Outrigger assembly for a mobile telescopic belt conveyor

• US 6,516,917 B1
• Filed: 12/29/1999
• Issued: 02/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Putzmeister, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Putzmeister, Inc.
• Inventors: Wurgler, Rodney D., Mayer, Martin G.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHIN SHUE, ALVIN C
• Application Number:
  US09/474,817
• Time in Patent Office: 1,140 Days
• Field of Search: 182/2--, 182/62.5, 182/63.4, 182/69.6, 182/17, 212/302, 212/304, 280/763.1, 280/765.1
• US Class Current: 182/17
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 23/80 hydraulically actuated
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 21/04 Devices for both conveying and distributing concrete pumps F04
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 21/0409 with conveyor belts truck mixer with conveyor belts B28C5/4255

Abstract

An outrigger assembly useful for supporting and stabilizing a mobile work machine, such as a vehicle-mounted telescopic belt conveyor, while the work machine is operating. The outrigger assembly includes a stationary support housing mounted to the vehicle body and a telescoping inner housing that is movable into and out of the support housing. A leg assembly, in turn, telescopes into and out of the inner housing and includes a leg member that is pivotally mounted to a mounting beam of the leg assembly. The leg member includes a support pad that contacts the ground when the leg member is in its ground-engaging position and covers the opening to the inner housing when the leg assembly is in its fully retracted position.

Claims

1. An outrigger assembly for stabilizing a mobile work machine, comprising:

a stationary support housing mountable to the work machine;

an inner housing telescopically positioned within the support housing;

a first drive cylinder operatively positioned between the support housing and the inner housing, the first drive cylinder being operable to move the inner housing between a retracted position in which the inner housing is positioned within the support housing and an extended position in which the inner housing extends from the support housing;

a leg assembly telescopingly positioned within the inner housing;

a second drive cylinder operatively positioned between the leg assembly and the inner housing, the second drive cylinder being operable to move the leg assembly between a retracted position in which the leg assembly is contained within the inner housing and an extended position in which the leg assembly extends out of the inner housing; and

a pivot cylinder operatively connected to the leg assembly to pivot the leg assembly between the extended position and a ground engaging position;

wherein the first drive cylinder, the second drive cylinder and the pivot cylinder are independently operable such that the leg assembly can be moved to the extended position and the leg assembly can be moved to the ground-engaging position while the inner housing is in the retracted position.

2. The outrigger assembly of claim 1 wherein the leg assembly comprises:

a mounting beam connected to the second drive cylinder and telescopically movable within the inner housing to move the leg assembly between the retracted position and the extended position;

a leg member extending between an outer end and an inner end, the inner end of the leg member being pivotally mounted to the mounting beam; and

wherein the pivot cylinder is positioned between the mounting beam and the inner end of the leg member, the pivot cylinder being operable to pivot the leg member between the extended position and the ground-engaging position.

3. The outrigger assembly of claim 2 wherein the leg assembly further includes a support pad pivotally mounted to the outer end of the leg member, wherein the support pad contacts the ground when the leg member is moved to its ground-engaging position.

4. The outrigger assembly of claim 3 wherein the support pad closes the open interior of the inner housing when the leg assembly is in its retracted position.

5. The outrigger assembly of claim 2 wherein the leg member is pivotally connected to the mounting beam by a pivot rod positioned below the connection between the pivot cylinder and the leg member.

6. The outrigger assembly of claim 2 wherein the pivot cylinder includes a cylinder body secured to the mounting beam and an extendable cylinder rod secured to the inner end of the leg member such that when the cylinder rod is extended from the cylinder body, the leg member rotates from the extended position to the ground-engaging position.

7. The outrigger assembly of claim 2 wherein when the leg assembly is in the retracted position, the leg assembly is contained within both the inner housing and the support housing.

8. The outrigger assembly of claim 1 wherein the first drive cylinder moves the inner housing in a direction parallel to the movement of the leg assembly by the second drive cylinder.

9. The outrigger assembly of claim 1 wherein the first drive cylinder includes a cylinder body secured to an outer shell of the inner support housing and an extendable cylinder rod secured to the outer shell of the stationary support housing such that when the cylinder rod is extended from the cylinder body, the inner housing moves from the retracted position to the extended position.

10. The outrigger assembly of claim 9 wherein the second drive cylinder includes a cylinder body coupled to the leg assembly and an extendable cylinder rod secured to the inner support housing such that when the cylinder rod is extended from the cylinder body, the leg assembly moves from the retracted position to the extended position.

