Abstract:
Machines are often used to collect and transport materials in a work environment. One of the more common methods of collecting and transporting materials is with a fork having tines. Another common instrument attached to a machine for collecting and transporting materials is a bucket. The present disclosure describes a bucket that engages the tines of a fork, and therefore can be used with a machine that already has a fork attached. The present disclosure also engages with tines of multiple lengths, meaning that the same bucket will engage with forks from different machines. The bucket has first and second side members; a collecting member extending between the first and second side members; and an engagement portion having an engagement surface and a pocket.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates generally to the design of a bucket to be used with a machine and, more particularly, to a bucket with pockets that engage rollers near the tips of fork tines. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Machines, such as fork lifts, wheel loaders, and backhoes, are frequently used in work environments to collect and transport loads. When operating these machines, it is often desirable to utilize auxiliary work implements or equipment with the machine, such as buckets, forks, and grapples, each of which assists the machine in performing work functions. When a machine uses multiple work implements, changing one implement out for another can be a time-consuming and labor-intensive process. 
     For example, in a forestry mill yard, a fork is often attached to a machine to collect and transport poles around the mill yard. The fork is able to move under the poles and support the weight of the poles when moving the poles in the mill yard. It can also be desirable to attach a bucket to the machine to clean up wood chips and other debris created during the milling process. It is inefficient and labor intensive for the mill yard to remove the fork and attach a bucket when collecting wood chips and debris is desired. After the wood chips and debris are collected, the bucket needs to be detached from the machine and the fork reattached, creating more inefficiency. The mill yard would save time and labor if the fork would not have to be removed from the machine every time the mill yard needed to use the bucket and then reattached after there was no longer a need for the bucket. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,168,369 to Bright discloses a system for attaching a bucket to a fork and transporting it. In this design, the bucket is not used when attached to the fork. The bucket is only attached to the fork so it can be transported between two places. An operator is unable to actually use the bucket when it is attached to the fork. Ultimately, to use the bucket, the operator still needs to disconnect the fork from the machine and connect the bucket. The fork and bucket cannot both be attached to the machine. 
     The apparatus of the present disclosure alleviates one or more of the deficiencies of the prior art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a bucket having a pair of opposing first and second side members; a collecting member extending between the first and second side members; the collecting member and the first and second side members defining a cavity; and an engagement portion having an engagement surface and a pocket. 
     Another aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a bucket having a pair of opposing first and second side members; a collecting member extending between the first and second side members; the collecting member and the first and second side members defining a cavity; an engagement surface; and a recess. 
     Another aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a bucket having means for collecting material; means for positioning the bucket relative to a tine; and means for receiving an elevated portion of the tine. 
     Other features and aspects of this disclosure will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a machine with an exemplary embodiment of a fork; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a machine with an exemplary embodiment of a fork and an exemplary embodiment of a bucket; 
         FIG. 3  is an isometric view of an exemplary embodiment of a fork; 
         FIG. 4  is a side perspective of an exemplary embodiment of a tine; 
         FIG. 5  is a front perspective of an exemplary embodiment of a tine; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a tine, with a roller and a pin disassembled from the tine; 
         FIG. 7  is a front perspective of an exemplary embodiment of a bucket; 
         FIG. 8  is a rear perspective of an exemplary embodiment of a bucket; 
         FIG. 9  is an isometric view of an exemplary embodiment of a fork in use with a bucket; and 
         FIG. 10  is a sectional view along an engagement portion of a bucket, illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a tine engaged to a bucket. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a machine  100  is shown with an exemplary embodiment of a fork  10 . Machine  100  may be a fork lift, wheel loader, backhoe, or one of a variety of other machines that may make use of a fork  10 . Fork  10  may be removably connected to machine  100 , as is well known by a person of ordinary skill in the art. 
     According to one exemplary embodiment, fork  10  includes at least one tine  20  and a clamp  15 . Tine  20  is designed to support a load, and to allow machine  100  to carry the load from one location to another. Clamp  15  assists in retaining and holding the load being transported on tine  20 . Near the end of tine  20 , there is a roller  30 . Roller  30  is free to rotate and helps prevent damage to the load when the load is collected by machine  100 . Instead of a sharp tip impacting the load and potentially causing gouging, scarring, and other damage, roller  30  impacts the load and directs the load onto tine  20 . Machine  100  generally utilizes a hydraulic system to raise and lower fork  10  as desired by the operator. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , machine  100  is shown with the exemplary embodiment of fork  10 , but now with an exemplary embodiment of a bucket  60  attached to fork  10 . The design of the present disclosure allows easy attachment of bucket  60  to fork  10 , reducing time and labor costs associated with disconnecting a fork from a machine, connecting the bucket to the machine, removing the bucket from the machine, and then connecting the fork back to the machine. The present disclosure allows integration of bucket  60  with fork  10 . 
