Patent Application
20140064826
The present invention relates to an adapter for attaching a plurality of different attachments, such as a lift platform attachment, a forklift attachment, a crane attachment, etc., for a conventional snow plow attachment of a vehicle in order to provide all season utility for the conventional snowplow attachment.
Snowplow attachments for vehicles, such as for up trucks, are in common use in all regions which receive snow during the winter months and, during those periods outside the typically snow season, or between expected snow storms, the snowplow blades are normally removed from the vehicles. It is common practice to leave the snowplow attachment mechanism—by which the blade of the snowplow is operatively supported, raised, lowered and angled—mounted to the vehicle because of the associated time and effort required to mount and dismount the snowplow attachment mechanism.
The practice of leaving the snowplow attachment mechanisms attached to the vehicle, however, results in some disadvantages and problems. For example, the snowplow attachment mechanism generally serves no function during most of the remainder of year but is typically relatively heavy and mounted on the most forward portion of the vehicle, thereby resulting in increased gas consumption and increased wear on the vehicle's engine, transmission, suspension system and steering mechanism. Moreover, the snowplow attachment mechanism can detract from the overall appearance of the vehicle as well as possibly effecting the performance and steering of the vehicle.
The present invention provides provide some utility to the snowplow attachment mechanism when the blade of the snowplow is not attached hereto which has not, heretofore, been known or available in the prior art.
The present invention relates to a novel adapter for providing some utility and functionality to the snowplow attachment mechanism which is attached to a front end of the vehicle, when a snow plow is not attached thereto.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an adapter which, in combination with a conventional snowplow attachment mechanism, can generally perform the associated functions of a forklift, a lifting vehicle, a crane, etc.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a versatile equipment mounting assembly which can be readily and quickly connected to a conventional the snowplow attachment mechanism and is adapted to provide at least one desired function, and more preferably is adapted to facilitate providing a plurality of different functions merely by interchanging the piece or type of equipment which is attached to or supported by the equipment mounting assembly.
The present invention also relates to an equipment mounting assembly for releaseable attachment of a desired equipment to a snowplow attachment, the equipment mounting assembly comprising: an equipment mounting frame having at least one equipment adapter for releaseable attachment of the desired equipment thereto; a first end of a frame adaptor is pivotally attached, by a horizontal pivot, to a rear portion of the equipment mounting frame so as to facilitate titling of the equipment mounting frame, and a second end of the frame adaptor being engageable with a forward portion of a frame apex of a snowplow attachment; first and second spaced apart support brackets being supported by the equipment mounting frame, and each of the first and the second support brackets facilitates coupling the equipment mounting frame with the snowplow attachment to provide stability for the equipment mounting assembly; and a first end of a frame tilt actuator being supported by the equipment mounting frame at a located spaced from the frame adaptor, and a second end of the frame tilt actuator being attachable to one of the frame adaptor and the snowplow attachment so as to facilitate forward and rearward tilting of the equipment mounting frame about a horizontal tilt axis defined by the horizontal pivot.
The present invention also relates to a method of releasably attaching desired equipment to a snowplow attachment via an equipment mounting assembly, the method comprising the steps of: providing an equipment mounting frame having at least one equipment adapter for releaseable attachment of the desired equipment thereto; pivotally attaching a first end of a frame adaptor, via a horizontal pivot, to a rear portion of the equipment mounting frame so as to facilitate titling of the equipment mounting frame; engaging a second end of the frame adaptor with a forward portion of a frame apex of a snowplow attachment; supporting first and second spaced apart support brackets by the equipment mounting frame, and the first and the second support brackets facilitate coupling the equipment mounting frame with the snowplow attachment to provide stability for the equipment mounting assembly; and supporting a first end of a frame tilt actuator via the equipment mounting frame, at a located spaced from the frame adaptor, and attaching a second end of the frame tilt actuator to one of the frame adaptor and the snowplow attachment so as to facilitate forward and rearward tilting of the equipment mounting frame about a horizontal tilt axis defined by the horizontal pivot.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate various embodiments of the invention and together with the general description of the invention given above and the detailed description of the drawings given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention. It is to be appreciated that the accompanying drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale since the emphasis is instead placed on illustrating the principles of the invention. The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Referring first to
The pivoting or angling of the plow blade 10C, about the vertical pivot 10D, is typically controlled by a pair of conventional angling actuators 10E, such as hydraulic cylinders or driven cord and pulley mechanisms, respectively interconnecting the main base frame 10A with respective left and right intermediate sections of the plow blade 10C. The vertical pivot 10D is generally coincident with a central axis A, which bisects of the main base frame 10A, the plow blade 10C and the vehicle 2, into a left side section and a right side section and the vertical pivot 10D extends generally normal to both the central axis A and the ground.
