US2499433A - Hydraulic clamshell bucket - Google Patents

Description

March 7,' 1950 R. w. wAlTE .E1-Al` 2,499,433

HYDRAULIC CLAMSHELL BUCKET Filed June 29, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN V EN TORJ /Pober W Waite a Francis l?. Hampton man ATTORNEYS March 7, 1950 R. w. wAlTE ET AL 2,499,433

HYDRAULIC CLAMSHELL BUCKET Filed June 29, 1948 2 Sheets-Shea?I 2 INVENTORS /Pobert Waite a Franc/'s A? Ham/:fon

Arorneys Patente'drMar. 7, 1.950

eArENir *fHRAULIC GLAMSHEEDBUCK'ET :Application ."Junn, 1948,1Serial 15105355824 Cl. :37m-185') Our invention :re1aites'-.to hydraulic f.c1am shell buckets wherein "a hydraulic cylinder isl operatively '-ccmnectedI to-afpairci bucket'sectionsifor actuating thesameftoopen and"closed :positi'm-is.`

.alien thehun-'terminate 'cios-mg, yWinamax-Jy i ilicient quantity of material' is picked nu y f, he'buckiet.' "Thefirst=deeribed*formf"has.the Objection thatwhenusdunder water;,'it does-not necessarily stay'entirel'yopen;'whereby'airr inslifl'f cient' quantity ofmaterialis'nicked up.

*With vthe foregoing in YvieW-,v-'it-issnl object of our inven'tcn' toprovide yan improved ifiydraiilically-actuated clam lshell lbucket whereby -the bucket is -"both openedH `and yclosed 'by hydraulic pressure A further object is toprovide' such an improved `hydraulcally=operated 4"ciarn 'shell 'bucket "which includesga hydratilic'cylinder and piston, said pistonbeing` operatively `connected-itc the vbucket sections,v Ymeans'operatively connecting the cylinder to the ini-'ckerv `sections and means "fo-rf actuating thecylinderandpiston verticaily in opposite Y'Clirerztions 'simulta-nermsl'y, lwhereby to provide a quick opening and' closing -of rvthe `bucket sections. 1

.Other cbjectsemd advantagesreside in the-.particular structure "of thev invention, combination and arrangement o'f the several parts thereof, and will be: readily understood'by' those-ski1ied `in the art upon V`referencetcwtlfie attached drawing .in connection hWitl'i the 'following specication, wherein ther invent-ion.' lis' f' shown, vldescribed :and claimed.

Inv the drawing:

vE'Igure 1 atransversevertical-sectional view 1 'througi'r a bucket according' tothe 4iifrvention,fthe

iastementionedfform, it necessitatesfanup- 'ligure' `is :an enlarged horizontal nsectional AView'take-n.substantiaiiy on the plane ofthe vline -of Figure '2.

`Referring; specicaily-.to the drawing, yWi'ierein like reference characters have been used throughouttheseveral `views tov designate like parts, I0 'designates'a cable havingahook i I carried-bythe bgki't thereof, which lis detachably i secured to va platef iZdependingf-therefrom. 'Theplate 12 has journaied therein :transversely thereof a 'stub :shaft t3., the opposite ends for-:which have pivoted thereto depending'fhangers `v11i, there Ebeing two hangers f 2M 'rplivcrtedy to eachendofjthe stub fshaft lI'3., The hangers M. extend2downwardlyfand their' llowersends arepiyotedfbyanywsnitablapvot:pins tte ears I5.' fixed .to-.substantially"identicalbucket :sections :H of theciarn sheiibucket., ""Each bucket 11 T includes; a: side v@Wall terminating #an up." wardly'edirected ear I8 Whenrthe bucket is fin' the :closed orEigurejZposition. 'Thexears 1180i one :bucket-.section aredisposed laterally inwardly .of -thexcorresponding-earsift of the .other section, .asisreadilyseen in Figure 4. :Theoutermost'ears 1.8' ane'frxed -toy ya bucketirshaftfportion 'lwhich is :solid-and spans the ears. .The innermostears tIIB :are eachxedi'to tubuiarsieenes #SN-Which extend inwardlyalong Athe :solid ,shaft:.:l&, but which .terminate `in laterally-,spaced relationxto each other. Thus, the; solid `shaft 'IIS andsleeves. I9 comprise .ariane-lietfshaatt:whereby` the .fbncketzsections ["1 r` `are 'hngedlyfconnected:togetherxfor swinging movement/to and fromthe; Figure. 1 .and Figure v2. posiationgwherebythe bucket- .is openedand clos-ed.

