

EARTHWORKING MACHINES Filed Oct. 14, 1963 INVENTOR. n5 fiaefi 5% %%mem United States Patent 3,290,805 EARTHWORKING MACHINES Robert G. LeTourneau, P.0. Box 2307, Longview, Tex. Filed Oct. 14, 1963, Ser. No. 316,003 4 Claims. (Cl. 37126) My invention relates generally to earthworking machines, and more particularly to self-propelled earth Working machines capable of digging, moving and distributing large quantities of earth materials.

The general object of my invention is to provide an improved latching arrangement and mechanism for coupling the load-carrying buckets of a self-propelled earthworking machine which is of the multiple telescoping buckets type.

Another object of my invention is to provide latching mechanism for the purpose above-mentioned, which mechanism shall accomplish secure coupling of adjacent buckets and yet allow them to be easily uncoupled under load conditions.

These and other objects are effected by my invention as will be apparent from the following description taken in accordance with the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this application, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of the left side of a self-propelled earthworking machine, which utilizes the latching arrangement and mechanism of my invention in accordance with a preferred embodiment thereof.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the buckets of the machine of FIG. 1 shown in phantom with portions thereof removed so as to more clearly show the latching arrangement and mechanism of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary schematic view of the bottom portions of a plurality of telescoped buckets showing the latching arrangement and mechanism all in the latched position; and

FIG. 4 is a plan view of one latch mechanism.

Referring to the drawing, FIG. 1 illustrates a selfpropelled earthworking machine 11, including a front body portion 13, a rear body portion 15, and a middle or main body portion 17.

The front body portion 13 is pivotally connected to the front end of the middle or main body portion 17 by means of a pair of vertically disposed ball and socket arrangements (not shown), and the front body portion 13 is supported upon an axle and a pair of electric

motordriven wheels

19, 21. A directional steering gear-motor 23, having an output pinion 25, is mounted atop the front body portion 13 in such a locale and in such a manner that the output pinion engages a sector gear 27 which is fixed to the front end portion of the main or middle body portion 17.

The rear body portion 15 includes a chassis or frame portion 29 which is supported upon a bogey-type axle and electric motor-driven wheel arrangements 31. An electric power generating plant 33 is mounted on the rear body portion 29, as shown in FIG. 1. The rear body portion 15 is fixedly connected to the rear end portion of the middle or main body portion 17, so that there is no relative movement therebetween. An operators control station and control console 35 is located in an elevated position at the front end of the rear body portion 15.

The middle or main body portion 17 is an articulated structure comprising a forward middle body portion 37 and a rear middle body portion 39. The forward. and rear rear middle body portion 39. The forward and rear midd

e body portions

37, 39, respectively are pivotally connected together by means of a ball and socket arrangement 41 located on each side of the machine 11; the left-side ball and socket arrangement 41 being shown in FIG. 1. The rear middle body portion 39 comprises an open rectangular frame structure having a pair of spaced parallel

longitudinal side girders

43, 45 and a transverse rear end girder 46 fixedly connecting the rear ends of the respective

longitudinal side girders

43, 45. A pair of upwardly and frontwardly extending arms 47, 49 are suitably fixed to the front end portions of the

longitudinal side girders

43, 45. The upper extremities of the arms 47, 49 are fixed both to a transversely extending yoke member 51 and to the ends of a pair of converging arms 53, 55 which are fixed to and support a pinion gear housing 57. An electric motor-driven gear-motor 59, having an output pinion 61 enclosed by the housing 57, is suitably mounted onto the housing and the output pinion is disposed to engage the teeth of a length of rack 63 which is pivotally connected at one end 65 to the forward middle body portion 37. The rack 63 is free to move within the housing 57 in response to movement of the pinion 61.

