Clamshell bucket with aux-bail carriage assembly
AssigneeTaylor-Winfield Technologies, Inc.
InventorsAnthony E. Scotto, Kenneth James Platt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A crop bucket having an aux-bail release mechanism wherein movement of the chains is restrained such that an auxiliary hook actuating the release mechanism can do so in a smooth and controlled manner from a variety of angles and positions, while reducing or eliminating bucket roll from offset pulling. The release mechanism can include a carriage configured to translate along at least a portion of a mast and operatively connected to first and second clamshell portions such that movement of the carriage away results in rotation of the clamshell portions toward the open position.
Claims13
A clamshell bucket comprising:
- a main body;
- first and second clamshell portions pivotally secured to the main body and moveable between a closed position for loading a material in the clamshell bucket and an open position for dumping material from the bucket;
- a bail coupled to the main body;
- a mast connected to the bail and configured for attachment to an associated crane for lifting and/or transporting the clamshell bucket;
- a release mechanism configured for attachment to an auxiliary crane for moving the clamshell portions from the closed position to the open position, the release mechanism including a carriage configured to translate along at least a portion of the mast from a location proximal the main body to a location distal the main body, the carriage being operatively connected to the first and second clamshell portions such that movement of the carriage away from the main body along the mast results in rotation of the clamshell portions toward the open position;
- and
- an aux-bail with first and second linkages extending from opposite ends of the aux-bail and coupled to the first and second clamshell portions, the aux-bail being supported by the carriage at a location between the first and second linkages.
A release mechanism configured for attachment to an associated auxiliary crane hook for moving respective clamshell portions of an associated clamshell bucket from a closed position to an open position, the associated clamshell bucket having a main body, first and second clamshell portions pivotally attached to the main body, and a mast extending from the main body for connection to a main crane hook, the release mechanism comprising:
- a carriage mountable to the mast of the associated clamshell bucket for translating movement along at least a portion of the mast from a location proximal the main body of the bucket to a location distal the main body of the bucket, the carriage being operatively connectable to the first and second clamshell portions of the clamshell bucket such that movement of the carriage away from the main body along the mast results in rotation of the clamshell portions towards the open position;
- and
- an aux-bail with first and second linkages extending from opposite ends of the aux-bail and coupled to the first and second clamshell portions of the associated clamshell bucket, the aux-bail being supported by the carriage at a location between the first and second linkages.
A method of unloading a clamshell bucket comprising:
- providing a clamshell bucket having a main body, first and second clamshell portions pivotally secured to the main body and moveable between a closed position for loading a material in the clamshell bucket and an open position for dumping material from the bucket, a bail coupled to the main body, a mast connected to the bail and configured for attachment to an associated crane for lifting and/or transporting the clamshell bucket, a release mechanism configured for attachment to an auxiliary crane for moving the clamshell portions from the closed position to the open position, the release mechanism including a carriage configured to translate along at least a portion of the mast from a location proximal the main body to a location distal the main body, the carriage being operatively connected to the first and second clamshell portions such that movement of the carriage away from the main body along the mast results in rotation of the clamshell portions toward the open position, and an aux-bail with first and second linkages extending from opposite ends of the aux-bail and coupled to the first and second clamshell portions, the aux-bail being supported by the carriage at a location between the first and second linkages;
- and
- causing said carriage to translate along said mast in direction away from the main body during an unloading process.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.