Vehicle For Carrying Agricultural Or Construction Tools And The Like

Abstract

Horizontally extending legs are pivotally connected to and support the four corners of a rigid, rectangular frame. Individually driven wheeled or crawler track carriages support vertically extensible columns connected to the extended ends of the legs and are turnable for the dirigible control of the vehicle.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The vehicle of the present invention has been developed for use with road building tools, as will be described in some detail. However, it is also considered to have other possible applications, particularly including the agricultural field as will be described somewhat more generally.

In the art of roadbuilding, the development and use of larger machines for the preparation and the laying of the roadway is limited in part by the difficulty in or inability to transport larger machines to the site or from job to job and the inflexibility of the machine as to dimensional restrictions of the work.

Transportation by truck to the site over state highways is restricted foremost by highway use limitations. Typical restrictions are as follows. The maximum width limit is eight feet and can only be extended to twelve feet by special permit as an extra wide load. The allowable load length is 35 feet in some states. Bridge clearances over the highway is a considerable limitation when a large machine is to be transported on a trailer having a flatbed height of 31/2 feet. Weight limitations must also be considered but are accommodated if the machine may or must be separated as to some parts anyway to meet the dimensional limits referred to. Transportation between job sites is very often overland or by off-highway routes of lesser distances. Ease of loading and unloading in terms of time and lifting equipment required remain important.

The various types of grade preparation and roadway paving tools to be carried by the same machine require different track widths and positions and different heights of the vehicle frame. Heretofore, no single machine has been provided with such flexibility in the sense that the elements of the vehicle are provided with the widest required range of adjustments. That is, partial disassembly and reconstruction of the machine with one or more selected supplemental inserts require their transport with the machine for the immediate availability which is essential to their utility.

The required range of adjustment is generally dictated by the width of pavement to be laid and sometimes by special limitations of accessibility at one or both sides of the pavement as at bridges and alongside other structures.

A typical two lane concrete highway is 22 to 24 feet in width and is formed as a single eight inch thick slab which is then cut at its center. Two lane "super" highways are similarly constructed but the slab would be ten inches thick. A three lane "super" highway is generally constructed to a 24 foot width and an adjoining 12 foot width is then added thereto. Secondary roads and city streets may be of intermediate widths. Generally, a full width machine or tool is for building a 24 foot width roadway; a half width is for a twelve foot wide roadway. The runways for airports are as much as eighteen inches thick and of whatever width is feasible.

Very often a road building contractor will have several jobs or contracts to build a number of different types of roads in a given area and in a given paving season. The area, of course may be remote from his place of business and involve transportation of several machines whereas one machine might be used for all jobs.

The local supply of aggregate and central concrete batching or mixing plant must be set up for the given period in the area so that the contractor cannot readily move to and from jobs in different areas according to the width of the roadways. That is, he will ordinarily want to do all his road building in one area in one period of time. The term road building machine is here used to include the several machines or tools which are required for preparing the base to the final grade as by planing or trimming and filling and for receiving, placing, spreading and finishing the concrete.

Referring to the agricultural field, the typical equipment for a small truck farm comprises a tractor and a set of specialized tools which are manually attachable to and carried as well as powered by the tractor. On the other hand, large agricultural machines typically comprise specialized tools having their own wheeled carriages and are self-propelled or drawn and powered by a general purpose tractor. The limited usefulness of the carriages for each of the larger specialized tools is recognized. As the agricultural machines develop further, due consideration will be given the use of a single vehicle as provided for by the present invention and as described in the Summary of the Invention.

2. Description of the Prior Art

My U.S. Pat. No. 3,137,219 shows a form-riding concrete finishing machine having rear wheeled supports which may be pivoted inwardly for transport of the machine. U.S. Pat. No. 3,304,845 shows an aggregated spreader having forward dirigible wheels carrying support arms which can swing laterally to adjust the distance between wheels and can pivot vertically to adjust the elevation of the spreader. U.S. Pat. No. 3,257,917 shows a road building machine having four dirigible crawler truck carriages and support posts for the vertical adjustment of the machine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The vehicle includes a rigid frame and four ground engaging traction units connected thereto by legs which are both pivotable laterally and removable. Any of a group of tools may be selectively attached to and carried beneath the frame of the vehicle. In particular, the legs do not extend below the frame so that the vehicle has a large clear underside which allows full flexibility in the positioning of the tools respecting the traction units and the traction units respecting the working lane or the roadway to be paved. Normally, the tools in storage are standing on the ground so that the vehicle may be driven and positioned over whatever tool is to be attached thereto. The frame is then lowered for making the attachment and then raised to elevate the tool for transport to the field or job site. The elevation of the tool in use is adjusted by varying the height of the frame. The vertically extensible columns for that purpose also provide for lifting the frame and tools to a height allowing a truck or trailer to be driven thereunder such that the vehicle is "self-loading" .

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the machine with a full width tool attached to the frame which extends across the curved section of a roadway, as shown.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the machine shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the machine shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the machine with the full width tool offset and with two of the four legs set so that the machine can operate alongside a fence or a building or bridge rail.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the machine with legs arranged to provide maximum span with the frame at a 30.degree. angle respecting the work lane or roadway.

