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US 10,472,796 B2Granted
Rock blade
OwnerWilliam D. Woodwardinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A movable blade assembly which can be attached to the front or rear of a vehicle and the height of the blade can be adjusted with respect to a roadway such that the blade only comes into contact with relatively large debris and moves them from the roadway.
Claims18
An apparatus comprising:
- at least two wheels;
- at least two blades movable independently with respect to one another and positioned such that a primary axis of each of said at least two blades is substantially parallel with one another;
- said apparatus attachable to a vehicle;
- an actuator arm assembly;
- at least one rotational transfer axle;
- at least one linkage, wherein at least one of said at least two wheels is communicably coupled to said actuator arm assembly through said rotational transfer axle and said linkage such that said at least one of said at least two wheels folds into a compact configuration when said apparatus is raised;
- said at least two wheels and said at least two blades configured to be raised and lowered with respect to the vehicle;
- an adjustment mechanism configured such that said at least two blades stay up off of a road surface on which the vehicle traverses when said at least two blades are in a lowered and operational state with respect to the vehicle;
- at least one rotating slide bar;
- at least two blade guides riding on said at least one rotating slide bar;
- said blade guides each comprising:
- a front portion;
- a rear portion;
- and
- a pivot portion, said front portion at least partially rotatable with respect to said rear portion via said pivot portion;
- said at least two blades configured to ride within said at least two blade guides and said at least two blades configured to travel vertically within said at least two blade guides;
- a slack adjuster comprising:
- a connecting member;
- and
- a slide tube, said connecting member passing through said slide tube;
- said slack adjuster attached to at least one of said blade guides and configured to allow at least one of said blade guides to move apart from another of said blade guides;
- one or more blade slide cylinders;
- one or more push bars, said one or more blade slide cylinders connected to said one or more push bars;
- and
- said one or more blade cylinders configured to move at least one of said at least two blades by shoving or pulling said one or more push bars.
22 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of blades, said plurality of blades arranged substantially parallel with one another but not arranged coplanar with one another, said apparatus attachable to a vehicle;
- an actuator arm assembly;
- at least one rotational transfer axle;
- at least one wheel;
- at least one linkage, wherein said at least one wheel is communicably coupled to said actuator arm assembly through said rotational transfer axle and said linkage such that said at least one wheel folds into a compact configuration when said apparatus is raised;
- and
- at least one adjustment mechanism configured such that said plurality of blades stay up off of a road surface on which the vehicle traverses when said plurality of blades are in a lowered and operational state with respect to the vehicle;
- at least one rotating slide bar;
- at least two blade guides riding on said at least one rotating slide bar;
- said blade guides each comprising:
- a front portion;
- a rear portion;
- and
- a pivot portion, said front portion at least partially rotatable with respect to said rear portion via said pivot portion;
- said plurality of blades configured to ride within said at least two blade guides and said plurality of blades configured to travel vertically within said at least two blade guides;
- a slack adjuster comprising:
- a connecting member;
- and
- a slide tube, said connecting member passing through said slide tube;
- said slack adjuster attached to at least one of said blade guides and configured to allow at least one of said blade guides to move apart from another of said blade guides;
- one or more blade slide cylinders;
- one or more push bars, said one or more blade slide cylinders connected to said one or more push bars;
- and
- said one or more blade cylinders configured to move at least one of said plurality of blades by shoving or pulling said one or more push bars.
21 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- a mining haul truck;
- a rock blade apparatus comprising:
- an actuator arm assembly;
- at least one rotational transfer axle;
- at least one wheel;
- at least one linkage, wherein said at least one wheel is communicably coupled to said actuator arm assembly through said rotational transfer axle and said linkage such that said at least one wheel folds into a compact configuration when said rock blade apparatus is raised;
- a mount, attached to said mining haul truck;
- at least two blades communicably coupled to said mount;
- and
- an adjustment mechanism configured such that said at least two blades stay up off of a road surface on which said mining haul truck travels when said at least two blades are in a lowered and operational state;
- at least one rotating slide bar;
- at least two blade guides riding on said at least one rotating slide bar;
- said blade guides each comprising:
- a front portion;
- a rear portion;
- and
- a pivot portion, said front portion at least partially rotatable with respect to said rear portion via said pivot portion;
- said at least two blades configured to ride within said at least two blade guides and said at least two blades configured to travel vertically within said at least two blade guides;
- a slack adjuster comprising:
- a connecting member;
- and
- a slide tube, said connecting member passing through said slide tube;
- said slack adjuster attached to at least one of said blade guides and configured to allow at least one of said blade guides to move apart from another of said blade guides;
- one or more blade slide cylinders;
- one or more push bars, said one or more blade slide cylinders connected to said one or more push bars;
- and
- said one or more blade cylinders configured to move at least one of said at least two blades by shoving or pulling said one or more push bars.
24 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.