US 5,853,051 AGranted

Adjustable top link assembly

AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.

InventorsBrian C. Buchanan, John M. Dickerson, James E. Johnston, Francis G. Snekhaus

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

Top link assemblies for a construction machine are typically used to adjust the pitch angle of a cutting edge of a blade. The present top link assembly has substantially co-planar first and second adjustment plates with each including a pair of slots therein. Joint upper and lower surfaces are defined between the first and second adjustment plates. Upper and lower spacer plates are disposed on the joint upper and lower surfaces, respectively, and each include a pair of openings coaxially aligned with the slots within the first and second adjustment plates. A threaded portion of a bolt extends through the upper spacer plate, first and second adjustment plates and lower spacer plate through the co-axially aligned openings and slots. A nut is tightened on the threaded portion at any one of a plurality of positions along the pair of slots and the desired pitch angle of the cutting edge may be adjusted by loosening the nuts and repositioning at any one of the plurality of positions. The ability to adjust the pitch angle without removing the top link assembly increases productivity and decreases costs.

Claims8

Dependent claims

An adjustable top link assembly for connecting a blade assembly to a frame, comprising:

a first adjustment plate adapted to be movably connected by a first joint assembly to the blade assembly, the first adjustment plate having a head portion with a defined bore therethrough and a planar end portion extending a predetermined distance from the head portion with an adjustment slot having a predetermined length defined therethrough;
a second adjustment plate adapted to be movably connected by a second joint assembly to the frame, the second adjustment plate having a head portion with a defined bore therethrough and a planar end portion extending a predetermined distance from the head portion with an adjustment slot having a predetermined length defined therethrough, the planar end portion of the second adjustment plate positioned adjacent the planar end portion of the first adjustment plate and being substantially co-planar therewith;
and
a spacing mechanism adjacent the first and second adjustment plates with a pair of defined openings therethrough, each one of the pair of openings substantially coaxially aligned with a respective one of the adjustment slots on the first and second adjustment plates;
and
a threaded fastener extending through each of the adjustment slots on the planar end portions of the first and the second adjustment plates and respective openings on the spacing mechanism and being operatively associated with a nut to secure the top link assembly in a plurality of positions extending along the predetermined length of the adjustment slots.

3 more elements

A method for adjusting the pitch angle of a blade assembly for a construction machine having a frame, comprising the steps of:

movably connecting a first adjustment plate through a first joint assembly to the blade assembly, the first adjustment plate having a head portion with a defined bore therethrough and a planar end portion extending a predetermined distance from the head portion with a pair of adjustment slots having a predetermined length therethrough;
movably connecting a second adjustment plate through a second joint assembly to the frame, the second adjustment plate having a head portion with a defined bore therethrough and a planar end portion extending a predetermined distance from the head portion with a pair of adjustment slots having a predetermined length defined therethrough;
positioning the planar end portion of the second adjustment plate adjacent and co-planar with the planar end portion of the first adjustment plate;
positioning an upper spacer plate defining a pair of openings at a blade end portion and a pair of openings at a frame end portion on an upper surface defined by the first and second adjustable plates;
positioning a lower spacer plate defining a pair of openings at a blade end portion and a pair of openings at a frame end portion on a lower surface defined by the first and second adjustable plates;
coaxially aligning each of the pair of openings in the blade end portion of the upper spacer plate and the lower spacer plate with the adjustment slots in the first adjustment plate and coaxially aligning each of the pair of opening in the frame end portion of the upper spacer plate and the lower spacer plate with the adjustment slots in the second adjustment plate;
extending a threaded fastener through each of the coaxially aligned pair of openings in the upper spacer plate, the adjustment slots on the planar end portion of the first and second adjustment plates and each of the pair of openings in the lower spacer plate so that a threaded portion of the threaded fasteners extends beyond the lower spacer plate;
threading a nut on each of the extending threaded portions of the threaded fasteners to removably connect the first and second adjustment plates;
moving the first and second adjustment plates relative to one another along the predetermined length of the adjustment slots on the planar end portions to select a first of any plurality of positions therealong which achieves a desired pitch angle of the blade assembly;
and
tightening the nuts on each of the extending threaded portions of the threaded fasteners to secure the first and second adjustment plates at the first selected position along the predetermined length of the adjustment slots on the planar end portions.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.