       FIG. 3  shows an exemplary embodiment of fork  10  in isometric view. Fork  10  has two tines  20 . Near the end of each tine  20  is a roller  30 . While fork  10  generally contains two tines  20 , and is illustrated as having two tines  20  in  FIG. 3 , the present disclosure anticipates that a fork could be constructed of one tine or multiple tines. Nothing herein is intended to limit a fork to having two tines. 
     Fork  10  also includes a clamp  15 , which assists in retaining and holding material onto tines  20 . Clamp  15  can be lowered by the operator when a load is positioned on tines  20  of fork  10  to hold the load in place while the machine is in movement. Clamp  15  will typically be lowered with a hydraulic system. Fork  10  need not include clamp  15 , and a person of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that other work implements could be combined with a fork. These other combinations are intended to fall within the scope of the present disclosure. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , a side view of an exemplary embodiment of tine  20  is shown. Tine  20  includes roller  30  and a base member  50 . Base member  50  includes a first side wall  52 , a second side wall  54 , a top surface  56 , and a distal end  58 . Base member  50  may include a bottom surface, not illustrated, and may be solid or hollow. 
     In the exemplary embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 , roller  30  is located adjacent to top surface  56  and distal end  58 . A part of roller  30  is elevated above base member  50  and top surface  56 . The elevated part of roller  30  serves multiple functions, as will be discussed. A part of roller  30  also extends out in front of first side wall  52 , second side wall  54 , and distal end  58 . By having a part of roller  30  extend out in front of and above base member  50 , the possibility of damage to the load during collection is minimized. This is because as the tine  20  approaches the load to be carried, the first part of tine  20  to come into contact with the load is roller  30 , instead of the sharp protrusion from first side wall  52 , second side wall  54 , or distal end  58 , which could damage the load. Roller  30  comes into contact with the load without a sharp point, and is able to direct the load onto the top surface  56  of tine  20 . 
     In  FIG. 5 , the exemplary embodiment of tine  20  described with respect to  FIG. 4  is shown in a front perspective view. Roller  30  is mounted on a pin  40 . Pin  40  is connected to base member  50  proximal to distal end  58  between first side wall  52  and second side wall  54 . Pin  40  is held into position in first side wall  52  by a first cap  252  and in second side wall  54  by a second cap  254 . Pin  40  does not extend beyond the outer boundary of first side wall  52  or second side wall  54 . In fact, the length of pin  40  is less than or equal to the width of base member  50 . If pin  40  were to extend beyond the outer boundary of first side wall  52  or second side wall  54 , pin  40  could catch on material during the operation of machine  100  and become damaged. This is prevented by making the length of pin  40  reside within the width of base member  50 . 
     In an exemplary embodiment, roller  30  is positioned on pin  40  such that roller  30  is centered with respect to the width of base member  50 . Roller  30  may also be fixed on pin  40  and restrained from shifting along the length of pin  40 . By centering roller  30  and fixing its position, roller  30  is more effective in preventing damage to the load. Allowing roller  30  to float along pin  40  could result in more damage to roller  30  as it comes into contact with first side wall  52  and second side wall  54 , which could shorten the life of roller  30  and require it to be replaced more frequently. It is also desirable to center roller  30  and fix its position to enable tine  20  to properly mate with bucket  60 , as will be described. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 6 , an exemplary embodiment of tine  20  with roller  30  and pin  40  disassembled from tine  20  is shown. Pin  40  and roller  30  are removable from tine  20 , so that each can be replaced should either become damaged during operation of machine  100 . Pin  40  is not connected to base member  50  by welding, so that roller  30  and pin  40  may be more easily replaced or repaired. 
     An axial bore is provided in first side wall  52  creating first hole  152  and second side wall  54  creating second hole  154 . Pin  40  mounts in first hole  152  and second hole  154  to mate with base member  50 . First cap  252  is then placed into first hole  152  and second cap  254  is placed into second hole  154 . The caps are welded to first side wall  52  and second side wall  54  to hold pin  40  in place. To remove roller  30  and pin  40 , one cap may be removed to allow access to pin  40 . Pin  40  is then removed, freeing roller  30 . For ease of removal of roller  30  and pin  40 , first cap  252  and second cap  254  may also contain an axial hole, not illustrated, so that when either first cap  252  or second cap  254  is removed, an operator may slide a guide pin, not illustrated, through the axial hole of the remaining first cap  252  or second cap  254 , forcing pin  40  out of engagement with base member  50 , and freeing roller  30 . 
