# US 2012/0246979 A1 · Apron drive for a tractor scraper > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2012/0246979 A1 - Document ID: US20120246979A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/077,738 - Filed: 2011-03-31 - Published: 2012-10-04 - Earliest claimed: 2011-03-31 - Assignees: Caterpillar Inc. - Inventors: Ashish Ashwinbhai Shah; SenthilKumar Somasundaram - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20120246979A1 ## CPC - E02F 3/657: {Means to prevent the spilling of dredged material, e.g. apron, baffle} - E02F 3/651: {Hydraulic or pneumatic drives; Electric or electro-mechanical control devices (E02F3/652, E02F3/653 take precedence)} - E02F: DREDGING; SOIL-SHIFTING (winning peat E21C49/00) ## Abstract A tractor scraper includes a tractor portion and a scraper portion. The scraper portion may include a bowl and an apron disposed adjacent a forward end of the bowl. The tractor scraper may include a first drive configured to raise the apron. The first drive may include an actuator drivingly connected to a pinion. The first drive may also include a rack connected to the apron and the pinion in a manner allowing the actuator to raise the apron by driving the rack with the pinion. The rack may include a plurality of teeth facing rearward. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A tractor scraper, comprising: a tractor portion; a scraper portion disposed rearward of the tractor portion, the scraper portion including a bowl, and an apron disposed adjacent a forward end of the bowl, the apron having a forward face; and a first drive configured to raise the apron, the first drive including an actuator drivingly connected to a pinion, and a rack connected to the apron and operably engaged to the pinion to allow the actuator to raise the apron by driving the rack with the pinion, wherein the rack is disposed rearward of the apron and includes a plurality of teeth facing rearward. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The tractor scraper of claim 1, wherein: the apron includes a side connected to the forward face of the apron and to a side of the bowl; and the rack is attached to the side of the apron. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The tractor scraper of claim 2, wherein: the side of the apron includes an indentation away from the side of the bowl; and the rack is disposed at least partially within the indentation. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The tractor scraper of claim 2, wherein the apron is mounted to the bowl in a manner allowing the apron to pivot about a lateral axis. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The tractor scraper of claim 4, wherein the rack has a substantially semicircular shape. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The tractor scraper of claim 4, wherein the rack has a substantially semicircular shape substantially concentric with the lateral axis. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The tractor scraper of claim 2, wherein the rack is disposed within an indentation of the apron. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The tractor scraper of claim 7, wherein the actuator, the pinion, and the rack are mounted to the scraper portion of the tractor scraper. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The tractor scraper of claim 1, wherein the actuator, the pinion, and the rack are mounted to the scraper portion of the tractor scraper. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The tractor scraper of claim 1, wherein the actuator is a rotary motor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The tractor scraper of claim 1, further comprising a second drive configured to assist the first drive in raising the apron. ### Claim 12 A tractor scraper, comprising: a tractor portion; a scraper portion disposed rearward of the tractor portion, the scraper portion including a bowl, the bowl having a side, and an apron disposed adjacent a forward end of the bowl, the apron having a forward face and a side, the side of the apron being connected to the forward face of the apron and to the side of the bowl in a manner allowing the apron to pivot about a lateral axis, and the side of the apron including an indentation away from the side of the bowl; and a first drive configured to raise the apron, the first drive including an actuator drivingly connected to a pinion, and a substantially semicircular rack disposed substantially concentric to the lateral axis and connected to the side of the apron within the indentation and rearward of the forward face of the apron, the rack being operably engaged to the pinion to allow the actuator to raise the apron by driving the rack with the pinion, wherein the rack includes a plurality of teeth facing rearward. ### Claim 13 A tractor scraper, comprising: a tractor portion; a scraper portion disposed rearward of the tractor portion, the scraper portion including a bowl, and an apron disposed adjacent a forward end of the bowl, the apron having a forward face and a side connected to a side of the bowl; and a first drive configured to raise the apron, the first drive including an actuator drivingly connected to a pinion, and a rack connected to the side of the apron and operably engaged to the pinion to allow the actuator to raise the apron by driving the rack with the pinion, wherein the rack is disposed rearward of the forward face of the apron. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The tractor scraper of claim 13, wherein: the side of the apron includes an indentation away from the side of the bowl; and the rack is disposed at least partially within the indentation. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The tractor scraper of claim 13, wherein the apron is mounted to the bowl in a manner allowing the apron to pivot about a lateral axis. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The tractor scraper of claim 15, wherein the rack has a substantially semicircular shape. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The tractor scraper of claim 15, wherein the rack has a substantially semicircular shape substantially concentric with the lateral axis. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The tractor scraper of claim 17, further comprising a second drive configured to assist the first drive in raising the apron. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The tractor scraper of claim 13, further comprising a second drive configured to assist the first drive in raising the apron. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The tractor scraper of claim 13, wherein the actuator, the pinion, and the rack are mounted to the scraper portion of the tractor scraper.