Near the front end of the rear middle body portion 39, there is an immovable load-carrying bucket 67 which is located between and is fixedly connected to the

side girders

43, 45. The front edge of the fixed or immovable bucket 67 is provided with a blade 69 which projects downward and frontward therefrom. An apron 71 is pivotally mounted in conventional fashion on the arms 47, 49. An arcuate rack 73, which is fixed to the front face of the apron 71, is driven by a suitably mounted electric motor-driven gear motor 75. Suitably disposed within the fixed bucket 67 there are first, second and third

movable buckets

79, 81 and 83 respectively. Each movable bucket fits conveniently and is slideable within the next larger bucket. That is, the third movable bucket 83 can telescope within the second movable bucket 81; the second movable bucket 81 can telescope within the first movable bucket 79; and the first movable bucket 79 can telescope within the fixed bucket 67. The lower front edge of the first movable bucket is suitably reinforced by a transversely extending bar-like member (not shown) which also maintains, in spaced apart relation, the inner surface of the fixed bucket 67 from the outer surface of the first movable bucket 79. So, too, the rear edge of the fixed bucket 67 is suitably reinforced by a single transversely extending bar-like member 85, which is fixed as by welding to the inner surface of the fixed bucket, as shown in FIG. 3. In like manner, there are suitable reinforcing and spacing bars on both the front and rear edges of the second and third

movable buckets

81, 83 respectively. These bar-like members 85 serve as travel-stop means for each immediately adjacent telescoping bucket, and for a reciprocable tailgate 87 which is disposed to move by means of a powered rack 89, longitudinally within the third movable bucket 83 as well as longitudinally of the machine 11. There is mounted on the rear end portion of the rear middle body portion 39 an electric motor-driven gear-reduction 91 having an output pinion which drivingly engages the rack 89.

On the lower outer surface of the fixed bucket 67 there is mounted generally along the central axis and adjacent.

the rearward edge thereof, a latch roller keeper 93 comprising a wheel-like member 93a revolvably mounted on a shaft 93b (see FIG. 4). The roller keeper central shaft 93b is fixed at one end to the bucket 67 and to a support plate 95 at the other end; the support plate 95 being fixedly mounted, in a suitable manner, in spaced parallel relation to and beneath the bottom surface of the fixed bucket bar 99 fixedly mounted on the rear edge portion of the first movable bucket 79.

Similar support plates

101, 103 and reinforcing

bar members

105, 107 are mounted and fixed adjacent the rear edge portions of the second and third

movable buckets

81, 83, as may be observed by referring to FIG. 3. Similar latch roller keepers 109,

111 are mounted in the same general manner and location on the outer surfaces of the first and second

movable buckets

79, 81 respectively, as shown in FIG. 3. Adjacent the

latch roller keepers

109, 111 there is mounted on the first and second movable buckets 79, 81 a pivotable

latch hook assembly

113, 115 respectively. Likewise, another similar latch hook assembly 117 is pivotally mounted on the underneath side of the third movable bucket 83. A typical latch hook assembly 113 is delineated in FIG. 4 and it comprises a generally triangular shaped plate member 119, which is pivotally mounted by a pivot pin 121 in one corner portion 123. One other corner portion is shaped as a hook 125 that is adaptable to cooperate with the roller portion 93a of the roller keeper 93. At the other corner 127, there is fixedly mounted a trip lever 129 which extends generally perpendicular to the plane of the plate member 119 for a purpose to be described hereinafter. When the typical latch hook assembly 117, for example, is mounted on the underneath side of the third movable bucket 83, the hook 125 engages the typical roller keeper 111 which is fixedly mounted on the underneath side of the adjacent or second movable bucket 81. A spring 131, or any other suitable resilient device, is suitably fixed at one end to the corner 127, and, at the other end, to an L-shaped support member 130 fixed to the underneath side of the third movable bucket 83, in the manner shown in FIG. 4. The spring 131 is so disposed that it urges the hook 125 into engagement with the typical roller keeper 111, as may be noticed by referring to FIG. 4. Moreover, when the latch hook assembly 117 is mounted, as described, the trip lever 129 projects upward through a notch 133 in the transverse reinforcing bar 107, as may be seen in FIG. 3, and through an arcuate slot (not shown) in the bottom plate of the third movable bucket 83. The trip lever 129 projects through the bottom plate a distance which is sufficient to engage and be actuated by the tailgate 87 when it approaches the extreme right hand end of its travel, as viewed in FIG. 2. The other

latch hook assemblies

113, 115 are similarly made and situated on the

buckets

79, 81 respectively.