     In an alternative embodiment, not illustrated, first hole  152  and second hole  154  could be threaded and pin  40  then held in place by screws or other threaded fasteners inserted into first hole  152  and second hole  154 . 
       FIG. 7  shows a front view of an exemplary embodiment of bucket  60 . Bucket  60  includes a first side member  62 , a second side member  64 , and a collecting member  66 . Together first side member  62 , second side member  64 , and collecting member  66  form a cavity  68 . Bucket  60  is designed to collect and hold material in cavity  68 . Bucket  60  may also contain screens  86 , which are positioned on bucket  60  to allow the operator to see in front of bucket  60  during collection. 
     Bucket  60  also includes an engagement portion  70 , which includes an engagement surface  72  and a pocket  80 . While bucket  60  is shown with two engagement portions  70 , and each engagement portion  70  is shown with two pockets  80 , the present disclosure anticipates that a bucket could be constructed with one engagement portion or multiple engagement portions. Additionally, each engagement portion could be constructed with one pocket or multiple pockets. Nothing herein is intended to limit a bucket to having two engagement portions, nor is it intended to limit each engagement portion to having two pockets. 
     Engagement surface  72  is a segment of engagement portion  70 , and is the part of bucket  60  that tine  20  will engage with, mate with, or seat on. In  FIG. 7 , engagement portion  70  extends into cavity  68 . Thus, engagement surface  72  is elevated above the lowest point of bucket  60 . This allows bucket  60  to be lowered all the way to the ground without interference by tines  20 . In other embodiments, the engagement portion may not extend into the cavity of the bucket, or any portion of the bucket at all. For example, the engagement surface may be along the base of the bucket. In that case, only the pocket would extend into the body of the bucket. Depending on the thickness of the base of the bucket, the pocket may or many not extend into the cavity. 
     Pocket  80  is a region designed to mate with or engage with an elevated portion of tine  60  which, in this exemplary embodiment, is roller  30 . In the exemplary embodiment shown, pocket  80  is a physical receptacle, box, or recess that helps to hold roller  30  in place. An operator is able to insert tine  20  into engagement portion  70 , and receives auditory, visual, and/or tactile feedback when roller  30  engages in pocket  80  indicating that bucket  60  is properly seated on tine  20 . In any alternative embodiment, pocket  80  may define an opening, not illustrated, such that roller  30  would enter a void, but roller  30  would be held in place by the edges around the opening. 
     Pocket  80  serves an additional function. By accepting roller  30 , engagement surface  72  is able to sit flat on top surface  56  of tine  20 . This allows the weight of bucket  60  to be more evenly distributed across tine  20 . The length of engagement surface  72  in contact with top surface  56  may vary. Ideally, the length of engagement surface  72  will be at least fifty percent of the overall length of bucket  60 , and the length of top surface  56  will be at least fifty percent of the overall length of base member  50 . 
     In the exemplary embodiment, bucket  60  contains multiple pockets  80 , so that tines  20  of different lengths may be used with bucket  60 . Thus, an owner of several forks with different time  20  lengths only needs a single bucket  60 . This saves the owner the cost of an additional bucket, as well as the space needed to store an additional bucket. 
       FIG. 8  shows a rear view of the exemplary embodiment of bucket  60  described with respect to  FIG. 7 . In the embodiment shown, the engagement portions  70  consist of two channels spaced apart and fitted to receive two tines  20 . Screens  86  are shown so that the machine&#39;s operator can see in front of the bucket as machine  100  is moving. Bucket  60  also has a connection  88 , so that it can be fixed to machine  100 , by fixing bucket  60  to fork  10  through the use of a retention pin, not illustrated, that fits into connection  88  and corresponding receptacles located on either machine  100  or fork  10 . Other retention mechanisms may also be used. 
       FIG. 9  shows an isometric view of the exemplary embodiment of bucket  60 , as described in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , engaged to fork  10 . Bucket  60  is engaged to fork  10  by slipping tines  20  into engagement portions  70  until rollers  30  engage pockets  80 . When rollers  30  seat in pockets  80 , engagement surface  72  comes into contact with top surface  56  of base member  50 , thereby distributing the weight of bucket  60  along base member  50 . Dashed line A represents the plane that the sectional view depicted in  FIG. 10  is cut along. 
       FIG. 10  shows a sectional view along tine  20  and engagement portion  70  of an exemplary embodiment of tine  20  engaged to bucket  60 . Pockets  80  extend above engagement surface  72 . Roller  30  is engaged in one of pockets  80 . Because roller  30  is received within in pocket  80 , engagement surface  72  is able to rest on base member  50  and, in particular, top surface  56 , distributing the weight of bucket  60  along base member  50 . Pockets  80 , located along engagement portion  70 , allow bucket  60  to be connected to tines  20  of different lengths. As a result, bucket  60  can be connected to machines with different tine lengths. 
