Mining or in situ disintegration of hard material – Hard material disintegrating machines – Floor-working
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-04
2001-06-19
Bagnell, David (Department: 3673)
Mining or in situ disintegration of hard material
Hard material disintegrating machines
Floor-working
C299S036100, C299S076000, C404S090000, C172S078000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06247757
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to surface engaging rotatable chipping, cutting, grinding, milling, planing, and tilling implements. More particularly, this invention relates to such implements which include structure for controlling the depth at which such implements engage the surface.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Mobile heavy construction equipment such as tractor backhoes, front loader tractors, excavators, and skid steer loaders commonly are equipped with an hydraulic power system which is capable of supplying power to various hydraulically powered auxiliary implements. In practice, the dirt scooping or dirt moving bucket of a tractor backhoe or excavator may be removed from such tractor backhoe's or excavator's boom arm. Similarly, the lift bucket of a skid steer loader or of a front loader tractor commonly is removable. In place of such dirt working buckets, various auxiliary hydraulically powered implements may be mounted.
Among such auxiliary hydraulically powered implements are implements which rotatably drive wood chipping wheels, blades, drums or discs; implements which rotatably drive concrete cutting wheels, blades, drums or discs; implements which rotatably drive grinding wheels, blades, drums or discs; implements which rotatably drive milling wheels, blades, drums or discs; implements which rotatably drive planing wheels, blades, drums or discs; or implements which rotatably drive tined earth tillers. Such implements, when mounted upon the boom arm, or lift arms, as the case may be, of a tractor backhoe, excavator, front loader tractor, or skid steer loader, are rotatably driven for operative engagement of a surface such as a tree stump, a paved road, and various ground surfaces. In any such application, it is desireable to apply to the implement means for controlling the depth at which the implement engages the surface.
A known depth control means includes an hydraulic ram or a plurality of hydraulic rams installed as a mechanical linkage for selectively raising and lowering the rotatable member with respect to the elevation of the surface to be engaged. Commonly, such hydraulic rams bias between the rotatable member and a frame which rollably or slidably moves along the surface. Also, commonly, such hydraulic rams are configured to bias between a mounting plate attached to the boom arm or lift arms, as the case may be, and a cantilevered support arm which suspends the rotatable member. A problem associated with utilizing such hydraulic rams for depth control is that hydraulic rams are expensive and troublesome to install and maintain, such hydraulic rams are subject to excessive wear and breakage, and such hydraulic rams necessitate an additional hydraulic control which is cumbersome for heavy equipment operators to manipulate.
The instant invention provides a solution to the problems outlined above by eliminating depth control by means of installation of additional hydraulic rams; utilizing a plurality of arms interlinking the mounting plate and the rotatable implement, such arms being adapted for converting rotational motion of the mounting plate to alternate upward and downward motion of the rotatable implement
PRIOR ART PATENTS
U.S. Pat. No. 5,582,490 issued Dec. 10, 1996, to Murray discloses a strip cutter wheel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,391,017 issued Feb. 21, 1995, to Thomas, et al., discloses a cutting tool for highway use.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,378,081 issued Jan. 3, 1995, to Swisher, Jr., discloses a milling machine with front mounted cutter.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,378,080 issued Jan. 3, 1995, to Dickson, discloses a road surface treating apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,236,278 issued Aug. 17, 1993, to Dickson, discloses a road surface treating apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,203,615 issued Apr. 20, 1993, to Zanetis, et al., discloses a side shift system for detachable rotary apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,516,808 issued May 14, 1985, to Staab, et al., discloses a pavement grinding apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,575 issued Mar. 20, 1990, to Lupton, discloses a road cutting apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,607,255 issued Mar. 4, 1997, to Thomas, et al., discloses a method of milling highway surfaces.
None of the above disclosed patents teach, disclose, or describe the novel, inventive, useful, and unique aspects, elements, and features of the present inventive rotatable implement depth control apparatus.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A major structural element of a preferred embodiment of the present inventive rotatable implement depth control apparatus comprises a mounting plate having a rearward face and a forward face, the rearward face of the mounting plate preferably being adapted for pivotal attachment to the lift arms and bucket rams of a skid steer loader or front loader tractor; or adapted for pivotal attachment to the singular boom arm and singular bucket ram of a tractor backhoe or excavator. In the preferred embodiment, a pair of rigid extension arms are fixedly welded to the forward face of the mounting plate so that such arms extend forwardly from the lower end of the mounting plate. Above the pair of rigid extension arms, a pair of pivot arms are pivotally mounted so that they extend forwardly from the upper end of the mounting plate,
A second major structural element of the preferred embodiment comprises a rollable trolley constructed in the form of a rectangular rolling steel frame. The rollable trolley is preferably pivotally attached to the forward ends of the extension arms, the points of pivotal attachment preferably being positioned upon opposing outwardly facing surfaces of the rollable trolley, and being positioned toward the rear of the roliable trolley.
A third major structural element of the preferred embodiment comprises a rotatable implement suspension frame which is pivotally attached to the rollable trolley, the points of pivotal attachment preferably being at the forward ends of the rotatable implement suspension frame and the rollable trolley. Preferably, the rotatable implement suspension frame is fitted and sized so that, upon pivotal motion of the rotatable implement suspension frame with respect to the rollable trolley, the rotatable implement suspension frame may pass between inwardly facing surfaces of the rollable trolley. Preferably, the rotatable implement suspension frame has a right wall, a left wall, and a curved upper wall which together are configured to form a downwardly opening protective shroud for housing a rotatable implement.
Any of several surface engaging rotatable implements may suitably be rotatably mounted within the rotatable implement carrying frame. Such suitable rotatable implements may be selected from the group of chipping wheels, chipping blades, chipping drums, chipping discs, cutting wheels, cutting blades, cutting drums, cutting discs, grinding wheels, grinding blades, grinding drums, grinding discs, milling wheels, milling blades, milling drums, milling discs, planing wheels, planing blades, planing drums, planing discs, and tined earth tillers. Preferably, the rotatable implement is rotatably mounted within the rotatable implement suspension frame so that its axis of rotation is substantially parallel with the lateral axis of the mounting plate.
Means for rotating the rotatable implement are preferably mounted directly upon the rotatable implement suspension frame. Such means preferably comprises an hydraulic motor which may conveniently be powered by an hydraulic power system which is standard equipment upon heavy construction equipment and machinery. Other suitable rotating means are electric motors and pneumatic motors.
In the preferred embodiment, the forward ends of the pivot arms are preferably pivotally attached to outwardly facing left and right surfaces of the rotatable implement suspension frame, such pivotal attachments being positioned thereon so that upon rotational motion of the mounting plate about its lateral axis, and upon resultant pivotal motion of the extension arms about their pivotal attachments, the pivot arms may alternately raise or lower the rotatable implement suspension
Bagnell David
Davis & Jack, L.L.C.
Jack Kenneth
Kreck John
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