BUCKET WITH MOVABLE SIDE WINGS

Abstract

A bucket with movable side wings for use with a material moving machine to collect material. The bucket having at least one collecting surface which includes a top, bottom and two sides. The bucket having two extended sides which extend out from the sides of the at least one collecting surface. There is a first wing rotatably attached to the one of the extended sides of the bucket and including at least one collecting surface adapted for collecting and retaining material. There is a second wing rotatably attached to the other extended side of the bucket and including at least one collecting surface adapted for collecting and retaining material. Also, included is an actuator connected between the bucket and each of the wings to move the wings about the bucket.

Description

BACKGROUND

The present invention generally relates to excavation and snow removal equipment. More specifically, the present invention relates to a bucket with movable side wings which can be attached to excavation and snow removal equipment.

Machines with buckets are used to collect natural and man-made materials during excavation, material loading and snow removal. Examples of such materials are dirt, rock, snow, and man-made raw materials for manufacture. It is difficult to fill a bucket with materials in an open area, unless there is a pile of the material to dig against or there is a stationary surface to push against when loading the bucket. When a stationary surface such as a wall of a building is used, it is inevitable that damage will occur to the stationary surface. Another issue with using a bucket is the ability to retain the material in a full bucket when moving the material from one location to the next, without spilling the material from the bucket.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a bucket which can collect more material in an open area reduce the need to push the material against a stationary surface to completely fill the bucket and retain the material in the bucket during transport.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A bucket with movable side wings for use with a material moving machine to collect material. The bucket having at least one collecting surface which includes a top, bottom and two sides. The bucket having two extended sides which extend out from the sides of the at least one collecting surface. There is a first wing rotatably attached to the one of the extended sides of the bucket and including at least one collecting surface adapted for collecting and retaining material. There is a second wing rotatably attached to the other extended side of the bucket and including at least one collecting surface adapted for collecting and retaining material. Also, included is an actuator connected between the bucket and each of the wings to move the wings about the bucket.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bucket on a machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a bucket on a machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a bucket according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of a bucket according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a bucket according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a bucket according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a bucket according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention is a bucket 10 with side movable wings 12. FIGS. 1-7 show the bucket 10 with movable side wings 12. The bucket 10 is for use with excavation, material loading and snow removal equipment. It is especially useful on a skid loader type vehicle 14 for snow removal, as shown in FIGS. 1-2. The wings 12 of the bucket 10 aid in collecting material such as snow 16, as shown in FIG. 1. The material can be snow, dirt or any other type of natural or man-made material. Snow is referred herein as one example of material that can be collected by the bucket 10. The wings 12 are rotatably attached to the bucket 10. The wings 12 rotate inwards toward the center of the bucket 10 to aid in collecting the snow 16 into the bucket 10. The wings 12 are used to collect additional snow 18 which would not normally be collected by the bucket 10. When the wings 12 are rotated into the bucket 10, the snow 18 collected by the wings 12 is loaded into the bucket 10 and all the snow 16, 18 in the bucket 10 is secure in the bucket 10, as shown in FIG. 2. With the snow 16, 18 secured in the bucket 10 by the wings 12, the bucket 10 can lifted and moved without losing the collected snow 16, 18. This allows more material to be collected in an open area and reduces the need to push the snow against a stationary object to fill a bucket with material.

FIG. 4 shows an exploded partial view of the bucket 10 with movable side wings 12, whereby the wings 12 are removed from the bucket 10. The bucket 10 is shown with collecting surfaces 20 and extended sides 22 which extend from the collecting surfaces 20 of the bucket 10. The bucket 10 is similar to most buckets used with machines for excavation, material loading and snow removal. The wings 12 include a collecting surface 24 bordered by inside side 26 and an outside side 28. The outside and inside sides 26, 28 of each wing 12 extend outward from the collecting surface 24. The extended outside and inside sides 26, 28 of each wing 12 aid in collecting and securing material within the confines of collecting surface 24 of the wing 12 and aid in retaining materials in the bucket 10. A hinge 30 is used to connect the wing 12 to the bucket 10, as shown in FIGS. 3-6. Each wing 12 is connected to the bucket 10 by the hinge 30 between the insides sides 26 of the wings 12 and the extended sides 22 of the bucket 10. The wing 12 includes a top hinge section 32 and a bottom hinge section 34 and the bucket 10 includes a top hinge section 36 and a bottom hinge section 38, as shown in FIG. 4. The hinge sections 32, 34, 36, 38 together form the hinge 30 and connect the bucket 10 to each wing 12. The hinge sections 32, 34 of the wing 12 are attached to the inside side 26 of the wing. The hinge sections 36, 38 of the bucket 10 are attached to the extended sides 22 of the bucket 10. Each hinge section 32, 34, 36, 38 includes an open cylinder 40 with an open center 42 to receive a hinge pin 44, as shown in FIG. 4. Each hinge section 32, 34, 36, 38 includes a grease fitting 46 which leads to the open center 42 of each open cylinder 40. The grease fitting 46 allows the hinge pin 44 to be greased in the area of each open center 42 of each open cylinder 40. FIGS. 5-6 show a close up view of the hinge sections 32, 34, 36, 38 and the hinge pin 44. FIG. 5-6 show the top hinge section 32 of the wing 12 below the top hinge section 36 of the bucket 10 and the bottom hinge section 34 of the wing 12 above the bottom hinge section 38 of the bucket 10. FIG. 4-6 show the hinge pin 44 with a cap 48 and a lock pin 50, which both secure the hinge pin 44 in the hinge sections 32, 34, 36, 38.

