Excavating – Combined or convertible – Combined with subsoiler
Reexamination Certificate
2001-05-30
2001-10-30
Batson, Victor (Department: 3671)
Excavating
Combined or convertible
Combined with subsoiler
C037S302000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06308440
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to powered excavation equipment, and more particularly to an attachment for skid loaders, front end loaders, and similar powered machinery. The present excavation attachment is installed in place of the conventional bucket, and serves as a distal fulcrum for lifting, prying, or moving solidly secured objects and hard ground, greatly reducing the likelihood of lifting the opposite end of the machine from the ground when great force is applied. A pair of fixed teeth extend from the attachment to provide localized force in prying and/or breaking up hard materials. In another embodiment, additional opposed and movable teeth are provided opposite the stationary teeth of the attachment, for the attachment to serve as a grapple.
2. Description of the Related Art
Powered excavation machinery, such as skid loaders, front end loaders, etc., are universally equipped with powerful hydraulic units for operating their loader buckets. A hydraulic pump operated by the engine of the machine provides hydraulic fluid under extremely high pressure to the hydraulic cylinders connected to the loader bucket, which are in turn selectively actuated to operate the bucket through its range of motion.
The mechanical force which may be developed by the hydraulic system of such machines can actually exceed the weight of the machine, or at least a large percentage of the weight of the machine. Generally, the weight of the machine distributed opposite the load bucket is somewhat greater than the weight imposed by any load likely to be lifted by the load bucket. However, oftentimes the load bucket (or teeth or tines, if so equipped) is used to pry or force a particularly difficult object loose from the ground, e.g., a large slab of concrete, a tree stump, a buried concrete anchor, etc. When this occurs, the load imposed can greatly exceed the weight of any mass which might be contained in the bucket, and can result in the machine rotating about the fulcrum defined by the wheels closest to the load bucket, lifting the opposite wheels clear of the underlying surface.
This problem would be easily resolved if due only to an excessively heavy mass in the bucket, by dumping some of the mass, but as noted above, the volume of the load bucket is generally not sufficiently large as to hold sufficient weight to produce this overcenter reaction. Such a reaction is almost always due to a stubborn object imbedded in the ground, with the anchoring force adding to the weight of the object to resist lifting by using the load bucket. There is generally no recourse to this problem, other than to attempt to break up the object into smaller pieces, or perhaps get a second machine on the opposite side (if possible), to distribute the load among the two machines rather than having a single machine carry the entire load.
Accordingly, a need will be seen for some means for lifting highly resistant loads from their anchor points, using a powered excavating machine. The present invention responds to this need by means of a generally cylindrical attachment installed transversely in place of the conventional load bucket of a skid loader, end loader, or other powered excavating machine. The device includes a series of (two, or perhaps more) teeth or tines extending generally radially therefrom, for lifting and prying particularly stubborn objects and/or hard ground from the underlying surface or substrate. The present attachment is used by rotating it to orient the teeth somewhat downwardly, and lowering the device (and perhaps driving the machine toward the object) to drive the tines or teeth into or below the object. The attachment is then lowered to the ground and the tines rotated upwardly, to lift the object. The cylindrical shape of the attachment acts as a fulcrum considerably closer to the lifting tines or teeth than the closer road wheels of the machine, thereby providing significantly greater leverage for levering and forcing the object from the underlying surface.
In another embodiment, a set of additional hydraulically actuated tines or teeth may be provided, generally opposed to the first set of fixed teeth. The fixed and movable teeth may be used as a grapple, for lifting difficult to move objects from the underlying surface.
A discussion of the related art of which the present inventor is aware, and its differences and distinctions from the present invention, is provided below.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,608,772 issued on Sep. 2, 1952 to Royal B. Laird, titled “Dual Purpose Ground Working Implement,” describes a cylindrical drum disposed transversely from a conventional three point hitch on the back of a tractor or the like. The drum includes a series of different earthworking implements extending from its surface. The drum can be rotated about its transverse axis, with a remotely operated pin serving to lock the drum in a predetermined desired position. The operator releases the lock pin and drives the tractor to roll the drum to position the desired implement downwardly according to the earthworking operation desired, and engages the pin to lock the drum in place. No hydraulic operation is provided, and the device does not act as a fulcrum or provide additional leverage for the machine, but rather merely serves as a multiple purpose earthworking implement.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,837,844 issued on Jun. 10, 1958 to Richard L. Launder, titled “Rooter Attachment For Bulldozers Or The Like,” describes a pair of tines or teeth which are removably attachable vertically across the face of the blade of the machine. The teeth extend below the lower edge of the blade, to dig into the underlying surface or substrate for removing roots and similar operations. The Launder attachment teaches away from provision of a fulcrum closer to the earthworking components (tines, etc.), as the blade cannot be rotated upwardly to the extent that a loader bucket can be, and thus cannot provide the fulcrum point provided by the present attachment in concert with an excavating machine.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,596,996 issued on Aug. 3, 1971 to Jack D. Carter, titled “Method And Apparatus For Using A Back Hoe Bucket As A Frozen Ground Ripper,” describes a pair of teeth attachable to the back side of a back hoe bucket. The teeth are manually extendible below the bucket for ripping operations, or may be retracted for normal use of the bucket as a scoop or for lighter breaking operations. The Carter arrangement cannot provide any form of fulcrum for the teeth, as they extend essentially below and behind the bucket, between the bucket and nearest wheels.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,778,111 issued on Dec. 11, 1973 to Pio A. Ciofani, titled “Ripper Tooth Attachment For A Backhoe,” describes a hook installed to the back of a backhoe bucket for use in breaking up and ripping materials, e. g., concrete slabs, etc., when the bucket is curled under to extend the tooth or hook therebelow. The relationship between the tooth and the bucket precludes use of the bucket as a fulcrum for the tooth, as the tooth or hook is oriented back beneath the bucket, rather than extending outwardly away from the bucket, as in the orientation of the teeth or tines to the drum of the present attachment.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,959,900 issued on Jun. 1, 1976 to Dieter G. Luck, titled “Implement Assembly For Hydraulically Operated Excavators,” describes a relatively complex scoop and ripper tooth combination, each independently hydraulically positionable relative to the other. The back of the scoop is disposed upwardly, with no structure disposed between the ripper and the remainder of the machine to rest on the surface for acting as a fulcrum.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,975,844 issued on Aug. 24, 1976 to Rueben C. Olson, titled “Digger Tooth Means For Front Loader Buckets,” describes a bucket having an arcuately movable toothed lower forward edge, for use in scarifying operations and where a tooth equipped bucket is of value. The toothed edge extends on arms pivoted at the lower rear of the bucket, and is selectively actuated by a hydraulic cylind
Batson Victor
Litman Richard C.
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