A rearward portion of the chassis mounting mechanism 10G is fixedly connected to a front end of the chassis of the vehicle 2 in a conventional manner, for example by conventional bolts and associated nuts (not shown in detail). A rearmost portion 10F of the main base frame 10A is pivotally connected to a forward most portion of the chassis mount 10G via a pair of conventional bolts and associated nuts, locking pins, or some other fastening member 10I which permits a desired pivoting motion of the main base frame 10A with respect to the chassis mounting mechanism 10G and the chassis of the vehicle 2.
The pivotal connection of the rearmost portion 10F of the main base frame 10A to the forward most portion of the chassis mount 10G, via the fastening members 10I, preferably form a pair of horizontal pivot points which are axially aligned with one another and together define a horizontal axis H about which up-and-down pivoting motion of the apex 10B of the main base frame 10A can occur. Such pivoting motion of the apex 10B facilitates raising and lowering, e.g., altering of the vertical position, of the apex 10B of the main base frame 10A as well as the attached plow blade 10C with respect to the vehicle 2 and the ground.
In a typical embodiment, a vertical frame lift support 10H (see
A lift arm actuator 10O, such as a hydraulic cylinder, interconnects the base of the chassis mounting mechanism 10G with an intermediate section of the lift arm 10J so as to facilitate controllable raising and lowering of the free forward end 10L of the lift arm 10J, relative to the base of the chassis mounting mechanism 10G, and, in turn, thereby permit control of the vertical position of the frame apex 10B of the main base frame 10A and, in turn, the plow blade 10C attached thereto. That is, actuation of the lift arm actuator 10O permits control of the vertical position of the apex 10B of the main base frame 10A and the plow blade 10C to a desired vertical height or orientation, e.g., a full raised position, a fully lowered position or a location anywhere in between those two end positions.
In this regard, it will be noted that for purposes of clarity in disclosing certain features of such prior art snow plow attachment 10, the frame lift support 10H, the lift arm 10J, the lift connecting member 10M and the lift arm actuator 10O are not shown in
Referring now to
The equipment mounting assembly 20, of the present invention, generally utilizes the above described elements of the conventional snow plow attachment 10 that commonly remain mounted and attached to the vehicle 2 year-round. The elements of the conventional snow plow attachment 10 that are typically utilized with the equipment mounting assembly 20 include, for example, the chassis mounting mechanism 10G, including the frame lift support 10H, the lift arm 10J, the lift connecting member 10M, the lift arm actuator 10O, the main base frame 10A, the pair of horizontal angling actuators 10E, and their associated electrical and hydraulic components, as normally assembled for conventional snow plow applications.
