Patent Publication Number: US-6990758-B1

Title: Scraper and rake attachment for excavator bucket

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to earth moving and clearing equipment. More particularly, the present invention relates to a rake and scraper attachment system for an excavator bucket. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   Power operated excavators having bucket mounted arms are in wide use in earthmoving and digging operations. They are most useful in earth digging and clearing operations. Rake attachments have been provided as attachments to a bucket. Such rakes are useful in clearing earth for construction and the like. They lack, however, the ability to scrape the earth surface prior to grasping brush between the bucket mounted rake of an excavator and the thumb during the clearing process. 
   It would be desirable to provide an easily mounted heavy-duty scraper and rake system for attachment to an excavator bucket having a power operated thumb which attaches and detaches to the excavator bucket and which also provides a choice of scraping mechanisms for ground scraping for ground clearing, the rake operating with the thumb to grasp and remove the material rooted up by the scraping mechanism, thus providing a comprehensive ground clearing system for excavators which does not require the removal of the bucket to install. 
   Thus, a multipurpose, heavy-duty scraping and rake attachment for excavator buckets solving the aforementioned problems is desired. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The multipurpose heavy-duty scraping and rake attachment for excavator buckets of the present invention is efficient and effective in clearing brush-covered earth. The system is easily mountable to the bucket, thus avoiding the work and expense of removing the bucket. The scraper portion provides for offset saw-toothed scrapers, a combination of toothed scraper and straight blade (mini-blade), and blade only use and is used in conjunction with a heavy-duty rake and power-operated thumb to grasp and remove the material rooted or scraped up from the earth by the scraper. The scraper portion and rake are included in a single unit easily attachable and detachable from the excavator bucket. Scraper and blade attachments may be either detachably connected to the unit with bolts or permanently welded in place as desired. A spike-toothed rake or scraper may also be attached in place of the straight blade. 
   These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an environmental, perspective view of a scraper and rake attachment system for an excavator bucket according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is an environmental front elevation of the system of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a side elevation view of the system of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 4  is a rear perspective view of the system of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 5  is a rear perspective view similar to  FIG. 4  with a straight blade bolted in place. 
       FIG. 6  is a rear perspective view similar to  FIG. 4  with the spiked rake or blade bolted in place. 
       FIG. 7  is a rear perspective view similar to  FIG. 4  with attachment blades exploded away. 
       FIG. 8  is an environmental front elevation view of variation of the embodiment of the system of  FIG. 1 . 
   

   Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings. 
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The present invention multipurpose heavy-duty scraping and rake attachment for excavator buckets of the present invention is easily mounted and removed from the bucket and is efficient and effective in clearing brush-covered earth and other uses. 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is shown an environmental perspective view of the scraping and rake attachment system of the present invention as attached to the bucket B having a grasping thumb T and attached to the arm A of a conventional earth excavator. The scraping and rake attachment system  10  includes a rake an blade unit  12  having forward heavy-duty rake  14  extending laterally relative to bucket  12  and having a rake tooth rear support  16  extending along the unit  12  adjacent bucket B having spaced teeth  18  spaced therealong. Teeth  16  are generally hooked inwardly so as to act with thumb T to grasp brush and the like and lift it from the site. 
   Forward saw-tooth blade  22  and rear saw-tooth blade  22  are shown with teeth offset relative to each other and attached to mounting box  24  having end walls  26  by mounting bolts  36 . Either or both saw-tooth blades  20  and  22  may be permanently welded to mounting box  24  as desired. Rake and blade unit  12  is removably attached to the digging blade of bucket B by bucket engagement hook rods  28  which hook over the entrance to the bucket relative the scraping blades  20  and  22  and mounting box  24 . A securing system  29  includes a winch  30  adjustably receiving bucket securing strap  32  which extends from winch and shackle mounting bracket  40  (see  FIG. 2 ) and runs through centrally located bucket strap receiver  34  mounted to the upper portion of bucket B as by welding. Bolts  36  allow removal and replacement of saw-tooth blades  20  and  22  with other types of blades as described below. 
   Referring to  FIG. 2 , there is shown an environmental front elevation view of the rake and blade unit  12  having winch and shackle mounting bracket attached at the upper front of the centrally mounted blades  18 . Securing system  29  includes strap  32 , shown running through bucket strap receiver  34  and having one end secured by shackle  38  to one end portion of mounting bracket  40  and its other end attached to winch  30  supported for rotation by winch bracket  42  mounted at the other end portion of mounting bracket  40 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , there are shown a side elevation view and a rear perspective view, respectively, of the rake and blade unit  12  with rear forward saw-tooth blade  20  removed leaving mounting bores  37  in mounting box  24 . Mounting bolts  36  extend laterally along the attachment portion of blade  22  in two staggered rows as shown. Shanks  44  of spaced bucket engagement hook rods  28  are attached to the upper surface of rake tooth rear support  16  as by welding and serve as a connection for winch and shackle mounting bracket  42 . Upon removal of mounting bolts  36 , forward saw-tooth blade  20  may be slid out from between shank  44  and blade tooth rear support  16  for removal and replacement. 
   Referring to  FIG. 5 , there is shown a rear perspective view of the rake and blade unit  12  having a straight blade (mini-blade) attachment  50  in place having a blade  52  held by mounting-bolts  36  and having a straight blade edge  54 . Straight blade attachment  50  replaces the forward saw tooth blade  20  as described above and may be used with or without (as shown) saw-tooth blade  22 . Straight blade  54  leaves a smoother earth surface when its use is appropriate. 
   Referring to  FIG. 6 , there is shown a rear perspective view of the rake and blade unit  12  having a spiked rake or blade attachment  60  in place held by mounting-bolts  36  and having spaced spikes  62  extending outward therefrom. Spiked blade attachment  60  replaces the forward saw tooth blade  20  as described above and may be used with or without (as shown) saw-tooth blade  22 . Spiked blade  54  provides a deeper rooting action when its use is appropriate. 
   Referring to  FIG. 7 , there is shown an exploded view of the scraper and rake attachment system  10  showing the rake and blade unit  12  with replaceable blades  20  and  22 ,  52 , and  60  for mounting on rake and blade unit  12 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 8 , there is shown an environmental front elevation view of the rake and blade unit  12  having an alternative attachment system  68 . Attachment system  68  includes a pair of spaced a pair of spaced cables  72  attached to equally spaced shackles  38  mounted on opposite end portions of mounting bracket  40 . Spaced cables  72  are attached to pivot latch handles  70 , pivotally attached to the upper front of bucket B. Upon upward rotation of pivot latch handles  70  cables  72  are pulled upward, securing rake and blade unit  12  to bucket B. The pivot latch handles  70  are then secured by inserting the pins in pin-type securing latches  74 . The rake and blade unit  12  is released from the front of bucket B by releasing pivot latch handles  70  from securing latches  74  for pivoting downward, relaxing tension on cables  72 , lowering rake and blade unit  12 . 
   In operation, scraper and rake unit  12  is mounted on the bucket B upon engagement of the hook rods  28  and the bucket entrance blade and the securing system  29  or  68  attached to the front of the bucket pulls the mounting plate  40  upward into place. Upon operating the arm A of the excavator such as to tilt the bucket forward and lower the bucket said saw-tooth scraper blades  20  and  22  dig and scrape brush and debris from the ground. 
   Upon operating the arm A of the excavator so as to lift the bucket and tilt the bucket downward, the rake engages the brush and debris and upon closing the grasping thumb of the bucket, the brush and debris is grasped for lifting and transferring to a truck or place of disposal. 
   It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.