Patent Publication Number: US-2017349109-A1

Title: Storage Assemblies and Bucket Accessories for Tractors

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED TO APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a divisional of U.S. non-provisional application Ser. No. 15/170,947, filed Jun. 2, 2016, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/171515 filed on Jun. 5, 2015. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to storage assemblies for material-handling vehicles. 
     More specifically, the invention relates to attachments for increasing the amount of supplies carried in or on compact and sub-compact material-handling vehicles. 
     In a further and more specific embodiment, the invention relates to storage assemblies and bucket accessories for lawn tractors and riding mowers. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Tractors and other material-handling vehicles were originally used primarily in construction, farming, and industry, but in recent years, they have become available in more compact configurations, making them affordable and useful for homeowners working on do-it-yourself landscaping projects and the like. Among the most popular configurations of these compact and sub-compact material-handling vehicles are front-engine lawn tractors and rear-engine riding mowers. Lawn tractors are generally more powerful than riding mowers and are often used for towing or fitted with front buckets for plowing and earth-moving, while riding mowers are lighter in weight and less versatile, but convenient for use on smaller properties. 
     One drawback of these smaller-sized tractors and mowers is that they lack space for carrying tools and other supplies. Some attempts have been made to provide tool tool-carrying assemblies in the forms of containers, racks, or carts that can be mounted on, or towed behind, the rear end of front-engine lawn tractors, but such assemblies have either been so compact and specialized as to limit the number and type of tools and supplies that can be carried, or at the other extreme, so large and bulky as to decrease the maneuverability of the tractor. Attempts have also been made to design tool boxes for mounting on the front end of front-engine lawn tractors, but these have presented the possibility of interfering with air flow to and from the engine, which could lead to overheating. Tool-carrying assemblies designed specifically for the rear end of rear-engine riding mowers, to the best of the inventor&#39;s knowledge, have not previously been designed, possibly because of concerns that extra weight in the back of the tractor could adversely impact the stability of the mower, as well as concerns about interfering with engine cooling and exhaust. 
     In the case of front-engine lawn tractors with buckets, the buckets themselves can of course be used to carry bulky materials, but elongated items that are longer than the width of the bucket cannot be accommodated. In addition, small, loose items are likely to rattle around in the interior of the bucket, causing irritating and unnecessary noise, and are also at risk of falling out altogether. 
     Another problem associated with front-loader tractors is that the bucket interferes with the operator&#39;s line of sight, making it difficult for the operator to judge the angle at which the bucket is tilted. Various attempts have been made to provide indicator mechanisms that overcome this problem. Examples of such mechanisms can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,604,025 to Hammoud, U.S. Pat. No. 7,430,983 to Hicock et al., U.S. Pat. No. 8,038,380 to Operud, and U.S. Pat. No. 8,205,347 to Friesen. However, the indicators of Hammoud, Hicock et al., and Friesen are somewhat complex devices requiring moving parts and/or electronic components. The indicators disclosed by Operud are simpler, but do not in any way address the problem of limited storage space in and on the vehicle. 
     Accordingly, it is object of this invention to provide versatile, tractor- or mower-mounted storage assemblies that can accommodate a large variety of tools and supplies, including large, bulky items, as well as long, narrow implements. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide tractor- or mower-mounted storage assemblies that are relatively compact and lightweight, and do not the adversely impact the stability of vehicle or the cooling ability of the engine. 
     Still another object of the invention is to provide storage assemblies that can be mounted on the rear end of rear-engine riding mowers and the front end of front-engine lawn tractors. 
     Yet another object of the invention is to provide material-handling vehicles with bucket storage assemblies that allow additional material, tools and/or supplies to be carried above the top edge of the bucket. 
     And yet another object of the invention is to provide orientation indicators that enable an operator of a material-handling vehicle to judge the angle at which a front-loader bucket is tilted, while also facilitating storage of additional material, tools, and/or supplies. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Briefly, to achieve the desired objects of the present invention in accordance with preferred embodiments thereof, storage assemblies and bucket accessories are provided for increasing the amount of supplies carried in or on compact and sub-compact material-handling vehicles. 
