US3149694A

US3149694A - Bucket adaptor

Info

Publication number: US3149694A
Application number: US236567A
Authority: US
Inventors: Smithee Frederick Loyal
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1962-11-09
Filing date: 1962-11-09
Publication date: 1964-09-22
Anticipated expiration: 1981-09-22

Description

Sept. 22, 1964 F. sMrrHEE 3,149,694

lBUCKET ADAPTOR Filed 9, 1962 5 sheets-sheet 1 A "sr `A #l r ,L

SePt- 22, 1964 F. L. sMl'rHEE 3,149,694

BUCKET ADAPTOR Filed Nov. 9, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet F. L. SMITHEE BUCKET ADAPTOR Sept. 22, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet Filed Nov. 9, 1962 Sept,V 22, 1964 F. l.. sMlTHEE 3,149,694

BUCKET ADAPTOR Filed Nov. 9, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 BUCKET ADAPTOR 5 Sheets-Sheet, 5

Filed NOv- 9, 1962 United States Patent Ol ligwl Patented Sept. 22., 1964 ice 3,?l49,694 BUCKET ADAPTR Frederick Loyal Smithers, ,326 Emiley St., Elk Grove, Calif. Filed Nov. 9, i962, Ser. No. 236,567 l Claims. (Cl. 132-2) This invention relates to a bucket vadaptor and relates more particularly to a man-carrying utility bucket lift adaptable to a truck-mounted hydraulic boom.

t is conventional in many industries, particularly the utility industry, to provide a truck-mounted liftable boom for raising poles such as telephone poles to a vertical position extending high above the ground level. It is also well known in many industries to provide a truck-mounted man-carrying utity bucket liitable to any of a variety of positions for reaching distant objects such as telephone wires, trees or `the like. However, heretofore it has been necessary to provide separate vehicles for each or" these respective functions.

It is an object ofthe instant invention to provide a mancarrying utility bucket lift which may be mounted as an accessory on a conventional hydraulic boom without interfering with the use of the boom for its ordinary purposes.

Another Object of the instant invention is to provide such a device which makes use of the hydraulic extension of the boom .itself for additional lift.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a device of the type described having means to raise or lower it vertically and to turn it in either direction horizontally to position the bucket in any desired location.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an adaptable utility bucket lift wherein the pivotal mounting for the bucket adaptor is always maintained -in ya horizontal position regardless of the position of the boom to facilitate positioning the bucket.

Another object of this invention is the provision of such a device wherein all the elements which might come in contact with live electrical wires are insulated to protect the equipment and the operator.

A further object of the instant invention is to provide a device of the character described which is comparatively inexpensive to manufacture, sturdy in construction and simple and eiiicient in operation.

Other and further objects reside in the combination of elements, arrangements of parts and features of construction.

Still other objects will in part be obvious and will in part beV pointed out as the description of the invention proceeds and as shown in the accompanying drawings wherein there are disclosed preferred embodiments of this inventive concept.

In the drawings:

FIGURE l is a side elevational View or" the device of the instant invention secured to a truck-mounted boom, alternative positions of adjustment being shown in dotted lines;

FGURE 2 is an enlarged elevational view of the boom and bucket lin accordance with the instant invention, partially broken away for illustrative convenience;

FlGURE 3 is a top plan view of a boom in transporting position as shown in dotted lines in FiG. l carrying the bucket adaptor of the instant invention, with parts being broken away;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of the boom and bucket as shown in FIG. 3;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary transverse cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 5 5 of FlG. 4;

FIGURE 6 is a right end View of FG. 5 showing the bucket turned atninety degrees in dotted lines;

FGURE 7 is a cross-Sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 5;

FIGURE 8 is a cross-sectional View taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 5, with parts broken away;

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged top plan view of a portion of the device of the instant invention, partly in section and with parts broken away for illustrative convenience;

FGURE 10 is a side elevational view of the portion of the device shown in FIG. 9;

FIG. 1l is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along line ll-lil of FlG. 9; and

FlGURE 12 is a fragmentary detailed sectional View of por-tions of the construction shown in FIG. 9.

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings in detail and more particularly to FIGURES l, 3 and 4, a conventional utility truck is shown generally at 10 having a boom l2 pivotally mounted at ld on the roof thereof with a pair of hydraulic cylinders lr6 having their piston rods i3 operatively connected on either side of the boom i2 to raise and lower the same in the well known manner.

The man-carrying utility bucket adaptor of the inst-ant invention is indicated generally by reference numeral 20 and is aihxed to the upper extremity of the boom 12 by any conventional brackets such as 22 or the like. A hydraulic line 24 provides motive power to a number of cylinders to be described further hereinafter and is connected to the same system (not shown) which operates the hydraulic cylinders ld of the boom 12.

