The present invention relates to the industry of land moving or hauling and/or carrying and alike; and more specifically refers to an equipment called scraper which is used for land moving and similar materials such as mud. More specifically refers to a scraper of drag, which is pulled by a tractor. Generally, two methods have been used to solve the problem of land download, once it is inside the box of the scraper and must be downloaded. The first method is to use a hinged box, this method basically consists in using the box of the scraper as a container or external box hinged through a couple of bolts and a hydraulic cylinder as an element which rotates the scraper box on its pivots, this allows the land download through the mouth of the scraper under the action of gravity.
This method has two variants in that the blade is attached directly to the hinged box of the scraper and therefore travels along therewith during the movement of the scraper (in this case the forces generated during the action of loading the scraper, are transmitted to the bolts on which the scraper box will turn). Another variant of this method consists in the fixing of the blade to the outer structure of the scraper, which is the same to which hinged bolts are fixed (in this solution the blade is firmly attached and may transmit the loading action efforts to the entire structure of the machine), in this case, the box is secured and a hinge is pivoted, which is located in the front-bottom of the scraper box, so that with the turning movement of the box, only the box floor “lifts” (tilts) for downloading the land.
The second method used by manufacturers of scrapers consists basically of a wall that pushes the material from the rear of the box toward the front of the scraper (ejector). Through the use of one or two hydraulic cylinders is this wall moved up to the start of the mouth for downloading of the scraper where the material falls the ground under the action of gravity.
Most manufacturers of scrapers currently have chosen to provide the market with scrapers of both methods for downloading the material, mainly due to the best features of one or another according to the type and condition of the ground, in which the scraper will work.
Due to the great variability of soil types and conditions in which the scrapers work for the agricultural industry and for the construction industry, both the unloading mechanism of the box as the pivoting mechanism of the ejector, presented problems for the downloading according to the type and condition of the soil, making even that in some soils, working is impossible with the scraper with any of these download methods, forcing the contractors to have in their inventory, hinged box scrapers and ejector scrapers.
The following patent documents referred to the technical field of the present invention, are known: U.S. Pat. No. 3,176,863 granted to Kuhl; U.S. Pat. No. 3,533,174 granted to Carston; U.S. Pat. No. 4,366,635 granted to Joyce, Jr; U.S. Pat. No. 4,383,380 granted to Miskin; U.S. Pat. No. 4,388,769 granted to Miskin; U.S. Pat. No. 4,398,363 granted to Miskin; U.S. Pat. No. 4,553,608 granted to Miskin; U.S. Pat. No. 5,702,227 granted to Berg; U.S. Pat. No. 6,092,316 granted to Brinker; U.S. Pat. No. 6,347,670 granted to Miskin; U.S. Pat. No. 7,707,754 granted to Congdon.
Of these documents, it is considered that the nearest state of the art are the documents U.S. Pat. No. 6,092,316 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,347,670. However, these inventions are different from the currently described by at least the following reasons. With regard to the lifting mechanism, U.S. Pat. No. 6,092,316 mentions a mechanism of four rear bars that rest on the rear wheels, so that when it is actuated, the scraper tilts forward, as shown in
With regard to the ejector, U.S. Pat. No. 6,092,316 is a four-bar mechanism actuated by hydraulic cylinders, which actuates the ejector. The ejector is attached to the structure of the machine by means of links as shown in the
The hinged box in U.S. Pat. No. 6,092,316 does not exist. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,347,670, the box is driven by a tilted cylinder, as shown in the figures, at approximately 45 degrees in loading position (cylinder fully closed, leaving vertically in the unload position (cylinder fully open). See
The gate of the patent 316 consists of a link that has a pivot point (58) and in the intermediate distance approximate joins one end of the cylinder that actuates it. At the tip of the link the gate in semicircular form is placed. The other end of the cylinder is attached to the structure of the scraper. When the cylinder is closed, the gate is open and when the cylinder is open, the door is completely closed. In this case, the cylinder is located in the back of the gate. The patent system 670, is very similar to the above, the difference lies in the fact that the cylinder which is driven is located on the front of the gate. The basic difference with both patents lies in that the hinged gate of the present invention comprises three sections that fold down the length of the actuating piston and that are hinged.
In the scrapers of the state of the art, the cutting blade is linked to the hinged box and this represents a problem because when the hinged box tilts varies its angle of attack by changing both the efficiency of the material cut.
When the land is difficult and the scraper sticks, something that is quite frequent in this field, the pushing or pulling the same varies depending on the position, for example of the hinged box, being difficult can be pushed or pulled straight with another tractor, for example. This represents a further disadvantage in the scrapers known until just prior to the present invention.
