Abstract:
The invention relates to a bucket-, claw-, scraper-blade- or compacting-type attachment ( 1 ) which is intended to be fitted at one end ( 18 ) of a rock breaker ( 15 ) comprising a tool ( 17 ). The inventive attachment comprises: (i) means ( 7, 8, 9, 12 ) enabling the correct positioning thereof in relation to the rock breaker and the tool; and (ii) means ( 13, 14, 20 ) for fixing same temporarily and removably to the end of the rock breaker, without dismantling the tool ( 17 ).

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention concerns a bucket-, claw-, scraper blade- or compacting-type attachment intended to be fitted to an arm of a machine to which a rock breaker is connected. 
         [0002]    Hydraulic rock breakers comprising a tool are used during operations involving the destruction of surfacing or hard ground layers and for breaking blocks of rock or concrete during earthwork or demolition operations. 
         [0003]    Use of such a machine causes extensive production of spoil, which hampers the destruction operation. This spoil must therefore be regularly removed or compacted. Soil overlying rock may also need to be removed before using the rock breaker. 
       DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
       [0004]    For this reason, rock breaker usage implies regular implementation of one or more attachments, such as a spoil removal device or a compacting device. Generally, each attachment is mechanically fixed to the end of the articulated arm of a distinct earthwork machine, such as a mechanical or hydraulic excavator. However, only one earthwork machine can be used, on which a rock breaker fitted with a tool or a spoil removal device is fitted according to the operation in progress. 
         [0005]    On currently known machines, when the articulated arm is fitted with a rock breaker and the spoil produced needs to be removed, the rock breaker has to be removed before installing the required spoil removal device. During removal, the rock breaker has to be disconnected from its supply circuit, which is generally hydraulic. 
         [0006]    These fitting and dismantling operations involving the rock breaker or attachment required for usage are long and reduce significantly the availability of the carrier machine. 
         [0007]    There are already a number of devices designed to curtail these dismantling and disconnection operations. 
         [0008]    For example, document EP 0 717 154 describes a hydraulic rock breaker comprising a tool connected to one end of an articulated arm and on which is attached a spoil removal bucket, which can swivel and be retracted when the rock breaker is used. However, this bucket cannot be removed. A machine according to this document certainly allows fitting and dismantling of the bucket to be avoided, when the rock breaker is being used, but it nevertheless remains necessary to remove the tool, when the user wants to use the bucket. Furthermore, the presence of the bucket at the end of the articulated arm of the carrier machine during hydraulic rock breaker usage is detrimental to the unit handling capacity and reduces its use to limited areas because of the spatial requirement of the bucket. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    The aim of the present invention is to overcome the previously stated drawbacks and, to this end, consists in a bucket-, claw-, scraper blade- or compacting-type attachment intended to be fitted to one end of a rock breaker equipped with a tool, characterized in that it comprises, on the one hand, means allowing it to be correctly positioned with respect to the rock breaker and its tool and, on the other hand, means allowing it to be temporarily fixed at the end of the rock breaker and to be removable without dismantling the tool. 
         [0010]    When the operator of the machine wishes to use the attachment instead of the tool, he places the attachment at the end of the rock breaker, the means allowing the attachment to be positioned with respect to the tool providing a clearance, into which the tool can be inserted and located. Once positioning has been completed, fixing means allow the attachment to be locked in translation and in rotation. Tool disconnection is therefore unnecessary because of this and the attachment can be used even with the tool in place. This means that operations required for tool changing turn out to be greatly minimized and do not disrupt proper usage of the rock breaker. 
         [0011]    Preferably, the attachment comprises a back wall with an external face fitted with a guide tube intended to be engaged on the tool. This tube is intended to receive the tool, which then plays the part of an upright providing reinforcement and support. Attachment stability is thereby increased. 
         [0012]    Preferably again, the tube has an insertion end widened into the shape of a funnel. Tool insertion into the tube is much easier because of this. 
         [0013]    Preferably, the insertion end is surmounted by a socket fitted with at least one positioning pin. 
         [0014]    According to a first form of embodiment, the tube comprises two orifices facing each other, allowing a fixing key intended to be engaged in a recess in, or in a hole through, the tool. 
         [0015]    According to another form of embodiment of this attachment, the means allowing it to be fixed include at least two fixing lugs mounted on the top wall of the attachment, each incorporating an eye, and through which a retaining bar can be inserted and fixed, passing over a collar or similar belonging to the rock breaker body. 
