US 6,308,441 B1 · Excavator

Abstract

A material handling vehicle is provided which includes a lower truck chassis and an upper material handling structure pivotally supported by the lower chassis, all functions of which vehicle are driven by a single engine. The material handling vehicle is controllable from a main truck cab on the truck chassis or from an upper operator's cab mounted on the upper structure. The single engine provides highway travel power and power to all excavator functions, while the vehicle, including remote travel and implement manipulation capabilities, may be controlled from the upper operator cab. The main engine, when used for over-the-highway travel, powers the driven wheels through a manual transmission in a conventional manner. When at an excavating site and controlled from the upper cab, the engine, through a power takeoff on the front of the transmission connected to the engine, drives a hydraulic pump which supplies hydraulic fluid to power the implement hydraulics and to drive a hydraulic drive motor in response to controls from the upper operator cab. The hydraulic drive motor drives into a secondary power input on a rear portion of the transmission to provide power through the transmission to the driven wheels.

Claims55

Dependent claims

A material handling vehicle capable of over-the-road travel to and from a job site comprising:

a. a lower truck chassis supported by a plurality of wheels, at least two of which are drive wheels, said lower truck chassis having a first operator's station;
b. an upper structure mounted on said lower chassis and having a second operator's station;
c. a manipulatable material handling implement mounted on said upper structure;
d. an engine mounted on said lower chassis, said engine being controllable from said first operator's station;
e. hydraulic power means, said hydraulic power means being controllable from said second operator's station, said hydraulic power means comprising:
(i) a hydraulic drive means;
and
(ii) implement control means coupled to said material handling implement for manipulating said material handling implement;
and
f. a manual transmission mounted on said lower chassis, said transmission having a main drive gear coupled to said engine, a selectable output means drivedly coupled to said main drive gear and coupled to said hydraulic drive means, a secondary input means coupled to said hydraulic drive means and an output drive means coupled to said drive wheels, so that said engine and said main drive gear or said selectable output means, said hydraulic drive means and said secondary input means may drive through the gears of said transmission to drive said output drive means and said drive wheels.

7 more elements

Propulsion apparatus for a material handling vehicle capable of over-the-road travel to and from a job site and having a lower truck chassis supported by a plurality of wheels, at least two of which are drive wheels, said lower truck chassis having a first operator's station, an upper structure mounted on said lower chassis and having a second operator's station, a manipulatable material handling implement mounted on said upper structure and an engine mounted on said lower chassis, said engine being controllable from said first operator's station, said propulsion apparatus comprising;

a. hydraulic power means, said hydraulic power means being controllable from said second operator's station, said hydraulic power means comprising:
(i) a hydraulic drive means;
and
(ii) an implement control means coupled to said material handling implement for manipulating said material handling implement;
and
b. a manual transmission adapted to be mounted on said lower chassis, said transmission having a main drive gear coupleable to said engine, a selectable output means drivedly coupled to said main drive gear and coupled to said hydraulic drive means, a secondary input means coupled to said hydraulic drive means and an output drive means coupleable to said drive wheels, so that said engine and said main drive gear or said selectable output means, said hydraulic drive means and said secondary input means may drive through the gears of said transmission to drive said output drive means and said drive wheels.

3 more elements

A material handling vehicle capable of over-the-road travel to and from a job site comprising:

a. a lower truck chassis supported by a plurality of wheels, at least two of which are drive wheels, said lower truck chassis having a first operator's station;
b. an upper structure mounted on said lower chassis and having a second operator's station;
c. a manipulatable material handling implement mounted on said upper structure;
d. an engine mounted on said lower chassis, said engine being controllable from said first operator's station;
e. a hydraulic power source, said hydraulic power source being controllable from said second operator's station, said hydraulic power source comprising:
(i) a hydraulic drive;
and
(ii) an implement controller coupled to said material handling implement;
and
f. a manual transmission mounted on said lower chassis, said transmission having a main drive gear coupled to said engine, a selectable output drivedly coupled to said main drive gear and coupled to said hydraulic drive, a secondary input coupled to said hydraulic drive and an output drive coupled to said drive wheels, so that said engine and said main drive gear or said selectable output, said hydraulic drive and said secondary input may drive through the gears of said transmission to drive said output drive and said drive wheels.

7 more elements

Propulsion apparatus for a material handling vehicle capable of over-the-road travel to and from a job site and having a lower truck chassis supported by a plurality of wheels, at least two of which are drive wheels, said lower truck chassis having a first operator's station, an upper structure mounted on said lower chassis and having a, second operator's station, a manipulatable material handling implement mounted on said upper structure and an engine mounted on said lower chassis, said engine being controllable from said first operator's station, said propulsion apparatus comprising;

a. a hydraulic power source, said hydraulic power source being controllable from said second operator's station, said hydraulic power source comprising:
(i) a hydraulic drive;
and
(ii) an implement controller coupled to said material handling implement for manipulating said material handling implement;
and
b. a manual transmission adapted to be mounted on said lower chassis, said transmission having a main drive gear coupleable to said engine, a selectable output drivedly coupled to said main drive gear and coupleable to said hydraulic drive, a secondary input coupled to said hydraulic drive and an output drive coupled to said drive wheels, so that said engine and said main drive gear or said selectable output, said hydraulic drive and said secondary input may drive through the gears of said transmission to drive said output drive and said drive wheels.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Excavator

Life of this patent

Excavator

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims55