US3099358A

US3099358A - Means for shifting the axis of boom means or the like

Info

Publication number: US3099358A
Application number: US46498A
Authority: US
Inventors: John D Clark
Original assignee: International Harverster Corp
Current assignee: Navistar Inc
Priority date: 1960-08-01
Filing date: 1960-08-01
Publication date: 1963-07-30
Anticipated expiration: 1980-07-30

Description

July 30, 1963 J. D. CLARK 3,099,358

MEANS FOR SHIFTING THE AXIS OF BOOM MEANS OR THE LIKE Filed Aug. 1, 1960 56 V 7 541% 1 MGM Unite States ate This invention concerns structures having booms or .the like for lifting or carrying loads, for instance, or to which other structure is attached for various purposes. The invention especially pertains to excavation equipment, such as backhoes.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a structure having boom means or the like in which the axis of horizontal swinging movement of the boom means is laterally shiftable, as for instance in the case of backhoes to permit digging along walls, foundations, or the like as well as in the ordinary centered position of the boom means.

Another object is to provide for the above shitting of the axis of the horizontal swinging movement without dismantling or disconnecting heavy boom means and any attached structure from the supporting structure of the same, moving the same to the side, and remounting it, with all the attendant difliculty, time, and great efliort involved in such a major operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a structure having horizontally swingable boom means or the like and means for effecting horizontal swinging movement of the boom means, in which the axis of the horizontal swinging movement of the boom means is laterally shiftable and the means for effecting the swinging movement of the boom means is also effective to produce the shifting of the axis.

Another object is to provide a structure having boom means or the like in which the YELXI'JS of horizontal swinging movement of the boom means is laterally shiftable under the action of the means normally Producing the swinging movement of the boom means and further, in which the boom means is automatically retained at least substantially parallel to the position thereof prior to shifting of the axis during and upon completion of the shifting movement of the axis, so as to eliminate at least any major adjustment of the boom means in the case of a backhoe, when the boom means and attached structure thereof are in an unturned, straight rearward position prior to the shifting of the axis, in order to dig along walls, foundations, or the like parallel thereto and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle on which the backhoe is mounted and to the [direction of movement of the vehicle along the wall or the like.

Another object is to provide a structure having boom means or the like in which the axis of horizontal swinging movement of the boom means is laterally shiftable, such shifting of the axis being effected in an exceptionally fast and effortless manner.

Another object is to provide a structure having boom means or the like in which the axis of horizontal swinging movement of the boom means is laterally shiftable merely by removing pin means, operating the means for normally swinging the boom means about its axis, and repinning the boom means in that position.

Another object is to provide a structure having boom means or the like in which the axis of horizontal swinging movement of the boom means is laterally shiftable and the operation of means for effecting the swinging movement of the boom means about its axis is unafiected by the shifting of the axis and remains fully operative in any shifted position thereof.

Another object is to provide a structure :as above set 2 forth which is of very simple and inexpensive construction.

Other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will be apparent from the following illustrative description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of a backhoe constructed in accordance with a. preferred form of the invention and taken on line 11 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the same taken on line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

Referring to the drawing figures in detail, the reference numeral 1 designates a wheeled tractor having a pair of side rails 7 suitably attached thereto. A transversely extending vertical plate 9 is attached to the rear ends of each of the rails 7 by means of cars 10 welded to the plate and connected to the rails 7 by bolts. Diagonal support members 12, only one of which is shown in the drawing, extend from the top of the plate 9 on each side thereof to each of the rails 7, respectively, to complete the support of the plate on the tractor.

Upper and lower, spaced,

parallel members

15 and 16 are suitably secured to the plate 9 at the top and bottom thereof by welding. These members are of identical outer contour which is substantially semi-circular or dome shaped. The upper member 15 is a solid plate while the lower member 16 is of open construction consisting of a generally semicircular or dome shaped portion 17 and a crossplate 18 extending between the sides thereof at the front and attached thereto by welding. A plurality of arcuately arranged holes 20 are positioned along the rear periphery of each of the

members

15 and 16, the holes in each member having corresponding holes in the other member which are in vertical alignment or coaxial relation therewith. The purpose of these holes will be brought out hereinafter.