11. The outrigger assembly of claim 10 wherein the cylinder body of the second drive cylinder is slidably supported within a guide block attached to the mounting beam.

12. The outrigger assembly of claim 1 wherein the leg assembly comprises:

a mounting beam connected to the guide block of the second drive cylinder and telescopically movable within the inner housing to move the leg assembly between the retracted position and the extended position;

a leg member extending between an outer end and an inner end, the inner end of the leg member being pivotally mounted to the mounting beam; and

a pivot cylinder positioned between the mounting beam and the inner end of the leg member, the pivot cylinder being operable to pivot the leg member between the extended position and a ground-engaging position.

13. The outrigger assembly of claim 12 wherein the leg member is pivotally connected to the mounting beam by a pivot rod positioned below the connection between the pivot cylinder and the leg member.

14. The outrigger assembly of claim 12 wherein the pivot cylinder includes a cylinder body secured to the mounting beam and an extendable cylinder rod secured to the inner end of the leg member such that when the cylinder rod is extended from the cylinder body, the leg member rotates from the extended position to the ground-engaging position.

15. An outrigger assembly for stabilizing a mobile work machine, comprising:

a stationary support housing mountable to the work machine;

an inner housing telescopically positioned within the support housing;

a first drive cylinder operatively positioned between the support housing and the inner housing, the first drive cylinder being operable to move the inner housing between a retracted position in which the inner housing is positioned within the support housing and an extended position in which the inner housing extends from the support housing;

a leg assembly telescopingly positioned within the inner housing; and

a second drive cylinder operatively positioned between the leg assembly and the inner housing, the second drive cylinder being operable to move the leg assembly between a retracted position in which the leg assembly is contained within the inner housing and an extended position in which the leg assembly extends out of the inner housing;

wherein the second drive cylinder includes a cylinder body and an extendable cylinder rod, the cylinder body being slidably supported within a guide block attached to the leg assembly and the cylinder rod being secured to the inner support housing, such that when the cylinder rod is extended from the cylinder body, the guide block slides along the cylinder body such that the leg assembly moves a distance equal to the combination of the length of the cylinder rod and the length of the cylinder body.

16. The outrigger assembly of claim 15 wherein the first drive cylinder includes a cylinder body secured to an outer shell of the inner support housing and an extendable cylinder rod secured to the outer shell of the stationary support housing such that when the cylinder rod is extended from the cylinder body, the inner housing moves from the retracted position to the extended position.

17. The outrigger assembly of claim 16 wherein the second drive cylinder includes a cylinder body coupled to the leg assembly and an extendable cylinder rod secured to the inner support housing such that when the cylinder rod is extended from the cylinder body, the leg assembly moves from the retracted position to the extended position.

18. The outrigger assembly of claim 17 wherein the cylinder body of the second drive cylinder is slidably supported within a guide block attached to the mounting beam.

19. An outrigger assembly for stabilizing a mobile work machine, comprising:

a stationary support housing mountable to the work machine;

an inner housing telescopically positioned within the support housing;

a first drive cylinder operatively positioned between the support housing and the inner housing, the first drive cylinder being operable to move the inner housing between a retracted position in which the inner housing is positioned within the support housing and an extended position in which the inner housing extends from the support housing;

a mounting beam telescopically movable within the inner housing between a retracted position and an extended position;

a leg member extending between an outer end and an inner end, the inner end of the leg member being pivotally mounted to the mounting beam;

a pivot cylinder positioned between the mounting beam and the inner end of the leg member, the pivot cylinder being operable to pivot the leg member between the extended position and a ground-engaging position;

a second drive cylinder operatively positioned between the mounting beam and the inner housing, the second drive cylinder being operable to move the mounting beam between a retracted position in which the leg assembly is contained within the inner housing and an extended position in which the leg assembly extends out of the inner housing;

wherein the second drive cylinder includes a cylinder body slidably supported within a guide block attached to the mounting beam, the second drive cylinder including an extendable cylinder rod secured to the inner support housing such that when the cylinder rod is extended from the cylinder body, the guide block moves along the cylinder body such that the mounting beam is movable a distance equal to the combined length of the cylinder rod and the cylinder body.

20. The outrigger assembly of claim 19 further comprising a fixed length cable having a first end attached to an outer end of the inner housing and a second end fixed to an inner end of the inner housing, wherein the fixed length cable passes around a first sheave fixed to an outer end of the second cylinder body and a second sheave assembly attached to the first end of the cylinder body, wherein the fixed length cable causes the guide block to slide along the cylinder body when the cylinder rod is extended from the cylinder body.