US3823647A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electromagnetic bucket positioner for heavy equipment vehicles and the like
Assignee: Caterpillar Inc
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Filing: 1972-08-29
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Granted: 1974-07-16
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Expires: 1992-08-29
Abstract
Abstract An electromagnetic bucket positioner includes an electromagnet disposed to selectively latch, when energized, a control valve of a bucket positioning system. A normally-open switch is included in the system, and is adapted for closure via selected movement of a manually operable control lever, thereby energizing the electromagnet to latch the control lever in the select position. A normally-closed switch is disposed in series with the normallyopen switch, and is adapted to be opened upon selected translation of the cylinder rod of the associated hydraulic cylinder, to thus interrupt current flow to the electromagnet, to de-energize same and release the control lever. The control valve returns to a neutral position, stopping the flow of hydraulic fluid to the respective cylinder, to stop further movement, tilt, etc., of the vehicle bucket. An electronic relay circuit may be included to introduce current to the electromagnet when energized via closure of the switches. In the latter embodiment, the relay circuit is de-energized after the electrical circuit is interrupted by opening the respective normally-closed switch.
Inventors
- 👤 T Campbell
- 👤 J Russey
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 01:56
CPC Classifications
G; G05; G05G; G05G9/00; G05G9/02; G05G9/04; G05G9/047; E; E02; E02F; E02F9/00; E02F9/20; E02F9/2004; F; F15; F15B; F15B13/00; F15B13/02; F15B13/06; F15B21/00; F15B21/08; G05G5/00; G05G5/06; G05G2009/04703; G05G2009/04714; G05G2700/00; G05G2700/04; G05G2700/08
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
243 words
An electromagnetic positioner for selectively positioning a given vehicle component wherein the vehicle includes an electrical energy source, a source of pressurized hydraulic fluid, hydraulic cylinder means including a translatable cylinder rod coupled to the given vehicle component to selectively position the latter, and self-centering control valve means hydraulically coupled to the hydraulic cylinder means to selectively extend and retract the cylinder rod thereof, comprising the combination of; electromagnet means disposed to hold the control valve means in a given operating position when energized via selected movement of the control valve means; normally-open magnetically-responsive switch means associated with the control valve means; first magnetic field means including a first permanent magnet and lever means directly and positively coupled to the control valve means for selected movement therewith to a position adjacent the normally-open switch means to close the latter in response to the selected movement of the control valve means; normally-closed magnetically-responsive switch means associated with the hydraulic cylinder means and disposed in series with the normally-open switch means, the electromagnet means and the electrical energy source; second magnetic field means including a second permanent magnet coupled to the cylinder rod for selected movement therewith to a position adjacent the normally-closed switch means to open the latter in response to selected translation of the cylinder rod of the hydraulic cylinder means; said normally-open and normally-closed switch means being disposed to respectively energize and de-energize the electromagnet means in response to the selected movements.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
243 words
An electromagnetic positioner for selectively positioning a given vehicle component wherein the vehicle includes an electrical energy source, a source of pressurized hydraulic fluid, hydraulic cylinder means including a translatable cylinder rod coupled to the given vehicle component to selectively position the latter, and self-centering control valve means hydraulically coupled to the hydraulic cylinder means to selectively extend and retract the cylinder rod thereof, comprising the combination of; electromagnet means disposed to hold the control valve means in a given operating position when energized via selected movement of the control valve means; normally-open magnetically-responsive switch means associated with the control valve means; first magnetic field means including a first permanent magnet and lever means directly and positively coupled to the control valve means for selected movement therewith to a position adjacent the normally-open switch means to close the latter in response to the selected movement of the control valve means; normally-closed magnetically-responsive switch means associated with the hydraulic cylinder means and disposed in series with the normally-open switch means, the electromagnet means and the electrical energy source; second magnetic field means including a second permanent magnet coupled to the cylinder rod for selected movement therewith to a position adjacent the normally-closed switch means to open the latter in response to selected translation of the cylinder rod of the hydraulic cylinder means; said normally-open and normally-closed switch means being disposed to respectively energize and de-energize the electromagnet means in response to the selected movements.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
81 words
The electromagnetic positioner of claim 1 further including a second pair of normally-open and normally-closed switch means disposed in parallel with the first normally-open and normally-closed switch means, and a second pair of first and second magnetic field means disposed to selectively close and open the second pair of normally open and closed switch means respectively, wherein closure of either of the normally-open switch means energizes the electromagnet means and opening both of the normally-closed switch means de-energizes the electromagnet means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
78 words
The electromagnetic positioner of claim 2 wherein the vehicle includes a pair of hydraulic cylinder means havIng respective cylinder rods selectively coupled to the given vehicle component for cooperative lift and tilt operations, the combination further including a pair of self-centering control valve means, said electromagnet means being disposed to hold the control valve means in given operating positions upon selected movement of the latter in response to closure of at least one of the normally-open switch means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
58 words
The electromagnetic positioner of claim 3 further including, a single control lever disposed for fore-and-aft and side-to-side movement, and mechanical linkage means coupling the single control lever to the pair of self-centering control valve means to allow respective translation of the pair of valve means in response to selected fore-and-aft and side-to-side movement of the single control lever.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
86 words
The electromagnetic positioner of claim 3 wherein the electromagnet means includes a single electromagnet disposed to hold both the control valve means in their operating positions, the positioner further including a parallel hydraulic fluid flow system coupled between the source of hydraulic fluid and the pair of hydraulic cylinder means to channel all the flow of hydraulic fluid to one cylinder means when the cylinder rod of the other has translated to either limit, notwithstanding the position of the control valve means associated with the latter.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
45 words
The electromagnetic positioner of claim 1 further including solid state relay means disposed to connect the electromagnet means and the electrical energy source in response to closure of the normally-open switch means, and to disconnect them in response to opening of the normally-closed switch means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
75 words
The electromagnetic positioner of claim 6 wherein the solid state relay means includes a first transistor coupled to the normally-open and normally-closed switch means and responsive thereto, and a second transistor coupled to the first transistor and responsive thereto to provide completion of the electrical circuit between the electromagnet means and the electrical energy source, the relay means being activated upon closure of the normally-open switch means and deactivated upon opening the normally-closed switch means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
51 words
The electromagnetic positioner of claim 1 wherein the second magnetic field means further includes a third permanent magnet coupled to the cylinder rod in spaced relation to the second permanent magnet to provide a further selected position for the given vehicle component upon a subsequent re-opening of the normally-closed switch means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-07-15 | 1978-01-14 | 1978-07-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-07-15 | 1982-01-14 | 1982-07-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-07-15 | 1986-01-14 | 1986-07-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |