Patent Application
20230072329
The present invention relates to front bucket loaders, and in particular front bucket loaders that allow material handling in low overhead space environments such as turkey houses and chicken houses.
Front bucket loaders are improvements to material handling that can be mounted onto a variety of vehicles. Typical vehicles include skid steer's, tractors, bull dozers, and other heavy machinery. Front bucket loaders are typically driven by hydraulic pistons and throughout the years new and improved front bucket loaders have increased the usability and specialization of front bucket loaders.
In 1965 International Harvestor™ filed and received U.S. Pat. No. 3,209,474 for a Tractor Loader with Pivotal Scoop Portion. International's invention disclosed an improvement in the front bucket loader by allowing the bucket to perform the traditional function of digging with an additional function of bull dozing. Continuing, in 1968 Caterpillar Tractor Co.™ filed for U.S. Pat. No. 3,523,621 for an Ejector for a Loader Bucket. Caterpillar's ejector focused on ejecting bulk material with a piston directly connected to a back wall. Further, in 1970 Allis Chalmers Mfg. Corp.™ filed for and received U.S. Pat. No. 3,642,160 for a Loader with Ejector-Type Bucket. Allis Chalmers' loader bucket ejector similarly had a single piston attached to a back wall, but also disclosed a multiple piston beam apparatus for moving the load vertically as well as tilting the bucket.
The field of front bucket loaders as well as moving materials has advanced, including new types of front loader buckets for special purpose use and special material use. However, a front bucket loader that is unique to low overhead environments such as chicken and turkey houses, and that is equipped with an ejector means to efficiently and effectively handle animal waste materials, is something that remains a long sought need. Therefore, the disclosure herein provides an improved front bucket loader for usage where material handling is specialized, and overhead height is at a minimum, further wherein the environment lacks the ability to maneuver the vehicle due to space constraints and material constraints.
In one aspect, a front bucket loader apparatus for operating in low overhead space environments is disclosed. The front bucket loader comprises a front bucket with a bottom plate with a front edge, an opposing back edge, a left edge and an opposing right edge. The front bucket further has a left side wall attached to the left side of the bottom plate and a right side wall attached to the right side of the bottom plate. Further, it is configured with a top support bracket attached to the left side wall and to the right side wall. Further, the front bucket has a pivotable serpentine back wall, the pivotable serpentine back wall having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion being supported by the top support bracket and the lower portion of the pivotable serpentine back wall configured for engaging the bottom plate of the front bucket. Lastly the front bucket has a slatted rear mount directly opposing the pivotable serpentine back wall. The front bucket loader further comprises a hydraulic assembly attached to the slatted rear mount of the front bucket and operatively connected to the pivotable serpentine back wall of the front bucket. The front bucket loader has an upper swing arm having a first end and a second end, the first end of the upper swing arm attached to a rear mount of the front bucket, the second end of the upper swing arm attached to a hydraulic piston. It further has a lower swing arm having a first end and a second end; the first end of the lower swing arm attached to the second end of the upper swing arm, and the second end of the lower swing arm attached to the lower portion of the pivotable serpentine back wall. Lastly, it is configured with a hydraulic means for moving the upper swing arm in an arcuate path to move the lower swing arm, attached to the pivotable serpentine back wall, along the bottom plate of the front bucket, wherein the hydraulic means is operatively configured below the top of the front bucket.
Many aspects of the present disclosure can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. Unless otherwise specifically noted, articles depicted in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Rather, emphasis is instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.
In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying figures, which form a part hereof. In the figures, similar symbols typically identify similar components, unless context dictates otherwise. The illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description, figures, and claims are not meant to be limiting, but are examples of embodiments of the disclosure herein. Other embodiments may be utilized, and other changes may be made, without departing from the scope of the subject matter presented herein. It will be readily understood by those with skill in the art that the aspects of the present disclosure, as generally described herein, and illustrated in the figures, can be arranged, substituted, combined, separated, and designed in a wide variety of different configurations, all of which are explicitly contemplated herein.
It should be understood at the outset that, although exemplary embodiments are illustrated in the figures and described below, the principles of the present disclosure may be implemented using any number of techniques, whether currently known or not. The present disclosure should in no way be limited to the exemplary implementations and techniques illustrated in the drawings and described below.