To understand the action of the latching arrangement and mechanism of the present invention, it will be convenient to refer initially to FIGS. 2 and 4. It is assumed that all of the buckets are telescoped initially, as shown in FIG. 1, and that the machine is operating and loading earth material into the third movable bucket. At the same time, the tailgate 87 is being moved rearwardly, by actuating the gear-motor driven rack 89, as the material is being loaded. When the tailgate 87 approaches, but just prior to reaching, the limit of its travel in the bucket 83, it engages the trip bar 129 causing the latch hook-plate 119 to pivot about the pin 121. The pivot motion of the hook-plate moves the hook portion 125 clockwise from the over-center latched position, shown in FIG. 4. Now, then, the tailgate 87 engages the transverse bar 85 and this urges the third movable bucket to move longitudinally, and, since the hook portion 125 has been moved from its initial over-center latched position, there is no restraintimpressed upon the third movable bucket. The roller keeper 111 rotates and the hook portion 125 of the latch hook assembly becomes disengaged. It should be noted that the hook plate 119 is maintained in the position to which it rotates until the tailgate moves frontward, during the machine unloading cycle. When this occurs, the spring 131 urges the hook plate to pivot again to its initial position and the trip lever 129 engages the notch 133 in the transverse reinforcing member 107. When the third movable bucket telescopes into the second movable 4* bucket, the roller keeper 111 engages the outer rounded portion of the hook and the latch plate pivots, as may be necessary, to cooperate with the roller keeper, as it was originally.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the hook portion 125 of the latch hook assembly, and the roller keeper 111 cooperating with it, are so disposed that, when they are in the latched position, as shown in FIG. 4, the hook portion 125 is maintained in an over-center latched position by the spring 131. The latch arrangement, by virtue of the over-center feature, will sustain a longitudinal pull on the latch arrangement, or on the bucket to which it is attached, without becoming unlatched. Only when the tailgate, or a reinforcing bar on the bottom of the front edge of a respective one of the movable buckets, engages and pivots the trip lever 129 about the pin 121, will the latch hook 125 become disengaged from the roller keeper 111, so as to allow the inner bucket to move longitudinally. It will be understood that very little force is required to pivot the trip lever 129 and that very little movement of the plate 119 causes the hook portion 125 and the roller keeper 111 to become disengaged. Thus, the latch arrangement and mechanism of my invention accomplishes secure coupling of adjacent buckets and yet provides positive and easy uncoupling action even under heavy load conditions.

Of course, it should be readily apparent that the principles of the present invention may be readily and conveniently applied to similar earthworking machines which may have more movable buckets or less than the number described and shown herein.

While I have shown my invention in only one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof.

I claim:

1. In combination with an earthworking machine having a main frame, a powered tailgate and including a plurality of longitudinally movable load-carrying buckets telescopable within each other and within a fixed bucket supported on said frame, a bucket latching arrangement and mechanism comprising:

(a) a rotatable roller keeper mounted underneath and adjacent the rear edge of each of said buckets except the innermost movable bucket;

(b) a pivotable latching hook mounted underneath each said movable bucket adjacent the rearward edge thereof, said latch hook being disposed to engage and cooperate with one of said roller keepers mounted on the immediately adjacent outer bucket when each of said buckets is telescoped within another bucket;

(c) resilient bias means for maintaining each said latching hook in a cooperative over-center latched relation with its respective roller keeper; and

(d) means responsive respectively to rearward movement of said movable buckets and said tailgate for pivotally moving said respective latch to pivot and disengage same from its cooperative roller keeper immediately prior to the rearward movement of a respective said movable bucket.

