US3208610A - Self-filling bottom-dumping front end loader - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 28, 1965 oeus 3,208,610

SELF-FILLING BOTTOMDUMPING FRONT END LOADER Filed Sept. 7, 1962 United States Patent 3,208,610 SELF-FILLING BOTTOM DUMPING FRONT END LOADER Anthony T. Logus, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Pettibone Mulliken Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 7, 1962, Ser. No. 222,040 8 Claims. (Cl. 214140) Front end loaders are those widely known self-propelled vehicles having a big scoop or bucket on arms at the front end. When a pile of material is to be loaded into a truck, the front end loader may propel itself to push the bucket into the pile at the bottom of the pile. As the arms are raised to fill the bucket from the pile, the vehicle pushes itself further forwardly to assist in the bucketfilling task. When thebucket has been filled, the vehicle usually backs itself away, raises the bucket to full height, moves the bucket over a truck, and dumps the bucket by tilting it downwardly. Quite a few variations of this general type of front end loader have been marketed, and the total number sold is no doubt many thousands. The front end loader might well be considered to have been quite adequately perfected.

According to the present invention, some simple changes have improved the front end loader to a surprising degree. One change consists in pivoting the lift arm to the bucket at a point on the top of the bucket and near its forward face when in digging position. This pivotal position has the result of causing the bucket, when tilted by a tilt cylinder without raising the lift arm to reach further into the pile as it is uprighted. Approximately 90 tilting or tilt back from a horizontal approaching to a vertical carrying disposition can easily be provided. As a result, the vehicle rarely needs to be crowded forwardly as the bucket is raised. With a reasonably steepfaced pile, the bucket is self-filling in that merely by its tilting action, it scoops from the pile a full load, even though not driven into the pile initially farvenough to constitute any severe burden on the driving parts or other mechanism or to make break out difficult. This not only simplifies operation, but saves a great deal of wear and tear on the vehicle and, on the average, makes the loading operation slightly faster.

Another change compared to the more common versions of front end loader is to provide for dumping the bucket by opening its bottom panel while the bucket, as a whole, remains stationary. These features combine to provide an advantage of higher clearance of the bucket over a truck than would be possible after the conventionally pivoted bucket had tilted downwardly from the upright position to a dumping position.

The fact that the bucket is to be dumped by opening its bottom permits giving it a shape which in cooperation with the 90 tilt back permitted by its mounting makes best use of its self-filling characteristics, and permits low carrying with little or no spilling, even with a full load. The bottom dumping also avoids a dumping problem which would otherwise exist when the bucket is pivoted near the upper front corner, the position of pivoting which best provides the self-filling characteristics, but which would tend not to let the bucket swing down and back far enough for adequate dumping.

Operators accustomed to conventional front end loaders have now used the front end loaders with the above described features of this invention for some months and have been amazed at the improved operation which results.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and from the drawings.

Designation of figures FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a front end loader chosen for illustration of the present invention, most of the rear portion of this vehicle being omitted, the arms being shown in normal position and the bucket tilted back for approaching a pile.

, FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 1, but showing the bucket tilted forwardly to the loaded position.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view similar to FIGS. 1 and 2, but showing the lift arms in the uppermost position and the bucket bottom open for dumping.

General description Although the following disclosure offered for public dissemination is detailed to ensure adequacy and aid understanding, this is not intended to prejudice that purpose of a patent which is to cover each new inventive concept therein no matter how others may later disguise it by variations in form or additions or further improvements. The claims at the end hereof are intended as the chief aid toward this purpose; as it is these that meet the requirement of pointing out the parts, improvements, or combinations in which the inventive concepts are found.

The illustrated form of front end loader includes a vehicle chassis 11 which includes front wheels 12 and rear wheels 13. At least one set of the wheels is driven and at least one set is turned to right or left for steering. Dependlng on the uses expected, all four may be driven and all four may be steerable. Preferably, an operators cab 14 is provided on the chassis, and there will at least be an operators seat, steering wheel and various control levers and pedals at the general position represented by the cab 14.

