Patent US3872991A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3872991A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vehicle loader linkage means
Assignee: Caterpillar Inc
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Filing: 1972-08-28
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Granted: 1975-03-25
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Expires: 1992-08-28
Abstract
Abstract A vehicle has a frame which has mounted adjacent the front thereof a pair of generally upwardly extending lever arms. A pair of lift arms have their rear ends pivotally attached to the lever arms, and extend forwardly therefrom. A carrying bucket is pivotally attached to the forward portions of the lift arms. The lift arms may be raised and lowered by means of a cylinder during which, through the operation of a pair of link members associated with the frame and lift arms, the rear portions of the arms move (i) from a forward position when the lift arms are fully lowered, to (ii) a rearward position when the lift arms are in a position intermediate fully raised and fully lowered, and (iii) a forward position when the lift arms are fully raised, so that the carrying bucket describes a more vertical path during such raising and lowering of the arms than would be the case with normal linkages. Included is another linkage system for properly cooperating with the movement of the lifting arms, meanwhile allowing for proper, smooth movement of the carrying bucket between its carrying and its dumping positions.
Inventors
- 👤 Stamos I Pasideris
- 👤 Jr Albert J Berkel
- 👤 Paul D Hagen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 18:43
CPC Classifications
E; E02; E02F; E02F3/00; E02F3/04; E02F3/28; E02F3/34; E02F3/3405
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
396 words
In combination with a vehicle having a vehicle frame; first and second generally parallel lever arms pivotally fixed to the frame of the vehicle adjacent the forward end thereof, and extending from the frame; first and second generally parallel lift arms having elongated body portions and extending forwardly relative to the vehicle and having rear portions pivotally fixed to the extended portions of the first and second lever arms respectively; implement means associated with the forwardly extending portions of the lift arms; first and second link members pivotally fixed to and extending from the frame, the extended portions thereof being pivotally fixed to the elongated body portions of the first and second lift arms respectively, forwardly of said rear portions thereof; and, means for moving the lift arms and the implement means therewith to fully raised and fully lowered positions relative to the vehicle, the link members being located to position the rear portions of the lift arms, with the lift arms between the fully raised and fully lowered positions, (i) rearwardly of the positions of the rear portions with the lift arms in their fully raised positions, and (ii) rearwardly of the positions of the rear portions with the lift arms in the fully lowered positions, the lever arms pivoting to allow such forward-rearward movement of the rear portions of the lift arms, wherein (i) with the lift arms in the fully lowered positions, each link member is in a lowered position with the extended portion of each link member lower than the link member-frame pivot point, and (ii) with the lift arms in the fully raised positions, each link member is in a raised position with the extended portion of each link member higher than the link member-frame pivot point, wHerein means for moving the lift arms to the fully raised and fully lowered positions relative to the vehicle comprise cylinder means extendible and retractable to move the link members to provide such raising and lowering, wherein one end of the cylinder means is pivotally associated with each link member at a point between and not aligned with (i) that associated link memberframe pivot point and (ii) the extended portion of that link member, the extension of the cylinder means moving the link members from lowered to raised positions, the retraction of the cylinder means moving the link members from raised to lowered positions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
396 words
In combination with a vehicle having a vehicle frame; first and second generally parallel lever arms pivotally fixed to the frame of the vehicle adjacent the forward end thereof, and extending from the frame; first and second generally parallel lift arms having elongated body portions and extending forwardly relative to the vehicle and having rear portions pivotally fixed to the extended portions of the first and second lever arms respectively; implement means associated with the forwardly extending portions of the lift arms; first and second link members pivotally fixed to and extending from the frame, the extended portions thereof being pivotally fixed to the elongated body portions of the first and second lift arms respectively, forwardly of said rear portions thereof; and, means for moving the lift arms and the implement means therewith to fully raised and fully lowered positions relative to the vehicle, the link members being located to position the rear portions of the lift arms, with the lift arms between the fully raised and fully lowered positions, (i) rearwardly of the positions of the rear portions with the lift arms in their fully raised positions, and (ii) rearwardly of the positions of the rear portions with the lift arms in the fully lowered positions, the lever arms pivoting to allow such forward-rearward movement of the rear portions of the lift arms, wherein (i) with the lift arms in the fully lowered positions, each link member is in a lowered position with the extended portion of each link member lower than the link member-frame pivot point, and (ii) with the lift arms in the fully raised positions, each link member is in a raised position with the extended portion of each link member higher than the link member-frame pivot point, wHerein means for moving the lift arms to the fully raised and fully lowered positions relative to the vehicle comprise cylinder means extendible and retractable to move the link members to provide such raising and lowering, wherein one end of the cylinder means is pivotally associated with each link member at a point between and not aligned with (i) that associated link memberframe pivot point and (ii) the extended portion of that link member, the extension of the cylinder means moving the link members from lowered to raised positions, the retraction of the cylinder means moving the link members from raised to lowered positions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
70 words
The combination according to claim 1 wherein each lever arm extends generally upwardly from that lever arm-frame pivot point, with the extended portion of each lever arm moving initially rearwardly as the lift arms are raised from their fully lowered to their positions between fully raised and fully lowered, and then forwardly as the lift arms are raised from between fully raised and fully lowered to their fully raised positions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
102 words
The combination of claim 2 wherein the other end of the cylinder means is pivotably associated with each lever arm between the lever arm-frame pivot point and extended portion thereof so that, with the lift arms in their fully lowered positions, and the link members in their lowered positions, the extension of the cylinder means aids in pivoting the lever arms to move the extended portions of the lever arms and the rear portions of the lift arms rearwardly while moving the link members from their lowered positions, until the lift arms are in their positions between fully raised and fully lowered.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
The combination according to claim 3 wherein said implement means comprise carrying means pivotably mounted to the forwardly extending portions of the lift arms and movable relative to the lift arms to a carrying and to a dumping position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
52 words