     In one aspect of the invention, a bucket assembly for a material-handling vehicle is provided with a storage compartment for allowing additional material to be carried above the top edge of the bucket, as well as with orientation indicators for allowing the vehicle&#39;s operator to accurately judge the angle of the bucket relative to the ground. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the bucket assembly includes a bucket in the form of a trough having a bottom wall terminating in a bottom front edge, a top wall terminating in a top front edge, and a pair of side walls. The storage compartment comprises a shelf that extends along the front edge of the bucket, a back wall extending upwardly from a rear edge of the shelf, and a pair of side walls that are generally coplanar with the side walls of the bucket. The orientation indicators comprise a pair of free-standing, spaced-apart rods that project upwardly from the back wall of the storage compartment into the vehicle operator&#39;s line of sight. A flexible tie-down member having a hook or other attachment element at one end is secured to the distal end of each rod. 
     The height, strength, and distance between the orientation rods is preferably selected to allow a length of flexible elongated material such as a rope or hose to be wrapped around the rods and supported on the bucket. In addition, the tie-down members affixed to the orientation rods allow any material in either the bucket or the storage compartment, or both, to be secured in place. Thus, in addition to allowing the vehicle operator to judge the tilt of the bucket at any time, the orientation rods have the added value of increasing the amount of material that can be stored in and on the bucket. 
     In another embodiment, the tie-down members at the ends of the rods are eliminated, and a plurality of openings for receiving tie-down fasteners are formed along an edge of the shelf. 
     In another aspect of the invention, a pair of rack elements is provided for supporting elongated items such as ladders on the side of a material-handling vehicle having a bucket. A front rack element, which may be in the form of a U-shaped member or hook, is carried on the top end of an elongated rod that extends upwardly from a top edge of the bucket, and a rear rack element, which may also be in the form of a backwards L or U-shaped member or hook, extends laterally from a roll bar at the rear of the vehicle. The rack element engages the front end of at least one elongated item, and the rear rack element engages the rear end of the at least one elongated item. 
     In still another aspect of the invention, a tool carrying assembly configured for use with a material-handling vehicle includes a horizontally-extending tool tray that is supported above the engine of the vehicle by at least one support member. At least one implement holder configured to support an elongated tool in an upright position is secured to the vehicle alongside the tool tray. In one embodiment, the at least one implement holder, the tool tray, and the at least one support member are integrally secured to one another and to a base plate that is removably fastened to a rear bumper of the vehicle. In this embodiment, the support element may include at least one vertically extending leg having a length selected to provide sufficient clearance between the tool tray and the engine to avoid interference with exhaust and allow sufficient cooling of the engine. In another embodiment, the tool tray may be removably coupled to the at least one implement holder, which may be removably coupled to a bracket removably coupled to the front bumper of the vehicle. In this or other embodiments, the at least one implement holder may extend at a predetermined angle in a rearward direction relative to the mounting bracket, wherein the predetermined angle is selected such that an elongated implement contained in the implement holder will not interfere with movement of a bucket carried at the front end of the vehicle. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The foregoing and more specific objects and advantages of the instant invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a front-loader tractor equipped with a bucket-mounted storage assembly according to a first aspect of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the bucket-mounted storage assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 2A  is a perspective view illustrating the removability of the orientation rods from the bucket-mounted assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view showing a front-loader tractor with the bucket-mounted storage assembly of  FIG. 1  in a first angular orientation; 
         FIG. 4  is a side view, similar to  FIG. 3 , with the bucket-mounted storage assembly of  FIG. 1  in a second angular orientation; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing an alternative embodiment of the bucket-mounted storage assembly; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view showing a front portion of a rack assembly according to a second aspect of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view from the front, showing the front portion of the rack assembly of  FIG. 6 , being used to transport an elongated board on a tractor; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view from the rear, showing the rack assembly of  FIG. 6  being used to transport a ladder on a tractor; 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view from the front, showing a tool-carrying assembly according to another aspect of the invention; and 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view from the rear, showing an alternate embodiment of the tool-carrying assembly. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Turning now to the drawings, in which like numerals indicate corresponding elements throughout the several views, attention is first directed to  FIG. 1 , showing an assembly according to the present invention, indicated in its entirety by the numeral  10 , mounted at the forward end of a tractor  12 . Although the invention is not restricted to use with any particular type of material-handling vehicle  12 , the illustrated vehicle  12  is a compact tractor including a frame  14  having a pair of opposed side walls  17 , an engine  19  mounted between the side walls  17 , a pair of front wheels  16 , rear wheels  18 , a bucket  20 , a roll bar  21 , and a pair of support arms  22 . A first pair of hydraulic cylinders  24  is provided for raising and lowering the support arms  22 , and a second pair of hydraulic cylinders (not shown) is provided for pivoting the bucket  20  about the distal end  26  of the support arms  22 . 
