Abstract: A vehicle-attached lifting device and tool support is provided. The device comprises a dual-rail frame supported in an upright configuration by the vehicle tow hitch, wherein an internal subassembly support frame is positioned between the rails for the purposes of supporting different lifting and tool support subassemblies. Along the sides of the upright frame is a pair of ground support members that extend downward towards the ground to support the frame during operation, preventing the load from compressing the vehicle suspension or damaging the same. A winch controls the vertical positioning of the support frame within the dual-rail frame, which controls the position of a lifting or tool support subassembly. Many subassemblies are contemplated for use with the present invention for the purposes of assisting a user without requiring manual input therefrom. The device can also adjust with relation to the vehicle using different trailer hitch attachments.

Abstract: A vehicle-mounted tool, such as a blade, may be disposed in an upright position for dozing or other pushing functions when the vehicle moves forwardly and then flipped over into an inverted position for back-dragging or the like when the vehicle moves in reverse. Flipping of the blade is accomplished using a cylinder operated from the seat of the vehicle. The blade is mounted on a swivel head that is controlled by a pair of oppositely actuating swivel cylinders from the operator's seat so that whether the blade is upright or inverted, it may be swivelled left or right into any number of obliquely disposed positions.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for moving a scraping device are provided. The scraping device has a frame, a blade attached to the bottom of the frame, a tongue attached to a front end of the frame and a beam attached to a back end of the frame. Tires are connected to the beam. The scraping device has a front lift mechanism at the front end of the frame and/or a rear lift mechanism at the back end of the frame. The front lift mechanism has a front cylinder connected to the tongue and the front end of the frame. The rear lift mechanism has a rear cylinder attached to the back end of the frame. Movement of the front cylinder and the rear cylinder results in raising and/or lowering of the corresponding ends of the frame of the scraping device. Raising and/or lowering of the front end and/or the back end of the frame adjusts the angle of the frame relative to the ground, adjusts the angle of the blade relative to the ground and/or adjusts the ground clearance of the scraping device.

Abstract: The lawn aerating vehicle has front and rear steering sections, each of which supports an aerator drum. Each drum has multiple cutting tines extending radially outward for soil penetration during the aerating process. A hydraulic motor and a belt or chain drive connected to the front drum propel the vehicle. Steering actuators provide pivotal torque to the drums for steering. A hydraulic pump and reservoir provide hydraulic power to the hydraulic motor and actuators. A cylindrical member forms part of a vehicle suspension by connecting the rear and front steering sections. Frame members and an operator's cab are disposed above the suspension and can be pivoted around the cylindrical member to provide cab leveling by means of a cab leveling actuator. The two drums provide for double coverage per pass. External vehicle lights permit operation during nighttime and otherwise poor visibility conditions.

Abstract: The present invention provides a hydraulic excavator provided with a dozer device comprising an arm having a rear end connected to a fulcrum portion provided on a lower frame of a lower traveling body, a dozer blade provided at an extreme end of the arm, and a dozer cylinder for swinging the arm in vertical direction, characterized in that the dozer cylinder and the arm are arranged in a state of forming two sides of a triangle as viewed from the side, the arm swings vertically so that the dozer cylinder does not interfere with a bottom of an upper rotating body rotatably mounted on the lower traveling body, and an approach angle when the dozer blade vertically moved by the arm is placed in the highest position is set to 35 degrees or more, thereby capable of securing travelability equal to an excavator without a dozer device.

Abstract: A towable scraper system for contour surface grading. The system includes a rigid chassis member that has a coupler configured for attachment to a conventional three-point tractor hitch. A scraper blade is pivotally suspended from the rigid chassis member and is equipped with a blade motivator for causing an angular rotation of the blade around an axis aligned with a towing direction. A lift assembly raises and lowers the rigid chassis member to control a height of the scraper blade relative to a work surface to be graded. The towable scraper system is provided with a carriage assembly that offers rolling support for the rigid chassis as it moves over the work surface. The carriage assembly is pivotally coupled to the rigid chassis at a location opposed to the coupler and is configured for angular rotation around a second axis aligned with the towing direction.

Abstract: An energy conservation system for an earth-moving loading machine is comprised of one or more pressurized gaseous pistons that extend from the front of the frame of a loading machine to the boom assembly. Although this piston does not provide sufficient force to maintain the boom assembly in a raised position, a portion of the weight of the boom assembly and associated payload is always supported by the piston. This energy conservation system thus decreases the hydraulic horsepower needed to raise and lower the boom assembly and payload, or, in the alternative, decreases the cycle time required to raise and lower the boom assembly. The energy conservation system of the present invention into a loading machine also allows for a more controlled lowering of the boom assembly.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for blending and windrowing hot plant mix asphalt which has been deposited onto a roadway in preparation for paving the roadway comprises a V-shaped plow formed by a first plowing member extending in a first direction, and a second plowing member extending in a second direction, with rearward ends of each of the first and second plowing member being connected at a vertex and the opposite forward ends being spaced apart to form the open side of the V-shaped plow. The V-shaped plow further comprises an opening in the vertex and a movable gate for adjusting the size of the opening in the vertex. The V-shaped plow is further provided with an attachment device for attaching the V-shaped plow to an earth moving implement, such as a front end loader. Movement of the V-shaped plow along the roadway causes the hot asphalt to be thoroughly blended and deposited from the opening into a perfect windrow having the desired amount of asphalt for paving the roadway at issue.

Abstract: An apparatus, for stabilizing a plowing implement mounted on a motor vehicle, comprising a rigid stabilizer member having first and second opposed ends. One end of the stabilizer member supports an attachment device for attaching the stabilizer member to a plowing frame secured to a motor vehicle. The attachment device allows pivoting motion of the stabilizer member relative to the plowing frame. The second end of the stabilizer member has an abutment surface for abutting against a pivotable portion of the plowing implement when the plowing implement is raised into travel position. The stabilizer member is pivotable into an inoperative position where complete freedom of movement of the plow is achieved and an operative position by a control mechanism. When the stabilizer member is in its operative position, the abutment surface abuts against a pivotable portion of the plowing implement to minimize undesired bouncing of the plowing implement while the vehicle is traveling on a roadway.

Abstract: A single lever blade control apparatus for bulldozers that is capable of operating in three mutually perpendicular planes to activate three independent hydraulic valves controlling a bulldozer blade: up/down, tilt and angle. Movement of the bulldozer blade in an up/down motion is accomplished by the operator by pushing the single lever apparatus in the X direction, the X direction corresponding to the longitudinal axis of the bulldozer. Movement of the bulldozer blade in the tilt direction is accomplished by the operator pushing the single lever apparatus in the Y direction. Angling the bulldozer blade is accomplished by the operator rotating the handle of the single lever apparatus about the Z axis. The invention works with all variations of hydraulic valve placement.

Abstract: A control mechanism for actuating multiple valve spools with a single control lever includes a frame member to which a valve assembly having multiple valve spools is assembled. A fixed shaft is mounted in a spaced parallel relationship to said valve spools, with a plurality of motion transfer devices mounted to the fixed shaft which are connected at one end to the valve spools. The other ends of the motion transfer devices are connected to an adapter which is mounted to a spherical pivot in such a way that only one of the valve spools is operated when the lever is reciprocated in a first control direction, only one other valve spool is operated when the lever is reciprocated in a second control direction, and only another valve spool is operated when the lever is twisted up to a predetermined amount. The first, second and third valve spools can be operated one at a time, two at a time or all at once.

Abstract: Mine clearing apparatus for attachment to a vehicle and comprising a frame mountable onto a vehicle for selectable positioning in a raised or lowered orientation; apparatus mounted onto the frame for raising and shunting aside mines; and apparatus operable from inside the vehicle for automatically raising the plow from its lowered orientation to its raised orientation independently of vehicle movement. The frame may include angled side portions mountable onto the vehicle and having a profile complementary to that of the vehicle and the apparatus for raising and shunting aside mines includes a pair of angled arms having a profile complementary to that of the frame and the vehicle.

Abstract: Apparatus for clearing mines comprising a frame mountable onto a vehicle for selectable positioning in a raised or lowered orientation, plow apparatus for raising and shunting aside mines mounted onto the frame and apparatus for automatically raising the plow from its lowered orientation to its raised orientation in response to backwards motion of the vehicle and including mounting apparatus rotatably mounted onto the vehicle, spring supporting apparatus mounted onto the mounting apparatus and attached to the plow apparatus; and tooth apparatus fixed onto the mounting apparatus and arranged for selectable engagement with a vehicle tread, the spring supporting apparatus being operative when the plow is in its lowered orientation to urge the tooth apparatus into driven engagement with the vehicle tread whereby during backwards movement of the vehicle the mounting apparatus rotates in a first direction, thereby extending the length of the spring supporting apparatus, and increasing the spring force thereof until

Abstract: Mine clearing apparatus for attachment to a vehicle comprising a frame mountable onto a vehicle for selectable positioning in a raised or lowered orientation; apparatus for raising and shunting aside mines mounted onto the frame; and apparatus for selectably retaining the frame in a raised orientation and comprising control apparatus operable from inside the vehicle for releasing the frame from the raised orientation and allowing it to assume the lowered orientation.

Abstract: A load handling vehicle includes a bucket side tilt mechanism with a supporting H-framework comprised of first and second side frame members and a cross-frame member. The side frame members are each coupled at a first end to the body of the vehicle and at a second end to the bucket, while the cross-frame member is pivoted at each end to a respective one of the side frame members so that the cross-frame member pivots during tilting of the bucket and relieves stress on the framework. A pair of dump cylinders coupled between the framework and bucket are provided for emptying the bucket. In addition, a hoist cylinder extends between the framework and the body of the vehicle, at each side of the vehicle, for raising and lowering the framework and thereby the bucket. A tilt cylinder is tandem with one of these hoist cylinders is extended and retracted to tip the framework and in turn tilt the bucket relative to horizontal as desired.

Abstract: The present invention includes a snow plow assembly adapted to be carried by a vehicle and including a snow plow mounting frame adapted to be fixedly secured to the vehicle frame, a plow blade, means for supporting the plow blade for vertical movement and a plow blade supporting member pivotally attached to the mounting frame for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis and for carrying a plow blade. Means are also provided for selectively causing vertical movement of the plow blade and including a linearly extensible member having a screw connected to the snow plow mounting frame, a threaded member threadably housing an opposite end of the screw, and an electric motor drivingly connected to the threaded member for selectively and alternatively driving the threaded member to cause relative rotation of said threaded member whereby the plow blade is moved vertically.