Buckets for underground loaders

Abstract

A bucket (102) for an underground loader (100) includes an open bucket front (116) and a recessed bucket back (118). To provide wear resistance, the bucket includes a paddle (200) coupled to a bucket underside (198) of a bucket floor (150). The paddle (200) may have a flared shape that tapers from a flared front edge to a tail (204) disposed toward the recessed bucket back (118). The bucket may be configured as a wedge-shaped bottom bucket and include a plurality of spacer wedges (240) disposed between and separating the bucket underside (198) and the paddle (200).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention generally relates to a bucket for a loader for scooping, hauling, and dumping material, and more particularly, to a bucket for a loader designed for operation underground. Background Art

[0002] Wheel loaders and crawler loaders are machines used to excavate, move, and dump materials at various locations around a worksite. Such loaders typically include a bucket connected to the distal end of a lifting tool, which can be a linkage configured to lift and tilt the bucket. The lifting tool can exhibit a considerable range of motion relative to the loader to excavate material from the ground and lift and dump it into trucks. However, special types of loaders are purposefully designed to operate in underground mines, where space is limited by low clearances and narrow passages. Underground operations are also considered relatively heavy work, as the materials of interest are typically hard, blasted rock, mined ore, and other hard, dense materials. Consequently, underground loaders are designed to be more compact and perform specialized operations to increase their efficiency despite the limited operating space and demanding conditions.

[0003] U.S. Patent No. 10,246,849 (the "'849 Patent") describes a bucket designed specifically for underground loaders to address imposed space limitations and conditions. The '849 Patent describes that the bucket can be tilted from a loading or digging position, in which the bucket is oriented to penetrate a pile of material, to a crimped or resting position, in which the bucket and associated loader can haul the material out of the mine without having to raise a hoist implement. Thus, the loader is able to maintain a low profile even when transporting material underground. The '849 Patent recognizes that using the bucket in the aforementioned manner can apply asymmetric or uneven forces across the lateral length of the top or upper surface of the bucket, which can lead to damage or premature wear. Therefore, the '849 Patent proposes adding torque tubes across the lateral length of the bucket top plate to reinforce the bucket top plate against such forces. In contrast, the present invention is directed to strengthening and reinforcing the lower layer of a bucket intended for use in similar underground applications. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In one aspect, the present invention describes a bucket for an underground loader, the bucket being assembled from a bucket shell assembly comprising an open bucket front portion that delineates the bucket depth along a centerline of the bucket and a recessed bucket back portion. The bucket shell assembly may further comprise a center shell, a first outer shell, and a second outer shell, the first outer shell flanking the center shell at a first lateral side, the second outer shell flanking the center shell at a second lateral side, the center shell being offset forward relative to the first and second side shells. The bucket shell assembly may further comprise a first sidewall coupled to the first outer shell and a second sidewall coupled to the second outer shell to define a lateral dimension of the bucket. A paddle may be coupled to the underside of the bucket and may have a flared shape that tapers from an outwardly flared front edge that extends the lateral dimension of the bucket to a rearwardly disposed rearwardly disposed rearwardly toward the recessed bucket back portion. First and second back supports may extend rearwardly between the rear and recessed bucket back portion and may be associated with back support side panels to provide an enclosed space between the paddle and the recessed bucket back portion.

[0005] In another aspect, the present invention describes a bucket for an underground loader, the bucket comprising a bucket shell assembly having an open bucket front and a recessed bucket back. The bucket shell assembly further comprises a bucket floor and a bucket roof, the recessed bucket back interconnecting the bucket floor and the bucket roof. To reinforce the bucket floor, a paddle can be coupled to the bucket underside of the bucket floor and can be spaced apart therefrom to provide a separation gap. The bucket shell further comprises a center shell, a first outer shell flanking the center shell at a first lateral side, and a second outer shell flanking the center shell at a second lateral side. To prevent the separation gap from collapsing, a plurality of spacer wedges, which may have an inclined first and second surface, may be disposed between and adjacent the bucket underside and the paddles. The spacer wedges may generally overlap a weld between the center shell and the first and second outer shells of the bucket shell assembly.