',Theplate lirxaioresaid hasixed thereto beicw `they stub shat 13,;-za1g11de membern which in the embodiment iliustrated -cumprises'an inverted .cup-shapedmember: havingy cylindrical yside. walls. 1A :hydraulic rcylinderZil .is -vertically yslidable `rela,- tivetothe guidemember:2l)l inwardly thereof. A hydraulic piston 22 fis. vertically slidable inwardly ofthe':cylindenltfandzhas-.a vpiston rod 23 depending therefromend :extending axially "outwardlygand. downwardly: relative toxt'he `cylinder :2L 'The cylinder `12:1 is-provded-with atL least one. depending `rod member-24 Which extends :downwardly therefromptowardithe bucket shaft. The lower endrof therod member. .'24, .isf vformed 'with'.a .ringf''whichzis jomnaled-onone 'of the asleeves |59. Thusythef'cylnder 2i is pivotal'ly :connected Vto the zizbucket. shaft in verticallyspacedv relation thereto.

The. :lower :end of' the vpstorrrcd -23 is. provided with a 'yoke 2li;Y the legs of Awhich :arespanned by: apivutxpin 21. vA pair :of .oppositely 4laterally :outwardly-directed. vlazypin 21. The outer ends of the levers 28 are pivoted by any suitable means 30 to the free ends of a pair of bell crank levers 29 and 29'. The inner end of the bell crank lever 29 is xedly connected to the solid shaft I9, while the inner ends of the bell crank 29 are fixedly connected to at least one of the sleeves i9'. In the embodiment shown, the bell crank lever 29 comprises a pair of arms whereby each arm is xedly connected to one of the sleeves |9.

As best seen in Figures 2 and 5, the cylinder 2| is provided with a pair of inlet ports 3B and 3|, the port 3| opening into the cylinder adjacent the lower end thereof and the port `3%) opening thereinto adjacent the upper end thereof. The ports 30 and 3| are connected to any suitable source of hydraulic fluid under pressure, not shown, by tubular and iexible conduits 32 which are connected to the cylinder by any suitable ttings 33. It is to be understood in this connection that suitable valve means, not shown, are intended to be located adjacent the operators station for the bucket, whereby he may selectively admit fluid under pressure to either end of the cylinder 2|.

In the operation of the device, and with particular reference to Figures 1 and 2, it is apparent that with the parts in the Figure 1 position, when hydraulic fluid under pressure is admitted to the cylinder 2| through the port 3| adjacent the upper end of the cylinder, the fluid will simultaneously move the cylinder 2i upwardly while the piston 22 is loaded for movement downwardly. The upward movement of the cylinder 2| on account of the connection 24 between the same and the bucket shaft elevates the bucket shaft, whereby the bucket sections H tend to be closed by swinging of such sections on the pivot pins 'I5 of the hangers I4. At the same time, the downward thrust on the piston 22 in the cylinder 2| loads the lazy-tong levers 28 and bell cranks 29 and 29, so that the solid bucket shaft portion I9 tends to be rotated in one direction, while the tubular sleeves I9 tend to be rotated in the opposite direction, whereby positive torque loads in closing directions are imposed on the sleeves I9 and shaft portion |9 of the bucket sections as the cylinder 2| moves upwardly. At first, the piston is unable to move, as such movement would result in upward pivotal movement of the pins l5 which is prevented by the hangers I4. However, the linear thrust on the piston is translated into oppositely-directed torques on sleeves I9 and shaft i9 which tends to assist the cylinder to close the |bucket as the bucket shaft I9, I9" is moved upwardly. Also, as the bucket sections approach the closed position, Figure 2, the pivots i5 pass a dead center, after which the piston moves downwardly slightly as the cylinder completes its upward stroke, whereby the final closing of the bucket sections is materially assisted by the slight piston movement. On the contrary, when the parts are in the Figure 2 position and the bucket sections are closed, fluid is admitted to the cylinder 2l through the lower port 30. This action simultaneously moves the cylinder 2| downwardly as the piston 22 is loaded for upward movement. Such upward load on the piston imparts reverse torques to the bucket shaft portions, whereby, to assist the movement of the bucket sections |'l to an open position which is inicident to the simultaneous downward movement of the cylinder 2|. As in the closing of the bucket sections, movement of the piston occurs only -near the end of the stroke after the pivots l5 have passed a dead center. However, such slight movement of the piston insures a full opening of the bucket sections, and thus materially assists the downward movement of the cylinder, which is transmitted to the bucket shaft by the depending rods 24 aforesaid. Thus, in the movement to the open position, a positive opening of the bucket is provided.

