Abstract: A method and system for planting seedlings including a seedling handling system, a seedling chute system and a planting head. The seedling handling system retrieves the seedlings and then the seedling chute system transfers the seedlings from the seedling handling system to the planting head which then plants the seedlings. The method includes retrieving a row of seedlings and then delivering the row of seedlings to the planting head for individual planting of the seedlings. The method and system provide for continuous tree planting.

Abstract: Device for controlling movements of a front- or rear-side mounted implement of a snow groomer including a kinematic system constructed from a plurality of actuating cylinders and transferable by a control unit into various functional positions which include pivoting movements of the mounted implement about a vertical axis, a transverse axis and a longitudinal axis, and also parallel shifting in the vertical direction. The kinematic system is additionally configured in such a manner that the mounted implement is shiftable in a translatory and/or parallel manner in a horizontal plane in the transverse direction and/or longitudinal direction relative to a vehicle frame of the snow groomer.

Abstract: A blade control system of the present invention includes an angle obtaining part, an open ratio setting part and a lift cylinder controlling part. The angle obtaining part is configured to obtain an angle of a lift frame with respect to a designed surface. The open ratio setting part is configured to set an open ratio based on the angle. The lift cylinder controlling part is configured to open a proportional control valve at the open ratio for elevating the blade when a distance between the designed surface and an edge of a blade is determined to be less than or equal to a threshold.

Abstract: A traveling machine body 2 pivotally supports a dozer frame 3 via a horizontal shaft, the dozer frame 3 being lifted up/down via a dozer cylinder S1. This dozer frame 3 pivotally supports, via a vertical shaft Y, a support body 4 which is pivoted back and forth via an angle cylinder S2, and this support body 4 pivotally supports, via a fore/aft shaft Z, a blade 5 which is vertically pivoted via a tilt cylinder S3. The support body 4 supports the fore/aft shaft Z downwardly and forwardly of the vertical shaft Y, and the tilt cylinder S3 is disposed upwardly and forwardly of the vertical shaft Y and upwardly of the fore/aft shaft Z.

Abstract: An improved blade assembly for an excavating apparatus having a front wall with a raised concave centre section with sloping side gussets on each side of the centre section for directing excavated material from the centre to the side of the blade is described. There are improvements to the side gussets to further assist in directing excavated material, improvements to the shape of the front wall of the blade to retain excavated material and improved mountings to the dozer to improve blade control and balance and discharging of excavated material.

Abstract: A blade has an overall blade width of W, and includes a central front portion, interposition front portions, and side front portions. A straight first edge section is arranged on the lower end of the central front portion. Each of the front surfaces of the central front portion, the interposition front portions, and the side front portions is formed in an arc-shaped surface that has a prescribed radius R2. The radius R2 satisfies the following formula: R2=(0.7 to 1.0)×H, where H is the height from the edge of the first edge section to the top end of a soil retaining plate in side view in a digging posture when the edge angle ? of the edge sections is an angle of 40° to 55°.

Abstract: A ripper assembly is arranged in that one end of an arm is pivotally attached to a vehicle body while a beam comprised with shanks is pivotally attached to the other end of the arm, and in that a tilt cylinder and a lift cylinder are respectively interposed between the vehicle body and the beam at a position upward of the arm. One end side of the lift cylinder is pivotally attached, on a vehicle body side, at a position upward of a vehicle body-sided pivotally supporting portion of the tilt cylinder. The other end side of the lift cylinder is pivotally attached, on a beam side, at a position downward of a beam-sided pivotally supporting portion of the tilt cylinder.

Abstract: This invention concerns a bulldozer blade having a blade tilt function effected by independently functioning lift cylinders thereby eliminating separate tilt hardware and controls.

Abstract: An implement mounting system for providing a lightweight structure capable of moving along 3 main axes for use upon small to mid-sized tractors. The implement mounting system includes a support frame having a pair of side supports and a rear support, a ball joint attached to the rear support, and a support arm movably attached to the ball joint for rotating about 3 main axes. A brace member is attached between the support frame and the support arm for reducing the amount of side-to-side movement of the support arm. The ball joint is comprised of a ball-and-socket structure for providing various pivoting movements of the support arm.

