Single engine excavator capable of railroad use

• US 4,828,452 A
• Filed: 09/17/1987
• Issued: 05/09/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Heller Financial Incorporated (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: The Gradall Company
• Inventors: Bolitho, Jack A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Paperner, Leslie J.
• Application Number:
  US07/098,103
• Time in Patent Office: 600 Days
• Field of Search: 105/72.2, 105/215.2, 180/53.2, 180/53.4, 180/321, 180/324, 180/335, 180/53.8, 414/687, 414/690, 414/718, 414/728, 123/319, 123/395, 123/401, 60/420, 60/421, 60/427
• US Class Current: 414/718
• CPC Class Codes: B60F 1/043 Vehicles comprising own propelling units
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 20/00 Arrangement or mounting of change-speed gearing control devices in vehicles movable cabs having special adaptations of vehicle control devices B62D33/06; such control devices per se F16H
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 23/62 Constructional features or details of dredgers E02F
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/022 for moving on rails
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/0217 with electric switches or sensors not for gear or range selection, e.g. for controlling auxiliary devices for gear selection F16H59/044; for range selection F16H59/105

Abstract

A material handling vehicle is provided which is capable of operation on the highway, off-road and on railroad tracks. The vehicle includes a lower truck chassis having an engine and a first operator'"'"'s cab and an upper structure which includes an upper structure operator'"'"'s cab and a material handling implement. In the travel mode of operation, the engine is directly connected to the torque converter of a powershift transmission to provide a rotational output to the drive wheels. In the off-road or remote operating mode of the excavator, the transmission is controlled so as to prohibit the connection between the torque converter and the transmission gears. However, a power take-off on the transmission is coupled to a hydraulic pump which provides hydraulic fluid under pressure to a hydraulic motor which, in turn, may provide rotational power to a secondary input to the transmission to provide drive power. In the railroad operating mode of the present invention, the engine is coupled by means of the torque converter to the transmission to provide driving power. In addition, the engine is coupled to the hydraulic pump to provide hydraulic fluid under pressure to power the excavator functions. The upper structure cab includes two throttle controls for controlling engine speed while operating in the remote operating mode.

Claims

1. A material handling vehicle comprising:

a. a lower truck chassis supported by a plurality of wheels, at least two of which are drive wheels, said lower truck chassis having a first operator'"'"'s station;

b. an upper structure mounted on said lower chassis and having a second operator'"'"'s station;

c. a manipulatable material handling implement mounted on said upper structure;

d. an engine mounted on said lower chassis, said engine having a throttle control regulator which is controllable by a primary throttle control means in said first operator'"'"'s station;

e. a transmission means mounted on said lower chassis, said transmission means having a torque converter and also having drive gears coupled to said drive wheels, said torque converter having a first input means powered by said engine and a first output means which may be coupled to said drive gears and also having a second output means which may be powered by said first input means;

f. a hydraulic power means;

g. a first coupling means for coupling said hydraulic power means to said second output means and for uncoupling said hydraulic power means from said second output means;

h. secondary throttle control means in said second operator'"'"'s station for controlling said throttle control regulator; and

i. first control means for alternatively (1) coupling said first output means of said torque converter to said drive gears while causing said first coupling means to uncouple said hydraulic power means from said second output means or (2) coupling said first output means to said drive gears while causing said first coupling means to couple said hydraulic power means to said second output means.

2. The material handling vehicle of claim 1 in which said first coupling means comprises:

a. a first jaw clutch which, when engaged, couples said second output means to said hydraulic power means and which, when disengaged, uncouples said second output means from said hydraulic power means; and

b. a first pneumatic cylinder controlled by said first control means, said first pneumatic cylinder being coupled to said first jaw clutch for engaging and disengaging said first jaw clutch.

3. The material handling vehicle of claim 2 in which said first control means comprises:

a. a first pneumatic solenoid valve in fluid communication with said first pneumatic cylinder;

b. a source of pneumatic pressure in fluid communication with said first solenoid valve; and

c. a first control switch means coupled to said first pneumatic solenoid valve for causing said first pneumatic solenoid valve to provide pneumatic pressure to said first pneumatic cylinder to disengage said first jaw clutch when said first control switch means is in a first position and for causing said first pneumatic solenoid valve to provide pneumatic pressure to said first pneumatic cylinder to engage said first jaw clutch when said first control switch means is in a second position.

