Articulated mine service vehicle

An articulated mine service vehicle comprising:

• a power unit fabricated of steel plate;
• an engine mounted in said unit;
• hydraulic pump means operatively connected to said engine;
• a first pair of drive wheels directly secured to said unit on opposite sides thereof;
• a utility unit fabricated of steel plate and having front, rear, bottom and side walls, which walls substantially define a right parallelepiped;
• a second pair of drive wheels directly secured to said utility unit on opposite sides thereof;
• a hydraulic motor operatively connected to each wheel;
• hydraulic brake means operatively connected to each power wheel;
• a pneumatic tire mounted on each power wheel;
• an articulated joint having a pivot axis and a roll axis, said joint being rigidly secured to said power unit so that its pivot axis is substantially vertical when the vehicle is level, and secured by bearing means to said utility unit so that the utility unit can rotate relative to the power unit around said roll axis;
• hydraulic steering cylinders for causing one unit to pivot with respect to the other unit about the pivot axis of said joint;
• a crane having a mast, said mast having a pivot axis;
• a main boom pivotally mounted on said mast;
• hydraulic means for raising, lowering the main boom;
• a jib boom pivotally mounted on said main boom;
• hydraulic means for raising and lowering the jib boom;
• an extension boom reciprocally mounted in said jib boom, one end of said extension boom projecting beyond said jib boom;
• hydraulic means for extending and retracting said extension boom;
• a hydraulic powered winch mounted on said mast;
• a weighted hook;
• cable means for connecting the weighted hook to the winch, said hook hanging from said one end of the extension boom;
• means for mounting the mast of said crane in said utility unit so that said mast can pivot about its pivot axis, so that said pivot axis of said mast is substantially vertical when said utility unit is level, and so that said pivot axis substantially intersects the centerline of said utility unit, said mast being located within the utility unit substantially as close to the articulated joint as possible;
• hydraulic powered pivot means for causing the mast of the crane to pivot about is pivot axis;
• a pair of hydraulic outriggers located substantially at the intersection of the front and side walls of said utility unit, remote from said articulated joint;
• an operator's compartment in the utility unit;
• first hydraulic power transmission means for applying hydraulic fluid under pressure from the hydraulic pump means to the hydraulic motors operatively connected to said drive wheels and to the brake means for each power wheel;
• second hydraulic power transmission means for applying hydraulic fluid under pressure from the hydraulic pump means to the hydraulic steering cylinders;
• third hydraulic power transmission means for applying hydraulic fluid under pressure from the hydraulic pump means to the hydraulic means of the crane, to the winch, and to the outriggers;
• control means for controlling the engine;
• control means for controlling the first, second and third hydraulic power transmission means, said control means being located in the operator's compartment.