FIG. 3 shows two hydraulic pistons 52. Each hydraulic piston 52 is attached between the bucket 10 and one of the wings 12. The hydraulic pistons 52 act as a wing actuator. The bucket 10 includes two bucket attachment flanges 54 extending from the bucket 10, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5. Each bucket attachment flange 54 includes a pin hole 56 to receive a pin 58. Each hydraulic piston 52 includes a main body 60, a fix jaw end 62 and a movable jaw end 64. The fixed jaw end 62 and the movable jaw end 64 both include a U-shaped clevis 66 with a pin hole 68. The U-shaped clevis 66 of the fixed end 62 is directly attached to the main body 60 of the hydraulic piston 52. The U-shaped clevis 66 of the movable end 64 is attached to a piston shaft 70 which extends from the main body 60 of the hydraulic piston 52. The piston shaft 70 moves in and out of the main body 60 due to hydraulic pressure from two hoses 72 connected to the main body 60. The two hoses 72 of each hydraulic piston 52 are connected to a manifold 74. The manifold 74 is connected to the machine to which the bucket 10 is connected. The machine to which the bucket 10 is connected will have a hydraulic system to actuate the hydraulic pistons 52. The bucket attachment flange 54 fits within the U-shaped clevis 66 of the fixed end 62, whereby the pin holes 56, 68 of the U-shaped clevis 66 and the bucket attachment flange 54 are aligned. Locking pins 76 are used to secure the U-shaped clevis 66 of the fixed end 62 to the bucket attachment flange 54, by placing the locking pins 76 through the aligned pin holes 56, 68. The wings 12 each include a wing attachment flange 78 with a pin hole 80, as shown in FIG. 4. The wing attachment flange 78 fits within the U-shaped clevis 66 of the movable end 64, whereby the pin holes 68, 80 of the U-shaped clevis 66 and the wing attachment flange 78 are aligned to receive a locking pin 76, as shown in FIG. 7. Locking pins 76 are used to secure the U-shaped clevis 66 of the movable end 64 to the wing attachment flange 78, by placing the locking pins 76 through the aligned pin holes 68, 78. Movement of piston shaft 70 due to hydraulic pressure, from the machine to which the bucket 10 is attached, moves the wings 12 about the bucket 10 at the hinge 30. Other types of actuators can be used to replace the hydraulic piston 52 for moving the wings 12 about the bucket 10 at the hinge 30.

While different embodiments of the invention have been described in detail herein, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and alternatives to the embodiments could be developed in light of the overall teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, the particular arrangements are illustrative only and are not limiting as to the scope of the invention that is to be given the full breadth of any and all equivalents thereof.

Claims

1. A bucket with movable side wings, for use with a material moving machine to collect material, comprising:

a bucket, said bucket having at least one collecting surface which includes a top, bottom and two sides, said bucket having two extended sides which extend out from said sides of said at least one collecting surface and are adapted to retain the material, whereby one of said two extended sides is a first extended side and the other of said two extended sides is a second extended side;

a first wing rotatably attached to said first extended side of said bucket and including at least one collecting surface adapted for collecting and retaining the material;

a second wing rotatably attached to said second extended side of said bucket and including at least one collecting surface adapted for collecting and retaining the material;

an actuator connected between said bucket and said first and second wings to move said first and second wings about said bucket where said first and second wings are rotatably attached.

2. The bucket with movable side wings as claimed in claim 1, wherein a hinge is used to rotatably attach said first and second wings to said bucket.

3. The bucket with movable side wings as claimed in claim 2, wherein said hinge is made up of a top hinge section and a bottom hinge section on each of said wings and a top hinge section and a bottom hinge section on each of said extended sides of said bucket; and wherein each of said hinge sections includes an open cylinder with an open center to receive a hinge pin.

4. The bucket with movable side wings as claimed in claim 1, wherein said wings each include an inside side which extends from said at least one collecting surface of said wing; wherein said wings each include an outside side which extends from said at least one collecting surface of said wings.

5. The bucket with movable side wings as claimed in claim 3, wherein said wings each include an inside side which extends from said at least one collecting surface of said wing; wherein said wings each include an outside side which extends from said at least one collecting surface of said wings.

6. The bucket with movable side wings as claimed in claim 5, wherein said top and bottom hinge sections of said wings are attached to said inside sides of said wings.

7. The bucket with movable side wings as claimed in claim 1, wherein said actuator includes a first hydraulic piston connected between said first wing and said bucket; wherein said actuator includes a second hydraulic piston connected between said second wing and said bucket; wherein said first and second hydraulic pistons are adapted to be operated from the machine.