Considering the background above and the inconveniences of the state of the art, is an object of the present invention to provide a scraper comprising unloading mechanism by means of hinged box and another unloading mechanism by means of an ejector, with which the scraper will be able to work independently of the type and condition of the soil, making it more efficient and avoid using two different machines to carry out their work.
Another object of the invention is to obtain the optimum angle of cut unchanged.
In addition, another object of the invention is to provide a scraper whose main cutting blade is not coupled to the hinged box but to the external container or box.
An additional object is to provide a pushing or bearing point in the scraper whose height remains constant regardless of the position of the box.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a pulling, articulated mechanism, with a movement in three rotations, which allows it to adapt to the changes of position that occur during the operation of the scraper itself.
These and other objects will become apparent from the following description and figures that accompany them.
Reference numerals designate equal components in the different figures shown.
Before STARTING the detailed description of the invention, it should be noted that the construction is speculated, i.e., if the scraper is divided about its longitudinal axis, the elements that are on one side, are also on the other.
As can be seen from the attached figures, and particularly in
A container or external box (100);
A hinged box (300) (see
An ejector (400);
A pull arm (500);
A wheel support with thrust element (600) (see
Two systems of parallelogram front and back (701 and 702), respectively; and
An articulated element (800) that serves to attach the scraper to the tractor or in tandem to another scraper.
The container (100) holds in its interior, among other things, a hinged gate (200), a hinged box (300) and the ejector (400). To the front of the container or external box, the pull arm is attached (500), on its back portion the wheel support with thrust element (600) is placed.
The parallelogram system (701) attaches the pulling arm (500) with the container (100), while the parallelogram system (702) joins the wheel support (600) with the same container (100). The pulling arm (500) is attached to the articulated element (800) by means of a series of bolts or screws.
The container or external box (100) comprises two parallel side walls (101) (see
A reticulated floor (107) joins to the plate (104), to the walls (101) and to the support (105) of the blade (112). This floor is comprised by a mesh of hearths and serves to support the weight of the hinged box and be part of the structure of the scraper.
The tubular profile (102), which is located in the front and top of the container, includes three groups of support supports (108), (109) and (110), all of them placed in a way that was generally perpendicular to the profile. The group (108) is used as support for the opening of the hinged gate (200), the group (109) serves as a point of support to raise the container horizontally, and the group (110) serves as support for the piston (PS1) (see
In general, the structural elements are manufactured with steel plates and, when applicable, with reinforcement bushings of suitable material, as is well known in the east, such as bronze or used bearings.
Returning to
The support (105) of the blade (112) joins mechanical elements formed by pivoting bushings (111) (see
In the top and the rear edge of each of the side walls (101), is a pair of support elements (113) that will serve as a point of support for a piston (PS2) (see
The plate (114), which follows the biased contours of each of the plates that make up the walls (101), and bears, separately, some side blades (115), which work in conjunction with the blade (101) to break the land.
The hinged gate (200) is comprised by plates of semicircular configuration, in at least two sections, preferably three, sections are joined together by means of hinges (201) (see
The hinged box (300) (see
In the lower and rear portion, attached to the floor (304) of the hinged box (300) there is a backing plate (310) until approximately half the height of the hinged box. This plate (310) supports part of the pressure exerted by the material on the ejector and also provides a structural reinforcement to the box. Through the space (311) located in the second half of the height of the scraper, the pistons (PS3) go through, supported by one of its ends in the hole (307), the other ends join the ejector (400). When being at rest or retracted position (that is, there is no actuation), the ejector is supported on the support plate (310), on the floor of the box (304) and on the structural element (303). Beneath the floor of the box (304), is located a structural element of support (312) to strengthen the connection between the floor and walls of the box (see
In the connections between the lower walls and the floor of the box is placed one corner (313) that serve to prevent soil build-up on such connections and as an element of additional reinforcement of the side walls (308).