     As seen in  FIG. 2 , the bucket assembly  10  comprises three major components: the bucket  20 , a storage compartment  28 , and orientation indicator assembly  30 . 
     The bucket  20  comprises a bottom wall  32  terminating in a bottom front edge  34 , a top wall  36  terminating in a top front edge  38 , and a pair of side walls  40  (only one shown) that extend perpendicularly to the bottom and top walls  32 ,  36 . In the illustrated embodiment, the bottom and top walls,  32 ,  36  are generally planar and are joined together by a planar lower rear wall  42  and a planar upper rear wall  44 , but other wall geometries may easily be envisioned. For instance, the planar upper wall and two rear walls could be replaced by a single curved upper wall. In any case, the bottom wall  32 , upper wall  36  and side walls  40  together define a trough suitable for holding a variety of materials. such as the bagged material  43  shown in  FIG. 1  or the loose material  45  shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
     The storage compartment  28  comprises a planar shelf  46 , a back wall  48 , and a pair of side walls  50 . The shelf  46  includes an elongated front edge  52  and rear edge  54 . In the illustrated embodiment, the shelf  46  is the same length as the bucket  20  and is positioned such that its front edge  52  is coextensive with the top front edge  38  of the bucket  20  and its side walls  50  are coplanar with the side walls  40  of the bucket  20 . However, the length of the shelf  46  and the configuration of the side walls  50  could be changed without departing from the spirit of the invention. 
     The orientation indicator assembly  30  preferably comprises a pair of elongated rods  56   a, b  projecting upwardly from the rear wall  48  of the storage compartment  28 . For indication purposes only, a single freestanding rod  56   a  may be used, but for storage purposes it is desirable to provide a second freestanding rod  56   b  located a sufficient distance from the first rod to enable a length of hose, rope, or similar flexible material to be coiled around the rods and stored or carried on top of the bucket  20 . Preferably, each of the rods  56   a, b  is detachably held within a tubular mounting sleeve  57  on either the rear wall  48  or one of the side walls  50  of the storage compartment  28 , as shown in  FIG. 2A , so that the rods  56   a, b  can be removed when not in use, or replaced with longer or shorter rods as needed. 
     A flexible tie-down member such as a bungee cord  58   a, b  may be secured to the distal end  60  of each rod  56   a, b . Each tie-down member preferably includes a hook  62  or similar attachment element that may be releasably fastened to the bottom front edge  34  of the bucket, thus securing items in place. The tie-downs may be used to secure bagged material  43  in the bucket  20 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , or to secure elongated items such as boards  45  in the storage compartment  28 , as shown in  FIG. 2 a   , and can also be used to items or material in both the bucket  20  and the storage compartment  28  simultaneously. Alternatively, instead of being attached to the distal ends  60  of orientation rods  56   a , bungee cords  58   a  may be secured to a plurality of openings  61  formed along either the bottom front edge  52  or the top edge  55  of the storage compartment  28 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     The length of the rods  58   a, b  must be sufficient to ensure that the rods  58   a, b  can be seen by an operator  64  seated in the tractor  12  when the bucket  20  is in its lowest position (i.e., when the bottom wall  32  is on the ground). The necessary length may vary depending on the type of vehicle on which the bucket assembly  10  is mounted; i.e. vehicles with very high seats or with large boom assemblies that block the operator&#39;s view when raised may require longer orientation rods. However, for a typical compact utility tractor, a length of 30 inches will suffice. 
