Patent Application
20070152202
Not Applicable.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to devices for lifting equipment and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a device for removing and replacing rollers on dozers or any other such tracked vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Lifting jacks capable of lifting, leveling or positioning heavy equipment are well known in the art. Whether a piece of equipment is lifted, lowered, or positioned to provide service to the piece of equipment, the piece of equipment must be supported by a structure that is both strong enough to support the weight of the piece of equipment and sufficiently stable that it will not displace and will prevent the piece of equipment from falling off the structure. Typically, a tractor, tank, half-trac, or other earth-moving vehicle, also referred to herein as a dozer, has a plurality of rollers. The rollers can be difficult to remove or repair due to the size and weight of each roller. Also, the plurality of rollers are positioned along the length of the dozer thus, a conventional jack must typically be manually adjusted, moved, and positioned beneath each roller. Conventional jacks are not constructed to provide the necessary stability to support the roller alone when removing or positioning a roller in relation to the dozer. Further, additional safety concerns arise each time the jack must be manually adjusted and moved.
To this end, a need exists for a device that will provide stable support and safer positioning of a jack beneath a roller. It is to such a roller jack assembly that the present invention is directed.
Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to
Referring now to
The base frame assembly 16 includes a first rail 22 and a spatially disposed second rail 24. The base frame assembly 16 is shown in
The first rail 22 of the base frame assembly 16 has a first end 26 and a second end 28. The second rail 24 of the base frame assembly 16 has a first end 30 and a second end 32. The rails 22 and 24 are provided with elongated tracks 34 and 35, respectively. The track 34 extends along the rail 22 between the first end 26 and the second end 28. The track 35 extends along the second rail 24 between the first end 30 and the second end 32. It should be understood that the tracks 34 and 35 may be formed from metal stock or any other such material, and in various ways, in accordance with the present invention as long as the tracks 34 and 35 are capable of functioning in accordance with the present invention in the manner described herein.
The spatially disposed first rail 22 and second rail 24 of the base frame assembly 16 are connected by a first cross member 36 and a second cross member 38 so that the second rail 24 is substantially parallel to the first rail 22. Further, the first rail 22 is spaced a distance 40 from the second rail 24 so that the jack frame assembly 18 can be positioned therebetween. It should be understood that the distance 40 between the rails 22 and 24 will vary as the size of the rollers 14 or the size of the dozer 12 varies.
The first cross member 36 connects the first end 26 of the first rail and the first end 30 of the second rail 24. The second cross member 38 connects the second end 28 of the first rail 22 and the second end 22 of the second rail 24. The first and second cross members 36 and 38 are connected to the first and second rails 22 and 24 with pins 41 or any other such connector so as to be disassembled. However, it should be understood that the first and second cross members 36 and 38 may be connected to the first and second rails 22 and 24 by being welded together rather than bolted together. Although the base frame assembly 16 is preferably mobile, it should be understood that the base frame assembly 16 may be constructed in a fixed position. For example, grooves (not shown) may be formed in a concrete floor of a garage which are sized and dimensioned for receiving the first and second rails 22 and 24, respectively. Further, it should be understood that the base frame assembly 16 may be disposable on any supporting structure, such as asphalt, dirt, or the like.
The jack frame assembly 18 includes a frame 42, a first wheel assembly 44, and a second wheel assembly 46. The frame 42 of the jack frame assembly 18 includes a first rail 48 and a second rail 50. The frame 42 has a first side 52 and a second side 54. The first wheel assembly 44 of the jack frame assembly 18 includes a first wheel 56 and a second wheel 58 journally connected by a linkage member 59 so as to be spatially disposed a distance from one another. The linkage member 59 is operably connected to the first side 52 of the frame 42. The second wheel assembly 44 of the jack frame assembly 18 includes a third wheel 60 and a fourth wheel 62 journally connected by a linkage member 63 so as to be spatially disposed a distance from one another. The linkage member 63 is operably connected to the second side 54 of the frame 42. The first wheel assembly 44 and the second wheel assembly 46 of the jack frame assembly 18 cooperate to rollingly support the jack frame assembly 18. It should be understood that any number of wheel assemblies suitable to support the frame may be used. Further, preferably the wheels are concave shaped so as to prevent the build-up of dirt and dust. However, it should be understood that any various shaped wheel may be used, so long as the invention functions as is described herein. In addition, all the wheels are illustrated as the preferred structure for movably supporting the jack frame assembly 18, however, it should be understood that any other suitable structure for movably supporting or selectively moving the jack frame assembly 18 may be used, such as a roller.
The jack assembly 20 includes a jack 70, a base frame 71, a first wheel assembly 72, a second wheel assembly 74, and a roller support member 75. Preferably, the jack 70 is a conventional air over hydraulic jack. However, it should be understood that any such lifting jack may be used such as a screw or cylinder based actuator powered via hydraulic, mechanical, electric or manual means for lifting, leveling, or positioning heavy equipment. Because the operation of jacks is well-known in the art, as well as their various components, no further explanation of the construction and/or operation of the jack 70 will be given. The jack 70 is connected to the base frame 71 which provides support for the jack 70.
The first wheel assembly 72 of the jack assembly 20 includes a first wheel 76 journally connected to a second wheel 78 by a support member 79 so as to be spatially disposed a distance from one another. The support member 79 is operably connected to a first side 80 of the base frame 71. The second wheel assembly 74 includes a third wheel 82 journally connected to a fourth wheel 84 by a support member (not shown) so as to be spatially disposed a distance from one another. The support member is operably connected to a second side 86 of the base frame 71. The first wheel assembly 72 and the second wheel assembly 74 cooperate to rollingly support the jack 70. It should be understood that any number of wheel assemblies suitable to support the jack 70 may be used. Further, although a concave-shaped wheel is preferred so as to prevent build-up of dirt, any shaped wheel may be used so long as the invention functions as described herein. In addition, it should be understood that any other suitable structure for movably supporting or selectively moving the jack assembly 20 may be used.
As shown in
Referring to
From the above description, it is clear that the present invention is well adapted to carry out the objects and to attain the advantages mentioned herein as well as those inherent in the invention. While presently preferred embodiments of the invention have been described for purposes of this disclosure, it will be understood that numerous changes may be made which will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art in which are accomplished within the spirit of the invention disclosed.