A lift arm 16 is pivoted at a reasonably high location on the chassis, as to a pedestal 17. A bucket or scoop 18 is pivoted to the front end of the lift arm 16. The present invention contemplates a construction in which one pair of cylinders 19 will raise and lower the lift arm 16, and a separate cylinder or pair of cylinders 21 will swing the bucket 18 about its pivotal connection to lift arm 16. It may be noted that only one side of the machine is shown and many of the parts are duplicated on the opposite side. The lift arm 16 may be spoken of in the singular or in the plural, inasmuch as there are usually two longitiudinal members spaced apart but functioning together with firm connecting members as a single structure.

Self-filling feature According to the present invention, the pivotal connection 23 between the bucket and the lift arm 16 is located near the top front corner of the bucket, referring to the bucket in the approach position shown in FIG. 1. How far forwardly this pivotal axis is located will depend largely on how completely one desires to make use of this aspect of the invention. From FIG. 1 it is apparent that the pivotal axis is only something like 28 behind the vertical from the lip 24 of the bucket. It follows that with lift arm 16 remaining stationary and the vehicle remaining stationary, actuation of tilt cylinders 21 to tilt bucket 18 will cause its lip 24 to move in a direction which is initially very predominantly forwardly. The are of movement of the lip 24 is indicated at 26. It may be observed that this are of movement, and especially the lower half of it, is roughly parallel to the angle of repose which may be expected in many piles of material. It follows that if the vehicle is initially moved to bury the lip of the bucket moderately in the pile of material to be loaded into the bucket, the vehicle may remain stationary and the tilting action of the bucket will crowd the lip into the pile as the lip is raised.

It has been found from experience that the bucket can usually be completely filled, or filled with a heaping load, in this manner. In FIG. 2 the bucket has been swung to the filled position with its open face horizontal, the cylinders 21 being fully extended. The lift cylinders 19 remain fully retracted, the lift arms 16 still being in their lowermost position. The lip 24 remains within the pile, thus ensuring a full load for the bucket 18.

In FIG. 3, the lift cylinders 19 have been extended to raise the lift arms 16 to its highest angularity. It will be observed that the open face of bucket 18 is still horizontal, the cylinders 21, their piston rods 28 and connecting links 29 and 31 having served as self-leveling linkage. The front pivot of link 29 is approximately the same distance from pivot 23 as the rear pivot 33 is from pivot 34. Likewise, pivot 36 for piston rods 28 is about the same distance from pivot 34 as is pivot 37, for cylinders 21, from main lift arm pivot 38. Thus, the pivots 23, 32, 33 and 34 form one parallelogram While the pivots 34, 36, 37, 38 form another parallelogram when the tilt cylinders 21 are extended, as they are during this self-leveling action.

Bottom-dump feature As seen in FIG. 3, the bottom 41 of bucket 18 can be tilted to a steep angle while the bucket remains in the upright position. To this end the bottom is pivoted at 42 and is operated by dump cylinders 43, which are connected to the bottom 41 through an arm 44. Preferably, shields 46 are provided to control the direction in which the dumping material moves. Thus, as illustrated in FIG. 3 it all moves forwardly under the influence of the sloping dropped bottom 41. This is desirable for obtaining full loads in trucks, with heaping at the center area. Preferably, the dropped bottom 41 has an angularity of approximately 45 from the vertical, this being steep enough to ensure self cleaning of the material from the bottom 41 while still having the desired forwardly projecting effect.

The power control of bottom 41 is useful in adjusting its slope for controlling the placing of the load. Also, when desired, the bottom may be opened only slightly to control the rate or quantity of flow, or for acting as a grizzly to hold back large pieces to be separately disposed of. Also the bottom may be closed during dumping in case a truck is filled before the bucket is empty.

Each of the functions described is preferably controlled by a separate valve actuator, such as 45 within the reach of the driver of the vehicle. Preferably the tilt cylinder 21 is double-acting for reliably swinging the bucket 18 to the position shown in FIG. 1. Although cylinders 19 and 43 could be single acting, return hoses are quite likely to be provided for return of any oil which may leak past the pistons and to avoid the necessity of constant breathing beyond the pistons. Hence, it is not much more expensive to provide double-acting cylinders, and there is some advantage to doing so, especially in the case of the lift cylinders 19.