The guides (314) located on the external face of the top of the walls (308), are structural elements on which the ejector will slide, using a sliding mechanism (315) (see
With regard to
As explained above, the pistons (PS3) are joined to the ejector through the plates (401) (just on the bearings 410) as shown in
As shown in
With regard to
Turning to the detail of
As shown in
Portions of the plates (602A) include factors that point toward the support (600), such elements include boreholes with bushing (two per plate), these boreholes work in conjunction with some boreholes placed in one of the ends of the parallelogram (702), this set of boreholes join pivotally there between by appropriate means. The opposite end of the parallelogram mechanism also works with the holes with bushing of the supports (117). The parallelogram mechanisms (701, 702) include a top part and a bottom part where the top part is actuated by a piston (PS5 or PS4 in case of the parallelogram 701) (see
The support (600) includes a pair of thrust elements (604), which are used when the scraper sticks. This phenomenon of “binding” is very common in the middle, and it is also common for it to loosen the scrapers pushing them with a tractor or a similar vehicle. In the interior of the thrust element there is an outer sleeve (612) and an inner sleeve (613). In the outer jacket there is a bolt with ear (614), which slips into the slot (607) of the inner sleeve (see
Plates (602B) are of different configuration to the plates (602A) and are well positioned equidistant between if with respect to the center of the profile (601) and have a general form of a triangle, where its end later, i.e., near to the stop elements (605), ends in a hook (603) (see
The material of construction of the scraper is, in general, steel plate to carbon structural grade.
In
The support (600) is attached to the container (100) by way of a parallelogram mechanism (702) similar to the parallelogram mechanism (701) that joins the pulling arm (500) with the container (100).
The two parallelogram mechanisms (701 and 702) is acting at the same time when you want to evenly raise the container (100). It is also possible that the container is tilt with respect to the horizontal, especially to give it a tilt to the cutting blade (112). This tilt is achieved by selecting or unselecting any of the mechanisms of a parallelogram and with this by tilting the container an angle varying from 0 to 45 degrees with the horizontal, preferably between 4 and 15 degrees.
The two parallelogram mechanisms (701 and 702) can be actuated at the same time when you want to evenly raise the container (100), or at a different time if you want to raise with a certain angle the container with respect to the horizontal, and give it a tilt to the cutting blade (112).
The parallelogram mechanism (702) is held in the first end to the holes in the plates (602A) (see
The parallelogram mechanism (701) is subject to the holes in the plates (502A, 502B) (see
At the lower end of the plates (602A) practice is a borehole by where you will pass the arrow shaft or (608) which will serve as a support to respective scraper wheel. Above these axis (608) and near the upper edge of the plates (602A) are located the bolts of support and swing (609) for the piston (PS5, PS4) which passes through the tubular profile (601) and with this object is practicing two perforations (610, 611) generally elliptical configuration. Through the drilled hole (610) passes the body of the respective piston (PS5, PS4) and through the drilled hole (611) passes the rod thereof.
The pistons here described in general are hydraulically actuated, although it cannot be ruled out the use of another type of drive.
As mentioned above, the thrust elements (604) are means that are used for the scraper to be pushed or pulled. The pull is performed by placing elements such as hooks that match in form with the hook (603) already described. Thrust is performed using the stop elements (605), which are mechanically connected to the structural profile or inner sleeve (613) of a configuration in rectangular longitudinal section and a cross section equally rectangular although other configurations may be used. The sheath or outer sleeve (612) of the thrust element (604) has a form corresponding to the inner sleeve (613) for this to slide longitudinally within the outer sleeve. The outer sleeve has at its end, far of the stop (605) the shock element (606) (
The previous configuration allows the scraper not moving the thrust point thereof. With the scrapers of the state of the art there is the disadvantage that often they are stuck and that jam occurs at any stage of the working process. The scrapers thrust points known up till now move together with the hinged box and therefore, when the scraper sticks with hinged box in an elevated position, it is extremely difficult to push the scraper since its thrust point is equally high.
The scraper of the present invention overcomes this drawback to maintain the thrust point in a single level, regardless of the position of the container (100). This thrust point is represented by the stop element (605).
The articulated element device (800) (see
It comprises three main parts: a first body (801) joined articulately to the center piece (802), in turn joined articulately to a third hooking body (803). The connection between the first body and the center piece is made by means of a cylindrical arrow (804) that includes a first portion of a larger diameter (804A), a rod (804B), a keyway section (804C), a neck (804D) and finally the end (804E). The arrow (804) is introduced into the borehole past (802A), supported on bushings (806). Perpendicular to this borehole (802A) the borehole (802B) is made, which also includes two bushings (808A), which will be used to accommodate the short bolts (808), secured to the body (801) by means of a threaded screw plate (808b) or some similar element, correspondingly, the borehole (801E). The short bolt (808) is inserted through the borehole (801C) for coupling with bushings (808A), this borehole (801C) is located on the plate (801A).