         [0016]    According to yet another form of embodiment, this attachment comprises a top wall surmounted by a lock-bolt, which can pass alternately from a locked position, in which it is capable of locking a part of the rock breaker body, to an unlocked position, in which it is capable of releasing this body. 
         [0017]    In this case, the attachment comprises advantageously elastic means tending to place automatically the lock-bolt in its locked position and a pressure cylinder or mechanism capable of acting on the lock-bolt to throw it into the open position. This allows the operator to connect and disconnect the attachment at distance without acting directly on it. 
         [0018]    According to one form of embodiment, this attachment comprises elastic means tending to place automatically the lock-bolt in its locked position and a release mechanism comprising a plate, mounted to slide with respect to the top wall of the attachment and transversely to the axis of the tool, such that, in the locked position of the tool, one end of the plate bears on a cam-shaped surface of the lock-bolt and its other end bears on an inclined surface of a collar of the tool, and that during movement of the tool, its collar displaces the plate toward the lock-bolt, which causes the latter to pivot in an opening direction. 
         [0019]    According to another characteristic of the invention, this attachment comprises means of rotational locking onto the rock breaker comprising a noncircular-shaped socket intended to co-operate by interlocking with a complementary surface of the bottom end of the rock breaker body. 
         [0020]    The invention will be better understood through the following description referring to the appended schematic drawing representing several forms of embodiment of this attachment. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an attachment and a rock breaker seen in a removed position. 
           [0022]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the attachment in  FIG. 1  fixed to the rock breaker. 
           [0023]      FIG. 3  is a partial view of a longitudinal cross section through the attachment and the earthmoving machine represented in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view along transverse line IV-IV in  FIG. 3 . 
           [0025]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view along line V-V in  FIG. 3 . 
           [0026]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an attachment and a rock breaker according to a second embodiment of the invention, in a removed position. 
           [0027]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the attachment in  FIG. 6  fixed to the rock breaker. 
           [0028]      FIG. 8  is a schematic view of a longitudinal cross section through an attachment according to a third embodiment of the invention attached to a perforating tool. 
           [0029]      FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of an attachment according to a fourth embodiment of the invention fixed to a rock breaker. 
           [0030]      FIGS. 10 and 11  represent longitudinal cross sections through an alternative to the device in  FIG. 9 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0031]    An attachment  1  according to the invention, such as the one represented in  FIGS. 1 to 5 , is a bucket-type device for removing spoil. As in all conventional buckets, the structure of this one comprises horizontal top and bottom walls  2  and  3  respectively, connected by two parallel side walls  4  and a back wall  5 . 
         [0032]    The bucket  1  also comprises both a horizontal socket  6  extending in prolongation of the top wall  3  toward the back of the bucket  1  and an essentially vertical tube  7  extending along the external face of the back wall  5 . Moreover, the socket has an opening  8  of slightly larger cross-sectional area than the cross-sectional area of the tube  7  and this opening is located on the axis of the latter tube. 
         [0033]    More precisely, the tube  7  has an insertion end widened into the shape of a funnel supporting the socket  6 . 
         [0034]    Moreover, the top face of the socket  6  has an essentially annular peripheral edge  9  delimiting an essentially ovoid bearing surface  10  with a noncircular extension  11  partially overhanging the top wall  3  of the bucket  1 . Positioning pins  12  are positioned at regular intervals around the edge  9  and each has an inclined surface sloping toward the opening  8 . 
         [0035]    Outside the edge  9 , the top wall  3  has two fixing lugs  13  directed upwards and positioned facing each other on each side of the bearing surface  10  at its extension  11 . Each fixing lug  13  incorporates an eye  14 , which emerges just above the edge  9  and which is located facing the eye  14  of the other fixing lug  13 . 
         [0036]    This bucket  1  is intended to equip a hydraulic rock breaker, partially represented in  FIGS. 1 to 5 , comprising a body  15  of essentially circular cross section and with an end  16  to which a tool  17  is connected. Moreover, the end  16  of the body  15  is provided with a collar  18  featuring, on the one hand, a cross section complementary to the bearing surface  10  of the bucket  1  and, on the other hand, a thickness essentially equal to the height of the edge  9 . A part  19  of the collar  18  therefore projects from the body  15  because of the ovoid cross section of the collar  18 . 
         [0037]    A user wishing to connect the bucket  1  according to the invention to the end of the body  15  of the rock breaker proceeds in the following way. 