     In the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-5 , the top surface  36  of the bucket  20  is shown to be planar and coextensive with the planar bottom surface of shelf  46 . However, if the top surface of the bucket is rounded, the bottom surface of the shelf  46  and top surface of the bucket will not be coextensive, but will only meet at the top front edge  38  of the bucket, resulting in a space between the bottom surface of the shelf  46  and the top surface of the bucket, as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . The exact relationship between the bottom surface of the shelf  46  and the top surface of the bucket  20  is not critical, as long as the bottom surface of the shelf  46  is parallel to the bottom front edge  34  of the bucket  20 , and the rear wall  48  of the storage compartment  28  is perpendicular to the bottom surface of the shelf  46 . This ensures that the orientation rods  56   a ,  56   b  are perpendicular to the bottom wall  32  of the bucket  20 . Thus, when the rods  56   a ,  56   b  are in a completely vertical position as shown in  FIG. 3 , the operator can infer that the bottom  32  of the bucket  20  is completely horizontal, i.e. parallel to the ground. Similarly, when the rods  56   a ,  56   b  extend toward the tractor  12 , the operator can infer that the bottom wall  32  of the bucket is tilted away from the ground, as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     In another aspect of the invention, shown in  FIGS. 6-8 , the tool-carrying assembly includes a front rack element  60  for supporting the front end of at least one elongated item such as a ladder  66  or board  68 , and a rear rack element  62  for supporting the rear end of the item. The front rack element  60  comprises a generally U-shaped member or hook carried on the upper portion of a rod  63  configured to be inserted in a vertically upright position in one of the tubular mounting sleeves  57  on the rear wall  48  or a side wall  50  of the storage compartment  28 , in place of one of the orientation rods  58   a  or  b . The rear rack element  62  is a generally backwards L or U-shaped member or hook configured to extend laterally from the roll bar  21  or similar structure at the rear of the vehicle  12 . Preferably, the rear rack element  62  is removably held within a cylindrical support sleeve (not shown), similar to the support sleeves  57  on the rear or side walls of the storage compartment  28 , but extending laterally from the roll bar  21 . 
     To transport an elongated item such as a board  68 , a user simply places the item  68  on top of the front and rear rack elements  60 ,  62 , so that the front end of the item  68  is cradled between the two upstanding arms of the U-shaped member  60  and the rear end of the item  68  is cradled between the one upstanding arm of the backwards L-shaped member  62  and the roll bar  21 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
     To transport a ladder  66 , the user turns the ladder on one side and places it such that one of the upstanding arms of the U-shaped member  60  extends through the space between two adjacent rungs at the front end of the tractor, and the single upstanding arm of the backwards L-shaped member  62  extends through the space between two adjacent rungs at the rear end of the tractor, as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
     In another aspect of the invention, a tool-carrying assembly  70  for mounting at the front end of a front-engine tractor comprises at least one implement holder  72  and a tool tray  74 . In the example illustrated in  FIG. 9 , the at least one implement holder comprises a set of four implement holders  72   a, b, c, d , with one pair  72   a, b  positioned adjacent one of the sidewalls  17  of the tractor frame  14  and another pair  72   c, d  positioned adjacent the opposite side wall. Each implement holder  72  has a tubular upper portion  75  configured to surround the lower portion of at least one elongated, vertically extending tool or implement  77  such as a shovel or rake, and a flat lower portion  76  configured to support the bottom end of the at least one implement  77 . The upper portions of the implement holders are illustrated here as elongated tubes having square cross-sections. However, other geometries such as rings or sleeves having circular or rectangular cross-sections may also be suitable. 