Abstract: A dozer blade control system controls the position of a bulldozer blade, maintaining the blade at a constant position as the dozer travels through a worksite. The control system monitors the angle of the dozer blade with respect to the earth and when it senses that the dozer blade is tilting, it corrects the dozer blade's position by extending or retracting hydraulic cylinders that couple the dozer blade to the chassis of the crawler-tractor. When the dozer chassis pitches forwards, the blade begins to tilt forward and to drop closer to the ground. The control system senses this forward rotation of the blade and retracts the hydraulic cylinders that couple the blade to the chassis, causing the blade to return to and maintain its original position.

Abstract: A blade mounting structure of a bulldozer capable of enhancing visibility and operability of a blade is provided. A left portion and a right portion of a blade and a vehicle main body are swingably connected with a set of left and right straight frames. The straight frames and the blade are swingably connected respectively by a hydraulic cylinder and a support member. The blade mounting structure includes an arm for connecting a single one of the straight frames and the blade to be swingable up and down and to the left and the right. A connecting point of the arm and the blade is provided on an axis line connecting horizontal axes of rotation of connecting points of the set of left and right straight frames and the blade in plane view.

Abstract: A box scraper attachment is provided for mounting on the boom arms of a skid-steer vehicle or the like. The box scraper attachment includes a main frame having castor wheel assemblies mounted at the forward end thereof. A box scraper is selectively vertically movably secured to the main frame and is selectively pivotally movably secured to the main frame.

Abstract: A blade mounting structure of a bulldozer capable of increasing visibility of a blade is provided. For this purpose, in the blade mounting structure in which a left and a right portions of a blade (1) and a vehicle main body are connected with a set of left and right straight frames (3, 3) to be swingable up and down and to a left and a right, and the straight frames and the blade are respectively connected by a hydraulic cylinder (4) for tilt drive and a support member (4a) to be swingable up and down and to the left and the right to be constituted to be capable of tilt drive, the blade mounting structure includes an arm (2) for connecting only any one of the straight frames and a substantially central portion of the blade to be swingable up and down and to the left and the right.

Abstract: A rear blade mounting apparatus for a bulldozer. The mounting apparatus generally includes a frame that extends from the rear of the body of the bulldozer, the frame including a pair of extending loader arms pivotally connected to the rear of the tractor, and a blade pivotally mounted on free ends of the loader arms, and hydraulic cylinders, or the like, controlled to cause the blade to be positioned in various desired positions.

Abstract: An implement mounting system for providing a lightweight structure capable of moving along 3 main axes for use upon small to mid-sized tractors. The implement mounting system includes a support frame having a pair of side supports and a rear support, a ball joint attached to the rear support, and a support arm movably attached to the ball joint for rotating about 3 main axes. A brace member is attached between the support frame and the support arm for reducing the amount of side-to-side movement of the support arm. The ball joint is comprised of a ball-and-socket structure for providing various pivoting movements of the support arm.

Abstract: A construction vehicle has a working appliance such as a blade, which is mounted on a vehicle frame such that it can pivot in the vertical direction about a first axis and it can pivot about a second axis substantially perpendicular thereto, for which purpose at least one hydraulic device is provided. The position of the axis about which the working appliance can pivot can be varied in relation to the vehicle frame.

Abstract: A mounting arrangement for a moldboard includes a pair of arms having resilient members which are received within a mounting member. The resilient members enable the arms and the moldboard to pivot about the mounting member in the event that an obstruction is encountered by the moldboard. The mounting arrangement for the moldboard includes a series of holes whereby the orientation of the moldboard to the surface to be plowed may be adjusted.

Abstract: Top link assemblies for a construction machine are typically used to adjust the pitch angle of a cutting edge of a blade. The present top link assembly has an elongated member and a block member connected to the blade and a frame, respectively, of the machine. The elongated member has upper and lower surfaces defined on a body portion and a pair of spaced openings therethrough. The block member has a lower surface substantially coplanar with the lower surface of the elongated member and a pair of spaced threaded openings therein substantially coaxial with the pair of openings in the elongated member. A pair of spacers having notched end portions are disposed in a stacked relationship on the upper surface of the elongated member. A pair of threaded bolts extend through the notched end portions of the spacers and the openings in the elongated member for threading into the block member, to secure the top link assembly at a first predetermined length.

Abstract: Top link assemblies for a construction machine are typically used to adjust the pitch angle of a cutting edge of a blade. The present top link assembly has substantially co-planar first and second adjustment plates with each including a pair of slots therein. Joint upper and lower surfaces are defined between the first and second adjustment plates. Upper and lower spacer plates are disposed on the joint upper and lower surfaces, respectively, and each include a pair of openings coaxially aligned with the slots within the first and second adjustment plates. A threaded portion of a bolt extends through the upper spacer plate, first and second adjustment plates and lower spacer plate through the co-axially aligned openings and slots. A nut is tightened on the threaded portion at any one of a plurality of positions along the pair of slots and the desired pitch angle of the cutting edge may be adjusted by loosening the nuts and repositioning at any one of the plurality of positions.

Abstract: Flexibility of operation is added to a vehicle (10) having a vehicle frame (12) with an operator area (18) and front and rear wheels (14), (16), a power tool (32), a pair of outrigger arms (48) pivoted to the frame (12) and hydraulic cylinders (62) extending between the frame (12) and the arms (48) by providing a ground engaging tool (70), (168), (172), (192) mounted on at least one of the arms (58).

Abstract: A bulldozer is provided with a ground scraping blade. The blade is supported to the chassis of the vehicle by a pivoted frame. The frame can be power displaced relative to the supporting chassis by a first pair of inclined rams, providing translational motion of the blade. A ram power displaces the blade in rotation relative to the pivoted frame. Another ram, extending vertically, interconnect the vertically spaced rear ends of a pair of helicoidal, diverging, sinusoidal arms forming part of the pivot frame with the front ends thereof anchored to the blade in horizontally spaced fashion. Extension of the latter ram induces relative motion of the pair of helicoidal arms so that one lateral side end of the blade will lift exclusively of the opposite lateral side end thereof.

Abstract: A dozer blade mounting assembly for angling and tilting the blade, while preventing or adjustably limiting pitching, without inducing stresses in the assembly. The blade is supported on a conventional C-frame by a universal connection in the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The mounting assembly includes a mast assembly connected to the frame midportion and extending upwardly from the frame, a pair of hydraulic angling cylinders connected between the side portions of the blade and the mast assembly adjacent the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, a tilt cylinder connected between the frame and the mast assembly and a bracket assembly supporting the upper portion of the blade and preventing or adjustably limiting pitching of the blade.

Abstract: A dozer blade mounting assembly for angling and tilting the blade, while preventing pitching, without inducing stresses in the assembly. The blade is supported on a conventional C-frame by a universal connection in the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The mounting assembly includes a mast assembly connected to the frame midportion and extending upwardly from the frame, a pair of hydraulic angling cylinders connected between the side portions of the blade and the mast assembly adjacent the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, a tilt cylinder connected between the frame and the mast assembly and a bracket assembly supporting the upper portion of the blade and preventing pitching of the blade. The bracket assembly includes a bracket member having an elongated slot extending generally parallel to the blade and a slide block having a width substantially equal to the width of the slot which floats within the slot to allow tilting of the blade, but preventing pitch of the blade.

Abstract: A tilt mechanism for a bulldozer blade which includes pivotally mounted trunnion members projecting outwardly on both sides of the main frame of the vehicle. A tilt beam is pivotally connected at its extremities between the two trunnion members, and a hydraulic cylinder is pivotally connected between the main frame and one of the trunnion members for selectively tilting the bulldozer blade in unison with movement of the tilt beam and the trunnion members.