In this regard, and for purposes of clarity, the elements of a snow plow attachment 10 shown in detail in
The equipment mounting assembly 20 includes mating components which are utilized to engage with the conventional elements of the snow plow attachment 10, which remain mounted to the vehicle year-round, to assist with converting the conventional snow plow attachment 10 into the equipment mounting assembly 20, according to the present invention. As illustrated in
The exemplary equipment mounting frame 24, illustrated in
As will be apparent, from the following discussion, that the equipment mounting frame 24 may include other framing elements depending on, for example, the type or function of the equipment(s) to be mounted to or supported by the equipment mounting frame 24, such as one or more corner brace elements and/or one or more additional horizontal/vertical/diagonal supporting elements, etc., for adding additional rigidity to the equipment mounting frame 24 for heavy lifting applications. Accordingly, it is to be appreciated that the overall shape and arrangement of the equipment frame 24 can vary, from application to application, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The important feature of the equipment mounting frame 24 facilitates attachment to the conventional snow plow attachment 10 and also facilitates support of at least one desired piece of equipment to be controlled by the conventional lift components of the snow plow attachment 10.
For example, the equipment mounting frame 24 may include a conventional three-point hitch which facilitates attachment of a variety of conventional components and pieces of equipment to the equipment mounting frame 24. That is, a pair of vertically extending first and second hitch members 38H are disposed symmetrically on either side of the centerline of the equipment mounting frame 24 and thus on either side of the main base frame 10A and the vehicle 2. The first hitch member 38E, of the conventional three-point hitch, generally comprises a first laterally facing horizontally oriented tapered pin that is mounted on the rear side of the first intermediate vertical lateral frame element 26E. A second hitch member 38E, of the conventional three-point hitch, generally comprises a second laterally facing horizontally oriented tapered pin that is mounted on the rear side of the second intermediate vertical lateral frame element 26E. Both of the first and the second hitch members 38E are spaced slightly rearwardly, by the intermediate vertical lateral frame elements 26E, relative to the equipment mounting frame 24. A lower portion of the equipment mounting frame 24, or possibly an upper portion of the equipment mounting frame 24, supports the third hitch member 38F of the conventional three-point hitch. As variety of well known components can be connected to the conventional three-point hitch in a conventional manner, a further detailed discussion concerning such components and the associated connection of such components to the three point hitch 38E, 38F is not provided but the three point hitch 38E, 38F, supported by the equipment mounting frame 24, facilitates easy attachment of such components to the equipment mounting assembly 20.
According to the embodiment of the equipment frame 24 generally shown in
As illustrated in
A frame pivot mount 24A is typically permanently secured to the rear surface of the equipment mounting frame 24, closely adjacent both the frame base element 26A and/or the center frame element 26C. A mating adaptor mount 28A, supported by a leading end of the frame adaptor 28. At least one conventional bolt and nut assembly, a locking pin, etc., 28P connects the mating adaptor mount 28A with the frame pivot mount 24A and defines a horizontal tilt axis H that permits forward and rear tilting of a remainder of the equipment mounting frame 24, relative to the frame apex 10B, about the horizontal tilt axis H (see
When the equipment mounting frame 24 is mounted to main base frame 10A, a first end of each of the pair of horizontal angling actuators 10E typically remains connected to the main base frame 10A. The opposite end of each of the horizontal angling actuators 10E is first disconnected from the plow blade 10C and then subsequently connected to a corresponding horizontal support bracket 30, supported by a rear surface of the equipment mounting frame 24. Thereafter, the operator actuates and adjusts both of the horizontal angling actuators 10E so that the equipment mounting frame 24 is arranged substantially normal to the central axis A of the main base frame 10A and the vehicle 2, i.e., the equipment mounting frame 24 generally forms a right angle with the central axis A and each of the horizontal angling actuators 10E typically has an equal length to one another. It is to be appreciated that this can be completed before removing the plow blade 10C from the snow plow attachment 10.
In this regard, it will be noted that due to the nature of the various equipments that can be mounted to the equipment mounting assembly 20, via one of the equipment adapters 22, it is typically not necessary for the equipment mounting frame 24 to be pivotable, via the vertical pivot 10D of the frame apex 10B, about the vertical axis V (e.g., to be angled in an orientation other than substantially normal to the central axis A of the vehicle 2) which typically occurs during plowing with the plow blade 10C attached to the snow plow attachment 10. In view of this, if the horizontal angling actuators 10E, which control the angular orientation of the snow plow, are to remain attach to the main base frame 10A and connected to the equipment mounting frame 24, they are generally repositioned so as to have an equal length with one another, as indicated above. Once this is achieved, the conventional hydraulic supply lines, to each of the horizontal angling actuators 10E, then are disconnected and reconnected as discussed below in further detail.
