US2497778A - Mechanism for road graders - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 14, 1950 A. L. LADO 2,497,778

MECHANISM FOR ROAD GRADERS Filed March 17, 1944 8 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 14, 1950 A. L. LADO MECHANISM FOR ROAD GRADERS 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 17, 1.944

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Feb. 14, 1950 A. L. LADO 2,497,778

MECHANISM FOR ROAD GRADERS Filed March 1'7, 1944 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 Feb. 14, 1950 A. L. LADO MECHANISM FOR ROAD GRADERS 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 17, 1944 Feb. 14, 1950 8 Shee'ts-Sheet 5 Filed March 17, 1944 Feb. 14, 1950 A. 1.. LADO MECHANISM ,.FOR ROAD GRADERS 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Fiied March 17, 1944 Feb. 14, 1950 'A. LADO 2,497,778

' MECHANISM FOR ROAD GRADERS Filed March 17, 1944 8 Sheets-Sheet '7 Feb. 14, 1950 A. L. LADO MECHANISM FOR ROAD GRADERS 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed March 17, 1944 Patented Feb. 14, 1950 MECHANISM FOR R-OAD cannons Anthony L. Lado, Rome, N. Y., assignor, by mesnc assignments, to The Union Fork & Hoe Company, Columbus, Ohidy'a corporation of Ohio Application March 17, 1944, Serial No. 526,959

8 Claims. 1

My invention relates to mechanisms for road ing a grader road working implement.

Another object of my invention is to provide a pair of such mechanisms, as set forth in the preceding object, one disposed at each side of the grader mechanism to efiect, in combination with a suitable similar mechanism for adjusting the implement laterally of the main frame of the grader, the various implement adjusting movements, which may be required in the operation of the road grader in doing different kinds of work.

Another object of my invention is to provide improved mechanisms of the type set forth in the preceding objects, so designed as to facilitate mounting thereof, and to achieve such compactness as to not materially obscure the view of the rearwardly positioned road grader operator as to the positioning of and work being done by the grader implement.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved mechanism of the aforesaid type which will be durable, capable of transmitting sufflcient force to operate the implements of the grader,

and to maintain them in any desired adjusted position, under severe conditions of operation and without undesirable lost motion between parts of theimechanism.

' Another object of my'inventionis to provide improved means to transmit to the laterally disposed grader blade lifting cranks, adjustment movements of the movable element of a reciprocating type motor, such as a hydraulic ram, and

to permit the positioning of a pair of said rams transversely of the vehicle frame and mounting thereof upon respectively opposite sides of said frame. whereby to permit the operator to readily observe the road and bank surfaces being, and to be, operated upon by the grader implement or implements.

Other objects of the invention and the nature -of the inventionwill be clear to those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains from the following description of an embodiment of my invention, and the accompanying drawings illustrating the said embodiment.

In the drawings:

l and la illustrate respectively in side elevational view the front and rear portions of a power grader mechanism embodying the principles of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a front clevational view of the mechanism of Fig. 1:

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the implementcarrying sub-frame:

4 is aside elevational view of an implement-carrying sub-frame of the general type commonly employed to support a grader blade in diiferent operative positions; Fig. 5 illustrates a plan view of a pair of hydraulic power rams carried upon the main frame and novel motion-multiplying crank operating lever linkage for variably throwing the side lifting cranks of a grader mechanism to elevate and otherwise adjust the two sides of the sub-frame of Figs. 3 and 4 with respect to the terrain and the main frame;

Figs. 6 and 6a illustrate in either elevational and side elevational views respectively a lever link employed in the apparatus of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a front elevational view of the apparatus of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a side elevational view of the apparatus;

Fig. 9 is a view of the apparatus of Fig. 8 taken as from the right side of the showing of Fig. 8; and

Figs. 10 and 11 are views of a diagrammatic nature to illustrate the principle of operation of trated the same as applied to an 'improved design road grader of the power grader typewherein a prime mover such 'as an automotive engine carried by' the grader vehicle frame produces power for the various mechanismswith which the grader is equipped. More particular1y, t he illustrated grader is in the heavy duty class which employs a tandem wheel driving mechanism, the two pairs of tandem wheeis of which support the rear enginc and operator cab equipment.

My invention, in part, relates to the application of hydraulically operated motors preferably including a rotary type motor and reciprocatory motors in the form of hydraulic rams, the rotary motor being preferably employed to rotate the circle which carries the grader blade, and the rams being employed to adjustably actuate and adiustably hold various elements. of the grader mechanism, such as the blade and the scarifier in order to suitably apply such blade and scarifier implements to the terrain being operated upon.

