Abstract:
The present invention is directed to a combination excavating bucket adapted for connection to a power driven excavating vehicle, the bucket comprising a transverse smooth cutting bar along its front bottom edge and a retractable tooth bar pivotally mounted to the lateral sides of said excavating bucket. The retractable tooth bar allows the bucket to be alternately used as tooth-edged bucket and a smooth-edged bucket.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a combination excavating bucket having a retractable tooth bar, thereby enabling the excavating bucket to function as both a smooth-edged excavation bucket and a tooth-edged excavating bucket. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    European Patent Publication No. EP1967655 discloses an excavator bucket having a crushing mechanism comprised of a stationary part and a movable part which is drivingly connected with one or more hydraulic cylinders. The described excavator bucket further includes a gripping mechanism, and is therefore said to be a three-in-one excavator bucket and crusher that optionally may be used for excavation, crushing or sorting work. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,885 discloses a multipurpose work attachment for a front-end loader of the type having hydraulically actuated frame arms for supporting and manipulating a work attachment at the front of the vehicle. The work attachments includes a scoop or bucket in combination with a laterally extending row of ripper teeth mounted along a lower edge of the bucket and adapted fro hydraulic actuation between an upper stored position and a downwardly extending deployed position for ripping earth upon vehicle movement in a reverse direction. 
         [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,810,610 discloses an edging device consisting of two major components: an edge member or plate and means for attaching the edge member to the bucket of an earth moving machine. The edge member is configured to be detachably attached to the bucket, where the edge member has a leading edge for contacting the earth. The edge member is described as being easily and quickly bolted to the bucket for use in smoothing the ground surface, but also removable without damaging the bucket. The described “bolt-on edge system” is a ground engaging tool that is said to replace the practice of welding an edge to the bucket teeth of on earth moving equipment such as backhoes, loaders and excavators. 
         [0007]    However, the aforementioned excavating buckets do not provide a combination bucket that allows the operator of an excavating vehicle to easily alternate between using the bucket as a smooth-edged excavating bucket and a tooth-edged excavating bucket. 
         [0008]    Thus, there exists a need for a combination excavating bucket which allows the operator of an excavating vehicle to easily and quickly alternate between using the bucket as a smooth-edged excavating bucket and a tooth-edged excavating bucket. The present invention substantially fulfills this need. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    The present invention is directed to a combination excavating bucket adapted for connection to a power driven excavating vehicle, said bucket comprising a transverse smooth cutting bar along its front bottom edge, a retractable tooth bar pivotally mounted to the lateral sides of said excavating bucket, said tooth bar comprising a plurality of teeth extending outwardly from said tooth bar, and pivot means for alternately moving said tooth bar between (a) a down, working, position wherein said tooth bar fits over said smooth cutting bar thereby permitting said bucket to function as a tooth-edged bucket; and (b) an up, resting, position wherein said tooth bar is away from said smooth cutting bar and said smooth cutting bar is exposed thereby permitting said bucket to function as a smooth-edged bucket. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention, with the retractable tooth bar in a partially-extended position. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention, with the retractable tooth bar in an up position. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention, with the retractable tooth bar in a down position. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the parts of an embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
       [0015]    In the following description of the invention similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]      FIG. 1  shows combination excavating bucket  10  having a base  100 , rear wall  110  and lateral sides  120 . Smooth cutting bar  105  runs along the leading edge of base  100 . Tooth bar  130 , shown here in a partially-extended position, includes a plurality of teeth  135 , and is pivotally connected to lateral sides  120  by tooth bar side-arms  138 . Link arms  160  connect tooth bar  130  to pivot arms  150 , which in turn are connected to hydraulic actuators  170  via hydraulic cylinder rods  172 . Pivot arms  150  are attached to opposite ends of rear wall top edge  140 . Hydraulic actuators  170  are connected to the posterior surface of rear wall  110  at opposite ends. In operation, excavating bucket  10  is connected to an excavating vehicle (not shown) thereby allowing the driver of the vehicle to control the position of tooth bar  130  by alternately moving hydraulic cylinder rods  172  between a retracted position (see  FIG. 2 ) and an extended position (see  FIG. 3 ). 
         [0017]    Moving hydraulic cylinder rods  172  to a retracted position causes tooth bar  130  to move to a retracted position, exposing smooth cutting bar  105 , and thereby allowing excavating bucket  10  to function as a smooth-edged excavating bucket. Alternatively, moving hydraulic cylinder rods  172  to an extended position causes tooth bar  130  to be positioned over smooth cutting bar  105 , thereby allowing excavating bucket  10  to function as a tooth-edged excavating bucket. 
         [0018]      FIG. 2  shows combination excavating bucket  10  with tooth bar  130  in a retracted position. Hydraulic cylinder rods  172  are fully retracted within hydraulic cylinders  174  and therefore not visible. Smooth cutting bar  105  is fully exposed, thereby allowing excavating bucket  10  to function as a smooth-edged excavating bucket. In the fully retracted position tooth bar  130  may rest against rear wall top edge  140 . 
         [0019]      FIG. 3  shows combination excavating bucket  10  with tooth bar  130  in a fully-extended position, such that tooth bar  130  fits over smooth cutting bar  105 . Thus, smooth cutting bar  105  is not visible. Hydraulic cylinder rods  172  are fully extended and therefore visible. With tooth bar  130  fitting over smooth edge bar  105  and therefore forming the leading edge of base  110 , excavating bucket  10  functions as a tooth-edged excavating bucket. 
         [0020]      FIG. 4  illustrates an exploded view of combination excavating bucket  10  having base  100 , rear wall  110 , later sides  120 , rear wall top edge  140  pivot arm hinge lugs  152  and one of hydraulic actuator lugs  175 . Also shown is tooth bar  130  having tooth bar arms  138  and tooth bar hinge pins  139 . Link arms  160  are secured to tooth bar arms  138  and pivot arms  150  by link arm hinge pins  164  and link arm hinge pins  162 , respectively. Pivot arms hinge pins  154  secure pivot arms  150  to pivot arm hinge lugs  152 , which in turn are secured at opposite ends of rear wall top edge  140 . Hydraulic actuator hinge pins  176  secure hydraulic actuators  170  to pivot arms  150 . Hydraulic actuators  170  are secured to the posterior surface of rear wall  110  at opposite ends via hydraulic actuator lugs  175  using hydraulic actuator hinge pins  178 . 
         [0021]    In certain embodiments the combination excavating bucket of the present invention includes means for securing the tooth bar over the smooth cutting such that the tooth bar is not displaced during use thereof in a digging operation. For example, in one embodiment the smooth cutting bar and the tooth bar are adapted to provide a locking engagement with each other when the tooth bar is in said down, working position. In one such embodiment, the smooth cutting bar has an outward facing V-shaped edge and the inner edge of the tooth bar has an inwardly facing V-shaped pocket for mating and providing locking engagement with the V-shaped edge of said smooth cutting bar. 
         [0022]    The combination excavating bucket of the present of the present invention is adapted for connection to a power driven excavating vehicle such as a skid steer, a loader, a backhoe, an excavator or a tractor. In one embodiment the combination excavating bucket of the present of the present invention is adapted for connection to a skid steer. 
         [0023]    While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described herein for purposes of illustration, it will be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Modifications may be made by persons skilled in the art, particularly in light of the foregoing teachings, without deviating from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not limited except as by the appended claims. 
         [0024]    All of the U.S. patents and published U.S. patent applications referred to in this specification are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety to the extent not inconsistent with the present description.