Earth working – Mounting for pushed tool at end of motor vehicle – Transversely mounted blade
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-04
2001-09-04
Novosad, Christopher J. (Department: 3671)
Earth working
Mounting for pushed tool at end of motor vehicle
Transversely mounted blade
C172S830000, C172S834000, C037S271000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06283225
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to grading equipment, and more particularly to a grader attachment which is removably attached to the front end of a skid steer vehicle for landscaping, leveling, smoothing, grading and spreading dirt, sand, gravel and the like on non-paved surfaces.
Skid steer vehicles are known to provide a high degree of maneuverability and a wide range of applications in the agricultural, industrial and construction fields. The size and maneuverability of the skid steer vehicle make them highly useful for a wide variety of applications. These vehicles generally include an engine, a boom assembly and an operator's cab mounted to a main frame supported by four wheels. A main drive system is coupled to the engine. The skid steer vehicle is operated by an operator seated within the operator's cab and by actuating a pair of steering levers, typically positioned to the left and right sides of the operator. The left lever controls the rotation of the pair of wheels on the left side of the skid steer vehicle and the right lever controls the rotation of a pair of wheels on the right side of the skid steer vehicle.
The boom assembly typically includes a pair of load arm assemblies pivotally mounted to the main frame or a support frame extending upwardly therefrom. Material handling attachments such as a bucket or other working attachments are usually mounted on the forward end of the load arm assemblies. A hydraulic system is usually employed to power the boom assembly between raised and lowered positions via hydraulic cylinders coupled to the load arm assemblies. Typically, a pair of hand or foot controls installed in the operator's cab control the flow of hydraulic fluid to the load arm cylinders.
Besides material handling buckets, various other attachments such as pallet forks, earth augers, backhoes, trenchers, etc., are commonly mounted to the boom assembly. An auxiliary hydraulic system is often used to control the flow of hydraulic fluid between a pump on the frame of the skid steer vehicle and a hydraulic motor in the vicinity of the front-mounted attachment. It is the usual practice in the prior art for the flow of hydraulic fluid to be channeled from the pump to the hydraulic motor associated with the attachment by means of a plurality of hydraulic tubes which are generally directed along the load arm assemblies to the attachment. Alternatively, the attachments may also be connected to the main hydraulic system of the skid steer vehicle.
Prior art grading equipment typically includes a tractor, road grader, bulldozer, or front end loader having a single blade mounted to the front end or center of the grading equipment. This equipment may include different sized blades extending in various configurations. However, their applications have been limited and the range of motion of the blades are generally restricted. The prior art grading equipment utilizing only a single blade requires multiple passes of the grader over an area to be graded. This results in wasted time, increased wear and tear on the equipment, and operator fatigue.
The blade configuration of the present invention requires only a single sweep of the grading area to provide the desired surface, and thereby reducing the time and cost associated with creating a parking lot, driveway or the like. The grader attachment of the present invention is thus very useful and cost effective for grading driveways, parking lots or the like.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a grader attachment which removably attaches to the front end of a skid steer vehicle. The grader attachment is removably attached to an attachment mechanism at the forward end of a pair of load arm assemblies extending from a boom assembly of the skid steer vehicle. The attachment mechanism includes a mounting assembly that rotates about a pivot pin at the free ends of the load arms. The mounting assembly attaches to the rear end of the grader attachment in a conventional manner as is known in the art.
The grader attachment comprises a frame member with a plurality of grading blades attached to and extending downwardly from the bottom of the frame member. The frame member includes a mounting plate attached to the rear end of the frame and at least one guide wheel attached to the front end of the frame. The frame further includes a plurality of frame members extending longitudinally in parallel spaced relation between the mounting plate at the rear end of the frame and a guide wheel support structure located at the front end of the frame. Each frame member is preferably of a tubular construction.
Attached to the opposite side of the mounting plate is a pair of support members in parallel spaced relation for attaching the mounting plate to the frame. The support members provide additional structural support to the mounting plate attached to the front end of the frame.
Attached to the guide wheel support structure at the front of the frame is at least one guide wheel which is used to lift the front end of the grader attachment off the ground. The guide wheel is hydraulically powered by a hydraulic cylinder mounted between the guide wheel support structure and a vertically extending support member extending upwardly from one of the frame members. Activation of the hydraulic cylinder causes the wheel to be moved inwardly closer to the front of the grader attachment or outwardly away from the grader attachment for raising and/or lowering the front end of the attachment. A supply line arrangement delivers hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic cylinder. The hydraulic cylinder pushes the wheel down to lift the front end of the grader attachment off the ground. A plurality of grading blades are rigidly attached to the bottom of the frame members. A first blade is positioned at the front of the attachment and located behind the guide wheel. The first blade is angled inwardly from right to left so that the dirt material flows from right to left and exits the left end of the blade. A second blade located behind the first blade is positioned to accept the windrow from the first blade and is angled from left to right to push the windrow of the right end of the second blade. A third blade includes an extension on its right end to pick up the windrow from the second blade. The third blade is angled inwardly from right to left at an angle substantially equal to the angle of the first blade. The configuration of the three blades are preferably fixed, but may be adjustable for different applications.
The grader attachment may also be attached to the front end of a skid steer vehicle having a pair of lifting forks attached thereto for attachment in the frame members opposite the center frame member. The flame members are hollow to allow insertion of the lifting forks. The distance between the right and left frame members is substantially equal to the distance between the right and left lifting forks so that the frame members are in alignment with the lifting forks.
Various other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be made apparent to those skilled in the art from the following drawings and detailed description of the invention.
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patent: 3611594 (1971-10-01), Blackman
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patent: 5497569 (1996-03-01), Byman
patent: 5529131 (1996-06-01), Van Ornum
patent: 5560129 (1996-10-01), Rothbart
patent: 5666794 (1997-09-01), Vought et al.
patent: 5701693 (1997-12-01), Brocious et al.
patent: 5775438 (1998-07-01), Confoey et al.
Andrus Sceales Starke & Sawall LLP
Novosad Christopher J.
LandOfFree
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