In other embodiments or implementations of the equipment mounting assembly 20, the pair of horizontal angling actuators 10E, for example, may be completely detached and removed from the snow plow attachment 10 and stored for subsequent use when the snow plow is again attached to snow plow attachment 10. In such instances, a pair of fixed length alignment elements 30A may instead respectively interconnection the horizontal support brackets 30 of the equipment mounting frame 24 with the main base frame 10A. That is, each alignment element 30A extends between and interconnects the main base frame 10A with the horizontal support brackets 30. The alignment elements 30A may comprise, for example, chains, wire, ropes, rods or various forms of tubes, beams or virtually any other conventional fixed length or fixedly adjustable member or linkage, if pivoting of to the equipment mounting frame 24 is desired.
As described above, the elements of the equipment mounting assembly 20, for controlling the vertical position or orientation of the frame apex 10B of the main base frame 10A and thus the vertical position or orientation of the equipment mounting frame 24, also includes the frame lift support 10H, the lift arm 10J, the lift connecting member 10M and the lift arm actuator 10O, which, for the sake of clarity, are not specifically shown in
The rear portion 10F of the main base frame 10A is pivotably mounted to the chassis mounting mechanism 10G by a pair of horizontal pivots 10I and vertical positioning of the frame apex 10B is controlled by the lift actuator 10O and the lift arm 10J acting, via the lift connecting member 10M, which is connected to the main frame lift attachment coupling 10N of the main base frame 10A. By increasing the length of the lift actuator 10O (e.g., by supplying hydraulic fluid to a bottom end of the lift actuator 10O via a first one of the hydraulic supply lines of the snow plow attachment 10), this pivots (e.g., lifts) the lift arm 10J away from the lift chassis mounting mechanism 10G and thereby induces a vertical upward movement of the equipment mounting frame 24, along with any associated equipment mounted via one of the equipment adapters 22 or the three point hitch 38E, 38F, away from the ground. By decreasing the length of the lift actuator 10O (e.g., by supplying hydraulic fluid to a top end of the lift actuator 10O via a second one of the hydraulic supply lines of the snow plow attachment 10), this pivots (i.e., lowers) the lift arm 10J toward the chassis mounting mechanism 10G and thereby induces a vertical downward movement of the equipment mounting frame 24, along with any associated equipment mounted via one of the equipment adapters 22 or the three point hitch, toward from the ground.
It will be recognized that the vertical movement of the frame apex 10B, by the lift actuator 10O and the lift arm 10J, and rotation of the rear portion 10F of the main base frame 10A, about the horizontal pivots 10I, results in a corresponding tilting movement of a plane P defined by the equipment mounting frame 24 (see
For this reason, and as described above, the equipment mounting frame 24 is pivotably mounted to the main base frame 10A, via the frame adaptor 28, which permits tilting rotation of the equipment mounting frame 24 about horizontal tilt axis H, defined by the horizontal pivot 28P, as the frame apex 10B of the main base frame 10A is correspondingly raised and lowered, to thereby allow the equipment mounting frame 24 to be adjusted into a desired tilted orientation, e.g., the plane P defined by the equipment mounting frame 24 may be generally maintained a substantially vertical orientation and substantially perpendicular to the ground depending upon the particular application. That is, this tilting mechanism facilitates adjustment of the orientation of the equipment mounting frame 24 so that the equipment mounting frame 24 can be generally maintained, as desired, in a substantially vertical position or orientation relative to the ground as the equipment mounting frame 24 is raised and lowered with respect to the ground.