Mounted on the upper plate member 15 is a control cab 22 including the controls 23 for operating'the backhoe. Vertically extending plates 21 are joined to the members 15' and 16 at top and bottom by welding for further support of the latter members in their spaced- .apart parallel relation. Laterally extending stabilizers 26 including their pads 27 (only one of which is shown) are pivotally connected to joined plates 21 and 9 for the customary function, being operated by the usual cylinders 28 also connected to the plates 21, respectively. A dome shaped shroud or enclosing sheet 29 extends between the

spaced members

15 and 16 and the side plates 21 being suitably joined thereto as by welding and being slot-ted at 30 and 31 for a purpose which will become apparent below. The structure thus far described principally constitutes support means for the remaining portions of of the backhoe.

Upper and lower block members 32 having rearwardly extending, spaced ears 33- are secured to the plate 9 by welding. A link member generally designated 34 is connected between the ears 33 of the upper and lower block members 3-2 by means of pivot elements 37 for horizontal swinging movement about the vertical axis through the elements 37. Removable pins 39 are received within the center holes 20 in the upper and

lower members

15 and 16 of the supporting structure, extending through the upper and lower arms 40 of the link member 34 to retain the latter member in a centered or neutral position, shown in full lines in FIGURE 1 for normal use of the backhoe.

Boom means generally designated 45 is supported on the link member 34 for horizontal swinging movement. More particularly, this connection is made between the swing tower portion 46 of the boom means and the link member 34, the former portion having upper and lower lugs 47 received between upper and lower sets of spaced ears 48, respectively, of the link member '34 and pivotally connected thereto by means of vertically extending coaial pivot elements 50. The boom 80 of the boom means is connected to the swing tower portion 46 for vertical swinging movement by means of a horizon-tally extending pivot element 51 extending through the members. A hydraulic cylinder 53 is pivotally connected between the swing tower 46 and a portion of the boom 80 (not shown) for operating the boom about the horizontal pivot in accordance with present practice. A dip stick (not shown) is pivotally connected to the rear end of the boom 80 and a digging bucket (also not shown) is pivotally connected to the dip stick and hydraulic cylinders (also not shown) appropriately connected for operating the dip stick and bucket.

A sprocket 56 is fixedly attached to the swing tower 46 by being keyed to the lower pivot element 50 which is in turn keyed to the swing tower 46. The element 59 is freely rotatable within the lower ears 48 of the link member 34 in order to provide for the horizontal swinging movement of the boom means relative thereto.

Thus, any torque applied to the periphery of sprocket 56 effects relative movement between swing tower 46 and link member 34. As is evident from well-known operating characteristics of backhoes and analogous equipment, in which the mass of the boom assembly (e.g. the boom, dipper stick, bucket, and actuating components) is large with respect to the mass of link member 34, if link member 34 is free to turn about both its pivotal connections as the described relative movement is eiiected (that is, with locking pins 39 removed), then the efiect will be angular displacement of link member 34 and a substantial transverse displacement of the boom assembly, for example, as indicated by the displacement of boom 50 from the solid line position to the dash-dot line position in FIGURE 1. Alternatively, when the locking pins 39 are inserted in position as shown in FIGURE 2, then the effect of the relative movement between the swing tower and the link member 34 is to translate this motion into angular displacement of the swing tower and the attached boom assembly, thereby eflecting angular displacement of the boom assembly.

Horizontally spaced, coplanar block members 59 are attached to the plate 9 by welding. Single acting hydraulic cylinders 60 and 61 are pivotally connected to the blocks 59 for horizontal swinging movement by means of the vertical pivot elements 64. The piston rods 65 of the cylinders 60 and 61 are suitably attached to: a flexible linked chain 67 extending around and engaging the teeth of a portion of the sprocket 56 as shown.

