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US 4,932,197 AGranted
Apparatus for positioning a work implement
OwnerDavid R. Alleninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus having a frame adapted for earth traversing movement in a direction of travel and having portions laterally positionable with respect to the direction of travel, a work implement pivotally mounted on the laterally positionable portion of the frame for motion therewith relative to a predetermined axis through a range of selected operative positions, and a device for securing the work implement relative to the predetermined axis in a selected one of the operative positions for operation during movement of the frame along the path of travel.
Claims17
An apparatus for positioning a work implement for operation during movement along a first path of travel and in a selected operative position relative to said first path of travel, the apparatus comprising
- a frame adapted for earth traversing movement along the first path of travel and having forward and rearward facing portions;
- means for mounting the work implement on the frame for motion relative to a predetermined axis through a range of selected operative positions, said mounting means including a pivot which is disposed in a substantially vertical attitude and a support beam borne by the pivot, mounting said work implement thereon and having a first end and a second end;
- means for securing the work implement relative to said predetermined axis in a selected one of said operative positions for operation during movement of the frame along said path of travel, said securing means including an hydraulic cylinder interconnecting the frame and the support beam whereby extension and contraction of the hydraulic cylinder causes the support beam selectively to be positioned relative to the direction of movement, a plate having a plurality of orifices disposed in preselected positions mounted on the frame, an orifice formed in the support beam whereby movement of the support beam about said predetermined axis causes the orifice formed in the support beam to align with one of the orifices formed in the plate, a bolt adapted to be received in the orifices so aligned thereby securing the support beam and the work implement borne thereby in one of the selected positions relative to the path of travel;
- and
- a towing assembly adapted selectively to be mounted on the forward and rearward facing portions of the frame, said towing assembly, when mounted on the forward facing portion of the frame, adapted to move the frame in a first direction along the first path of travel, and, when mounted on the second portion of the frame, adapted to move the frame in a second direction along the first path of travel, whereby the hydraulic cylinder, when substantially fully extended, positions the support beam in substantially parallel relation to the direction of travel and, upon contraction and when the frame is moved in the first direction, causes the first end of the support beam to move toward the towing assembly, and, when the frame is moved in the second direction, causes the first end of the support beam to move away from the towing assembly.
2 more elements
In an apparatus having a frame with a forward portion and a rearward portion adapted for earth traversing movement along a path of travel and mounting a wheel rake for positioning in an operable position relative to the path of travel, the apparatus comprising
- a support member, having a proximal end and a distal end, mounted on said frame at the proximal end thereof;
- a pivot, having a first end and a second end, mounted on the distal end of the support member by said first end of the pivot in a substantially vertical attitude;
- earth traversing means mounted on the second end of the pivot for supporting the frame in the path of travel;
- a support beam borne by the pivot and mounting the wheel rake for positioning relative to said path of travel, the support beam mounting a bearing housing having a passageway adapted to receive the pivot to mount the support beam on the pivot in substantially parallel spaced relation to the earth surface for movement in a substantially circular path thereabout and the bearing housing having a top surface with at least one orifice disposed in a predetermined location;
- means for securing the work implement relative to said path of travel in a plurality of selected operative positions for operation during movement of the frame along said path of travel, said securing means including a plate mounted on the support member and having a plurality of orifices therein disposed in predetermined locations, whereby the orifice formed in said bearing housing and the orifices formed in the plate are periodically, sequentially disposed in substantial registry upon rotation of the support beam about the pivot, and a locking member receivable in said orifices when disposed in substantial registry to secure the support beam in a selected position on the pivot;
- and
- a towing assembly adapted selectively to be mounted on said forward portion and, alternatively, said rearward portion of the towing assembly whereby, when the towing assembly is mounted on said forward portion, the frame is thereby adapted for movement in a first direction along the first path of travel and, when the towing assembly is mounted on said rearward portion, the frame is thereby adapted for movement in a second direction, opposite to said first direction, along the first path of travel.
4 more elements
In an apparatus having a frame adapted for earth traversing movement along a path of travel and mounting a work implement for positioning in an operable position relative to the path of travel, the apparatus comprising
- a support member, having a proximal end and a distal end, mounted on said frame at the proximal end thereof;
- a pivot, having a first end and a second end, the first end mounted on said support member at the distal end thereof;
- earth traversing means mounted on the second end of the pivot for supporting the frame in the path of travel;
- a support beam borne by the pivot and mounting the work implement for positioning relative to said path of travel;
- means for securing the work implement relative to said path of travel in a plurality of selected operative positions for operation during movement of the frame along said path of travel, the securing means further including a first hydraulic cylinder mounted on the support member and having a portion connected to the support beam, the first hydraulic cylinder operable upon expansion and contraction selectively to position the work implement in operational positions relative to said first path of travel;
- means interconnecting the support beam and the work implement for positioning the work implement relative to a work surface through a range of selected operative positions, said positioning means including
- (A.) a carriage having an arm mounted on the support beam and connected to the work implement, the arm rotatably movable along a third path of travel;
- (B.) an adjustment assembly borne by the arm and having a movable member connected with the work implement, the adjustment assembly, upon extension and contraction, moving the work implement relative to the work surface;
- (C.) power means, including a second hydraulic cylinder, interconnecting the support beam and the carriage operable, upon expansion and contraction, to position the work implement along said third path of travel and thereby moving said work implement relative to the work surface;
- and
- (D.) a linking arm interconnecting the support beam and the work implement and operable to retain the work implement in the third path of travel;
- whereby the first hydraulic cylinder when substantially fully extended positions the support beam in substantially parallel relation to the first path of travel, and when the first hydraulic cylinder is contracted from said fully extended position the support beam moves into a position right-angularly related to the first path of travel.
9 more elements
An apparatus for positioning a work implement comprising a frame adapted for movement over the earth surface;
- means mounting the work implement on the frame for movement toward and from the earth surface along a path of travel;
- and a pneumatic system, containing a gas under pressure, mounted on the frame and operatively connected to the work implement for retaining the work implement substantially in a predetermined position in said path of travel resiliently counterbalanced in said predetermined position by said gas within the pneumatic system.
An apparatus for positioning a work implement comprising a frame adapted for earth traversing movement along a path of travel and having forward and rearward portions;
- a pivot assembly mounted on the frame defining a substantially vertical axis of rotation thereabout;
- a support beam mounted on said pivot assembly for pivotal movement substantially about said axis of rotation and having a first end and an opposite second end;
- an hydraulic cylinder interconnecting the frame and the support beam;
- an hydraulic system borne by the frame operable to expand and alternatively to contract said hydraulic cylinder to move said support beam between a first position substantially parallel to said path of travel and a second position oblique to said path of travel;
- means for mounting the work implement on the support beam for application of the work implement during movement of the frame along said path of travel;
- and a towing assembly adapted alternatively for attachment to the forward and rearward portions of the frame for towing said frame alternatively in opposite directions in said path of travel whereby when said support beam is in said first position the apparatus has a confined width for passage along roadways and the like and when said support beam is in the second position, the work implement can be applied in one attitude during movement of the frame in one of said opposite directions along said path of travel and in a second attitude during movement of the frame in the other of said opposite directions along said path of travel.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.