Backhoe bucket apparatus

Claim 2

In a bucket apparatus for a backhoe and similar apparatus, including a bucket, bucket attachment means and hydraulic power means, the improvement comprising: first plate means secured to said bucket attachment means; first hydraulic cylinder means having piston rod means adapted to exert pressure axially in a first direction thereof, and second hydraulic cylinder means adapted to exert pressure in a second direction opposite to said first direction; said first and second hydraulic cylinder means being hydraulically attached to said hydraulic power means; a first end of said first hydraulic cylinder means being hingedly secured to said first plate means; a second end of said first hydraulic cylinder means being hingedly secured to said bucket; hinge means secured to said bucket and hingedly securing said first plate means to said bucket and disposed so that said bucket is rotatable about said hinge means in a first direction of rotation upon operation of said first hydraulic cylinder means, and in a second direction of rotation upon operation of said second hydraulic cylinder means; and second plate means interposed between said first plate means and said bucket attachment means and substantially parallel to said first plate means; bearing means secured to said first plate means and adapted to accommodate said second plate means at its outer edges; shaft means disposed with respect to said first and second plate means and adapted with said bearing means secured to said first plate means to permit rotation of said first plate means relative to said second plate means about the axis of said shaft; third and fourth hydraulic cylinder means hingedly secured at a first end of each to said first plate means and at a second end of each to said bucket attachment means and disposed so that said first plate means is rotatable about the axis of said shaft in a first direction of rotation upon operation of said third hydraulic cylinder means, and in a second direction of rotation upon operation of said fourth hydraulic cylinder means.

Claim 3

In the bucket apparatus of claim 1, said first and second hydraulic cylinder means together being at least one double-acting hydraulic cylinder.

Claim 4

In the bucket apparatus of claim 1, said first and second hydraulic cylinder means being a pair of double-acting hydraulic cylinders placed one on each side of said bucket attachment means.

Claim 5

In the bucket apparatus of claim 3, the axis of said hinge means hingedly securing said bucket to said first plate means and the axes of said hinge means hingedly securing said first and second ends of each of said pair of double-acting hydraulic cylinder means being all substantially parallel.

Claim 6

In the bucket apparatus of claim 3, the axis of said shaft and the axes of said hinge means hingedly securing said first and second ends of eAch of said pair of double-acting hydraulic cylinder means being all substantially parallel.

Claim 7

In the bucket apparatus of claim 1, said third and fourth hydraulic cylinder means together being at least one double-acting hydraulic cylinder.

Claim 8

In a backhoe apparatus including a bucket having a mouth, bucket attachment means, hydraulic power means and a frame, said bucket attachment means being secured to the end of boom means, said boom means being supported by the frame of said backhoe, the improvement comprising: means supporting said backhoe; means for extending the swinging of said bucket at the end of said boom means about an axis of rotation not parallel to the longitudinal axis of said boom means, and means for permitting an offset of the mouth of said bucket from being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said boom means, including: first plate means secured to said bucket attachment means; first hydraulic cylinder means having piston rod means adapted to exert pressure axially in a first direction thereof, and second hydraulic cylinder means adapted to exert pressure in a second direction opposite to said first direction; said first and second hydraulic cylinder means being hydraulically attached to said hydraulic power means; a first end of said first hydraulic cylinder means being hingedly secured to said first plate means; a second end of said first hydraulic cylinder means being hingedly secured to said bucket; hinge means secured to said bucket and hingedly securing said first plate means to said bucket and disposed so that said bucket is rotatable about said hinge means in a first direction of rotation upon operation of said first hydraulic cylinder means, and in a second direction of rotation upon operation of said second hydraulic cylinder means, the axis of rotation of said bucket being the axis of said hinge means; second plate means interposed between said first plate means and said bucket attachment and substantially parallel to said first plate means; bearing means secured to said first plate means and adapted to accommodate said second plate means at its outer edges; shaft means disposed with respect to said first and second plate means and adapted with said bearing means secured to said first plate means to permit rotation of said first plate means relative to said second plate means about the axis of said shaft; third and fourth hydraulic cylinder means hingedly secured at a first end of each to said first plate means and at a second end of each to said bucket attachment means and disposed so that said first plate means is rotatable about the axis of said shaft in a first direction of rotation upon operation of said third hydraulic cylinder means, and in a second direction of rotation upon operation of said fourth hydraulic cylinder means; rotation of said first plate means in either direction of rotation about the axis of said shaft being such as to offset the axis of the hinge means hingedly securing said first plate means to said bucket, and the mouth of said bucket, from being perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said boom means; and shock absorber means secured to said frame of said backhoe to absorb shocks between said frame and said means supporting said backhoe, and tiedown means secured between said backhoe frame and said means supporting said backhoe.

Claim 9

In a backhoe apparatus including a bucket having a mouth, bucket attachment means, hydraulic power means and a frame, said bucket attachment means being secured to the end of boom means, said boom means being supported by the frame of said backhoe, the improvement comprising: means supporting said backhoe; means for extending the swinging of said bucket at the end of said boom means about an axis of rotation not parallel to the longitudinal axis of said boom means, and means for permitting an offset of the mouth of said bucket from being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said boom means, including: first plate means secured to said bucket attachment means; first hydraulic cylinder means having piston rod means adapted to exert pressure axially in a first direction thereof, and second hydraulic cylinder means adapted to exert pressure in a second direction opposite to said first direction; said first and second hydraulic cylinder means being hydraulically attached to said hydraulic power means; a first end of said first hydraulic cylinder means being hingedly secured to said first plate means; a second end of said first hydraulic cylinder means being hingedly secured to said bucket; hinge means secured to said bucket and hingedly securing said first plate means to said bucket and disposed so that said bucket is rotatable about said hinge means in a first direction of rotation upon operation of said first hydraulic cylinder means, and in a second direction of rotation upon operation of said second hydraulic cylinder means, the axis of rotation of said bucket being the axis of said hinge means; second plate means interposed between said first plate means and said bucket attachment and substantially parallel to said first plate means; bearing means secured to said first plate means and adapted to accommodate said second plate means at its outer edges; shaft means disposed with respect to said first and second plate means and adapted with said bearing means secured to said first plate means to permit rotation of said first plate means relative to said second plate means about the axis of said shaft; third and fourth hydraulic cylinder means hingedly secured at a first end of each to said first plate means and at a second end of each to said bucket attachment means and disposed so that said first plate means is rotatable about the axis of said shaft in a first direction of rotation upon operation of said third hydraulic cylinder means, and in a second direction of rotation upon operation of said fourth hydraulic cylinder means; rotation of said first plate means in either direction of rotation about the axis of said shaft being such as to offset the axis of the hinge means hingedly securing said first plate means to said bucket, and the mouth of said bucket, from being perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said boom means; and shock absorber means secured to said frame of said backhoe to absorb shocks between said frame and said means supporting said backhoe, and tiedown means secured between said backhoe frame and said means supporting said backhoe.

Claim 10

In the backhoe apparatus of claim 7, said means for supporting said backhoe arranged to support said backhoe over path means along which open-topped container means are movable.

Claim 11

In the backhoe apparatus of claim 8, said shock absorber means comprising pneumatic means secured to said backhoe frame; and where said path means comprises track means, and said open-topper container means comprise gondola-type railway cars and the like.

Claim 12

In the backhoe apparatus of claim 9, said pneumatic means comprising pneumatic tires secured to the frame of a conventional wheeled backhoe, said tires being at least partially retained in trough means therefor; and where said tiedown means comprises cable or chain means, or the like, arranged to preclude movement of said pneumatic tires away from said trough means.