FIG. 6 is a front elevation of the machine shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the machine with two narrow tools in tandem. As shown, the longer dimension of the frame is disposed parallel to the direction of travel. More than two tools may be carried.

FIG. 8 is a side elevation of the machine shown i FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 shows the machine in front elevation with the frame and tool elevated and shows in side elevation the truck which is backing under the tool and frame.

FIG. 10 is a plan view of the machine and truck shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a plan view of the machine on the truck with two legs moved rearwardly to within the width limitation for high travel. Two legs are shown removed and placed on the machine for transport. Their normal position is shown in broken lines.

FIG. 12 is a side elevation of the truck and machine of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is an enlarged side elevation of one of the ground engaging traction units and a corner of the vehicle frame. The leg and post are sectioned and the telescopic hydraulic lifting cylinder appears in elevation.

FIG. 14 is an enlarged plan of the connection of one leg and the corner of the vehicle frame.

FIG. 15 is a plan view of the end of the leg which can be shifted on a vertical axis to any of the several positions provided for.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The vehicle of the invention includes the rectangular frame 21 which is of substantial size. The exact construction of the frame is not essential to the present invention except that it must be inherently rigid. It has been mentioned that the present invention should have particular acceptance when embodied in especially large machines and, accordingly, the dimensions of frame 21 might typically be in the order of 22 feet wide, 11 feet long and three feet high. The top side frame 21 is flat for walking thereover and handrails, not shown, should be provided. Although the machine is equally adapted for travel in any direction, for convenience the long sides of frame 21 may be occasionally referred to as the front and back sides. Thus, the power unit or control console 22 is represented by a rectangle at the front side of the machine.

Each corner of frame 21 is supported by a leg 24 which extends horizontally therefrom and to a telescopic post 25 which as shown in FIG. 13 includes the outer tube 26 to which the extending end of the leg is secured. Post 25 further includes the inner and intermediate tubes 27 and 28 which interfit and are turnable within tube 26.

A preferred construction of each leg and post is shown in FIG. 13 and includes the separate hydraulic cylinder 29 which extends within post 25 from the closed upper end 39 of tube 26 and the saddle 31 secured to the lower projecting end of cylinder 27. Saddle 31 fits over the crawler carriage 32 which includes a drive motor, not shown, and a reduction gear box 33 which drives the recirculating chain, not shown, to which the crawler pads 34 are attached.

Saddle 31 is connected to the carriage 32 by the removable transverse pin 35 which provides for their relative pivotal movement within limits so that carriage 32 can traverse inclines.

Each leg 24 is preferably of welded plate construction and may include suitable bulkheads 38. A bracket 41 as shown is associated with the end of each leg connected to a corner of frame 21. The U-shaped bracket is of rigid steel construction and should be readily attachable to and detachable from frame 21 as by means of the quick release bolts 42.

Each leg 24 is pivotally connected to its respective bracket 41 as by means of the pin 44 fitting the upper and lower bearings 45 and 46 of the bracket and the intermediate bushing 47. Pin 44 may be turnable in either bearings 45 and 46 or bushing 47 so that leg 24 is laterally adjustable respecting the bracket and frame 21 on the vertical axis of the pin.

In the operation of vehicle 20, all four legs must be and remain secured against turning on their respective pins 44 and preferably by means which allows the legs an infinite number of selected positions intermediate the limits of adjustment allowed by the brackets.

Alternatively, latches with the selected number of positions required most often may be provided. As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, leg 24 is provided with five holes for registry with the six holes 49 of bracket 41 to provide with the removable pin 50 a selection of thirty positions.

A hydraulic cylinder 29 provides the direct support of each leg 24 on the respective crawler carriage 32 and the actuation of the cylinders in conjunction with each other provides for both raising and lowering of frame 21 as required as well as adjusting the level of the frame with reference to the horizontal or to any selected inclination as desired. For such purposes, the upper and lower ends of the several cylinders are connected by suitable and detachable conduits and hoses, not shown, with the hydraulic pressure supply carried by frame 21 and with the control valves which are part of the control console 22 at the front side of frame 21. As shown in FIG. 13, the upper connector 52 at the upper end of cylinder 29 is joined to the closed upper end 39 of post 25 and the lower end of piston rod 29a is connected to saddle 31 within tube 27.

Any of various tools may be carried by vehicle 29 and generally would include parts requiring power drives. The details of such tools, their means of attachment to the underside of frame 21 and the electric or hydraulic drive connections are not shown.

Generally, each tool must include a frame having upper attachment means matching that of frame 21 and lower dimensions which are such that the tool can stand on level ground with the attachment means also level. This allows the operator of the machine to elevate frame 21 by means of cylinders 29 and to drive the machine over the tools in whichever direction is allowed by the position of the legs so that the legs and carriages of the vehicle straddle the tool.

When the machine is directly over the tool, the frame is lowered by actuating the hydraulic cylinders in the telescopic posts to bring the connecting means of the tool and frame into registry. When the connection has been made, the machine is ready for travel to the job site or is transportable thereto as on a truck.

