US3433377A

US3433377A - Swing away cutting edge for ejector buckets

Info

Publication number: US3433377A
Application number: US649921A
Authority: US
Inventors: Trevor G Campbell
Original assignee: Caterpillar Tractor Co
Current assignee: Caterpillar Inc
Priority date: 1967-06-29
Filing date: 1967-06-29
Publication date: 1969-03-18
Anticipated expiration: 1986-03-18

Description

March 1959 T. G. CAMPBELL SWING AWAY CUTTING EDGE FOR EJECTOR BUCKETS Sheet 1 of 2 Filed June 29. 1967 INVENTOR. T REVOR G. CAMPBELL ATTORNEYS March 18, 1969 T. G. CAMPBELL SWING AWAY CUTTING EDGE FOR EJECTOR BUCKETS Sheet Filed June 29, 1967 INVENTOR.

TREVOR G. CAMPBELL ATTORNEYS 3,433,377 SWING AWAY CUTTING EDGE FOR EJECTOR BUCKETS Trevor G. Campbell, Peoria, Ill., assignor to Caterpillar Tractor Co., Peoria, Ill., a corporation of California Filed June 29, 1967, Ser. No. 649,921 US. Cl. 214-767 Int. Cl. E02f 3/74, 3/81 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Cross-reference to related applications US. patent application Ser. No. 591,862 titled, Ejector Mechanism for Loader Buckets, filed by Trevor G. Campbell on Nov. 3, 1966, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention.

Background of the invention Earthmoving-type loaders commonly employ ejector buckets wherein the bucket has an ejector which sweeps forwardly through the bucket during unloading to provide for positive ejection of material from the bucket, for example when sticky material is being handled or when it is desirable to unload the bucket with its floor in a generally horizontal position. Numerous problems arise when such ejector buckets are employed. For example, it is often desirable to employ teeth on the cutting edge of the bucket. However, the addition of teeth to the cutting edge often presents a problem since the adapters for the teeth project above the cutting edge and interfere with the ejector which usually has a lower edge sweeping through the bucket in close proximity to the bucket floor and the cutting edge. In addition, most buckets which include ejectors commonly require a bucket floor with a thick cross-section to permit proper cooperation with the ejector. This thick cross-section of the bucket floor oftens prevents easy penetration of the cutting edge and bucket floor into materials which are to be loaded into the bucket. Further, it is desirable to be able to rapidly and simply alter the capacity of such ejector bucket to permit more etlicient operation in materials ranging from lightweight, bulky material to heavy, compact materials. However, simple forward extension of the bucket floor and bucket sidewalls requires detailed changes in the bucket assembly since the ejector sweep must be varied to permit complete ejection of material from the entire bucket. Further, variations in the forward projection of the bucket floor result in often undesirable changes in the bucket reach of such loaders, particularly during unloading.

It is also well known in the prior art to employ bucket loaders where the entire sidewall and bucket floor structure including the cutting edge pivots forwardly from the bucket to permit unloading between the bucket assembly and the forward pivoting floor. However, such construction has not been found to lend itself to employment with an ejector. In addition, buckets where the entire sidewall and bucket floor pivot forwardly for unloading undesirably limit the bucket reach of such loaders during unloading.

nited States Patent 3,433,377 Patented Mar. 18, 1969 Summary of the invention The present invention overcomes the above problems by providing an ejector bucket having fixed sidewalls and floor structure with a cutting edge pivotally connected to the ejector bucket by means of side extensions. The pivotal cutting edge assembly is associated with the ejector to be pivoted forwardly according to forward ejecting motion of the bucket ejector.

Brief description of the drawings FIG.1 is a partial side elevation of a tractor with a bucket embodying the present invention mounted thereon, part of the bucket being shown in section;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the ejector bucket assembly of FIG. 1, with parts in section, illustrated in an unloading position; and

FIGS. 3 and 4 are side elevations of an alternate embodiment of the ejector bucket illustrated in a loading position and in an unloading position, respectively.

