Stiff Link Thumb with Dampener
First Claim
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1. A machine comprising:
- a frame, an engine, an implement system, a bucket, a thumb member, a dampener and a control assembly adapted to enable control of movement of the machine;
the thumb member being mounted on the implement system for free dampened pivotable movement on the implement system;
the bucket being controllably pivotably mounted on the implement system and adapted to be movable into controlled engagement under force with the thumb member;
the thumb member being controllably pivotable into selectable pivot positions via controlled pivoting of one or the other or both of the implement system and the bucket member such that a pivot force is exerted on the thumb member;
the dampener interconnected between the thumb member and an arm of the implement system in an arrangement wherein the dampener dampens free pivoting movement of the thumb member by absorbing at least a portion of the pivot force exerted on the thumb member.
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Abstract
A machine including an implement system pivotably mounted on the machine, a thumb member mounted on an arm of the implement system for free dampened back and forth pivotable movement, the thumb member being controllably pivotable into selectable pivot positions via controlled pivoting of one or the other or both of the arm and a bucket member, a dampener being interconnected between the thumb member and the arm in an arrangement where the dampener dampens free pivoting movement of the thumb member.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A machine comprising:
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a frame, an engine, an implement system, a bucket, a thumb member, a dampener and a control assembly adapted to enable control of movement of the machine; the thumb member being mounted on the implement system for free dampened pivotable movement on the implement system; the bucket being controllably pivotably mounted on the implement system and adapted to be movable into controlled engagement under force with the thumb member; the thumb member being controllably pivotable into selectable pivot positions via controlled pivoting of one or the other or both of the implement system and the bucket member such that a pivot force is exerted on the thumb member; the dampener interconnected between the thumb member and an arm of the implement system in an arrangement wherein the dampener dampens free pivoting movement of the thumb member by absorbing at least a portion of the pivot force exerted on the thumb member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of controllably positioning a thumb member in a machine comprising an implement system controllably pivotably mounted on the machine and a bucket member controllably pivotably mounted on the implement system, the thumb member being mounted on an arm of the implement system for free back and forth pivotable movement thereon, the method comprising:
controllably pivoting one or the other or both of the arm and the bucket member to cause the thumb member to undergo free pivoting movement under either force of gravity or force of engagement with the bucket member; and
, dampening the free back and forth pivoting movement of the thumb member.- View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A thumb assembly comprising:
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a thumb member mounted on an implement system for back and forth free pivotable movement thereon, a rigid link adjustably interconnectable between the thumb member and an arm of the implement system to fix the thumb member and a dampener interconnected between the thumb member and the arm, the dampener comprising an assembly that operates passively to dampen the free pivotable back and forth movement of the thumb member. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification