Radiator for earth moving machine

Abstract: A radiator (1) for earth moving machines connected to the engine (19) of the earth moving machine and comprising first connecting means (7) that pivotally fasten the radiator (1) to the frame (6), in such a way that the radiator (1) can rotate about its own lower edge (4) from a closed position in which it is approached to the frame (6) to an open position in which it is in part moved away from the frame (6). The first connecting means (7) comprise a plurality of support elements (8) each integrally fastened to the frame (6) in correspondence with the lower edge (4) of the radiator (1). Each support element (8) has a saddle shaped portion (12) oriented upwards, into which is inserted the lower edge (4) of the radiator (1).

Description: The present invention relates to a radiator for earth moving machines of the type comprising the characteristics set out in the preamble to claim 1. Although the present invention is applicable to all earth moving machines, it is advantageously applicable to earth moving machines of relatively small dimensions, in particular those known as Skid Steer Loaders. Hereafter, therefore, explicit reference shall be made to Skid Steer Loaders, although the considerations set out herein are equally valid for any other earth moving machine. In Skid Steer Loaders, the engine 19 is mounted in the rear area of the machine and the engine water cooling radiator 19 is fastened, in substantially vertical position, to the rear part of the frame by means of a plurality of screws. In some embodiments the radiator is then protected by an openable protective hood. To increase the flow of air that hits the radiator, machines are also provided with a cooling fan positioned to the interior of the machine relative to the radiator. The prior art described above, however, has a series of drawbacks. When using the machine, the radiator and the fan are subject to being frequently fouled with dirt residues, dust and the like, thereby having their efficiency reduced at least in part. In such circumstances it is thus necessary to intervene manually to clean them. One then has to unscrew the screws the fasten the radiator, disconnect the hydraulic connections between the engine 19 and the radiator, in order to remove the radiator itself. One thereby has access both to the fan and to the interior part of the radiator. However such an operation takes a long time and forces to keep the machine idle for an extended period. In particular, servicing times are linked to the need to disconnect the hydraulic connections between the engine 19 and the radiator, and subsequently to return the entire system to its previous condition. A similar problem occurs when it is necessary to work on the radiator itself or other interior parts of the machine located behind the radiator, in order to perform other maintenance operations. Another kind of removable cooling system for construction machines, is disclosed in British patent GB 2 332 507 in the name of Caterpillar. The cooling system is provided of first and second connecting means for respectively connecting the top and the lower part of the cooling system to the frame of the machine. The second connecting means comprises bolts, while the first connecting means comprises two lateral pivot joints on which the system is rotatably leaned. In order to provide an maintenance access, the oil cooler is firstly pivoted forwardly and downwardly away from the radiator, and then removed by lifting. A further kind of mounting assembly for an automotive condenser is disclosed in US patent n. 5 139 080 in the name of Bolton et al.. This patent shows a mounting assembly in which the condenser is fixed to two strip brackets, which are then connected to the frame of the vehicle. This connection is realized by means of first and second connecting means for respectively connecting the top and the lower part of the cooling system to the frame of the machine. The second connecting means comprises bolts, while the first connecting means comprises two lateral disposed support elements each presenting a slot for housing a blade provided on a strip bracket. The support elements are dimensioned in such a way to hold firmly in place the strip brackets and the condenser, to allow an easy connection of the bolt at the top part of the strip brackets. In particular, the slots, at their narrowest point, have a lesser thickness than the blades. In this situation the technical task constituting the basis for the present invention is to obtain a radiator for earth moving machines that overcomes the aforementioned drawbacks. In particular, the technical task of the present invention is to provide a radiator for earth moving machine that allows to conduct, easily and rapidly, cleaning operations on the radiator and fan, and that at the same time allows an easy access to all other parts of the machine mounted behind the radiator. The specified technical task and the indicated aims are substantially achieved by a radiator for earth moving machines, as described in the accompanying claims. Further features and advantages of the present invention shall become more readily apparent from the detailed description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of a radiator for earth moving machines, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a lateral view of a radiator according to the present invention, mounted on an earth moving machine, with some parts removed the better to highlight others; Figure 2 shows the radiator of Figure 1 in the open position, with some parts removed the better to highlight others; Figure 3 shows a plan view of a detail of the radiator of Figure 1; Figure 4 shows a rear view of the radiator of Figure 1; Figure 5 shows the radiator of Figure 4 with some parts removed the better to highlight others; Figure 6 shows a lateral view of a radiator in the open position according to a second embodiment of the present invention with some parts