[0006] In yet another aspect, the present invention describes a bucket shell assembly comprising an open bucket front, a recessed bucket back, and a bucket floor and a bucket roof extending between the open bucket front and the recessed bucket back. The bucket shell further comprises a center shell, a first outer shell flanking the center shell on a first lateral side, and a second outer shell flanking the center shell on a second lateral side. The center shell can be offset forward relative to the first and second side shells. A flared paddle can be attached to the underside of the bucket, the paddle tapering from an outwardly flared front edge to narrow a rearwardly disposed rearwardly facing the recessed bucket back. A first back support and a second back support extend at a rearward angle between the recessed bucket back and the rearwardly disposed rearwardly, each back support being associated with a back support side plate to provide an enclosed space between the paddle and the recessed bucket back. A plurality of spacer wedges can be positioned between the underside of the bucket and the paddle and spaced apart to support the relative spacing between the underside of the bucket and the paddle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] Figure 1 is a side view of a machine designed for underground operations, particularly a wheel loader, having a bucket connected to a lifting implement, and illustrating the various maneuvers and movements that the lifting implement and bucket can perform.

[0008] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A side view of the bucket and lifting tool in the crimped or rack position, showing the connection between the lifting tool and the back of the bucket.

[0009] Figure 3 is a front perspective view of a bucket assembled from a center shell and first and second outer shells positioned on either side of the center shell to provide material carrying volume.

[0010] Figure 4 is a rear perspective view of the bucket showing the lift arm slots set in depressions in the concave bucket back and the flared paddles attached to the bottom to strengthen the bucket.

[0011] Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the bucket, also showing the flared paddles attached to the underside of the bucket floor.

[0012] Figure 6 is a rear assembly view of the bucket with the paddles removed and the seat frame protruding from the underside of the bucket floor to outline and frame the paddles.

[0013] Figure 7 is a perspective view of a spacer wedge that can be used to space the underside of the bucket from the paddle while supporting and holding a hinge plate disposed in the bucket.

[0014] Figure 8 It is along Figure 5 The cross-sectional view taken along line 8-8 shows the separation gap between the bucket floor and the paddle.

[0015] Figure 9 It is along Figure 5 A cross-sectional view taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 1 shows a spacer wedge disposed between the bucket floor and the paddle plate and sliding adjacent the first hinge plate. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals will refer to like elements whenever possible, Figure 1 and 21 shows a loader 100 configured for underground operations, such as in underground mines, to excavate, transport, and dump materials such as blasted rock, ore, and overburden. The loader 100 in the illustrated embodiment is an underground wheel loader, but in other embodiments, the loader may be an underground crawler loader or other type of loader designed to operate underground or in other locations with confined spaces. Furthermore, while embodiments of the present invention are described with respect to underground loaders, various aspects of the present invention may be applicable to buckets used in above-ground applications. The loader 100 may include a bucket 102 operably coupled to a distal end of a lifting tool 104 for raising, lowering, and tilting the bucket for various tasks, such as excavating or penetrating material, hauling material, and dumping material at another location. The lifting tool 104 is operably attached to a machine frame 106 of the loader 100. Due to the limitations of underground space, the machine frame may be purposefully designed to have a low profile with a reduced height. To accommodate an operator and controls for operating the loader 100, a rear-seat, low-profile operator cab 108 may be supported on a machine frame 106, while to engage the ground, the machine frame 106 may be supported on a plurality of traction devices 110, such as wheels, or in other embodiments, continuous tracks. The low profile allows the loader 100 to operate in low-clearance locations, such as underground mines, where the vertical distance between the ground 112 and the ceiling 113 is limited.

[0017] Because the loader 100 may need to dump material into the bed of a haul truck, the hoist 104 can be raised (indicated by dashed lines) so that the bucket 102 is above the machine frame 106. However, as shown by the lines representing the ground 112 and the ceiling 113, raising the hoist 104 when underground or in another confined location would cause the bucket 102 to collide with the ceiling. Therefore, the bucket 102 is connected in a tilted manner relative to the hoist 104 between the loading or digging orientation shown and a rack orientation (indicated by dashed lines) in which the bucket 102 can hold and carry material while maintaining a low profile of the loader 100 without impacting the ceiling 113. In the rack orientation, the hoist 104 remains lowered and the bucket 102 remains close to the ground 112, but is oriented so that the bucket's material receiving volume is facing the ceiling 113.

