Patent Publication Number: US-6699000-B2

Title: Machine having a working arm

Description:
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a machine having a working arm and more particularly but not exclusively to a machine known as an articulated shovel which has a first body part connected to a second body part of the machine by an articulated connection which permits of relative movement between the first and second body parts of the machine about a generally upright axis. Usually an engine or other power means for the machine, together with an operator&#39;s cab are provided on the second body part, and the first body part mounts the working arm which carries at an end thereof remote from the first body part, a bucket or other working implement. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
     Conventionally articulated loading shovels have had a pair of spaced apart working arms, which are both mounted at first ends thereof on the first body part, and carry between them at their second ends, the bucket or other working implement. A pair of working arms have been provided primarily in order to provide the necessary strength as the arm lifts heavy loads. Thus each arm has usually been provided with its own lifting actuator. 
     Articulated loading shovels with single working arms of general box configurations have been proposed, for example in GB patent application 2333759. Such box configuration single working arms have advantages over providing a pair of working arms in that the single working arm can be made lighter than comparable twin arm arrangements, thereby improving the lifting performance of the working arm. However a single arm construction can present an obstacle to an operator&#39;s sight line and accordingly, in arrangements such as in GB patent application 2333759 such single arms have had complex geometrical configurations such that they are by no means straight. Manufacturing working arms with such complex geometrical configurations adds cost to an otherwise economical construction because the complex configuration arm needs to be fabricated from a plurality of components. Moreover, in the arrangement of GB patent application 2333759, the strength of the working arm is compromised by several cut-outs required for providing a pivotal connection between the arm and the machine, and for tilt links which extend through a slot in the arm and are used in the control and operation of the working implement. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to one aspect of the present invention we provide a machine having a working arm, the machine including a body part to which a first end of the arm is attached for relative pivotal movement about a first generally horizontal axis and the arm having a second end adapted to mount a working implement for movement relative to the arm about a second generally horizontal axis characterised in that the arm is substantially straight between the first and second ends, and is of substantially inverted channel configuration having a top part and a pair of side walls integrally formed, and the arm over at least a major portion of its length between the first and second ends including a strengthening member which extends between and is connected to the side walls. 
     By virtue of this geometrically simple construction, the working arm may be made very economically. To avoid compromising the strength of the arm where the arm is connected to the machine, the body part of the machine may include a pair of mounting members between which the first end of the arm is received, there being a first pivot means which extends between the mounting members and through the side walls of the arm pivotally to attach the arm to the body part. Of course it may be required to strengthen the side walls locally where the first pivot means passes through, but there is no need to provide any slots or the like in the arm to provide a connection to the body part. 
     Moreover, to ensure that the arm is as strong as possible in the region of connection to the body part, the strengthening member of the arm may extend between the first pivot means and free edges of the side walls of the arm, and if desired the strengthening member of the arm may at least substantially close the channel of the arm at the first end of the arm, and may be connected to the top part of the arm. 
     Because the strengthening member is a separate component to the integrally formed top part and side walls, and may for example be plate-like, the strengthening member may be formed to a complex configuration prior to its connection e.g. by welding, to and between the side walls. 
     Whereas a pair of lifting actuators may be provided if desired, preferably the machine includes a single linearly acting lifting actuator which extends between and is pivotally connected to the body part and to the arm, the lifting actuator when extended and retracted causing movement of the arm relative to the body part about the first generally horizontal axis. 
     The lifting actuator is preferably connected to the arm by a second pivot means, which may include a pivot pin, which is received by the side walls of the arm, with either bearings between the actuator and pin or between the pin and arm, and the strengthening member may be configured to extend between the second pivot means and the top part of the arm. In this way the strengthening member can be configured to present no obstacle to the operation of the lifting actuator. 
     Preferably though, the strengthening member of the arm, over a major portion of its length, is connected between the side walls adjacent free edges of the side walls. The side walls of the arm may vary in depth along the arm, and may extend for a maximum distance from the top part in the region of connection of the lifting actuator to the arm where maximum strength is required. 
     To enable the working implement to be moved about the second generally horizontal axis, there may be provided a pair of tilt links, one link of the pair being pivotally attached at each side of the arm to a respective side wall of the arm, the tilt links further each having a first end positioned above the top part of the arm, and a second end positioned below the arm, the first ends of the tilt links being pivotally connected to a linearly acting tilting actuator which extends generally along the arm and is mechanically connected to the working implement at the second end of the arm, and the second ends of the tilt links being pivotally connected to link means which are pivotally connected to the body part of the machine, the tilting actuator when extended and retracted causing movement of the working implement about the second generally horizontal axis. 
