Sweeping assembly for excavating machines and the like

A sweeping assembly for a machine having a handle generally comprising a first implement pivotally connectable to the handle; a strut assembly including a first arm member operatively connectable to the handle, a second arm member and a spring device operatively interconnecting the first and second members, and means for yieldably biasing the second arm member into a predetermined position relative to the first arm member; and a second implement mounted on the second arm member.

This invention relates to an improved sweeper apparatus mountable on the
 handle of a machine such as an excavating machine and the like. The
 invention further contemplates a sweeper apparatus mountable on the handle
 of an excavating machine equipped with a bucket which may be curled and
 uncurled, and which apparatus may be operated independently or in
 cooperation with such a bucket to sweep and remove materials lying on the
 ground or other surfaces.
 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 In certain excavating operations such as in the removal of overburden to
 uncover an underground pipeline, it often is desirable to remove loose
 soil on the pipeline or at the bottom of the cut. Usually such loose soil
 is removed by the use of a rotary brush mounted as an attachment to the
 handle of the excavating machine. In the prior art, such sweeper
 attachments generally have consisted of an arm member pivotally connected
 to the bucket pivot pin for pivotal movement in the same vertical plane as
 the bucket, a rotary brush mounted on the free end of the arm member, a
 motor supported on the arm member for rotating the brush and a latch for
 securing the arm member against the underside of the handle. The arm
 member is angularly displaceable between an upper, retracted inoperative
 position and a lower, extended operative position, relative to the handle
 of the machine. An example of such an attachment is illustrated and
 described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,373,652.
 The attachment of rotary brush assemblies to the bucket pivot pin of
 excavation machines has several disadvantages. By connecting the sweeper
 attachment to the bucket pivot pin, the design of the connections of the
 bucket and the sweeper attachment to the machine handle becomes more
 complex, different pin sixes and configurations may be required and
 different types of connections are required to accommodate different
 bucket attachments of different machines. Furthermore, in the use of the
 type of attachment as described, the handle of the machine usually is set
 at an angle to the boom thereof to position the free end of the handle at
 a selected distance from the ground, the bucket mounted on the end of the
 handle is pivoted to a retracted position, a cylinder assembly operating
 the latch mechanism of the sweeper attachment is operated to release the
 brush so that it may swing down and have its bristles engage the ground or
 other surface to be swept, and then the machine is advanced along the
 desired sweeping path while the brush is rotated to sweep along the path
 of the brush. When it is desired to displace the arm member to the upper,
 retracted position, the bucket is pivoted to engage and pivot the arm
 member to the retracted position where it is engaged by latch mechanism.
 Such maneuvering can be cumbersome.
 It thus has been found to be desirable to provide a sweeper attachment of
 the type described which will obviate the aforementioned problems in
 mounting the attachment to the handle of the machine and displacing the
 sweeper attachment between the in operative and operative position.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 The present invention obviates the problems created by undue loads imposed
 on prior art sweeping assemblies of the type described by providing an
 improved apparatus for an excavating machine and the like equipped with an
 operating handle, generally comprising a first arm member pivotally
 connectable to the underside of the handle of the machine, a second arm
 member operatively connected to the first arm member, a rotary brush
 operatively connected to the second arm member including means for
 rotating the brush, means operatively connected to the first arm member
 and connectable to the handle for displacing the first arm member relative
 to the handle, and means operatively interconnecting the first and second
 arm members yieldably biasing the second arm member into a given
 disposition relative to the first arm member. The second arm member may be
 pivotally connected to the first arm member and the yieldable biasing
 means may consist of a spring operatively interconnecting the first and
 second members to bias the second arm member into a given disposition
 relative to the first arm member. Preferably, the means operating the
 rotary brush consist of a hydraulic motor supported on the second arm
 member and the means for angularly displacing the first arm member
 relative to the handle consist of a hydraulically actuated cylinder
 assembly.
 Furthermore, in the use of the type of attachment as described, the handle
 of the machine usually is set at an angle to the boom thereof to position
 the free end of the handle at a selected distance from the ground, the
 bucket mounted on the end of the handle is pivoted to a retracted
 position, the cylinder assembly of the sweeper attachment is operated to
 position the brush so that its bristles engage the ground or other surface
 to be swept and then the machine is advanced along the desired sweeping
 path while the brush is rotated to sweep along the path of the brush. If
 the handle is accidentally positioned too close to the ground or other
 surface to be swept, or may oscillate vertically during operation due to
 the advancing motion of the machine, or the brush encounters obstacles in
 its sweeping path, undue loads may be imposed on the brush and transmitted
 to the arm or cylinder assembly of the attachment which may adversely
 affect the sweeping operation of the brush or, if sufficiently severe, may
 cause damage to the brush, the brush motor or cylinder assembly of the
 attachment.
