BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood by reading the following detailed description, taken together with the drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is schematic view of a prior art excavator which is utilized to explained the method of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a more detailed schematic view of an aggregate material processing device in the form of an excavator bucket on which has been installed an aggregate material size sorting device in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a schematic top view of an aggregate material size sorting device in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a side view of the aggregate material size sorting device retainer in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a side view of the use of the aggregate material processing device along with the aggregate material size sorter device being used with a supply of unsorted aggregate material in accordance with one act all of the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a side view of an aggregate material processing device including some sorted aggregate material;
FIG. 7 is a side view of an aggregate material processing device in the act of being positioned in a first location to deposit a first type of sorted aggregate material;
FIG. 8 is a side view of an aggregate material processing device in the act of depositing a first type of sorted aggregate material and a first location;
FIG. 9 is a side view of an aggregate material processing device positioned in a second location in the act of depositing a second type of sorted aggregate material;
FIG. 10 is a side view of an aggregate material processing device being positioned to lock the aggregate material size sorting device away from the bucket;
FIG. 11 is a side view of the aggregate material size sorting device retainer moving towards the locked position;
FIGS. 12A and 12B are side views of the aggregate material retaining device moving further towards the locked position;
FIGS. 13A-13C are side views showing the aggregate material size sorting device being locked against the support member by the retainer device;
FIGS. 14A-14B and 15A-15B are side in the use illustrating use of the aggregate material processing device without use of the aggregate material sorting device which is locked into position out of the way out of the way of the bucket;
FIGS. 16A-16C are side views illustrating the movement required to begin positioning the aggregate material bucket to release the aggregate material sorting device in position against the bucket;
FIG. 17 is a side view illustrating the movement of the bucket required to release the aggregate material size sorting device retainer;
FIG. 18 is a side view illustrating the aggregate material size sorting device retainer contacting a release to disengage the retainer from the size sorting device;
FIGS. 19A-19B are side views illustrating release of the aggregate material size sorting device retainer;
FIGS. 20A-20B and 21A-21B are side views illustrating the aggregate material size a sorting device and retainer returning to a first position in place over the bucket; and
FIGS. 22A-22B are side views illustrating the aggregate material size sorting device back in position and in place over the opening of the aggregate material holding area.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention features a method for processing and sorting aggregate material, such as gravel, using an aggregate material processing device. In the preferred embodiments, and for purposes of explaining the present invention, one type of aggregate material processing device which is well suited and adapted for use with the present invention is excavator 10, FIG. 1, wherein is shown the general range of motion for the excavator bucket 12 and support arms 14, 16.
The present invention requires the addition of an aggregate material size sorting device 18, FIG. 2 which is placed over the defined opening 20 in an aggregate material holding region herein described as an excavator bucket 12. As shown in greater detail in FIG. 3, the aggregate material size sorting device 18 is provided in the form of a screen or grate having a number of openings 22 which are sized based on the sorting desired by the user. The smaller the openings 22 the more refined the sorted aggregate material will be. As one can readily appreciate, the size of the openings 22 can be modified to suit the material sorting and sizing requirements of the user. The aggregate material size sorting device 18 is preferably made from metal rods or bars having sufficient size and strength to withstand the digging process, as will be explained in greater detail below.
As shown in greater detail in FIG. 4, the present invention includes, in the preferred embodiment, providing an aggregate material size sorting device retainer mechanism 24 which includes a rotatable mechanism 26 having a “dog ear” region 28. The rotatable mechanism 26 is fixed to the aggregate material size sorting device 18, both of which pivot and rotate about pin 30 which, in the present embodiment, connects the excavator bucket 12 to the support arm 14. The retainer mechanism 24 also includes a spring loaded latch 32 which is spring-loaded to pivot about axis 34 and operates as will be described in greater detail below in connection with the rotatable mechanism 26, to hold the screen 18 away from the bucket 12 when the aggregate material sorting device is not in use.
FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate the steps of providing an aggregate material processing device namely, for exemplary purposes, an excavator bucket 12 which has been fitted with a pivotably removable aggregate material size sorting device 18 in the form of a screen. The first step of the present method is to cause an aggregate material holding device 12 which has been fitted with the screen 18 through a supply of unsorted aggregate material 36. Using this method and the aggregate material size sorting device 18, all of the unsorted aggregate material 36 which is smaller than the openings 22 in the screen 18 will enter the bucket 12 while the larger aggregate material 38FIG. 6 will remain on top of the screen 18 once the bucket 12 is moved through the unsorted aggregate material 36 into a generally horizontal position.