     Thus again no slot or the like is required to accommodate the tilt links. Furthermore, with an appropriate geometry of tilt links, tilting actuator and link means, the working implement can be arranged automatically to maintain an orientation relative to the ground as the working arm is lifted and lowered by the lifting actuator, without the need to extend or retract the tilting actuator. 
     In one arrangement the tilting actuator is mechanically connected to the working implement at the second end of the arm by a coupling means which includes a coupling member which is pivotally connected at a first pivot connection to the tilting actuator and at a second pivot connection to the working implement, there being a guide means pivotally connected to the coupling member and to the arm, which guide means may include at least one guide member pivotally connected at one end to the coupling member between the first and second pivot connections, and the guide member being pivotally connected at an opposite end to a side wall of the arm. 
     Although the invention may be applied to any machine having a working arm, the invention has been particularly developed for use where the body part of the machine to which the working arm is attached is a first body part of the machine which is connected to a second body part of the machine by an articulated connection which permits of relative movement between the first and second body parts of the machine about a generally upright axis. The first and second body parts may be relatively articulated about the generally upright axis by linear actuators, and the first and second body parts of the machine may each include a pair of ground engaging wheels, with at least one of the pairs of wheels being driven from a power means, such as an engine, mounted in or on the second body part of the machine via a mechanical and/or hydrostatic transmission. 
     An operator&#39;s cab may be provided on the second body part of the machine, positioned between the power means and the first body part of the machine. 
     According to a second aspect of the invention we provide a working arm for a machine, the arm having a first end adapted to be attached relative to a body part of the machine for relative pivotal movement about a first generally horizontal axis and a second remote end, adapted to mount a working implement for movement relative to the arm about a second generally horizontal axis, characterised in that the arm is substantially straight between the first and second ends, and is of substantially inverted channel configuration having a top part and a pair of side walls integrally formed by pressing from a blank, and the arm over at least a major portion of its length between the first and second ends including a strengthening member which extends between and is connected to the side walls. 
     The arm may have any of the features of the arm for the machine of the first aspect of the invention. Particularly the side walls of the arm may vary in depth from the top part, which configuration may be achieved by forming a suitably configured blank to the channel shape of the arm. 
     For example, the depths of the side walls from the top part may be at a maximum depth at a region of the arm which is adapted to be pivotally connected to a lifting actuator where greatest strength is required. 
     According to a third aspect of the invention we provide a working arm for a machine, the arm having a first end adapted to be attached relative to a body part of the machine for relative pivotal movement about a first generally horizontal axis and a second remote end, adapted to mount a working implement for movement relative to the arm about a second generally horizontal axis, characterised in that the arm is substantially straight between the first and second ends and the arm includes a tilt mechanism including a pair of tilt links, one link of the pair being pivotally attached at each side of the arm to a respective side wall of the arm, the tilt links further each having a first end positioned above the arm, and a second end positioned below the arm, the first ends of the tilt links being pivotally connected to a linearly acting tilting actuator which extends generally along the arm and is in use, mechanically connected to the working implement at the second end of the arm, and the second ends of the tilt links being pivotally connected to link means which are pivotally connected in use to a body part of the machine. 
     According to a fourth aspect of the invention we provide a method of making a working arm according to the second or third aspects of the invention including the steps of cutting from a sheet of material, a blank, forming the blank into a substantially straight channel shape having a top part and a pair of side walls, and thereafter, over at least a major portion of the length of the channel connecting a strengthening member to each of the side walls so as to extend therebetween. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is an illustrative perspective view of a machine having a working arm, in accordance with the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a side detailed view of part of the machine of FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 3 is an illustrative plan view of the working arm of the machine of FIGS. 1 and 2, at a phase during construction. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, a machine  10  of the kind known as an articulated loading shovel, includes a first, front, body part  11  and a second, rear, body part  12 , the first and second body parts  11 ,  12  being articulated for relative movement about a generally upright axis A, by linear acting hydraulic actuators, the position of one of which being indicated in the drawings at  14 . Each body part  11 ,  12  has a pair of ground engaging wheels  16 ,  17  respectively, carried on respective axles  18 ,  19 , and the wheels  16 ,  17  being driven via a mechanical and/or hydrostatic transmission from an engine the position of which is indicated at  20 , provided on the second body part  12 . 
     Thus the machine  10  may be driven over the ground, and steered by relatively articulating the body parts  11 ,  12 . The machine  10  is controlled from an operator&#39;s cab  21  positioned on the second body part  12  between the engine  20  and the first body part  11 . 
     The machine  10  includes a working arm  25  which is pivotally connected at a first end  26  thereof, to the first body part  11 . To achieve this, the first body part  11  includes a pair of mounting members  27 ,  28  which provide a space between them in which the first end  26  of the arm  25  is received. A pivot pin  30  extends through the mounting members  27 ,  28  and through the arm  25  as hereinafter described. 