 It thus has been found desirable to provide a sweeper attachment of the
 type described which will obviate the aforementioned problems in mounting
 the attachment to the handle of the machine and incurring undue loads on
 the attachment during a sweeping operation.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 The present invention's obviates the aforementioned problems by providing
 an improved apparatus for an excavating machine and the like provided with
 an operating handle, generally comprising a first arm member pivotally
 connectable to the underside of the handle of the machine, a second arm
 member operatively connected to the first arm member, a rotary brush
 operatively connected to the second arm member including means for
 rotating the brush, means operatively connected to the first arm member
 and connectable to the handle for displacing the first arm member relative
 to the handle, and means operatively interconnecting the first and second
 arm members yieldably biasing the second arm member into a given
 disposition relative to the first arm member.
 The second arm member may be pivotally connected to the first arm member
 and the yieldable biasing means may consist of a spring operatively
 interconnecting the first and second members to bias the second arm member
 into a given disposition relative to the first arm member. Preferably, the
 means operating the rotary brush consists of a hydraulic motor supported
 on the second arm member and the means for angularly displacing the first
 arm member relative to the handle consists of a hydraulically actuated
 cylinder assembly.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
 Referring to the drawings, there is partially illustrated the front end
 assembly of an excavating machine which includes a handle 10 which is
 pivotally connected to the boom of the machine which in turn is pivotally
 connected to the platform or support frame of the machine. Typically, the
 platform or support frame of the machine is mounted on a mobile base of
 the machine for swing movement about a vertical axis, the body is
 angularly displaceable relative to the platform or support frame of the
 machine about a horizontal axis and handle 10 is angularly displaceable
 relative to the boom about a horizontally axis. Hydraulic cylinder
 assemblies are provided for angularly displacing the boom relative to the
 platform or support frame of the machine and angularly displacing the
 handle relative to the boom. A bucket 11 is pivotally connected to a free
 end of handle 10 and a sweeper apparatus 12 is mounted to the underside of
 handle 10. The bucket may be operated independently of the sweeper
 apparatus to perform conventional excavating operations, the sweeper
 apparatus may be operated independently of the bucket to perform ground
 sweeping operations or the sweeper apparatus may be operated in
 cooperation with the bucket to sweep material into the bucket. The bucket
 may be positioned in an uncurled position as shown in a FIG. 1, a curled
 position or an intermediate position cooperating with the sweeper
 apparatus as shown in FIG. 3. The sweeper apparatus may be positioned in a
 frilly extended, operable position as shown in FIG. 1, a filly retracted,
 inoperative position as shown in FIG. 2 and an intermediate position
 cooperating with the bucket as shown in FIG. 3.
 Bucket 11 is pivotally mounted on the free end of handle 10 by means of a
 connecting pin 13 so that it opens toward the machine in the conventional
 manner. The bucket is pivoted about a horizontal axis of pin 13 by means
 of a hydraulic cylinder assembly 14. The assembly consists of a cylinder
 member 15 connected at its base end to a bracket 16 mounted on the upper
 side of handle 10 by means of a connecting pin 17, and a rod member 18
 connected to a support link 19 by means of a connecting pin 20. The
 support link is pivotally connected to handle 10 by means of a connecting
 pin 21, and the motion of the rod member is transmitted to the bucket by
 means of a connecting link 19a pivotally connected to pin 20 and a
 connecting pin 22 mounted on brackets 23 provided on an upper wall portion
 of the bucket. It will be appreciated that by operating cylinder assembly
 14, the bucket may be pivoted between uncurled and curled positions for
 performing conventional excavating operations, may be pivoted totally
 uncurled, inoperative position and may be pivoted and positioned to an
 intermediate position for cooperation with the sweeper apparatus.
 The sweeper apparatus consists of a strut assembly 24 pivotally connected
 to handle 10, a rotary brush 25 mounted on the strut assembly and a
 cylinder assembly 26 operatively interconnecting the handle and the strut
 assembly. The strut assembly generally includes a first arm member 27 and
 a second arm member 28. Arm member 27 includes a base section 29 pivotally
 connected to a bracket 30 rigidly secured to the underside of handle 10 by
 means of a connecting pin 31 and an extendable section 32 telescopically
 connected to base section 29. Arm member 28 is pivotally connected to
 extension arm section 32 by means of a connecting pin 33. As best seen in
 FIG. 1b, connecting pin 33 pivotally connects a pair of brackets 32a and
 32b rigidly secured to extension arm section 32 to a pair brackets 28a and
 28b rigidly secured to arm member 28. A heavy duty coil spring 34 mounted
 on connecting pin 33 and having ends thereof anchored on brackets 28a and
 32b functions to yieldably bias arm member 28 into longitudinal alignment
 with arm member 27 as shown in FIG. 1, and permit the angular displacement
 of arm member 28 relative to arm member 27 as shown in FIG. 1a as when an
 undue load is applied on the strut assembly.