[0018] The orientation of bucket 102 relative to the rest of loader 100 may be further constrained by underground operations. For example, loader 100 may be equipped with a laser radar (LIDAR) system 114 located above operator cab 108. This LIDAR system requires a clear line of sight (shown in dashed lines) over bucket 102 when in the erected orientation. Furthermore, bucket 102 may be filled with material that rises above the bucket, which may protrude into the line of sight from LIDAR system 114. Therefore, in the erected orientation, it is desirable to keep bucket 102 close to ground 112. However, when bucket 102 is tilted into the erected position, the rear side of the downwardly pivoted bucket should still be able to clear ground 112 in front of tractor 110 (shown in dashed lines). In various embodiments, the loader may be an articulated machine, in which frame 106 is connected between the front and rear at pivot joint 105, which allows the machine to make sharp turns when necessary during underground operations. As can be appreciated, as the overall length of the machine increases, the further forward the bucket 102 is positioned relative to the rest of the frame 106, the greater the turning radius becomes. To address the aforementioned limitations, when in the machine frame orientation, the bucket 102 is ideally positioned immediately adjacent the front of the loader 100 and vertically disposed between the line of sight from the LIDAR system 114 while providing tilt clearance for the bucket 102 above the ground 112.

[0019] Reference Figure 2 The bucket 102 may have an open bucket front 116 for receiving material and a recessed bucket back 118 for holding the material therein and releasably coupled to the lifting tool 104, allowing different buckets to be used on the same loader 100. The lifting tool 104 may be a mechanical linkage comprising a plurality of rigid links interconnected by pivot joints to enable the links to move through different positions. To provide power to raise and lower the lifting tool 104, the lifting tool may include various hydraulic actuators and be operatively associated with a hydraulic system including a hydraulic pump to supply pressurized hydraulic fluid. The lifting tool 104 may include a lift arm 120 pivotally connected to the loader 100 and operatively coupled to the bucket 102 via a tilt assembly 122. To raise and lower the lifting tool 104, the lift arm 120 is connected at one end to a lift actuator 124, such as a hydraulic cylinder, and at its other end is also connected to the loader 100. Thus, the lift actuator 124 is supported between the lift arm 120 and the loader 100 such that extension and retraction of the lift actuator 124 will raise and lower the lift arm 120 relative to the loader 100 .

[0020] Tilt assembly 122 includes a tilt lever 126 pivotally connected at its midsection to the distal end of lift arm 120. The upper end of tilt lever 126 is connected to a tilt actuator 128, such as a hydraulic cylinder also connected to loader 100. The lower end of tilt lever 126 is pivotally connected to an upper coupling connector 130 on the recessed bucket back 118 of bucket 102 via a coupling link 132. The upper coupling connector 130, which can be a pin joint forming a single-axis journal or a swivel joint, defines an upper pivot axis 134 that extends transversely across the length of bucket 102. The recessed bucket back 118 of bucket 102 is also directly connected to lift arm 120 at a lower coupling connector 136, which can also be a pin joint forming a single-axis journal or a swivel joint that defines a lower pin axis 138 that also extends transversely across the length of bucket 102. While actuating the lift actuator 124 raises and lowers the lift implement 104, actuating the tilt actuator 128 articulates the tilt lever 126 to tilt or rotate the bucket 102 about the lower pin axis 138. Thus, the bucket 102 can be tilted or rotated. Figure 2 The raised or hauled position shown is the same as Figure 1 However, in order to accommodate these connections while maintaining a compact design for the loader 100, a portion of the lift arm 120 and tilt assembly 122 must protrude and be accommodated within the profile of the concave bucket back 118 of the bucket 102. Figure 2 One lift arm 120 is shown in FIG, but typically two parallel lift arms would be included in the lift tool 104 that must be attached to the recessed bucket back 118 of the bucket 102.

