Front end loader bucket discharge funnel and distributor

• US 6,969,226 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2004
• Issued: 11/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thomas A. Raley
• Original Assignee: Thomas A. Raley
• Inventors: Raley, Thomas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Underwood, Donald W.
• Application Number:
  US10/770,494
• Publication Number:
  US 20050169739A1
• Time in Patent Office: 664 Days
• Field of Search: 414/724, 414/725, 414/722, 414/912, 374/44, 379/03, 374/03, 222/460
• US Class Current: 414/725
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/962 Mounting of implements directly on tools already attached to the machine E02F3/404 and E02F3/8152 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 21/0481 Concrete chutes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 37/903 Scoop or scraper attachments

Abstract

A discharge funnel and distributor chute for sand and gravel or other disperse material which is removably attachable to the bucket of a front end loader. Funnel engaging hooks are attached along the front edges of the sides of the bucket and spaced upward from the bucket floor. The funnel has a floor and vertical sidewalls forming an open rear bucket receiving portion for receiving the front lower portion of the bucket. This portion has a floor and sides with a hook engaging bar extending between upper ends of the funnel sides forming a rear opening. Angled bucket guide bars are located along the inner sides of opposite walls. The funnel has a converging funnel portion connected to the engaging portion. The converging portion opens into a discharge chute. The chute allows the discharge of disperse material to a specific location such as a basement floor under construction.

Claims

1. A front end loader bucket discharge funnel and distributor chute comprising:

a funnel having a bucket receiving portion and a converging portion;

said bucket receiving portion defining an opening for receiving the front portion of a front end loader bucket;

said bucket receiving portion having bucket engaging guides and a hook engaging bar;

funnel engaging hooks mountable on the front portion of the front end loader bucket for engaging said hook engaging bar;

said bucket engaging guides engaging the front end loader bucket when said funnel engaging hooks engage said hook engaging bar;

said converging portion of said funnel having an outlet end defining an outlet opening substantially smaller than said opening defined by said bucket receiving portion; and

a delivery chute attached to and extending from said funnel outlet end;

said delivery chute being aligned with said funnel outlet opening so as to receive disperse material from said bucket via said funnel;

whereby, upon said front loader bucket mounted on a tractor being filled with disperse material, the front portion of the bucket may be inserted into said bucket receiving portion of said funnel by driving the tractor forward until the bucket engages said guides, the bucket raised by the tractor until said engaging hooks engage said hook engaging bar, thereby engaging the funnel and delivery chute, the bucket then raised along with the funnel and delivery chute, the tractor driven to a delivery site, and the funnel and chute lowered over a wall the disperse material being delivered by gravity to a location below the wall by traveling from the bucket, through the funnel, and then through the chute to a desired point at the outlet of the chute.

2. The funnel and distributor chute of claim 1, wherein said bucket receiving portion and said converging portion have respective sidewalls and a common floor.

3. The funnel and distributor chute of claim 2, wherein said opening defined by said bucket receiving portion is defined by said sidewalls, said floor and said hook engaging bar.

4. The funnel and distributor chute of claim 2, wherein said bucket guides are disposed at an angle along respective inner sides of said bucket receiving portion of said funnel, said angle approximating the angle of the front portion of the bucket, said bucket guides being generally aligned with said hook engaging bar and spaced therefrom.

5. The funnel and distributor chute of claim 2, further comprising upper mounting plates extending upward from said bucket receiving portion sidewalls at said respective bucket receiving opening;

said hook engaging bar being mounted between said respective mounting plates.

6. The funnel and distributor chute of claim 2, wherein said bucket receiving portion sidewalls have generally horizontal upper edges parallel with said floor and said converging portion sidewalls have upper edges sloping downward from said upper edges of said bucket receiving portion to the upper end of said funnel outlet end.

7. The funnel and distributor chute of claim 2, further comprising chute attachment plates extending outward from said sidewalls at the funnel outlet.

8. The funnel and distributor chute of claim 7, said chute having an inlet end, an outlet end, a floor, and opposing sidewalls, said funnel being mounted at said inlet end to said attachment plates such that said inlet end is aligned with said funnel outlet.

9. The funnel and distributor chute of claim 2, wherein said funnel floor has a rear edge inset relative to said bucket receiving portion sidewalls.

10. The funnel and distributor chute of claim 9, further comprising a lip extending downward from said rear edge.

11. The funnel and distributor chute of claim 5, further comprising support chains attached at their upper end to respective said upper mounting plates and at their lower ends to respective sidewalls of said chute at mounting points about equally spaced from said funnel outlet opening.

12. The funnel and distributor chute of claim 11, further comprising a cross bar extending across said chute at a point between said mounting points and said funnel outlet opening, said cross bar having chain mounts at each end thereof and proximate the outer sides of said cute sidewalls for engaging respective chain links.

13. A front end loader bucket discharge funnel and distributor chute comprising:

a funnel having a bucket receiving portion and a converging portion;

said bucket receiving portion defining an opening for receiving the front portion of a front end loader bucket;

said bucket receiving portion having bucket engaging guides and a hook engaging bar;

funnel engaging hooks mountable on the front portion of the front end loader bucket for engaging said hook engaging bar;

said bucket engaging guides engaging the front end loader bucket when said funnel engaging hooks engage said hook engaging bar;

said converging portion of said funnel having an outlet end defining an outlet opening substantially smaller than said opening defined by said bucket receiving portion;

a delivery chute attached to and extending from said funnel outlet end;

said delivery chute being aligned with said funnel outlet opening so as to receive disperse material from said bucket via said funnel;

said bucket receiving portion and said converging portion having respective sidewalls and a common floor;

said bucket receiving opening being defined by said sidewalls, said floor and said hook engaging bar;

said bucket guides being disposed at an angle along respective inner sides of said bucket receiving portion of said funnel, said angle approximating the angle of the front portion of the bucket, said bucket guides being generally aligned with said hook engaging bar and spaced therefrom.

14. The funnel and distributor chute of claim 13, further comprising upper mounting plates extending upward from said bucket receiving portion sidewalls at said respective bucket receiving opening;

said hook engaging bar being mounted between said respective mounting plates.

15. The funnel and distributor chute of claim 14, wherein said bucket receiving portion sidewalls have generally horizontal upper edges parallel with said floor and said converging portion sidewalls have upper edges sloping downward from said upper edges of said bucket receiving portion to the upper end of said funnel outlet end.

16. The funnel and distributor chute of claim 15, further comprising chute attachment plates extending outward from said sidewalls at the funnel outlet.

17. The funnel and distributor chute of claim 16, said chute having an inlet end, an outlet end, a floor, and opposing sidewalls, said funnel being mounted at said inlet end to said attachment plates such that said inlet end is aligned with said funnel outlet.

18. The funnel and distributor chute of claim 17, further comprising support chains attached at their upper end to respective said upper mounting plates and at their lower ends to respective sidewalls of said chute at mounting points about equally spaced from said funnel outlet opening.

19. The funnel and distributor chute of claim 18, further comprising a cross bar extending across said chute at a point between said mounting points and said funnel outlet opening, said cross bar having chain mounts at each end thereof and proximate the outer sides of said cute sidewalls for engaging respective chain links.