2. In combination with an earthworking machine having a main frame, a powered tailgate and including a plurality of longitudinally movable load-carrying buckets telescopable within each other and within a fixed bucket supported on said frame, a bucket latching arrangement and mechanism comprising:

(a) a rotatable roller keeper fixedly mounted on each I of said buckets except the innermost movable bucket;

(b) a latching hook pivotally mounted on each of said movable buckets and engageable with the one of said roller keepers mounted on the immediately adjacent outer bucket when said buckets are telescoped together;

(c) bias means engaging said latching hook and urging it into a cooperative over-center relation with its respective roller keeper; and

(d) means responsive respectively to rearward movement of said movable buckets and said tailgate for 5 pivotally moving said respective latching hook and disengaging same from its roller keeper prior to the longitudinal movement of the respective movable bucket.

(a) a rotatable roller keeper mounted on the fixed bucket; 15

(b) a latching hook pivotally mounted on the movable bucket, said hook being adapted to cam into engagement with the rotatable roller keeper when said buckets are telescopically closed;

(c) biasing means engaging said latching hook for urging said hook into cooperative over-center latched relationship with said roller keeper when said buckets are telescopically closed; and

((1) means responsive respectively to rearward movement of a said movable bucket and said tailgate for pivotally moving and disengaging said latching hook from the rotatable roller keeper to permit a respective said movable bucket to telescopically open.

4. In an earthworking machine having a fixed load carrying bucket, a powered tailgate and at least one movable load carrying bucket telescopically mounted within the fixed bucket the improvement which comprises:

(a) a rotatable roller keeper mounted on one of said buckets;

(b) a latching hook pivotally mounted on the other of said buckets, said hook being adapted to cam into engagement with the rotatable roller keeper when said buckets are telescopically closed;

(0) biasing means engaging said latching hook for urging said hook into cooperative over-center latched relationship within the roller keeper when said buckets are telescopically closed; and

(d) means responsive respectively to rearward movement of a said movable bucket and said tailgate for pivotally moving and disengaging said latching hook from the rotatable roller keeper to permit a respective said movable bucket to telescopically open.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,530,779 3/ 1925 LeTourneau 37126 1,598,864 9/1926 LeTourneau 37ll8 2,229,103 1/1941 LeTourneau 37-126 ABRAHAM G. STONE, Primary Examiner. WILLIAM A. SMITH, III, Examiner.

Claims

4. IN AN EARTHWORKING MACHINE HAVING A FIXED LOAD CARRYING BUCKETS, A POWERED TAILGATE AND AT LEAST ONE MOVABLE LOAD CARRYING BUCKET TELESCOPICALLY MOUNTED WITHIN THE FIXED BUCKET THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES: (A) A ROTATABLE ROLLER KEEPER MOUNTED ON ONE OF SAID BUCKETS; (B) A LATCHING HOOK PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON THE OTHER OF SAID BUCKETS, SAID HOOK BEING ADAPTED TO CAM INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH THE ROTATABLE ROLLER KEEPER WHEN SAID BUCKETS ARE TELESCOPICALLY CLOSED; (C) BIASING MEANS ENGAGING SAID LATCHING HOOK FOR URGING SAID HOOK INTO COOPERATIVE OVER-CENTER LATCHED RELATIONSHIP WITHIN THE ROLLER KEEPER WHEN SAID BUCKETS ARE TELESCOPICALLY CLOSED; AND (D) MEANS RESPONSIVE RESPECTIVELY TO REARWARD MOVEMENT OF A SAID MOVABLE BUCKET AND SAID TAILGATE FOR PIVOTALLY MOVING AND DISENGAGING SAID LATCHING HOOK FROM THE ROTATABLE ROLLER KEPPER TO PERMIT A RESPECTIVE SAID MOVABLE BUCKET TO TELESCOPICALLY OPEN.