Pipelayer with cab riser
AssigneeVolvo Construction Equipment AB
InventorDaniel E. Davis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pipelayer having an undercarriage with at least two tracks and a main assembly. Each track has a track frame coupled to the undercarriage and a track shoe supported by and movable around the track frame. The main assembly is supported by and rotatable relative to the undercarriage, and has a main frame, a boom pivotally mounted to the main frame, an operator cab, and a cab riser connecting the operator cab to the main frame. The cab riser is operable to selectively raise and lower the operator cab relative to the main frame. Also provided is a movable cab assembly having an operator cab, an adjustment mechanism to connect the cab to a vehicle frame and move to change the operator's view, and a guide to align the cab. A method for laying pipe using a pipelayer having a movable cab is also provided.
Claims21
A pipelayer comprising:
- an undercarriage having at least two tracks, each track comprising:
- a track frame coupled to the undercarriage, and
- a track shoe supported by and movable around the track frame;
- and
- a main assembly supported by the undercarriage and rotatable relative thereto, the main assembly comprising:
- a main frame,
- a boom pivotally mounted to the main frame,
- an operator cab,
- a cab riser connecting the operator cab to the main frame, the cab riser operable to selectively raise and lower the operator cab relative to the main frame, the cab riser comprising:
- a riser base movably attached to the main frame;
- a lift mechanism adapted to selectively raise and lower the riser base;
- a guide mechanism for insuring proper alignment and travel of the riser base;
- and
- a height lock adapted to mechanically connect the riser base to the main frame at one or more selected positions, the height lock being operable to retain the riser base at the selected height independent of the operation of the lift mechanism.
A movable cab assembly for industrial vehicles, the movable cab riser assembly comprising:
- an operator cab;
- an adjustment mechanism adapted to connect the operator cab to an industrial vehicle frame, and selectively move the operator cab relative to the industrial vehicle frame to modify an operator's field of view;
- and
- a guide mechanism for insuring proper alignment and travel of the operator cab relative to the industrial vehicle frame;
- wherein the industrial vehicle frame comprises a pipelayer frame rotatably mounted on an undercarriage and having a pipelayer boom pivotally attached thereto;
- wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises a mechanism adapted to selectively move the operator cab in a horizontal direction relative to the industrial vehicle frame.
A method of laying pipe using a pipelayer equipped with a cab riser for adjusting the height of an operator cab, the method comprising:
- lifting a pipe using a boom of the pipelayer;
- rotating the boom and the pipe relative to a pipelayer undercarriage;
- adjusting a position of an operator cab relative to the pipelayer undercarriage to provide a different field of view into a trench into which the pipe is to be positioned;
- and
- lowering the pipe into the trench using the pipelayer;
- wherein adjusting the position of the operator cab comprises:
- moving the operator cab in a vertical direction with respect to the pipelayer undercarriage;
- and
- translating the operator cab in a horizontal direction with respect to the pipelayer undercarriage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.