[0021] Reference Figure 3, the open bucket front 116 of the bucket 102 is an open space for receiving material and includes an upper lateral edge referred to as a headboard 140 and a parallel, spaced-apart lower lateral edge, which may be referred to as a cutting edge 142 because it cuts into and penetrates the material. In one embodiment, the cutting edge 142 may have a plurality of ground engaging tools or teeth arranged along it. The headboard 140 and the cutting edge 142 extend laterally between a first sidewall 144 and an opposing second sidewall 146. The first and second sidewalls 144, 146 may also be referred to as the "left" and "right" sidewalls relative to the machine operator's viewpoint from the recessed bucket back 118 of the bucket 102. The distance between the first and second sidewalls 144, 146 defines a lateral dimension 148 (i.e., from left to right) or length of the bucket 102. To conform to the shape of the concave bucket back 118, the first and second sidewalls 144, 146 can be generally U-shaped and point rearward from the open bucket front 116 toward the concave bucket back 118 of the bucket 102. Furthermore, the bucket 102 can include a lowermost bucket floor 150 extending from the open bucket front 116 to the concave bucket back 118 and a spaced-apart bucket top 152 also extending from the open bucket front 116 to the concave bucket back 118. The bucket floor 150 and bucket top 152 can be generally planar and can be separated from each other at a slight angle toward the open bucket front 116. When the bucket 102 is positioned in a digging position, the bucket floor 150 with the attached cutting edge 142 can be adjacent to the ground, with the bucket top 152 and attached headboard 140 positioned on top. The continuous curve of the concave bucket back 118 transitions between and interconnects the bucket floor 150 and the bucket roof 152, such that the bucket 102 defines a trough-shaped material-holding volume capable of containing and retaining the material of interest. The depth of the trough-shaped bucket 102 can be defined relative to a bucket centerline 154, which is oriented perpendicular to the transverse dimension 148 of the bucket 102 and extends from the open bucket front 116 to the concave bucket back 118. The bucket centerline 154 can be oriented approximately centrally at a mid-length between the first and second sidewalls 144, 146 and a mid-height between the lower bucket floor 150 and the upper bucket roof 152.

[0022] In the illustrated embodiment, the bucket 102 can be assembled into a bucket shell assembly made of three subcomponents, including a center shell 160, a first outer shell 162 flanking the center shell 160 at a first lateral side 166, and a second outer shell 164 flanking the center shell 160 at an opposite second lateral side 168. The center shell 160, the first outer shell 162, and the second outer shell 164 can be separately manufactured from cast or finished steel or other metals and can be joined in a transverse arrangement, such as by welding. To connect the first and second sidewalls 144, 146 to the first and second outer shells 162, 164, respectively, the first and second sidewalls can also be made of weldable steel or metal. Similar to the bucket 102, each of the center shell 160, the first outer shell 162, and the second outer shell 164 can have a planar shell bottom plate 170, a planar shell top plate 172, and a concave shell back 174 that curves between and interconnects the planar shell bottom and top plates. The shell bottom 170 of the center shell 160 and the shell bottoms 170 of the first and second side shells 162, 164 can be aligned in a common plane to form a planar bucket floor 150. Similarly, the shell top 172 of the center shell 160 and the shell tops 172 of the first and second side shells 162, 164 can be aligned in a common plane to form a planar bucket roof 152. However, in one embodiment, the concave shell back 174 of the center shell 160 can be offset forwardly along the bucket centerline 154 toward the open bucket front 116 relative to the concave shell backs 174 of the first and second side shells 162, 164. As a result, the center shell 160 appears to protrude into the trough-like volume defined by the bucket 102.

[0023] Reference Figure 4To couple the bucket 102 to the loader's lifting implement, the recessed bucket back 118 may include structures that cooperatively form the upper and lower coupling connectors described above. Furthermore, to accommodate the coupling structure within the space constraints of the loader, a recess 176 is provided in the recessed bucket back 118 by offsetting the center shell 160 of the bucket shell assembly forward relative to the first and second lateral shells 162, 164. For example, the recess 176 provides access to the volume of the bucket 102 in which the coupling structure can be accommodated while maintaining the bucket close to the front of the loader. Further in this regard, retaining the first and second lateral shells 162, 164 behind the center shell 160 increases the volume of material that the bucket 102 can accommodate. The connector structure may include, for example, an upper prong 178 positioned within the recess 170, the upper prong having two spaced-apart apertures aligned about the upper pivot axis 134. When the distal end of the connector link of the lifting tool is positioned between the upper prongs 178, it can be pivotally secured thereto by a pin inserted through the spaced-apart holes to form an upper coupling connector. To form a lower coupling connector, the recessed bucket back 118 can include first and second lower prongs 179 positioned in a recess 176 that laterally flanks the upper prongs 178 and is generally disposed toward the bucket floor 150. The first and second lower prongs 179 can also each have two spaced-apart holes aligned with the lower pivot axis 138. When positioned between the respective first and second lower prongs, the first and second lower prongs 179 can be pivotally connected to the distal end of the lifting arm by the inserted pin.