     In the example of  FIG. 9 , each pair of implement holders  72   a, b  and  72   c, d  is secured proximate its side of the vehicle frame  14  by a corner brace  78  having a rearwardly extending flange  80  and an inwardly extending flange  82 . The rearwardly extending flange  80  couples both holders in each pair to one another as well as to a side of the vehicle bumper (not visible in the illustration), and the downwardly extending flange  82  detachably secures the pair to the front of the vehicle bumper (also not visible). In addition, the front holder  72   a c  of each pair is secured to the tool tray  74  by a corner brace  84  having a downwardly extending leg  85  secured to the top end of the corresponding implement holder and an inwardly extending portion  86  supporting the bottom of the tool tray  74 . Preferably the attachment between corner brace  78  and either the front implement holders  72   a, b  or the tool tray  74  is releasable, so that the tool tray  74  can be removed when it is not in use, while the implement holders  72  remain in place. 
     The length of the downwardly extending legs  85  of the corner brace  84  must be sufficiently long to provide sufficient clearance between the tool tray  74  and the engine  19  to avoid interference with exhaust and allow sufficient cooling of the engine  19 . In addition, each implement holder  72   a, b, c, d  is preferably angled in a slightly rearward direction so that elongated, vertically upright implements do not extend into the path of the loader bucker  20  and/or interfere with its movement. 
     In another aspect of the invention, illustrated in  FIG. 10 , tool-carrying assembly  100  for mounting at the rear end of a rear-engine tractor  112  comprises a tool tray  174  held above the engine  119  by a support member comprising at least one support leg  176  and a base plate (not visible) configured to overly the rear bumper of the vehicle (also not visible). In the illustrated embodiment, the at least one support leg  176  comprises a set of four support legs  176   a, b, c, d  arranged in pairs beneath opposite sides of the tray  174 . The length of the legs  176   ab, c, d  is selected to provide sufficient clearance between the tool tray and the engine to avoid interference with exhaust and allow sufficient cooling of the engine. 
     A set of implement holders  172  is secured to the tool tray  174 . Any number of implement holders may be provided in the set, but in the illustrated embodiment, the set  172  comprises a first implement holder  178  extending laterally from one side of the tool tray  174 , and a second implement hold  180  extending laterally from the opposite side of the tool tray  174 . Each implement holder includes a bottom portion  182  and a top portion  184 . As illustrated, the bottom portion  182 , which preferably extends laterally from the base plate of the support member, comprises a bottom wall  186  for supporting the bottom end of a tool  117 , and a perimeter portion  188  for surrounding the bottom end of the tool  117 . The top portion  184  includes a perimeter portion  190  for surrounding a higher portion of the tool  117 . Bottom portion  182  and top portion  184  may be rectangular in cross-section, as shown, with a partition wall  192 ,  194  dividing each portion into two square receptacles for supporting one tool each, but other geometric configurations would also be suitable. 
     The top portion  184  of each implement holder may be integral with the tool tray  174 , which in turn may be integral with the support legs  176   a, b, c, d , each of which may be integral with the bottom portion  182  of the corresponding implement holder as well as with the base plate of the support member. Thus, the entire tool-carrying assembly  100  may be formed as a unitary body, which may be molded from a lightweight plastic material. Alternatively, lightweight metals such as aluminum could be used, and the individual components of the assembly could be permanently secured to one another by welding, or detachably secured by conventional fasteners. 
     While the principles of the invention have now been made clear in the illustrated embodiment, there may be immediately obvious to those skilled in the art many modifications of structure, arrangements, proportions, elements, materials and components used in the practice of the invention and otherwise, which are particularly adapted for specific environments and operation requirements without departing from those principles. The appended claims are therefore intended to cover and embrace any such modifications within the limits only of the true spirit and scope of the invention.