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US 4,306,832 AGranted
Front end loader with improved reach controls
OwnerGregory Schmiesinginventor
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OwnerGregory Schmiesinginventor
Estimating the term…
The invention provides material handling apparatus in the form of a lift arm assembly integratable with or releasably applicable to farm tractors or like relatively small, lightweight vehicles for front end loading and leveling having extended outreach capabilities. An extensible carriage which mounts stably and for guided reciprocable movement on the lift arms carries a material engaging device so interrelated as to enable an advantageous application of forces therethrough, both to break material free from a mass at ground level and to reorient the placement of material at elevated levels. In certain embodiments the material engaging device is tiltable in response and/or correspondence with movements of the carriage. In a preferred from of embodiment of the invention, a guided movement of the material engaging device and the outreach and tilting thereof is sensitively controlled by separate connectors extending thereto from both the lift arms and the carriage.
A lift arm assembly comprising a pair of lift arms each pivotally connecting at one end to a base support to project outwardly therefrom, each of said arms being constructed and arranged to comprise an inner arm portion and an outer arm portion one of which forms a direct extension of the other, tie means rigidly connecting said outer arm portions said tie means maintaining said outer arm portions in a spaced parallel relation, a carriage supported in a generally bridging relation to and on means defining bearing surfaces interconnected with said outer arm portions, said carriage having a pivotally connected material handling device forming therewith a carriage assembly, means based on said tie means and projected forwardly therefrom to couple to a portion of said assembly, said means based upon said tie means including a portion thereof operative on said assembly to induce a movement of said assembly on said bearing surfaces from an installed position located inwardly of the length of said outer arm portions to a position advanced therefrom in a direction outwardly with reference to the ends of said outer arm portions which are remote from said inner arm portions to effectively increase the outreach of said arms from their base support and reversely operative to induce a reverse movement of said carriage assembly when required, said carriage assembly being constructed and arranged to extend said outer arm portions by substantially the effective length thereof and having guide means in association therewith to stabilize said assembly and preclude misalignment or distorting motions thereof throughout its advancing and reverse movements on and outwardly of said outer arm portions to substantially the extent of its effective length.
A lift arm assembly comprising a pair of lift arms each pivotally connecting at one end to a base support to project outwardly therefrom, said arms being constructed and arranged to comprise inner arm portions including said one end thereof and outer arm portions at their projected extremities, said outer arm portions being arranged in spaced parallel relation by rigidly interconnected tie means which extend between the adjacent sides of said arms at a location adjacent the innermost limits of the length of their outermost arm portions, a carriage including a pivotally connected material handling device forming therewith a carriage assembly which mounts in generally bridging relation to said outermost arm portions, means based on said tie means and projected forwardly therefrom to couple to a portion of said assembly, said means based on said tie means including a portion thereof operative on said assembly to induce its movement from its normally installed position to a position advanced therefrom in a direction outwardly with reference to said outer arm portions to effectively increase the outreach of said arms from their base support and further operative to induce a reverse movement of said assembly when required and guide means interrelating said carriage assembly with said lift arms independent of the said coupling means to produce a secondary lateral control of said carriage assembly in the movements thereof.
A lift arm assembly comprising a pair of lift arms each pivotally connecting at one end to a base support to project outwardly therefrom, said arms being constructed and arranged to comprise inner arm portions including said one end thereof and outer arm portions at their projected extremities, said outer arm portions being arranged in spaced parallel relation by rigidly interconnected tie means which extend between said arms at a location adjacent the innermost limits of the length of their outermost arm portions, a carriage including a pivotally connected material handling device forming therewith a carriage assembly which mounts in a generally bridging relation to said outermost arm portions, means based on said tie means and projected forwardly therefrom to couple to a portion of said assembly, said means based on said tie means including a portion thereof operative on said carriage assembly to induce its movement from an installed position to a position advanced therefrom in a direction outwardly with reference to said outer arm portions to effectively increase the outreach of said arms from their base support and further operative to induce a reverse movement of said carriage assembly when required, said means based on said tie means being connected to said carriage assembly to induce a straight line movement thereof in each of opposite directions and means for tilting said material handling device based on the portion of said carriage to which said material handling device pivotally connects.
A lift arm assembly comprising a pair of lift arms each pivotally connecting at one end to a base support to project outwardly therefrom, said arms being constructed and arranged to comprise inner arm portions including said one end thereof and outer arm portions at their projected extremities, said outer arm portions being arranged in spaced parallel relation by rigidly interconnected tie means which extend between said arms at a location adjacent the innermost limits of the length of their outermost arm portions, a carriage including a pivotally connected material handling device forming therewith a carriage assembly which mounts in generally bridging relation to said outermost arm portions, means based on said tie means and projected forwardly therefrom to couple to a portion of said assembly, said means based on said tie means including a portion thereof operative on said assembly to induce its movement from its normally installed position to a position advanced therefrom in a direction outwardly with reference to said outer arm portions to effectively increase the outreach of said arms from their base support and further operative to induce a reverse movement of said assembly when required, said means based upon said tie means having a direct connection to said material handling device and being constructed and arranged to project and induce a movement of said material handling device and the carriage assembly of which it forms a part to move outwardly of said outer arm portions.
A lift arm assembly comprising a pair of lift arms each pivotally connecting at one end to a base support to project outwardly therefrom, said arms being constructed and arrranged to comprise inner arm portions including said one end thereof and outer arm portions at their projected extremities, said outer arm portions being arranged in spaced parallel relation by rigidly interconnected tie means which extend between said arms at a location adjacent the innermost limits of the length of their outermost arm portions, a carriage including a pivotally connected material handling device forming therewith a carriage assembly which mounts in generally bridging relation to said outermost arm portions, means based on said tie means and projected forwardly therefrom to couple to a portion of said assembly, said means based upon said tie device being an integral member of defined length which pivotally connects to said material handling device, and portions of said carriage to which said material handling device pivotally connects mounting means to induce an outward movement of said carriage assembly on said lift arms concurrently with a tilting of said material handling device in conjunction with said means based upon said tie member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.