         [0038]    The bucket  1  is positioned such that the tube  7  and the opening  8  are aligned with the tool  17 . The latter tool is inserted through the opening  8 , then into the tube  7 , which plays the part of a slide keeping the bucket  1  stationary with respect to the axis of the body  15 . The funnel formed by the insertion end of the tube  7  facilitates insertion of the tool  17  into the tube  7 . 
         [0039]    The bucket  1  is displaced in this way until the collar  18  is introduced within the edge  9  and comes into contact with the bearing surface  10 , the projecting part  19  of the collar  18  then being in contact with the extension  11  of the bearing surface  10 . 
         [0040]    Positioned in this way, the bucket  1  can be fixed to the body  15 . To perform this, a retaining bar  20  is inserted through the eyes  14  of the fixing lugs  13  then locked, for example using pins  20   a .  FIGS. 2 to 5  show the bucket  1  attached to the body  15  of the rock breaker in this way. 
         [0041]    Since the cross sections of the collar  18  and the bearing surface  10  are noncircular, the bucket  1  cannot rotate about the axis of the body  15  because the projecting part  19  of the collar  18  would come up against the edge  9 . Translation of the bucket  1  along the axis of the articulated arm  15  is also inhibited by the retaining bar  20 , up against which the projecting part  19  of the collar  18  would come. The retaining bar  20  also prevents deviation of the bucket  1  with respect to the axis of the tool  17 , when using this bucket  1 . The tube  7  also inhibits such a deviation and allows the forces exerted in this direction on the retaining bar  20  and on the projecting part  19  of the collar  18  to be reduced. 
         [0042]    When proceeding to remove the bucket  1 , the pins are simply unfastened without tooling and the retaining bar  20  is then drawn out. Released in this way, the bucket can be slid along the axis of the tool  17  to extract it from the tube  7  and the socket  6 . 
         [0043]    It emerges from the description that operations for installing and removing the bucket  1  do not require removal of the tool  17 . 
         [0044]    As represented in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , a collar with an oval cross section and two opposed projecting parts can be provided in order to better the forces distribute and to allow safer fixing of a bucket  22  on a rock breaker body  23 . 
         [0045]    The bucket  22  differs from the bucket  1  by the fact that it comprises a horizontal socket  24 , which extends in prolongation of the top wall  3  toward the back of the bucket  22  and features an opening  25 . More precisely, the top face of the socket  24  has a peripheral edge  26  delimiting an essentially oval bearing surface  27 , complementary to the collar of the body  23 , with a front end  28  and a rear end  29 . Positioning teeth  30  are provided at regular intervals along the edge  26 . 
         [0046]    Furthermore, outside the edge  26 , the socket  24  has a first pair of fixing lugs  31  and a second pair of fixing lugs  32 ; the lugs  31 ,  32  of each pair being positioned facing each other on each side of the bearing surface  27  at its front end  28  and rear end  29  respectively. Each fixing lug  31 ,  32  is provided with an eye, which emerges just above the edge  26  and is located facing the eye of the other fixing lug  31 ,  32  of the corresponding pair. The tube  7  located along the bucket is then no longer required. 
         [0047]    Attachment of the bucket  22  is performed in the same way as for the bucket  1 . The perforating tool  17  is inserted into the opening  25  until the collar is introduced within the edge  26  and is in contact with the bearing surface  27 , the projecting parts of the collar then being in contact with the front end  28  and the rear end  29  of the bearing surface  27 . 
         [0048]    Positioned thus, the bucket  22  can be fixed to the body  23 . To perform this, a retaining bar  33  is inserted through the eyes of the fixing lugs  31 , then locked using pins. Similarly, a retaining bar  34  is inserted through the eyes of the fixing lugs  32 , then also locked in this position. 
         [0049]      FIG. 8  shows a bucket  35  adapted to a tool  36 . This bucket  35  differs from the bucket  1  by the fact that it comprises neither a socket nor an insertion end and by the fact that the tube  7  comprises two orifices (not represented) facing each other. The tool  36  differs from the tool  17  only by the fact that it comprises a recess  37  intended for passing a fixing key  38 . 
         [0050]    When proceeding to fix the bucket  35  onto the tool  36 , the tool  36  is simply inserted into the tube  7  until the recess  37  is aligned with the orifices in the tube  7 . The key  38  is then successively inserted through a first orifice in the tube  7 , the recess  37  and the second orifice in the tube  7 , then it is locked in this position. 
