Abstract:
An excavating machine, representatively a skid steer, has a pair of loader arms to which an excavating bucket is mounted. A hydraulic breaker assembly is protectively mounted inside the bucket and movable to extend outward therefrom. The bucket may be operated independently of the breaker assembly for digging operations. The breaker assembly may be positioned independently of the bucket and the breaker actuated for removing refusal material. The bucket and the breaker may then be cooperatively operated to perform removal operations. The same excavating machine can be used for digging and breaking operations without the need for a second excavating machine or device dedicated to breaking the refusal material.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present invention generally relates to a material handling apparatus and, in an embodiment thereof, more particularly relates to an excavating apparatus, such as a skid steer, having lift arms connected to a specially designed bucket having a deployable breaker assembly internally mounted within the bucket, which uniquely permits the skid steer operator to selectively carry out both digging and breaking refusal material operations without having to change out equipment on the stick. The device is also applicable for use with other front loader machines. 
         [0003]    Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Small scale earth excavation operations are typically performed using a powered excavating apparatus, such as a front loader or a skid steer, having a pair of lift arms connected to a hydraulically pivotal bucket or other excavating tool. The operator can use the bucket to forcibly dig into the ground, scoop up a quantity of dirt, and move the scooped up dirt quantity to another location. 
         [0005]    A first common occurrence during conventional digging operations is that the bucket strikes refusal material (in excavation parlance, a material which “refuses” to be dug up) such as rock which simply cannot be broken and scooped up by the bucket, such as encountered in road work and driveway replacements. 
         [0006]    A previously utilized alternative to this single skid steer sequence is to provide two excavators for each digging project—one excavator having a bucket attached, and the second excavator having a breaker attached. When the bucket-equipped excavator encounters refusal material during the digging process, it is moved away from the digging site, and the operator climbs down from the bucket-equipped excavator, walks over to and climbs up into the breaker-equipped excavator, drives the breaker-equipped excavator to the digging site, and breaks up the encountered refusal material. Reversing the process, the operator then switches to the bucket-equipped excavator and resumes the digging process to scoop up the now broken-up refusal material. 
         [0007]    While this digging/breaking technique is easier on the operator, it is necessary to dedicate two large and costly excavators to a given digging task, thereby substantially increasing the total cost of a given excavation. A modification of this technique is to use two operators—one to operate the bucket-equipped excavator, and one to operate the breaker-equipped excavator. This, of course, undesirably increases both the manpower and equipment cost for a given excavation project. 
         [0008]    An alternative to a second excavating machine is to employ the use of a man-operated jackhammer. In either case, progressing through the refusal material requires a second operator to maintain efficiency of the operation. This increases the cost of the operation by requiring a second operator and rental of a second excavating machine or pneumatic hammer. If a second operator is not used, then the operation requires the single operator to be proficient in the operation of both pieces of equipment. This procedure further requires that the operator safely stop the skid steer and exit the vehicle, move to the second vehicle or jack hammer, and begin its use. This procedure is predictably slow and exhausting for the operator. 
         [0009]    This problem also arises during the operation of backhoe excavating machines. Recently, a commercially successful solution to at least part of this problem is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,430,849, U.S. Pat. No. 6,751,896, U.S. Pat. No. 7,117,618 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,257,910 (collectively, “the &#39;849 patent family”). The &#39;849 patent family discloses the Bayonet® Breaker System which provides an excavating machine known as a back-hoe with a specially designed pivotal boom stick assembly that includes a boom stick having first and second excavating tools secured thereto for movement relative to the boom stick. The first excavating tool is an excavating bucket secured to the boom stick for pivotal movement relative thereto between a first position and a second position, and the second tool is a breaker secured to the boom stick for pivotal movement relative thereto between a stowed position and an operative position. 
         [0010]    As described in the &#39;849 patent family, the bucket is operable when the breaker is in its stowed position. The bucket is movable by the drive apparatus independent of the breaker, to perform a digging operation. The breaker is operable when the bucket is in a first “stowed” position, which is away from the deployed position of the breaker to prevent contact and interference. The breaker is movable by the drive apparatus independent of the bucket, to perform a breaking operation. Accordingly, the excavating machine may be advantageously utilized to perform both digging and breaking operations without equipment change-out on the boom stick. 
         [0011]    However, this solution is inapplicable to front loaders and skid steers that lack a boom stick for storage and deployment of the hammer without interfering with the operation of the bucket. Front loaders and particularly skid steers have a pair of lifting arms pivotally connected to a position behind the operator, and raise the bucket close to the operator&#39;s cabin. As a result, the operation of the skid steer is very different than that of a backhoe, and it lacks the flexibility in the movement of the arms that the boom stick on a backhoe enjoys, and is more suited for smaller jobs and operations in confined space. 
