Abstract: Impact rippers are useful for transmitting high impact blows to a hard material for fracturing the material. When linear reciprocating rams are used, a mounting arrangement which will withstand high compressive forces and still allow the ram to reciprocate must be used to mount the ram within a tool holder. The subject impact ripper apparatus includes a tool holder having a cavity for mounting a linear ram. The linear ram is mounted within the cavity by a plurality of laminated pads which withstand compressive force, but still allows the ram to reciprocate. This arrangement which is stiff in compression, but relatively soft in shear.

Abstract: Impact buckets are useful, for example, in fracturing rock and other hard material which is to be excavated. Known systems using vibrating mechanisms which are mechanically coupled to a cutting edge assembly do not produce forces high enough to efficiently fracture the rock or other hard material and send destructive vibration forces to the base vehicle. The subject impact bucket mechanism uses an impact hammer which is impact coupled to a cutting edge assembly to fracture rock and other hard material. This results in a force controlled system in which displacement varies with material resistance. The force levels achieved by the impact coupled system are higher than the vibrating system. Thus, the disclosed impact bucket mechanism can produce higher force levels which can more efficiently fracture the rock or the other hard material without sending destructive vibration to the base machine.

Abstract: Impact rippers are useful for ripping solid rock. The service life of the impactor can be extended if the impactor is operated only when the ripper shank is loaded sufficient to transmit the impact energy into the material being ripped. The subject control system uses control signals generated by a plurality of signal generating means when the ripper shanks are loaded above a predetermined level to control the operation of the hydraulically actuated impactors associated with such ripper shanks. The number of control signals being generated is also used to control the volume of fluid made available for use by the impactors being operated at an given time to control the operating speed thereof. Thus, only the impactor(s) associated with a ripper shank(s) loaded above the predetermined level is operated thereby avoiding non-productive and harmful impactor operation if the ripper shank(s) is not sufficiently loaded.

Abstract: A recoil damper (10) for a reciprocating member (12) mounted in a housing (24) includes a annular ring (38,138) mounted adjacent a shoulder (28) formed on the reciprocation member, the annular ring (38,138) mounted in a viscous fluid interior of the housing. The annular ring (38,138) cooperates with the shoulder (28) of the reciprocating member (12) to allow a relatively free flow of the viscous fluid around the shoulder (28) upon motion of the reciprocating member (12) in one direction and to restrict flow of the viscous fluid around the shoulder (28) upon motion of the reciprocating member (12) in the other opposite direction.

Abstract: A mounting arrangement for a linear impact ripper pivotally connected to a support frame and including an elongated torque tube or crossbeam having a pair of forwardly extending end plates pivotally mounting the crossbeam to the support frame. A pair of impactor mounting plates extend downwardly from the cross beam and position a linear reciprocating impact hammer therebelow. A pair of ripper shank mounting plates extend forwardly from the crossbeam to provide a pivot mounting for a ripper shank. The mounting frame transfers forces from the individual components into the crossbeam for effectively minimizing the transfer of shock forces from the ripper assembly to the vehicle.

Abstract: An improved ripper assembly (12) is joined to and drawn by a draft device (10) and includes a mounting structure (14), a ripper element (16), and an impactor apparatus (18). The mounting structure (14) includes an upper flange (20) and a lower flange (22) joined together by a pair of side plates (23). Aligned openings (24,26) in the flanges (20,22) permit attachment thereof to the draft device (10) and allows pivoting about a vertical pivot axis (28) when pins (30,32) are installed. The ripper element (16) is pivotable about a horizontal pivot axis (38) and is secured to the mounting structure (14) by a pivot pin (40). The impact apparatus (18) imparts intermittent blows to the ripper element (16) and is joined to the mounting structure (14) by a single upper support pin (44) and two, aligned lower support pins (46).

Abstract: A flexible seal assembly 10 is provided for a joint 12 having a first member 15 which is both pivotable about and axially movable along an axis 20 relative to a second joint member 16. The seal assembly 10 is disposed within an annular recess 22 of the first joint member 15 and includes an annular seal 30 of a flexible, wear resistant material and a metallic load ring 31. The seal has an axially movable sealing portion 34 with an annular seal lip 38. The load spring 31 is disposed behind the sealing portion 34 for urging and maintaining the seal lip 38 in sealing engagement against a sealing surface 22 of the second joint member 16.

Abstract: Previously known ripper apparatus comprise an impacting mechanism for applying impact forces to a ripper tip in an in-line relationship. The high spring rate exhibited by the shank induces high peak internal impact forces, dissipates useful energy, and provides relatively shallow cutting depths. In one aspect, the ripper apparatus (11,11a) of this invention overcomes the above problems by providing an offset relationship between a first line (L.sub.1) of impacting movement of a ripper tip (13) and a second line (L.sub.2) whereat impacting forces are applied to a shank (14,14a) carrying the ripper tip (13) and by further providing a spring mechanism (25,25a) for ensuring that the impacting forces are transmitted from the second line (L.sub.2) to the first line (L.sub.1) directly. In another aspect, the spring mechanism (25,25b) induces an efficient transfer of impact energy from an impacting mechanism (17) to the material being worked by the ripper tip (13), whether the first (L.sub.1) and second (L.sub.

Abstract: A self pumping seal for a reciprocating member (12) provides cooling fluid to the reciprocating member (12) with degradation of an elastomeric seal (34) lessened by separating the elastomeric seal (34) from the higher temperatures of the machinery. Separation is provided by a relatively heat insensitive rigid seal (24).

Abstract: PCT No. PCT/US80/00022 Sec. 371 Date Jan. 11, 1980 Sec. 102(e) Date Jan. 11, 1980, PCT Filed Jan. 11, 1980. A sealing structure (10) for use in providing a wide temperature range seal between relatively movable first and second joint members (12,13).The sealing structure includes a dynamic seal element (20) having a lip portion (23) maintained in sealing engagement with the sealing surface (19) of one joint member (13). The seal element is movable with the joint member (13) and is urged to follow the joint member by a spring (22) acting against a surface (31) of the other joint member (12) and having a force-applying portion (32) acting through a load ring force transfer portion (29) to the sealing lip portion (23). The spring further causes the load ring (21) to urge a sealing portion (27) thereof into static sealing engagement with a surface (28) of the joint member (12).

Abstract: A seal (44,144) between two relative movable structures (14,30) is provided. The seal has a hollow chamber (50) which is gas filled either permanently or when desired. The seal (44,144) has a driving portion (46,146) which may be of the same or of different material from a sealing portion (48,148) with the two portions integrally formed or sealingly joined together. A sealing band or contact surface (57) is provided on the sealing portion (48,148) which has a sealing lip (56) in contact with a facing surface (41) and maintains a substantially constant face angle during axial displacement of the two structures (14,30). The internal gas pressure in the seal may be varied depending on the environmental and temperature conditions and, once sealed, the amount of pressure may be either permanently maintained or changed when desired.

Abstract: a resiliently mounted wheel assembly has a tread ring, an annular member, a plurality of bearing elements for rotatably mounting the tread ring on the annular member, an elastomeric ring member resiliently supporting the annular member, and an arbor mount supporting the elastomeric ring member and being of a construction sufficient for movement of the annular member between two positions spaced a preselected axial distance apart and allowing the tread ring to self-alignably engage a surface.