Excavator with low center of gravity

• US 4,102,461 A
• Filed: 05/23/1977
• Issued: 07/25/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ingebret Soyland
• Original Assignee: Ingebret Soyland
• Inventors: Soyland, Ingebret
• Primary Examiner(s): Paperner, L. J.
• Application Number:
  US05/799,340
• Time in Patent Office: 428 Days
• Field of Search: 214/132, 214/134, 214/138 R, 214/151, 180/64 R, 180/64 M, 212/38, 212/66, 212/67, 212/69, 37/80 R, 37/103
• US Class Current: 414/694
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 5/00 Arrangement or mounting of internal-combustion or jet-propulsion units B60K7/00 takes precedence; arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion B60K6/00
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/02 Travelling-gear, e.g. associated with slewing gears drives therefor E02F9/20; for motor vehicles B60B, B60G; undercarriages for locomotives or railroad cars B61F; track-laying vehicles B62D; for cranes B66C23/18
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/085 Ground-engaging fitting for supporting the machines while working, e.g. outriggers, legs for vehicles in general B60S9/00, for cranes B66C23/78
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/12 Slewing or traversing gears roller and ball bearings F16C
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/121 Turntables, i.e. structure rotatable about 360°
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/166 movable, tiltable or pivoting, e.g. movable seats, dampening arrangements of cabins seats for vehicles in general B60N2/00

Abstract

An excavator includes a vessel-like lower frame having a generally vertical side wall, and a bottom wall that forms a support plate. Wheel means are secured to the lower frame side wall, and an upper frame is mounted on the lower frame for rotation about a vertical axis. The upper frame carries a cabin, and a boom and bucket assembly. The engine and other heavy equipment components for operating the excavator are secured to the underside of the upper frame and rotate therewith, thereby giving the excavator a low center of gravity, and eliminating clutter around the operator'"'"'s cabin.

Claims

1. An excavator, comprising:

a lower frame, said lower frame having the configuration of a large vessel and including a bottom support plate and a generally vertical side wall, said bottom support plate being engageable with soft ground to prevent said excavator from sinking too deeply thereinto;

wheel means mounted fore and aft on the exterior of said lower frame means;

an upper frame rotatably mounted on said lower frame, and operable by drive motor means secured to the underside of said upper frame and received within said vessel-like lower frame;

a boom and bucket assembly mounted on the upper surface of said upper frame member, and rotatable therewith;

cabin means mounted on the upper surface of said upper frame member, and rotatable therewith;

an internal combustion engine, a hydraulic pump, and associated heavy equipment components; and

means for suspending said engine, said hydraulic pump and said associated heavy equipment components from said upper frame, whereby said items are rotatable with said upper frame and are substantially received within said vessel-like lower frame.

2. An excavator, comprising:

a lower frame, said lower frame having the configuration of a large vessel and including a bottom support plate and a generally vertical side wall, said bottom support plate being engageable with soft ground to prevent said excavator from sinking too deeply thereinto;

wheel means mounted fore and aft on the exterior of said lower frame;

an upper frame;

means for rotatably connecting said upper frame to said lower frame, for rotation about a vertical axis;

means connected between said upper frame and said lower frame, operable to effect relative rotation therebetween;

a boom and bucket assembly;

cabin means;

means for mounting said boom and bucket assembly and said cabin means on said upper frame, for rotation therewith;

an internal combustion engine, a hydraulic pump, and associated heavy equipment components; and

means for suspending said engine, said hydraulic pump and said associated heavy equipment components from said upper frame, whereby said items are rotatable with said upper frame and are substantially received within said vessel-like lower frame.

3. An excavator as recited in claim 2, wherein said means operable to effect relative rotation between said upper frame and said lower frame includes:

an annular ring gear mounted on the upper end of said vessel-like lower frame; and

a drive motor secured to the underside of said upper frame to extend downwardly into said vessel-like lower frame, and including a drive gear engaged with said annular ring gear.

4. An excavator as recited in claim 2, wherein said means for rotatably connecting said upper frame to said lower frame includes:

an outer, annular bearing race mounted on one of said upper frame and said lower frame;

an inner, annular bearing race mounted on the other of said upper and lower frames, and receivable within said outer bearing race; and

bearing means engaged between said inner bearing race and said outer bearing race, and arranged to secure said upper frame to said lower frame against axial separation, while permitting relative rotation therebetween.

5. An excavator as recited in claim 2, wherein said means for mounting said boom and bucket assembly and said cabin means on said upper frame includes:

a pair of confronting, parallel, horizontally extending C-shaped rails mounted on said upper frame;

a carriage, said carriage having a pair of wheels on each side thereof, said wheels being received within said C-shaped rails; and

hydraulic cylinder means connected between said carriage and said upper frame, operable to move said carriage along the axis of said C-shaped rails,

said boom and bucket assembly and said cabin means being carried by said carriage.

6. An excavator, comprising:

a lower frame, said lower frame having the configuration of a large cylindrical vessel and including a bottom support plate and a cylindrical, generally vertical side wall, said bottom support plate being engageable with soft ground to prevent said excavator from sinking too deeply thereinto;

wheel means mounted fore and aft on the exterior of said lower frame means;

an upper frame;

an outer, annular bearing race mounted on one of said upper frame and said lower frame;

an inner, annular bearing race mounted on the other of said upper and lower frames, and receivable within said outer, annular bearing race;

bearing means engaged between said inner and said outer bearing races, for connecting said upper frame to said lower frame against axial separation, while providing for relative rotation therebetween about a vertical axis;

an annular ring gear carried by one of said upper frame and said lower frame;

drive motor means carried by the other of said upper and lower frames, and engaged with said annular ring gear, said drive motor means being operable to effect rotation of said upper frame relative to said lower frame;

a boom and bucket assembly;

cabin means;

means for mounting said boom and bucket assembly and said cabin means on said upper frame, for rotation therewith;

an internal combustion engine, a hydraulic pump, and associated heavy equipment components; and

means for suspending said engine, said hydraulic pump and said associated heavy equipment components from said upper frame, whereby said items are rotatable with said upper frame and are substantially received within said vessel-like lower frame, and the center of gravity of said excavator is established beneath said cabin means.

7. An excavator as recited in claim 6, wherein said annular ring gear is carried by said lower frame and is disposed beneath said upper frame, and wherein said drive motor means is suspended from said upper frame, and includes a drive gear engaged with said ring gear.

8. An excavator as recited in claim 7, wherein said means for mounting said boom and bucket assembly and said cabin means on said upper frame includes:

a pair of confronting, parallel, horizontally extending C-shaped rails mounted on said upper frame;

a carriage, said carriage having a pair of wheels on each side thereof, said wheels being received within said C-shaped rails; and

hydraulic cylinder means connected between said carriage and said upper frame, operable to move said carriage along the axis of said C-shaped rails.