Abstract:
A sugar cane loader is provided with a C-shaped chain piler including a grab pocket flanked by a pair of guide rails and including a third guide rail located at a central lower region of the grab pocket. The shape of the chain piler is such as to increase the movement of the stalks for better cleaning during piling, while the guide rails cause the grab to be moved forward during loading such that the cane stalks are moved ahead of tines projecting from the piler chains so that the tines and/or chains are not damaged when the loaded grab is lifted.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to sugar cane loaders, and more specifically, related to grab and piler arrangements for such loaders. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    In U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/581,858, filed Oct. 17, 2006, a combined piler and grab structure is described for causing the grab to be rotated to the rear as it is being lowered into the piler pocket. It has been found that when using such a grab with a chain piler that is uniquely curved so as to be substantially C-shaped, as viewed from the side, the grab tines tend to pinch cane stalks against teeth projecting from the piler chains located at opposite sides of the piler pocket, resulting in damage to the teeth and/or chain when the grab is lifted after closing the grab tines into gripping engagement with the piled cane stalks. 
         [0003]    The focus of the invention is to construct the chain piler and grab of the loader so as to avoid damage to the piler chains and teeth. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    According to the present invention, there is provided a loader including an improved combined chain piler and grab arrangement. 
         [0005]    An object of the invention is to provide a chain piler arrangement and grab arrangement wherein the grab is caused to be moved forwardly as it is moved down into the piler pocket so as to cause cane stalks to be freed from contact with the cane conveyor teeth carried by the piler chains prior to the grab tines being closed about a pile of cane existing at the forward side of the piler. This object is accomplished by providing the rear of the rear grab tine with an abutment surface arrangement, and the rear region of the piler pocket with a guide rail arrangement which cooperates with the abutment surface arrangement when the rear grab tine is lowered into the piler pocket so as to cause the grab to be guided forwardly. 
         [0006]    This and other objects of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the ensuring description together with the appended drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a right side view of a sugar cane loader equipment with a grab and chain piler arrangement constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a left rear perspective exploded view of the grab shown in  FIG. 1 , but omitting the hydraulic grab cylinder. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged right side view of the chain piler assembly shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a front view of the chain piler assembly shown in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a left front perspective view of the chain piler assembly shown in  FIG. 4 , but omitting the piler chains and the right- and left-hand end push lifters. 
           [0012]      FIGS. 6-11  are views like  FIG. 1 , but showing a progression of positions of the grab as it is lowered into the piler pocket during positioning for engaging and picking up piled sugar cane stalks. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0013]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a sugar cane loader  10  including a loader boom arrangement  30 , a grab arrangement  50  and a chain piler arrangement  70 . 
         [0014]    The sugar cane loader includes a main frame  12  supported on front and rear pairs of drive wheels  14  and  16 , respectively, with the rear wheels  16  being steerable, in a well known manner (not shown). Power for diving he wheels and for operating the various hydraulic functions of the loader  10  is supplied by an internal combustion engine  18  supported on a rear region of the frame  12 . Provided on a forward region of the frame  12  is an opertor&#39;s cab  20  containing a seat  22  located within reach of various manually operated controls, of which only a steering wheel  24  is shown. 
         [0015]    The loader boom arrangement  30  is mounted at a central region of the main frame  12 , just to the rear of the cab  20 . The loader boom arrangement  30  includes an upright mast  32  mounted to a pedestal  34  for being selectively rotated about a vertical axis, in a manner well known in the art. An inner boom  36  has a first end pivotally coupled, by a horizontal pivot arrangement  38 , to an upper end of the mast  32  for being swung vertically by a first extensible and retractable hydraulic boom cylinder  40 . The inner boom  36  has a second end pivotally coupled, by a horizontal pivot arrangement  42 , to a first end of an outer boom  44 , and a second extensible and retractable hydraulic boom cylinder  46  is coupled between the inner and outer booms  36  and  44  for pivoting the outer boom  44  about the pivot arrangement  42 . Pivotally mounted to a second end of the outer boom  46 , by a horizontal pivot arrangement  48  so as to be freely suspended, is a grab assembly  50 . 
