Attachment device for an implement

• US 6,354,383 B1
• Filed: 04/07/2000
• Issued: 03/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Harold D. Muilenburg
• Original Assignee: Harold D. Muilenburg
• Inventors: Muilenburg, Harold D.
• Primary Examiner(s): BATSON, VICTOR D
• Application Number:
  US09/545,533
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• Field of Search: 172/684.5, 172/799.5, 172/395, 172/96, 172/417, 172/445.1, 172/484, 172/817, 172/818, 172/819, 172/824, 172/825, 372/68, 372/70, 372/71
• US Class Current: 172/817
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/7663 Graders with the scraper blade mounted under a frame supported by wheels, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/7668 with the scraper blade being pivotable about a vertical axis
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/844 for positioning the blade, e.g. hydraulically

Abstract

An attachment device for attaching an implement to an attachment plate for a vehicle. The attachment device includes at least two sets of two or more arms, each arm having a first end and a second end, the first end of each arm being operably coupled to the implement and the second end of each arm being operably coupled to the attachment plate, wherein the two sets of two or more arms allow the implement to be tilted such that a first end of the implement may be raised to a higher vertical position than a second end of the implement.

Claims

1. An attachment device for attaching an implement to an attachment plate for a vehicle, comprising:

at least two sets of two or more arms, each arm having a first end and a second end, the first end of each arm being operably coupled to the implement and the second end of each arm being operably coupled to the attachment plate, wherein at least one end of each arm has a swivel connection such that the two sets of two or more arms allow the implement to be tilted about an axis extending between the implement and the attachment plate to permit a first end of the implement to be raised to a higher vertical position than a second end of the implement.

2. The attachment device of claim 1, wherein the axis extending between the implement and the attachment plate is oriented substantially perpendicular to the attachment plate.

3. The attachment device of claim 1, wherein each end of each arm has a swivel connection.

4. The attachment device of claim 1, wherein each arm is of equal length.

5. The attachment device of claim 1, further comprising a vehicle mounting plate for each set of arms to operably couple the second end of each arm to the attachment plate.

6. The attachment device of claim 5, further comprising an implement mounting plate for each set of arms to operably couple the first end of each arm to the implement.

7. The attachment device of claim 5, wherein the swivel connection operably couples the second end of each arm to the vehicle mounting plates.

8. The attachment device of claim 6, wherein the swivel connection operably couples the first end of each arm to the implement mounting plates.

9. The attachment device of claim 8, wherein each implement mounting plate comprises a left plate and a right plate connected to each other with rods, wherein the swivel connections couple each arm to the rods, and wherein a connection section of each implement mounting plate connects the implement mounting plate to the implement.

10. The attachment device of claim 9, further comprising a wedge on at least one arm of each set of arms, wherein a position of the wedge may be altered to apply a downward force on the implement.

11. The attachment device of claim 9, further comprising a wheel system to raise or lower the first end or the second end of the implement.

12. The attachment device of claim 11, wherein the wheel system comprises a first wheel and a second wheel, the first wheel being operably coupled to the implement near the first end of the implement and the second wheel being operably coupled to the implement on the second end of the implement, and wherein an actuator is coupled to each wheel and the implement to raise or lower the first end or the second end of the implement with respect to the wheel system.

13. The attachment device of claim 12, wherein each actuator is a hydraulic cylinder and actuator.

14. An attachment device for attaching a blade to an attachment plate for a loader, comprising:

(a) a first set of arms, the first set of arms including a first upper arm and a first lower arm;

(b) a second set of arms, the second set of arms including a second upper arm and a second lower arm;

(c) a first loader mounting plate and a second loader mounting plate, wherein the first loader mounting plate operably couples the first upper arm and the first lower arm to the attachment plate and the second loader mounting plate operably couples the second upper arm and the second lower arm to the attachment plate;

(d) a first blade mounting plate and a second blade mounting plate, wherein the first blade mounting plate operably couples the first upper arm and the first lower arm to the blade and the second blade mounting plate operably couples the second upper arm and the second lower arm to the blade;

(e) wherein the wheel assembly is operably connected to the blade so that the wheel assembly and the blade move relative to each other in a vertical direction; and

(f) wherein the wheel assembly comprises a first wheel assembly and a second wheel assembly, wherein each wheel assembly is on an opposite side of the blade.

