Abstract:
A convertible bucket includes a central support frame. A pair of rigid wings are rotationally mounted on laterally opposite sides of the lower end of the support frame for rotation of each wing between their fully lowered and raised positions. The pair of rigid wings define a wide-mouth width therebetween. In the fully lowered position each wing is substantially horizontal when the support frame is substantially vertical, so that, when the wings are both in their fully lowered position, the wide-mouth width is maximized. A winglet may be mounted at a distal end of each wing so as to provide for containment of a load held in the bucket when at least one wing is in its fully lowered position.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to the field of buckets for use on a mechanical digging apparatus such as an excavator or grade-all having an articulatable boom, and in particular to a convertible bucket which may be mounted to such a boom. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention generally relates to the field of mobile equipment for digging ditches, trenches, or the like. 
     As stated by Newman in his U.S. Pat. No. 4,691,455, which issued to Newman on Sep. 8, 1987 for Trenching Equipment With Hinged Side Plates, in construction and landscaping work it is frequently necessary to dig trenches with walls at angles which vary from the vertical, and many times it is desirable to form a trench wherein each of the side walls thereof are at different angles from the vertical. While there are many prior art devices to form trenches with angled side walls, many are inconvenient to use and, none provide any capability of varying the angle to suit the particular needs of a situation. 
     Newman thus provided a bucket for a trenching device which can form trenches with walls of varying slope. In particular, Newman discloses a trenching bucket having side plates which are adjustable so that trenches may be formed with walls at various slopes. In FIG. 9 of the Newman patent, the v-shaped trenching bucket is modified to have a floor, plate wherein the side plates are mounted by hinges along the outer edges of the floor plate. Two fan-shaped outer sections are fixed to or formed integral with the ends of the side plates and overlap a stationary, also fan-shaped section which is secured to a support frame. The two fan-shaped outer sections move with the side plates when the orientation of the side plates is adjusted by a corresponding pair of jacks. Newman indicates that the trenches formed by the bucket need not be symmetrical, rather, the side plates may be individually adjusted to provide the desired orientation for each wall of the trench being formed. 
     What is neither taught nor suggested by Newman is the use of a bucket having adjustable side walls which completely fold outwardly of the center section of the bucket so as to convert the bucket from a bucket which may be merely adjusted to adjust the angles of the walls of the ditches, trenches or the like being excavated, into a larger capacity wide-mouthed bucket, for example, one in which the lower floor of the wide-mouthed bucket is horizontal or almost horizontal across its entire width when placed on level ground, and is therefore well adapted for use in scooping large volumes of loose material. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to an improvement in digging buckets such as used on the end of an arm of a backhoe, excavator, grade-all, tractor, and the like and, particularly, to buckets for such digging equipment in which the side plates or “wings” fold outwardly of the bucket into a substantially horizontal position to thereby provide a wide-mouth bucket 
     As is found in Newman&#39;s patent, an open top bucket is provided with adjustable side plates, herein referred to as wings, which are hinged so that the angle of the wings with respect to the vertical can be readily changed by pivoting or otherwise rotating the wings about a corresponding axis of rotation. The bucket may be provided with a base or floor plate and the wings are hingedly connected along the edges of the base or floor plate. The bucket is provided with a back wall which is preferably sectioned with the outer sections fixed to the trailing edge of the wings and fan-shaped in order to form a continuous back wall notwithstanding the inclination of the wings. 
     The bucket is provided with means to adjust the inclination of the wings, which may be manual actuators such as by means of individual jacks for each wing so that the angle of each can be separately manually adjusted as desired, or may selectively remotely-controlled actuators such as hydraulic cylinders and rods. That is, hydraulic control means may be provided to adjust the angle of the wings and the hand controls for such control means may be conveniently provided along with the other operational controls in the operator&#39;s console of the digging machine so that the angle of each wing can be independently, or collectively adjusted as necessary by the operator during digging without dismounting from the digging machine. 