As shown in FIG. 9 of the drawings, by actuating the hydraulic cylinders, all four telescopic tubes 27-29 are fully extended to raise frame 21 and the tool 54 attached thereto to a height which allows the truck 56 to be driven so that its bed 57 is positioned beneath the tool. Retracting of the cylinders then lowers frame 21 until tool 54 rests on bed 57 of truck 56 and further retraction lifts carriages 32 so that they clear the ground and may be removed.

As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the carriages 32 at the rear of truck 56 are elevated so that the legs 24 may be swung inwardly over bed 57. The legs 29a and carriages 32a shown by broken lines are disposed on each side of the cab 58 of the truck. In this position, the machine may be transported overland, that is over routes which avoid highway travel restrictions. Alternatively, the legs 29a at the forward end of the truck may be removed and placed on another truck or on top of frame 21, as shown. In this position, the truck 56 and its load should be within highway load and dimensional limits. If not, the legs and carriages at the rear of the truck may be similarly removed. Alternatively also, any of the legs and carriages may be detached from the frame with their respective brackets 41 be removing the quick release bolts 42.

The complete versatility of the machine is derived from the fact that the legs 29 project only horizontally of the frame 21 so that the entire area beneath the frame and extending to the posts 25 or carriages 32 is clear for driving the machine over any of the tools and so that the tools may be extended beneath the legs where required.

The most general use of the machine is possibly shown in FIGS. 1 - 3 wherein the tool 61 shown in broken lines is 28 feet wide for final preparation of the grade which includes the strips on which the carriages 32 operate. Thereafter, the paving tool 62 shown by full lines is attached to frame 21 and is approximately 24 feet wide to extend over a slab of that width.

In FIG. 4, the legs 24 at the right and the tool 62 are shifted so that the entire right side of the machine directly adjoins the line 64 which may be a bridge rail, an adjoining slab or the like.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the four legs 24 may be angularly adjusted so that they support frame 21 and tool 63 at an angle respecting the direction of the carriages 32. The approximate rectangular arrangement of the four carriages provides the firm support of frame 21 notwithstanding the angular arrangement of the frame which is particularly intended for use with a grading tool having a scraper, not shown, which is to direct the spoil to one side of the roadway.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show the legs 24 extended in the longer direction of frame 21 and for operation in that direction where a narrow roadway is to be paved. The tools 66 and 67 carried by frame 21 in tandem are of twelve foot width for that purpose. In other instances, for example, the depth of cut required might require extra power and limit the width of the tools.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a group of tools, a vehicle for carrying one of said group comprising powered ground engaging traction units, horizontally extending legs having inner and outer ends, the outer end of each leg having a cylindrical bearing support, an extensible, vertical post carried by each traction unit, each post being turnable in the bearing support of a corresponding leg, a rigid rectangular frame having paired upper and lower plates at each corner and a vertical pin carried by each pair of said plates, the inner end of each leg being disposed between a pair of said plates at a corner of the frame and turnable on the corresponding pin, and means associated with said plates and operable to secure the respective legs in a given selected position relative to the frame whereby the traction units may be variously positioned respecting the tool being carried by the frame.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein one of each pairs of plates and each corresponding leg includes selectively interengageable locking means for securing each leg in a selected position.

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein said group of tools includes a tool of a given width and which is attachable to the underside of said frame parallel to the shorter side thereof and a tool of considerably greater width and which is attachable to the underside of said frame parallel to the longer side thereof.

4. The invention of claim 1 which further includes quick release means which removably secures each pair of plates to the frame whereby each pair of plates and the associated leg and traction unit may be detached from the frame.

5. In combination with several tools for operation over the ground and including a first tool which is about twice the width of a second tool, a vehicle comprising a rigid rectangular frame having a width and length respectively about equal to the widths of said first and second tools, said tools being attachable selectively to the underside of said frame, the first tool when so attached being operable with the forward travel of the vehicle and the second tool when so attached being operable with the sideward travel of the vehicle, said frame having a vertical journal bearing at each corner thereof and four horizontally extending legs each having inner and outer ends provided with vertical bearing means, a powered ground engaging traction unit associated with each leg, an extensible vertical post carried by each traction unit and turnable in the outer bearing means of the respective leg, the inner vertical bearing means of each leg being turnable on one of the journal bearings of the frame for the support of the respective corner by the leg, said traction units being individually dirigible by turning of the corresponding post in the associated outer vertical bearing means and the entire number of bearings allowing the traction units to be variously positioned respecting the frame and either tool so attached and allowing the vehicle and said tool to be variously positioned respecting their direction of travel as determined by the positioning of the traction units.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein the underside of said frame and legs are clear of obstructions such that when the frame is elevated the vehicle may selectively traverse forwardly over the first tool and sidewardly over the second tool and with whichever tool is attached thereto, the frame may be lowered to place said tool on the ground and after its detachment from the frame, the frame may be elevated and the vehicle may similarly traverse in a forward or a sideward direction.