     At a second end  32  of the working arm  25 , there is mounted a working implement  33  which in this example is a bucket, with there being a so called “quick hitch” device  35  on the arm  25  to facilitate mounting buckets of different configuration and capacity at the second end  32  of the arm  25 . 
     In accordance with the present invention, the working arm  25  is of substantially inverted channel configuration having a top part  40  and a pair of depending integrally formed, side walls  41 ,  42 . The arm  25  is substantially straight between the first  26  and second  32  ends thereof and of generally constant width. The top part  40  and side walls  41 ,  42  are formed by pressing from a blank (shown at B in FIG. 3) as described hereinafter. The depths of the side walls  41 ,  42  from the top part  42  to free edges  45 ,  46  thereof, vary along the length of the working arm  25 . This configuration is achieved with no or minimal machining, i.e. during the pressing operation. 
     The pivot pin  30  which connects the first end  26  of the working arm  25  to the mounting members  27 ,  28  passes through openings in the side walls  41 ,  42  of the arm  25 , which openings may have journalled therein, bearings. Alternatively, or in addition, the pivot pin  30  may be fixed relative to the arm  25 , and be received by bearings journalled in openings in the mounting members  27 ,  28  which receive the pivot pin  30 . In each case, the openings in the side walls  41 ,  42  of the arm  25  and/or in the mounting members  27 ,  28  may be strengthened, e.g. by attaching keyhole castings, as is well known in the art. 
     The working arm  25  may be moved about a first generally horizontal axis B co-incident with the axis of the pivot pin  30 , relative to the first body part  11  of the machine  10 , to lift and low the arm  25 , by a single linearly acting hydraulic actuator  48 . In this example a cylinder part  49  of the actuator  48  is pivotally connected to the first body part  11  intermediate the ends of the cylinder part  49 , for pivoting relative to the first body part abut an axis C, whilst a piston part  50  of the actuator  48  is pivotally connected to the working arm  25 . In another arrangement the actuator  48  may be reversed so that the piston part  50  is pivotally connected to the first body part  11  and the cylinder part  49  to the arm  25 . However the arrangement described is preferred, particularly with the cylinder part  49  being pivoted intermediate its ends for pivoting about axis C, as the actuator  48  can then occupy less space forwardly of the axis C than the required stroke of the actuator  48 . This connection may be a so-called trunnion mounting. 
     The pivotal connection of the lifting actuator  48  with the arm  25  is provided by the piston part  50  of the actuator  48  having a so-called hammer head construction, with there being a pivot pin  51  ends of which are received in openings in the side walls  41 ,  42  of the working arm  25  with the piston part  50  of the actuator  48  providing a bearing connection with the pin  51 . Thus as the lifting actuator  48  is extended and retracted, the actuator  48  may pivot relative to the first body part  11  and relative to the working arm  25 , as the working arm  25  is raised and lowered. 
     It can be seen that the depths of the side walls  41 ,  42  of the working arm  25  are at a maximum in the region of the pivotal connection (pins  51 ) of the lifting actuator  48  to the arm  25 , where maximum strength is required. 
     The working implement  33  is pivotally mounted at the second end  32  of the working arm  25 , for pivotal movement relative to the arm  25  about a generally horizontal axis D. To achieve such pivotal movement, a tilt mechanism is provided which includes a pair of tilt links  55 ,  56  pivotally mounted to respective side walls  41 ,  42  of the arm  25  at a position adjacent the first end  26  of the arm  25 . The tilt links  55 ,  56  each have a first upper end  58  located above the top part  40  of the arm  25 , and a lower second end  59  located below the arm  25 . A pivot pin  60  extends through the side walls  41 ,  42  of the arm  25  and has the tilt links  55 ,  56  mounted on the ends thereof, again with bearings being provided in openings in the side walls  41 ,  42  of the arm  25 , in which the ends of the pivot pin  60  are journalled. 
     The second lower ends  59  of the tilt links  55 ,  56  are each pivotally connected to one or one of a pair of link  63 , which are pivotally connected to the first body part  11  of the machine  10  at the position indicated at  64 , e.g. by a pivot pin received in the mounting members  27 ,  28 . The first upper ends  58  of the tilt links  55 ,  56  are pivotally connected to one end, in this example a cylinder end  66 , of a linearly acting tilting actuator  67 . A piston end  68  of the tilting actuator  67  is connected to a first pivot connection  71  of a coupling member  69  of a coupling means  70  which couples the tilting actuator  67  to the working implement  33 . A second pivot connection  72  of the coupling member  69  is pivotally connected to the quick hitch  35  of the working implement  33 . Intermediate the first and second pivot connections  71 ,  72  of the coupling member  69 , the coupling member  69  is pivotally connected to a pair of guide members  75 ,  76  of a guide means  78 . Each guide member  75 ,  76  depends from the coupling members  69  either side of the arm  25 , and is pivotally connected to a respective side wall  41 ,  42  of the arm  25 . 