The device of the instant invention is highly maneuverable and extremely iiexible and is comprised of tive basic components, the base member 26, the pivot member 28, the swivel head Sil, the bucket support arm 32 and the utility bucket 34E.

The base member 25 is generally a cylindrical element having a plurality of flanges 35 secured to the brackets 22 for supporting the device of the instant invention on the boom 12. The outer diameter of the base member 2d is slightly less than the distance between a pair of outstanding ears 36 forming a birfurcated end of the pivot member 28. Note particularly FIGURES 9 and l2. A pin 37 pivotally supports the base member 26 within the ears 36 of the pivot member Z8.

A hydraulic cylinder 38 is pivotally supported at one end on the pivot member 28 and has a piston rod 39 pivotally secured at the opposite end to a bifurcated ear 4t) iixed to the base member 2o. A Weighted pendulum 4l actuates a hydraulic control valve 43 to operate the hydraulic cylinder 3S to maintain the pivot member 28 in a vertical position as shown in FIGS. l and 2 regardless of the position of the boom. The construction of this element is conventional and will not be set forth in detail. The control valve 43 has a manual neutral or off position in the form `of a lock (not shown) on the pendulum 4l in the center position. A luy-pass emergency control valve may also be located in the bucket 34 or in a convenience position on the truck l@ to override the actuation of the hydraulic control valve t3 by the pendulum 4l in the manner described hereinbefore. By maintaining the pivot member 28 in the vertical position shown, rotating the device of the inst-ant invention and positioning of the bucket 3d by the operator is greatly facilitated as will be clearly seen from the remainder of the disclosure.

The swivel head 3@ is formed in the shape of a right angle and has a horizontal swivel f2-2 which is rotatably supported with respect to the pivot member 28. A hollow extension de of the horizontal swivel i2 passes through holes deiined in pivot member 2S and has an outstanding iiange 45 fixed adjacent a threaded end 4S forming a race way with an element Sil liXed to the pivot head 23 to support a plurality of thrust bearings 52. Ball bearings 54 aliases are also interposed between the swivel head 50 and the pivot member 23 to assist in relative rotation of the two elements. A washer, nut and lock nut S, 57 and 59 respectively, secure the swivel head Sil to the pivot member 28.

These elements are rotated relative to each other to swing the bucket 3d horizontally relatively to the ground by means of the hydraulic cylinder 56 and the steel cable 53. The hydraulic cylinder 56 and a pulley 6G are rotatably or oscillatably supported with respect to the base member 26 by a pin or the like 62. A bracket ed is fixed to the pin 37 and rotatably supports a plurality of aligning pulleys 66. An additional pair of pulleys d8 are rotatably supported by brackets 745 in a position adjacent horizontal swivel head 42. The steel cable 5S passes over the pulley 63, through the aligning pulleys 66 and over each of the additional pulleys and is wound a plurality of times around the horizontal swivel 42. The piston rod l2 of the hydraulic cylinder 56 has a connector element lM interposed between the two ends of the steel cable 5%. When the piston rod '72 of the hydraulic cylinder Sd is extended, the steel cable 58 is pushed by the piston rod and the frictional drag between t'ne steel cable 5S and the horizontal swivel 42 causes relative rotation between the pivot member 2S and the swivel head 3b.

It is to be noted that for illustrative convenience the bucket support arm 32 has been shown relatively close to the base member 26 in FlGS. 3 and 9, but that in order Jfor complete rotation about the horizontal swivel 42 to be effected, sufficient distance must be allowed between these elements so that the bucket support arm 32 will not contact the base member 26 or the pivot member 22S during rotation.

The swivel head Eil is connected to the bucket support arm 32 by a hollow pin 7e secured by a washer, nut and lock nut 7d, Si? and il?. respectively. The hydraulic line 24 passes through a tunnel S4 in the swivel head Sil and an opening do in the hollow pin 76 and extends out through the end of the pin 76 to return to the center of the steel arm 83 forming part of the bucket support arm 32 through the opening 90. Note FIG. 9.

