Land vehicles: dumping – Tilting – Tilting about plural or shifting fulcrums
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-15
2001-05-01
Gordon, Stephen T. (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: dumping
Tilting
Tilting about plural or shifting fulcrums
C298S00100V, C298S01700B, C239S657000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06224161
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to small utility vehicles having an operator station at the front and a cargo bed extending therebehind. More specifically, it relates to a mounting structure usable with a sprayer attachment that allows it or the cargo bed of such a vehicle to be interchangeably utilized with the vehicle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Small vehicles such as the John Deere heavy duty utility vehicle are commonly being used for turf maintenance activities since they are highly maneuverable, are equipped to operate over a low speed range, cause minimum turf damage due to their low tire pressures, and are readily adaptable to the use of a variety of special attachments utilized in turf maintenance applications.
These utility vehicles place the operator station in the forward end, the cargo bed behind the operator and the engine and/or related drive components beneath the bed. When an attachment such as a sprayer assembly is utilized with the utility vehicle to apply fertilizer, insecticides, herbicides and related treatments, it has either been secured to the cargo bed or the bed has been removed and the assembly has been rigidly secured to the vehicle frame.
Because sprayer assemblies are bulky, including a large fluid tank and an elaborate boom apparatus, it is preferable that the bed be removed and they be mounted close to the vehicle frame to provide a low center of gravity and better stability. Since the engine and/or related drive components are commonly housed beneath the cargo bed or sprayer assembly, access to them for service, maintenance and repairs can be difficult.
One sprayer assembly has been rigidly mounted to a utility vehicle slightly above its frame, once the cargo bed has been removed. This opening, provided between the frames of the vehicle and assembly, allows the operator to reach between the vehicle frame and the assembly to service the engine and/or related components. While this permits minor service tasks such as the checking of fluid levels to be carried out, major repairs and/or maintenance can be very difficult or may require that the sprayer assembly be removed. Since this assembly has been fixed to the vehicle, it is not quickly and easily removed to allow for service or use of other attachments with the vehicle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It would therefore be desirable to provide a sprayer assembly for use on a utility vehicle which has been adapted to be used in turf maintenance and related applications.
It would additionally be desirable to provide a sprayer assembly that can be mounted to the vehicle frame instead of to the cargo bed to provide for a stable vehicle-attachment combination. It would further be desirable to provide a mounting structure for such an assembly that allows it to be easily and quickly mounted on the vehicle when needed or removed so that other attachments such as the cargo bed, a granular spreader or top dresser can be used with the vehicle when desired.
Further it would be desirable to provide a mounting structure that allows the assembly or a similar attachment to be easily and quickly raised above the vehicle engine and/or related drive components to permit maintenance, repair and servicing activities. Additionally, it would be desirable to provide a locking means to secure the sprayer assembly to the vehicle frame during operation to improve stability as well as a locking means that secures the assembly in its raised position to provide for safe servicing activities.
Towards these ends, there is provided a means for and method of mounting a sprayer assembly, cargo bed and/or other attachments to the frame of a vehicle such as a utility vehicle so that they can be easily and quickly installed or removed to allow the use of multiple attachments with the vehicle. There is further provided means for tilting the sprayer assembly and/or other attachments upwardly and rearwardly to permit access to the vehicle engine and/or related drive components for service, maintenance and repairs as well as locking means to secure the attachment in either its raised or operational position.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4596347 (1986-06-01), Hite
patent: 4995773 (1991-02-01), Lamoureux et al.
patent: 5267779 (1993-12-01), Talamantez, Jr. et al.
patent: 5836657 (1998-11-01), Tilley et al.
patent: 6036275 (2000-03-01), Hansen et al.
patent: 1147037 (1957-11-01), None
Deere & Company, John Deere AMT Transports, p. 1-8, see particularly p. 6, dated Nov. 1988, published in U.S.A.
Deere & Company, 1500 Utility Vehicle, cover page, p. 14 and 15, dated Dec. 7, 1988, published in U.S.A.
The Toro Company, 4-Wheel Drive Without Turf Scuffing, 1 page, date—unknown, published in U.S.A.
The Toro Company, Workman 3000 Series, p. 1-6, see particularly pp. 3, 4 and 5, dated 1992, published in U.S.A.
The Toro Company, Workman 3000 Series-The Work Vehicle Choice With More Utility, p. 1-2, see particularly p. 2, dated 1993, published in U.S.A.
Smithco, The new Runaway makes all other turf maintenance trucks obsolete, p. 1-2, see particularly p. 2, dated Feb. 1989, published in U.S.A.
Jacobsen, Division of Textron Inc., 810 Express Utility Trucks, p. 1-4, see particularly p. 2, dated 1992, published in U.S.A.
E-Z-Go, Division of Textron Inc., Turf Vehicles, p. 1-18, see particularly pp. 14 and 15, dated 1988, published in U.S.A.
Smithco, When Precision Counts, Count on the Superiority of Spray Star, p. 1-2, dated Feb. 1990, published in U.S.A.
Smithco, Sprayers 110-125-150 Gallon, p. 1-4, dated Feb. 1989, published in U.S.A.
E-Z-Go, E-Z-Go Turf Vehicles, p. 1-14, see particularly p. 7, dated Feb. 1987, published in U.S.A.
E-Z-Go, It Lifts More Than Just Your Productivity, p. 1-2, see particularly p. 2, dated Sep. 1992, published in U.S.A.
Hansen Loren Fredrick
Lamb Mark Edward
Deere & Company
Gordon Stephen T.
LandOfFree
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