[0024] To support and strengthen the coupling formed between the upper and lower prongs 178, 179 of the bucket 102 and the lifting implement, a plurality of hinge plates may be assembled to the recessed bucket back 118 and disposed within the recess 176. The hinge plates may include first and second outer hinge plates 180, which may be located at the joints or seams between the center shell 160 and the first outer shell 162, and between the center shell 160 and the second outer shell 164, respectively. Two inner hinge plates 182 may also be included, which are located transversely between the first and second outer hinge plates 180 and directly connected to the recessed shell back of the center shell 160. Thus, a total of four outer hinge plates 180 and four inner hinge plates 182 are arranged vertically within the recess 170 and may extend between the bucket floor 150 and the bucket roof 152 perpendicular to the lateral dimension 148 of the bucket 102, although a different number and arrangement of hinge plates may be used in other embodiments. The outer hinge plate 180 and the inner hinge plate 182 can be generally C-shaped to conform to the contour of the recessed bucket back 118 and can be made of metal to facilitate welding the components into the recess 170. The laterally spaced arrangement of the four outer hinge plates 180 and the inner hinge plates 182 divides the recess 176 in the recessed bucket back 118 into three parallel, laterally arranged connector slots 188. The upper prong 178 can be positioned in the middle connector slot 188, while the first and second lower prongs 179 can be positioned in the two outer connector slots 188. The elongated connector slots 188 provide space to accommodate the connector link and the distal end of the lift arm from the lifting tool and can align these components with the upper prongs 176 and lower prongs 179.

[0025] During use, the bucket underside 198, which may be the outer surface of the bucket floor 150, contacts the ground and is forced to move along the ground to dig into or penetrate the material, subjecting the bucket underside 198 to significant wear and stress. Furthermore, as the forward-positioned cutting edge 142 is forced into the material, reaction loads and forces must be transferred rearwardly through the bucket floor 150 to the recessed bucket back 118. In embodiments where the center shell 160 is offset forward from the lateral first and second shells 162, 164, the offset geometry at these intersections can concentrate stresses and forces that could potentially fracture or cause joint or seam failure. Therefore, to resist wear and strengthen the bucket floor 150 against such loads and forces, a wear plate may be bonded to the bucket underside 198, and a plurality of wear pads may be attached to the bucket underside. The wear plate resists wear from the ground and reinforces the bucket underside 198 against the forces applied to the cutting edge 142. However, wear plates may add weight to the bucket 102 , which must be offset by limiting the amount of material that can be accommodated per load.

[0026] See also Figure 5According to one aspect of the present invention, a wear plate, referred to herein as a paddle 200, may be bonded to the bucket underside 198. The paddle 200 may be a planar plate made of metal that may be bonded to the bucket underside 198, for example, by welding. In one embodiment, the paddle 200 may have a horn or trumpet shape, including a flared front plate edge 202 that tapers toward a rear plate tail 204. The flared front plate edge 202 may be located behind and extend adjacent to the cutting edge 142 attached to the bucket floor 150. The flared front plate edge 202 may be transversely coextensive with the transverse dimension 148 of the bucket 102 between the first and second sidewalls 144, 146. As the paddle 200 extends rearwardly relative to the bucket centerline 154, the lateral extension of the paddle 200 tapers inwardly toward the bucket centerline to form the plate tail 204. For example, the paddle 200 may include a first arcuate edge 206 disposed inwardly from the first sidewall 144 toward the bucket centerline 154 and a second arcuate edge 208 disposed inwardly from the second sidewall 146 toward the bucket centerline 154. The converging first and second arcuate edges 206, 208 taper toward the rear plate tail 204, which may be located near a lower section of the concave bucket back 118, which may be referred to as a heel 210 of the bucket 102.

[0027] In one embodiment, the plate tail 204 may have a lateral extension 212 sufficient to overlap portions of the center shell 160 and the first and second side shells 162, 164 while still being spaced inwardly from the first and second side walls 144, 146 toward the bucket centerline 154. A possible advantage of tapering the paddle 200 to the plate tail 204 using the first and second converging arcuate edges 206, 208 is that the paddle's weight may be reduced while the flared front plate edge 202 remains transversely coextensive with the lateral dimension of the bucket 102. Thus, a load applied at any location laterally along the cutting edge 142 may be directed rearwardly toward the flared front plate edge 202 and then centrally toward the bucket centerline 154 based on the first and second arcuate edges 206, 208 as the paddle tapers to the rear plate tail 204, where the load is transferred to the hinge plates 180, 182. Even if a load is applied to the corners of the bucket 102 (i.e., near the first and second sidewalls 144, 146), for example, by striking a mine wall, the load can be directed centrally toward the hinge plates 180, 182 by the flared shape of the paddle plate 200. A possible related advantage of the flared shape is that the paddle plate 200 still provides significant coverage of the bucket underside 198 and reduces the weight stress applied to the bucket underside. In addition, because the plate tail 204 can overlap the interface between the center shell 160 and the first and second outer shells 162, 164, the plate tail can protect the welds that join the components together near the bucket heel 210.