The threaded bolt (804) reaches back out of the central borehole of the articulated body (803), where this protrusion is the final end (804E) and within the body (803) allocates the section with keyway (804C) with its respective keyway. This section (803) in its central borehole includes a notch that will allocate the keyway (805), to allow the body (803) to rotate together with the arrow (804). To avoid that the articulated body is detached from the arrow (804), the neck section (804) is held in position by means of the crescent-shaped elements (803A), which in turn are held in position by means of fixing elements (803B) such as screws or rivets.
Finally, the bolt (807) is placed between the boreholes transverse to the longitudinal axis of the scraper forward movement. This bolt is secured by means of clamping elements (807a) desirable such as screws.
In the first body (801), a plate (801D) with perforations (801B) is located. These holes are used to modify the height of the device of articulated element to match the height of the tractor with that of the scraper. The plate (801F) joins the two plates (801A) and plate (801D), which is perpendicular to this plate (801F).
The arrangement of the device pieces (800) allows a movement in three dimensions during the operation, with a minimum of components.
While individual components have been described, as is evident from the
The scrapers are used to remove material (usually soil) from a place and bring it to a different one. To accomplish this (in accordance with the scrapers of the state of the art), the scraper is placed on the material to be removed, the scraper is lowered to a given point, the tilting box is inclined, and with the above, the cutting blade, and the scraper is moved forward for collecting such material.
The cutting blade is tilted according to the type of material to be removed.
Once the material collecting box is full, the material collecting box is leveled horizontally, the scraper rises and the content is withdrawn by one of the two known methods: tilting the collection box or by means of a pusher.
In the case of the present invention, the method of material removal shows the following variants:
In the state of the art, blades are coupled to the hinged or collecting box which means that according to the inclination of such box, it shall be the tilt of the blade and therefore, the operation of the scraper will vary. In the present invention, the blade goes joined with the container or external box (100) and has an angle that will not vary, regardless of the position of the box collection, which leads to the great benefit of sue lower power consumption and increase the amount of material removed per day of work. This is accomplished due to the angle given to the blade, that is the optimum angle for cutting the soil, thus achieving a less power consumption, in such a way that if the container raises or lowers this angle does not change, so that the operator controls the depth of cut and in any case, the power consumption will be always optimal. In other words, the optimum cutting angle is obtained by the parallelogram mechanisms that allow the cutting blade does not change its angle of attack, making the cut more efficient.
Another important difference is that the general configuration of the scraper of the present invention comprises three main parts:
a front part that includes:
a central part that includes:
a rear part that includes:
The front part joins mechanically to the front part only by means of a parallelogram mechanism and the central part joins mechanically to the back part only by means of a parallelogram mechanism. Where the mechanisms of a parallelogram are equal or different but which in the preferred modality are equal.
A third and no less important difference is the fact that the expulsion of the material is accomplished by means of one or both methods known in the art, such a configuration is not found, up to the present invention, in a single scraper. Actually, the present invention provides a scraper that may eject the material by tilting the box material collection, referred herein as a hinged box and/or ejecting through the ejector included in the container or outer box.
A fourth difference with the scrapers of the state of the art is the fact that the container or external box can be lifted vertically through the parallelogram mechanisms. This lift can be parallel to the horizontal or have a degree of tilt.
The following describes the method of soil movement of the scraper of the present invention.
Wherein the stages (b) and (f), the activation of the pistons is performed so that the container is lifted almost parallel to the horizontal line and where both sets of pistons are actuated at the same time.
Where the stage h) to download the material one of three options may be used:
h1) to raise the hinged gate (200) by actuating the pistons (PS1), and tilting the hinged box (300) by actuating the pistons (PS2) thus allowing the material to come out by gravity;
h2) to raise hinged gate (200) by actuating the pistons (PS1), actuating the pistons (PS3) to thrust the ejector and eject the collected material; or
h3) to raise the hinged gate (200), tilting the hinged box (300) by actuating the pistons (PS2) and actuating the pistons (PS3) to thrust the ejector and eject the collected material thus allowing the material to drop by gravity and by the thrust of the ejector.
The scraper of the present invention has been described as such, that a person with average knowledge in the art can understand and at a given time reproduce it at industrial level, it also shows the novelty and its development involves an inventive step by which it meets the criteria of patentability established at the global level.
It is requested that the equivalence of devices and building elements are included when they are obvious to a person with average knowledge in the art, for example, some of the profiles can be circular in the cross section, the elements of reinforcement can be different in size, location, and shape or even modifications can be made in the form of different connection to the weld. It is requested that the scope of the present invention is limited only by the appended claims and their interpretation on the basis of this description and the figures that are appended and form part of this application.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/MX2011/000075 | 6/14/2011 | WO | 00 | 1/21/2014 |