More particularly, because the grader is of the self-propelled type, the disposition of the various elements including the hydraulic ram-s and mechanisms associated therewith are quite important in order to preserve to the operator the ability to see beyond said rams and mechanisms to the terrain being approached during traveling operating periods; also, the mechanical functions served by the hydraulic rams and the linkage by which the implements are motivated by the hydraulic power of the rams are quite efficiently achieved by the disposition of parts hereinafter related.

Referring now to the various figures of drawing in all of which like parts are designated by like reference characters, the illustrated pre.

ferred embodiment of my invention is shown as applied to a power grader having a longitudinally extending arched main frame comprising a pair of generally converging main frame beams I and 2, welded together at their forward ends at I' and 2', with a plurality of cross frame braces such as that shown at 3. The longitudinal main frame beams I and 2 preferably con verge from the rear of the vehicle, where they are supported co-axially of the swivelin axis of the tandem rear wheel bogie assembly, not shown, by a bracket I4 depending from the main frame and carrying a journal for the laterally extending bo-gie shaft I13 upon which the main frame is supported and journalled. While the verging beams 4 and 5, the cross-beams I2 and I3, the forward portion being flexibly universally connected at I40 to an upstanding forward bolster -'I which is rigidly bolted or welded to the main frame, and in turn is hingedly secured to the front axle f, by an interconnecting bearing pin 8 which is disposed in the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

The sub-frame is universally connected to the bolster to permit independent lateral universal upward and swinging movements of the rear end of the sub-frame without communicating similarly operating force to the main frame or to the front axle. The sub-frame extends rearwardly from its point of connection with the bolster element of the main frame to a region therebelow disposed substantially in advance of vthe operatorfs control panel 9.

The sub-frame cross-beams i 2 and I3, as shown in Fig. 3, support bearing elements Hi, provided to support the rotatable implement carrying circle I which is journalled for rotation upon said bearings. I

To opposite sides of the circle I 5, spaced implement supporting arms 25, shown in Fig. 1, ex-

tend pendantly to carry the moldboard assembly 260, which moldboard supports the grader blade 21.

The rearmost cross beam I3 of the supplemental frame 15 is provided with two like pairs of outer and inner rearwardly presented ball ele- .ments 3! and 32, one pair of said ball elements .3 I being disposed nearest the ends of'the cross beam.I3 and each ball of the other pair 32 is.

' spaced somewhat inwardly of said cross beams.

When the grader is employed to grade a slope disposed entirely laterally of the front and rear wheels extending angularly upwardly, the side shift crank and link exercises a lifting effort applied towards the side of the rear portion of the sub-frame which is being adjusted to a relatively lowermost position, the lift crank and link disposed nearest the slope being then attached to the uppermost side of said sub-frame rear portion and the more remotely disposed lift crank and link exercises a predominantly lateral thrust upon the lowermost rear side portion of said subframe according to now well known common practice.

The steepness of the slope which may be thus operated upon by the blade 21 carried by the sub-frame is increased b the extensible nature of the side lift links 25 which comprise an upwardly extending rod 26a telescoped into the downwardly extending tubular portion. 261), the rod having a transversely extending bore which is alignable with one or the other of the transverse bores extending through the outer tube whereby the eifective length of the links ZSmay be varied.

Briefly, the lift cranks 204 and 295, Fig. 2, are preferably journalled upon stationary shafts II which, in turn, are each rigidly carried by the main frame beams I and 2 by brackets 24 preferably welded to the sides of said beams, and said cranks are adapted to rotate about said shaft axis, different rotative positions of said cranks Ell-i and 205 being illustrated in Figs. 1,. 8 and 9.

As best shown in Fig. .1, a pair of lift links 28 interconnect by a universal joint connection with the free end of each said lift crank 204 or 205 with the associated ball connector 3| secured to the rearmost sub-frame cross beam I3 which is disposed at the corresponding lateral end of said sub-frame cross beam.

Therefore, upon rotation of either or both of the lift cranks 204 and/or 205 from the position, as shown in Fig. l, to any more upwardly disposed position, each of said cranks will lift the corresponding side of the grader sub-frame to elevate the corresponding end of the blade according to the degree of elevation of the end of such lift crank.

The side shift crank 40, shown in its lowermost position in Fig. 1, when rotated about the crank axis by rotation of the shaft 4i! supporting said crank I24 will shift thev entire sub-frame laterally according to the degree of rotation of said side shift crank by virtue of the pull or thrust communicated to the sub-frame by the side shift link 38 which is universally connected at its two ends to the ball connector 40a at the end of the crank and one of the ball connectors 32 each of which is carried by the rearmost subframe cross beam I3 and each being spaced inwardly on said beam a short distance towards the middle of the beam.