The combination according to claim 4 wherein are further included control means for selectively moving the carrying means to the carrying position and dumping position, meanwhile providing that the carrying means, once selectively positioned in the carrying position, remain substantially in such carrying position as the lift arms are raised and lowered.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
136 words
The combination according to claim 5 wherein such control means comprise a control lever pivotally mounted between its ends to a lift arm between the rear portion and forwardly extending portion of the lift arm, second cylinder means one end of which is pivotally mounted to one end of the control lever and the other end of which is pivotally mounted to a lever arm adjacent the extended portion thereof, and a control link one end of which is pivotally mounted to the other end of the control lever and the other end of which is pivotally mounted relative to the carrying means, so that the extension of the second cylinder means moves the carrying means to the carrying position, and the retraction of the second cylinder means moves the carrying means to the dumping position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
66 words
The combination according to claim 6 wherein the second cylinder means, control lever and control link are positioned so that as the second cylinder means are retracted at a relatively constant rate to move the carrying means from the carrying position to the dumping position, the rate of pivoting of the carrying means relative to the lift arms lessens as the dumping position thereof is approached.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
The combination of claim 7 and further including stop means associated with the carrying means and lift arms for limiting movement of the carrying means as said carrying means are moved to said dumping position to so define said dumping position.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
The combination according to claim 8 wherein said stop means comprise a flange extending from said carrying means and adapted to contact a lift arm to define the dumping position.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
285 words
In combination with a vehicle having a vehicle frame: a. first and second generally parallel lEver arms pivotally fixed to the frame of the vehicle and extending from the frame; b. first and second generally parallel lift arms having elongated body portions extending forwardly relative to the vehicle and having rear portions pivotally fixed to the extended portions of the first and second lever arms respectively; c. carrying means pivotally mounted to the forwardly extending portions of the lift arms and movable relative to the lift arms to a carrying position and to a dumping position; d. means for moving the lift arms and the carrying means therewith to fully raised anf fully lowered positions; e. control means for selectively moving the carrying means to the carrying position and dumping position, meanwhile providing that the carrying means, once selectively positioned in the carrying position, remain substantially in such carrying position as the lift arms are raised and lowered, such control means comprising a control lever pivotally mounted between its ends to a lift arm between the rear portion and forwardly extending portion of the lift arm, control cylinder means one end of which is pivotally mounted to one end of the control lever and the other end of which is pivotally mounted to the lever arm adjacent the extended portion thereof, and a control link one end of which is pivotally mounted to the other end of the control lever and the other end of which is pivotally mounted relative to the carrying means, so that extension of the control cylinder means moves the carrying means to the carrying position, and retraction of the control cylinder means moves the carrying means to the dumping position.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
285 words
In combination with a vehicle having a vehicle frame: a. first and second generally parallel lEver arms pivotally fixed to the frame of the vehicle and extending from the frame; b. first and second generally parallel lift arms having elongated body portions extending forwardly relative to the vehicle and having rear portions pivotally fixed to the extended portions of the first and second lever arms respectively; c. carrying means pivotally mounted to the forwardly extending portions of the lift arms and movable relative to the lift arms to a carrying position and to a dumping position; d. means for moving the lift arms and the carrying means therewith to fully raised anf fully lowered positions; e. control means for selectively moving the carrying means to the carrying position and dumping position, meanwhile providing that the carrying means, once selectively positioned in the carrying position, remain substantially in such carrying position as the lift arms are raised and lowered, such control means comprising a control lever pivotally mounted between its ends to a lift arm between the rear portion and forwardly extending portion of the lift arm, control cylinder means one end of which is pivotally mounted to one end of the control lever and the other end of which is pivotally mounted to the lever arm adjacent the extended portion thereof, and a control link one end of which is pivotally mounted to the other end of the control lever and the other end of which is pivotally mounted relative to the carrying means, so that extension of the control cylinder means moves the carrying means to the carrying position, and retraction of the control cylinder means moves the carrying means to the dumping position.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
66 words
The combination according to claim 10 wherein the control cylinder means, control lever, and control link are positioned so that as the control cylinder means are extended at a relatively constant rate to move the carrying means form the carrying position to the dumping position, the rate of pivoting of the carrying means relative to the lift arm lessens as the dumping position thereof is approached.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
42 words
The combination according to claim 11 and further including stop means associated with the carrying means and lift arm for limiting movement of the carrying means as said carrying means are moved to said dumping position, to so define said dumping position.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
The combination according to claim 12 wherein said stop means comprise a flange extending from the carrying means and adapted to contact a lift arm to define the dumping position.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
138 words
The combination according to claim 5 wherein such control means comprise a link pivotally mounted at one end to a lift arm between the rear portion and the forwardly extending portion of the lift arm, second cylinder means one end of which is pivotally fixed to the link between the ends of said link, and the other end of which is pivotally fixed relative to a lever arm adjacent the extended portion thereof, and a control link one end of which is pivotally mounted to the extending end of the link and the other end of which is pivotally mounted relative to the carrying means, so that the retraction of the second cylinder means moves the carrying means to the carrying position, and the extension of the second cylinder means moves the carrying means to the dumping position.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
65 words
The combination according to claim 14 and further including stop means associated with the carrying means and lift arm for limiting movement of the carrying means as the carrying means are moved to said dumping position, to so define said dumping position, said stop means comprising a flange extending from the carrying means and adapted to contact the lift arm to define the dumping position.
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) | 1978-03-24 | 1978-09-23 | 1979-03-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-03-24 | 1982-09-23 | 1983-03-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-03-24 | 1986-09-23 | 1987-03-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |