Hydraulic clamping apparatus for a side-shiftable mechanical digger

Claim 2

In a mechanical digger including a mobile vehicle, a transverse main frame supported on the vehicle and having guide means extending transversely therealong and a slide frame mounted for movement along said guide means, the improvement comprising: said guide means including first and second transverse surface means at the upper forward and lower rear portions of said main frame, said slide frame including first and second complementary surface means respectively positioned for abutting engagement with said first and second transverse surface means upon moving said slide frame to a clamped position located upwardly and rearwardly relative to said main frame and releasable clamping means mounted between said slide frame and guide means and oriented for moving said slide frame to said clamped position.

Claim 3

The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said clamping means is oriented for moving the slide frame upwardly and rearwardly at an angle of approximately 45*.

Claim 4

The invention defined in claim 2 wherein the clamping means includes a clamping block having an angular recess at one end and said guide means includes a complementary angular part received in said recess.

Claim 5

The invention defined in claim 3 wherein the recess is right angular.

Claim 6

The invention defined in claim 4 wherein the clamping means includes hydraulic loading means.

Claim 7

The invention defined in claim 5 wherein the hydraulic loading means includes a hydraulic piston having one end positioned for applying a bearing force to said clamping block.

Claim 8

The invention defined in claim 6 wherein the clamping block and hydraulic piston are mounted for relative crosswise movement.

Claim 9

The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said first and second surface means of said guide means respectively include a transverse rail at the upper forward portion of the main frame and a transverse groove in the lower rear portion of the main frame and said first and second complementary surfaces of said slide frame respectively including a recess receiving said rail and a projection received in said groove.

Claim 10

The invention defined in claim 8 wherein said groove opens rearwardly and has a lip at its entrance and said projection Has a portion extending into said groove and over said lip, the lip acting to retain the projection within the groove.

Claim 11

The invention defined in claim 9 wherein the projection is removably fastened to the slide frame whereby it may be easily disposed within the groove when assembling the main and slide frames together.

Claim 12

The invention defined in claim 9, wherein said groove and lower projection have complementary upper surfaces inclined upwardly and rearwardly at approximately 45* to the horizontal and the lip has a vertical front surface.

Claim 13

The invention defined in claim 8 wherein said groove opens downwardly and the projection is hooklike and projects upwardly into the groove.

Claim 14

The invention defined in claim 12 wherein said main frame and slide frame have complementary, vertical bearing pads at their respective lower rear and lower front portions and wherein said groove has a vertical front surface and a downwardly and rearwardly inclined top surface which intersects the vertical surface and main frame bearing pad to form an N-shape in cross section and wherein the hooklike projection has complementary vertical front and downwardly and rearwardly inclined top surfaces.

Claim 15

The invention defined in claim 13 wherein the respective bottom and top surfaces of the groove and projection define an included angle of approximately 45* with the respective vertical surfaces.

Claim 16

The invention defined in claim 8 wherein the rail is generally rectangular in cross section and the recess is shaped complementary to said rail.

Claim 17

The invention defined in claim 15 wherein said groove opens rearwardly and has a lip at its entrance and said projection has a portion extending into said groove and over said lip, the lip acting to retain the projection within the groove.

Claim 18

The invention defined in claim 16 wherein the projection is removably fastened to the slide frame whereby it may be easily disposed within the groove when assembling the main and slide frames together.

Claim 19

The invention defined in claim 17 wherein said groove and lower projection have complementary upper surfaces inclined upwardly and rearwardly at approximately 45* to the horizontal and the lip has a vertical front surface.

Claim 20

The invention defined in claim 15 wherein said groove opens downwardly and the projection is hooklike and projects upwardly into the groove.

Claim 21

The invention defined in claim 19 wherein said main frame and slide frame have complementary, vertical bearing pads at their respective lower rear and lower front portions and wherein said groove has a vertical front surface and a downwardly and rearwardly inclined top surface which intersects the vertical surface and main frame bearing pad to form an N-shape in cross section and wherein the hooklike projection has complementary vertical front and downwardly and rearwardly inclined top surfaces.

Claim 22

The invention defined in claim 20 wherein the respective bottom and top surfaces of the groove and projection define an included angle of approximately 45* with the respective vertical surfaces.

Claim 23

In a mechanical digger including a mobile vehicle, a transverse main frame supported on the vehicle and having guide means extending transversely therealong and a slide frame mounted for movement along said guide means, the improvement comprising: releasable clamping means for selectively clamping the slide frame to said main frame including a hydraulic cylinder and piston carried by said slide frame, said piston being positioned for axial movement towards and crosswise to said transverse main frame, a clamping block carried by said slide frame having one side in engagement with said guide means and the opposite side in axial alignment with said piston and a bearing plate being positioned between said clamping block and piston whereby pressurized extension of said piston will result in a force being applied to said clamping block to force it into clamping engagement with said guIde means.