All universal joint connections of said lift and side shift links to the crank connector balls and sub-frame connector balls are preferably of the usual ball and socket type, said connectors carrying the sockets which are fitted in encompassing relation onto the connector balls. The side shift crank is adapted to be interchangeably connected to either one of the connector balls 32 to better adapt the side shift crank to shift the sub-frame alternately towards or to the two sides of the vehicle.

For bank-sloping by making the link nearest the slope shorter and the remote lift link longer,

the sub-frame may be 50 adjusted laterally of the vehicle as to grade very steep slopes. The degree to which the sub-frame may be adjusted laterally and vertically of the main frame supports is also increased by the employment of what is termed herein motion multiplying link age mechanism, later herein described, the principle of operation being illustrated in Figs. and 11.

All of the reciprocatin type motors employed in the illustrated grader are provided with an enclosing cylinder and a piston longitudinally reciprocable therein according to any difference in pressure at the two ends of the cylinder. The valves 8! to 81 inclusive are each of that type whereby fluid from the pressure line may be directed through either of the conduits a or b, at will, and whereby either of said conduits of each pair may be placed in communication with the return line leading to the reservoir; also, whereby communication between both of the conduits a and b of each pair may be completely out off. In other words, the liquid is trapped in the conduits a and b and the cylinder of the particular hydraulic motor involved.

In prior types of road grader mechanisms wherein the varying adjustments of the bladecarrying sub-frame are achieved by rotary movements of operating cranks which, in turn, are moved by manual efiort imposed upon a hand wheel or the like at the operators station between 'such a hand wheel or the like and the associated operating crank, there was commonly interposed a reduction gearing mechanism comprising gears, pinions, rack or the like whereby the crank being moved through a relatively small angle of rotation by a substantially greater rotation of such hand wheel usually involving a number of revolutions thereof, the manual power required. at the operators station was considerably reduced at the expense of a greater length of time to accomplish the operation.

Previously also, fluid pressure motors of the rotary and linearly operative ram types have been employed with some success, the former being objectionable because of the large sizes required, the lack of efficiency thereof and the difficulty of so disposing the same to avoid interfering with the forward vision of the operator currently required to view the terrain at and ahead of the operating grader blade and the latter being commonly objectionable for various reasons depending upon the particular arrangements employed but mainly because such a ram, when directly connected through a rotative shaft to such an operative crank, inherently can only rotate such a crank over a limited angle of rotation, which, under most favorable conditions of practical use for the purpose here involved, can not readily exceed a maximum of 108.

My present invention involves the utilization of a novel system of inter-related levers interposed between a movable element of such a ram and such an operating crank effective when the ram is operated to rotate the crank over a much greater angle, than such hydraulic rams, as previously employed on grader mechanisms, have previously been capable of accomplishing.

By the use of such a lever linkage, as illustrated in duplicate particularly in Figs. 5 and 6, and Figs. 8 and 9, as well as in the more or less diagrammatic views of Figs. 10 and 11, and as illustrated elsewhere in other figures of drawing, as will hereinafter appear, I readily achieve a rotative-oscillatory adjustment of such an operat- 6 ing crank by virtue of a single thrust movement of the associated power ram over any part of an angle at least up to and including an angle of 216. This is accomplished by a single operation of a a single hydraulic ram with simply constructed relatively inexpensive mechanism, such as herein disclosed in Figs. 10 and 11. A pair of stationary mounting rods or shafts ii and H6 are rigidly carried by a fixed element of the vehicle frame, herein later more specifically identified.

Also, as hereinafter more fully set forth, from the ability to achieve such an increased crank arm adjustment angle by a single movement of a single hydraulic ram, other advantages hereinafter re lated in connection with the blade reversing operation accrue, and. the necessity of frequently re adjusting the lengths of the extensible links disposed between the operated cranks and the operated implement is minimized, and results in the ability to quickly adjust the blade over a clear range of widely varying adjusted positions.

The following description of my improved transmission mechanism is based primarily upon the disclosures of Figs. 10 and 11 which respectively show two opposite extreme adjusted positions of essential elements of mechanism, reference, however, being made from time to time to other figures of the drawing which show said elements in association with other associated elements of mechanism and as applied to a road grader. The principle of operation may be understood by reference to Figs. 10 and 11, the few parts therein illustrated being identified with the corre sponding parts as employed in connection with the operating cranks 2M and 205 shown in other figures of the drawings.

It is to be understood that in certain embodiments of my invention, such as are employed for the lift link cranks 204 and 205, Figs. 5 and 7, that said shafts H and HG are rigidly immovably mounted upon the grader main frame as distinguished from cranks H3 and H4 of said transmission mechanism which, in said embodi ments, are journalled upon said fixed shafts for relative oscillatory rotary movement thereon. by their hubs Ill and H2, respectively.

In other embodiments, such as that employed for the blade side shifting crank 48, said hubs are rigidly secured to shafts similarly positioned with respect to the rest of the mechanism but which, in such case, are themselves rotatably journalled within elements of the grader frame and said hubs are rigidly and relatively nonrotatably' carried by such shafts.

It will be understood that although such are not shown in said figures, the crank hub III is provided with a second crank arm integrally formed with said hub and arm, said second arm for the hub HI being identified in Figs. 5 to 7 inclusive, 8 and 9 and elsewhere, as a laterally disposed lift crank such as shown at 25M. There fore, the hub l l l carrying two crank arms l i3 and 5 is, in fact, a bell crank element and is the final operated element of the mechanism.

Similarly, the crank. hub I 12, in addition to the arm l M, is provided with another crank arm not shown in the diagrammatic Figs. 10 and 11, but also illustrated in the above recited figures of drawing, such additional crank arm being best illustrated at H5, Fig. 5, which, incidentally, shows the hub H2 and arms H4 and H5 in one particular position of adjustment, and moreover; clearly shows that the arm H5 is that to which the piston rod H6 of the lift link hydraulic cylmeans 7 inder 90 is. universally connected by the ball and socket universal joint I IT.

The bell crank unit II2, I I4 and. H5, therefore is readily understood as being that unit of the transmission mechanism, which is initially actuated by the hydraulic ram and transmits a rotative effort to the intermediate link H8 which, by hinge pins IIS and I20, is hingedly connected with and interconnects the ends of the crank arms H4 and I I8 of the mechanism.

Both the crank arm II 4 for the first or motivating. element of the transmission and the link I I8 are, as illustrated, advantageously and usually preferably arcuately formed whereby, in theultimate position of the parts, as illustrated in Fig. 10, they are adapted to closely embrace the hub III which is journalled upon the fixed shaft II.

By virtue of the above form and disposition of the: curved crank arm H4 and curved link I18 interconnecting the crank hub H2 and the outer end of the short crank arm I I3, together with the radially spaced positioning of the axes of hubs III and H2 when the hub H2 is rotated over a given angle, as for instance an angle of 108 communicated to it by the hydraulic ram as through the piston rod IIG, universal joint II! and motivating crank arm II5, as shown in Fig. 5, the

crank arm H4 is moved in a clockwise direction about the axis of the hub II2, a distance of 108 as indicated in Fig. 11.

The hinge link pin I I9 is moved about the axis of hub I I2 accomplishing an unwinding pull upon the short crank I I3 through the two hinge connectors H9 and I20, thereby unwinding the arm II 4 and. link II8 from about the crank hub III to cause the above designated parts to take the relative positions shown in Fig. II wherein the crank arm I I3 which, in Fig. 10, is illustrated as extending directly downwardly from its hub axis is, in Fig. 11, shown as having rotated a distance of 216".

In other words, the hub I II for the crank arm II3 being with its other crank arm 205 which constitutes a blade-lifting crank for rotating over an angle of 216 shown in Fig. 2 and elsewhere, precisely twice the angle of rotation of the crank II4 from which the rotative movement of the crank 205 is communicated through the intervening crank II4, link I18 and crank II3. since, as previously stated, even though the motivating ram such as 90 of Fig. is universally connected to its fixed mount by the universal joint I2I to its mounting bracket I22 which, in turn, is rigidly carried by a main frame beam such as I, the combined fact of the longitudinal thrust of the piston rod H6 and the concurrent progressive tilting of the ram cylinder 90 and rod IIS can not practically rotate a crank such as I overan angle. greater than. 108; Such rotative movement of a crank arm II5 is converted by the intervening and interlinked cranks H5 and H4 to. a rotative movement of a lift crank 205 in the ratio of 1:2 or to an angular movement of such a crank'205 of 216.

Of course, to. accomplish this greater angularity in movement through the motion multiplying effect of the interlinked elements of: the mechani'sm, the ram must be of correspondingly greater power and therefore of greater diameter.

The above described rams and hubs for the bellcrank arms comprising the actuating arms to which the piston rods are connected and. the

actuated lift arms to. which the lift links are com nected comprise a unitary assembly of. lift link operating parts; all of said. parts are. mounted upon the bracket means 24 and all together can be unitarily assembled in advance of mounting upon the grader frame beams I and 2 either by bolting or welding. The bases of said brackets 24', said. rams, and motion multiplying linkage, and associated parts are well out of the way of any moving part of. the grader mechanism or any portion of the adjustable sub-frame and without requiring the usual relatively long rock shafts commonly provided to remove the rams and associated parts from interfering proximity with the sub-frame, the blade carried thereby or other movable parts of the grader mechanism.

I prefer, for ordinary present-day power road grader operations that the arms 2.05 and H3 extend from. the common hub I II in the relative angular relationship illustrated. in Fig. 6, although I. am. aware. that relative angular dispositions of the arms of the bell crank lever may be otherwise. than as illustrated therein with useful results, particularly for certain kinds of Work.

The angular relationship as between the arms I I4 and -I I 5 extending from the common hub I.I.2 will be dictated by the mounting position and attitude of the ram such as that shown at 9.0. Fig. 5,v employed. to actuate the transmission mechanism through the piston rod H6, and motivating arm II5 universally connected at its end to the end of said piston rod.

The relative angularity of said arms I I4 and 5, as illustrated in.the various drawings, isthat deemed best for general purposes with the rams disposed in substantially horizontal position extending transversely of the grader frame beams and immediately about. said beams which position is deemed highly desirable for a number of reasons, elsewhere herein set forth and which I therefore believe would be inventively novel, whereas in the foregoing description, I have made particular reference to the mechanism as illustrated at the right side. of Fig. 9, i. e., disposed at the left side of the vehicle frame viewed from the rear. I

Although the similar mechanism disposed at the opposite side of the machine to actuate the lift crank 204, as distinguished from that for the lift crank 205, is functionally the same, minor differences in the two mechanisms will be noted, such differences resulting merely from the fact that the ram 89 is disposed more forwardl of the. grader frame beams I and 2 than the ram 90 and also, from the fact that the actuating movements imparted thereto by similar movements of the ram pistons are in opposite directions, since upon similarly applying predominant fluid pressure to the rear of or in front of the pistons for the two rams, it is highly desirable that: the left. and right liftv cranks 204. and 205 be rotated in opposite rotative directions and vice versa.

As previously described, all of the movable parts for the two transmission mechanisms each adapted to rotatively adjust a different one of the two lift cranks 20.4 or 205, comprise a pair of bell crank elements intermediately interlinked together, and each of the-bell cranks of each unitary mechanism is journalled and supported by its. hub upon a different rigidly mounted one of two parallel relatively spaced non-rotatable rods II and H0, both rods being preferably disposed in the. same horizontal plane, and as is best illus trated. in Figs. 9 and, 10., said. supporting rods. at each side of. the main frame are rigidly carried by suitable mounting brackets 24, which are rigidly secured by welding or otherwise to the dfihtiguous main frame beam, being non-rotatably secured thereto. Each of the lift cranks 204 and 205 carries at its end a ball element 4 and 5 respectively adapted to be universally connected to the upper tubular element 26b of a pair of relatively telescoped link elements including also the upwardly extending rod a, the latter terminating downwardly in a socket element 33 of a universal joint connection between said link and the associated joint ball 3|, Fig. 3, carried at the sides of the rear portion of the subframe 15.

The two parts of the extensiblelinks 26 thus provided at the two sides of the vehicle are adjustably connected together by a pin 26 projected, as previously stated, through any selected one of a plurality of transverse apertures through the upper link element and also, through a preferably larger transverse bore through the inner upwardly extending rod element of said link whereby in advance of operation of the grader, the length of said links may be made such as will best adapt them to most favorably position the blade for the intended work by a single operative ad usting movement of the associated lift crank 204 and/or 205.

The same lift link length adjustment feature is provided for the other lift link and in accord with long and well known practice as disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,429,026 to.

Edwards, issued September 12, 1922, and therefore being no part of my present invention.

A third crank 40, commonly termed a side shift crank, is employed primarily for imparting lateral adjustments to the blade-carrying subframe, a link 38 being universally connected at its ends to said crank and one of the pair of ball elements 32 disposed in line with the balls 3|, but slightly inwardly thereof, on the sub-frame cross beams I3.

The mutual functional relationship as between the two lift link cranks and the side shift crank is well known and understood and is generally disclosed in the Gledhill Patent No. 1,528,325

dated March 3, 1925, and from such disclosure it will be understood that, when the blade is adjusted by said cranks and their associated employed.

