Backhoe actuator

Claim 2

In a backhoe having a generally vertical support attachment, a swing tower having a pair of interconnected, vertically spaced support members, one of said support members being pivotally connected to said support attachment about a generally vertical pivot axis, a backhoe boom operably mounted on said swing tower for earth working, the improvement of means for pivoting said swing tower relative to the support attachment including a hydraulic motor actuator having an output component driving a planetary gear reducer said planetary gear reducer having a rotary power output shaft coaxial with said vertical swing tower pivot axis and nonrotatably connected to the other of said support members, said hydraulic motor actuator and planetary gear reducer being nonrotatably connected to said support attachment and being nested between the vertically spaced swing tower support members so that the moment arm from the backhoe center of gravity to the support attachment may be reduced.

Claim 3

In a backhoe as defined in claim 1, wherein said swing tower is C-shaped in a vertical plane through the swing tower pivot axis, the further improvement of said hydraulic motor actuator and planetary gear reducer being nested within said C-shaped configuration.

Claim 4

In a backhoe as defined in claim 2, wherein said support attachment is mounted to an end of a prime mover for slideable side-to-side movement along an axis generally Perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said prime mover, said backhoe further including a dipper pivotally mounted to said boom and an earth working implement, such as a bucket or the like, operably mounted on said dipper, said backhoe boom and dipper being pivotable to a retracted transport position, the further improvement of said planetary gear output shaft being rotatable 180* or more to swing said backhoe boom and dipper within a range of positions between 90* or more to either side of said prime mover longitudinal axis, said backhoe boom, dipper and earth working implement, in said transport position, being totally within the width defined by the opposed sides of said prime mover when said support attachment is at the extremity of its sliding movement toward one side of said prime mover and said boom and dipper are rotated 90* relative to said longitudinal axis toward the other side of said prime mover.

Claim 5

In an earth working implement, including a support structure having a pair of horizontally oriented, vertically spaced support plates, a swing tower having a C-shaped configuration in a vertical plane, said configuration defining a vertically oriented swing tower base and two horizontally disposed legs, the upper leg of said C-shaped swing tower being pivotally mounted to the uppermost of said support plates about a vertical pivot axis, the other of said swing tower legs being disposed only beneath the lowermost support plate, a planetary gear reducer rigidly mounted to said lower support plate and a rotary power source connected to and actuating said gear reducer, said rotary power source and said gear reducer being nested within said C-shaped swing tower between said pair of support plates, said gear reducer having a rotary output component driven by said rotary power source, said output component (a) being coaxial with said pivot axis, (b) extending beneath said lower support plate, and (c) being non-rotatably connected to the other of said swing tower legs for pivoting said swing tower.

Claim 6

In an earth working implement, including a support structure having a pair of horizontally oriented, vertically spaced support plates, a swing tower having a C-shaped configuration in a vertical plane, said configuration defining a vertically oriented swing tower base and two horizontally disposed legs, the upper leg of said C-shaped swing tower being pivotally mounted to the uppermost of said support plates about a vertical pivot axis, the other of said swing tower legs being disposed only beneath the lowermost support plate, a planetary gear reducer rigidly mounted to said lower support plate and a rotary power source connected to and actuating said gear reducer, said rotary power source and said gear reducer being nested within said C-shaped swing tower between said pair of support plates, said gear reducer having a rotary output component driven by said rotary power source, said output component (a) being coaxial with said pivot axis, (b) extending beneath said lower support plate, and (c) being non-rotatably connected to the other of said swing tower legs for pivoting said swing tower.

Claim 7

In a backhoe including a support having a horizontally disposed load bearing plate, a swing tower having a C-shaped configuration in a vertical plane, an upper portion of said C-shaped swing tower being pivotally mounted to said load bearing plate about a vertical pivot axis, a backhoe boom, dipper and bucket operably mounted to said swing tower for earth working, said support being slidably mounted on a lateral frame secured to a prime mover, the support being horizontally slideable along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the prime mover, wherein the improvement comprises: a rotary power member and gear reducer rigidly mounted to said support and being nested with the C-shaped configuration of said swing tower; said gear reducer having a rotary output shaft driven by said rotary power member, said output shaft being coaxial with said vertical pivot axis and being connected to said C-shaped swing tower for pivoting the backhoe boom, dipper and bucket 180* relative to said rotary power member and gear reducer; and said output shaft being rotatable to swing the backhoe boom, dipper, and bucket to 90* on either side of said prime mover longitudinal axis, said backhoe boom, dipper, and bucket being pivotable relatively to one another to a collapsed transport position, and being totally within the lateral width of the lateral frame when (1) said support is at either extremity of its limited horizontal movement, (2) said boom, dipper, and bucket are pivoted to their respective transport positions, and (3) said boom, dipper and bucket are swung 90* relative to said longitudinal axis toward the other side of said prime mover.

Claim 8

In a backhoe including a support having a horizontally disposed load bearing plate, a swing tower having a C-shaped configuration in a vertical plane, an upper portion of said C-shaped swing tower being pivotally mounted to said load bearing plate about a vertical pivot axis, a backhoe boom, dipper and bucket operably mounted to said swing tower for earth working, said support being slidably mounted on a lateral frame secured to a prime mover, the support being horizontally slideable along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the prime mover, wherein the improvement comprises: a rotary power member and gear reducer rigidly mounted to said support and being nested with the C-shaped configuration of said swing tower; said gear reducer having a rotary output shaft driven by said rotary power member, said output shaft being coaxial with said vertical pivot axis and being connected to said C-shaped swing tower for pivoting the backhoe boom, dipper and bucket 180* relative to said rotary power member and gear reducer; and said output shaft being rotatable to swing the backhoe boom, dipper, and bucket to 90* on either side of said prime mover longitudinal axis, said backhoe boom, dipper, and bucket being pivotable relatively to one another to a collapsed transport position, and being totally within the lateral width of the lateral frame when (1) said support is at either extremity of its limited horizontal movement, (2) said boom, dipper, and bucket are pivoted to their respective transport positions, and (3) said boom, dipper and bucket are swung 90* relative to said longitudinal axis toward the other side of said prime mover.

