Patent Publication Number: US-2005115638-A1

Title: Shear attachment assembly

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
      This application claims priority to copending U.S. provisional application entitled, “Shear Attachment Assembly,” having Ser. No. 60/523,426, filed Nov. 18, 2003, which is entirely incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD  
      The present invention is generally related to construction equipment attachments and is particularly related to a shear attachment assembly.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Equipment and attachment members of various configurations are used in combination with various earth moving machinery and heavy duty equipment to accomplish a variety of tasks in construction, forestry, and excavating. These equipment and attachment members are typically attached to motorized equipment such as loaders, and excavators, to name a few.  
      One particular type of attachment works to excavate and chop wood members, which are typically large in size. Such attachments are commonly referred to as excavator wood/stump shears. As the name implies, this attachment is used to split stumps, logs, ties, poles, roots, etc. One type of excavator wood/stump shear primarily includes a blade portion opposing and pivotally fixed to a tine portion. The blade portion is one extending member with a blade on it that aligns with blocks in the tine portion. The blocks of the tine portion are surrounded by one tine on either side. The pair of tines and blocks therebetween can be used to hold or support a wood member, such as a stump, log, pole, etc. The blade portion moves about this pivotal connection to the tine portion to shear or chop the wood member.  
      This classic configuration of an excavator wood/stump shear however, does not have the capacity to push or scoop material, such as brush, that may be surrounding or covering the target wood member. In order to access and chop a covered stump, for example, using the classically configured excavator wood/stump shear, another piece of machinery, such as a skid steer grapple/rake, loader rake, thumb, or the like, would first need to be used to dig through, scoop and/or push the surrounding brush first.  
      The need for two pieces of machinery for this one job is undesirable due at least to the resultant increased costs to complete such a project incurred through increased equipment purchase and/or rental, possible multiple operators needed to operate the multiple equipment. The use of multiple equipment is also undesirable due to the resultant increased time lapsed to complete the project to switch, possibly more than once, positioning equipment to work in the desired area.  
      Thus, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      Preferred embodiments of the present invention provide a shear attachment assembly. Briefly described, in architecture, one embodiment of the assembly can be implemented as follows. A shear attachment assembly comprises a blade assembly and a tine assembly where the tine assembly is arranged and configured to releasably receive a rake assembly.  
      Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the present invention will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed descriptions. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the present invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      Many aspects of the invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present invention. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.  
       FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the shear attachment assembly of the present invention mounted on a vehicle.  
       FIG. 1A  is a top view of the shear attachment assembly mounted on the vehicle illustrated in  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 1B  is a side view of the shear attachment assembly mounted on the vehicle illustrated in  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 1C  is a front view of the shear attachment assembly mounted on the vehicle illustrated in  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 2  is a top perspective of another preferred embodiment of the shear attachment assembly of the present invention mounted on a vehicle.  
       FIG. 2A  is a top view of the shear attachment assembly mounted on the vehicle illustrated in  FIG. 2 .  
       FIG. 2B  is a side view of the shear attachment assembly mounted on the vehicle illustrated in  FIG. 2 .  
       FIG. 2C  is a front view of the shear attachment assembly mounted on the vehicle illustrated in  FIG. 2 .  
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a tine assembly of the shear attachment assembly illustrated in  FIG. 2 .  
       FIG. 3A  is a top view of the tine assembly of the shear attachment assembly illustrated in  FIG. 2 .  
       FIG. 3B  is a side view of the tine assembly of the shear attachment assembly illustrated in  FIG. 2 .  
       FIG. 3C  is a front view of the tine assembly of the shear attachment assembly illustrated in  FIG. 2 .  
       FIG. 4  is a perspective exploded view of the tine assembly of the shear attachment assembly illustrated in  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 4A  is a top view of the tine assembly of the shear attachment assembly illustrated in  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 4B  is a side view of the tine assembly of the shear attachment assembly illustrated in  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 4C  is a front view of the tine assembly of the shear attachment assembly illustrated in  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of an optional rake assembly of the shear attachment assembly illustrated in  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a blade assembly of the shear attachment assembly illustrated in  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 7  is a side view of the shear attachment assembly illustrated in  FIG. 1  disposed in an open position.  