Description of the preferred embodiments Although the invention is particularly described herein with reference to an ejector bucket of a type wherein the ejector is specially constructed to sweep along a straight floor section, it will be readily apparent that the pivotal cutting edge provided by the present invention is readily adaptable for use with buckets of other configurations.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a bucket loader vehicle is partially illustrated at 11 and has an ejector bucket assembly 12 pivotally connected at 13 to a pair of forwardly extending lift arms, one of which is indicated at 14, and hydraulic cylinders, one shown at 16, operating the lift arms to raise and lower the bucket assembly. A tilt linkage which is repeated on either side of the bucket loader includes a hydraulic jack 17 connected with each of the lift arms by means of levers 18 and 19. The forward lever 19 has an end pivotally connected to the lift arm at 21, a pivotal connection with the rod of the hydraulic jack at 22 and a pivotal connection 23 at its other end with two links 24 and 26 which extend forwardly for connection to the ejector bucket assembly in a manner to be described below. The arrangement of the tilt linkage permits the bucket assembly to maintain a proper load-carrying attitude upon being raised by the lift arms while extension of the hydraulic jack of the tilt linkage causes the ejector bucket to be unloaded in a manner also described below.

The ejector bucket assembly is similar to the disclosure of the US. patent application Ser. No. 591,862 and is briefiy described herein.

The bucket assembly has a bucket floor 27 with a straight inside surface 28 and a pair of sidewalls, one of which is indicated at 29, which are connected with the bucket floor and project upwardly to be connected to a cross member 31, also shown in FIG. 2. A generally vertical structural member 32 is disposed at the rear of the bucket assembly on either side thereof and is connected with both the bucket floor and the cross member 31. Each of the vertical members 32 provides one of the pivotal connections 13 of the lift arms as well as a pivotal connection 33 with the forwardly extending link 24 of the tilt linkage. An angled ejector plate 34 is pivotally connected to an upper end of each vertical member 32 by means of a link 36 and has a tab 37 projecting rearwardly from either side of its angled portion. Each tab 37 is connected to one of the pivot points 13 by means of a lever 38. The forwardly extending member 26 of the tilt linkage is connected to a projection 39 of the lever 38 adjacent its connection with the ejector tab by means of a link 41 which is pivotally disposed therebetween. As the bucket assembly is raised by extension of the hydraulic jacks 16 acting upon the lift arms, the tilt linkage levers 18 and 19 are pivoted forwardly according to the fixed connection provided therebetween by the hydraulic jack 17. As the forward tilt linkage lever 19 is pivoted forwardly, member 24 causes forward tilting of the bucket assembly such that it will maintain a proper load-carrying attitude while being raised by the lift arms. The interconnecting link 41 prevents actuation of the ejector during this initial forward tilting of the bucket assembly. However, when the interconnecting links 41 make positive contact with the levers 38, subsequent extension of the hydraulic jack 17 which tilts the bucket forwardly for unloading also causes the ejector plate to sweep forwardly through the bucket to unload material therefrom. The nature of the connection of the upper links 36 with the ejector plate permits the lower edge 42 of the ejector plate to sweep forwardly in close proximity to the straight bucket floor surface 28. The position of the tilt linkage, the bucket assembly and the ejector are illustrated in FIG. 2 at the completion of unloading of the bucket.

The present invention provides a cutting blade assembly 51 which is pivotally connected to the ejector bucket assembly and associated with the ejector such that on unloading operation of the ejector, the cutting blade assembly swings forwardly to provide an opening between the cutting blade 52 and a forward edge 53 of the bucket floor for unloading of material from the bucket. Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the cutting blade has a forward cutting edge 54 and is afiixed to the upper end 56 of the ejector plate by a side extension 57 on each side of the blade. With the bucket assembly in a loading position as shown in FIG. 1, or in a carry position, the cutting blade assembly forms a forward extension of the bucket with the cutting blade abutting the forward edge of the bucket floor and with each side extension abutting a forward edge 58 of one of the bucket sidewalls. The connection between the ejector plate and the cutting blade assembly is further reinforced by a plate 59 on each side of the bucket assembly which is affixed to the ejector plate and extends forwardly to be connected with one of the side extensions of the cutting blade assembly.

