US3495344A

US3495344A - Scraper bucket with relatively movable front and rear sections

Info

Publication number: US3495344A
Application number: US582582A
Authority: US
Inventors: Aaron G Reynolds
Original assignee: Reynolds Research & Manufacturing Corp
Current assignee: CONWAY TECHNOLOGIES Corp A CORP OF TX; Reynolds Research & Manufacturing Corp
Priority date: 1966-09-28
Filing date: 1966-09-28
Publication date: 1970-02-17
Anticipated expiration: 1987-02-17

Description

A. G. REYNOLDS SCRAP-ER BUCKET WITH RELATIVELY MOVABLE FRONT Feb. 17, 1 910 AND REAR SECTIONS Filed Sept. 28, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 esz/l Aaron G. Reyna/a;

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY? Feb. 17, 1970 A. G. REYNOLDS I 3,495,344-

SCRAPER BUCKET WITH RELATIVELY MOVABLE FRONT AND REAR SECTIONS Filed Sept. '28, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Act/"027 6. Reyna/d5 INVEA TOR.

BY j w ATTO/F/VE VJ United States Patent 3,495,344 SCRAPER BUCKET WITH RELATIVELY MOVABLE FRONT AND REAR SECTIONS Aaron G. Reynolds, McAllen, Tex., assignor to Reynolds Research & Manufacturing Corp., McAllen, Tex. Filed Sept. 28, 1966, Ser. No. 582,582 Int. Cl. E02f 3/64 US. Cl. 37129 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An earth moving scraper having a frame movable over the ground level and a bucket carried by the frame. The bucket includes a front section having side walls defining an opening into the front end of the bucket, and a rear section having a bottom wall and sidewalls parallel to the side walls of the front section. A means is provided for swinging the rear bucket section between a generally horizontal position in which it forms a rearward extension of the front section so as to contain earth, and an inclined dumping position in which its side walls are at least partially telescoped with;'the side walls of the front section. The front edges of the side walls of the rear section aregenerally parallel and closely adjacent the rear edges of the side walls of the front section in the generally horizontal position of the rear section. Upon swinging of the rear section to its dumping position, its front edges move over and in a path closely adjacent the side walls of the front bucket section, and there are lugs spaced along these edges so as to overlap the rear,

This invention relates generally to earth moving scrapers; and, more particularly, to improvements in bucket type scrapers in which the bucket may be moved relative to its supportng friame between earth containing and dumping positions.

In the scraper shown in Engler Patent No. 2,528,046, the entire bucket is swingable about an axis transverse to the frame in moving between an essentially horizontal position for containing earth therein and a forwardly inclined position for dumping the earth from its open front end. In a third, slightly inclined position, a blade along the front edge of the bucket is lowered beneath ground level so as to scrape earth into the open end of such bucket upon forward movement of the frame.

In an improved version of this scraper, the capacity of the bucket is increased by an additional open-ended section comprising side walls fixedly carried by the frame and generally parallel to the side walls of the swingable section behind it so as to form a forward continuation thereof. In this improved scraper, the side walls of the rear section are at least partially telescoped with respect to the side walls of the front section upon swinging to dumping position.

Obviously, in order to contain the earth, the side walls of the front and rear bucket sections move in paths closely adjacent one another in swinging between alternate positions of the bucket. More particularly, the end edges of adjacent ends of the side walls of the two sections overlap to an extent sufiicient to insure that they do not obstruct one another, even after repeated wear on the various parts of the scraper.

One serious problem which has resulted from this construction is the tendency for relatively large particles, such as gravel, to become wedged between the overlapping end edges of the bucket sections. Thus, as the rear bucket section is swung from extended into telescoping relation with respect to the front section, these particles Patented Feb. 17, 1970 are carried with it over the side walls of the front section. In this case, the side walls of the bucket section may be distorted to such an extent as to render the scraper unuseable.

An object of this invention is to provide a scraper of this type in which the bucket is of such construction as to minimize the possibility of jamming these particles between the side walls of its relatively movable sections, while at the same time continuing to insure that they are guided for movement in their respective paths and not caused to obstruct one another.

In the drawings where there is shown, by way of illustration, one embodiment of the invention:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a side of an earth moving scraper having relatively movable bucket sections constructed in accordance with the present invention, and ShOWillg the bucket sections in scraping position wherein the rear section is slightly inclined with respect to the front section to dispose its blade below ground level;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but showing the bucket sections in solid lines in extended position so as to contain earth therein during transport of the scraper, and in broken lines-with the rear bucket section swung upwardly to inclined position for dumping earth therefrom;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the mid-portion of the scraper showing the bucket sections in extended position with respect to one another;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of adjacent ends of the bucket sections, upon an enlarged scale and in the extended position thereof; and

FIG. 5 is another longiudinal sectional view of the bucket sections, similar to FIG. 4, but with the rear section swung upwardly to the dumping position.

