Earth working – With drive means for tool or cleaner – With deflector or shield for thrown material
Patent
1991-10-22
1994-02-22
Reese, Randolph A.
Earth working
With drive means for tool or cleaner
With deflector or shield for thrown material
172508, 172 72, 404 90, A01B 1700, A01B 3316
Patent
active
052879330
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
DESCRIPTION
1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to a machine for surface stabilization, repairing, reconditioning, or taking-up of road or like surfaces, and more particularly to an assembly for supporting a protective hood on such machines.
2. Background Art
Soil stabilizing and conditioning, and road reclaiming, machines having a horizontally disposed rotary cutter for working the soil or roadway material are well known in the art. A machine of this type is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,746,101, issued Jul. 17, 1973 to Harry H. Takata, and later assigned to the assignee of the present invention. Such machines typically have a protective hood over the rotary cutter that forms an open bottom mixing chamber for pulverizing materials excavated by the cutter. The hood may further provide a support for nozzles or other fixtures by which additives are delivered to the mixing chamber and blended with the excavated material.
To best serve these functions, it is important that the bottom surface of the hood be in operative contact with the ground during operation of the machine. However, to prevent excessive wear on the bottom surface of the hood and lessen power consuming drag forces, it is also important that the full weight of the hood not be supported entirely by ground contact. In an effort to overcome this problem, Takata, in addition to the use of an adjustable gate in front of the cutter, levitates a substantial portion of the weight of the hood with a pair of elastomeric tension members disposed between the hood and the frame of the machine. It has been found that the elastomeric tension members have a limited service life and require periodic inspection and replacement.
More recently, the hood has been supported by a hydraulic cylinder positioned between the hood and the frame. To assure coordinated movement of the hood and the rotary cutter, the hood support cylinder is hydraulically connected, i.e., included in the same pressure controlled hydraulic circuit, as the rotary cutter lift cylinders. This arrangement, which has a much improved service life over the elastomeric tension members, is more costly and is only partially effective in providing consistent counterbalancing support for the weight of the hood during cutting operations.
The present invention is directed to overcoming the problems set forth above. It is desirable to have a hood support arrangement for a soil stabilizing or road reclaiming machine that consistently provides controlled support for a substantial portion of the weight of the hood during earth working operations. Furthermore, it is desirable to have such a hood support arrangement that is economical to build and maintain and which also has a long service life.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a hood support assembly for a hood on an earth working machine includes a support member that has two end portions and is pivotally connected to the frame of the machine at each of the end portions. An arm member and a stop member are also attached to the support member at each of the end portions. An adjustable link is connected between each of the arm members and the hood, and a contact surface is provided on each of the stop members. A pair of springs are attached to the frame of the machine and are positioned so that an end portion of each spring is abuttable with the contact surface of a respective stop member.
Other features of the hood support assembly include an end of each spring being in forcedly abutting contact with a respective contact surface when the hood is in contact with the ground, and spaced from the respective contact surface when the hood is in a raised position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side view of an earth working machine embodying the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a side view of the hood and hood support assembly embodying the present invention, with the hood in a raised, or transport, position;
FIG. 3 is a side view of the hood and hood support assembly embodying the pre
REFERENCES:
patent: 3147577 (1964-09-01), McClellan et al.
patent: 3661213 (1972-05-01), Taylor
patent: 3746101 (1973-07-01), Takata
patent: 3995570 (1976-12-01), van der Lely
patent: 4458763 (1984-07-01), Rao et al.
patent: 4664201 (1987-05-01), Pegovaro
patent: 4669549 (1987-06-01), Sanpei et al.
patent: 4786111 (1988-11-01), Yargici
Caterpillar Pavin, Products Inc.
McFall Robert A.
Reese Randolph A.
Warnick Spencer
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