Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-05
2001-07-10
Johnson, Brian L. (Department: 3618)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
C212S304000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06257619
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates generally to a stabilizer leg for a mobile machine and, more particularly, to a stabilizer leg adapted to be adjusted to multiple positions.
BACKGROUND ART
Many types of mobile machines have stabilizer legs, or outriggers, which extend downwardly and outwardly from the sides of the machine. During various digging and excavating operations of the work implement, the stabilizer legs are adapted to engage the ground to laterally support the machine against tipping. The stabilizer legs may also act to anchor the machine to the ground by raising the wheels at the end of the machine having the work implement off the ground.
Typically, mobile machines, such as backhoe loaders, include stabilizer legs that are configured in one of two common arrangements. For example, in one arrangement, the stabilizer legs are configured so as to extend outwardly and laterally from opposite sides of the machine. In this arrangement, the stabilizer legs extend past the normal width of the machine, i.e., past the wheels of the machine, thus providing maximum stability. However, this arrangement prevents the machine from operating in tighter spaces, where it may be necessary to dig close to a wall or other structure. In an alternative arrangement, the stabilizer legs move vertically, and are positioned at about the same width as the normal width of the machine. This arrangement allows the mobile machine to work in tighter spaces, but at the sacrifice of stability.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems as set forth above.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect of the present invention a mobile machine having a machine frame is provided. The machine frame includes a first side and a second side. A stabilizer leg is located at each of the first and second sides of the machine frame, and is movable between a first ground-engaging position and a second ground-engaging position. The stabilizer leg includes a first linkage, a second linkage, a third linkage, and a fourth linkage. A first end portion of the first linkage is pivotally connected to the machine frame and a second end portion of the first linkage is pivotally connected to one end portion of the second linkage. The third linkage includes a recessed area, a first end portion, and a second end portion. The first end portion of the third linkage is connected to the machine frame via the fourth linkage. The second end portion of the third linkage is connected to the one end portion of the second linkage at a separate location than the connection between the second end portion of the first linkage and the one end portion of the second linkage. The recessed area of the third linkage is adapted to receive the first linkage when the stabilizer leg is in the first ground engaging position. The first linkage is adapted to move out of the recessed area of the third linkage to define a spaced relationship between a top portion of the first linkage and a top portion of the third linkage so that the third linkage is located at a bottom portion of the first linkage when the stabilizer leg is in the second ground-engaging position.
In another aspect of the present invention, mobile machine having a machine frame is provided. The machine frame includes a first side, a second side, and a vertically oriented centerline located intermediate the first and second sides. A stabilizer leg is located at each of the first and second sides of the machine frame. The stabilizer leg is movable between a first ground-engaging position and a second ground-engaging position. The stabilizer leg includes a first linkage, a second linkage, a third linkage, a fourth linkage, and a stabilizer pad. The first linkage includes a first end portion and a second end portion opposite the first end portion. The first end portion of the first linkage is pivotally connected to the machine frame at a first pivot point. The second end portion of the first linkage is pivotally connected to one end of the second linkage at a second pivot point. The stabilizer pad is connected at a free end of the second linkage at a third pivot point. The third linkage includes a recessed portion, a first end portion, and a second end portion opposite the first end portion. The first end portion of the third linkage is connected to the machine frame. The second end portion of the third linkage is connected to the one end of the second linkage at a fourth pivot point. The fourth linkage is adapted to connect the third linkage to the machine frame. A first end portion of the fourth linkage is pivotally connected to the machine frame at the first pivot point. An opposed second end portion of the fourth linkage is connected to the first end portion of the third linkage at a fifth pivot point. The recessed area of the third linkage is adapted to receive the first linkage and the second linkage is disposed generally perpendicular with respect to the centerline when the stabilizer leg is in the first ground-engaging position. The third linkage is generally parallel with respect to the first linkage and located at a bottom portion of the first linkage and the second linkage is disposed generally parallel with respect to the centerline when the stabilizer leg is in the second ground-engaging position.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a method of achieving multiple positions of a stabilizer leg for a mobile machine with a frame having a centerline is provided. The method comprises the steps of providing first, second, third, and fourth linkages on the stabilizer leg. The first linkage includes a first end portion pivotally connectable to the machine frame and a second end portion pivotally connected to one end portion of the second linkage. The third linkage includes a first end portion connectable to the machine frame via the fourth linkage and a second end portion pivotally connected to the one end portion of the second linkage at a separate location from the connection between the second end portion of the first linkage and the one end portion of the second linkage. Next, the stabilizer leg is lowered to a ground surface in a first ground-engaging position. The first ground-engaging position is defined by moving the fourth linkage away from the machine frame so that the first linkage is received within a recessed area of the third linkage and a longitudinal axis for each of the first, second, and third linkages are axially aligned and generally perpendicular with respect to the centerline of the machine frame. Then, the stabilizer leg is raised from the ground surface. Next, the fourth linkage is moved into abutment with the frame of the machine to establish a second ground-engaging position wherein the longitudinal axes for the first and third linkages are spaced and parallel and the longitudinal axis for the second linkage is generally parallel with respect to the centerline of the machine frame. Finally, the stabilizer leg is lowered to the ground surface in the second ground-engaging position.
The present invention includes the ability to adjust a pair of stabilizer legs on a work machine to multiple positions through the utilization of a plurality of linkages. This ability provides a simple method to achieve both stability and flexibility of the work machine in open and tight working spaces, respectively.
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patent: 28
Bender John L.
Jaganathan Sridhar
Caterpillar Inc.
Charlton Diana L.
Fischmann Bryan
Hudson Marla L.
Johnson Brian L.
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