[0028] In another embodiment, because the tail portion 204 can extend partially beneath the recess 170 disposed in the recessed bucket back 118, the tail portion 204 near the bucket heel 210 can be configured as a forked tail. For example, the tail portion 204 can be divided into a central heel branch 214 and first and second outer heel branches 216, 218, which are laterally located to flank the central heel branch 214. The lateral spacing of the central heel branch 214 and the first and second outer heel branches 216, 218 defines a first lift arm recess 220 between the central branch and the first outer heel branch, and a second lift arm recess 222 between the central branch and the second outer heel branch. The first and second lift arm recesses 220, 222 can be generally parallel to the bucket centerline 154 and can be aligned with the two outer connector slots 188 of the recess 170 to provide clearance therefrom. Thus, when the bucket 102 is tilted, the lift arms of the lifting implement can be received in the first and second lift arm recesses 220, 222 without damaging the plate tail 204. Another possible advantage of including the central heel branch 214 and the first and second outer heel branches 216, 218 at the bucket heel 210 is that additional wear pads can be attached thereto, thereby providing additional wear resistance at the bucket heel 210, which may be forced to contact the ground 112 during tilting of the bucket 102.

[0029] Reference Figure 6 To rigidly secure the paddle board 200 to the bucket underside 198 of the bucket floor 150, the bucket underside may include a seat frame 230 having a shape or contour that conforms to the paddle board 200. The seat frame 230 may be formed by raised or protruding ribs 232 in the form of short ridges that protrude downwardly from the bucket underside 198 and conform to the shape of the flared profile of the paddle board 200. For example, to match the profile of the paddle board 200, the protruding ribs 232 may include a first curved rib 234 that curves inwardly from the first sidewall 144 toward the bucket centerline 154 and a second curved rib 236 that curves inwardly from the second sidewall 146 toward the bucket centerline 154. The first and second curved ribs 234, 236 conform in shape, size, and orientation to the first and second curved edges 206, 208 of the paddle board 200 and similarly taper the extension of the seat frame 230 from being equal to the transverse dimension 148 of the bucket 102 at the open bucket front 116 to becoming significantly narrower toward the concave bucket back 118.

[0030] Furthermore, the seat frame 230 may include a first back brace 238 and a second back brace 239 that are parallel to the transverse dimension 148 of the bucket 102 and located near the bucket heel 210. For example, the first and second back braces 238, 239 may project downwardly from portions of the recessed bucket back 118 corresponding to the first and second housings 162, 164 and located adjacent to the first and second outer hinge plates 180, respectively. The first and second back braces 238, 239 serve to interconnect the plate tail 204 and the curved section of the recessed bucket back 118 at the bucket heel 210, where they may otherwise be spaced apart. The back braces 238, 239 may extend transversely from the first and second outer hinge plates 180 toward the respective first and second side plates 144, 146 and may be transversely coextensive with the reduced transverse dimension 212 of the plate tail 204. Thus, the back braces 238, 239 may transfer loads from the plate tail 204 to the outer hinge plates 180. To enclose the space between the curved bucket back 118 and the plate tail 204 defined by the backstays 238 and 239, each backstay may be associated with a backstay side plate 237, which may be perpendicular to the transverse dimension and parallel to the bucket centerline 154. The backstay side plates 237 may be triangular in shape, laterally offset from the outer hinge plate 180, and welded to the backstays 238 and 239, the recessed bucket back 118, and the plate tail 204, thereby enclosing the space and providing an enclosed space to increase rigidity and prevent debris from accumulating on the bucket back. The backstay side plates 237 may complete the rearward extension between the first and second curved edges 234 and 236 and the backstays 238 and 239. In one embodiment, the first and second backstays 238 and 239 may be arranged at a rearward angle relative to vertical as they extend between the plate tail 204 and the recessed bucket back 118, to provide clearance and a turning radius when the bucket 102 is tilted into the rack position. In particular, because the backstays 238, 239 are oriented at a rearwardly inclined angle between the plate tail 204 and the recessed bucket back 118, they will avoid interfering with ground clearance, e.g., as Figure 1 When bucket 102 is in the erected position, back supports 238, 239 may be oriented toward the ground and may provide additional area for attaching additional wear pads.

