US 7,896,178 B2 · Industrial vehicle counterweight system

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a pipelayer and a method for of loading a pipelayer or excavator for transportation. One embodiment includes a method for transporting a pipelayer or excavator from a first work site to a second worksite via a public road. The method includes acts of: raising the pipelayer or excavator off of track shoes of the pipelayer or excavator; removing a first track assembly from the pipelayer or excavator using a boom of the pipelayer or a boom assembly of the excavator; loading the first track assembly onto a first trailer of a first tractor-trailer using the boom of the remaining pipelayer or the boom assembly of the remaining excavator; removing the second track assembly from the pipelayer using the boom of the remaining pipelayer or the boom assembly of the remaining excavator; and loading the second track assembly onto the first trailer using the boom of the remaining pipelayer or the boom assembly of the remaining excavator.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A counterweight system comprising:

a base adapted to mount to a vehicle frame;
a head operatively connected to the base;
a counterweight having one or more counterweight connection points that are selectively connectable to the head;
and
an actuator operatively connected to the base and having a loading position in which the head is held away from the vehicle frame to facilitate connection of the one or more counterweight connection points to the head, and an operating position in which the head and counterweight are held generally adjacent the frame;
wherein at least one block extends from a rear surface of the counterweight, and a bottom surface of the at least one block is seated on the base when the actuator is in the operating position to thereby seat the counterweight on the base;
and
wherein the counterweight comprises a body having a recess that faces the vehicle frame when the counterweight is connected to the head, the at least one block is located in the recess, and the base is disposed in the recess when the actuator is in the operating position.

5 more elements

A counterweight system comprising:

a base connected to a vehicle frame;
a head operatively connected to the base by at least one front arm and at least one rear arm, the at least one front arm being pivotally mounted to the base at a first base location and pivotally mounted to the head at a first head location, and the at least one rear arm being pivotally mounted to the base at a second base location and pivotally mounted to the head at a second head location, wherein the first base location is spaced from the second base location and the first head location is spaced from the second head location to thereby form a four-bar linkage, the four-bar linkage being movable between a loading position in which the head is positioned distally from the vehicle frame, and an operating position in which the head is positioned above the loading position and proximal to the vehicle frame;
a counterweight adapted to selectively connect to the head;
and
an actuator adapted to move the four-bar linkage between the loading position and the operating position;
wherein at least one block extends from a rear surface of the counterweight, and a bottom surface of the at least one block is seated on the base when the four-bar linkage is in the operating position to thereby seat the counterweight on the base;
and
wherein the counterweight comprises a body having a recess that faces the vehicle frame when the counterweight is connected to the head, the at least one block is located in the recess, and the base is disposed in the recess when the actuator is in the operating position.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Industrial vehicle counterweight system

Life of this patent

Industrial vehicle counterweight system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16