As previously pointed out, for normal operation of the backhoe the link member 34 is in the centered full line position shown in FIGURE 1. For swinging the boom means 45 and the attached linkage or gear horizontally to the right or left as seen in FIGURE 1, the hydraulic cylinders 60 and 61 are actuated, respectively. During actuation of each of the cylinders which pulls the respective ends of the flexible chain 67', the other of the cylinders, which is not being actuated, is connected to sump to allow the cylinder to be freely extended by the pulling force of the flexible chain unharnpered.

Should it be desired to dig a trench or otherwise excavate along a foundation or wall of a building for instance, the boom means 45 and attached linkage is very easily positioned for such excavation. In accordance with the present invention the upper and lower pins 39* extending between the upper and lower spaced

members

15 and 16 of the support structure and the link member 34- and which may be retained in position merely by gravity are simply slipped out of their holes and one or the other of the cylinders 60 and 61 actuated for the shifting action in the desired direction. FIGURE 1 includes a phantom line showing of the movable parts of the backhoe in a shifted position to the right for excavating along a foundation or a wall on the right thereof. The stabilizer 26 on the side to which the boom means and attached linkage is shifted should also be raised out of the way so as not to be an obstruction. Upon shifting of the movable parts, the pins 35 are dropped through the holes 20 corresponding to the new position and through the arms 43 to secure the link member 34 and other parts in the shifted position during operation of the backhoe in the normal fashion. The backhoe can be shifted from the righthand position back to the center position or to the other side by again removing the pins 39 and actuating the proper cylinder until the desired position is achieved, at which time the pins 39 are again dropped through the proper holes 20 and arms 40'.

It should be evident that the same actuating means, the hydraulic cylinders 60 and 61, are used for swinging the boom means 45 and attached linkage horizontally during normal operation of the excavating device and also to shift the same to the right or left for the digging along foundations, walls, or the like. The shifting movement is of course produced by operating the proper cylinder with the pins 39 removed which produces a double pivoting about the fixed pivot at '37 and swinging pivot at 50 in opposite directions about the two pivot points respectively. By the use of the construction shown with the sprocket 56 or other circular or oppositely disposed arcuate means and flexible force transmittable means as the chain 67, the angular pivotal movement about the two pivot points at 37 and 50 is approximately equal, to thus automatically substantially retain the boom means 45 and attached linkage in parallel relation to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle 1 and supporting structure mounted thereon when the boom means and attached linkage are in the straight rearwardly extending position shown in full lines in FIGURE 1 prior to the shifting. This automatic substantially parallel relation which is maintained during the shifting movement and had at the end thereof eliminates the need of any major special adjustment in order to place the boom means 45 and attached linkage in such a parallel relation with the axis of the vehicle in order to dig parallel thereto and to the wall or foundation.

Additional holes 20' may be provided in the upper and lower spaced

members

15 and 16 of the supporting structure for pinning the link member 34 in any desired position intermediate the neutral or straight rearwardly extending position and the extreme righthand and lefthand positions.

It is pointed out that the actuating cylinders 60' and 61 are fully effective in any swung or shifted position, after pinning by means of the pins 39, and without any alteration or adjustment of any sort to operate the boom means 45 and attached linkage in horizontal movement, if desired.

It is therefore seen that the present invention provides a very rapid, simple, and inexpensive way of shifting the vertical pivot point of the boom means or the like in which time consuming, difficult and most distasteful and expensive disconnection and remounting of the boom means on the supporting structure is eliminated, such shifting being effected by the ordinary means for swinging the boom means and also automatically substantially preserving the relation of the boom means and attached linkage parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and supporting means without need of additional adjustment.