         [0016]    Referring now also to  FIG. 2 , it can be seen that the grab assembly  50  includes a curved rear grab tine  52  and an angled, opposing front grab tine  54 . A first cylinder mounting bracket  56  is carried on the rear grab tine  52  adjacent the pivot arrangement  48 . Mounted between the cylinder mounting bracket  56  and an second cylinder mounting bracket  57  projecting upwardly from the front grab tine  54  at a location, approximately halfway along its length, is an extensible and retractable hydraulic grab cylinder  58 . The grab cylinder  58  is selectively operates so as to open the grab assembly  50 , when the cylinder is retracted, as shown in  FIG. 1 , for example, and to close the grab assembly  50 , when the cylinder  58  is extended, as shown in  FIG. 7 . The front grab tine  54  includes opposite sides which terminate in a pair of spaced apart tine end sections  60  located for straddling a pair of tine end sections  62  of the rear grab tine  46  when the grab tine assembly  50  is completely closed. 
         [0017]    Coupled to a back side of the rear grapple tine  52  in a region, which constitutes approximately the lower third of a length dimension of the tine, is an abutment assembly including a first roller  64  extending between an upper region of the tine end sections  62 , as viewed in  FIG. 1 , and a lower pair of rollers  66 , mounted one to a lower region of each tine end section  62 . The first roller  64  is mounted for rotation about a shaft  68  having its opposite ends respectively fixed to the pair of end sections  62 . The lower pair of rollers  66  are respectively mounted to a pair of shafts  69  that are respectively fixed to lower rear locations of the pair of end sections  62  of the rear grab tine  52 . Thus, the first roller  64  is located to move in a path which is inward of separate paths followed by the lower rollers  66 . 
         [0018]    Referring now also to  FIGS. 3-5 , it can be seen that the piler arrangement  70  includes a frame assembly  72  including a pair of transversely spaced arms  74  joined at their forward ends to a cross beam  76  and having rear ends pivotally mounted to a lower front region of the main frame  12  for swinging vertically about a horizontal axis defined by respective horizontal pivot assemblies  78 . A pair of upstanding brackets  80  are respectively joined to the pair of arms  74 , and coupled between each bracket  80  and one of a pair of brackets  82  joined to the main frame  12 , is an extensible and retractable, hydraulic piler lift cylinder  84 . Formed at a lower end of each of the brackets  82  is a chain mounting bracket  86  containing a key hole shaped opening receiving a chain  88  having an end fixed to the cross beam  76  of the piler frame  72 , with a selected link of the chain being placed in the smaller section of the key hole shaped opening, whereby the chain  88  serves as a down stop for preventing the piler arrangement  70  from being lowered to the extend that it digs into the soil. 
         [0019]    The cross beam  76  of the frame assembly  72  includes a main beam member  90 , of square cross section. Fixed to and projecting vertically upward from a upper front corner of the beam member  90  is an upper mounting strip  92  extending an entire length of the beam. Similarly, fixed to and projecting vertically downward from a lower front corner of the beam  90  is a lower mounting strip  94 . Each of the mounting strips  92  and  94  contains a plurality of horizontally spaced mounting holes  96 . 
         [0020]    With reference especially to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , it can be seen that a middle cane stalk push lifter  98  is mounted to the upper and lower mounting strips  92  and  94  at a location centered between right- and left-hand cane stalk push lifters  100  and  102 , respectively, mounted to opposite ends of the strips. The spacing between the middle push lifter  98  and the end cane stalk push lifters  100  and  102  is selected to be equal to the sapcing between adjacent cane stalk rows  104 , with the lifters  98 ,  100 ,  102  being adapted for operating centrally between adjacent cane rows  104 . The push lifters  98 ,  100 ,  102  each comprise a central, vertical plate structure  106  having a stepped, upwardly and rearwardly inclined leading edge having an upper end joined to a rear edge defined by a vertical edge section to which is joined a downwardly and forwardly inclined edge section, which is, in turn, joined to a horizontal bottom edge. Welded to the vertical edge section is a vertical mounting plate  108  that extends beyond opposite sides of the plate structure  106  and has a top and a bottom respectively located at a height above the upper mounting strip  92 , and at a height below the lower mounting strip  94 . The mounting plate  108  of each push lifter  98 ,  100  and  102  contains upper and lower sets of holes which register with selected ones of the holes  96  provided in the mounting strips  92  and  94 , with bolt fasteners  109  being provided at the aligned holes for securing the push lifters  98 ,  100  and  102  to cross beam  76 . Welded to, and extending beyond opposite sides of the inclined rear edge section, and all but a small forward region of the horizontal bottom edge section of the respective plate structures  106  of the push lifters  98 ,  100 , and  102  is a plate defining a skid shoe  110  having a forward end section that is bifurcated and inclined upwardly and forwardly at opposite sides of the plate structure  106 . This inclined forward end section of the skid shoe  110  presents a surface which tends to prevent the push lifters from digging into the ground. The inclined, has a covering strip assembly  114  welded thereto. Welded to a lower inclined section of the covered leading edge is a wear resistant rod  116  having an upper end that terminates at a lower step of the covered leading edge. 