         [0012]    The present invention is contrary to conventional design principals of the prior art, in which the volume of the bucket is maximized. Availability of the full volume of the bucket is necessary to maximize the carrying capacity of the bucket and thus reduce the time on the job. However, this long-held belief ignores the significant loss of time that occurs when the bucket encounters refusal material. When the surface rock is hard, the full capacity of the bucket is no longer the project time controlling constraint. Breaking the refusal material is. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    In carrying out principles of the present invention, in accordance with one embodiment thereof, an excavating machine, representatively a skid steer, is provided with a pair of pivotal loader arms with a specially designed bucket having a deployable hammer located interior to the bucket, beneath a shield, and deployed through a portal passage in the base of the bucket. The loader arms position both the bucket and the deployed hammer above the refusal material, whereupon the hammer is actuated. When the refusal material has been fragmented, the hammer is retracted into the stowed position within the bucket. The bucket is then used to scoop and remove the fragmented material, thereby exposing virgin surface for digging or hammering. 
         [0014]    Accordingly, the excavating machine may be advantageously utilized to perform digging and breaking operations without equipment change of the bucket or use of a jackhammer or other secondary excavating machine. 
         [0015]    In one embodiment, a bucket-breaker assembly is disclosed for use on an excavating machine. A bucket is pivotally connected to the ends of the loader arms of the excavating machine, and is pivotally movable on a first axis relative to the loader arms. The bucket has an interior and an exterior. A breaker assembly is pivotally connected to the bucket, and is movable between a retracted position substantially internal to the bucket, and a deployed position substantially external of the bucket. 
         [0016]    In another embodiment of the bucket-breaker assembly, a bucket is pivotally connected to the ends of the loader arms of the excavating machine, and is pivotally movable on a first axis relative to the loader arms along a first axis. The bucket has an interior and an exterior. A breaker assembly is pivotally connected to the bucket, and movable between a retracted position and a deployed position, with the movement of the breaker assembly being along a second axis that is substantially perpendicular to the first axis defining the movement of the bucket relative to the loader arms. The breaker assembly is actuated from the deployed position to operate the hammer. 
         [0017]    In another embodiment of the bucket-breaker assembly, a bucket is pivotally connected to the ends of the loader arms of the excavating machine, and is pivotally movable on a first axis relative to the loader arms. The bucket has an interior and an exterior. A passage is formed on the bucket, and extends between the interior and exterior of the bucket. A breaker assembly is pivotally connected at a breaker pivot located on the interior of the bucket. The breaker assembly is pivotally movable between a retracted position substantially internal of the bucket and a deployed position through the passage formed in the bucket. 
         [0018]    In another embodiment, the bucket-breaker assembly further includes a latch attached to the interior of the bucket. The latch is operable to secure the breaker assembly in the retracted position inside the bucket. 
         [0019]    In another embodiment, the bucket-breaker assembly further includes a shield mounted to the interior of the bucket. In another embodiment, the shield substantially covers the breaker assembly when the breaker assembly is in the retracted position. In another embodiment, the shield substantially covers the passage between the bucket interior and the bucket exterior. 
         [0020]    In another embodiment, the bucket-breaker assembly further includes a flange mounted to the interior of the bucket. The breaker pivot connection is attached to the flange. A shield substantially covers the passage between the bucket interior and the bucket exterior. 
         [0021]    In another embodiment, the bucket-breaker assembly further includes a portal located on the shield. The portal is accessible from the interior of the bucket to permit adjustments to the breaker assembly. In another embodiment, the excavating machine is a skid steer. 
         [0022]    The advantage of the disclosed embodiments is that they provide additional and critical utility to a single excavating machine. Specifically, the excavator operator may uniquely and selectively carry out multiple operations, including digging and breaking of refusal material without having to change out equipment on the skid steer, and without the need for a second excavating machine or independently operated jack hammer. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0023]      FIG. 1  is a simplified, side view of a representative excavating machine conventionally known as a skid steer, having a bucket and breaker combination, illustrating the breaker in the stowed position. 
           [0024]      FIG. 2  is a view of the excavating machine of  FIG. 1 , illustrating the breaker assembly deployed and extending through the bottom of the bucket. 
           [0025]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the bucket of the excavating machine of  FIG. 1 , illustrated with the breaker assembly in the stowed position inside the bucket. 
           [0026]      FIG. 4  is a front view of the bucket, with the breaker assembly in the stowed position inside the bucket, illustrated with the breaker shield removed. 
           [0027]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the bucket, illustrated with the breaker assembly in the deployed position and extended beneath the bucket. 
