EXCAVATOR THUMB ASSEMBLY
First Claim
1. A thumb assembly mountable to a stick of an excavator, the thumb assembly comprising:
- a base member having at least one joint location,a thumb member pivotally connected to the base member,a first linkage member having first and second ends and being pivotally connected at the first end to the thumb member,a second linkage member having first and second ends and being pivotally connectable at the first end to the joint location,wherein the first and second linkage members are connected by a knee joint at their second ends such that they are foldable relative to each other between a working position in which the thumb member extends away from the base member and a storage position in which the thumb member extends close to the base member,wherein the knee joint permits both relative rotation and relative sliding of the first and second linkage members.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A thumb assembly mountable to a stick of an excavator is provided. The thumb assembly comprises a base member having at least a first joint location, a thumb member pivotally connected to the base member, and first and second linkage members pivotally connected at their first ends to the thumb member and the joint location respectively. The linkage members are connected by a knee joint at their second ends such that they are foldable relative to each other between a working position and a storage position in which the thumb member extends close to the base member. The knee joint permits both relative rotation and relative sliding of the first and second linkage members so that the thumb assembly can be moved between the working position and the storage position without disconnecting the linkage members from the thumb member and the joint location on the base member.
-
Citations
11 Claims
-
1. A thumb assembly mountable to a stick of an excavator, the thumb assembly comprising:
-
a base member having at least one joint location, a thumb member pivotally connected to the base member, a first linkage member having first and second ends and being pivotally connected at the first end to the thumb member, a second linkage member having first and second ends and being pivotally connectable at the first end to the joint location, wherein the first and second linkage members are connected by a knee joint at their second ends such that they are foldable relative to each other between a working position in which the thumb member extends away from the base member and a storage position in which the thumb member extends close to the base member, wherein the knee joint permits both relative rotation and relative sliding of the first and second linkage members. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A method of moving a thumb member of a thumb assembly mounted to a stick of an excavator from a storage position to a working position, the thumb assembly comprising a base member having first and second joint locations, a first linkage member having first and second ends and being pivotally connected at the first end to the thumb member, and a second linkage member having first and second ends and being selectively pivotally connectable at the first end to the first and second joint locations, wherein the thumb member is pivotally connected to the base member and wherein the first and second linkage members are connected by a knee joint at their second ends,
the method comprising the steps of: -
connecting the first end of the second linkage member to the first joint location while the thumb member is locked to the base member in the storage position; unlocking the thumb member from the base member; moving the thumb member to a first working position while permitting both relative rotation and relative sliding of the first and second linkage members; and locking the first and second linkage members against relative rotation in the first working position. - View Dependent Claims (11)
-
Specification