Tiltable bucket assembly

A fluid-powered bucket actuator, usable with a vehicle having an arm and a rotation link associated therewith for rotation of a bucket in a first plane defined by movement of the rotation link relative to the arm, each of the arm and rotation link having a transverse aperture located toward a free end thereof to receive a selectively removable attachment member, and useable with a bucket having a working edge extending laterally, generally transverse to the first plane, a first bucket clevis located toward the working edge and a second bucket clevis located away from the first clevis, the first and second bucket clevis being arranged in general parallel alignment with the first plane, the actuator comprising:

• a generally cylindrical body having a longitudinal axis and a pair of ports for introducing pressurized fluid therein, said body having an external first body clevis located generally along said body axis toward a first body end of said body for pivotal attachment to the vehicle arm by the arm aperture and the selectively removable attachment member therefor and an external second body clevis located generally along said body axis toward a second body end of said body for pivotal attachment to the rotation link by the rotation link aperture and the selectively removal attachment member therefor, wherein with said first body clevis attached to the vehicle arm, movement of the rotation link causes said body to rotate about the vehicle arm with movement of said longitudinal axis of said body in generally parallel alignment with the first plane and wherein said body is selectively detachable from the vehicle arm and rotation link by removal of the attachment members;
• an output shaft rotatably disposed within said body in general coaxial arrangement with said body and having a first shaft end portion extending at least to said first body end and a second shaft end portion extending at least to said second body end, said first shaft end portion having a first shaft attachment member attached thereto and located for attachment to the first bucket clevis and said second shaft end portion having a second shaft attachment member attached thereto and located for attachment to the second bucket clevis, said first and second shaft attachment members attaching the bucket to said shaft for rotation with said shaft through a second plane extending laterally generally transverse to the first plane;
• and
• linear-to-rotary transmission means disposed within said body and operable for producing rotational movement of said shaft relative to said body, said transmission means including a piston for the selective application of fluid pressure through said ports to one or an other side thereof to produce linear movement of said piston within said body selectively toward said first and said second body ends, and means for translating linear movement of said piston toward one of said first or second body ends into clockwise rotational movement of said shaft relative to said body and translating linear movement of said piston toward the other of said first or second body ends into counterclockwise rotational movement of said shaft relative to said body, whereby the bucket is rotatable in the first plane and laterally tiltable in the second plane.

A fluid-powered, laterally tiltable bucket assembly, usable with a vehicle having an arm and a rotation link associated therewith for rotation of the bucket assembly in a first plane defined by movement of the rotation link relative to the arm, each of the arm and rotation link having an attachment member located toward a free end thereof, the bucket assembly comprising:

• a bucket having a working edge extending laterally, generally transverse to the first plane, a first bucket attachment member located toward said working edge and a second bucket attachment member located away from said first attachment member, said first and second bucket mounting attachment members being arranged in general parallel alignment with the first plane;
• a generally cylindrical body having a longitudinal axis and a pair of ports for introducing pressurized fluid therein;
• an attachment bracket rigidly attached to said body and having an external first body attachment member located generally along said body axis toward a first body end of said body for pivotal attachment to the vehicle arm by the arm attachment member and an external second body attachment member located generally along said body axis toward a second body end of said body for pivotal attachment to the rotation link by the rotation link attachment member, said first and second body attachment members being selectively detachable from the arm and rotation link attachment members, respectively, wherein with said first attachment member attached to the arm attachment members, movement of the rotation link causes said body to rotate about the vehicle arm with movement of said longitudinal axis of said body in generally parallel alignment with the first plane, and wherein the bucket assembly is selectively detachable from the vehicle arm and rotation link;
• an output shaft rotatably disposed within said body in general coaxial arrangement with said body and having a first shaft end portion extending at least to said first body end and a second shaft end portion extending at least to said second body end, said first shaft end portion having a first shaft attachment member attached thereto and located for attachment to said first bucket attachment member and said second shaft end portion having a second shaft attachment member fixedly attached thereto and located for attachment to said second bucket attachment member, said first and second shaft attachment members attaching said bucket to said shaft for rotation with said shaft through a second plane extending laterall, generally transverse to the first plane;
• and
• linear-to-rotary transmission means disposed within said body and operable for producing rotational movement of said shaft relative to said body, said transmission means including a piston for the selective application of fluid pressure through said ports to one or an other side thereof to produce linear movement of said piston within said body selectively toward said first and said second body ends, and means for translating linear movement of said piston toward one of said first or second body ends into clockwise rotational movement of said shaft relative to said body and translating linear movement of said piston toward the other of said first or second body ends into counterclockwise rotational movement of said shaft relative to said body, whereby said bucket assembly is rotatable in the first plane and laterally tiltable in the second plane.