With reference now to the details of the above-dc scribed drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, the overall scraper, which is indicated in its entirety by reference character 10, is similar in many respects to the construction and operation of the scraper shown and described in the aforementioned Engler Patent No. 2,528,046. Thus, it comprises a bucket 11 carried by and within the rectangular main body of aframe 12 made up of hingedly connected

side frame members

13 and 14 and front and

rear frame members

15 and 16 interconnecting the

side frame members

13 and 14, respectively. The rear portion of the main body of the frame is supported by one or more wheels 12B, and the front portion thereof is supported by a draft bar 12A extending forwardly from a mid-portion of the frame member 15 for connection to a tractor or other vehicle adapted to pull the frame forwardly from right to left over the ground level G.

The bucket 11 includes a rear section 17 pivotally supported by means of pins 18 carried in opposite side frame members 13. The bucket section 17 is also supported from the frame by means of piston and cylinder type actuators 19, each of which is pivotally connected by pins 20A and 20B between the bucket section 17 and a side frame member 14. More particularly, the actuators are arranged to swing the bucket section about the transverse axes of pins 18 so as to move it between earth containing, dumping and scraping positions upon extension and retraction thereof, as will be described hereinafter.

As described in the Engler patent, the

side frame members

13 and 14 are hingedly connected together by means of pins 21 and are provided with stops (not shown) which limit their swinging relative to one another in one direction beyond that shown when the frame is in the transport position of FIG. 2. That is, the frame member 14 can swing no further in a clockwise direction with respect to the frame member 13. On the other hand, frame member 14 can swing in a counterclockwise direction from its position of FIG. 2 to its position of FIG.1, so as to in effect break the hinge between the side frame members and thereby lower the blade 22 along the front end of bucket section 17 from a position raised above ground level G to a position below the ground level, as shown in FIG. 1. More particularly, this breaking of the hinge between the

side frame members

13 and 14 is initiated by retraction of the actuators 19 from the solid line position of FIG. 2 to the position of FIG. 1. The side frame members are urged to the position of FIG. 2 in which their stops are engaged by means of coil springs 23 connecting the side frame members in the manner shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

As also described in the Engler patent, and as will be apparent from the drawings, the bucket section 17 has an open front end above the blade 22 and between its longitudinally extending side walls 17A. It also has a bottom wall 17B extending laterally between the side walls 17A and rearwardly from the blade 22 to a rear wall disposed across its rear end. In this manner, the bucket section 17 is adapted to receive earth through its open end as the scraper is moved forwardly from right to left with the blade 22 lowered to the position shown in FIG. 1. Then, upon extension of the actuators so as to raise the bucket sections to the extended position shown in solid lines in FIG. 2, it is adapted to contain earth therein for transport to a desired place for dumping.

In this latter connection, and as illustrated by the broken lines of FIG. 2, further extension of the actuators 19 from their solid line position to their broken line position shown in FIG. 2 will swing the bucket section 17 upwardly and forwardly about the axes of pins 18. In this position, of course, earth contained in the bucket will be dumped through its open end past the scraping blade 22.

In accordance with the above-described improved version of this scraper, the bucket 17 includes a front section 24 comprising side walls 24A carried by the scraper frame 12. More particularly, the side walls of section 24 extend longitudinally and parallel to the side walls 17A of rear bucket sections 17 and are of substantially the same height as the side walls of the rear bucket section so as to form a forward continuation thereof. As previously described, this construction greatly increased the capacity of the scraper 11.

The front bucket section 24 is open-ended so as to receive earth therethrough into the open front end of bucket section 17. More particularly, the front end of bucket section 24 intermediate front frame member 15 and blade 22 may be closed, if desired, by means of a gate construction 25. The gate shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in its raised position so as to open the front end of gate section 24 during the scraping operation illustrated in FIG. 1 and the dumping operation illustrated by broken lines in FIG. 2. Normally, in the earth-containing position, the gate construction 25 would be lowered so as to close the front end of bucket section 24, as shown in FIG. 3.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, the side walls 17A of the rear bucket sections are disposed for swinging in paths closely adjacent the side walls 24A of the front bucket section. Upon swinging of the rear gate section 17 upwardly and forwardly about pins 18, the side walls 17A are caused to at least partially telescope over the side walls 24A of bucket section 24, as best shown in FIG. 5. As previously described, and as will be understood from the foregoing, when the front edges of the side walls 17A overlapped the rear edges of the side walls 24A to any appreciable extent in the extended positions of the bucket sections, there was a tendency to trap large particles between them. On the other hand, it was thought necessary to provide such overlapping edge portions in order to prevent the bucket sections from obstructing one another upon wear and repeated operation of the bucket. I

In accordance with the novel aspects of the invention, however, these edges of the bucket sections are disposed parallel and closely adjacent to one another. Thus, as shown in FIG. 4, they may be in substantial lateral alignment, or alternatively, they may be actually spaced from one another a small amount, or overlapped to such a small extent that they would not tend to trap large particles there/between.

Thus, these parallel edges at adjacent ends of the bucket sections also include parts 26 in the form of lugs spaced lengthwise of their edges and mounted on one such edge for overlapping the other in the extended position of the bucket sections shown in FIG. 4. In the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, these lugs 26 extend forwardly from the front edges of side walls 17A so as to overlap with the rear edges of side walls 24A. Obviously, the lugs could instead be carried upon the rear edges of side walls 24A for overlapping the front edges of side walls 17A. Still further, one or more lugs 26 may be carried by the side walls of the rear bucket section and the remaining lugs 26 carried by the side walls of the front bucket section 24.

In any case, the lugs 26 are so spaced apart and of such length as to minimize the areas of overlap between the bucket sections so as to minimize the hazard of trapping large particles therebetween, while at the same time maintaining the edges of the walls for movement in their intended paths. Obviously, the length of the lugs 26 will be governed by the amount of wear which might be expected upon the sections of the bucket tending to separate them in a longitudinal direction during repeated use. Of course, in the event the end edges of the bucket sections are actually spaced apart a small amount, the lugs 26 would normally be just that much longer. Alternatively, in the event there is a slight overlap between these end edges, the lugs 26 may be just that much shorter.

As will be appreciated from a comparison of the solid line representation of the bucket sections in FIG. 2 and the representation thereof in FIG. 1, swinging of the bucket section 17 to the slightly inclined scraping position will cause the lugs 26 to move in a path closely adjacent the outer rear portions of side walls 24A. Further swinging of the bucket section 17 to the inclined position shown in broken lines in FIG. 2 will cause the lugs 26 to continue to move in a. path closely adjacent the mid-portions of the outer sides of walls 24A.

Preferably, the rear portions of the side walls of the front bucket section 24 are bent outwardly, as indicated at 26a so that the rear edges of the side walls 24A are urged yieldalbly against the side walls 17A in all positions of the bucket sections relative to one another. More particularly, this outwardly flared portion of each of the side walls 24A extends for substantially the full height thereof. This preferred construction is useful in containing earth in the bucket sections inasmuch as it takes up for wear tending to separate the bucket sections in a lateral direction upon repeated use. That is, the yieldable urging of the edges of this outwardly flared portion will take up for inward movement of the side walls 24A and outward movement of the side walls 17A.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth, together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the apparatus.

The invention have been described, what is claimed is:

1. An earth moving scraper, comprising a frame and a bucket carried by the frame, said bucket comprising a pair of sections having spaced apart, parallel side walls, and means for swinging said sections relatively to one another and about an axis perpendicular to the side walls between a first position in which they are extended to contain earth therein and a second position in which they are at least partially telescoped to dump the earth therefrom, the edges of the side walls at adjacent ends of the bucket sections being movable over and in a path closely adjacent the side walls of the other Ibucket section during swinging of said sections to and from said second position, said edges of the bucket sections being closely adjacent one another in the first position of the bucket sections, so as to minimize the hazard of trapping particles therebetween, and parts spaced along the edge of at least onebucket section overlapping with the edge of the other bucket section on each side of the bucket, said parts occupying only a relatively small portion of the total length of said edges of the bucket sections with the area between said parts being vacant so as to substantially lessen the area between said sides in which particles can be trapped, said parts serving to maintain said edges generally parallel for movement in said path as the sections move into and out of said first position, the edges of one of said bucket section being bent toward the other of said bucket sections to minimize the gap between the bucket sections.

2. An earth moving scraper, comprising a frame movalble forwardly over the ground level, and a bucket carried by the frame, said bucket including a front section comprising longitudinally extending side walls defining an opening into the front end of the bucket, a rear section comprising a bottom wall and longitudinally extending side walls parallel to the side walls of the front section, and means for swinging the rear section about a transverse axis with respect to the front section between a generally horizontal earth-containing position in which it forms a rearward extension of the front section and an inclined dumping position in which it is at least partially telescoped with the side walls of the front section, the front edges of the side walls of the rear section being generally parallel and closely adjacent the rear edges of the 6 side walls of the front section in said earth-containing position, so as to minimize the hazard of trapping particles therebetween, and being movable over and in a path closely adjacent the side walls of the other bucket section during swinging of said sections to and from said dumping position, and parts on at least one of said parallel edges spaced lengthwise thereof and overlapping the other edge in the earthcontaining position of the bucket sections, said parts occupying onlya relatively small portion of the total length of said edges of the bucket sections with the area between said parts being vacant so as to substantially lessen the area between said sides in which particles can be trapped, said parts serving to maintain said edges for movement in said path as they move into and out of said earth-containing position, the edges of one of said bucket sections lbeing bent toward the other of said bucket sections to minimize the gap between the bucket sections.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,050,856 8/1936 Peterson 37-126 2,064,023 12/1936 Maloon 37-126 2,159,045 5/1939 Paulson et a1. 37-129 2,196,690 4/1940 Barrett 37-129 2,255,240 9/1941 Bird 37-126 2,400,760 4/ 1946 Kusz 37-129 2,514,091 7/1950 Renaud 37-129 2,528,046 10/1950 Engler 37-129 EDGAR S. BURR, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 37-126