COMPOSITE STRUCTURAL MEMBER

• US 3,722,864 A
• Filed: 12/13/1971
• Issued: 03/27/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Arthur R. Shaff, Herbert W. Borer
• Inventors: Borer, Herbert W., Shaff, Arthur R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Myhre, Charles J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ratliff, Jr., Wesley S.
• Application Number:
  US05/207,153
• Time in Patent Office: 470 Days
• Field of Search: 52/730,731 74/102 16/163 254/124
• US Class Current: 254/124
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/10 Bogies; Frames track-tensioning means B62D55/30
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/3408 of the parallelogram-type
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/38 Cantilever beams , i.e. booms;, e.g. manufacturing processes, forms, geometry or materials used for booms for booms with cable suspension arrangements E02F9/14 takes precedence; Dipper-arms , e.g. manufacturing processes, forms, geometry or materials used for dipper-arms; Bucket-arms E02F3/34 takes precedence

Abstract

An elongated structural member with a central plate having apertures therein intermediate the ends thereof and having side plates secured thereto forming a laminated construction whereby the side plates and apertures form cavities within the structural member to provide a hollow, box-beam cross section for a portion of the length thereof in the areas of minimum stress and to provide solid sections in areas of maximum stress.

Claims

1. A composite structural element for use in mounting a movable implement upon a vehicle comprising;

elongated integral center means having opposite end portions and opposite sides surfaces, said elongated integral center means having a plurality of apertures between said opposite end portions which apertures pass completely through said opposite side surfaces of said center means, plate means secured to said opposite side surfaces, said plate means forming a box-like cavity in said composite structural element, load-carrying boss means secured to said structural elements and extending laterally outwardly beyond the confines of said plate means on opposite sides of said structural element, said boss means being disposed on said structural element longitudinally spaced away from said box-like cavity.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein a plurality of cavities are provided longitudinally between said boss means.

3. The invention of claim 2 wherein said plate means include one plate member extending longitudinally between said opposite end portions of one of said side surfaces and a plurality of plate members extending longitudinally between said opposite end portions on the other of said side surfaces of said elongated integral center means.

4. An elongated structural member adapted to be pivotally mounted on a vehicle for pivotally supporting an implement in outwardly extending relation to said vehicle comprising;

a one-piece center member having opposite side surfaces and opposite ends and including an aperture therethrough which forms solid sections at each of said opposite ends, and outer plates having profiles which substantially match that of said center member and which are secured to said opposite side surfaces to form a laminated construction, said outer plates cooperating with said aperture to form a cavity within said structural member which provides a hollow, box beam cross section for a portion of the length of said structural member which portion corresponds to an area of minimum stress and which forms solid sections in areas of said structural member of maximum stress.

5. The structural member of claim 4 including bores extending through said outer plates and said solid sections of said center member individually adjacent to said opposite ends of said structural member.

6. The structural member of claim 4 wherein said center member has a pair of apertures therethrough forming a solid section therebetween and wherein a bore extends through said outer plates and said solid section.

7. The structural member of claim 6 including attachment means for pivotally connecting one end of a hydraulic jack thereto for pivoting said structural member relative to said vehicle.

8. The structural member of claim 7 wherein said attachment means is a bracket element having a bore therein and being secured in depending relation to said center member and said side plates.

9. The invention of claim 4 wherein a rigid, transverse tubular member is disposed in interconnecting relation between said structural member and an identical structural member to form an integral rigid lift arm assembly.

10. An elongated lift arm structure pivotally mountable on a vehicle for pivotally supporting an implement in outwardly extending relation therefrom comprising:

;

a one-piece center member having opposite side surfaces and opposite ends, and having a plurality of apertures therein which define solid sections at each of the ends of said center member and between said apertures;

outer plates having a profile substantially matching that of said center member, said outer plates being secured to said opposite side surfaces of said center member and between its opposite ends to form a laminated construction, said side plates and said apertures defining cavities within said structural member to provide a hollow box-beam cross section for a portion of the length thereof which corresponds to areas of minimum stress and to provide solid sections in portions which correspond to areas of maximum stress;

a plurality of bosses individually secured to said side surfaces of said center member adjacent to the ends thereof and extending laterally outwardly beyond said outer plates, and bores extending through said bosses and said solid sections for mounting said implement on said vehicle.

11. The lift arm structure of claim 10 wherein a hydraulic jack is provided for pivoting the lift arm structure relative to said vehicle and wherein an attachment means is included for pivotally connecting one end of said hydraulic jack to said lift arm structure, said attachment means including a bracket element having a bore therein and being secured in depending relation to said center member and said side plates.