Excavating – Combined or convertible – With scraper
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-30
2001-08-07
Shackelford, H. (Department: 3673)
Excavating
Combined or convertible
With scraper
C037S403000, C037S409000, C037S410000, C037S901000, C414S913000, C403S111000, C403S146000, C015S023000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06269560
ABSTRACT:
This invention relates to an improved sweeper apparatus mountable on the handle of a machine such as an excavating machine and the like. The invention further contemplates a sweeper apparatus mountable on the handle of an excavating machine equipped with a bucket which may be curled and uncurled, and which apparatus may be operated independently or in cooperation with such a bucket to sweep and remove materials lying on the ground or other surfaces.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In certain excavating operations such as in the removal of overburden to uncover an underground pipeline, it often is desirable to remove loose soil on the pipeline or at the bottom of the cut. Usually such loose soil is removed by the use of a rotary brush mounted as an attachment to the handle of the excavating machine. In the prior art, such sweeper attachments generally have consisted of an arm member pivotally connected to the bucket pivot pin for pivotal movement in the same vertical plane as the bucket, a rotary brush mounted on the free end of the arm member, a motor supported on the arm member for rotating the brush and a latch for securing the arm member against the underside of the handle. The arm member is angularly displaceable between an upper, retracted inoperative position and a lower, extended operative position, relative to the handle of the machine. An example of such an attachment is illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,373,652.
The attachment of rotary brush assemblies to the bucket pivot pin of excavation machines has several disadvantages. By connecting the sweeper attachment to the bucket pivot pin, the design of the connections of the bucket and the sweeper attachment to the machine handle becomes more complex, different pin sixes and configurations may be required and different types of connections are required to accommodate different bucket attachments of different machines. Furthermore, in the use of the type of attachment as described, the handle of the machine usually is set at an angle to the boom thereof to position the free end of the handle at a selected distance from the ground, the bucket mounted on the end of the handle is pivoted to a retracted position, a cylinder assembly operating the latch mechanism of the sweeper attachment is operated to release the brush so that it may swing down and have its bristles engage the ground or other surface to be swept, and then the machine is advanced along the desired sweeping path while the brush is rotated to sweep along the path of the brush. When it is desired to displace the arm member to the upper, retracted position, the bucket is pivoted to engage and pivot the arm member to the retracted position where it is engaged by latch mechanism. Such maneuvering can be cumbersome.
It thus has been found to be desirable to provide a sweeper attachment of the type described which will obviate the aforementioned problems in mounting the attachment to the handle of the machine and displacing the sweeper attachment between the in operative and operative position.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention obviates the problems created by undue loads imposed on prior art sweeping assemblies of the type described by providing an improved apparatus for an excavating machine and the like equipped with an operating handle, generally comprising a first arm member pivotally connectable to the underside of the handle of the machine, a second arm member operatively connected to the first arm member, a rotary brush operatively connected to the second arm member including means for rotating the brush, means operatively connected to the first arm member and connectable to the handle for displacing the first arm member relative to the handle, and means operatively interconnecting the first and second arm members yieldably biasing the second arm member into a given disposition relative to the first arm member. The second arm member may be pivotally connected to the first arm member and the yieldable biasing means may consist of a spring operatively interconnecting the first and second members to bias the second arm member into a given disposition relative to the first arm member. Preferably, the means operating the rotary brush consist of a hydraulic motor supported on the second arm member and the means for angularly displacing the first arm member relative to the handle consist of a hydraulically actuated cylinder assembly.
Furthermore, in the use of the type of attachment as described, the handle of the machine usually is set at an angle to the boom thereof to position the free end of the handle at a selected distance from the ground, the bucket mounted on the end of the handle is pivoted to a retracted position, the cylinder assembly of the sweeper attachment is operated to position the brush so that its bristles engage the ground or other surface to be swept and then the machine is advanced along the desired sweeping path while the brush is rotated to sweep along the path of the brush. If the handle is accidentally positioned too close to the ground or other surface to be swept, or may oscillate vertically during operation due to the advancing motion of the machine, or the brush encounters obstacles in its sweeping path, undue loads may be imposed on the brush and transmitted to the arm or cylinder assembly of the attachment which may adversely affect the sweeping operation of the brush or, if sufficiently severe, may cause damage to the brush, the brush motor or cylinder assembly of the attachment.
It thus has been found desirable to provide a sweeper attachment of the type described which will obviate the aforementioned problems in mounting the attachment to the handle of the machine and incurring undue loads on the attachment during a sweeping operation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention's obviates the aforementioned problems by providing an improved apparatus for an excavating machine and the like provided with an operating handle, generally comprising a first arm member pivotally connectable to the underside of the handle of the machine, a second arm member operatively connected to the first arm member, a rotary brush operatively connected to the second arm member including means for rotating the brush, means operatively connected to the first arm member and connectable to the handle for displacing the first arm member relative to the handle, and means operatively interconnecting the first and second arm members yieldably biasing the second arm member into a given disposition relative to the first arm member.
The second arm member may be pivotally connected to the first arm member and the yieldable biasing means may consist of a spring operatively interconnecting the first and second members to bias the second arm member into a given disposition relative to the first arm member. Preferably, the means operating the rotary brush consists of a hydraulic motor supported on the second arm member and the means for angularly displacing the first arm member relative to the handle consists of a hydraulically actuated cylinder assembly.
REFERENCES:
patent: 25460 (1859-09-01), Whitmore et al.
patent: 1100029 (1914-06-01), Severns
patent: 3029454 (1962-04-01), Short et al.
patent: 3922745 (1975-12-01), Lehman
patent: 4615637 (1986-10-01), Pelischek
patent: 5373652 (1994-12-01), Olsson
patent: 5678332 (1997-10-01), Hawkins
patent: 88/ 03200 (1988-05-01), None
patent: 91/ 10016 (1991-07-01), None
Hartmann Gary S.
Lalos & Keegan
Rockland Inc.
Shackelford H.
LandOfFree
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