In addition to the precedently described side shift crank 40 and associated link 38, the so-called side shifting mechanism comprises also a transmission mechanism of the same general type as that illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11 and of which a pair of slightly differently constructed embodiments have been described in connection with the side lift mechanismassociated with the lift cranks 204 and 205.

The principle of operation in both cases being the same, the side shift transmission mechanism may be more briefly described. Referring therefore principally to the drawings of Figs. 1 and 8 and 9, wherein said side shifting crank 40 is shown as rigidly secured at I23 to the shaft I24 which is journalled at its ends in a pair of hangers I25 and I26 which are each secured to one of a pair of cross beam braces 3, secured to and extending between the main frame beams I and 2, in relatively spaced relation longitudinally of the main frame. 7

A second shaft I21 is disposed adjacent to,

i0 slightly above and to one side of the shaft I24, and is similarly journalled and carries a crank I28. A hydraulic ram motor device Bi comprising a cylinder, piston and piston rod is interconnected between the end of the crank I28 and a bracket I29, the latter being rigidly secured to the main frame beam 2. Universal joint connections at ldll and I3I are provided for interconnecting said ram motor to said bracket and. said crankrespectively.

Although, by the nature of the rotative movement of the crank I28, the ram device may be laterally inclined depending upon the hydraulically effected position of the piston and piston rod I, the ram motor is disposed in a generally upright attitude, as illustrated inthe drawings, and the two cranks I28 and 40 being rigidly fitted onto their respective crank shafts I21 and I24, are rotatable therewith.

Means are provided for communicating driving motion from the crank I23 to the side shift crank 40, said means comprising the crank I I3a rigidly affixed to the shaft I24 and the longer arcuately curved, crank II4a which is rigidly secured to the shaft I21 and the interconnecting link H8 which is hingedly secured at its two ends to the ends of said cranks II3a and HM. except for the fact that the crank 40 and crank II3a are interconnected by the shaft I24, and the cranks I28 and H411 are interconnected by the shaft I21, and the fact that all of said cranks are rigidly secured to said shafts, the modus operandi of the trans nission mechanism comprising the elements H311, II Ia and IIGa is substantially identical with that described for the corresponding transmission mechanism, as illustrated in Figs. 8 and .shafts whereas the corresponding cranks identifled by similar numerals for the lift crank transmission mechanism previously described are relatively rotatable with respect to the fixed rods or shafts upon which, in that case, said cranks are journalled.

Therefore, from the foregoing description of the transmission mechanism of Figs. 10 and 11, it will be understood that the motion multiplying function performed by the cranks and interconnecting links thereof applies also to the transmission mechanism of Figs. 1, 8 and 9 inclusive where the various cranks are all rigidly securedto rotatable shafts instead of themselves being rotatable upon. fixed shafts; It Therefore, also as in the case of the lift crank 204 and 225, the side shifting crank 40 is susceptible of adjustmentto any rotatably adjusted position within angular limits of approximately 216 even though the hydraulic ram is only capable of actuating the primary-crank I28 over an angle of 108 whereby extreme lateral adjustments and steep bank cutting adjustments are readily quickly effected upon the blade-carrying sub-frame 15 by a single operation of the hydraulic motors 89, and 9|, all of the latter being susceptible under the control of the manually operated valves, shown in Fig. 9 at 8I 81 and 82, respectively, and that by varying the adjustment of said valves with respect to each other, the position and attitude of the blade carrying sub-framemay be variously positionedin various attitudes as maybe desired.

Reference is hereby made to my co -pending application, Serial No. 624748- filed October 26, 1945, and now Patent No. 2,488,016'granted Nov. 15', 1949, and in which the same road grader mechanism is illustrated and described and parts 'thereof being more specifically and completely shown and described in said co-pending application which is a division from the present original application and therefore descriptive, and illustrated portions of the said co-pending application are incorporated herein by reference for a more specific and complete knowledge of the complete mechanism which comprises the present embodiment of my invention.

