US3858665A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Bulldozer frame with strut stress limiter
Assignee: International Motors LLC
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Filing: 1973-04-30
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Granted: 1975-01-07
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Expires: 1993-04-30
Abstract
Abstract Diagonal strut between bulldozer blade and push arm incorporating prestressed Belleville washers. The Belleville washers allow the strut to shorten when, during tilting of the bulldozer, side loads cause the push arm to assume an angle of somewhat less than 90* to the bulldozer. Great strain would otherwise occur in the push arm, particularly at the region to which the diagonal strut is connected. The Belleville washers are prestressed so that deflection thereof under compression loading and the resultant shortening of the diagonal strut can occur without an increase in the loading of the diagonal strut.
Inventors
- 👤 Bernard L Winker
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 11:59
CPC Classifications
E; E02; E02F; E02F3/00; E02F3/04; E02F3/76; E02F3/80; E02F3/815; E02F3/8157; C; C09; C09K; C09K8/00; C09K8/60
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
227 words
In an assembly comprising a bulldozer blade, a push arm having its front end connected to one end portion of the bulldozer blade, and a power unit connecting the push arm with the said one end portion of the bulldozer blade for tilting the same, an improved arrangement of the bulldozer blade and the push arm, in combination with a diagonal strut connecting regions of the push arm and the bulldozer blade spaced from said end of the push arm and said one end portion of the bulldozer blade and having spring means incorporated therein that deflects under compression loading so as to shorten the diagonal strut, the deflection being in proportion to load up to a certain point, thence occurring in amount about at constant load to another point, and thence occurring in still further amount in proportion to load, the spring means being preloaded up to about the said certain point even with the diagonal strut disconnected from the push arm and the bulldozer blade, shortening of the strut by decrease of the angle between the push arm and the bulldozer blade due to tilting of the bulldozer blade being accompanied by compressive deflection of the spring means without increase in loading between the said certain point and the said other point, and a similar arrangement at the other end portion of the bulldozer blade.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
227 words
In an assembly comprising a bulldozer blade, a push arm having its front end connected to one end portion of the bulldozer blade, and a power unit connecting the push arm with the said one end portion of the bulldozer blade for tilting the same, an improved arrangement of the bulldozer blade and the push arm, in combination with a diagonal strut connecting regions of the push arm and the bulldozer blade spaced from said end of the push arm and said one end portion of the bulldozer blade and having spring means incorporated therein that deflects under compression loading so as to shorten the diagonal strut, the deflection being in proportion to load up to a certain point, thence occurring in amount about at constant load to another point, and thence occurring in still further amount in proportion to load, the spring means being preloaded up to about the said certain point even with the diagonal strut disconnected from the push arm and the bulldozer blade, shortening of the strut by decrease of the angle between the push arm and the bulldozer blade due to tilting of the bulldozer blade being accompanied by compressive deflection of the spring means without increase in loading between the said certain point and the said other point, and a similar arrangement at the other end portion of the bulldozer blade.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
A combination as specified in claim 1, the spring means comprising nested Belleville springs.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
217 words
In an assembly comprising a bulldozer blade, a push arm having its front end connected to one end portion of the bulldozer blade, and a power unit connecting the push arm with the end portion of the bulldozer blade for tilting the same, an improved arrangement of the bulldozer blade and the push arm, in combination with a diagonal strut connecting regions of the push arm and the bulldozer spaced from said end of the push arm and said one end portion of the bulldozer blade and comprising a first part having at one end a connecting portion and at the other end an axial recess and a retaining collar, a stack of Belleville springs in the axial recess, and a second part having at one end a connecting portion and at the other end an enlarged head positioned in the axial recess within the retaining collar against the stack of Belleville springs, the retaining collar keeping the enlarged head within the axial recess, the springs being under compression even with the enlarged head and the retaining collar engaged, the springs being further compressible by movement of the enlarged head thereagainst away from the retaining collar, such movement involving shortening of the diagonal strut, and a similar arrangement at the other end portion of the bulldozer blade.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
217 words