With the bucket assembly in its loading position, the cutting blade assembly increases the capacity of the bucket while the cutting blade, in association with a forward portion of the bucket floor, has a thincross-section for easy penetration of material to be loaded into the bucket. Referring now to FIG. 2, as the bucket assembly is raised to a suitable unloading level and is titled forwardly according to the tilt linkage, the forward motion of the ejector to alter the capacity of the ejector bucket for efficient operation in a wide range of materials from light, bulky materials to heavy, compact materials. Even with such variations in the cutting blade assembly, the reach of the bucket assembly is not affected and the stroke of the ejector plate, as necessary to completely sweep through the ejector bucket, also remains unchanged. Also, teeth may be added to the cutting blade to assist in its penetration of material to be loaded and since the cutting blade is pivoted away from the bucket during unloading, such teeth and adapters to receive the teeth will not interfere with operation of the ejector during unloading.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, a similar ejector bucket assembly is illustrated along with an alternate embodiment of the cutting blade assembly which is swung further forwardly by operation of the ejector to provide an increased opening between the cutting blade assembly and the bucket for unloading. The alternate cutting blade assembly 51' has a similar cutting blade 52' with a forward cutting edge 54' and which has two upwardly projecting side extensions, one of which is indicated at 57'. Each side extension is pivotally connected at its upper end 61 to a forwardly extending end 62 of a plate 63 which is affixed to one of the bucket sidewalls. A cutting blade actuating link 64 is pivotally connected to each of the side extensions at a point 66 below its pivotal connection with the plate 63 and extends rearwardly to be pivotally connected at 67 with a tab 68 atfixed to either side of the ejector plate.

The present embodiment provides a cutting blade assembly which is more readily interchangeable upon the bucket assembly. Further, it may be noted from FIG. 4 that with the pivotal connection of the cutting blade assembly to the bucket sidewall and the link connection between the ejector plate and the cutting blade side extension, the cutting blade assembly is swung further forward according to operation of the ejector plate to provide a greater opening between the cutting blade and the forward edge of the bucket floor for unloading of material from the bucket.

What is claimed is:

1. In an ejector bucket assembly for bucket loaders where the bucket assembly has sidewalls, a bucket floor and an ejector operable to forwardly traverse the bucket for unloading material therefrom, the improvement comprising a cutting blade assembly pivotally associated with the bucket assembly and operably connected to the ejector, said cutting blade assembly forming a forward extension of the bucket prior to operation of the ejector, said cutting blade assembly being caused to pivot forwardly according to unloading operation of the ejector to provide an opening between the bucket and said cutting blade assembly for unloading of material from the bucket therethrough.

2. The ejector bucket assembly of claim 1 wherein said cutting blade assembly is replaceably mounted upon the bucket assembly.

3. The ejector bucket assembly of claim 1 where the ejector is pivotally connected to the bucket assembly to pivot in forward traversal of the bucket for unloading material therefrom and wherein said cutting blade assembly is affixed to the ejector to be forwardly pivoted away from the bucket according to forward traversal of the ejector through the bucket.

4. The ejector bucket assembly of claim 3 wherein said cutting blade assembly comprises.

a cutting blade having a forwardly disposed cutting edge thereon, said cutting blade forming a forward extension of the bucket floor except during operation of the ejector,

a side extension connected to each side of the cutting blade and projecting upwardly to be affixcd to the pivotal ejector, said side extensions forming forward extensions of the bucket sidewalls except during operation of the ejector, and

a member connected between the ejector and each said side extension to provide structural support therebetween.

5. The ejector bucket assembly of claim 1 wherein said cutting blade assembly is pivotally connected to the ejector bucket and at least one member is connected between the ejector and said cutting blade assembly to cause the cutting blade assembly to be forwardly pivoted away from the bucket upon forward traversal of the bucket by the ejector.

6. The ejector bucket assembly of claim 5 where an upper end of an ejector plate is pivotally connected to the ejector bucket and wherein said cutting blade assembly comprises a cutting blade having a forwardly disposed cutting edge thereon, said cutting blade forming a forward extension of the bucket floor,

a side extension connected to each side of the cutting blade and projecting upwardly to be pivotally con- 5 6 nected to the ejector bucket, said side extensions forn1- References Cited ing a forward extension of the bucket sidewalls; and UNITED STATES PATENTS a member pivotally connected between the e ector plate and each of said side extensions to cause said cutting 2,720,990 10/1955 Beyerstedt et a1 214510 blade assembly to be forwardly pivoted away from the I ejector bucket according to forward traversal of the 5 HUGO SCHULTZ P 1mm Examl'ze" by the ejector plate.