     In summary then, the convertible bucket described herein may be characterized in one aspect as including a central support frame having an upper end and a lower end and defining an opening therebetween wherein the opening opens forwardly so that a distal end of the support frame is at the front of the bucket and the rear of the support frame is at the rear of the bucket. A pair of rigid wings are pivotally or otherwise rotationally mounted (collectively referred to herein as being pivotally mounted) on laterally opposite sides of the lower end of the support frame for rotation of each wing of the pair of rigid wings between their fully lowered position and their fully raised position. The pair of rigid wings define a wide-mouth width therebetween. In the fully lowered position each wing is substantially horizontal when the support frame is substantially vertical, so that, when the wings are both in their fully lowered position, the wide-mouth width is maximized. In a preferred embodiment a rigid or semi-rigid winglet (collectively referred to herein as a winglet) is mounted at a distal end of each wing so as to provide for containment of a load held in the bucket when at least one wing is in its fully lowered position. 
     Each winglet may include a longitudinally oriented fence having opposite forward and rear ends. The distal end of each wing each has a longitudinal dimension which extends a longitudinal distance. Each winglet may extend along substantially the entire length of the longitudinal dimension of the distal end of its corresponding wing. Advantageously the winglets each extend from the wings so as to be upstanding from the wings when the wings are in their fully lowered position. In one embodiment, such as illustrated by way of example, the winglets are substantially rectangular. This is not intended to be limiting as other plan form shapes would also work, for example, semi-elliptical, etc. In such an embodiment for example, each winglet has a height dimension which is perpendicular to the winglet&#39;s longitudinal dimension. Each wing has a corresponding width dimension which, when measured flush on each wing, is perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension of its winglet. The ratio of height dimension of each winglet to the width dimension of each wing may be in the range of 1:10 to 1:3. Alternatively the range may be is 1:5 to 1:3. In some embodiments the height dimension of each winglet is between 15 and 30 percent of the width dimension of the corresponding wing. The higher the height dimension of each winglet, the lower the ratio, and the greater the load carrying capacity of the wide-mouth bucket when the wings are in their fully lowered position. 
     In a further preferred embodiment, each wing has the same shape and the same dimensions as the other wing in the pair. For example both wings may be identical. So too, each winglet may be identical. For example, the winglets may have the same dimensions and each winglet may be substantially planar, although, again, this is not intended to be limiting as the winglets may be curved in either or both of horizontal and vertical planes. 
     In their fully lowered position the pair of rigid wings may be substantially co-planar. As used herein, substantially co-planar is meant to include completely flat, as well as embodiments where the wings are dished or concave to a small extent so that, collectively, the pair of wings when fully lowered form the profile of a “smile” on the front, lower surface of the wide-mouthed bucket. Thus in their fully lowered position, the pair of rigid wings may form a continuously smoothly concave lower surface of the bucket. 
     In some embodiments the forward end of each winglet coincides with the front of the bucket, and the rear end of each winglet coincides with the rear of the bucket. Also, each winglet may form an included angle relative to its corresponding wing. The included angle may be in the range of 90-135 degrees. In some embodiments the range may be smaller, for example: 90-120 or 100-110 degrees. 
     When in the fully raised portion, the distal ends of the wings may be advantageously adjacent the upper end of the support frame. The winglets may be substantially flush along the upper end of the support frame. 
     The lower end of the support frame may include a base plate having laterally spaced apart edges. The pair of rigid wings may be pivotally mounted to the edges of the base plate. At least one selectively controllable actuator may be provided for actuating the pair of rigid wings between their fully lowered and fully raised positions. 
     Further elements of, and the operation of, and further aspects of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying exemplary drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is in right side perspective view, the convertible bucket as further described below with its wings almost completely lowered into their fully lowered position. 
         FIG. 2  is, in left side rear perspective view, the bucket of  FIG. 1  with its wings in their fully lowered position. 
         FIG. 3  is, in right side rear perspective view, the bucket of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is, in partially cut away right side top perspective view, the bucket of  FIG. 3  with the right wing in its fully lowered position, and the left wing in its fully raised position. 
