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US 9,975,750 B2Granted
Low profile compact tool carriers
AssigneeVermeer Manufacturing Company
InventorsBrad Thomas, Louis Hartke, Greg Langenfeld, Matt Hutchinson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Compact tool carriers having a loader mounted to a low-profile mainframe are disclosed. In some embodiments, the pivot points of the mainframe about which the loader is pivoted are low relative to the mainframe to reduce the mainframe size and to lower the center of gravity to improve the stability of the compact tool carrier during use.
Claims34
A compact tool carrier configured for standing operator control and having a longitudinal axis and a mass of less than about 1500 kg, the compact tool carrier comprising:
- a loader having an arm, the loader being adapted to carry a tool;
- a mainframe for supporting the loader, the mainframe having a first side and a second side, the loader being free from direct attachment to the mainframe;
- a first linkage pivotally attached to the first side of the mainframe at a first pivot point and pivotally attached to the loader arm at a second pivot point;
- a second linkage pivotally attached to the first side of the mainframe at a third pivot point and pivotally attached to the loader arm at a fourth pivot point;
- an actuator directly pivotally attached to the first side of the mainframe at a fifth pivot point and directly pivotally attached to the loader arm at a sixth pivot point, the fifth pivot point being distinct from the first pivot point and the third pivot point;
- a control station having operator controls for propelling the compact tool carrier forward and for raising and lowering the loader, the control station being mounted toward the rear of the compact tool carrier;
- an operator platform for standing operation of the operator controls of the control station;
- and
- an engine disposed forward of the operator platform relative to the longitudinal axis.
6 more elements
A compact tool carrier having a longitudinal axis and comprising:
- a loader adapted to carry a tool;
- a mainframe for supporting the loader, the mainframe having a first side and a second side, the loader being free from direct attachment to the mainframe;
- a first linkage pivotally attached to the first side of the mainframe at a first pivot point and pivotally attached to the loader at a second pivot point;
- a second linkage pivotally attached to the first side of the mainframe at a third pivot point and pivotally attached to the loader at a fourth pivot point;
- an actuator pivotally attached to the first side of the mainframe at a fifth pivot point and directly pivotally attached to the loader at a sixth pivot point;
- a drive mechanism for propelling the compact tool carrier over a supporting surface, the drive mechanism having a drive sprocket defining a rotational axis R, the compact tool carrier having a bottom at which the drive mechanism contacts the supporting surface, the rotational axis R and the bottom of the compact tool carrier being separated by a vertical distance D1, the rotational axis R and a bottom of the first side of the mainframe being separated by a vertical distance D5, the rotational axis R and each of the first, third, and fifth pivot points being separated by a vertical distance, the vertical distance between the rotational axis R and the first pivot point being less than 1.5 times D1, the vertical distance between the rotational axis R and the third pivot point also being less than 1.5 times D1, the vertical distance between the rotational axis R and the fifth pivot point also being less than 1.5 times D1, the first side of the mainframe comprising a forward-most pivot point, the first pivot point, the third pivot point, or the fifth pivot point being the forward-most pivot point, the vertical distance between the rotational axis R and the forward-most pivot point being less than twice D5;
- a control station having operator controls for propelling the compact tool carrier forward and for raising and/or lowering the loader, the control station being mounted toward the rear of the compact tool carrier;
- an operator platform for standing operation of the operator controls of the control station;
- and
- an engine disposed forward of the operator platform relative to the longitudinal axis.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.