When digging a hard packed bank of virgin gravel, the operator can strip the bank several times with the door open, allowing the loosened material to pass freely through the bucket until a sulficient pile of loose material has developed at the footing, which he then can load easily.

When employing an ordinary front end loader to strip a hard packed bank of virgin gravel, the operator finds this operation one of the most difficult and it is virtually impossible to fill the bucket.

Thus, the loader embodying this invention with the bottom dump bucket can perform this function readily and do many jobs of this nature which cannot be done with the ordinary front end loader, and on which jobs the ordinary front end loader has had to give up.

If swinging from side to side is desired, the lift arm 16 may be carried by a turntable, and all of its appurtenances may remain substantially the same except, perhaps, for the relocation of the lift cylinders 19, which would of course need to operate between the lift arms 16 and the turntable.

Conclusion The high and forward location of the pivot 23 between the bucket 18 and the lift arm 16 causes the forward tilting of the bucket to move the lip further into the pile for filling the bucket adequately without continued crowding by the vehicle. The location of pivot is preferably about as shown, though fair results may still be attained if it is not over behind the vertical plane from the lip 24 when in pile-approaching position, and some advantage over prior art may be achieved even at about A pivotal point located further forward than the 25 position may be even more advantageous in filling from piles having non-steep faces, but may be found to present other problems, though perhaps they can be overcome if need for such forward pivoting becomes significant.

As seen in FIG. 3, this same preferred location of the pivot 23 is not well adapted for letting the bucket swing far enough when the arm 16 is raised to dump the bucket over the lip 24. The problem which might thus be presented is solved by the provision of bottom dumping, and this has other advantages. An exceptionally high clearance beneath the dumping bucket in its uppermost position is achieved for any given length of lift arm 16. The dumping material is nevertheless projected forwardly, for best filling of a truck. Inasmuch as the wall 47 of the bucket does not have to be shaped with a view to ensuring its dumping of the material over the lip 24, it can be given the most desirable shape for a self-filling bucket. As seen best in FIG. 1, the portion of this wall 47 rearwardly of a vertical plane through the axis of pivots 23 is approximately arcuately shaped about this axis. This permits freedom of swinging of the bucket 18. At the same time, as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, wall 47 and the opposite wall are fairly close to vertical in the upright position of the bucket, so that a very large load can be carried, and so that the material will reliably dump from the bucket.

Of course, the structure represented by lift arms 16 and bucket 18 and the appurtenances thereof, may be used advantageously with other loading or material handling equipment in addition to the type commonly known as front end loaders.

I claim:

1. Loading apparatus including a support, a lift arm pivoted to the support, hydraulic lift cylinder means for raising the lift arms from a position in which they extend forwardly and downwardly from the pivotal point on the support to a position in which they extend forwardly and upwardly from said pivotal point, a bucket pivoted to the forward end of the lift arm, and an open face demarked by an entry lip along one side thereof and facing mainly forwardly in one position of the bucket With the lift arm lowered, and hydraulic cylinder means independent of the lift cylinder means for controlling the angularity of the bucket with respect to the lift arm to move the bucket to a position upright, with its open face facing upwardly,

in which the pivotal point between the bucket and the lift arm is on the top of the bucket when the bucket is in the pile-approaching position with the lift arm down, and not over 45 behind a vertical plane with reference to the entry lip of the bucket whereby the pivoting of the bucket above swings the lip largely forwardly for penetration of a pile and to substantially fill the bucket as it is thus raised.

2. A front end loader including a self-propelled vehicle, a lift arm pivoted to the vehicle and extending forwardly therefrom, hydraulic lift cylinder means for raising the lift arms from a position in which they extend forwardly :and downwardly from the pivotal point on the support to a position in which they extend forwardly and upwardly from said pivotal point, a bucket pivoted to the forward end of the lift arm, and an open face demarked by an entry lip along one side thereof and facing mainly forwardly in one position of the bucket with the lift arm lowered, and tilting means independent of the lift cylinder means for controlling the angularity of the bucket with respect to the lift arm to move the bucket to a position upright, with its open face facing upwardly, in which the pivotal point between the bucket and the lift arm is on the top of the bucket when the bucket is in the pile-approaching position with the lift arm down,

and not over about behind a vertical plane with reference to the entry lip of the bucket, said tilting means inclu'ding'hydraulic cylinder means for swinging the bucket forwardly from its entry position independently of movement of the lift arm, whereby the lip penetrates the pile and substantially fills the bucket; said bucket having a wall movable for opening the bucket at the bottom thereof when in the upright position.

