U.S. patent number 3,869,018 [Application Number 05/326,996] was granted by the patent office on 1975-03-04 for engine enclosure for hydraulic excavators.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Caterpillar Tractor Company. Invention is credited to Thomas P. Muller.
United States Patent |
3,869,018 |
Muller |
March 4, 1975 |
Engine enclosure for hydraulic excavators
Abstract
An engine enclosure comprises a support frame having a pair of
vertically disposed rear posts interconnected at their upper ends
to a pair of vertically disposed center posts by tie rods. A pad is
adjustably mounted on top of each center post to compensate for
misalignment of a top panel secured thereon. A side panel is
adjustably and removably attached to the enclosure to compensate
for misalignment between the upper end thereof and a connected top
panel.
Inventors: |
Muller; Thomas P. (Aurora,
IL) |
Assignee: |
Caterpillar Tractor Company
(Peoria, IL)
|
Family
ID: |
23274682 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/326,996 |
Filed: |
January 26, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
180/89.17;
52/509; 280/759; 52/283; 180/89.12 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B62D
63/02 (20130101); B60K 5/00 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B60K
5/00 (20060101); B62D 63/00 (20060101); B62D
63/02 (20060101); B62d 033/06 () |
Field of
Search: |
;180/89R
;296/28C,137R,285,102 ;52/282,283,582,509,758D,758C ;37/117.5 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Betts; Kenneth H.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Phillips, Moore, Weissenberger,
Lempio & Strabala
Claims
I claim:
1. A vehicle enclosure comprising:
a frame,
at least one pair of upright rear posts secured to a rearward end
of said frame,
at least one pair of upright center posts secured to said frame and
spaced longitudinally forwardly said rear posts ,
force transmitting means interconnecting upper ends of each pair of
rear and center psots for transmitting loading forces imposed on
said rear posts to said center posts and frame directly,
at least one top panel having mounting holes formed
therethrough,
an upright side panel, having attachment holes formed on the upper
end thereof, detachably mounted on said enclosure,
adjustment means, comprising a pin and slot connection positioned
at each lateral end of said side panel and between said side panel
and said frame, for selectively moving said side panel to align the
attachment holes thereof into underlying relationship with
respective ones of said mounting holes and
fastening means projecting through each one of said mounting holes
and detachably engaging a respective one of said attachment
holes.
2. The enclosure of claim 1 wherein said frame is structurally
integrated into an upper unit of an excavator.
3. The enclosure of claim 2 further comprising a plurality of top
panels removably attached to the top of said frame.
4. The enclosure of claim 3 further comprising working components,
including an engine mounted in said enclosure to be protected
thereby.
5. The enclosure of claim 4 further comprising a fuel tank
structurally integrated into said enclosure and disposed at a front
corner thereof and an operator mounted on said upper structure,
forwardly of said enclosure.
6. The enclosure of claim 1 wherein each pair of said rear and
center posts are aligned longitudinally.
7. The enclosure of claim 1 wherein each of said center posts has a
substantially large base secured to its lower end, said base
secured to said frame.
8. The enclosure of claim 1 wherein each center post exhibits a
substantially greater structural strength than each of said rear
posts.
9. The enclosure of claim 1 wherein each of said force transmitting
means constitutes a tie-rod.
10. The enclosure of claim 1 further comprising a cross-bar
securing the upper ends of said rear posts together.
11. The enclosure of claim 1 further comprising a counterweight
mounting device secured on the outside of said rear posts for
selectively mounting a counterweight thereon.
12. The enclosure of claim 1 further comprising at least one top
panel having mounting holes formed therethrough, adjustment means
movably mounted on at least one of said center posts for
selectively moving attachment holes formed thereon into underlying
alignment with respective ones of said mounting holes and fastening
means projecting through each one of said mounting holes and
detachably engaging respective one of said attachment holes.
13. The enclosure of claim 12 wherein said adjustment means
comprises at least one bracket secured on said center post and a
mounting plate adjustably mounted on said bracket, said attachment
holes formed in said mounting plate.
14. The enclosure of claim 13 wherein said adjustment means further
comprises a retainer plate underlying said bracket and second
fastening means extending through said retainer plate and said
bracket and releasably attached to said mounting plate.
15. The enclosure of claim 14 wherein said adjustment means further
comprises a spacer bushing mounted on said second fastening means,
between said mounting and retainer plates, said bracket having a
bore formed therethrough which has a diameter substantially greater
than the outside diameter of said bushing.