As shown in
Actuation of the equipment frame tilt actuator 34 thereby allows the equipment mounting frame 24 to be adjusted or tilted forward or backward, about the horizontal tilt axis H, so that the equipment mounting frame 24 can be maintained in a substantially vertical position or orientation, relative to the ground, as the equipment mounting frame 24 is raised and lowered by the lift actuator 10O and the lift arm 10J. It is to be appreciated that in some instances, a certain amount of forward tilting of the equipment mounting frame 24 may be desired, such as when picking up an object(s) or item(s) with the forklift attachments (see
Next considering the various attachments that may be mounted to the equipment mounting frame 24, and the equipment adapters 22 by which such various attachments may be mounted to the equipment mounting frame 24, such attachments may include, for example, a set of lift platform attachments 36 or a conventional three-point hitch 38E, 38F, as illustrated in
Referring first to the lift platform attachment 36 of
A free end of each one of the three spaced apart and parallel lateral framework elements 36B comprises a female frame engagement socket 36E. The frame base element 26A, of the equipment mounting frame 24, is provided with a corresponding equipment adapter 22 which, in this instance, comprises three spaced apart corresponding male lift platform members 36S. When the three corresponding male lift platform members 36S are respectively received by and within the mating three female frame engagement sockets 36E, the lift platform attachment 36 is securely but releasably fastened or attached to the equipment mounting frame 24, and thus to the equipment mounting frame 24, via the corresponding equipment adapter 22.
According to this embodiment, the lateral framework elements 36B and the transverse framework element 36C, of the rectangular lift platform frame 36A, generally comprise, for example, welded metal, such as steel or aluminum tubing, having a square or rectangular transverse cross section which is slightly larger in size that the dimensions of the corresponding male lift platform members 36S so that the lift platform attachment 36 can be easily and quickly connected to and disconnected from the corresponding equipment adapters 22 of the equipment mounting frame 24, as desired by the operator. It is to be appreciated that the female frame engagement sockets 36E may include a set screw (not shown), or some other conventional securing component which, when tighten, securely attaches the received male lift platform member 36S with the female frame engagement socket 36E and prevents inadvertent disconnection or removal therefrom.
It is to be appreciated that the male member 36S may be located at the free end of each of the three lateral framework elements 36B while a respective female frame engagement socket 36E may be supported by the equipment mounting frame 24, without departing form the present invention. Alternatively, if so desired, the lift platform attachment 36 can be formed integrally with or permanently attached to the equipment mounting frame 24, e.g., by welding or the like.
The load support member 36D may comprise, for example, a sheet of plywood, a metal plate, a metal mesh, a metal screen, a perforated metal plate, etc., which overlies the top surface of the rectangular lift platform frame 36A and facilitates supporting a desired object(s), item(s), piece of equipment(s), pallet(s), etc., on the lift platform attachment 36 so as to assist with transporting the desired object(s), item(s), piece of equipment(s), pallet(s), etc., from one location to another. The load support member 36D is typically secured to the top surface of the lift platform frame 36A in a conventional manner, e.g., by screws, bolts, fasteners, welding, etc., so as to prevent any undesired relative movement between the load support member 36D and the lift platform frame 36A and ensure that the load support member 36D remains securely attached thereto.
When the lift platform attachment 36 is mounted to the equipment mounting frame 24, via engagement between the female frame engagement sockets 36E and the male members 36S, any associated movement of the vehicle 2 facilitates relocation of the lift platform attachment 36 to a desired operational location. Once at the desired operational location, the operator can actuate the lift arm actuator 10O so that the lift arm 10J is moved vertically either upward or downward and the frame apex 10B and the equipment mounting frame 24, along with the mounted lift platform attachment 36, are correspondingly moved vertically upward or downward. Such actuation of the lift arm actuator 10O facilitates vertical repositioning of the lift platform attachment 36 to a desired vertical position relative to the ground. At the same time, operation of the equipment frame tilt actuator 34 permits desired reorientation of the lift platform attachment 36, relative to the ground, so that the lift platform attachment 36 can be maintained in a substantially horizontal orientation, unless a certain amount of forward or rearward tilt of the lift platform attachment 36 is otherwise desired by the operator, such as when unloading or unloading the lift platform attachment 36.
