US2647331A - Combination crane and bulldozer - Google Patents

Description

1953 E. A. BRUGGER COMBINATION CRANE AND BULLDQZER Filed Aug. 19, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVEYNTOR 6Q. 47

I m/ BY ATTORNEYS Aug. 4, 1953 A. BRUGGER COMBINATION CRANE AND BULLDOZER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 19, 1946 INVENTOR 6%, 1W WM ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 4, 1953 COMBINATION CRANE Am) BULLpoz R 1 Ervin A. Brugger, Newton, Iowa, assignor to Koehring Company, Milwaukee, Wis, a corporation Application August 19, 1946, Serial N 0. 691,445

The object of my present invention has been to produce a combination machine, including power crane and bulldozer features, utilizing the common type of dragline or clamshell crane construction, in conjunction with mounting means On'the crane for supporting a bulldozing blade or attachment.

A main advantage achieved by the invention lies in the fact that according to my construction I obtain a, combined machine useful for operation for ordinary crane purposes, and one in which the traveling crane body is equipped with a bull-j dozing blade, so that the crane may be used for operation ofthe latter, thus doing away with the necessity, when bulldozing operations are desired, of employing a separable bulldozing machine as known in the art.

In the carrying out of my invention I utilize the regular traveling crane body unit with its bucket supporting boom and the other customary instrumentalities involving primarily the cable operating means for a drag bucket or a clam shell bucket, the body unit having attached thereto as an attachment, which may be displaced or retained permanently on the body unit, the bulldozing blade feature. I further utilize the cable operating means for the crane for supporting and adjusting the bulldozing blade when the crane is being used for bulldozing operations, thus eliminating the necessity, in this connection, of using separate and independent adjusting in"- strumentalities. I furthermore make provision for the supporting of the bulldozing blade independently of the cable operating means of the crane, something which is desirable under certain conditions of use of the combined machine, especially when the crane, for instance, is being used for dragline bucket operation, and the bulldozing blade is desired to be employed, while the dragline bucket is in place, to run up to the bank and push the surplus dirt or material back into the pit for enabling the bucket to take'the next bite, including such pushed back material.

According to my invention the bulldozingblade is mounted so that it may be adjusted to different positions, including a position parallel with the transverse axis of the crane for straight dirtpushing work, and also adjusted to positions at either of opposite angles to such transverse axis to operate as an angledozerfor grading roads or the like. v

It will be apparent that many owners that use cranes around their yards to unload cars have occasion quite frequently to use a regular bulldozer machine for 'other purposes, such as to Claims.- (01. 37-116) 2 rade the roads around the yard, so that by the employment of my] invention the combination machine may be employed for the usual purposes of the crane, as well as the usual purposes of a bulldozer, thus saving the owner the necessity of purchasing a separate bulldozing machine, aunit which is relatively costly, because in addition to the bulldozing blade feature, it comprises a regular traction machineusually of the crawler type with included powerplant. v

A preferred employment of ,my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which 7 Figure 1 is a perspective view of a common conventional type Of, dragline crane, showing my bulldozing attachment applied thereto with the operating cables of the crane connected to the bulldozer attachment forsu'pporting and adjusting the blade of the latter. Figure 2 is an enlarged view'bringing out more clearly the mounting means for the bulldozing blade upon the side frames of the crawlers of the crane.

Figure 3 is a, vertical section taken about on the line 3-3 of Figure 2. 3 Figure 4 is a vertical section taken about on the line 4-4 of Figure 2 more fully showing the universal joint feature, connecting the blade and one of the supporting arms. g V

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken about on the line 5-5 of Figure 2. v I

,Figure 6 is a largely diagrammatic view, showing the bulldozer attachmentin full lines and its general arrangement, or mounting in relationto the traveling base of the crane, the latter shown in dotted lines.. V v

Figure -7 -is.a perspectiveview somewhat diagrammatic in illustratingthe body of the crane, which is shown in dotted lines and disclosing primarily the-operating drums of the crane and their connections through thecrane cables, to the bulldozer blade supporting arms.

1 Describing my combination machine invention inldetail and referring to Figures 1 and 7, the crane illustratedis a known form of dragline crane such as manufactured today and includes as the main features" thereof the swing or rotating body I supported upon a crawler base which includes the crawler frames'Z, the endless crawler belts 3 usually madeup of sectionally connected shoes not shown, and the boom 23. This crane as seen in Figure 7 has operating mechanism on the crane ,body I including th'e'hoist' drum l-for'operating thehoisteable 5 'of a dragline bucket and the drag cable drum 6 for operating the drag ca ble 1 of such a bucket.

The said cables 5 and I may be disconnected from the bucket when desired to use the crane for bulldozing purposes, and attached to my bulldozing attachment, which includes a construction comprising the usual bulldozing blade 8. The blade 8 is connected at its opposite ends by spaced side arms 9 with-the front end portions. of the. crawler frames 2. The connection of the arms 9 with the frames 2 as seen in Figure 2 may be detachable and includes trunnions l0 projecting outwardly from the frames 2 andpassingthrough bearing members H at the rear.e.nds,-.O f thearms. 9, the arms 9 being preventodfrom displacement; normally by any suitable means, such as large cotter pins 12.

The arms 9 include further adjustableorex tensible sections 13 adapted to be heldximposition by cross bolts 14 tomaintain the members 9 and 13 at fixed adjustments.

