Pickup truck-mounted hydraulic tool carrier

A portable hydraulic boom tool carrier adapted to be removably mounted on the bed of a pickup truck. The hydraulic boom tool carrier includes a self-contained hydraulic system mounted on the frame of the tool carrier. It also includes a pair of outrigger legs which can be extended below the tool carrier to the ground to provide support for the unit during worksite operations. The tool carrier can be easily mounted or removed from the flat bed of a pickup truck.

BACKGROUND 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to hydraulic boom tool carriers, and, more 
particularly, to a tool carrier which is removably mounted on the bed of a 
pickup truck. There are many applications where a hydraulic boom tool 
carrier is needed for jobs where more expensive, specialized equipment is 
not economically feasible. One particularly useful tool is a digger for 
excavating. 
2. Description of the Related Art 
There are many patents related to portable digging equipment, including the 
following: 
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Pat. No. Inventor Date 
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3,445,946 Striggow 1969 
3,483,640 Anderson, et al 
1969 
4,251,181 Drott, et al 1981 
4,987,689 Kaczmarski, et al 
1991 
5,058,685 Moffitt 1991. 
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None of the above patents show a digger which is mountable of the bed of a 
pickup truck. 
Striggow describes an earth handling vehicle which includes a hitch for a 
tractor. Striggow appears to have four wheels, and is adapted to be pulled 
by a tractor. This earth handling vehicle would remain in contact with the 
ground during transport. 
Anderson, et al shows apparatus for stabilizing an earthmoving scraper. An 
auxiliary bowl having cam track surfaces supports rollers on a 
self-loading elevator during unloading. 
Drott, et al shows an implement coupling apparatus for a boom-type vehicle. 
FIG. 1 of this patent shows a special vehicle for transporting the digging 
equipment. Kaczmarski, et al show an attachment means for attaching a 
trencher to a special power unit. There are three or more mounts on an end 
of the power unit so that it is possible to trench beside a structure. 
Moffitt describes a dozer blade mounting apparatus for mounting a dozer 
blade on the frame of an implement. The mounting apparatus enables 
extended angling and vertical movement of the blade while minimizing the 
distance between the dozer blade and the frame of the implement. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
This invention is directed to a hydraulic boom tool carrier which is 
removably mounted on the bed of a conventional pickup truck. The tool 
carrier is totally supported and carried by the pickup truck when being 
moved between worksites. This tool carrier includes retractable support 
legs and a counterweight boom which is mounted on the bed of the pickup 
truck by means of a quick release hold-down clamp. 
The underframe of the tool carrier is firmly attached to the rear end of 
the truck bed frame by means of a trailer hitch assembly. The tool carrier 
is easily removed from the truck bed when not needed, so the pickup truck 
can be used for hauling and other purposes. 
This new combination of an hydraulic boom tool carrier which is removably 
mounted on the back of an ordinary pickup truck greatly decreases the 
initial cost of a smaller size, hydraulic boom tool carrier because most 
operators already have a pickup truck for other purposes. The pickup truck 
provides a multi-purpose vehicle for an hydraulic boom tool carrier which 
is otherwise usually provided with its own "dedicated" vehicle. 
Usually, such single purpose excavating vehicles must be transported to the 
job site on a trailer, or on a larger truck, because the drive system is 
not designed for ordinary highway travel. In the detailed description set 
forth below, the tool is a digging tool.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
As shown in the drawings, an excavating unit 10 is removably mounted on a 
pickup truck 11. Operator seat 12 is supported on a frame 13 which rests 
on truck bed 14. The frame 13 extends rearwardly out of the truck bed 14, 
and supports an hydraulic boom 15 which has a inner arm 16, an outer arm 
17 and a digging tool 18. 
The arms 16 and 17 and the digging tool 18 are operated by means of 
hydraulic assemblies 19-23 from the operator seat by means of control 
levers 24. The excavating unit 10 is hydraulically powered by a 
self-contained hydraulic motor assembly 25 which includes an electric 
start, 16 HP twin cylinder industrial engine 26, best seen in FIG. 4. 
Referring again to FIG. 1, rear end 27 of frame 13 is supported by a pair 
of retractable outrigger legs 28 during use of the excavating unit 10. 
Legs 28 are adjustable so that they provide additional stabilizing support 
for the excavating unit 10 during digging operations, to thereby avoid 
excessive loads on the suspension system of the pickup truck 11. 
The excavating unit 10 is removably attached to the pickup truck 11 at 
front end 29 of the frame 13. The front end 29 slides under, and is held 
in place by, a quick-release hold down clamp assembly 30, best seen in 
FIGS. 2 and 3. 
The hold-down clamp assembly 30 includes clamp 31, which is secured 
directly to truck frame 32 by means of a pair of bolts 33 and nuts 34. 
Tightening bolts 35 disposed on the stepped clamp 31 tightens down on the 
front end 29 of the frame 13 to firmly secure the excavating unit 10 to 
the truck bed 14. 
The outer, rear end 27 of the frame 13 is removably secured to the back end 
36 of the truck frame 32, as best seen in FIGS. 1 and 5. As seen in FIG. 
5, a trailer hitch tubular beam 37 extends rearwardly out from the back 
end 36 of the truck frame 32. A tubular extension bracket 38 extends 
forwardly into the tubular beam 37, and is secured by means of a removable 
pin 39. 
Height adjustment for frame 13 is accomplished by positioning bolt assembly 
40 in one of a plurality of vertically spaced bolt openings 41 in vertical 
member 42 of the frame 13. The height adjusting bolt 43 passes through one 
of the bolt openings 41, and through the tubular extension bracket 38 to 
secure the frame 13 to the tubular beam 37 by means of a nut 44 tightened 
onto the height adjusting bolt 43. 
The hold-down clamp assembly 30 and the tubular beam 37 releasably secure 
the excavating unit 10 to the pickup truck 11. The outrigger legs 28 may 
be retracted during transport of the excavating unit 10 to and from a 
worksite and a storage place. The excavating unit 10 may be easily removed 
from the pickup truck 11 when desired. Storage support means for the front 
end 29 of the frame 13 can be provided at the storage location with the 
rear end 27 supported on the outrigger legs 28 so that a single operator 
can attach and release the excavating unit 10 to the pickup truck 11. 
Of course, other tools can be readily mounted on the hydraulic boom 15, 
instead of the digging tool 18. For example, with conventional 
modifications, a "cherry picker" with necessary hydraulic controls in the 
"cherry picker" basket can replace the digging tool 18. A spray painting 
arm for painting large structures, such as warehouses and barns can also 
be conveniently mounted on the outer end of the boom 15. 
As mentioned above, great economy can be realized by means of the 
removable, truck-mounted excavating unit of the invention. Instead of 
having a slow-moving vehicle dedicated for use only with the excavating 
unit, the excavating unit is removably mounted on the bed of a pickup 
truck. The excavating unit thereby utilizes the high speed mobility of the 
pickup truck when being transported from place to place, and the weight of 
the pickup truck provides a stable platform for the excavating unit when 
it is in use at the worksite. When the excavating unit is not needed it 
can be separated from the pickup truck for storage, and the pickup truck 
is available for other uses. 
This invention provides a stable, quick-release connecting means between 
the excavating unit and the pickup truck, so that even a single operator 
can mount and dismount the excavating unit on the pickup truck. The 
excavating unit has a hydraulic drive system which is completely 
independent of the pickup truck drive, so very little modification to the 
pickup truck is required to adapt it to receive the excavating unit.