     The geometry of the tilt mechanism is such that when the working implement  33  is set in an orientation relative to the ground by extending or retracting the tilt actuator  67 , when the lifting actuator  48  is operated to raise or lower the arm  25 , the working implement  33  will retain its orientation relative to the ground. Thus the tilt mechanism is so-called self levelling, without it being necessary to extend and/or retract the tilt actuator  67  during lifting and lowering of the arm  25 , at least over a large range of lifting/lowering movement of the arm  25 . 
     When it is desired to change the orientation of the working implement  33  relative to the ground, for example to load or unload the bucket thereof, the tilt actuator  67  will of course need to be extended and/or retracted. 
     Referring to FIG. 3, a stage during manufacture of the arm  25  is indicated. A blank BL is cut from a sheet S of material, the blank BL being configured so that during subsequent forming of the blank BL, the top part  40  and side walls  41 ,  42  substantially to the configuration shown in the other figures, are integrally formed. Thus fold lines are indicated at L 1  and L 2  along which the blank  13 L is folded, in pressing operation to form the arm  25 . The various openings for pivot pins, such as pins  30 ,  51 ,  60  etc., are preferably provided subsequent to forming, but may be provided by punching from the blank BL if desired. 
     The arm  25  being substantially straight and of generally constant width along the entire length of the arm  25 , formed in this manner will be strong and light. However to add further strength, in accordance with the invention, a strengthening member  80  is provided, the configuration of which is best seen in FIG.  2 . 
     The strengthening member  80  is preferably formed from a plate-like structure, and is connected, typically by welding, to each of the side walls  41 ,  42 , interiorially of the channel shape of the arm  25 . Over a major part of the length of the arm  25 , the strengthening member  80  is positioned close to the free edges  45 ,  46  of the side walls  41 ,  42 , so as to provide a void within the arm  25  which may convey hydraulic and/electrical control lines if desired. 
     In the region of connection of the arm  25  to the lifting actuator  48 , where the side walls  41 ,  42  are of maximum depth, the strengthening member  80  extends between the pivotal connection  51  and the top part  40  of the arm. Thus the strengthening member  48  does not inhibit lowering of the arm  25  by obstructing the lifting actuator  48 . 
     The pivot pins  30  (to connect the arm to the mounting members  27 ,  28 ) and  60  (for the tilt links  55 ,  56 ) are however contained within the void of the arm  25  with the strengthening member  80  beneath the pivotal connections, adjacent the free edges  45 ,  46  of the side walls  41 ,  42 . At the first end  26  of the arm  25 , the strengthening member  80  is configured to close or at least substantially close the end of the arm  25 , and in the example shown, the strengthening member  80  is connected, by welding to the underside of the top part  40 . 
     In the particular example illustrated in the drawings, the arm  25  is about 3 m in length, about 400 mm wide, and the maximum depths of the side walls  41 ,  42 , in the region of the pivotal connection  51  to the lifting ram  48 , is about 300 mm. The sheet S from which the blank B is cut, typically may have a thickness of about 15 mm only. These dimensions are given for illustrative purposes only, and may significantly be varied. 
     Various modifications in addition to those already identified may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the articulated connection between the first and second  11 ,  12  body parts may permit of some relative pivotal movement about a longitudinal axis of the machine in addition to the upright axis A. Preferably though the articulated connection only permits movement about upright axis A with the axle  18  on which the wheels  17  of the rear second body part  12  are mounted, being mounted for oscillation about a longitudinal axis relative to the second body part  12 . 
     If desired an alternative tilting mechanism geometry to that described may be provided. For example the tilting actuator  67  may be provided beneath the arm  25 , and/or the positions of the tilt actuator  67  and the links  63  which connect the tilt links  55 ,  56  and the first body part  11  may be transposed. 
     In each case preferably the integrity of the arm  25  is not compromised by the provision of any slot of the like to accommodate any component part of the tilt mechanism and/or to pivotally mount the arm  25  on the first body part  11  of the machine  10 . 
     The invention may be applied to other kinds of machine entirely to the articulated loading shovel described, for example to a non-articulated loading or excavating/loading machine, having a working arm and steerable wheels or even tracks. However the invention has particular application where the working arm is mounted generally centrally of a body part of the machine, so as to extend forwardly of an operator&#39;s cab  21 , where a working arm  25  constructed and configured as described, can provide for good visibility for an operator from the cab  21  during working operations. 
     Whereas the strengthening member  80  preferably is a unitary member which extends substantially from one end of the arm  25  to the other, in another example, the strengthening member  80  may be made up from separate parts and need only be provided along the arm  25  where strengthening is required. 
     The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any machine of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.