 Rotary brush 25 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 35 supported on arm member
 28. Also supported on arm member 28 is hydraulic motor for rotating brush
 25. Fluid lines conveying fluid to and from the hydraulic motor are
 attached to the strut assembly, handle and boom of the machine and
 connected to a suitable pump mounted on the support frame of the machine.
 Cylinder assembly 26 includes a cylinder member 36 pivotally connected to a
 bracket 37 rigidly secured to the underside of the handle at a point
 spaced from bracket 30, by means of a connecting pin 38, and a rod member
 39 connected to a bracket 40 rigidly mounted on extension section 32 of
 arm member 27 by means of a connecting pin 41. The cylinder member is
 provided with conventional fluid lines which also are attached to the
 handle and boom members and connected to a fluid pump on the support
 platform of the machine. It will be appreciated that by operating cylinder
 assembly 26, the sweeper apparatus may be positioned in a fully extended
 operative position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 1a, a filly retracted,
 inoperative position as shown in FIG. 2 or a partially extended, operative
 position as shown in FIG. 3. In either the fully extended or partially
 extended, operable position of the sweeper apparatus, the spring shown in
 FIG. in 1b will function to yieldably bias arm member 28 into longitudinal
 alignment with arm member 27 and permit an angular displacement of arm
 member 28 relative to arm member 27 whenever an undue load is imposed on
 the strut assembly.
 The axes of connecting pin 13 of bucket 11, connecting pin 31 of strut
 assembly 24 and shaft 35 are substantially parallel and horizontal so that
 the pivotal movements of bucket 11 and strut assembly 24 will lie in a
 common, vertical plane. The center line of strut assembly 24 lies in a
 vertical plane passing through the center of bucket 11, rotary brush 25 is
 aligned with the opening in the bucket and the transverse dimension of the
 rotary brush may be smaller, the same or larger than the transverse
 dimension of the bucket opening the ground engaging brush along the
 selected sweeping path. Cylinder assembly 26 further may be operated to
 displace extendible section 32 relative to base section 29 of arm member
 27 to extend the length of the strut assembly. To operate in the sweeping
 and the material removal mode, cylinder assembly 14 is operated to
 position the bucket in a partially uncurled position and cylinder assembly
 26 is operated to position the sweeper apparatus in a partially extended
 position disposed adjacent to the opening in the bucket, as shown in FIG.
 3, and various controls on the machine are operated to displace the handle
 of the machine and/or propel the machine in a reverse direction to cause
 material being engaged and swept by the rotary brush to be received within
 the bucket.
 Although the embodiment as described utilizes a coil spring interconnecting
 the inner and outer arm members of the strut assembly and having an axis
 disposed substantially transversely relative to the length of the inner
 arm member as a means for allowing the displacement of the outer arm
 member relative to the inner arm member when an undue load is imposed on
 the strut assembly, for the purpose of preventing damage to the strut
 assembly, it is to be understood that other means may be used to cause the
 strut assembly to yield upon the imposition undue loads thereon. As an
 example, in lieu of a heavy duty coil spring interconnecting the inner and
 outer arm members and having an axis disposed transversely relative to the
 length of the inner arm member, a heavy duty coil spring interconnecting
 the inner and outer arm members may interconnect the members with the axis
 of the spring in its relaxed condition being disposed in longitudinal
 alignment with the inner arm member. In such an embodiment, the inner and
 outer arm members may be formed as tubular members and the spring may be
 inserted into opposed ends of the arm members with each end thereof
 secured to an arm member. In such an arrangement, the ends of the arm
 members would be spaced from each other and interconnected by a coil
 spring having sufficient rigidity to maintain the outer arm member aligned
 longitudinally with the inner arm member during normal sweeping operations
 with a suitable force being imposed on the strut member, capable of
 deflecting upon the imposition of an undue load on the strut assembly and
 further having a sufficient spring rate to cause the spring to return to
 its normal relaxed condition and thus bias the outer arm member into
 longitudinal alignment with the inner arm member. In addition, the inner
 and outer members of the strut assembly may be interconnected in the
 manner of a conventional shock absorber which would allow the outer arm
 member to displace relative to the inner arm member along a common axis of
 the members. Still other connections between the arm members of the strut
 assembly are contemplated within the scope of the present invention in
 which the outer arm member is allowed to displace relative to the inner
 arm member upon the imposition of an undue load on the strut assembly to
 prevent damage to the assembly.
 From the foregoing detailed description it will be evident that there are a
 number of changes, adaptations, an modifications of the present invention
 which come within the province of those persons having ordinary skill in
 the art to which the aforementioned invention pertains. However, it is
 intended that all such variations not departing from the spirit of the
 invention be considered as within the scope thereof as limited solely by
 the appended claims.