         [0021]    Concerning only the middle push lifter  98 , that portion of the strip assembly  114 , not engaged by the rod  116 , forms a guide rail  118 , which includes upper and lower horizontal sections joined by an upwardly and rearwardly inclined middle section. Also relating only to the middle push lifter  98 , are right- and left-hand guide rails  120  and  122  that are joined to opposite sides of the vertical plate structure  106  of the push lifter  98  so as to be behind the guide rail  118 . The guide rails  120  and  122  each have a relatively short upper end section  124  which parallels the middle section of the guide rail  118 , a relatively short middle section  126 , which extends substantially parallel to the mounting plate  10 , and a relatively long, downwardly and forwardly curved lower end section  128  having a lower end which terminates vertically below the lower horizontal section of the middle guide rail  118 . The purpose of the guide rails  118 ,  120  and  122  is to properly position the grab assembly  50 , as explained in further detail below, during the operation of grabbing a load of cane stalks that have been piled by the chain piler assembly  70 . 
         [0022]    The inclined rods  116  and the relatively narrow strip assemblies  114  at the forward edges of the push lifters  98 ,  100  and  102  operate during forward movement of the piler assembly  70  to lift sugar cane stalks, lying in windrows on the ground, upwardly into engagement with a plurality of chain piler units including a right-hand pair of outer and inner chain piler units  130  and  132 , and a left-hand pair of outer and inner chain piler units  134  and  136 , with the inner and outer units being mirror images of each other. The right-hand pair of chain piler units  130  and  132  are mounted to the upper and lower mounting strips  92  and  94  so as to be centered between the middle and right-hand push lifter units  98  and  100 , and are spaced from each other so as to be centered above a respective cane row  104 . Similarly, the left-hand pair of chain piler units  134  and  136  are mounted to the mounting strips  92  and  94  so as to be centered between the middle and left-hand push lifters  98  and  102 , and are spaced from each other so as to be centered above another one of the cane rows  104 . A piler pocket  138  ( FIG. 3 ) is defined between the inner chain piler units  132  and  136  into which the rear loader grab tine  52  may be inserted for picking up a pile of cane produced by the chain piler assembly  70 , as is described in further detail below. 
         [0023]    Each of the chain piler units  130 ,  132 ,  134 , and  136  includes a vertical chain support structure  140  having a vertical rear edge to which is welded a vertical mounting plate  142  containing upper and lower sets of mounting holes  144  that are respectively brought into register with selected ones of the mounting holes  96  provided in the upper and lower mounting strips  92  and  94 . Bolt fasteners (not shown, but like the fasteners  109 ) are inserted through the registered holes so as to secure the chain piler units to the cross beam  76 . The chain support structures  140  each include a horizontal bottom edge  146  which terminates at a height spaced above the ground, which is slightly less than the height at which upper ends of the rods  116  of the push lifters  98 ,  100  and  102  terminate. 
         [0024]    Extending between, and having opposite ends secured to an upper region of the chain support structures  140  of each of the right-hand pair of piler chain units  130  and  132  is a telescopic cross brace  148  which is fixed at an adjusted length by a plurality of fasteners  149  inserted through aligned holes provided in he telescoping sections of the brace  148 . A similar brace  148  is provided between an upper region of each of the chain support structures  140  of the left-hand pair of piler chain units  134  and  136 . The chain support structures  140  each include a forwardly opening, generally C-shaped front surface  150  which extends between a forward end of the bottom edge  146  and a front of a curved tip edge  152 , the latter having a rear end which terminates at, and is joined to an upper end of, a rear edge  154  which inclines downwardly to an upper end of the vertical mounting plate  142 . 