With reference now to
The leading prong section 42B and the mounting section 42C both generally comprise, for example, is solid piece of metal, such as steel or aluminum, which has a generally rectangular cross section. The leading prong section 42B and the mounting section 42C, of each forklift prong 42A, may be formed as, for example, a single piece of metal which is bent into an L-shaped configuration, in a conventional manner, or maybe formed as two or more separate pieces of metal which are welded or otherwise integrally connected together with one another.
As shown in
If desired, each oppose end of the horizontal rod 100 can extend a small distance, e.g., a few inches or so (see
To facilitate attachment of the forklift prongs 42A, the equipment mounting frame 24 is typically located on or lowered to the ground. The horizontal rod 100 is generally removed from engagement with all but possibly one of the mating the rod apertures or sleeves 26F by removing any retaining pin and then pulling on one end of the horizontal rod 100 so that the horizontal rod 100 is at least sufficiently removed from the desired rod apertures or sleeves 26F. Thereafter, each one of the mounting sleeves or elements 42D, of the forklift prongs 42A, is suitably aligned with a leading end of the partially removed horizontal rod 100. Once the mounting sleeves or elements 42D are properly aligned, the leading end of the horizontal rod 100 is then sequently passed through the first mounting sleeve or element 42D, possibly the central rod aperture or sleeve 26F, and then second mounting sleeve or element 42D. Thereafter, the leading end of the horizontal rod 100 is then finally reengaged with the rod aperture or sleeve 26F located on the opposite end of the equipment mounting frame 24.
As a result of such attachment, each one of the forklift prongs 42A is slideably supported by the horizontal rod 100 and can be adjusted by a limited degree toward or away from one another, by sliding one or both of the forklift prongs 42A along the horizontal rod 100 into a desired adjusted orientation. A rear surface of the bent section of each one of the forklift prongs 42A typically abuts against the frame base element 26A so as to prevent downward pivoting movement of each of the forklift prongs 42A about the horizontal rod 100. As a result of such abutting engagement with the frame base element 26A and due to the inherent weight of the forklift prongs 42A, the forklift prongs 42A generally remain in their adjusted orientation or position during use of the forklift prongs 42A.
As in the case of the lift platform attachment 36, when the forklift prongs 42A are mounted to the equipment mounting frame 24, any associated movement of the vehicle 2 facilitates relocation of the forklift prongs 42A to a desired operational location. Once at the desired operational location, the operator can then actuate the lift arm actuator 10O so that the lift arm 10J is moved either vertically upward or downward. The frame apex 10B and the equipment mounting frame 24, along with the mounted forklift prongs 42A, are correspondingly moved vertically upward or downward. Such actuation of the lift arm actuator 10O facilitates vertical repositioning of the forklift prongs 42A to a desired vertical position relative to the ground. At the same time, operation of the equipment frame tilt actuator 34 permits desired reorientation of the forklift prongs 42A, relative to the ground, so that the forklift prongs 42A can be maintained in a substantially horizontal orientation, unless a certain amount of forward or rearward tilt of the forklift prongs 42A is otherwise desired by the operator, such as when unloading or unloading the forklift prongs 42A.
Referring next to
The crane attachment 40 further includes a horizontal crane arm 40C which is attached to and extends forward from the upper portion of the vertical crane member 40A. The length of the horizontal crane arm 40C is typically determined by the desired weight, capacity and size of “load” to be lifted/hoisted by the crane attachment 40 as well as the stability limitations of the vehicle 2 and an associated winch 40F. The horizontal crane arm 40C may be formed as a part of or as a completely separate component which is affixed to the vertical crane member 40A. In the latter case, the horizontal crane arm 40C may be mounted to the vertical crane member 40A by hinged or pivoted connection so as to permit the horizontal crane arm 40C to be stowed against or along the side of the vertical crane member 40A, when not in use, or to permit adjustment of the relative angle to be formed between the vertical crane member 40A and the horizontal crane arm 40C and thereby alter the capacity of the crane attachment 40. If desired, the horizontal crane arm 40C may be of a telescoping design so as to facilitate adjustment of the length that the horizontal crane arm 40C extends, from one application to another application, from the vertical crane member 40A.