8. The bucket with movable side wings as claimed in claim 7, wherein each said hydraulic piston includes a main body, a fix jaw end and a movable jaw end; wherein said fixed jaw end and said movable jaw end both include a U-shaped clevis with a pin hole; wherein said U-shaped clevis of said fixed end is directly attached to said main body; wherein said U-shaped clevis of said movable end is attached to a piston shaft which extends from said main body; wherein said piston shaft moves in and out of said main body due to hydraulic pressure; wherein said bucket includes a bucket attachment flange for each wing which fits within said U-shaped clevis of said fixed end; wherein said wings each include a wing attachment flange with a pin hole which fits within said U-shaped clevis of said movable end; and further including locking pins to secure said U-shaped clevis of said movable end to said wing attachment flange and said U-shaped clevis of said fixed end to said bucket attachment flange, by placing said locking pins through said pin holes of said U-shaped clevises and said flanges.

9. The bucket with movable side wings as claimed in claim 1, wherein said wings are rotatably attached such that said wings can rotate and enclose an area of said bucket encompassed by said at least one collecting surface and said extended sides of said bucket.

10. The bucket with movable side wings as claimed in claim 2, wherein said actuator includes a first hydraulic piston connected between said first wing and said bucket; wherein said actuator includes a second hydraulic piston connected between said second wing and said bucket; wherein said first and second hydraulic pistons are adapted to be operated from the machine.

11. The bucket with movable side wings as claimed in claim 3, wherein said actuator includes a first hydraulic piston connected between said first wing and said bucket; wherein said actuator includes a second hydraulic piston connected between said second wing and said bucket; wherein said first and second hydraulic pistons are adapted to be operated from the machine.

12. The bucket with movable side wings as claimed in claim 4, wherein said actuator includes a first hydraulic piston connected between said first wing and said bucket; wherein said actuator includes a second hydraulic piston connected between said second wing and said bucket; wherein said first and second hydraulic pistons are adapted to be operated from the machine.

13. The bucket with movable side wings as claimed in claim 5, wherein said actuator includes a first hydraulic piston connected between said first wing and said bucket; wherein said actuator includes a second hydraulic piston connected between said second wing and said bucket; wherein said first and second hydraulic pistons are adapted to be operated from the machine.

14. The bucket with movable side wings as claimed in claim 6, wherein said actuator includes a first hydraulic piston connected between said first wing and said bucket; wherein said actuator includes a second hydraulic piston connected between said second wing and said bucket; wherein said first and second hydraulic pistons are adapted to be operated from the machine.

15. The bucket with movable side wings as claimed in claim 11, wherein each said hydraulic piston includes a main body, a fix jaw end and a movable jaw end; wherein said fixed jaw end and said movable jaw end both include a U-shaped clevis with a pin hole; wherein said U-shaped clevis of said fixed end is directly attached to said main body; wherein said U-shaped clevis of said movable end is attached to a piston shaft which extends from said main body; wherein said piston shaft moves in and out of said main body due to hydraulic pressure; wherein said bucket includes a bucket attachment flange for each wing which fits within said U-shaped clevis of said fixed end; wherein said wings each include a wing attachment flange with a pin hole which fits within said U-shaped clevis of said movable end; and further including locking pins to secure said U-shaped clevis of said movable end to said wing attachment flange and said U-shaped clevis of said fixed end to said bucket attachment flange, by placing said locking pins through said pin holes of said U-shaped clevises and said flanges.

16. The bucket with movable side wings as claimed in claim 12, wherein each said hydraulic piston includes a main body, a fix jaw end and a movable jaw end; wherein said fixed jaw end and said movable jaw end both include a U-shaped clevis with a pin hole; wherein said U-shaped clevis of said fixed end is directly attached to said main body; wherein said U-shaped clevis of said movable end is attached to a piston shaft which extends from said main body; wherein said piston shaft moves in and out of said main body due to hydraulic pressure; wherein said bucket includes a bucket attachment flange for each wing which fits within said U-shaped clevis of said fixed end; wherein said wings each include a wing attachment flange with a pin hole which fits within said U-shaped clevis of said movable end; and further including locking pins to secure said U-shaped clevis of said movable end to said wing attachment flange and said U-shaped clevis of said fixed end to said bucket attachment flange, by placing said locking pins through said pin holes of said U-shaped clevises and said flanges.

17. The bucket with movable side wings as claimed in claim 5, wherein said wings are rotatably attached such that said wings can rotate and enclose an area of said bucket encompassed by said at least one collecting surface and said extended sides of said bucket.

18. The bucket with movable side wings as claimed in claim 6, wherein said wings are rotatably attached such that said wings can rotate and enclose an area of said bucket encompassed by said at least one collecting surface and said extended sides of said bucket.

19. The bucket with movable side wings as claimed in claim 7, wherein said wings are rotatably attached such that said wings can rotate and enclose an area of said bucket encompassed by said at least one collecting surface and said extended sides of said bucket.

20. The bucket with movable side wings as claimed in claim 8, wherein said wings are rotatably attached such that said wings can rotate and enclose an area of said bucket encompassed by said at least one collecting surface and said extended sides of said bucket.