4. The material handling vehicle of claim 3 in which said transmission means comprises a powershift transmission having a second input means which may be coupled to said drive gears.

5. The material handling vehicle of claim 4 further comprising:

a. a hydraulic drive means;

b. second coupling means for coupling said hydraulic drive means to said second input means and for uncoupling said hydraulic drive means from said second input means; and

c. said first control means further comprises means for alternatively (1) uncoupling said first output means from said drive gears while causing said first pneumatic cylinder to engage said first jaw clutch and while causing said second coupling means to couple said hydraulic drive means to said second input means of said transmission or (2) coupling said first output means to said drive gears while causing said second pneumatic cylinder to disengage said first jaw clutch and while causing said second coupling means to uncouple said hydraulic drive means from said second input means of said transmission.

6. The material handling vehicle of claim 5 in which said second coupling means comprises:

a. a second jaw clutch which, when engaged, couples said hydraulic drive means to said second input means and which, when disengaged, uncouples said hydraulic drive means from said second input means; and

b. a second pneumatic cylinder controlled by said first control means, said second pneumatic cylinder being coupled to said second jaw clutch for engaging and disengaging said second jaw clutch.

7. The material handling vehicle of claim 6 in which said first control means further comprises:

a. a second pneumatic solenoid valve having a pneumatic input in fluid communication with said first pneumatic solenoid valve and an output in fluid communication with said second pneumatic cylinder; and

b. a second control switch means coupled to said second pneumatic solenoid valve for causing said second pneumatic solenoid valve to provide pneumatic pressure to said second pneumatic cylinder to engage said second jaw clutch when said second control switch is in a first position and for causing said second pneumatic solenoid valve to provide pneumatic pressure to said second pneumatic cylinder to disengage said second jaw clutch when said second control switch is in a second position.

8. The material handling vehicle of claim 7 in which said secondary throttle control means comprises:

a. a first pneumatic throttle control means in said second operator'"'"'s station; and

b. a second pneumatic throttle control means in said second operator'"'"'s station.

9. The material handling vehicle of claim 8 further comprising:

a. a second source of pneumatic pressure coupled to said first and said second throttle control means; and

b. means for coupling said first or second throttle control means to said throttle control regulator.

10. The material handling vehicle of claim 9 in which said means for coupling said first or said second throttle control means to said throttle control regulator comprises:

a. a third pneumatic solenoid valve which is displaceable between a first position in which said first throttle control means is coupled to said throttle control regulator and a second position in which said second throttle control means is coupled to said throttle control regulator; and

b. means for moving said third pneumatic solenoid valve between its first and second positions.

11. The material handling vehicle of claim 10 in which said means for moving comprises:

a. means for normally biasing said third solenoid valve to its second position;

b. means for generating a potential in a first control wire when said second control switch is in its first position;

c. a pressure switch connected to said first control wire, said pressure switch being normally biased to a closed condition, said control switch being effective to move said third solenoid valve to its first position when said pressure switch is in a closed condition; and

d. means for opening the contact of said pressure switch.

12. The material handling vehicle of claim 11 in which said means for opening comprises a pneumatic control switch coupled to said second source of pneumatic pressure such that when said pneumatic control switch is in a first position pneumatic pressure is not supplied to said pressure switch and a second position in which pneumatic pressure is applied to said pressure switch to open said pressure switch.

13. The material handling vehicle of claim 12 further comprising:

a. a secondary controlling means for said transmission located in said second operator'"'"'s station; and

b. a second control wire connected to said first control wire and to said secondary controlling means such that when said pressure switch is closed the potential in said second control wire causes said secondary controlling means to be effective to control said transmission and when said pressure switch is open the absence of a potential in said second control wire causes said secondary controlling means to be disabled from controlling said transmission.

14. The material handling vehicle of claim 13 further comprising railroad guide wheels movably attached to said lower chassis such that said guide wheels are movable between a retracted position and an extended position in which said guide wheels may support said vehicle on railroad tracks such that said drive wheels are in engagement with said railroad tracks.

15. The material handling vehicle of claim 14 in which said first throttle control means comprises a spring return throttle.

16. The material handling vehicle of claim 15 in which said second throttle control means comprises a friction detent throttle.

17. The material handling vehicle of claim 16 in which said hydraulic power means comprises a hydraulic pump.

18. The material handling vehicle of claim 17 in which said hydraulic drive means comprises a hydraulic motor.