Havingthus described my invention in certain embodiments thereof, I am aware that my invention may be embodied in structures in many varying forms and for punposes Widely variant- 'ciated pairs of bellcranks each being disposed at different sides of the main frame above said rear su-bframe portions, each said bellcrank comprising a hub, a primary lever arm', and a secondary lever arm, mount means at each side of the frame, each comprising separate journal means for eachof the pair of hubs at that frame side, saidrno-unt means adapted to support each of an associated pair of said bellcra-nks for oscillation onrelativelyseparate and parallel longitudinally extending axes, a link hingedlyinterconnecting the free end of the secondary lever arm of a first bellcrank' of a: pair totheprimary leverarm of the second bellcrank of'the same-pair, a pair of hydraulic rams each comprising oppositelyextending cylinder and piston rod elements, said rams disposed inside-by sid'e relationship and extendingtransversely across said frame, one of said elementsof each said rams being flexibly anchored to said mount means disposed at a relatively different side of said main frame, the

other element of each said ram being flexibly secured to the primary lever arm of the said first bellcrank of the associated. pair thereof, and the secondary lever: arm of the second of each associated. pair of bellcranlss comprising a; lift: crank, and, means to flexibly connect, the: free end. of said lift crank. to the upper end of the; lift link disposed at the same side of the frame,

2. In a, road grader in. combination with the arched main frame. and underlying blade carrying sub-frame, flexibly forwardly interlinked therewith, and. with. the lift. links of said grader each flexibly connected at. its lower end respectively to the two different sides: of the. su .-frame,

a, pair of motionrmuliti'plying mechanisms disposed at difierent sides of' the main frame each comprising a pair of driving and. driven bellcranks independently journalled on said main frame; the axes of said journals extending longitudinal'ly of themain frame-in closel'y'iht'erspaced parallel relation, a rig-id hingedly interconnecting an arm or said driving be-llcrank with an arm of said driven bellcrank, the interconnecting hinge point on said driving lever being more remote from its crank axis than is thehinge point on the driven bellcrank arm from its crank axis, said lift links being each flexibly interconnected at their upper ends with the other arm of the associated said driven bellcrank, of a pair of hydraulic rams each having a fixed end and a longitudinally reciprocableoppos-ite end, said rams dis- .posed in substantially parallel relationship and extending transverselyof, and having their fixed ends flexibly secured to said main frame, and said opposite end of" each said ram being flexibly connected to--the other arm of the driving bellcrankwhich is disposed at the other side of the main frame.

3. In a road grader the combination with a wheel-supported longitudinallyextending arched main frame, a sub-frame flexibly connected at its forward endto a forward portion of said frame, a moldboard' carried by said sub-frame, spaced apart links each connected bya lower end of said sub-framey dual pairs of driving and driven bellcrank levers, each pair positioned on relatively different sides of said frame, the levers of each pair j'o-urnalled' on said frame to rotatably' oscillate on relatively parallel longitudinally extending axes, separate link means hingedly' interconnecting an arm of the driving bell'crank of each said pairto an arm of the driven bellcrank thereon, means flexibly connecting each of said links with the other arm of each said driven bellcrank, a pair of reciprocating'fiuid pressure motors disposed transversely of" said frame in sideby-side compact, relationship, the two ends of each said motor" being respectively" flexibly connected to an actuating crank arm of the driving one of said levers and to the opposite side of said frame, both said bellcrank levers each with its pair ofarms, said lever linkage and said motors comprising a. unitary assembly of elements adapted for' mounting on said grader frame so as to position the free ends of said lift crank arms substantially in the vertical plane of said lift links.

4'. In a road grader, the combination. with a longitudinally extending. upwardly arched main frame, a blade-carrying" sub-frame disposed below'themain frame and flexibly connected at its forward end to a forwardly disposed portion of the main frame, lift links extending, upwardly from a rear blade-carrying portion of the subframe and flexibly interconnected therewith, two associated pair of bellcran'ks each pair being' di'siposed at different sides of the main frame above said real" sub-frame portions; each said bel'lcrank comprising a primary-lever arm, and a secondary leverarm, mount means adapted to support each of an associatedpair of said bell'cranks for oscillation on relatively separate and'parallel longitudinally extendingaxes, a link hingedly' interlinking the free end of the secondary lever arm of a first bellcrank of a pair to the primary lever arm of the second bellcrank of the" same pair; a pair of hydraulic rams each comprising oppositely extending cylinder and piston rod elements, said rams disposed in side-by-side relationship and extending transversely acrosssaid frame, one of said elements of each said rams being flexibly anchored to said mount means disposed at a relatively different'side of said main-frame, the other element of each said ram being flexibly secured to the primary lever arm of the said first bel1- crank of the associated pair thereof, and the secondary lever arm of the second of each associated pair of bellcranks comprising a lift crank, and means to flexibly connect the free end of said lift crank to the upper end of the lift link disposed at the same side of the frame, the radial distance between the interlinking hinge point of said secondary arm of said first bellcrank and its journal axis being greater that the correspond ing dimension for said primary lever arm of said second bellcrank.