A vertical swivel 92 rotatably connects the swivel head 3@ and the bucket support arm 32 to allow the latter to be swung in almost a complete circle about the pin 7o. A hydraulic cylinder 94 and a steel cable 96 cause the relative rotation of these parts in a manner similar to the rotation of the horizontal swivel 42. The steel cable 96 passes over a pulley 9S rotatably fixed to the steel arm $8 and a connector element llllll operatively secures the piston rod 162 of the hydraulic cylinder 94 to the steel cable 96. The hydraulic cylinder 91E- is pivotally secured to the steel arm S5 at lltll and the steel cable 96 is Wrapped around the vertical swivel 92 several times to frictionally engage the same. Extension of the piston rod lll2 of the hydraulic cylinder 94 will cause the frictional engagement of the steel cable 96 to rotate the bucket support arm 32 relative to the swivel head Ell.

An insulated hood lille and extension ltl circumscribe the major portion of the steel arm 83 and the operating elements for the vertical swivel i2 to avoid any possible contact with live electrical Wires and subsequent damage to the equipment. Any well known material such as liber glass or plastic may be useful for these elements.

At the top of the end of the extension ltl the bucket 34 is pivotally secured by a pivot pin lill in such a manner that the center of gravity will always lie below the pin and will retain the bucket 34 in a vertical position as shown in FIGURnS l and 2. A control box i12 is secured to the swivel pin lll@ and the bucket 34 will have brackets lid to readily detach the same from the control box. The bucket 3d is preferably .made of insulated material similar to the hood lille and extension Mld for the protection of the operator and may have a roughened looring such as indicated at 116 in FIGURE 6 to reduce slipping. A plurality of control levers 1118 may extend from the control box M2 within easy reach of the operator to facilitate his directing the bucket 34 to any position necessary for him to perform his job. Four such levers liti are shown as illustrative but any desired number may obviously be included. lt is necessary to provide means to control vertical movement of the boom l2 through the hydraulic cylinders i6, rotation of the horizontal swivel 42 by the hydraulic cylinder 56, rotation of the vertical swivel Si?. by the hydraulic cylinder 94 and a bypass for manual control of the hydraulic cylinder 33 to rotate the pivot member 23 with respect to the base member 26 and override the hydraulic control valve 43.

lt is to be noted that a padded element 12b is provided on the roof of the truck lil to support the device of the instant invention when the same is not in use as shown particularly in FlGURES 1 and 4. Any additional support rackets may be included if desired. Any conventional means may be attached to the bucket 34 to maintain the same in the horizontal. position shown in FIG- URES l, 3 and 4 when the truck l@ is being moved.

A duplicate set of controls will necessarily be included in some convenient location within or on the truck lll so that the 'device of the instant invention may be operated from the ground.

From the foregoing description the use and operation of the device of the instant invention will now be apparent. The truck il@ may be driven to the general location where overhead wires require maintenance or where some other operation above the ground is necessary. When the truck lll is positioned the device of the instant invention may be raised from its traveling position shown in dotted lines at i122 in FiG. l to its mounting position shown in dotted lines at 1124 in FIG. l where the bucket 3d is near the ground and the rear of the truck lll for easy mounting by an operator. Maneuvering of the dcvice to the position 124 is accomplished by the aforementioned duplicate set of controls.

@nce the operator has gotten into the bucket 34 he may maneuver it by the control levers ll to any desired Working position. By extending the hydraulic cylinders lo the boom l2 will be raised to the position shown in FlG. l which is the normal operating position of the device of the instant invention and then by relative 0peration of the hydraulic cylinders 56 and 94 via the control levers llll the operator may maneuver the bucket 34 both vertically and horizontally. The pivot member 23 will always be maintained in its horizontal position shown in FIGURE l by the operation of the hydraulic cylinder 3S through the force of gravity on the weighted pendulum il and the aforementioned hydraulic control valve (not shown). lr the operator desires to override the gravity operated control valve he may do so.

It will be noted that the device of the instant invention may be quickly and easily mounted on the ordinary boom l2 of the truck lill and will in no way interfere with normal operation of this boom for setting telephone poles or the like. Through the use of the device of the instant invention a single truck may be used to provide the function of the ordinary truck-mounted boom plus the function of the ordinary truck-mounted man-carrying utility bucket.

From the foregoing it will be seen that there is herein provided a device which accomplishes all of the objects of the instant invention and others including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

Since many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept and since many modiiications may be made in the embodiments hereinbefore shown and described it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as merely illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

l claim:

l. ln a truck having a pivotally mounted boom and means to raise and lower said boom, a utility bucket havait/tassa ing a center of gravity and being adapted to carry a man, elongated supporting means having two ends and carrying said utility bucket at one end thereof, means to detachably secure the other end of said supporting means to said boom, a horizontal swivel intermediate the ends ot' said supporting means for swiveling the said bucket in a horizontal plane, a vertical swivel intermediate the ends of said supporting means for swiveling said bucket in a vertical plane and means actuatable from said utility bucket to operate said horizontal and vertical swivels, said elongated supporting means including a base member, a pivot member pivotally secured to said base member, a swivel head rotatably secured to said pivot member by said horizontal swivel, and a bucket support arm rotatably secured to said swivel head by said vertical swivel, said utility bucket being pivotally mounted above its center of gravity on said bucket support arm.