In an assembly comprising a bulldozer blade, a push arm having its front end connected to one end portion of the bulldozer blade, and a power unit connecting the push arm with the end portion of the bulldozer blade for tilting the same, an improved arrangement of the bulldozer blade and the push arm, in combination with a diagonal strut connecting regions of the push arm and the bulldozer spaced from said end of the push arm and said one end portion of the bulldozer blade and comprising a first part having at one end a connecting portion and at the other end an axial recess and a retaining collar, a stack of Belleville springs in the axial recess, and a second part having at one end a connecting portion and at the other end an enlarged head positioned in the axial recess within the retaining collar against the stack of Belleville springs, the retaining collar keeping the enlarged head within the axial recess, the springs being under compression even with the enlarged head and the retaining collar engaged, the springs being further compressible by movement of the enlarged head thereagainst away from the retaining collar, such movement involving shortening of the diagonal strut, and a similar arrangement at the other end portion of the bulldozer blade.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
A combination as recited in claim 3, the stack comprising a first plurality of nested Belleville springs angled in one direction and a second plurality of nested Belleville springs angled in the opposite direction.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
45 words
A combination as specified in claim 3, the stack comprising several pluralities of nested Belleville springs, the sprinGs of one set of alternate pluralities being angled in one direction and the springs of the other set of alternate pluralities being angled in the opposite direction.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
119 words
A combination as specified in claim 3, the stack of Belleville washers deflecting under compression loading so as to shorten the diagonal strut, the deflection being in proportion to load up to a certain point, thence occurring in still further amount in proportion to load, the stack of Belleville washers being preloaded up to about the said certain point even with the diagonal strut disconnected from the push arm and the bulldozer, shortening of the strut by decrease of the angle between the push arm and the bulldozer due to tilting of the bulldozer being accompanied by compressive deflection of the stack of Belleville washers without increase in loading between the said certain point and the said other point.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
206 words
In an assembly comprising a bulldozer, push arms having their front ends connected to end portions of the bulldozer, and power units connecting the push arms with the end portions of the bulldozer for tilting the same, the combination with the bulldozer and the push arms of two diagonal struts, one being connected to the bulldozer and one push arm in spaced relation to the connection therebetween, the other being connected to the bulldozer and the other push arm in spaced relation to the connection therebetween, each diagonal strut comprising a first part having at one end a connecting portion and at the other end an axial recess and a retaining collar, a stack of Belleville springs in the axial recess, and a second part having at one end a connecting portion and at the other end an enlarged head positioned in the axial recess within the retaining collar against the stack of Belleville springs, the retaining collar keeping the enlarged head within the axial recess, the springs being under compression even with the enlarged head and the retaining collar engaged, the springs being further compressible by movement of the enlarged head thereagainst away from the retaining collar, such movement involving shortening of the diagonal strut.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
206 words
In an assembly comprising a bulldozer, push arms having their front ends connected to end portions of the bulldozer, and power units connecting the push arms with the end portions of the bulldozer for tilting the same, the combination with the bulldozer and the push arms of two diagonal struts, one being connected to the bulldozer and one push arm in spaced relation to the connection therebetween, the other being connected to the bulldozer and the other push arm in spaced relation to the connection therebetween, each diagonal strut comprising a first part having at one end a connecting portion and at the other end an axial recess and a retaining collar, a stack of Belleville springs in the axial recess, and a second part having at one end a connecting portion and at the other end an enlarged head positioned in the axial recess within the retaining collar against the stack of Belleville springs, the retaining collar keeping the enlarged head within the axial recess, the springs being under compression even with the enlarged head and the retaining collar engaged, the springs being further compressible by movement of the enlarged head thereagainst away from the retaining collar, such movement involving shortening of the diagonal strut.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
41 words
A combination as specified in claim 7, the connecting portion of the first part of each diagonal strut being connected to the bulldozer, the connecting portion of the second part of each diagonal strut being connected to the associated push arm.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
46 words