[0031] When the paddle 200 is connected to the bucket underside 198, such as by welding, the profile of the paddle 200 can be coextensively disposed adjacently on a protruding rib 232 of the seat frame 230. The protruding rib 232 serves to position and box the paddle 200 relative to the bucket underside 198 of the bucket floor 150. The paddle 200 provides a flat surface on the bucket underside 198 that can contact and physically engage the ground when digging or loading material.

[0032] In one embodiment, the bucket 102 can be configured as a wedge-shaped bottom bucket, wherein the bucket floor 150 slopes upward as it extends from the front cutting edge 142 at the open bucket front 116 toward the rearwardly recessed bucket back 118. Depending on the assembly of the wedge-shaped bottom bucket, the bucket floor 150 can include a plurality of spacer wedges 240 that can be positioned laterally along and between the bucket underside 198 and the paddles 200. In the illustrated example, as shown, four spacer wedges 240 can be included between the bucket underside 198 and the paddles 200 and in abutting contact therewith to space the two components apart. The inclusion of spacer wedges 240 in the gap between the bucket underside 198 and the paddles 200 and extending generally perpendicular to the planes of the bucket underside and the paddles can increase the structural integrity of the bucket 102, including the welds between the center shell 160 and the first and second side shells 162, 164, and can better accommodate the loads and forces applied to the recessed bucket back 118. For example, the spaced-apart spacer wedges 140 direct loads between the plane of the paddle 200 and the plane of the bucket underside 198, while the space created between the paddle and the bucket underside reduces the mass of the bucket 102. Additionally, tilting the bucket floor 150 upward may aid in receiving material into the bucket 102.

[0033] refer to Figure 7 The spacer wedge 240 can be formed as an inclined plane including a first inclined surface 242 and a second inclined surface 244, which are arranged at a diverging angle relative to each other. The first and second inclined surfaces 242, 244 can extend from a tapered end 246 to a widened end 248 according to the diverging angle. In addition, the widened edge 248 can be formed with a side notch 250 disposed on one side of the spacer wedge 240 near the widened end 248, such that narrow wedge-shaped fingers 252 extend along the opposite side of the spacer wedge. As a result, the spacer wedge 240 is wider at the tapered end 246 than at the widened end 248. To facilitate assembly by welding, the spacer wedge 240 can be manufactured from steel or other metals.

[0034] Reference Figure 6When spacer wedges 240 are included, they can be linearly aligned with multiple outer or inner hinge plates 180, 182 to support the hinge plates. For example, multiple spacer wedges 240 can be attached to the bucket underside 198 such that the tapered ends 246 point forward toward the open bucket front 116 and the widened ends 248 point rearward toward the recessed bucket back 118, with the elongated extensions of the spacer wedges 240 parallel to the bucket centerline 154. Each spacer wedge 240 can be aligned with a corresponding one of the outer or inner hinge plates 180, 182, and the wedge-shaped fingers 252 can be in sliding contact with one side surface of the corresponding hinge plate. Side notches are present in the spacer wedges 240 to create the wedge-shaped fingers 252 that can be in sliding contact with the corresponding one of the outer or inner hinge plates 180, 182. The sliding contact allows the spacer wedge 240 to be in a slip or sliding fit with the hinge plates 180, 182, so that the position of the spacer wedge can be moved forward toward the open bucket front 116 or rearward toward the recessed bucket back 118, which can accommodate tolerance stack variations. In one embodiment, to increase the strength of the multi-piece bucket 102, one spacer wedge 240 can be positioned to contact the first weld 256 (see FIG. 1 ) at the interface between the center shell 160 and the first outer shell 162. Figure 3 ) overlap, and another spacer wedge 240 may be positioned to overlap with a second weld 258 (see FIG. Figure 3 Thus, when the center shell 160 is welded together with the first and second outer shells 162, 164, the spacer wedges 240 overlapping the welds 256, 258 strengthen the joint by fusing the shell members together.