Although a single illustrative form has been described and shown in the drawing, it is not desired to be limited to this construction in the appended claims inasmuch as other forms and modifications may be had. For instance, although a circular sprocket 56 has been shown and described, arcuate portions can be fixedly supported on opposite sides of the boom means or of the center line thereof, being supported inwardly of the side surfaces, with the axis of both arcuate portions being the axis of the pivot pins 5t) and separate lengths of flexible chain or cable connected between each of the cylinders 60 and 61 or other suitable actuating means and the respective arcuate portions towards the rear thereof instead of having the flexible lengths joined at the rear as they are in the disclosed form and extending around a completely circular sprocket member. The arcuate portions also need not necessarily be in a single plane.

Although the detailed description has been a backhoe construction, the invention may be applied to any similar excavating device or other construction employing a boom whether vertically pivotable or not or other constructions having an elongated swingable member.

It is also pointed out and it should be clearly under stood that such terms as horizontal, vertical and the like appearing in the specification and also the appended claims are merely convenient terms relative to the horizontal or level position of the vehicle and supporting structure shown in the drawing and are not to be taken in an absolute sense so as to limit certain structure in the claims to a horizontal or vertical disposition. This is believed obvious inasmuch as the vehicle 1, for instance, to which the backhoe device, for instance, is mounted can be and usually is on ground which is not level or even if it should be level the stabilizers 26 on each side thereof may be adjusted by means of their operating hydraulic cylinders so as to produce a variance from a level position.

The appended claims should therefore be interpreted only by their terms construed in the broad overall spirit of the present invention in its various aspects.

What is claimed is:

1. A control arrangement for displacing a driven element from an initial position relative to a support structure, said structure defining a reference pivot axis, comprising: a first link member, having a mass small with respect to the mass of said driven element, coupled to said support structure along said reference pivot axis; a second link member, coupled to said driven element, and coupled to said first link member along an intermediate pivot axis displaced from said reference pivot axis; means for effecting relative displacement of said first and second link members; and locking means for selectively restraining said first link member against movement, operable in a first position to translate said relative displacement into rotation of said driven element, and operable in a second position to translate said relative displacement into transverse displacement of said driven element.

2. A control arrangement for displacing a driven element from an initial position relative to a support structure, said structure defining a reference pivot axis, comprising: a first link member, having a mass small with respect to the mass of said driven element, pivotally coupled to said support structure along said reference pivot axis; a second link member, coupled to said driven element; means including a pivot element for intercoupling said second link member with said first link member along an intermediate pivot axis displaced from said reference pivot axis, said pivot element being keyed to said second link member for concomitant angular displacement therewith; means for effecting rotation of said pivot element and thereby effecting relative displacement of said first and second link members; and locking means for selectively restraining said first link member against movement, operable in a first position to translate said relative displacement into rotation of said driven element, and operable in a second position to translate said relative displacement into transverse displacement of said driven element.

3. A control arrangement for displacing a driven element from an initial position relative to a support structure, said structure defining a reference pivot axis, comprising: a first link member, having a mass small with respect to the mass of said driven element, pivotally coupled to said support structure along said reference pivot axis; a second link member, coupled to said driven element; means, including a pivot element keyed to said second link member, for coupling said first link member With said second link member along an intermediate pivot axis displaced from said reference pivot axis; means for imparting rotation to said pivot element to effect relative displacement of said first and second link members, including a first and a second hydraulic unit aflixed to said support structure and selectively operable to regulate the direction and extent of said rotation; and locking means for selectively restraining said first link member against movement, operable in a first position to translate said relative displacement into rotation of said driven element, and operable in a second position to translate said relative displacement into transverse displacement of said driven element.