Next, the aggregate processing device will be moved to a first sorting location and the bucket 12 is tipped slightly, FIG. 7, to approximately a 45° angle, causing the larger now sorted aggregate material 38 to fall off of the top of the screen 18 into a pile 40. The bucket 12 is moved further in the direction generally of arrow 42, FIG. 8 until all of the larger aggregate 38 falls off of the screen 18 and into the pile 40.
The aggregate material processing device is next moved to a second sorting location and the aggregate holding device or bucket 12, FIG. 9, is tipped or inclined even more vertically which causes the contents 44 of the aggregate material holding device or bucket 12 to spill out of the bucket 12 and into a second pile. The contents 44 are a second sorted aggregate material having a size smaller than the size of the openings 22 in the screen or grill 18.
It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the steps taken and illustrated by FIGS. 5 through 9 are normal aggregate processing actions taken by an aggregate material processing device, such as an excavator. Accordingly, no new steps need to be learned by an equipment operator. By providing the screen 18 at the top of the bucket 12 and by utilizing this screen prior to engaging the bucket 12 with a supply of unsorted aggregate material 36, ensures that all of the smaller aggregate material will fall in the bucket while the larger material 38 will remain on top of the screen. This larger material 38 can be easily dumped into one pile after the bucket is moved and the sorted aggregate material is easily and quickly dumped into a second pile.
One feature of the present invention is the ability to place the aggregate material size sorting device or screen 18 out of the way when it is desired not to use this feature of the aggregate material processing device. The utilization of this feature requires, in a further embodiment, the use of an aggregate material size sorting device retainer and movement of the aggregate material processing device in a certain manner. These steps are illustrated and FIGS. 10 through 13.
The first step in disengaging the screen 18 and placing it out of the way is shown in FIG. 10. In this act, the bucket 12 is curled up inwardly as shown generally by arrow 46 while support on 14 is moved upwardly in the direction indicated generally by arrow 48. In this position shown in FIG. 10, the retainer device 24 is in the position shown generally in FIG. 11. The method requires the user to continue to further curl the bucket 12 toward the support arm 14 in the direction shown by arrow 46, FIG. 12A. This results in the retainer device 24 moving more towards a locked position, FIG. 12B.
Eventually, gravity will act on the screen 18 and cause it to fall onto the support arm 14, FIG. 13A. the pivoting of the screen 18 results in the pivoting of the rotatable mechanism 26, FIG. 13B as shown generally by arrow 50. Eventually, spring-loaded latch 32, FIG. 13C, will move in the direction indicated generally by arrow 52 causing it to engage with the dog ear 28 of the rotatable mechanism 26. This will lock the screen 18 generally against the support arm 14 allowing the bucket to be used in a normal fashion without the screen. This is illustrated generally in FIGS. 14A, 14B, 15A and 15B.
When a user again desires to utilize the aggregate size sorting device 18, the user again curls the bucket 12 toward the support arm as indicated generally by arrow 46, FIG. 16A while support arm 14 is moved upwardly in a direction generally indicated by arrow 48, FIG. 16B. This movement continues until brace 54, FIG. 16C, begins to contact latch 32. At this point, FIG. 17, brace 54, FIG. 18, begins to contact one end 56 of the spring-loaded latch 32 causing latch 32 to disengage with the dog ear 28 of the retainer mechanism 26. This allows the screen 18 to rotate downwardly back into position over the opening of the bucket 12, FIGS. 19 through 22. The sorting device or screen 18 may now be utilized in accordance with the method described herein.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a novel method for processing and sorting aggregate material which utilizes the normal actions of an aggregate processing device such as an excavator in combination with a screen or other similar great serving as an aggregate sorting device which is placed over the opening of an excavator bucket or other aggregate material holding device. After engaging the aggregate material processing device with a supply of unsorted aggregate material, a first type or size of sorted aggregate material will remain on the top of the screen while smaller material will fall into the bucket. Both sizes of sorted aggregate material can be easily and quickly dumped into their respective piles for future use.
It is important to note that the present invention is not intended to be limited to a system or method which must satisfy one or more of any stated or implied objects or features of the invention. It is also important to note that the present invention is not limited to the preferred, exemplary, or primary embodiment(s) described herein. The present invention has been described in connection with a gravel excavator but other types of aggregate material as well as other types of aggregate material processing devices are contemplated by the present invention and those of ordinary skill in the art would know and readily understand how to so adapt and configure the invention. Modifications and substitutions by one of ordinary skill in the art are considered to be within the scope of the present invention, which is not to be limited except by the allowed claims and their legal equivalents.
Patent Application
20080047878