3. Loading apparatus including a support, a lift arm pivoted to the support, hydraulic lift cylinder means for raising the lift arms from a position in which they extend forwardly and downwardly from the pivotal point on the support to a position in which they extend forwardly and upwardly from said pivotal point, a bucket pivoted to the forward end of the lift arm, and an open face demarked by an entry lip along one side thereof and facing mainly forwardly in one position of the bucket with the lift arm lowered, and tilting means independent of the lift cylinder means for controlling the angularity of the bucket with respect to the lift arm to move the bucket to a position upright, with its open face facing upwardly,

in which the pivotal point between the bucket and the lift arm is on the top of the bucket when the bucket is in the pile-approaching position with the lift arm down, and not over behind a vertical plane with reference to the entry lip of the bucket, said tilting means including hydraulic cylinder means for swinging the bucket forwardly from its entry position independently of movement of the lift arm, whereby the lip penetrates the pile and substantially fills the bucket as it is thus raised.

4. Loading apparatus including a support, a lift arm pivoted to the support, hydraulic lift cylinder means for raising the lift arms from a position in which they extend forwardly and downwardly from the pivotal point on the support to a position in which they extend forwardly and upwardly from said pivotal point, a bucket pivoted to the forward end of the lift arm, and an open face demarked by an entry lip along one side thereof and facing mainly forwardly in one position of the bucket with the lift arm lowered, and tilting means independent of the lift cylinder means for controlling the angularity of the bucket with respect to the lift arm to move the bucket to a position upright, with its open face facing upwardly,

in which the pivotal point between the bucket and the lift arm is on the top of the bucket when the bucket is in the pile-approaching position with the lift arm down, and not over 45 behind a vertical plane with reference to the entry lip of the bucket, said tilting means including hydraulic cylinder means for swinging the bucket forwardly from its entry position independently of movement of the lift arm, whereby the lip penetrates the pile and substantially fills the bucket; said bucket having a panel hinged to the remainder of the bucket for opening the bucket at the bottom thereof when the bucket is upright.

5. Loading apparatus including a support, a lift arm pivoted to the support, hydraulic lift cylinder means for raising the lift arms from a position in which they extend forwardly and downwardly from the pivotal point on the support to a position in which they extend forwardly and upwardly from said pivotal point, a bucket pivoted to the forward end of the lift arm, and an open face demarked by an entry lip along one side thereof and facing mainly forwardly in one position of the bucket with the lift arm lowered, and tilting means independent of the lift cylinder means for controlling the angularity of the bucket with respect to the lift arm to move the bucket to a position upright, with its open face facing upwardly,

in which the pivotal point between the bucket and the lift arm is on the top of the bucket when the bucket is in the pile-approaching position with the lift arm down, and not over 45 behind a vertical plane with reference to the entry lip of the bucket, said tilting means including power means for swinging the bucket forwardly from its entry position independently of movement of the lift arm, whereby the lip penetrates the pile and substantially fills the bucket; said bucket when in upright position having its bottom panel hinged at its rear to the remainder of the bucket for opening the bucket at the bottom thereof when the bucket is upright.

6. Loading apparatus including a support, a lift arm pivoted to the support, hydraulic lift cylinder means for raising the lift arms from a position in which they extend forwardly and downwardly from the pivotal point on the support to a position in which they extend forwardly and upwardly from said pivotal point, a bucket pivoted to the forward end of the lift arm, and an open face demarked by an entry lip along one side thereof and facing mainly forwardly in one position of the bucket with the lift arm lowered, and tilting means independent of the lift cylinder means for controlling the angularity of the bucket with respect to the lift arm to move the bucket to a position upright, with its open face facing upwardly,

in which the pivotal point between the bucket and the lift arm is on the top of the bucket when the bucket is in the pile-approaching position with the lift arm down, and not over 45 behind a vertical plane with reference to the entry lip of the bucket, said tilting means including power means for swinging the bucket forwardly from its entry position independently of movement of the lift arm, whereby the lip penetrates the pile and substantially fills the bucket; said bucket when in upright position having its bot tom panel hinged at its rear to the remainder of the bucket for opening the bucket at the bottom thereof when the bucket is upright; and power means for adjusting the position of the bottom panel to control the quantity of flow and the slope of the bottom panel.

