Road grader

• US 4,568,219 A
• Filed: 06/04/1984
• Issued: 02/04/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Logan Western Road Incorporated Box
• Original Assignee: Logan Western Road Incorporated
• Inventors: Berry, Vernon D.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): Letchford, John F.
• Application Number:
  US06/616,680
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 404/85, 404/86, 404/119, 404/120, 404/118, 172/779, 172/780, 172/781, 172/786, 172/787, 172/799.5, 172/684.5
• US Class Current: 404/118
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 23/082 using non-powered tools

Abstract

A drag-type road grader including a skewable frame and a plurality of blade assemblies extending transversely across the frame. A tongue assembly is mounted on the frame and includes hydraulic cylinders for skewing the frame to alternative parallelogram-shaped configurations whereby the blade assemblies are angled with respect to the direction of travel. Retractable wheel assemblies are provided for transporting the grader in a non-working mode.

Claims

1. A drag-type road grader, which comprises:

(a) a frame including;

(1) a pair of trusses aligned in parallel relation along a direction of travel of the grader;

(2) a plurality of hinge mechanisms mounted in longitudinally spaced relationship on each said truss, each said hinge mechanism being positioned in transversely opposed relationship with an associated hinge mechanism on the other of said trusses;

(3) a plurality of tie rod means each extending transversely between said trusses and interconnecting an associated pair of said hinge mechanisms;

(b) a plurality of road-working blades extending transversely between said trusses;

(c) a plurality of blade mounting means each mounting a respective blade on an associated pair of said hinge mechanisms;

(d) a tongue assembly including a tongue extending forwardly from said frame along the direction of vehicle travel and tongue connector means adapted for connecting said tongue to said trusses;

(e) a pair of transport wheel assemblies each being movable between a retracted position with the grader in an operating mode and in extended position with the grader in a transport mode, each said wheel assembly being mounted on a respective truss;

(f) power means for skewing said frame whereby said side frame members are shifted longitudinally with respect to each other and said blades are angled with respect to the direction of grader travel;

(g) means adapted for raising and lowering said wheel assemblies; and

(h) each said hinge mechanism pivotally mounting in spaced relation a respective tie rod means and blade for pivotal movement with respect to a respective truss about a vertical pivotal axis extending through said hinge mechanism.

2. The road grader according to claim 1 wherein:

(a) each said blade mounting means comprises a torque tube with opposite ends each connected to a respective hinge assembly.

3. The road grader according to claim 1, wherein each said transport wheel assembly includes:

(a) a wheel carriage pivotally mounted on a respective truss; and

(b) a wheel rotatably mounted on said wheel carriage structure.

4. The road grader according to claim 1, which includes:

(a) a first road-working blade having a vertical proximate leg and a distal leg sloping downwardly and rearwardly;

(b) a second road-working blade having a first proximate leg connected to a respective blade mounting means and a distal leg extending downwardly and rearwardly therefrom;

(c) a third road-working blade having a proximate leg connected to a respective blade mounting means and a distal leg extending downwardly and forwardly therefrom; and

(d) a fourth road-working blade including a downwardly and rearwardly sloping proximate leg mounted on a respective blade mounting means and a distal leg extending horizontally and rearwardly therefrom.

5. The grader according to claim 1 wherein:

(a) each said hinge mechanism includes means for vertically adjusting the working depth of a respective blade attached thereto.

6. The grader according to claim 5 wherein each hinge assembly includes:

(a) a first angle member mounted on a respective truss;

(b) a second angle member connected to said first angle member and a respective road working blade;

(c) one of said angle members having a vertically elongated slot extending therethrough;

(d) the other of said angle members including a receiver aligned with said elongated slot; and

(e) bolt means extending through said elongated slot and said receiver for vertically adjustably connecting said first and second angle members.

7. The road grader according to claim 1 wherein said tongue assembly includes:

(a) a cross-bar extending between said trusses with said tongue pivotally connected thereto; and

(b) a power cylinder having opposite ends connected to said tongue and said cross-bar, said power cylinder being adapted to rotate said cross-bar relative to said tongue whereby said trusses are shifted longitudinally with respect to each other and said frame is skewed.

8. The road grader according to claim 7, which includes:

(a) a pivot bar interconnecting said tongue and one of said trusses, said pivot bar being adapted to maintain said tongue in parallel, spaced relation with said trusses and aligned with the direction of travel of the grader.