         [0051]    The key  38  locks the bucket  35  in both rotation and translation. Furthermore, the tube  7  stabilises the bucket  35  and prevents any deviation of it with respect to the axis of the perforating tool  36 . 
         [0052]    Obviously, this fixing method can be combined with the other fixing methods described. 
         [0053]      FIG. 9  shows a bucket  39  fitted onto a rock breaker  40 . 
         [0054]    The bucket  39  comprises a horizontal socket  41  which extends in prolongation of the top wall  3  toward the back of the bucket  39  and features an opening  42 . This socket  41  differs from the socket  6  of the bucket  1  by the fact that it comprises a partial peripheral edge  43 , open in front, which defines a contact surface  48  intended for receiving the rock breaker  40 . Positioning teeth  44  are provided at regular intervals along the edge  43 . 
         [0055]    The front of the socket  41  comprises, on the one hand, a lug  45 , on which a pivoting lock-bolt  46  with an orthogonal return  47  is mounted and, on the other hand, a heel  49  formed such that it provides a sufficient clearance to allow rotation of the lock-bolt  46 . A spring  52  connects the heel  49  to the socket  41  such that the latter is automatically thrown into its locked position. 
         [0056]    The rock breaker  40  is of essentially circular cross section and has an end  54 , to which a tool  17  is connected. A bearing pad  55  is fixed to the outside of the rock breaker  40  at the end  54  such that it is directed toward the front of the bucket  39 , when the latter is connected. A pressure cylinder  56 , from which a stem  57  extends, is fixed above the bearing pad  55 . This pressure cylinder  56  is fixed high enough to ensure the stem  57  can press on the return  47  of the lock-bolt  46 , when the bucket is mounted. 
         [0057]    The spring  52  pushes back the lock-bolt  46  into the locked position before the bucket  39  is installed on the rock breaker  40 . The stem  57  retracts into the pressure cylinder. 
         [0058]    To connect the bucket  39 , the perforating tool  17  is inserted into the tube  7  until, on the one hand, the end  54  is in contact with the bearing surface  44  inside the edge  43  and, on the other hand, the bearing pad  55  is facing the lock-bolt  46 . During insertion, the end  54  of the rock-breaker  40  returns, through its bearing pad  55 , the lock-bolt  46  toward its unlocked position, acting against the spring  52  associated with it. This results in the end  54  of the rock-breaker  40  being gripped between the lock-bolt  46 , which bears on the bearing pad  55 , and the back part of the edge  43 . 
         [0059]    To remove the bucket  39 , the pressure cylinder  56  should be actuated in a stem extension direction such that it is caused to press on the return  47  of the lock-bolt  46 . In doing this, the latter pivots in the trigonometrical direction toward its unlocked position, in which it no longer presses the rock-breaker  40  against the edge  43 . It is then possible to extract the rock-breaker  40  and the perforating tool  17  from the edge  43  and the tube  7  respectively to remove the bucket. 
         [0060]      FIGS. 10 and 11  represent an alternative to the device in  FIG. 9 , in which the same components are designated by the same references as before. This form of embodiment differs from the former by the attachment unlocking mechanism. This mechanism comprises a plate  58  mounted to slide with respect to the top wall  3  of the attachment, perpendicularly to the axis of the tool  17 . One end of this plate  58  bears on a cam-shaped surface  59  of the lock-bolt  46  and its opposite end bears against an inclined surface  60  of a collar  61  of the tool  17 . This plate is subjected to the action of a tension spring  62 , which acts on it in a displacement direction toward the collar. In the unlocked position, represented in  FIG. 10 , the plate  58  bears on the underside of the collar  61 . 
         [0061]    To unlock and disconnect the attachment, the rock breaker should be operated, even sporadically, to displace the tool  17  downwards, a movement during which the inclined surface  60  of the collar  61  pushes the plate  58 , which acts on the cam  59  to throw the lock-bolt  46  outwards, as shown in  FIG. 11 , and to release the bottom wall  54  of the rock breaker. Unlocking is thereby performed using the inherent energy of the rock breaker and without the need for manual intervention by the operator, who can remain at his control station. 
         [0062]    Whilst the invention has been described in conjunction with specific execution examples, it is obvious that it is in no way limited and includes all technical equivalents of the described means as well as their combinations, if these fall within the scope of the invention.