         [0025]    Fixed to an upper region of the inner surface of the chain support structure  140  of each of the piler chain units  130  and  134 , and to an upper region of the outer surface of the chain support structure  140  of each of the piler chain units  132  and  136 , are respective head shaft guide assemblies  156 , which each includes a pair of angle members  158  arranged parallel to each other and having first sides respectively fixed at opposite sides of an upwardly and forwardly inclined oval opening  160 . Vertical sides of the angle members  158  each have a guide bar  162  fixed along its length. A hydraulic motor  164  includes an output shaft (not visible) defining a head shaft which projects through the opening  160  and mounted to the head shaft, so as to be on an opposite side of the chain support structure  140  from the motor  164 , is a chain sprocket  166 . A guide rail assembly  168  is fixed to the motor  164  and is mounted for sliding along the guide bars  162 . An extensible and retractable hydraulic actuator  170  has a rod end coupled to a bracket carried by the motor  164  and a cylinder coupled to a bracket fixed to the chain support structure  140 , with the actuator  170  being operable for selectively effecting up or down movement of the motor  164 , and, hence, the head shaft, within the oval opening  160 , for a purpose explained below. 
         [0026]    Located in a lower region of each of the chain support structure  140  of the chain piler units  130 ,  132 ,  134  and  136  so as to be substantially vertically below the oval openings  160 , are respective horizontally aligned openings. Received in the openings provided in the right-hand pair of chain piler units  130  and  132  is a first shaft  172 , and received in the openings provided in the left-hand pair of chain piler units  134  and  136  is a second shaft  172 . The shafts  172  are supported in bearing assemblies  174  fixed to confronting surfaces of the support structures  140  of the piler units  130  and  132 , and in confronting surfaces of the support structures  140  of the piler units  134  and  136 . Mounted to opposite ends of the shafts  172  are respective chain sprockets  176 . An endless roller chain  178  (see  FIG. 2 ) is trained about each set of sprockets  166  and  176 , and fixed to an outer side of each of the chains  178 , relative to the support structure  140 , by link pins passing through the chain rollers, is a plurality of triangular, flat cane conveyor teeth  180 . The path traveled by the chain  178  is determined by a chain guide arrangement  182  including an outer, generally kidney-shaped guide member  184  having upper and lower ends extending about the sprockets  166  and  176 . A forward side of the guide member  184  is spaced behind and extends substantially parallel to the front edge  150  of the chain support structure  140 . The height of the guide member  184  from the chain support structure  140  is such that the conveyor teeth  180  project beyond the guide member  184 , with the teeth  180  being sufficiently long that as they travel adjacent a forward side of the guide member  184  they project forwardly beyond the front edge  150  of the chain support structure  140 . Each chain guide arrangement  182  further includes front and rear guide members  186  and  188  which extend between the sprockets  166  and  177  and are disposed substantially parallel to each other and to a forward side of the outer guide member  184 . 
         [0027]    The operation of the loader  10 , and in particular the grab arrangement  50  and the piler arrangement  70  is as follows. Initially, the piler arrangement  70  is lowered to a working height, as shown in  FIG. 1 , and the loader  10  is advanced forwardly over cane stalks which have been cut and laid generally crosswise to the cane row or rows  104  to form a windrow  190 . The inclined rods  116  of the forward edge arrangements  114  of the push lifters  98 ,  100 , and  102  contact the cane stalk windrow  190  and cause the stalks to be elevated into a zone in engagement with the forwardly curved edges  150  of the chain piler units  130 ,  132 ,  134  and  136 , with these edges  150  acting to cause the cane stalks to roll forwardly and form a cane stalk pile  192 . This rolling action causes soil to be dislodged from the cane stalks and is aided by the chains  176  which, at this time, are being driven counter clockwise, as viewed in  FIG. 3 , by the hydraulic motors  164 . More specifically, this rotation of the chains  176  results in the conveyor teeth  180  engaging cane stalks, with the forwardly extending component of the upper region of the front runs of the chains  178  resulting in the cane stalks carried by the teeth  180  being ejected forwardly onto the forming a pile. 
         [0028]    Once the pile  192  has been formed, as shown in  FIG. 1 , for example, the grab assembly  50  is opened fully, by completely retracting the actuator  58 , and positioned with the rear and front tines  52  and  54  arranged in fore-and-aft alignment with each other and with the piler pocket  138 . Because the grab assembly  50  hangs free at the pivot arrangement  48 , the lower ends of the tines  52  and  54  are disposed in first and second, approximately horizontal planes due to the angled front tine  54  being shorter than the curved rear tine  52 . 
