Patent Application
20160053459
This patent disclosure relates generally to skid steer machines and, more particularly, to a cab mounting bracket and lift arm stop for skid steer machines.
Skid steer machines are relatively compact, low profile machines that offer high maneuverability and enable operation in relatively small areas. They typically include an operator cab oriented in a position providing a view immediately in front of the skid steer machine. Also typical of skid steer machine designs is the location of the lift arms for carrying and lifting a material handling bucket, also referred to as a loader, or other implement. The lift arms are pivotally coupled to the frame and typically extend longitudinally on both sides of the frame. An operator cage, therefore, may be provided to ensure against an operator inadvertently extending a hand or limb to the side and into the path of the lift arms. Due to the location of the lift arms, the operator enclosure is typically entered from the front of the machine, across the bucket or other implement that is carried by the lift arms.
A pair of hydraulic lift cylinders may be provided for raising and lowering the lift arms. Such lift cylinders may be subject to damage when high impact loads are exerted on them during use. For example, high impact loads can occur if the piston of the lift cylinder bottoms out against the head of the cylinder to stop a bucket that is dropped from its raised position. To help prevent the lift cylinders from bottoming out, some skid steer machines have a separate lift arm stop mounted to each side of the frame so as to engage a respective one of the lift arms when the lift arms are lowered to their lowered positions. Such stops may help prevent the lift cylinders from bottoming out. However, particularly with more compact skid steer machines, it can be difficult to find sufficient space on the frame for such stops along with the various other mounting structures associated with supporting components, such as the operator cage or cab, of the machine.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,775,666 discloses an elastic mount that can be used variously as an engine mount, a cab mount, a body mount and a member mount for a motor vehicle. The mount is not disclosed as being usable to stop movement of a lift arm. While the structure of the elastic mount may reduce the number of parts sometimes found with vibration damping devices, it does not address the issues associated with the lack of available space on the frame of compact skid steer machines.
In one aspect, the disclosure describes a skid steer machine including a frame having a forward end, a rear end and opposing lateral sides. A cab is supported on the frame. A lift arm assembly includes a pair of lift arms with each lift arm being pivotally supported on the frame at the rear end thereof for movement between a raised position and a lowered position. Each lift arm extending along a respective lateral side of the frame. A pair of combination cab mounting bracket and lift arm stops is provided. Each combination cab mounting bracket and lift arm stop is supported on the frame adjacent the front end of the frame and adjacent a respective lateral side of the frame. Each combination cab mounting bracket and lift arm stop includes a cab mount surface and a lift arm stop surface with the lift arm stop surface being arranged outwardly and upwardly relative to the frame and the cab mount surface. The cab mount surface supports a respective forward portion of the cab and the stop surface is arranged and configured to engage a respective one of the lift arms when it is moved to the lowered position.
In another aspect, the disclosure describes a frame assembly for a skid steer machine having a cab and a lift arm assembly including a pair of lift arms. The frame assembly includes a frame and a pair of lift arm supports each arranged adjacent a rear end of the frame and adjacent a respective lateral side of the frame. Each lift arm support is configured to pivotally support a respective lift arm for movement between a raised position and a lowered position with each lift arm extending along a respective lateral side of the frame. A pair of combination cab mounting bracket and lift arm stops are provided. Each combination cab mounting bracket and lift arm stop is supported on the frame near a front end of the frame and near a respective lateral side of the frame. Each combination cab mounting bracket and lift arm stop includes a cab mount surface and a lift arm stop surface with the lift arm stop surface being arranged outwardly and upwardly relative to the cab mount surface. Each cab mount surface is arranged and configured to support a respective forward portion of the cab and each stop surface is arranged and configured to engage a respective one of the lift arms when the lift arm is moved to the lowered position.
In yet another aspect, the disclosure describes a combination cab mounting bracket and lift arm stop for a skid steer machine having a cab and a lift arm assembly including a pair of lift arms pivotally supported for movement between a raised position and a lowered position with each lift arm extending along a respective lateral side of the frame. The combination cab mounting bracket and lift arm stop includes a mounting bracket portion including a cab mount surface arranged and configured to support a portion of the cab and a lift arm stop portion including a lift arm stop surface with the lift arm stop surface arranged and configured to engage a respective one of the lift arms when it is moved to the lowered position.
This disclosure generally relates to the mounting and support structures on the frames of skid steer machines. An exemplary embodiment of a skid steer machine 10 according to the present disclosure is shown generally in
Referring to
To help support the operator cab 12 of the skid steer machine 10 as well as to provide a stop that prevents the lift arms 24, 26 from moving past their lowered positions, the frame assembly 13 may include a combination cab mounting bracket and lift arm stop 38. More particularly, and as shown in
As best shown in
Each combination cab mounting bracket and lift arm stop 38 may further include a lift arm stop portion 46 that extends in an outward direction (relative to the frame 14) away from the mounting bracket portion 40. The lift arm stop portion 46 may be integrally formed or connected, such as by welding, with the mounting bracket portion 40. Alternatively, the lift arm stop portion 46 may be securely attached to the mounting bracket portion 40 via any suitable method such as, for example, fasteners. In the illustrated embodiment, and as shown in
The stop surface 50 may have a generally planar configuration and be spaced upward and outward (again, with reference to the frame 14) relative to the cab mount surface 42. Additionally, the stop surface 50 may extend in a plane that is at a slight angle with respect to the cab mount surface 42. More specifically, the stop surface 50 may be angled so that it extends slightly downward as it extends from a rear end towards its front end. This angle may be configured so as to correspond as to the orientation of a respective lift arm 24, 26 when it is in the lowered position. Thus, the stop surface 50 may be disposed and adapted to engage a respective one of the lift arms 24, 26 when the lift arm 24, 26 moves to the lowered position such that the lift arm 24, 26 is prevented from further downward movement beyond the stop surface 50. Additionally, the stop surfaces 50 may be arranged such that the lift arms 24, 26 engage the stop surfaces 50 at substantially the same time.
The lift arm stop portion 46 may include an upright guide wall 56 that extends upward from the stop surface 50. In the embodiment shown, the guide wall 56 is flared slightly inwardly toward the mounting bracket portion 40. The guide wall 56 may be arranged and configured to help prevent lateral movement of the respective lift arm 24, 26 when it is in the lowered positioned and help guide the lift arm 24, 26 into engagement with the stop surface 50 in the event of any lateral misalignment between the two lift arms as they are lowered into the lowered position.
When arranged on the frame 14, each combination cab mounting bracket and lift arm stop 38 may be arranged and configured such that the cab mount surface 42 is arranged inwardly and the stop surface 50 is arranged outwardly relative to each other with respect to the frame 14. Moreover, each combination cab mounting bracket and lift arm stop 38 may be arranged and configured such that the lift arm stop portion 46 extends outwardly of the lateral sides 25, 27 of the frame 14. Each combination cab mounting bracket and lift arm stop 38 also may be arranged and configured with the stop surface 50 arranged relatively higher than the cab mount surface 42.
The present disclosure finds potential applicability to all types and configurations of skid steer machines. The combination cab mounting bracket and lift arm stop of the present disclosure has particular applicability to skid steer machines with relatively more compact configurations. More specifically, combining the lift arm stop and the cab mount bracket into a single component may allow for the saving of a significant amount of space on the skid steer machine. These space savings can facilitate the design and production of skid steer machines having more compact configurations.