4. A control arrangement for displacing a boom assembly from an initial position relative to a support structure, said structure defining a reference pivot axis, comprising: a first link member, having a mass small with respect to the mass of said boom assembly, coupled to said support structure along said reference pivot axis; a second link member, coupled at one end to said boom assembly, and coupled at the other end to said first link member along an intermediate pivot axis displaced from said reference pivot axis; motion-transmitting means, including at least one selectively operable hydraulic actuator, coupled between said support structure and said second link member, and selectively operable to effect relative displacement of said first and second link members; and locking means, operable in a first position to secure said first link member in position with respect to said support structure and thereby translate said relative movement into rotation of said second link member about said intermediate pivot axis to rotate the boom assembly to a displaced position which is angularly related to said initial position, and operable in a second position to enable rotation of said first link member about both said reference pivot axis and said intermediate pivot axis, thereby translating said relative movement into rotation of said first link member about said reference pivot axis as said boom assembly is displaced transversely to a second position substantially parallel to said initial position.

5. A control arrangement for displacing a driven element relative to a support structure, comprising: a first link member, having a mass small With respect to the mass of said driven element, pivotally coupled to said support structure; a second link member, coupled to said driven element, and pivotally coupled to said first link member; means for effecting relative displacement of said first and second link members; and locking means for selectively restraining said first link member against movement.

6. A control arrangement for a backhoe unit for displacing the boom assembly from an initial position with respect to the backhoe support structure, said support structure defining a reference pivot axis and a plurality of spaced-apart locking apertures, comprising: a link member, having a mass small with respect to the mass of the boom assembly and defining a reference aperture therein pivotally coupled to said support structure along said reference pivot axis; a swing tower, coupled to said boom assembly; means, including at least one pivot element keyed to said swing tower, for coupling said swing tower to said link member along an intermediate pivot axis displaced from said reference pivot axis; motion-transmitting means for effecting angular displacement of said pivot element and thereby effecting relative displacement between said swing tower and link member; and locking means, including a pin selectively insertable through said reference aperture into one of said locking apertures, for selectively restraining said link member against movement with respect to said support structure, thus to transslate said relative displacement int-o rotation of the boom assembly when said pin is in the locking position, and to translate said relative displacement into transverse movement of the boom assembly when the locking pin is removed from said IaPent'ures.

7. A control arrangement as set forth in claim 6 and and effect the desired relative displacement between the in which said motion-transmitting means comprises an swing tower and the link member. aircu-ate element alfixed to said pivot element, a. pair of hydraulic control units each having a base portion afiixed References Cited in the file of this patent to said supp0rt structure and a selectively extensible 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS cyhndemcal portion, and la flexible link coupled at one I end to one of said cylindrical portions and extending over 2,505,107 f May 1950 and in engagement with said arcuate member and con- 26745OO Hukan 9 nected at its other end to the other of said cylindrical oi-- 2834480 PTZYbYISQ May 1958 tions, whereby operation of one of said hydraulic units 10 effects displacement of said flexible link and of said FOREIGN PATENTS 'arcuate element, thereby to displace said pivot element 1,014,229 France May 28, 1952

Claims

1. A CONTROL ARRANGEMENT FOR DISPLACING A DRIVEN ELEMENT FROM AN INITIAL POSITION RELATIVE TO A SUPPORT STRUCTURE, SAID STRUCTURE DEFINING A REFERENCE PIVOT AXIS, COMPRISING: A FIRST LINK MEMBER, HAVING A MASS SMALL WITH RESPECT TO THE MASS OF SAID DRIVEN ELEMENT, COUPLED TO SAID SUPPORT STRUCTURE ALONG SAID REFERENCE PIVOT AXIS; A SECOND LINK MEMBER, COUPLED TO SAID DRIVEN ELEMENT, AND COUPLED TO SAID FIRST LINK MEMBER ALONG AN INTERMEDIATE PIVOT AXIS DISPLACED FROM SAID REFERENCE PIVOT AXIS; MEANS FOR EFFECTING RELATIVE DISPLACEMENT OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND LINK MEMBERS; AND LOCKING MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY RESTRAINING SAID FIRST LINK MEMBER AGAINST MOVEMENT, OPERABLE IN A FIRST POSITION TO TRANSLATE SAID RELATIVE DISPLACEMENT INTO