Near their front ends, the arms Qjareequipped with loops 15, the loopofjone arm. being, connectable with the cable 5. and the loop ofj th'e other arm .connectable withthe, cable {"as seen in Figure 7 At its front end the arm section.l.3' is,equipped' with a universalijoint unit, lfiiinterconnecting, each member l3- witha. boltmember II that. passes through the blade 8;.

For the purpose of .using my. bulldozer, attachment as seen in, Figure 1 to, create my combination bulldozer and crane machine, it is only necessary to modify the construction of the crane by adding thereto,..two sheave blocks. l8,

and IS, the. sheave of theblock, IBJhaVi-ngthecable. I trainedthereover, andthe sheave .of' the block l9: having the cable, 5..trained..thereover.

By the use of the cable. drums..4, and Band their customaryoperating mechanism, the cables 5 and 1 may be simultaneously actuatedito. raise and lower the blade: 8 to proper working .or nonworking elevations. Actuation of one of. the drums 4 or 6 to cause a winding of onset the cables 5 or I thereon, may,be...efi'ected to. cause transverse tilting of-the bulldozer 8 on the..piv otsl'l, to-permituse of the machine for sloping bulldozing operation..

If desired the blade 8,..maybe. equippedwith acentral loop. 2|", see Figure l, andjFigure '7' and thus supported by a single cabl or, part s s-. pended from the boom 23,,

The longitudinal relative. adjustment. of. each. arm 9. and its. section, lilfwill be. ayailedon, of

course, when one arm. is desiredjto be lengthened for angular adjustment ofthe blade-B tter angledozing purposes involving pushi-ng=-of-the dirt toward one side of the crane when -the latter-"is operated for forwardmovement. The-universal joint unit I 5 provides forthe necessary movement of the blade 8 relatively to the arms9'---l3 t'o= obtain all of the-various adjustments-reoui-redfor operating purposes of-the blade. Byoperate ingthe drums 4 and" 6s independently? aiter--- removal ofithe boltsstl-l, a selectedzendaof thexbjulldozer: Gamay bemovedlorward relatively: tothe. other end: to change, therangleuof disposition'ofi the blade; 8; so that. it is: disposed: at an.ang-le with an end-:advancedin, either; directiorrgelative to theitransverse. axisstof-the crane, for angledozing purposes,

ItlW'ill beapnarent-irorrr-theforegoing: that-(myinvention enables the use: of an ordinary. crane asa bulldozer by, merelymounting, the-bulldozing. blade on the crane; and. thus, dispensingwiththe.

separate traction unit ordinarily employed to operate bulldozing blades.

The blade 8 is braced in its connections to the arms 9 by means of telescopic adjustable braces 22.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United Statesis:

1; In combination, on excavating. crane including a traveling crane body traction base, a bucket supporting boom, a bulldozing attachment, including a pair of relatively movable arms andmeans'for supporting a blade at the outer endsiof said arms for pivotal transverse movemennrelatiyethedztaction base, and independent cables carried by-the boom adapted for operatanexcavating bucket that may be carried by the boom, one of said cables being connected withithe. attachment near one end of the blade, and another of said cables being connected with the attachment, near: the other end of. the. blade, together with means for operating. said inde Pendent cables.

2.. In. combination, an excavating craneine eluding atravelingcrane body traction base, a bucketv supporting boom, a bulldozing attach-- ment including a pair of relatively movable arms. andmeans forv supporting a blade, at the outer ends of said arms for pivotaltransverse.movement relative the traction base, and independent cables carried by the boom adapted for operating an excavating bucket that may be carried by the boom, one of said cables-being connectedwith the attachment near. one end of. the. blade, and another of said-cables being connected with-the attachment neartheother end of. the blade, together with means for operating said independent cables, saidcables being trained from the forward part of the boom rearwardlyto points. of. connection with the attachment, and said cables.

leading downwardly from. the boom. to the attachment.

3. In..combi-nation, an excavating crane includinga traveling-crane body traction base, a

crane body and a bucket supporting boom on the body, and. a bulldozing attachment including a blademounted at the frontend-of the crane on and in. advance of the, traction base, and independent cablemeans carried by the boom adapted for-actuation of an excavating bucket that may andsupporting the attachment, and operating membersfor the-cable means separately operable to. raiseand lower either-end of the blade and,

supported on the crane-body,

4" In combination; an excavating cranein-- cludinga traveling cranebody, a traction'base, and a bucket supporting boom, and a bulldozing attachment including a. blade mounted at the front end of 'thecrane on andinadvance of thetractionbase and independent cables adapted for operating-an excavatingbucket that may be carried by the boom, supported on the boom and having separateoperating connections with the attachment located adjacent to. opposite ends of the: blade, and drums on the crane body, one for each of said cables, operable to raise or lower the-end of the blade adjacent to which its cable isattached, said cables supporting the attachment at its front portion.

5.. The combination claimed. in claim 4, in which the cables are trained from a forward portionof. the boom rearwardly toward their points or. connectionwith the attachment; combined" References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Holcomb et a1 Sept. 23, 1924 Burke Feb. 9, 1926 Sword Apr. 29, 1941 Burgess July 17, 1917 10 Number 6 Name Date Lawler Mar. 3, 1942 Mosher Nov. 10, 1942 Maxwell Oct. 30, 1945 Schmacht July 30, 1946 Erd-ahl Aug. 3, 1948 Swanson Apr. 4, 1950 OTHER REFERENCES Bucyrus Erie Loadmaster Bulletin L-11, pages 12 and 13. Published by Bucyrus Erie (70.,

South Milwaukee, Wis.

Copy received November 7,1938.

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