Claim 24

In a mechanical digger including a mobile vehicle, a transverse main frame supported on the vehicle and having guide means extending transversely therealong and a slide frame mounted for movement along said guide means, the improvement comprising: releasable clamping means for selectively clamping the slide frame to said main frame including a hydraulic cylinder and piston carried by said slide frame, said piston being positioned for axial movement towards and crosswise to said transverse main frame, a clamping block carried by said slide frame having one side in engagement with said guide means and the opposite side in axial alignment with said piston and a bearing plate being positioned between said clamping block and piston whereby pressurized extension of said piston will result in a force being applied to said clamping block to force it into clamping engagement with said guIde means.

Claim 25

The invention defined in claim 22 wherein the force-applying end of said piston is spherical and wherein the mounting of the clamping block and bearing plate permits the piston to move crosswise relative to the clamping block and bearing plate.

Claim 26

The invention defined in claim 23 wherein the hydraulic piston and cylinder is oriented at an acute angle with reference to the horizontal.

Claim 27

The invention defined in claim 24 wherein said acute angle is approximately 45*.

Claim 28

The invention defined in claim 24 wherein the clamping block has an angular recess at said one side and said guide means includes a complementary angular part received in said recess.

Claim 29

The invention defined in claim 26 wherein the recess is right angular.

Claim 30

In a mechanical digger including a mobile vehicle, a transverse main frame supported on the vehicle and having guide means extending transversely therealong, and a slide frame mounted for movement along said guide means, the improvement comprising: releasable clamping means for selectively clamping the slide frame to said main frame including at least one hydraulically loadable piston carried by said slide frame, control valve means for selectively connecting said piston to a source of fluid pressure or to a fluid return including a valve bore intersected by axially spaced supply and exhaust bores and having an inlet for connection to a source of fluid pressure, said supply and exhaust bores being respectively in fluid communication with said piston and return, a first valve seat and check valve in said valve bore between said inlet and supply bores and a second valve seat and check valve in said valve bore between said supply and exhaust bore, bias means urging said first and second check valves against the first and second valve seats for preventing flow between the inlet and supply bores and the supply and exhaust bores, respectively, said bias means having a force lesser than the inlet pressure whereby the first check valve will be unseated when subjected to inlet pressure and means for simultaneously unseating said second check valve and seating said first check valves whereby clamping fluid pressure is exhausted from the piston.

Claim 31

In a mechanical digger including a mobile vehicle, a transverse main frame supported on the vehicle and having guide means extending transversely therealong, and a slide frame mounted for movement along said guide means, the improvement comprising: releasable clamping means for selectively clamping the slide frame to said main frame including at least one hydraulically loadable piston carried by said slide frame, control valve means for selectively connecting said piston to a source of fluid pressure or to a fluid return including a valve bore intersected by axially spaced supply and exhaust bores and having an inlet for connection to a source of fluid pressure, said supply and exhaust bores being respectively in fluid communication with said piston and return, a first valve seat and check valve in said valve bore between said inlet and supply bores and a second valve seat and check valve in said valve bore between said supply and exhaust bore, bias means urging said first and second check valves against the first and second valve seats for preventing flow between the inlet and supply bores and the supply and exhaust bores, respectively, said bias means having a force lesser than the inlet pressure whereby the first check valve will be unseated when subjected to inlet pressure and means for simultaneously unseating said second check valve and seating said first check valves whereby clamping fluid pressure is exhausted from the piston.

Claim 32

The invention defined in claim 28 wherein the last-mentioned means includes a pair of pistonlike members having opposed stems and having head ends positioned against said first and second check valves, said bias means including a coilspring disposed about said stems and urging said pistonlike members oppositely, a check valve unseating member positioned for engagement with that side of the second check valve opposite said second pistonlike member, a plunger axially shiftable in said bore and being operatively associated with said valve unseating member for selectively shifting it to unseat said second check valve and lever means operatively associated with said plunger for selectively shifting it axially toward said valve unseating member.

Claim 33

The invention defined in claim 29 wherein a coil spring having a stiffness greater than the inlet pressure is positioned with opposite ends in bearing relationship with the valve unseating member and said plunger.

Claim 34

The invention defined in claim 30 wherein the lever means includes a pivoted lever having a cam surface positioned so as to contact and move the plunger axially after a predetermined rotation of the lever.

Claim 35

The invention defined in claim 28 and further including a bore joining said supply and exhaust bores and a relief valve means in said bore for allowing escape of fluid pressure over a predetermined value from the supply bore to the exhaust bore.