removed the better to highlight others. With reference to the aforementioned drawings, the reference number 1 globally indicates a radiator for earth moving machines. The radiator 1 illustrated in the accompanying figures comprises an outer support plate 2 and has an upper edge 3, a lower edge 4, and two lateral edges 5. The edges 3, 4, 5, in the illustrated embodiment, coincide with the edges of the plate. The radiator 1 is also able to be pivotally fastened to a frame 6 of an earth moving machine with first connecting means 7, in such a way as to be able to rotate about its own lower edge 4 from a closed position in which the radiator 1 lies in a substantially vertical plane relative to the ground and is approached to the frame 6, to an open position in which it lies in an inclined plane relative to the ground and it is moved partly away from the frame 7. In a first embodiment the first connecting means 7 comprise at least a support element 8 integrally fastened to the frame 6 in correspondence with the lower edge 4 of the radiator 1. Said support element 8 has a planar, substantially horizontal lower area 9 fastened, in correspondence with a first edge 10, to the frame 6 of the machine, and a sealing area 11 developing from a second edge 12 of the lower area 9, substantially perpendicular to the lower area 9 itself and parallel to the frame 6. Said lower area 9 and sealing area 11 define a saddle shaped area 12 oriented upwards into which is inserted and onto which bears the lower edge 4 of the radiator 1. In the embodiment illustrated in the accompanying figures, the first connecting means 7 comprise a plurality of support elements, each integrally fastened to the frame 6 in correspondence with the lower edge 4 of the radiator 1. Each support element 8 has a saddle shaped portion 12 oriented upwards into which is inserted and onto which bears the lower edge 4 of the radiator 1. Moreover, on the lower edge 4 of the radiator are obtained a plurality of housings 13 each in correspondence with a support element 8. In a second embodiment, the first connecting means 7 comprise at least an extensible return arm 14 (Figure 6). Said return arm 14 has a first end 15 fastened to the frame 6 and a second end 16 fastened to the radiator 1. Said arm 14 can be used together with support elements 8 (as shown in Figure 6) or alone, depending on requirements. All embodiments can also be provided with second means 17 for connecting the radiator 1 to the frame 6 in order to fasten the radiator 1 to the frame 6 in removable fashion when the radiator 1 itself is in the closed position. In known arrangements, said second connecting means 17 are advantageously constituted by a plurality of screws 18 that connect the lateral edges 5 of the radiator 1 to the frame 6. The radiator 1 is operatively connected to an engine 19 of the earth moving machine by means of at least two flexible hydraulic conduits 20 for cooling the water of the engine 19 (Figure 3). One of said conduits 20 can be connected to the upper part of the radiator 1 and the other to its lower part, as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 6. Preferably, at least the upper conduit 20 is made of a semi-rigid material and is so shaped as to be flexible because of its structural conformation. In the illustrated embodiment, for instance, the upper hydraulic conduit 20 is shaped, at least in part, as an "S". Moreover, the illustrated embodiments show a radiator 1 for cooling both water and oil, which comprises two additional hydraulic conduits 21 for the oil and a filter 22, according to well known arrangements. From the functional point of view, when it is necessary to work on an earth moving machine mounting the radiator 1 of the present invention, to conduct maintenance operations on the radiator 1, on the fan or on parts of the machine positioned behind the radiator 1, the second connecting means 17 are removed to allow opening the radiator 1. Said radiator 1 is made to rotate from the closed position to the open position by means of a rotation, substantially about its own lower edge 4, towards the exterior of the earth moving machine. The travel of this rotation is determined by the end stop of the return arm 14 or, when this element is not present, by the dimensioning of the support elements 8, and in particular of the sealing area 11. In the open position the lower edge 4 of the radiator 1 bears in part against the frame 6 and in part against the sealing area 11 of the support element 8, and hence its position is a direct consequence of the geometric dimensions of the support element 8. Thanks to the flexibility of the hydraulic conduits 20, said conduits can easily follow the radiator 1 during its actuation, allowing the radiator to be opened without requiring the disassembly of the hydraulic system. The present invention achieve important advantages. Thanks to the present invention, cleaning the interior part of the radiator and of the fan and accessing the parts of the machine located behind the radiator is considerably simplified. Once the fastening screws are removed, the radiator can be opened whilst still remaining attached to the machine, thereby avoiding the need to disconnect the hydraulic system. Moreover, when it becomes necessary to detach the radiator to perform more complex maintenance operations, all that is required is to detach the hydraulic conduits and extract the radiator from the support elements. It should also be noted that the present invention is relatively easy to construct and that also the cost connected to embodying the invention is not very high. The invention thus conceived can be subject to numerous modifications and variations, without thereby departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appending claims. All components can be replaced by technically equivalent elements and in practice all materials employed, as well as the shapes and the dimensions of the various components, can be any according to needs.