         [0029]    With the illustrated loader  10 , the initial positioning of the grab assembly  50 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , is accomplished by operating the first boom cylinder  40  so as to lower the inner boom  36  to an angle of about 28° to the horizontal and by operating the second boom cylinder  46  so as to dispose the outer boom  44  such that it makes and angle of approximately 99° with the inner boom  36 . A seated operator can easily see when the lower end of the rear grab tine  52  is adjacent an upper, forward end of the chain piler units  132  and  136 , which is the proper initial position of the grab assembly  50 . 
         [0030]    Referring now to  FIG. 6 , the next step in the operation is to lower the inner boom  36  by about 16°, which causes the rear tine  52  to enter the piler pocket  138 , with the lower, spaced rollers  66  then respectively coming into engagement with upper regions of the outer guide rails  120  and  122 . 
         [0031]    Proceeding to  FIG. 7 , the next step is to lower the outer boom  44  by 1° degree which causes the lower rollers  66  to ride down the curved regions  128  of the outer guide rails  120  and  122 , which results in the grab assembly  50  being rotated 8° to the rear (counter clockwise). 
         [0032]    Proceeding to  FIG. 8 , there the boom  44  has been lowered by another 1°, which causes the lower rollers  66  to ride further down the curved regions  128  of the outer guide rails  120  and  122 . The force imposed on the rollers  66 , as the boom  44  is lowered, causes the grab assembly  50  to be rotated another 11° counter clockwise, or to the rear, about the pivot arrangement  48 . At this time the upper roller  64  is just coming into engagement with the downwardly and forwardly inclined middle guide rail  118 . 
         [0033]    Then, upon lowering the outer boom  44  another ½°, as shown in  FIG. 9 , the force resulting due to the contact of the roller  64  with the middle guide rail  118  causes the grab assembly  50  to be rotated another 9.5°counter clockwise about the pivot assembly  48 , which results in the lower rollers  66  being lifted off the outer guide rails  120  and  122 . Finally, the outer boom  44  is lowered another 3°, as shown in  FIG. 10 , resulting in the top center roller  64  reaching the horizontal step of the bottom of the center guide rail  118 , and in the grab assembly  50  undergoing another 32.7° rotation to the rear about the pivot arrangement  48 . Most important however is the fact that this downward movement of the roller  64  has resulted in the curved rear tine  52  acting to force the cane pile forward of the teeth  180  of the piler chains  178 . Neither the inner boom  36  nor the outer boom  44  can now move lower due to the center roller  64  being in contact with the horizontal step, with it being noted that the lower rollers  66  are now the lowest part of the grab tine  52  and are spaced above the ground level. Therefore, the operator is kept from forcing the rear grab tine  52  into the soil. 
         [0034]    The operator will recognize when this condition exists and will know that the grab assembly  50  is now positioned for being operated to be clamped onto a load of cane stalks contained in the pile. This accomplished by actuating the hydraulic cylinder  58  so that it extends and closes the front tine  54  by effecting a 75° clockwise rotation of front tine  54 , with such an amount of closing being sufficient to cause the grab to exert enough squeeze on the engaged cane stalks to keep them from falling out during the lifting phase. It is to be noted that because the can stalks are now free of the conveyor teeth  180 , neither these teeth, nor the piler chains  178  to which the teeth are attached, will be subject to damage as the gripped load of cane stalks is lifted. 
         [0035]    Once the tines  52  and  54  are closed sufficiently for the grab assembly  50  to hold a gripped mass of the piled cane stalks, as illustrated in  FIG. 11 , the booms  36  and  44  are raised by extending the cylinders  40  and  46 , and the mast  32  is rotated so as to dispose the loaded grab assembly  50  over a mobile container (not shown) for hauling cane stalks. The tine cylinder  58  is then contracted so as to open the tine  54  and release the gripped mass of cane stalks into the mobile container. The operator then drives the loader  10  ahead so as to pile more cane stalks while once again lowering and swiveling the boom assembly  30  so as to position the grab assembly  50  for picking up the next bunch of piled cane stalks. 
         [0036]    Having described the preferred embodiment, it will become apparent the various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the accompany claims.