16. The enclosure of claim 12 wherein said adjustment means is
mounted on a forwardly extending cantilevered section secured to
said centerpost.
17. A vehicle enclosure comprising:
a frame,
at least one panel having mounting holes formed therethrough
removably attached to said frame,
adjustment means movably mounted on said frame for selectively
moving attachment holes formed thereon into underlying alignment
with respective ones of said mounting holes and
fastening means projecting through each one of said mounting holes
and detachably engaging a respective one of said attachment
holes
said adjustment means comprising at least one bracket secured on
said frame and a mounting plate, defining a substantial bearing
surface thereon abutting said panel and adjustably mounted on said
bracket, said attachment holes formed in said mounting plate.
18. The enclosure of claim 17 wherein said adjustment means further
comprises a retainer plate underlying said bracket and second
fastening means extending through said retainer plate and said
bracket and releasably attached to said mounting plate.
19. The enclosure of claim 18 wherein said adjustment means further
comprises a spacer bushing mounted on said second fastening means,
between said mounting and retainer plates, said bracket having a
bore formed therethrough which has a diameter substantially greater
than the outside diameter of said bushing.
20. The enclosure of claim 17 wherein said adjustment means is
mounted on a forwardly extending and cantilevered section of an
upright center post structurally integrated into said frame.
21. A vehicle enclosure comprising:
a frame,
a first panel, having mounting holes formed therethrough, removably
attached to said frame,
a second panel, having attachment holes formed on the upper end
thereof, detachably mounted on said frame,
adjustment means, comprising a pin and slot connection positioned
at each lateral end of said second panel and between said second
panel and said frame, for selectively moving said second panel to
align the attachment holes thereof into underlying relationship
with respective ones of said mounting holes, and
fastening means projecting through each one of said mounting holes
and detachably engaging a respective one of said attachment holes.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
An enclosure normally covers and protects the engine, hydraulic
pumps, valves and other working components of a hydraulic
excavator. The engine may be mounted at the rear of the excavator's
rotatable upper unit to aid in counterbalancing the boom and
attached implement mounted on the front of the upper unit.
Additional counterweights are oftentimes releasably attached on the
rear of the upper frame to further aid in such counterbalancing
during excavator operation.
A counterweight installation and removal device, such as the one
disclosed in U.S. Application Ser. No. 254,496, filed on May 18,
1972now U.S. Patent No. 3,795,330, by Stanley A. Jorgensen et al.
for "COUNTERWEIGHT SUSPENSION DEVICE," and assigned to the assignee
of this application, may be attached on the engine's enclosure to
aid in the mounting and demounting of such counterweights. Heavy
structural supports are normally required at the rear of the
enclosure to accommodate the heavy loads imposed thereon by the
counterweights. Such supports are bulky and unduly increase the
complexity and overall length of the enclosure.
The standard enclosure normally comprises a frame structure having
a plurality of panels removably secured thereon to provide access
to the aforementioned working components disposed therein. A
stack-up of manufacturing and assembly tolerances frequently
results in the misalignment of attachment holes formed through the
panels and in the underlying frame structure. Thus, new attachment
holes compensating for such misalignment, must be formed through
the panels or frame structure during assembly of the enclosure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of this invention is to overcome the above, briefly
described problems by providing a non-complex and economical
enclosure particularly adapted to protect working components of a
vehicle, which exhibits a high degree of protection, structural
integrity, and ability to be fabricated expeditiously. The
enclosure comprises a frame structure which is adapted to
accommodate heavy loads imposed thereon when a counterweight is
attached on the rear of the vehicle, for example. The frame
structure comprises pairs of longitudinally alinged center and rear
posts secured to the vehicle's main frame and interconnected by
force transmitting means to transmit loading forces to the center
posts and main frame directly. The center posts each preferably
have a substantially large base secured thereon to aid in such load
transmitting desiderata.
In addition, each center post preferably has a mounting pad
adjustably mounted thereon to compensate for the misalignment of
attachment holes formed in the frame structure and through a top
panel attached thereto. At least one side panel is preferably
attached on the enclosure for adjustment to compensate for
misalignment between the upper end thereof and a connected top
panel.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Further objects of this invention will become apparent from the
following description and accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an engine enclosure for the upper
unit of a hydraulic excavator;
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a frame structure employed in the
enclosure;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of a portion of the
frame structure, taken in the direction of arrows III--III in FIG.