           [0028]      FIG. 6  is front view of the bucket, with the breaker assembly in the deployed position, illustrated with the breaker shield removed. 
           [0029]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the bucket, illustrated with the breaker assembly in the stowed position and covered by the breaker shield. 
           [0030]      FIG. 8  is a side view of the breaker assembly, illustrated in the stowed position. 
           [0031]      FIG. 9  is a side view of the shield. 
           [0032]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the breaker assembly, illustrated in the stowed position. 
           [0033]      FIG. 11  is a bottom perspective view of the breaker assembly, illustrated in the stowed position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0034]    Refer now to the drawings wherein depicted elements are, for the sake of clarity, not necessarily shown to scale and wherein like or similar elements are designated by the same reference numeral through the several views. 
         [0035]      FIG. 1  is a simplified, side view of a representative excavating machine  1 , which is a skid steer. Excavating machine  1  has a body  2  and a pair of loader arms  4  pivotally connected to body  2 . The loader arms are controllable by the operator of excavating machine  1 . 
         [0036]    A bucket-breaker combination  10  is pivotally connected to the ends of loader arms  4  at pivot connections  14 . Bucket-breaker combination  10  includes a bucket  12 , and a breaker assembly  40  affixed inside bucket  12 . In this  FIG. 1 , breaker assembly  40  is in a stowed position, not visible. Bucket  12  is pivotally connected to loader arms  4 , and rotatable along an arc A in a first plane substantially parallel to the plane of  FIG. 1 . 
         [0037]      FIG. 2  is a side view of excavating machine  1  of  FIG. 1 , illustrating breaker assembly  40  of bucket-breaker combination  10  in a deployed position and extending through a passage  16  on a bottom  18  (see  FIG. 7 ) portion of bucket  12 . Breaker assembly  40  has a pivotal connection  42  (see  FIG. 4 ) located inside bucket  12 . Breaker assembly  40  rotates a hammer  50  between a stowed position substantially interior to bucket  12  and a deployed position in which the hammer  50  is extending through passage  16  on bottom  18  of bucket  12 . Breaker assembly  40  is rotatable along an arc B in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane. 
         [0038]    In the deployed position, hammer  50  is hydraulically operable to engage and fragment refuse material so that it may be removed using the bucket  12  with the breaker assembly  40  in the stored position. 
         [0039]      FIG. 3  is a side view of bucket-breaker combination  10  of excavating machine  1  of  FIG. 1 , illustrated with breaker assembly  40  in the stowed position inside bucket  12 .  FIG. 4  is a front view of bucket-breaker combination  10  of excavating machine  1 , with breaker assembly  40  in the stowed position inside bucket  12 . For visibility, in this view there is no shield covering breaker assembly  40 . Bucket  12  has a bottom portion  18  (see  FIG. 7 ). A passage  16  is formed on bottom portion  18  to permit the passage of breaker assembly  40  when it is rotated into the deployed position. 
         [0040]      FIG. 5  is a side view of bucket-breaker combination  10  of excavating machine  1 , illustrated with breaker assembly  40  in the deployed position, extending a hammer  50  component of breaker assembly  40  through passage  16  and beneath bucket  12 . As shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 5 , bucket  12  rotates along arc A in a first plane. As shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 5 , breaker assembly  40  rotates along arc B in a second plane that is perpendicular to arc A and the rotation of bucket  12 . 
         [0041]      FIG. 6  is a front view of bucket-breaker combination  10  of excavating machine  1 , illustrated with breaker assembly  40  in the deployed position, extending a hammer  50  component of breaker assembly  40  through passage  16  and beneath bucket  12 .  FIG. 6  is illustrated with no breaker shield for visibility. 
         [0042]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of bucket-breaker combination  10  of excavating machine  1 , illustrated with breaker assembly  40  in the stowed position, and covered by a breaker shield  60 . In the embodiment shown, shield  60  is attached to the interior of bucket  12  by fasteners. In this embodiment, fasteners secure shield  60  to the bottom  18  and to a rear portion  20  of the interior of bucket  12 . Also in the embodiment illustrated, shield  60  has an access door  62  to permit any necessary adjustments to breaker assembly  40 . 
         [0043]      FIG. 8  is a side view of breaker assembly  40 , illustrated in the stowed position. Breaker assembly  40  has a frame  44 . Pivot connection  42  extends above frame  44 . A bracket  48  secures hammer  50  in place in breaker assembly  40 . Bracket  48  may comprise a pair of sides and fasteners for securing hammer  50  in breaker assembly  40 . Bracket  48  is rotatably connected at pivot connection  42 . A latch mechanism  54  is optionally affixed to frame  44  for holding breaker assembly  40  in the retracted position when desired. 