         FIG. 5  is the view of  FIG. 1  showing one alternative embodiment of the bucket wherein, when the wings are in their fully lowered position, the wide-mouth bucket thereby formed has a lower surface which is dished or concave. 
         FIG. 6  is the view of  FIG. 3  wherein the winglets are enlarged so as to have greater height when the wings are in their fully lowered position. 
         FIG. 7  is, in partially cut away right side top perspective view, the bucket of  FIG. 6  with its wings in their fully raised position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     As seen in the accompanying drawing figures wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts in each view, convertible bucket  10  includes a central support frame  12  supporting an upper housing  14  over a base  16 . An opposed-facing pair of hinged wings  18  are pivotally or hingedly mounted to base  16  so as to pivot between their fully raised position, for example as seen in  FIGS. 4 and 7 , and the fully lowered position of  FIG. 2 . Wings  18  pivot between the base  16  and the upper housing  14 . 
     Each wing  18  has a front edge  18   a , a lower edge  18   b , a rear edge  18   c  and an upper edge  18   d . Winglets  20  are advantageously provided. Winglets  20  are mounted to the upper edges  18   d  of both wings  18  so as to be cantilevered therefrom, advantageously substantially along the full length of upper edge  18   d  of each wing  18 , to thereby project upwardly when wings  18  are in their fully lowered position, and so as to lay flush along, or adjacent to, the sidewall  14   a  on each side of housing  14  when wings  18  are in their fully raised position. 
     Central support frame  12  has an upper end  12   a  and an opposite, lower end  12   b . Upper end  12   a  may include housing  14 . Central support frame  12  may include forward and rear wedge-shaped plates  24   a  and  24   b  mounted to rear end  16   c  of base  16 . A longitudinally extending support brace  24   d  bisects each of the pairs of wedge-shaped plates  24   a  and  24   b . Wedge shaped plates  24   a  and  24   b  may for example be spaced apart and parallel and form a cavity  24   c  there-between. Sector-shaped rear walls  26  are mounted at their lower most edges  26   a  to the corresponding rear edges  18   c  of wings  18 . Rear walls  26  may extend orthogonally from wings  18  so as to extend their interior edges  26   b  into cavity  24   c  between wedge-shaped plates  24   a  and  24   b  on either side of brace  24   d . Rear walls  26  rotate in direction C as wings  18  rotate in direction A so as to house rear walls  26  within cavities  24   c.    
     Thus as wings  18  rotate in directions A as seen in  FIG. 1 , they rotate about axis of rotation A′ on hinges  22  from their fully lowered position to their fully raised position. In either the raised or lowered positions, wings  18  allow bucket  10  to be used to dig or scoop in direction B. When wings  18  are fully or partially raised bucket  10  may be used for example to dig ditches or the like (and the slopes may be adjusted as done in the prior art) and when wings  18  are fully lowered or substantially fully lowered (for example as in  FIG. 1 ), bucket  10  may be used as a wide-mouthed bucket for efficiently scooping and moving more voluminous loads. 
     In one embodiment, not intended to be limiting, rear walls  26  may be mounted to the rear edges  18   c  of wings  18  by means of hinges  28 . In other embodiments, rear walls  26  are rigidly mounted to wings  18 . 
     Winglets  20  project from the distal ends or outer edges  18   d  of wings  18  so as to form a load-holding fence along the wings&#39; distal ends. As illustrated, but without intending to be limiting, winglets  20  may extend upwardly at an acute angle alpha relative to the horizontal plane x. Thus the included angles between the wings and corresponding winglets are 90 degrees or greater. In the embodiment of  FIGS. 2 and 3 , wings  18  and base  16  substantially lie in plane x when wings  18  are in their fully lowered position. Angle alpha is such that winglets  20  provide a fence along the laterally opposite sides of bucket  10  when bucket  10  is in its wide-mouthed orientation, that is, when wings  18  are fully lowered. Winglets  20  thereby assist in holding the load (shown in dotted outline as load  30 ) which has been scooped or gathered into the bucket, for example a load of earth, sand or gravel, so as to thereby increase the volume of the load that may be held and carried within bucket  10  in its wide-mouthed orientation. The fence function provided by winglets  20  inhibit the load  30  spilling off the distal ends of wings  18 , that is spilling off outer edges  18   d . The winglets may provide a shorter fence as seen in  FIGS. 1-5 , or may provide a fence with greater height as seen in  FIG. 6 , the latter providing a greater capacity for the bucket. 
     Actuators  32 , which may for example be hydraulic actuators, are pivotally mounted to rear edges  18   c  of wings  18  by means of hinges or pivot joints  34 . Actuators  32  may be contained within an actuator housing  36 , illustrated by way of example as covering the upper ends of actuators  32 . As seen in  FIG. 7 , the upper ends of actuators  32  are pivotally mounted by means of hinges or pivot joints  38  at an apex formed by the upwardly and inwardly inclined pair of actuators  32 . The lower hinges or pivot joints  34  may be protected by rearwardly extending flanges such as rearwardly extending flanges  18   e  extending rearwardly, and in a substantially coplanar relationship with, wings  18 , and rearwardly extending flange  16   a  extending rearwardly, and substantially coplanar relationship with, base  16 . 
     In the fully raised position seen in  FIGS. 4 and 7 , the outer edges  18   d  of wings  18  abut against and along the lower-most edges of sidewalls  14   a  of upper housing  14  and winglets  20  are flush against or adjacent and substantially parallel to sidewalls  14   a.    
     Winglets  20  may be sized to fit snuggly onto, so as to overlay, sidewalls  14   a . The flush mounting of winglets  20  onto sidewalls  14   a  assists in stabilizing wings  18  and to help relieve bending moments acting on hinges  22  when the bucket is being used to excavate hard or rocky ground. Winglets  20  may include raised surfaces (not shown) which releasably mate into cut-outs  14   b  in sidewalls  14   a  to further assist in releasably locking the winglets  20 , and thus also supporting wings  18 , in their fully raised positions. 
     In  FIG. 7 , the upper and lower surfaces of housing  14  have been removed to show, respectively, actuator  40  and the upper-most end of brace  24   d . Actuator  40  is pivotally mounted on pivot joint  42  for rotation about vertical axis of rotation D. Actuator  40  rotates about axis D as extension or retraction of actuator rod  40   a  in direction E causes cam follower  44  to follow the curve in direction F along the arcuate slot  46  shown in dotted outline. Slot  46  is formed in the upper wall  14   b  of housing  14 . As seen in  FIG. 4 , cam follower  44  is mounted to the bottom surface of hanger plate  48 . Hanger plate  48  is pivotally mounted for rotation in a plane horizontal to upper wall  14   b  by means of a pivot joint  50  shown in dotted outline in  FIG. 4  for rotation in direction F about vertical axis of rotation G. Hanger plate  48  is thus rotated about pivot joint  50  and axis G by the extension and retraction of rod  40   a  of actuator  40 . Thus as seen in  FIG. 4 , with rod  40   a  fully retracted, plate  48  is fully rotated to the right hand side of bucket  10  which in  FIG. 4  corresponds to the side of bucket  10  shown with one lowered wing  18 . 
     Ears  52  are rigidly mounted down onto plate  48  so that, with ears  52  also mounted to the distal end of the arm (not shown) of an excavator, rotation of plate  48  about axis of rotation G or the like will rotate bucket  10  relative to the excavator arm. Thus an operator selectively controlling actuator  40  thereby selectively controls the rotation and positioning of bucket  10  about axis G relative to the excavator arm. The rotating top or plate  48  thus creates an adjustable or variable offset which gives an operator the ability to move his digging/trenching machine toward or away from the ditch/trench bottom while adjusting the angle so as to always dig straight along the ditch/trench. Conventionally, often obstacles will prohibit the operator from appropriate or optimally positioning the machine requiring the operator to move toward or away from the bottom of the ditch/trench as the operator digs. As used herein the term excavator is intended to include heavy equipment which operates buckets at the end of actuable arms so as to include excavators, Grade-alls™ back hoes, tractors etc.