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AssigneeClark Equipment Company
InventorsJames J. Bauer, Larry E. Albright, James L. Werner, Thomas M. Sagaser, Lonnie D. Hoechst
Estimating the term…
A skid steer loader comprising an improved loader main frame and including an operator's compartment designed to present a low profile vehicle particularly suitable for low clearance applications. The loader main frame includes a center compartment partially defined by a pair of longitudinally extending, laterally spaced side beams. The engine for the vehicle is mounted at the rear of the center compartment and is acoustically enclosed by structural elements of the frame. A seat pan mounted on the side beams overlies the engine and transmission and separates the operator compartment from the center compartment. At a forward end of the center compartment an elongated transmission case forms a partial bottom wall and also encloses the chain and sprocket drive system of the vehicle. The side walls of the transmission case are displaced from the side walls of the frame, enabling the operator to straddle the case, thus reducing height requirements for both the operator compartment and the overall vehicle. Uprights secured to the side beams of the main frame at respective outer rear portions thereof partially enclose the rear portion of the center compartment and boom loader arms are secured to upper pivotal mountings provided on the uprights. Respective front ends of the loader arms are arcuately proportioned to extend forward of the wheels of the vehicle.
A skid steer loader vehicle and vehicle main frame in combination, the main frame comprising laterally spaced, longitudinally extending side beams on opposite sides of the tractor centerline, crossmembers at opposite ends of the side beams, a relatively narrow and elongate transmission case mounted between the side beams to form a bottom wall, and an upper member disposed between the side beams to define a top wall of a lower compartment area of the frame and a bottom wall of an upper compartment area of the vehicle, the upper compartment comprising an operator's compartment disposed between the lift arms of the vehicle, including a seat portion mounted on the upper member, the relatively narrow transmission case having opposite side walls laterally displaced sufficiently from the side beams of the main frame so as to provide operator's space on opposite sides of the transmission case between the side beams and the case at a forward vertical extension of the upper compartment, an engine, hydraulic drive means powered by said engine contained within said lower compartment, a pair of spaced stub axles projecting from the sides of the elongate case at opposite ends of said case, wheels driven by said hydraulic drive means rotatably mounted on said stub axles, a pair of upright members disposed outwardly of said side beams and projecting upwardly from adjacent the rear of each side beam on each side of said engine and providing at the upper ends thereof respective pivotal mounts, and a boom assembly comprising a pair of lift arms pivotally attached at said pivotal mountings and extending forwardly along each side and downwardly at the front in the lowered position, the lift arms mounting a material handling means at the lower end thereof, whereby provision of operator's space on opposite sides of the transmission case forward of the seat enables the operator to straddle the transmission case when he is seated in the vehicle, thereby lowering the operator profile for the vehicle.
A skid steer loader vehicle comprising a sub-frame including a relatively narrow, elongate transmission case having side walls, a bottom wall and a top wall, a pair of stub axles spaced, one axle behind the other, at opposite ends of the case and projecting outwardly from each side, tubular axle housings rigidly secured to said side walls and surrounding said stub axles, a mounting boss on each of the said tubular axle housing, and including drive means mounted on the outside thereof and on opposite side walls thereof, a loader main frame comprising laterally spaced, longitudinally extending side beams and crossmembers at each end defining a generally rectangular interior compartment for receiving and partially surrounding said case, said interior compartment also receiving an engine and hydraulic drive means for the vehicle, said side beams having longitudinally spaced mounting locations for mounting on said mounting bosses for securing said case on to the body, the side walls of the case being laterally spaced sufficiently from the side beams of the frame to provide operator's space on opposite sides of the transmission case between the side beams and the case, upright member projecting upwardly from adjacent the rear of said side beam and extending outwardly thereof, said upright members providing at the upper end thereof a pair of pivotal mountings, a boom assembly comprising a pair of lift arms pivotally attached at said pivotal mountings and extending forwardly along each side and downwardly at the front in the lowered position, the lift arms mounting a material handling means at respective lower ends thereof.
A skid steer loader vehicle and vehicle main frame in combination, the main frame comprising laterally spaced, longitudinally extending side beams on opposite sides of the tractor centerline, crossmembers at opposite ends of the side beams, a relatively narrow, elongate transmission case mounted between the side beams to form a portion of a bottom wall, extending along the vehicle centerline, the side walls of the case being laterally spaced sufficiently from the side beams to provide operator's space on opposite sides of the transmission case between the side beams and the case, and an upper member disposed between the side beams to define the top wall of a center compartment area of the frame, an engine and hydraulic drive means powered by said engine contained within said center compartment, a pair of upright members disposed outwardly of said side beams and projecting upwardly from adjacent the rear of each side beam on each side of said engine, the upper member comprising top crossmembers overlying the engine and hydraulic drive means, forward panels extending downwardly from said upper member at the front end thereof to engage the transmission case at a forward end thereof and close the front end of the compartment, and a rear closure extending between the side beams at the rear of the main frame to substantially enclose the engine and hydraulic drive means thereby providing an acoustically insulated enclosure for the engine and drive means of the vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.