Front bucket loaders are often used to dig materials either through a bull dozer type of plow configuration by pushing the material, a claw type apparatus for pinching the material, or by scooping the material. The basis is material movement, and throughout the year's innovators have worked to develop new specialized means for material handling. For example, a tooth bar was incorporated on the front bucket loader to allow breaking up of material and clasping and pulling objects. A claw like apparatus was developed to turn a traditional front bucket loader into an excavator style bucket. Ejectors were introduced to automatically remove material without having to tilt the bucket. However, today's ejectors lack specialized field of use as well as configuration of the front bucket apparatus to handle such environments.
We begin our review of the drawings with
The front attachments of skid steer's may be connected to an auxiliary hydraulic assembly. The most common system is a standard-flow auxiliary hydraulics package. The flow rates of such a package differ by manufacturer, but typically range from 17 to 24 gallons per minute (gpm) that equates to around 3,000 to 5,000 pounds per square inch (psi) of pressure. A high flow hydraulic system is an option from most manufacturers that increases the flow rate to around 30-38 gpm, while maintaining similar pressure. High flow hydraulic systems enable higher performance for tasks that require more power, such as ground foliage clearing or rock breaking attachments.
In the example of
Turning now to
In the example of
In the example the front bucket is comprised of a steel alloy. Further, the front edge 212 of the bottom plate may also be equipped with a tooth bar that allows for scraping or may have a sloped edge to assist in scooping material. The front edge 212 may also be beveled or otherwise contoured to facilitate the scooping or pushing of material. The lower portion of the pivotable serpentine back wall 226 engages the bottom plate 210, wherein the bottom plate 210 may have a billeted or open foramen back edge 214 to prevent material from collecting and blocking the return of the pivotable serpentine back wall 226 to a retracted state 202.
Referring now to
In the example of
The bottom plate 310 is configured to the left and right side walls, wherein the two side walls connect across the top portion to a top support bracket 320. The top support bracket 320 is a hollow square tube providing stability and support to the upper portion 328 of the pivotable serpentine back wall 326. The unique curvature of the pivotable serpentine back wall 326 allows materials to roll forward while also having a brace at the upper portion 328 with a top support bracket 320 and at the lower portion 330 against the second end of the lower swing arm 326. Thereby increasing the bearing capacity of the pivotable serpentine back wall 326 while ensuring a linear movement when retracting to deposit or eject materials. The upper portion 328 of the pivotable serpentine back wall 326 allows material to roll unto itself and when ejecting functions in a similar fashion as when scooping or loading or pushing. The mechanics allow for material to fluidly roll unto itself, rather than accumulate along a slope, the distinguished 45 degree angles that are braced by the top support bracket 320 build strength and allow for rolling of materials.
Continuing with
The hydraulic piston 334 is configured to the auxillary hydraulic system of the skid steer or compact loader, wherein the skid steer provides the hydraulic pressure to drive the piston that allows the bucket to move from a retracted state to a protracted state to deposit materials. Materials in this disclosure refers to chicken and turkey coop waste products, along with feed and other waste products. In additional embodiments, materials may mean earth materials, such as soil or aggregate, or may mean other waste materials that may be generated within a facility with low overhead space and small confines. Environment within this disclosure means the location wherein the skid steer operates, a typical environment may be chicken or turkey houses or barns, along with other low overhead space environments.
The hydraulic piston 334 is configured to the rear mount 350 and the second end 342 of the upper swing arm 336. The upper swing arm 336 has two ends, a first end 340 configured to the rear mount 350 and a second end 342 configured to the hydraulic piston 334 and the first end 344 of the lower swing arm 338. The lower swing arm has two ends, a first end 344 of the lower swing arm 338 configured to the second end 342 of the upper swing arm, and a second end 346 of the lower swing arm attached or configured to the lower portion 330 of the pivotable serpentine back wall 326. The upper and lower swing arm function to move the pivotable serpentine back wall 326, with the pressure from the hydraulic piston 334. The upper swing arm 336 moves in an arcuate path as it arcs or orbits the lower swing arm 338 then drives the pivotable serpentine back wall 326 in a lateral motion either forward or backward (protracted or retracted state). The lower swing arm 338 moves along a single axis as it drives the pivotable serpentine back wall. 326.
Stepping through
Turning to
In
Turning now to the example embodiment in
Continuing with
Referring now to
In
It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments of the present disclosure are some of the examples of implementations set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the disclosure. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments without departing substantially from the scope and principles of the disclosure. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and protected by the following claims.