A combination as specified in claim 8, the connecting portion of each diagonal strut connected to the bulldozer being in the form of a spherical ball, the connecting portion of each diagonal strut connected to the associated push arm being in the form of an eye.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
64 words
A combination as specified in claim 9, said ball having a threaded shank in threaded engagement with the balance of the first part of the diagonal strut for adjustment of the length of the diagonal strut, each diagonal strut further comprising holding means preventing adjustment of the connecting portion with respect to the balance of the first part by turning of the connecting portion.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
171 words
In a bulldozer, having a blade and push arm means, the improvement comprising constant force means for serving as diagonal resilient strut, disposed between respective end attachment points therefor on a supported side loadable bulldozer blade and on push arm means tiltably supporting same, said push arm means reacting to blade tilt, by bowing outwardly against the tilt-caused-load of compression in said means in resisting change of distance between its end attachment points; said constant force means having a mechanical spring preload offering a resisting force with no more than minor difference in magnitude between it and the tilt-caused-load; the change of distance between said means end attachment points due to a superimposed side-load-caused load attended by change in length of said constant force means with no appreciable change in the resisting force offered by said means, said constant force means having a preload stack of cone spring mEans comprising frusto conical springs, pluralities of adjacent ones of which are, respectively in parallel nested arrangement and in conical-spring series opposing arrangement.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
171 words
In a bulldozer, having a blade and push arm means, the improvement comprising constant force means for serving as diagonal resilient strut, disposed between respective end attachment points therefor on a supported side loadable bulldozer blade and on push arm means tiltably supporting same, said push arm means reacting to blade tilt, by bowing outwardly against the tilt-caused-load of compression in said means in resisting change of distance between its end attachment points; said constant force means having a mechanical spring preload offering a resisting force with no more than minor difference in magnitude between it and the tilt-caused-load; the change of distance between said means end attachment points due to a superimposed side-load-caused load attended by change in length of said constant force means with no appreciable change in the resisting force offered by said means, said constant force means having a preload stack of cone spring mEans comprising frusto conical springs, pluralities of adjacent ones of which are, respectively in parallel nested arrangement and in conical-spring series opposing arrangement.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
The invention of claim 11, the constant force means characterized by: a ball joint on an end of the diagonal resilient strut forming the end attachment point at that end.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
The invention of claim 11, the spring preload characterized by the full resisting force available from preload being slightly in excess of the tilt-caused-load.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
131 words
Method of maintaining rigidity up to a predetermined stress and thereafter providing automatic strut-stress-limiting in a bulldozer parallelogram frame comprising a supported blade push arm means tiltably supporting the blade, and a diagonal, constant force, long strut interconnecting the blade and push arm means to reinforce the frame across a corner angle, said method including the steps of: applying load to the frame by tilt loading which is compressively resisted by the long strut; affording predetermined initial resistance at constant length, at said corner by maintaining the angularity by means of the resisting long strut; applying load to the frame by a superimposed side loading, which also is compressively resisted by the long strut; and affording ultimate resistance at constant ultimate force, at said corner by foreshortening the resisting long strut.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
131 words
Method of maintaining rigidity up to a predetermined stress and thereafter providing automatic strut-stress-limiting in a bulldozer parallelogram frame comprising a supported blade push arm means tiltably supporting the blade, and a diagonal, constant force, long strut interconnecting the blade and push arm means to reinforce the frame across a corner angle, said method including the steps of: applying load to the frame by tilt loading which is compressively resisted by the long strut; affording predetermined initial resistance at constant length, at said corner by maintaining the angularity by means of the resisting long strut; applying load to the frame by a superimposed side loading, which also is compressively resisted by the long strut; and affording ultimate resistance at constant ultimate force, at said corner by foreshortening the resisting long strut.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-01-06 | 1978-07-08 | 1979-01-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-01-06 | 1982-07-08 | 1983-01-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-01-06 | 1986-07-08 | 1987-01-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |