FORK ATTACHMENT FOR A LOADER BUCKET

• US 3,706,388 A
• Filed: 01/21/1971
• Issued: 12/19/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Walter J. Westendorf
• Original Assignee: Walter J. Westendorf
• Inventors: Westendorf, Walter J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Forlenza, Gerald M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Oresky, Lawrence J.
• Application Number:
  US05/108,327
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: 214/131,145,750,620 37/142R
• US Class Current: 414/724
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/401 Buckets or forks comprising, for example, shock absorbers, supports or load striking scrapers to prevent overload

Abstract

A fork attachment for a loader bucket comprising a plurality of spaced apart teeth having a transverse plate means secured thereto rearwardly of the forward ends thereof. The plate means includes a rearwardly extending plate portion which is spaced above the teeth. An elongated angle member is secured to the rearward ends of the teeth and has a pair of chain tightener elements secured thereto. The attachment is secured to the loader bucket by driving the loader forwardly so that the leading edge of the bucket bottom is received beneath the plate portion to secure the forward end of the bucket to the attachment. The chain tightener elements are then secured to the upper rearward portion of the loader bucket to secure the rearward end of the attachment to the bucket. Material handling devices such as front-end loaders, tractor loaders, etc., generally have a pair of pivotal booms provided thereon to which various attachments are secured. Many tractor loaders are used by ranchers and farmers to handle material such as dirt, gravel, etc. A bucket attachment is secured to the booms when the loader is being used for dirt, gravel, and similar materials. It is necessary to replace the bucket attachment with a fork attachment when materials such as manure, ensilage and the like are going to be handled since the conventional bucket attachment cannot adequately handle the material. The replacement of the fork attachment for the bucket attachment is time consuming and requires that a separate fork attachment be purchased even though the fork and bucket attachments are somewhat similar in design.

Claims

1. In combination with a material handling apparatus having a bucket means at the forward end thereof, said bucket means having rearward and forward end, a bottom wall, and a back wall having an upper end, a fork attachment for the bucket means comprising a plurality of spaced apart elongated teeth having forward and rearward ends, means secured to said teeth for maintaining said teeth in said spaced apart relationship, a support means secured to said teeth rearwardly of the forward ends thereof and having means thereon adapted to removably receive the forward end of said bucket means, a portion of said teeth extending beneath the bottom wall of the bucket means when the attachment is mounted on the bucket means, and connection means selectively connecting said teeth adjacent the rearward end thereof to the bucket means adjacent the rearward end thereof, said support means limiting the rearward movement of the attachment when said connection means is selectively connected to said bucket means, said support means also limiting vertical movement of said attachment with respect to said bucket means when said connection means is selectively connected to said bucket means, said support means comprising an elongated plate means secured to said teeth and having a rearwardly extending plate portion disposed above said teeth defining an elongated channel, the forward end of said bucket means being received in said channel.

2. In combination with a material handling apparatus having a bucket means at the forward end thereof, said bucket means having rearward and forward end, a bottom wall, and a back wall having an upper end, a fork attachment for the bucket means comprising a plurality of spaced apart elongated teeth having forward and rearward ends, means secured to said teeth for maintaining said teeth in said spaced apart relationship, a support means secured to said teeth rearwardly of the forward ends thereof and having means thereon adapted to removably receive the forward end of said bucket means, a portion of said teeth extending beneath the bottom wall of the bucket means when the attachment is mounted on the bucket means, and connection means selectively connecting said teeth adjacent the rearward end thereof to the bucket means adjacent the rearward end thereof, said support means limiting the rearward movement of the attachment when said connection means is selectively connected to said bucket means, said support means also limiting vertical movement of said attachment with respect to said bucket means when said connection means is selectively connected to said bucket means, said support means comprising an elongated plate means secured to said teeth and having a first plate portion extending upwardly and rearwardly therefrom and a second plate portion extending rearwardly from the upper end of said first plate portion, said first and second plate portions defining a channel between said plate portions and said teeth which receives the forward end of said bucket means.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said plate means has a Length substantially equal to the width of the forward end of said bucket means.

4. In combination with a material handling apparatus having a bucket means at the forward end thereof, said bucket means having rearward and forward end, a bottom wall, and a back wall having an upper end, a fork attachment for the bucket means comprising a plurality of spaced apart elongated teeth having forward and rearward ends, means secured to said elongated teeth having forward and rearward ends, a support plate means secured to said teeth rearwardly of the forward ends thereof for maintaining said teeth in said spaced apart relationship and for removably receiving the forward end of said bucket means, a portion of said teeth extending beneath the bottom wall of the bucket means when the attachment is mounted on the bucket means, and connection means selectively connecting said teeth adjacent the rearward end thereof to the bucket means adjacent the rearward end thereof, said support plate means limiting the rearward movement of the attachment when said connection means is selectively connected to said bucket means, said support plate means also limiting vertical movement of said attachment with respect to said bucket means when said connection means is selectively connected to said bucket means, said support plate means having a length substantially equal to the width of the forward end of said bucket means.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said connection means comprises at least one chain means secured at one end of said teeth at the rearward ends thereof, a chain tightening means connected to the other end of said chain means adapted to be secured to said bucket means adjacent the upper end of said back wall so that said chain means is closely positioned the rearward side of said back wall, said chain tightening means adapted to limit the movement of the rearward ends of said teeth by drawing the rearward ends of said teeth upwardly into operative engagement with said bucket means.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said connection means has adjustment means to permit the connection means to compensate for relative wear of the attachment and bucket means.