9. A road grader, which comprises:

(a) a frame assembly including;

(1) a pair of parallel trusses each having upper, lower and outer longitudinal rails interconnected by cords;

(2) a plurality of hinge mechanisms mounted on each said truss in longitudinally spaced relation, each said hinge assembly having an outer angle member mounted on said truss, an inner angle member vertically adjustably mounted on said outer angle member, a hinge bushing mounted on said inner angle member, a hinge pin rotatably received in said hinge bushing and upper and lower hinge collars mounted on upper and lower ends of said hinge pin respectively; and

(3) a plurality of tie rods each attached to an associated pair of said upper collars and extending transversely between said trusses;

(b) a plurality of blade assemblies each including;

(1) a torque tube mounted on an associated pair of lower collars;

(2) a blade mounting bar mounted on said torque tube; and

(3) a blade having a proximate leg attached to said blade mounting bar and a distal leg extending from and forming an obtuse angle with respect to said proximate leg;

(c) a tongue assembly, which includes;

(1) a tongue with front and back ends, said tongue front end extending forwardly from said frame assembly;

(2) a crossbar pivotally mounted on and extending between said frame trusses, said tongue back end being pivotally connected to said crossbar;

(3) a pair of power cylinders each having opposite ends connected to said tongue and said crossbar in spaced relation from the pivotal connection therebetween; and

(4) a pivot bar having opposite ends, one of said pivot bar ends being pivotally connected to one of said trusses and the other of said pivot bar opposite ends being pivotally connected to said tongue in spaced relation forwardly from said power cylinders; and

(d) a pair of wheel assemblies each mounted on a respective truss and including;

(1) a wheel carriage including a pair of wheel carriage subframes, a wheel carriage pivot tube interconnecting said wheel carriage subframes and a wheel carriage bushing mounted on said truss and pivotally receiving said wheel carriage pivot tube;

(2) a pair of wheels each rotatably mounted on a respective wheel carriage subframe; and

(3) a wheel assembly power cylinder having opposite ends, one of said power cylinder ends being connected to said truss and the other of said power cylinder opposite ends being connected to said wheel carriage.

10. A drag-type road grader, which comprises:

(a) a plurality of transversely extending road-working blades;

(b) a frame including;

(1) a pair of trusses aligned in parallel relation along a direction of travel of the grader;

(2) a plurality of hinge mechanisms mounted in longitudinally spaced relationship on each truss, each said hinge mechanism being positioned in transversely opposed relationship with an associated hinge mechanism on the other of said trusses and including;

(i) means for vertically adjusting the working depth of a respective blade;

(ii) a first angle member mounted on a respective truss;

(iii) a second angle member connected to said first angle member;

(iv) one of said angle members having a vertically elongated slot extending therethrough;

(v) the other of said angle members including a receiver aligned with said elongated slots;

(vi) bolt means extending through said elongated slot in said receiver for vertically adjustably connecting said first and second angle members;

(vii) a hinge bushing mounted on one of said angle members and a hinge pin rotatably received in said hinge bushing, said hinge pin having upper and lower ends; and

(viii) each said hinge pin lower end having a respective blade mounting means connected thereto;

(3) a plurality of tie rod means each extending transversely between said trusses and interconnecting an associated pair of said hinge pin upper ends; and

(4) a plurality of rectangular subframes each comprising a respective tie rod means, a respective blade, a respective blade mounting means and an associated pair of hinge pins rigidly interconnected and pivotal with respect to said trusses;

(c) a tongue assembly including a tongue extending forwardly from said frame along the direction of vehicle travel and tongue connector means adapted for connecting said tongue to said trusses;

(d) a pair of transport wheel assemblies each being movable between a retracted position with the grader in an operating mode and an extended position with the grader in a transport mode, each said wheel assembly being mounted on a respective truss;

(e) means for skewing said frame whereby said frame members are shifted longitudinally with respect to each other and said blades are angled with respect to the direction of grader travel; and

(f) means adapted for raising and lowering said wheel assemblies.

11. A drag-type road grader, which comprises:

(a) a frame including;

(1) a pair of trusses aligned in parallel relation along a direction of travel of the grader;

(2) a plurality of hinge mechanisms mounted in longitudinally spaced relationship on each said truss, each said hinge mechanism being positioned in transversely opposed relationship with an associated hinge mechanism on the other of said trusses;

(3) a plurality of tie rod means each extending transversely between said trusses and interconnecting an associated pair of said hinge mechanisms;

(b) a plurality of road-working blades extending transversely between said trusses;

(c) a plurality of blade mounting means each mounting a respective blade on an associated pair of said hinge mechanisms;

(d) a tongue assembly including a tongue extending forwardly from said frame along the direction of vehicle travel and tongue connector means adapted for connecting said tongue to said trusses;

(e) a pair of transport wheel assemblies each being movable between a retracted position with the grader in an operating mode and an extended position with the grader in a transport mode and including;

(1) a wheel carriage including a pair of laterally spaced, triangular carriage subframes and a pivot tube interconnecting said carriage subframes and pivotally mounted on a respective truss;

(2) a power cylinder having opposite ends mounted on said truss and said wheel carriage for raising and lowering said wheel assembly; and

(3) a wheel rotatably mounted on said wheel carriage;

(f) means for skewing said frame whereby said side frame members are shifted longitudinally with respect to each other and said blades are angled with respect to the direction of grader travel; and

(g) means adapted for raising and lowering said wheel assemblies.

12. The road grader according to claim 11 wherein:

(a) each said hinge means includes means for vertically adjusting the working depth of said blade relative to said frame.