7. Loading apparatus including a support, a lift arm pivoted to the support, hydraulic lift cylinder means for raising the lift arms from a position in which they extend forwardly and downwardly from the pivotal point on the support to a position in which they extend forwardly and upwardly from said pivotal point, a bucket pivoted to the forward end of the lift arm, and an open face demarked by an entry lip along one side thereof and facing mainly forwardly in one position of the bucket with the lift arm lowered, and tilting means independent of the lift cylinder means for controlling the angularity of the bucket with respect to the lift arm to move the bucket to a position upright, with its open face facing upwardly,

in which the pivotal point between the bucket and the lift arm is on the top of the bucket when the bucket is in the pile-approaching position with the lift arm down, and not over 45 behind a vertical plane with reference to the entry lip of the bucket, said tilting means including power means for swinging the bucket forwardly from its entry position independently of movement of the lift arm, whereby the lip penetrates the pile and substantially fills the bucket; said bucket having a wall movable to open the bucket at its bottom when in the upright position.

8. Loading apparatus including a support, a lift arm pivoted to the support, hydraulic lift cylinder means for raising the lift arms from a position in which they extend forwardly and downwardly from the pivotal point on the 7 8 support to a position in which they extend forwardly and penetrates the pile and substantially fills the bucket upwardly from said pivotal point, a bucket pivoted to the as it is thus raised. forward end of the lift arm, and an open face demarked by an entry lip along one side thereof and facing mainly References Cited y the Examine! forwardly in one position of the bucket with the lift arm 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS lowered, and tilting means independent of the lift cylinder means for controlling the angularity of the bucket with respect to the lift arm to move he bucket to a Position g t 2T4 l3 l upright, with its open face fac g pw r y, 2861704 11/58 fi 14 14 in which the pivotal point between the bucket and the 10 28799O8 3/59 A O n n 214 131 lift arm is on the top of the buck t Wh n the bucket 2961106 11/60 Sal-sen 2 14-1716 X is in the pile-approaching position with the lift arm 3034671 5/62 L ,4 X

down, and not over about 30 behind a vertical plane with reference to the entry lip of the bucket, said FOREIGN PATENTS tilting means including power means for swinging the 15 855 128 11/60 Great Britain bucket forwardly from its entry position independently of movement of the lift arm, whereby the lip H SCHULZ, primary 1,504,427 8/24 Butler 214-140

Claims (1)

1. LOADING APPARATUS INCLUDING A SUPPORT, A LIFT ARM PIVOTED TO THE SUPPORT, HYDRAULIC LIFT CYLINDER MEANS FOR RAISING THE LIFT ARMS FROM A POSITION IN WHICH THEY EXTEND FORWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY FROM THE PIVOTAL POINT ON THE SUPPORT TO A POSITION IN WHICH THE EXTEND FORWARDLY AND UPWARDLY FROM SAID PIVOTAL POINT, A BUCKET PIVOTED TO THE FORWARD END OF THE LIFT ARM, AND AN OPEN FACE DEMARKED BY AN ENTRY LIP ALONG ONE SIDE THEREOF AND FACING MAINLY FORWARDLY IN ONE POSITION OF THE BUCKET WITH THE LIFT ARM LOWERED, AND HYDRAULIC CYLINDER MEANS INDEPENDENT OF THE LIFT CYLINDER MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE ANGULARITY OF THE BUCKET WITH RESPECT TO THE LIFT ARM TO MOVE THE BUCKET TO A POSITION UPRIGHT, WITH ITS OPEN FACE FACING UPWARDLY, IN WHICH THE PIVOTAL POINT BETWEEN THE BUCKET AND THE LIFT ARM IS ON THE TOP OF THE BUCKET WHEN THE BUCKET

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