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
     Tine  20  and bucket  60  of the present disclosure may be applicable to any machine using fork  10 , including a fork lift, wheel loader, and backhoe. Tine  20  is connected to machine  100  and designed to collect and carry a load. Tine  20  is also designed for connection to bucket  60 , so that fork  10  does not need to be disconnected from machine  100  for machine  100  to use bucket  60 . Roller  30  on tine  20  is useful in minimizing damage to the load being collected by the machine and to engage tine  20  to bucket  60 . 
     More specifically, in the forestry setting, machine  100  will collect a pole or multiple poles with tine  20 , then carry the poles to a destination with tine  20  supporting the weight of the poles. Roller  30  helps to prevent the poles from being gouged and damaged by tine  20  when machine  100  is collecting poles. Without roller  30 , the tip of tine  20  is more likely to gouge and damage the pole. With roller  30 , however, as machine  100  moves forward, the pole impacts roller  30  and is lifted onto tine  20  with minimal damage. 
     Should roller  30  or pin  40  become damaged, either may be replaced. According to one exemplary embodiment, pin  40  is not welded onto tine  20 , minimizing the amount of time and labor needed to replace a damaged roller  30  or pin  40 . 
     Tine  20  of the present disclosure also allows easy attachment of machine  100  to bucket  60  without having to disconnect tine  20  from machine  100 . The operator saves time and labor costs by avoiding the need to disconnect tine  20  from machine  100  and then reattaching tine  20  after using bucket  60 . Bucket  60  attaches to tine  20  by having tine  20  engage with engagement portion  70 , such that roller  30  fits into pocket  80 . When roller  30  fits into pocket  80 , bucket  60  rests on top surface  56  and base member  50  of tine  20  allowing the weight of bucket  60  to be distributed over the length of tine  20 . 
     Roller  30  also engages bucket  60 , minimizing movement of bucket  60  relative to tine  20 . Again, the operator saves time and labor costs through the ease of attaching bucket  60  to tine  20 , sliding tine  20  into engagement portion  70  until roller  30  sets into pocket  80 , and receiving positive feedback that engagement has occurred. This method avoids the complexity of positioning bucket  60  onto tine  20  and then fixing bucket  60  to either tine  20  or machine  100 . 
     In the forestry setting, bucket  60  is attached to tine  20  to allow machine  100  to collect chips and debris formed during milling operations. While bucket  60  is an important piece of equipment, it is only used for a limited time. So the ability to easily attach and remove bucket  60  is beneficial, and accomplished by slipping bucket  60  onto tine  20  until roller  30  seats in pocket  80 . Connection  88  may also be used with a retention pin to lock bucket  60  to machine  100 . When machine  100  is finished using bucket  60 , bucket  60  can be easily removed from tine  20  by disconnecting the retention pin fixing connection  88  to machine  100 , then angling tine  20  slightly downward, causing roller  30  to disengage from pocket  80 , and using machine  100  to pull tine  20  out of engagement portion  70 . 
     Additionally, bucket  60  has multiple pockets  80  along the engagement portion  70  to allow bucket  60  to be used with different tines  20 . For example, a first machine  100  is equipped with a tine  20  of a first length. A second machine  100  is equipped with a tine  20  of a second length. Ordinarily, each machine  100  would have a separate bucket designed for its specific tine  20  length. However, bucket  60  can be used with both first and second machines  100 . Pockets  80  are spaced apart so that both tine  20  of the first length and tine  20  of the second length will engage with bucket  60 . This saves the cost of having to purchase a separate bucket for each machine in a fleet. The present disclosure also contemplates buckets  60  with more than two pockets  80  along engagement portion  70 , such that bucket  60  can be used with more than two tines  20  of different lengths. 
     It should also be appreciated that tine  20  of the present disclosure will frequently be combined with clamp  15  or other means of retention, to assist with the retention of the load it is transporting, as is illustrated in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  3 , and  9 . For example, in the mill yard, clamp  15  would retain the poles that machine  100  is transporting from an initial point to a destination. Clamp  15  is not the only type of optional work implement that could be combined with fork  10 . Those skilled in the art will recognize other work implements that may be combined with fork  10 , all of which fall under the scope of the present disclosure. 
     A person of ordinary skill in the art will also recognize that tine  20  and bucket  60  may be manufactured of a hard, durable metal that will not be easily damaged in a work environment. Such materials are well known and any can be used to form tine  20  and bucket  60 . The use of these materials, such as steel and iron, will prolong the life of tine  20  and bucket  60 . 
     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to tine  20  of the present disclosure without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the device disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope of the disclosure being indicated by the following claims and their equivalent.