Claim 9

In a combination tractor and backhoe having a guide frame mounted across the back end of the tractor perpendicular to the tractor longitudinal axis, a support slideable along the guide frame for positioning the backhoe at dIfferent positions relative to the tractor longitudinal axis, a C-shaped swing tower opening generally toward said tractor and being pivotally mounted to said slideable support about a vertical axis, said swing tower supporting the backhoe boom and dipper stick, the improvement of a rotary power means carried by the slideable support and being nested within the C-shaped swing tower for pivoting the swing tower and backhoe about said vertical pivot axis, wherein said rotary power means includes a rotary hydraulic motor actuator and a gear reducer, and said gear reducer having an output shaft non-rotatably interconnected with the swing tower, and said backhoe being positioned within the lateral width of the guide frame in a transport position defined by (a) said slideable support being at one side of the tractor at the extremity of its sliding movement along the guide frame, and (b) the swing tower, backhoe boom and dipper stick being pivoted toward the other side of the tractor and being generally positioned perpendicular to the tractor longitudinal axis.

Claim 10

In a combination tractor and backhoe having a guide frame mounted across the back end of the tractor perpendicular to the tractor longitudinal axis, a support slideable along the guide frame for positioning the backhoe at dIfferent positions relative to the tractor longitudinal axis, a C-shaped swing tower opening generally toward said tractor and being pivotally mounted to said slideable support about a vertical axis, said swing tower supporting the backhoe boom and dipper stick, the improvement of a rotary power means carried by the slideable support and being nested within the C-shaped swing tower for pivoting the swing tower and backhoe about said vertical pivot axis, wherein said rotary power means includes a rotary hydraulic motor actuator and a gear reducer, and said gear reducer having an output shaft non-rotatably interconnected with the swing tower, and said backhoe being positioned within the lateral width of the guide frame in a transport position defined by (a) said slideable support being at one side of the tractor at the extremity of its sliding movement along the guide frame, and (b) the swing tower, backhoe boom and dipper stick being pivoted toward the other side of the tractor and being generally positioned perpendicular to the tractor longitudinal axis.

Claim 11

An earth working assembly operably mounted to one end of a prime mover, said earth working assembly including a member having a first load bearing surface, and earth working attachment having a pair of vertically spaced, interconnected attachment members, one of said attachment members being pivotally mounted to said first load bearing surface about a generally vertical pivot axis, said pivot axis intersecting the other of said attachment members, a rotary power hydraulic motor actuator drivingly interconnected with a planetary gear reducer, said power actuator and reducer being nested between the vertically spaced attachment members so that the moment arm between the earth working assembly center of gravity and the prime mover is reduced to correspondingly reduce stress on the pivotal connection between said support and attachment, said reducer having an output shaft and said hydraulic motor having an output component for driving the reducer output shaft through the planetary gear arrangement, wherein the torque requirements for manipulating said earth working assembly may be generated by a relatively compact power source and gear reducer nested between the attachment members, said output shaft being coaxial with said pivot axis and being operably connected to the other of said attachment members for pivoting said earth working attachment within a range of 180* or more to a plurality of attitudes relative to said prime mover.

Claim 12

An earth working assembly operably mounted to one end of a prime mover, said earth working assembly including a member having a first load bearing surface, and earth working attachment having a pair of vertically spaced, interconnected attachment members, one of said attachment members being pivotally mounted to said first load bearing surface about a generally vertical pivot axis, said pivot axis intersecting the other of said attachment members, a rotary power hydraulic motor actuator drivingly interconnected with a planetary gear reducer, said power actuator and reducer being nested between the vertically spaced attachment members so that the moment arm between the earth working assembly center of gravity and the prime mover is reduced to correspondingly reduce stress on the pivotal connection between said support and attachment, said reducer having an output shaft and said hydraulic motor having an output component for driving the reducer output shaft through the planetary gear arrangement, wherein the torque requirements for manipulating said earth working assembly may be generated by a relatively compact power source and gear reducer nested between the attachment members, said output shaft being coaxial with said pivot axis and being operably connected to the other of said attachment members for pivoting said earth working attachment within a range of 180* or more to a plurality of attitudes relative to said prime mover.

Claim 13

The earth working assembly and prime mover defined in claim 7, characterized by said motor being hydraulically interconnected and driven by a hydraulic power source on the prime mover.

Claim 14

The earth working assembly and prime mover defined in claim 7, characterized by said earth working attachment including a swing tower having a C-shaped configuration in a vertical plane through the attachment pivot axis, said hydraulic motor actuator and planetary gear reducer being nested within said C-shaped configuration.

Claim 15

The combination defined in claim 9, characterized by said earth working assembly including a backhoe having a boom pivotally mounted to said swing tower, a dipper pivotally mounted to said dipper and a bucket pivotally mounted to said dipper, said backhoe components being pivotable to a transport position, said support being slideably mounted on said prime mover along an axis perpendicular to the prime mover longitudinal axis, said actuator output shaft being 180* to swing said backhoe components within a range of positions between 90* to either side of said prime mover longitudinal axis, said backhoe components, in said transport position, being totally within the width defined by the opposed sides of said prime mover when said support is at either extremity of its sliding movement toward one side of said prime mover and said backhoe components are pivoted 90* relative to said longitudinal axis toward the other side of said prime Mover.