Excavating – Scoop or excavating and transporting container – Pushed forwardly of vehicle for filling
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-26
2001-02-06
Novosad, Christopher J. (Department: 3671)
Excavating
Scoop or excavating and transporting container
Pushed forwardly of vehicle for filling
C037S903000, C172S197000, C172S198000, C172S200000, C172S815000, C172S664000, C172S736000, C172S748000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06182385
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to rock pickers and more specifically it relates to a rock and material loading system that is removably attachable to a loader bucket for loading material such as rocks into the loader bucket.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Rock picking devices have been in use for years. Typically, a conventional rock picker includes a frame, a hitch for attaching to a tractor, a storage bin pivotally attached to the frame for receiving the rocks, a plurality of rock picking arms that rotate about the frame thereby throwing the rocks into the storage bin, and a power take off (PTO) assembly attached to the rock picking arms for connecting to the PTO of the tractor. Alternative conventional rock pickers are similar to the previous rock-picking device, however they include a loader bucket that is hydraulically raised/lowered for throwing the rock into the storage bin of the rock picking device.
Conventional rock picking devices are fine for the use they are designed for. However, conventional rock picking devices are undesirable since the user must pull the structure behind the tractor. In addition, conventional rock picking devices tend to be relatively expensive because they are generally self-contained. In addition, conventional rock picking devices are undesirable since they are not useful for retrieving rocks deep within the surface of the earth.
An example of an attempt to solve the problem of conventional rock pickers is U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,348 to Omann. Omann teaches a rock and material loading apparatus having a plurality teeth pivotally supported about the front edge of a loader bucket. Omman further teaches a pair of knee members below the plurality of teeth for allowing the user to pivot the plurality of teeth by lowering the front edge of the bucket. Omman does not utilize any hydraulic cylinders or actuators for manipulating the plurality of teeth.
While these devices may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they are not as suitable for being removably attachable to a loader bucket for loading material such as rocks into the loader bucket. Conventional rock picking devices require pulling the structure with a large tractor. In addition, conventional rock picking devices do not allow easy removal for allowing normal utilization of the loader bucket and tractor.
In these respects, the rock and material loading system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of being removably attachable to a loader bucket for loading material such as rocks into the loader bucket.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of rock picking devices now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new rock and material loading system construction wherein the same is removably attachable to a loader bucket for loading material such as rocks into the loader bucket.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new rock and material loading system that has many of the advantages of the rock picking devices mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new rock and material loading system which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art rock picking devices, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a pair of brackets attached to the upper rear portion of a loader bucket, a pair of lower jaws attached to the brackets, a pair of upper jaws pivotally attached to the lower jaws, an upper shaft securable within the jaws, a pair of side arms pivotally extending from the upper shaft, a lower shaft rotatably attached to the distal ends of the side arms, a plurality of teeth attached to the lower shaft, a pair of leverage arms attached to the lower shaft, and a pair of hydraulic cylinders attached to the upper shaft and to the leverage arms for manipulating the teeth. The user manipulates the hydraulics after engaging an object such as a rock for loading the rock into the conventional loader bucket. If the user requires usage of the loader bucket without the invention, the user simply opens the jaws and can easily remove the upper shaft from the jaws thereby allowing unobstructed use of the loader bucket.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and that will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of the description and should not be regarded as limiting.
A primary object of the present invention is to provide a rock and material loading system that will overcome the shortcomings of the prior art devices.
Another object is to provide a rock and material loading system that is designed of a rigid and durable structure.
An additional object is to provide a rock and material loading system that is easily removed from a loader bucket.
A further object is to provide a rock and material loading system that is attachable to a conventional loader bucket without requiring significant modification to the loader bucket.
Another object is to provide a rock and material loading system that retains the rocks within the loader bucket while transporting the rocks.
A further object is to provide a rock and material loading system that is capable of utilizing a conventional skid loader thereby taking advantage of the ease of operation and versatility of these machines.
Another object is to provide a rock and material loading system that increases the load capacity of the conventional loader bucket.
A further object is to provide a rock and material loading system that allows a single individual to attach and remove from a loader bucket.
An additional object is to provide a rock and material loading system that allows rocks to be easily unloaded into an elevated structure such as a truck or trailer.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become obvious to the reader and it is intended that these objects and advantages are within the scope of the present invention.
To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, this invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that changes may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described within the scope of the appended claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2029122 (1936-01-01), Stout, Jr.
patent: 2840933 (1958-07-01), Brem
patent: 3466766 (1969-09-01), Kahlbacher
patent: 4006782 (1977-02-01), Nishino et al.
patent: 4779363 (1988-10-01), Boutrais et al.
patent: 5664348 (1997-09-01), Omann
Ken's Enterprises, Inc.
Neustel Michael S.
Novosad Christopher J.
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