Claims: An earth moving machine comprising a frame (6), an engine (19), a radiator assembly (1) operatively connected to said engine (19) and having a lower edge (4), first means (7) for pivotally connecting the radiator assembly (1) to the frame (6), said radiator assembly (1) being able to rotate about said lower edge (4) from a closed position in which said radiator assembly (1) is approached to the frame (6) to an open position in which said radiator assembly (1) is in part moved away from the frame (6) to provide an access behind the radiator assembly (1), and further comprising second means (17) for connecting said radiator assembly (1) to the frame (6) in order to fasten said radiator assembly (1) in removable fashion to the frame (6) in said closed position, characterised in that said first connecting means (7) comprise at least a support element (8) integrally fastened to the frame (6) in correspondence to said lower edge (4) of the radiator assembly (1), and having a saddle shaped portion (12) oriented upwards, said lower edge (4) of the radiator assembly (1) being inserted in said saddle shaped portion (12), and said radiator assembly (1) being able to rotate about said lower edge (4), leaned onto the saddle shaped portion (12) and said radiator assembly (1) in said open position being stably sustained by said support element (8). A machine as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that said first connecting means (7) comprise a plurality of support elements (8) each integrally fastened to the frame (6) in correspondence with said lower edge (4) of the radiator assembly (1), and each having a saddle shaped portion (12) oriented upwards, said lower edge (4) of the radiator assembly (1) being inserted in said saddle shaped portion of the support elements (8). A machine as claimed in claim 1 or 2 characterised in that said support element (8) has a planar, substantially horizontal lower area (9) fastened, in correspondence with a first edge (10), to the frame (6) of the machine, and a sealing area (11) developing from a second edge (12) of the lower area (9), substantially perpendicular to the lower area (9) itself and parallel to the frame (6), said lower area (9) and sealing area (11) defining the saddle shaped area (12). A machine as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 characterised in that the support element (8) is arranged such that the travel of the rotation of the radiator assembly (1) from the closed to the open position is determined by the dimensioning of the support element (8) itself. A machine as claimed in claim 3 and 4 characterised in that in the open position the radiator (1) bears in part against the frame (6) and in part against the sealing area (11) of the support element (8). A machine as claimed in any of the previous claims characterised in that said first connecting means (7) comprise at least an extensible return arm (14) presenting a first end (15) fastened to said frame (6) and a second end (16) fastened to said radiator assembly (1), to support said radiator assembly (1). A machine as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that it further comprises at least a flexible hydraulic conduit (20) connected between said engine (19) and said radiator assembly (1). A machine as claimed in claim 7 characterised in that said hydraulic conduit (20) is semi-rigid and is at least in part shaped as an "S".

Inventors: GABIOLI FABIO, GABIOLI, FABIO
Applicants: KOMATSU UTILITY EUROP S P A, KOMATSU UTILITY EUROPE S.P.A.
Application year: 2001
Main classification: E02F9
IPC codes: E02F3, E02F9, F01P3, B60K11