2. A ydevice in accordance with claim 1 wherein said elongated supporting means is electrically insulated throughout a major portion of its length.

3. A device in accordance with claim l wherein said utility bucket is formed of an electrically insulating material.

4. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein a duplicate set of means are provided in said truck to operate said horizontal and vertical swivels.

5. A device in accordance with claim 1 further including means to maintain said pivot member in a vertical position regardless of the position of said boom.

6; A device in accordance with claim 5 wherein said means to maintain said pivot member in said vertical position includes va hydraulic cylinder having two ends and being pivotally connected at one end to said pivot member and having a piston rod extending from its other end, said piston rod being pivotally secured to said base member, a hydraulic control valve operatively connected to said cylinder, and a pivotally supported weighted pendulum operatively connected to said hydraulic control valve to actuate the same.

7. A device in accordance with claim wherein said means to actuate said vertical swivel includes athydraulic cylinder having two ends and being pivotally connected at one to said bucket support arm and having a piston rod extending from its other end, a pulley rotatably supported on said bucket support arm, a cable means having two ends, one end of said cable means passing over said pulley and the other end of said cable means being Wrapped around said vertical swivel a plurality of times to frictionally engage the same and a connector element securing both ends of said cable means to said piston rod.

8. A device in accordance with claim 5 wherein said means to actuate said horizontal swivel includes a hydraulic cylinder having two ends and being pivotally connected at one end to said base member and having a piston rod extending from its other end, a rst pulley rotatably supported on said base member, a cable means having two ends, one end of said cable means passing over said rst pulley and the other end of said cable means being wrapped around said horizontal swivel a plurality of times to frictionally engage the same and a connector element securing both ends of said cable means to said piston rod.

9. A device in accordance with claim 8 further including aligning means to maintain said other end of said cable means in substantially parallel alignment as` it approaches and leaves said horizontal swivel regardless of the relationship of said base member, pivot member and swivel head.

10. A device in accordance with claim 9 wherein said aligning means includes a bracket carrying two pairs of vertically spaced second pulleys, said bracket being xed to said pivot member and a pair of third pulleys rotatably supported on said pivot member adjacent said horizontal swivel, said other end of said cable means passing between one pair of said second pulleys and over one of said third pulleys before being wrapped around said horizontal swivel and passing over the other of said third pulleys and between the other pair of said second pulleys before being secured to said connector element.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,643,515 Harsch June 30, 1953 2,867,333 De Shano Ian. 6, 1959 2,998,861 Hotchkiss Sept. 5, 1961 3,022,854 Eckels Feb. 27, 1962 3,043,394 Hall July 10, 1962

Claims

1. IN A TRUCK HAVING A PIVOTALLY MOUNTED BOOM AND MEANS TO RAISE AND LOWER SAID BOOM, A UTILITY BUCKET HAVING A CENTER OF GRAVITY AND BEING ADAPTED TO CARRY A MAN, ELONGATED SUPPORTING MEANS HAVING TWO ENDS AND CARRYING SAID UTILITY BUCKET AT ONE END THEREOF, MEANS TO DETACHABLY SECURE THE OTHER END OF SAID SUPPORTING MEANS TO SAID BOOM, A HORIZONTAL SWIVEL INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS OF SAID SUPPORTING MEANS FOR SWIVELING THE SAID BUCKET IN A HORIZONTAL PLANE, A VERTICAL SWIVEL INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS OF SAID SUPPORTING MEANS FOR SWIVELING SAID BUCKET IN A VERTICAL PLANE AND MEANS ACTUATABLE FROM SAID UTILITY BUCKET TO OPERATE SAID HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL SWIVELS, SAID ELONGATED SUPPORTING MEANS INCLUDING A BASE MEMBER, A PIVOT MEMBER PIVOTALLY SECURED TO SAID BASE MEMBER, A SWIVEL HEAD ROTATABLY SECURED TO SAID PIVOT MEMBER BY SAID HORIZONTAL SWIVEL, AND A BUCKET SUPPORT ARM ROTATABLY SECURED TO SAID SWIVEL HEAD BY SAID VERTICAL SWIVEL, SAID UTILITY BUCKET BEING PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ABOVE ITS CENTER OF GRAVITY ON SAID BUCKET SUPPORT ARM.