2;
FIG. 4 is enlarged, top plan view of a mounting pad for mounting
top panels of the enclosure on the frame structure;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the mounting pad, taken in the
direction of arrows V--V in FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of the enclosure, taken in the
direction of arrows VI--VI in FIG. 1; and
FIG. 7 is a top plan view, taken in the direction of arrows
VII--VII in FIG. 6 and rotated ninety degrees.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 illustrates an engine enclosure 10 and operator's cab 11
mounted on a rotatable upper unit 12 of a hydraulic excavator (not
fully shown). As shown in FIG. 2, engine 13 is disposed in the
enclosure to aid in counterbalancing a boom and attached implement
(not shown) movably mounted on a front end of the upper unit in a
conventional manner. The upper unit comprises a main support frame
14 having a plurality of rectangular top panels 15-21 secured
thereon by fastening means such as bolts 22, each disposed at a
corner of each panel.
A fuel tank 23, mounted at a front corner of the enclosure, is
integrally secured to the main frame. A plurality of threaded
attachment holes 24 (FIg. 2) are formed in the frame members for
receiving the threaded ends of bolts 22. A pair of laterally spaced
and upright posts 25 and 26 each preferably comprise a U-shaped
channel member 27 secured at its upper end to an L-shaped cross-bar
28, extending transversely the full width of the main frame (FIG.
3).
A counterweight mounting device 29, such as the type disclosed in
above mentioned U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 54,496, is secured
on the outside of the rear posts to removably mounted one or more
counterweights 30 thereon. The rear posts are further secured at
their lower ends to a rear end of longitudinally disposed main
frame members 31 by bolts 32. A pair of laterally spaced and
upright center posts 33 each have a substantially large base or
pedestal secured to it lower end and attached to members 31 by
bolts 34 and 35.
The center posts may each comprise a plurality of plates suitably
welded together to form a box-section exhibiting a substantially
higher structural rigidity and strength than a longitudinally
aligned rear post. Force transmitting means, such as tie rods 36,
interconnect the upper ends of the center and rear posts. Such
construction increases the structural rigidity of the rear posts to
accommodate the loads imposed thereon by counterweight 30.
Referring to FIGS. 3-5, each center post further comprises a
forwardly extending and cantilevered section 37 having a pair of
ear-like mounting brackets 38 extending laterally therefrom. Each
bracket has a vertical bore 39 formed therethrough, as clearly
shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. A mounting plate 40 is releasably attached
on the brackets by a pair of bolts 42, extending through a retainer
plate 42 disposed beneath the brackets. A spacer bushing 43,
mounted on each bolt and disposed between the retainer and mounting
plates, has a diameter which is substantially less than the
diameter of circumventing bore 39 to provide limited horizontal
adjustment of the mounting plate on the brackets. The mounting
plate has a plurality of threaded attachment holes 44 formed
therethrough, adapted to receive the threaded ends of bolts 22
therein.
Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, enclosure 10 has a substantially
vertical front panel 45 disposed centrally at the front thereof.
One side of the panel is positioned adjacent to fuel tank 23 (FIG.
1) and one lower corner thereof is secured by fastening means, such
as a bolt 46, to a support bracket 47 extending laterally inwardly
from the fuel tank. The opposite side of the panel is fastened
intermediate to its upper and lower ends by a bolt 48 to a support
bracket 49, extending laterally inwardly from the main frame.
A transversely disposed bracket 50 is integrally secured to the
upper, back edge of front panel 45 and has a pair of threaded
attachment holes 51 formed therein and a cylindrical pin or rod 52
projecting outwardly from each lateral end thereof. A first member
53 extends laterally inwardly from the fuel tank and a second
member 54 extends laterally inwardly from the support frame. Such
members are in substantial alignment with bracket 50 and each has a
horizontally disposed and forwardly opening U-shaped slot 55 formed
therein to receive rod 52 to provide a pin and slot connection
thereat. During assembly of the enclosure, bolts 46 and 48 may be
loosened to permit fore and aft adjustment of front panel 45 and
bracket 50 to precisely align the mounting holes formed through
panel 18 with threaded attachment holes 51 of underlying bracket 50
for reception of bolts 22 therein.
* * * * *