This positive action of the bucket in the opening and closing movements is highly desirable, as aforesaid, when operating under water, as in dredging. Likewise, we prefer the use of hydraulic fluid rather than a gaseous medium such as steam, because of the fact that condensation of the steam prevents it from being effectively used under water. The hydraulic fluid used by us is substantially unaffected by water temperatures, whereby it may be used in many places where steam cannot be used.

While we have shown and described what is now thought to be a preferred embodiment of our invention, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible'of other forms and expressions. Consequently, we do not limit ourselves to the precise structures shown and described hereinabove except as hereinafter claimed.

We claim;

1. In a hydraulic clam shell bucket includin a pair of bucket sections hinged to a bucket shaft for swinging movement in opposite directions to open and close said bucket, and a hanger pivotally connecting each bucket section to a hoist, the improvement comprising `a vertical tubular guide depending from said hanger above said sections, va hydraulic` cylinder slidably mounted in said guide for vertical sliding movement therein, means rigid with said cylinder for pivotally connecting said cylinder to said bucket shaft, a pair of bell cranks, there being a bell crank fixed to each of said 4bucket sections, a piston in said cylinder, a piston rod depending from said cylinder and extending axially outwardly thereof, a lazy tongs connecting said rod to said bell cranks, and means for selectively admitting hydraulic fluid under pressure to opposite ends of said cylinder, whereby to actuate said cylinder and piston relatively in opposite directions for rapid opening and closing of said bucket.

2. A hydraulic clam shell bucket including a pair of bucket sections hinged to a bucket shaft for swinging movement in opposite directions to open and close said bucket, and a hanger pivotally connecting each bucket section to a hoist, the improvement comprising a vertical guide depending from said hanger above said sections, a hydraulic cylinder slidably mounted in said guide for vertical sliding movement therein, means rigid with said cylinder for pivotally connecting said cylinder to said bucket shaft, a pair of bell cranks, there being a bell crank xed to each of said bucket sections, a piston in said cylinder, a piston rod depending from said cylinder and extending axially outwardly thereof, a lazy tongs connecting said rod to said bell cranks, and means for selectively admitting hydraulic fluid under pressure to opposite ends of said cylinder, whereby to actuate said cylinder and piston relatively in opposite directions for rapid opening and closing of said bucket.

3. A .hydraulic clam shell bucket including a pair of bucket sections hinged to a bucket shaft for swinging movement in opposite directions to open and close said bucket, and a hanger pivotally connecting each bucket section to a hoist, the improvement comprising a vertical `guide depending from said hanger above said section, a hydraulic cylinder slidably mounted in said guide for vertical sliding movement therein, means rigid with said cylinder for pivotally connecting said cylinder to said bucket shaft, said bucket shaft comprising a solid shaft fixed to one bucket section and a pair of tubular sleeves fixed to the other bucket section and journaled on opposite end portions of said solid shaft, a pair of bell cranks, there being a laterally-directed bell crank fixed to said solid shaft, a second and laterally-oppositely-directed bell crank xed to at least one of said sleeves, a piston in said cylinder, a piston rod depending from said cylinder and extending axially outwardly thereof, a lazy tongs connecting said rod to said bell cranks, and means for selectively admitting hy draulic uid under pressure to opposite ends of said cylinder, whereby to actuate said cylinder and piston, relatively in opposite directions for rapid opening and closing of said bucket.

4. In a hydraulic clam shell bucket including a pair of bucket sections, means providing a hinge hingedly connecting said sections together for simultaneous movement in opposite directions to open and close said bucket, and a hanger pivotally connecting each bucket section to a hoist, the improvement comprising a verticallydisposed hydraulic cylinder, means pivotally connecting said cylinder to said hinge in verticallyspaced relation thereto, a piston in said cylinder, a piston rod xed to said piston and depending from said cylinder, a pair of bell cranks, there being a bell crank xed to each bucket section, means pivotally connecting said piston rod to said bell "cranks, means mounting said cylinder on said hanger for vertical movement relative thereto, and means for actuating saidv cylinder and piston relatively in opposite vertical directions for rapid opening and closing of said buckets.

No references cited.

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