As shown, the crane attachment 40 will typically include at least a first pulley 40D securely suspended adjacent a leading free section or end of the horizontal crane arm 40C and possibly at least one intermediate pulley(s) 40E suspend along a path between first pulley 40D and the conventional winch 40F. The wench 40F can either be fixedly or releaseably mounted to, for example, the equipment attachment frame 24, in a conventional manner as diagrammatically illustrated, or possibly to the chassis mounting mechanism 10G or the chassis of the vehicle 2. The wench 40F is located so as to guide a crane cable 40G from the winch 40F around at least the first pulley 40D and any intermediate pulley(s) 40E, if present, to the “load” to be lifted/hoisted, e.g., an item(s), object(s), equipment(s), pallet(s), etc., which is located vertically below the free end of crane arm 40C. It is to be appreciated that the winch 40F may comprise either a hydraulically or an electrically driven winch or possible a winch directly driven by a power take off from the engine or the drive train of the vehicle 2.
As discussed above with regard to the lift platform attachment 36 and the forklift attachment 42, when the crane attachment 40 is mounted to the equipment mounting frame 24, any associated movement of the vehicle 2 facilitates relocation of the crane attachment 40 to a desired operational location. Once at the desired operational location, if necessary, the operator can actuate the lift arm actuator 10O so that the lift arm 10J is moved vertically either upward or downward and the frame apex 10B and the equipment mounting frame 24, along with the mounted crane attachment 40, are correspondingly moved either vertically upward or downward. Such actuation of the lift arm actuator 10O facilitate vertical repositioning of the crane attachment 40 to a desired vertical position relative to the ground. At the same time, operation of the equipment frame tilt actuator 34 permits desired reorientation of the crane attachment 40 relative to the ground so that the crane attachment 40 can be maintained in a substantially vertical orientation, unless a certain amount of forward or rearward tilt of the crane attachment 40 is otherwise desired by the operator, such as when hitching or unhitching of the crane attachment 40.
As is conventional in the art, the conventional controls for controlling the snow plow attachment 10 are typically located within the cabin of the vehicle 2 which has the snow plow attachment 10 attached thereto. A viewing camera C, only diagrammatically shown, can be mounted on the equipment mounting frame 24, the snow plow attachment 10 or on the vehicle 2, while an interconnected video display monitor or console M may be located within the cabin of the vehicle 2 in order to provide remote visibility for the operator when using one of the attachments, such as the lift platform attachment, the forklift attachments, the crane attachment or a desired piece of equipment to be attached to the three-point hitch. When the camera is operating, the operator of the vehicle 2 can directly view the actual position of the specific attachment, attached to the equipment mounting assembly 20, relative to the desired item(s), object(s), equipment(s), pallet(s), etc., to be removed, transported, lifted, hoisted, etc., without the operator having to leave or exit the vehicle 2 and this facilitates ease of use of the equipment mounting frame 24.
In the above description and appended drawings, it is to be appreciated that only the terms “consisting of” and “consisting only of” are to be construed in the limitative sense while of all other terms are to be construed as being open-ended and given the broadest possible meaning.
While various embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, it is apparent that various modifications and alterations of those embodiments will occur to and be readily apparent those skilled in the art. However, it is to be expressly understood that such modifications and alterations are within the scope and spirit of the present invention, as set forth in the appended claims. Further, the invention(s) described herein is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various other related ways. In addition, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61602967 | Feb 2012 | US |
