Thumb for an Excavator Machine with Structure Support
a technology of structure support and excavating machine, which is applied in the direction of mechanical machines/dredgers, soil-shifting machines/dredgers, construction, etc., can solve the problems of unbalanced weight distribution between buckets and thumbs, structural and other limitations affecting the adaptation of the counteracting thumbs, and concentrated stresses on components
Inactive Publication Date: 2015-07-23
CATERPILLAR INC
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- Summary
- Abstract
- Description
- Claims
- Application Information
AI Technical Summary
Benefits of technology
The solution effectively distributes unbalanced loads, reduces stress concentrations, and enhances the structural integrity of the thumb, allowing for reduced material usage and cost while maintaining efficient operation and assembly.
Problems solved by technology
These types of work material loads cause uneven weight distributions across the bucket and thumb and concentrated stresses on the components.
However, currently known structure supports for counteracting thumbs have structural and other limitations affecting their adaptation for various work environments in which the excavator machines may operate.
Some current thumb designs incorporate structure support that does not effectively transfer offset loads between the side plates of the thumb.
However, the flat connecting plate is not effective in transferring torque loads from the side plate with high concentration of loading to the side plate on the opposite side of the thumb.
As a result, high stress concentrations occur on the loaded side of the thumb, thereby requiring thicker side plates on each side that add weight and cost to the thumb design.
Other thumb designs provide additional structure support but have other limitations that can compromise the design and integrity of the thumb.
The tube may provide better load transfer between the side plates under offset load conditions than a flat plate, but the circular outer surface to which the side plates and the teeth are attached can present issues in supporting torsion loads that are created about the longitudinal axis of the circular tube.
Torsion loads can occur when the bucket and thumb clamp down around work material with the teeth of the thumb engaging the work material.
Due to the round surface of the tube, the amount of weld length between the circular tube and the side plates and teeth may not be sufficient given the space constraints of the design, and the torsion loads and resulting stresses may be concentrated at the welds connecting the teeth to the circular tube, and the circular tube to the side plates, making failures in the welds problematic.
The square tubes may provide comparable load transfer between the side plates as the circular tubes, but create additional issues in designing and assembling the thumb.
For example, in many implementations, the side plates and the teeth may mount on shared sides of the square tube causing an overlap in the structures.
With the side plates infringing on the space for the teeth, interference with the side plates may inhibit the ability to place the teeth in the optimal locations along the tube.
The square tube may also encroach the space within the thumb and interfere with the movement of the linkages that open and close the thumb.
Method used
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[0019]Although the following text sets forth a detailed description of numerous different embodiments of the, it should be understood that the legal scope of protection is defined by the words of the claims set forth at the end of this patent. The detailed description is to be construed as exemplary only and does not describe every possible embodiment since describing every possible embodiment would be impractical, if not impossible. Numerous alternative embodiments could be implemented, using either current technology or technology developed after the filing date of this patent, which would still fall within the scope of the claims defining the scope of protection.
[0020]It should also be understood that, unless a term is expressly defined in this patent using the sentence “As used herein, the term ‘______’ is hereby defined to mean . . . ” or a similar sentence, there is no intent to limit the meaning of that term, either expressly or by implication, beyond its plain or ordinary me...
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A counteracting thumb for an implement of a machine may include first and second structure support plates each having first and second planar portions connected by an intermediate curved portion to orient the planar portions at an obtuse angle relative to each other. A first end edge of the first plate may be connected to an inner surface of the second plate proximate a first end edge of the second plate, and second end edge of the second plate may be connected to an inner surface of the first plate proximate a second end edge of the first plate. Side plates of the thumb may be connected to an outer surface of the first plate, and teeth of the thumb may be connected to an outer surface of the second plate.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD[0001]This disclosure relates generally to excavator machines having articulating ground-engaging implements and counteracting thumbs and, in particular, to structure support in the counteracting thumb for withstanding forces and stresses in the thumb during operation of the excavator machine to operate on work material.BACKGROUND[0002]Mining and construction machines such as backhoe loaders and excavators employ various implements, such as buckets, rams, forks, grapples, thumbs, and the like, to perform different operations. For example, a machine may use a bucket and counteracting thumb to grasp, hold, and lift odd-shaped work material such as boulders, pipes, trees, structural components, and the like. These types of work material loads cause uneven weight distributions across the bucket and thumb and concentrated stresses on the components. A strong structure support that connects teeth of the thumb to the side plates and main body of the thumb may provide for mor...
Claims
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IPC IPC(8): E02F3/40E02F3/96
CPCE02F3/962E02F3/404
InventorKOVAR, AARON DEANKLEINER, DON HARLENSHEA, RYAN PATRICK
OwnerCATERPILLAR INC