Berm clearing attachment for road clearing vehicles

• US 5,701,693 A
• Filed: 01/22/1996
• Issued: 12/30/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seigworth Road Supply, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Edge Development, Inc.
• Inventors: Snyder, Wayne Carl, Smith, Clifford Wayne, Brocious, George Dale
• Primary Examiner(s): Melius, Terry Lee
• Assistant Examiner(s): Beach, Thomas A.
• Application Number:
  US08/589,643
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• Field of Search: 37/381, 37/383, 37/384, 37/410, 37/407, 37/903, 37/274, 37/281, 37/105, 172/305, 172/684.5, 172/810, 172/811, 172/779, 172/780, 172/781, 414/723, 414/704, 414/718, 414/608
• US Class Current: 37/381
• CPC Class Codes: E01H 1/003 Upkeep of road sides along the pavement, for instance cleaning devices particularly for side strips control of undesirable vegetation E01H11/00; mowers for embankments A01D34/86; soil working E02F; trimming pavement edges E01C23/09
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/3414 the arms being pivoted at the rear of the vehicle chassis, e.g. skid steer loader
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/96 with arrangements for alternate or simultaneous use of different digging elements E02F3/7604, E02F3/769, E02F3/78 take precedence; quick-acting devices to connect tools to arms or booms E02F3/3609, for arms to tractors or the like E02F3/627

Abstract

A berm clearing attachment for removable securement to a road clearing vehicle, such as a bulldozer, road grader, hi-lift, dump truck, tractor, or skid-steer loader, for side or lateral dozing accumulated dirt and debris off of roads and road berms and away from guiderails by reciprocating laterally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the road clearing vehicle as the vehicle travels on the road and road berm. The berm clearing attachment includes a support framework removably securable to the front of the road clearing vehicle, and when used with the skid loader, the support framework would be removably securable to the front mounting plate of the loader. The berm clearing attachment includes an elongated cylinder housing mounted to the support framework transverse to the axis of travel of the loader along the road and road berm, an inner boom disposed within the cylinder housing and capable of selective, slidable, reciprocable extension and retraction within the cylinder housing in a direction lateral to the longitudinal axis of the loader, and a blade secured to the distal end of the inner boom. The berm clearing attachment also includes a pivoting cylinder secured to the support framework for selectively raising and lowering the cylinder housing with respect to the surface of the road so that the blade can be raised or lowered to facilitate side dozing of dirt and debris.

Claims

1. For use in combination with a road clearing vehicle, a berm clearing attachment capable of reciprocably driving a dozing blade generally laterally relative to the direction of travel of the vehicle on a road and road berm, comprising:

a support framework removably attachable to the road clearing vehicle;

an outer boom mounted to the support framework and extending transverse to the longitudinal axis of the road clearing vehicle, the outer boom having a first end and an opposite second end adjacent the road berm which defines the pivot point for the outer boom;

an inner boom disposed within the outer boom for selective slidable extension and retraction within the outer boom lateral to the longitudinal axis of the road clearing vehicle;

the inner boom coextensive with the outer boom so that a substantial portion of the inner boom can project past the outer boom during extension of the inner boom;

a blade removably attachable to the inner boom for side dozing the road berm;

a push cylinder disposed within the outer boom and the inner boom for selectively actuating the extension and retraction of the inner boom, the push cylinder having a first cylinder end secured to the first end of the outer boom and a rod substantially disposed within the cylinder for selective linear reciprocable movement therein to extend and retract the inner boom, the rod having a boom eye secured to the inner boom; and

means for pivoting the outer boom secured to the first end of the outer boom so that the blade can be raised or lowered for dozing the road berm.

2. For use in combination with a road clearing vehicle, a berm clearing attachment capable of reciprocably driving a dozing blade generally laterally relative to the direction of travel on a road and road berm, comprising:

a support framework removably attachable to the road clearing vehicle;

an outer boom mounted to the support framework and extending transverse to the longitudinal axis of the road clearing vehicle, the outer boom having a first end and an opposite second end adjacent the road berm which defines the pivot point for the outer boom;

an inner boom disposed within the outer boom for selective slidable extension and retraction within the outer boom lateral to the longitudinal axis of the road clearing vehicle;

a blade removably attachable to the inner boom for side dozing the road berm;

a push cylinder disposed within the outer boom and the inner boom for selectively actuating the extension and retraction of the inner boom so that the inner boom moves lateral to the vehicle and on or above the road and road berm to allow the blade to push dirt and debris off the road and road berm, the push cylinder having a first cylinder end secured to the first end of the outer boom and a rod substantially disposed within the push cylinder for selective linear reciprocable movement therein to extend and retract the inner boom, the rod having a boom eye secured to the inner boom; and

means for pivoting the outer boom secured to the first end of the outer boom so that the blade can be selectively raised or lowered for dozing the road berm.