15. The attachment device of claim 14, wherein each wheel assembly comprises a wheel, a connecting device connecting the wheel to the blade, and an actuator to raise and lower the wheel with respect to one side of the blade.

16. The attachment device of claim 14, further comprising a first wedge and a second wedge, wherein the first wedge is located on one of the first set of arms and the second wedge is located on one of the second set of arms, wherein the first wedge and the second wedge may be shifted in position to apply a downward force on the blade.

17. An attachment device for attaching an implement to an attachment plate for a vehicle, comprising:

at least two sets of two or more arms, each arm having a first end and a second end, the first end of each arm being operably coupled to the implement and the second end of each arm being operably coupled to the attachment plate, wherein the two sets of two or more arms allow the implement to be tilted such that a first end of the implement may be raised to a higher vertical position than a second end of the implement;

a vehicle mounting plate for each set of arms to operably couple the second end of each arm to the attachment plate;

an implement mounting plate for each set of arms to operably couple the first end of each arm to the implement;

a swivel connection to operably couple the first end of each arm to the implement mounting plates; and

wherein each implement mounting plate comprises a left plate and a right plate connected to each other with rods, wherein the swivel connections couple each arm to the rods, and wherein a connection section of each implement mounting plate connects the implement mounting plate to the implement.

18. The attachment device of claim 17, further comprising a wedge on at least one arm of each set of arms, wherein a position of the wedge may be altered to apply a downward force on the implement.

19. The attachment device of claim 17, further comprising a wheel system to raise or lower the first end or the second end of the implement.

20. The attachment device of claim 19, wherein the wheel system comprises a first wheel and a second wheel, the first wheel being operably coupled to the implement near the first end of the implement and the second wheel being operably coupled to the implement on the second end of the implement, and wherein an actuator is coupled to each wheel and the implement to raise or lower the first end or the second end of the implement with respect to the wheel system.

21. The attachment device of claim 20, wherein each actuator is a hydraulic cylinder and actuator.

22. An attachment device for attaching a blade to an attachment plate for a loader, comprising:

(a) a first set of arms, the first set of arms including a first upper arm and a first lower arm;

(b) a second set of arms, the second set of arms including a second upper arm and a second lower arm;

(c) a first loader mounting plate and a second loader mounting plate, wherein the first loader mounting plate operably couples the first upper arm and the first lower arm to the attachment plate and the second loader mounting plate operably couples the second upper arm and the second lower arm to the attachment plate;

(d) a first blade mounting plate and a second blade mounting plate, wherein the first blade mounting plate operably couples the first upper arm and the first lower arm to the blade and the second blade mounting plate operably couples the second upper arm and the second lower arm to the blade;

(e) a first wedge and a second wedge, wherein the first wedge is located on one of the first set of arms and the second wedge is located on one of the second set of arms, wherein the first wedge and the second wedge may be shifted in position to apply a downward force on the blade; and

(f) wherein the wheel assembly is operably connected to the blade so that the wheel assembly and the blade move relative to each other in a vertical direction.

23. The attachment device of claim 22, wherein each wheel assembly comprises a wheel, a connecting device connecting the wheel to the blade, and an actuator to raise and lower the wheel with respect to one side of the blade.

24. A method for attaching an implement to an attachment plate for a vehicle, comprising:

(a) providing at least two sets of two or more arms, each arm having a first end and a second end;

(b) operably coupling the first end of each arm to the implement and the second end of each arm to the attachment plate, wherein at least one end of each arm has a swivel connection such that the two sets of two or more arms allow the implement to be tilted about an axis extending between the implement and the attachment plate to permit a first side of the implement to be raised to a higher vertical position than a second side of the implement.