Wheel track filling apparatus

• US 6,851,484 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2002
• Issued: 02/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Layne Klompien
• Original Assignee: Layne Klompien
• Inventors: Klompien, Layne
• Primary Examiner(s): Novosad, Christopher J.
• Application Number:
  US10/245,930
• Publication Number:
  US 20040050565A1
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• Field of Search: 172/684.5, 172/701, 172734-736, 172/741, 172/742, 172/744, 172/776, 172/19, 172/20, 172/799.5, 172/169, 172/170, 172/171, 172174-176, 172/182, 172/183, 172/190, 172/191, 172195-197, 172199-203, 172/232, 172/810, 172/811, 172/605, 172613-618, 172/439, 371/96, 37214-222, 37266-270, 37272-276, 372/79, 372/81, 372/84, 372/85, 373/81
• US Class Current: 172/191
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/7627 with the scraper blade adjustable relative to the frame about a vertical axis

Abstract

A novel and practical track-filling apparatus for smoothing rutted soil formed by the repeated passage of wheels. This apparatus includes a frame, a system for attaching the frame to a tractor, and a soil moving blade assembly mounted to the frame. This blade assembly has laterally disposed and spaced apart left and right blades. A system for adjusting the included blade angle between these blades is also provided. This system for adjusting includes a single blade adjusting hydraulic ram that is operatively connected to the blades via a novel yet simple and reliable linkage assembly. Additionally, systems for lifting and tilting the apparatus optimizes operation of this track-filling apparatus over irregular and differing terrain.

Claims

1. A track-filling apparatus connected to a tractor for smoothing rutted soil formed by the repeated passage of wheels, said apparatus comprising:

a frame having a front and a rear,

a system for attaching said front of the frame to the tractor,

a soil moving blade assembly mounted to said frame, said assembly having laterally disposed left and right blades, said blades further having a spaced apart relationship forming an included blade angle there between, and

a system for adjusting said included blade angle by changing said spaced relationship of the left and right blades, said system for adjusting comprising;

a tiebar being pivotal on a tiebar pivot point near said rear of the frame,

left and right arm systems each comprising a plurality of arm segments pivotally connected to each other, and each of said left and right arm systems having a rear portion pivotally connected to the tiebar and having a front portion near said front of the frame, wherein the left blade is fixed to said left arm system and wherein the right blade is fixed to said right arm system,

a blade adjusting hydraulic ram extending between said front portions of the left and right arm systems and adapted to pull said front portions together to move the left and right blade to be generally parallel to each other, and to push said front portions apart to move the left and right blade to said included blade angle relative to each other.

2. A track-filling apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said system for attaching said frame to the tractor includes a system for lifting and a system for tilting said track-filling apparatus.

3. A track-filling apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said system for lifting comprises at least one hydraulic lift ram pivotably connected between said front of the frame and said tractor.

4. A track filling apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said system for tilting comprises at least one hydraulic tilt ram, said tilt rain being pivotably connected between said front of the frame and said tractor.

5. A track filling apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said left and right blades are replaceable.

6. A track filling apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said left and right blades each have an upper edge, a lower cutting edge, said blades being tapered from the upper edge rearwardly and downwardly and to the cutting edge.

7. A track filling apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said left and right blades comprise road grader blades.

8. A track filling apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said apparatus further includes a system for smoothing the soil moved by said blades.

9. A track-filling apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the system for attaching said front of the frame to the tractor includes three connections adapted to connect to a three-point hitch of the tractor, the three connections being a top connection and two bottom connections, wherein the top connection comprises a hydraulic ram.

10. A track-filling apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the system for attaching said front of the frame to the tractor includes three connections adapted to connect to a three-point hitch of the tractor, the three connections being a top connection and two bottom connections, wherein the two bottom connections each comprises a hydraulic ram.

11. A track-filling apparatus connected to a tractor for smoothing rutted soil formed by the repeated passage of wheels, said apparatus comprising:

a frame,

a system for attaching said frame to the tractor, and

a soil moving blade assembly mounted to said frame, said assembly having laterally disposed left and right blades, said blades further having a spaced apart relationship forming an included blade angle there between,

wherein said soil moving blade assembly further includes a system for adjusting the included blade angle,

wherein said system for adjusting the included blade angle includes;

a blade adjusting hydraulic ram having piston and cylinder ends,

left and right blade support arms fixedly secured to the left and right blades respectively,

left and right blade support shafts, each shaft being pivotably secured within said frame and fixedly secured thereto, the left support shaft being fixedly secured to the left blade and the right support shaft being fixedly secured to the right blade,

left and right angled pivot bars each having a first end, a pivot point and a second end,

left and right connection bars, each having first and second ends,

a tiebar having a first end, a pivot point and a second end, and

a tiebar bracket having a pivot point, wherein;

the piston end of the blade-adjusting ram is pivotably connected to the first end of the right angled pivot bar,

the right bar pivot point is fixedly connected to the right blade support shaft,

the second end of the right pivot bar is pivotably connected to the first end of the right connection bar and the second end of the right connection bar is pivotably connected to the first end of the tiebar,

the pivot point of the tiebar is pivotably connected to the tiebar bracket pivot point, the second end of the tiebar is pivotably connected to the second end of the left connection bar, the first end of the left connection bar is pivotably connected to the second end of the left angled pivot bar,

the left pivot bar pivot point is fixedly connected to the left blade support shaft, and

the first end of the left pivot bar is pivotably connected to the cylinder end of the blade-adjusting ram.

12. A track-filling apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said a system for attaching said frame to the tractor includes a system for lifting and a system for tilting said track-filling apparatus.

13. A track-filling apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said system for lifting comprises at least one hydraulic lift ram pivotably connected between said front of the frame and said tractor.

14. A track filling apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said system for tilting comprises at least one hydraulic tilt ram, said tilt ram being pivotably connected between said front of the frame and said tractor.

15. A track filling apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said left and right blades are replaceable.

16. A track filling apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said left and right blades each have an upper edge, a lower cutting edge, said blades being tapered from the upper edge rearwardly and downwardly and to the cutting edge.

17. A track filling apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said left and right blades comprise road grader blades.

18. A track filling apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said apparatus further includes a system for smoothing the soil moved by said blades.