         [0044]      FIG. 9  is a side view of shield  60 . In the embodiment illustrated, shield  60  has a flange  64  circumscribing its perimeter for attachment to bottom  18  and rear  20  of the interior of bucket  12 . A person of ordinary skill will recognize that flange  64  may be connected to the interior of bucket  12  by welding, threaded fasteners, or other known methods. As shown, shield  60  illustrates an irregular volume which closely aligns with breaker assembly  40 . This is necessary to minimize the reduction in the capacity of bucket  12 . 
         [0045]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of breaker assembly  40 , illustrated in the stowed position. As seen in this view, frame  44  has a frame passage  46  for the passage of hammer  50  and bracket  48  when breaker assembly  40  is rotated from the stowed position to the deployed position. Frame passage  46  is aligned with passage  16  when breaker assembly  40  is installed in bucket  12 . As also seen in  FIG. 8 , pivot connection  42  extends above frame  44 . Bracket  48  secures hammer  50  in place in breaker assembly  40 . Bracket  48  is rotatably connected at pivot connection  42 . A latch mechanism  54  is optionally affixed to frame  44  for holding breaker assembly  40  in the retracted position when desired. 
         [0046]      FIG. 11  is a bottom perspective view of breaker assembly  40 , illustrated in the stowed position. As best seen in this view, frame passage  46  is contoured to closely receive hammer  50  and bracket  48  and their collective fasteners when breaker assembly  40  is rotated from the stowed position to the deployed position. 
         [0047]    In one embodiment, bucket-breaker assembly  40  is disclosed for use on excavating machine  1 . Bucket  12  is pivotally connected to a lower end of loader arms  4  of excavating machine  1 , and is pivotally movable on a first axis A relative to loader arms  4 . Bucket  12  has an interior and an exterior. Breaker assembly  40  is pivotally connected to bucket  12 , and is movable between a retracted position substantially internal to bucket  12  and a deployed position substantially external of bucket  12 . 
         [0048]    In another embodiment of the bucket-breaker assembly  40 , a bucket  12  is pivotally connected to a lower end of loader arms  4  of an excavating machine  1 , and is pivotally movable along a first axis relative to the loader arms  4 . Bucket  12  has an interior and an exterior. A breaker assembly  40  is pivotally connected to bucket  12 , and movable between a retracted position and a deployed position, with the movement of the breaker assembly  40  being along a second axis that is substantially perpendicular to the first axis defining the movement of bucket  12  relative to loader arms  4 . Breaker assembly  40  is actuated from the deployed position to operate a hammer  50 . 
         [0049]    In another embodiment of the bucket-breaker assembly  40 , a bucket  12  is pivotally connected to a lower end of loader arms  4  of an excavating machine  1 , and pivotally movable on a first axis relative to the loader arms  4 . Bucket  12  has an interior and an exterior. A passage  16  is formed on the bucket  12 , and extends between the interior and exterior of the bucket  12 . A breaker assembly  40  is pivotally connected at a breaker pivot  42  located on the interior of the bucket  12 . Breaker assembly  40  is pivotally movable between a retracted position substantially internal of bucket  12  and a deployed position through the passage  16  formed in the bucket  12 . 
         [0050]    In another embodiment, the bucket-breaker assembly  40  further includes a latch  54  attached to the interior of the bucket  12 . Latch  54  is operable to secure the breaker assembly  40  in the retracted position inside the bucket  12 . 
         [0051]    In another embodiment, the bucket-breaker assembly  40  further includes a shield  60  mounted to the interior of the bucket  12 . In another embodiment, shield  60  substantially covers the breaker assembly  40  when the breaker assembly is in the retracted position. In another embodiment, shield  60  substantially covers the passage  16  between the bucket interior and the bucket exterior. 
         [0052]    In another embodiment, the bucket-breaker assembly  40  further includes a flange  64  mounted to the interior of the bucket  12 . The breaker pivot connection  42  is attached to the flange  64 . A shield  60  substantially covers the passage  16  between the bucket interior and the bucket exterior. 
         [0053]    In another embodiment, the bucket-breaker assembly  40  further includes a portal  62  located on the shield  60 . Portal  62  is accessible from the interior of the bucket  12  to permit adjustments to the breaker assembly  40 . In another embodiment, not illustrated, the excavating machine  1  is a skid steer. 
         [0054]    Having thus described the present invention by reference to certain of its embodiments, it is noted that the embodiments disclosed are illustrative rather than limiting in nature and that a wide range of variations, modifications, changes, and substitutions are contemplated in the foregoing disclosure and, in some instances, some features of the present invention may be employed without a corresponding use of the other features. Many such variations and modifications may be considered obvious and desirable by those skilled in the art based upon a review of the foregoing description of the embodiments. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the invention.