       FIG. 8  is a side of the shear attachment assembly illustrated in  FIG. 1  disposed in a closed position. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       FIGS. 1-1C  illustrate one embodiment of a shear attachment assembly  10  of the present invention. In the illustrated embodiment, the shear attachment assembly  10  is removably attached to a wheel loader  100 . In other embodiments, the shear attachment assembly  10  may be fixed to another type of vehicle, such as a track loader (not shown), or the like. The shear attachment assembly  10  comprises a tine assembly  12  and a blade assembly  14 . A loader arm  102  of the loader  100  receives the time assembly  12  and a hydraulic cylinder  104  releasably receives the blade assembly  14 . In one preferred embodiment, the hydraulic cylinder  104  is attached to the blade assembly  14  via a shear attachment stabilizer arm  106 . The shear attachment assembly  10  illustrated in  FIGS. 1-1C  further comprises a pair of optional rake assemblies  16 . The rake assemblies  16  are disposed on the tine assembly  12  portion of the attachment  10 .  
       FIGS. 2-2C  illustrate the shear attachment assembly  10  as mounted to a wheel loader  100  without the optional rake assemblies  16  fixed to the tine assembly  12 . The optional rake assemblies  16  are discussed in greater detail hereinbelow.  
       FIGS. 3-3C  illustrate the tine assembly  12  of the shear attachment assembly  10  in greater detail. The configuration illustrated in  FIGS. 3-3C  shows the tine assembly  12  without the optional rake assembly  16  fixed thereto. More specifically, the tine assembly  12  comprises a frame  13 , such as a pair of back plates  18 , or the like, one back plate  18  disposed on each side of a pair of tine plates  20 . It should be noted that the frame  13  can be any appropriate configuration, where the back plates  18  are but one example. Tine chop blocks  22  are disposed between the tine plates  20 . Each back plate  18  includes a plurality of rake mounts  24  with which the optional rake assemblies  16  can be mounted to the tine assembly  12 . In this configuration, the rake mount  24  is in the form of an aperture; however, it should be understood that any suitable mount may be implemented. From the pair of back plates  18  extends a pair of tine plates  20  being configured parallel to each other and having a pair of tine chop blocks  22  disposed therebetween and extending from the back plates  18  in the same direction as the tine plates  20 .  
      Tine chop blocks  22  and tine plates  20  are supported internally by a series of plates (see  FIG. 3C ). A rear cross plate  25 , crop plate  26 , front cross plate  28 , and bottom cross plate  30  (collectively referred to as “interior plates”) work together to support the tine plates  20  and tine chop blocks  22 . A pivot cross tube  32  (see  FIG. 3 ) is disposed between the tine plates  20 , spanning across the tine chop blocks  22 , and is arranged and configured to pivotally receive a portion of the blade assembly  14 . Each tine plate  20  extends to a sharp pointed configuration, the tine tip  34 , for more effective use. The interior plates are fixed between the pair of tine plates  20  with a plurality of mounts  36  disposed in each tine plate  20 . In the disclosed configuration, the mounts  36  are in the form of apertures; however, it should be understood that any suitable mount may be implemented. The interior plates can alternatively be fixed in place by any suitable means.  
      The tine assembly  12  further comprises at least a pair of top hitches  38  extending from the back plates  18  and in a direction opposite the direction of extension of the tine plates  20 . The top hitch  38  is arranged and configured to receive portions of the wheel loader  100  for fixing the shear attachment assembly  10  thereto. The back plates  18  further comprise bottom hitches  40  (see  FIGS. 3A and 3B ) extending therefrom and being substantially parallel to the top hitches  38 . The bottom hitches  40  are arranged and configured to receive a portion of the wheel loader  100  for fixing the shear attachment assembly  10  thereto.  
       FIG. 4  illustrates the tine assembly  12  and a preferred manner of fixing the optional rake assemblies  16  thereto. Each rake assembly  16  is fixed to the tine assembly  12  at a back plate  18 . Mount tabs  46  of the rake assembly  16  are aligned with and inserted through the plurality of rake mounts  24  disposed in the back plates  18 . A mount pin  58  is disposed through a pin aperture  48  disposed in the mount tab  46  in order to fix the rake assembly  16  to the back plate  18 . Although the mounting of only one optional rake assembly  16  is discussed, it is intended that each rake assembly  16  can be mounted to the tine assembly  12  in such a similar manner.  FIGS. 4A-4C  illustrate the tine assembly  12  having a pair of optional rake assemblies  16  fixed thereto.  
       FIG. 5  more specifically illustrates an optional rake assembly  16  in greater detail. It should be understood that other rake assembly  16  configurations may be implemented. The rake assembly  16  comprises a pair of rake end tooth members  42  having a rake center tooth member  44  disposed therebetween. Each rake end tooth member  42  comprises a pair of mount tabs  46 , each mount tab  46  having a pin aperture  48  disposed therebetween. The rake end tooth members  42  and rake center tooth member  44  are held together toward the bottom of the rake assembly  16  by a rake cross tube  50  extending therebetween. A rake tooth gusset  52  extends from the rake cross tube  50  toward the bottom end of the rake assembly  16 . A brush guard extension plate  54  extends upward from each of the rake end tooth members  42  and the rake center tooth member  44 . The brush guard extension plates  54  are held together as one unit by a top angle  56  disposed at the end thereof.  
       FIG. 6  illustrates a blade assembly  14  of the shear attachment assembly  10 . The blade assembly  14  comprises a blade  60  having a cutting edge  62  disposed thereon. The blade  60  further comprises a stabilizer arm bracket  64  arranged and configured to receive the shear attachment stabilizer arm  106  for fixing the shear attachment assembly  10  to a loader  100 . The blade  60  further comprises a pair of blade end covers  66 . A main pin  68  and a pair of supports  67  span between the blade  60  and the blade end covers  66 . The main pin  68  is preferably arranged and configured to be received through the pivot cross tube  32  of the tine assembly  12 . In one configuration, as illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the main pin  68  is fixed to the blade end covers  66  with a pin lock block  70  having a pin lock  72  disposed therethrough. However, it should also be understood that the main pin  68  can be fixed between the blade end covers  66  in any suitable manner.  
       FIGS. 7 and 8  illustrate two operating positions of the shear attachment assembly  10  as fixed to a wheel loader  100 . Turning first to  FIG. 7 , the shear attachment assembly  10  is illustrated in an open position  110 . The open position  110  is characterized by the cutting edge  62  of the blade assembly  14  being disposed away from the tine assembly  12 . The shear attachment assembly  10  can be used in the open position  110  for digging items out of the ground, such as a stump, for example, for grabbing items, or for any suitable purpose. The tine assembly  12  and the blade assembly  14  are disposed away from each other by pivoting about the connection of the pivot cross tube  32  of the tine assembly  12  and the main pin  68  of the blade assembly  14 . The tine assembly  12  of the shear attachment assembly  10  is fixed to the wheel loader  100  at the loader arm  102  of the wheel loader  100  by the bottom hitch  40  of the tine assembly  12 . The top hitch  38  of the tine assembly  12  is fixed to a Z-link  112  of the wheel loader  100 .  
      The blade assembly  14  is fixed to the wheel loader  100  at a hydraulic arm  104  and shear attachment stabilizer arm  106 , which is received at the stabilizer arm bracket  64  of the blade assembly  14 . When the hydraulic cylinder  104  is moved in direction A, the shear attachment stabilizer arm  106  pulls the blade assembly  14  upward and away from the tine assembly  12 . Substantially simultaneously, the Z-link  112  is extended, pushing the top portion of the tine assembly  12  away from the loader  100 , resulting in the tine assembly  12  tilting downward and away from the blade assembly  14 . In this configuration, the tine assembly  12  can be used to dig and scrape, or for any other suitable purpose.  
       FIG. 8  illustrates the shear attachment assembly  10  disposed in a closed position  120 . The closed position  120  is characterized by the cutting edge  62  of the blade assembly  14  and the tine assembly  12  being disposed near each other such that the cutting edge  62  of the blade assembly  14  is disposed substantially adjacent to the tine chop blocks  22  of the tine assembly  12 . The shear attachment assembly  10  can be used in the closed position  120  for holding items, cutting items, crushing items, or for any suitable purpose. The tine assembly  12  is disposed toward the closed position  120  when the hydraulic cylinder  104  is moved in direction B. The shear attachment stabilizer arm  106  pushes the blade assembly  14  downwardly at the stabilizer arm bracket  64 . Simultaneously, the Z-link  112  is retracted, pulling the top hitch  38  of the tine assembly  12  toward the loader  100  and pivoting the tine assembly  12  upwardly.  
      It should be emphasized that the above described embodiments of the present invention, particularly any “preferred” embodiments, are merely possible examples of implementations, merely set forth for a clearer understanding of the principles of the invention. Many variations and modifications can be made to the above described embodiments of the invention without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the invention. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure in the present invention and protected by the following claims.