5. In a road grader, the combination with a longitudinally extending upwardly arched main frame and a tractively related blade-carrying subframe which is flexibly connected 'by its forward end to a substantially forward portion of the main frame, a pair of motion multiplying mechanisms each thereof being positioned upon a different side of the main frame, each said mechanism comprising a pair of bellcranks, each hav-- ing an operating and an operated arm and each crank being journalled to swing its said arms about a longitudinally extending axis which is relatively parallel and laterally interspaced with repect to the other crank axis, a link hingedly connecting the operated arm of the first bellcrank of each :pair with the operating arm of the second bellcrank of the same pair, the operated arm of said second of said bellcranks of each pair being in the :form of a lift lever, a lift link disposed at each side of the frame, each said lift lever being flexibly interconnected with the upper end of the adjacent lift link, each said lift link having its lower end secured to the rear portion of said sub-frame which is normally disposed at the same side of the grader main frame as is said lift link, and a pair of power actuable thrust elements disposed in substantially side-by-side relationship and extending transversely of and comprising a portion anchored upon said main frame, a power delivery thrust member for each said thrust element, each of said pair of thrust members adapted to be outwardly thrust and retracted in relatively opposite directions with respect to the other thnust member, and each said member being secured to, and adapted to communicate thrust and retracting efforts to, the operating arm of the first said crank of that set which is disposed at the side of the main frame towards which said thrust efforts of said member are directed.

6. In a road grader, the combination with the longitudinally extending upwardly arched main frame and a blade-carrying sub-frame thereof, interconnecting means flexibly joining the forward portions of both said frames, a pair of motion multiplying mechanisms, one at each side of the main frame, each said mechanism comprising a ,pair of bellcranks each having a power receiving crank arm and a power delivery crank arm, link means flexibly interconnecting the @power delivery arm of a first relatively driving one of said cranks to the power receiving arm of the second crank, 'both said cranks oscillatable on relatively parallel closely interspaced and longitudinally extending axes, a pair of lift links each having its lower end flexibly connected to a rear portion ofsaid sub-frame, a pair of hydraulic rams extending transversely of the main frame, each ram comprising relatively oppositely extending cylinder and piston rod elements, one of said elements of both said rams being respec tively flexibly connected to relatively opposite sides of said main frame, and the other element 14 of said rams being each flexibly connected to the power receiving arm of a relatively different driving one of said first cranks, and the power delivery arm of each said receiving crank being flexibly interconnected with the upper end of a relatively different one of said lift links.

7. The road grader mechanism substantially as set forth in claim 5 characterized by the provision of mounting means secured to the main frame and said motion multiplying mechanism and said thrust elements being unitarily secured to and carried by said mounting means.

8. A road grader comprising in combination with a longitudinally extending upwardly arched main frame and a sub-frame tractively engaged by a forward end thereto, two sets of bellcranks, each respectively secured to a relatively opposite side of the main frame, each crank comprising a primary and secondary arm, the cranks of each set being journalled to be swung on substantially longitudinally extending axes which are substantially closely laterally interspaced, the secondary arm of a first crank of each set being longer than that of the primary arm of the second crank of the set, a link interconnecting the ends of said secondary and primary arms of said first and second cranks of both said sets, said link and each said crank set together with its associated link being so formed and disposed as to be adapted to respond to opposite swinging movements of said secondary arm of the said first crank to alternatelylplace the primary arm of said second crank in extended relation to said link, or in re-entrant embraced relation with respect to both said link and said secondary arm of said first crank, the secondary arms of said second cranks of each set being in the form of lift levers for elevating and lowering the grader blade, a pair of lift links at the two sides of the main frame respectively flexibly joined at their upper ends to the free end of a different of said lift levers, and the lower ends of said links being flexibly joined to relatively different side portions of the sub-frame which correspond to the main frame side carrying the associated lift lever, and a pair of power actuable thrust elements disposed in substantially side-by-side relationship and extending transversely of and comprising a portion anchored upon said main frame, a power delivery thrust member for each said element, said pair of members adapted to be outwardly thrust and retracted in relatively opposite directions, with respect to the other members, and each said member being secured to, and adapted to communicate thrust and retracting efforts to, the operating arm of the first said crank of the set which is disposed at the side of the main frame towards which said thrust efforts of said member is directed.

ANTHONY L. LADO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 304,048 Tripp Aug. 26, 1884 1,918,169 Arndt July 11, 1933 1,964,440 Patch June 26, 1934 2,128,881 Iverson Aug. 30, 1938 2,247,464 Arndt July 1, 1941 2,340,169 Arndt Jan. 25, 1944

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