[0035] See also Figure 8 and 9 The spacer wedges 240 space and offset the paddles 200 relative to the bucket underside 198 of the bucket floor 150 to create a separation gap 260 therebetween. The separation gap 260 allows the bucket floor 150 to tilt upward to facilitate receiving material while maintaining the paddles 200 at a slight upward angle relative to the ground, thereby providing a wedge-shaped, bottomed bucket. The multiple spacer wedges 240 prevent the separation gap 260 from collapsing and reinforce the seat frame 230 formed on the bucket underside, which outlines and frames the paddles 200. The separation gap 260 increases in vertical dimension when the bucket underside 198 and the paddles extend rearward, such that the bucket underside and the paddles are arranged at a diverging angle 262 relative to each other. In one embodiment, the diverging angle 262 may be approximately 3-4 degrees. Using the seat frame 230 and spacer wedges 240 to offset the paddles 200 from the bucket underside 198 strengthens the bucket floor 150 against bending and twisting under the loads applied during digging. Additionally, including the separation gap 260 may serve to reduce the weight of the bucket 102, which may increase the amount of material that can be lifted by the loader per cycle. Figure 9, the spacer wedge 240 may be linearly aligned with and in sliding contact with the hinge plates 180 such that loads and forces may be transferred from the bucket floor 150 to the hinge plates.

[0036] Industrial Applicability

[0037] Referring generally to the accompanying drawings, in operation, the loader 100 can be used to dig into or penetrate a pile of material or a wall, thereby applying loads and forces to the cutting edge 142 of the bucket 102. To transfer the load to the lifting tool 104 and to the loader 100 in a manner that avoids twisting or imparting uneven bending stresses to the bucket floor 150, the paddles 200 can be engaged to and offset from the underside 198 of the bucket floor 150. When the cutting edge 142 contacts the material, the applied load can be transferred rearwardly to the bucket floor 150 and paddles 200 disposed at diverging angles 262. The loads and forces can be further transferred from the bucket floor 150 and paddles 200 to a plurality of spaced-apart spacer wedges 240, which are linearly aligned with the plurality of outer and inner hinge plates 180, 182 that reinforce the structure of the bucket 102. Furthermore, because the hinge plates 180, 182 are directly coupled to the lifting tool, they can accommodate and distribute forces directed thereto. The above-described design provides an improved load path through the bucket floor 150. Including the paddles 200 on the bucket underside 198 adds stiffness and resistance to bending loads and deformation of the bucket floor 150, while the flared shape reduces the overall weight of the bucket 102 while maintaining an effective load path between the cutting edge 142 and the hinge plates 180, 182 connected to the lifting tool 104.

[0038] It should be understood that the foregoing description provides examples of the disclosed systems and techniques. However, it is contemplated that other implementations of the present invention may differ in detail from the foregoing examples. All references to the present invention or examples thereof are intended to reference the specific examples discussed at that point and are not intended to imply any limitation on the scope of the present invention more generally. All language regarding distinction and disparagement of certain features is intended to lack preference for those features, but does not completely exclude them from the scope of the present invention unless otherwise indicated.

[0039] Recitation of ranges of values ​​herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.

[0040] The terms "a" and "an" and "the" and "at least one" and similar referents used in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the appended claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. Use of the term "at least one" followed by a list of one or more items (e.g., "at least one of A and B") is to be construed to mean one item selected from the listed items (A or B) or any combination of two or more of the listed items (A and B), unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context.

[0041] Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context.

Claims

1. A bucket (102) for a loader (100), comprising: a bucket shell assembly including an open bucket front (116) and a concave bucket back (118), defining a bucket depth along a bucket centerline (154) extending from the open bucket front (116) to the concave bucket back (118); The bucket shell assembly further includes: a center shell (160); a first shell (162) flanking the center shell (160) at a first lateral side (166); and a second shell (164) flanking the center shell (160) at a second lateral side (168), the center shell (160) being offset forwardly relative to the first shell (162) and the second shell (164) along the bucket centerline (154); The bucket shell assembly further includes a first sidewall (144) coupled to the first shell (162) and a second sidewall (146) coupled to the second shell (164), the first and second sidewalls (144, 146) defining a transverse dimension (148) of the bucket shell assembly; a paddle (200) joined to the bucket underside (198), the paddle (200) having a flared shape tapering from a flared front edge extending the bucket's transverse dimension (148) to a tail (204) disposed rearwardly toward the concave bucket back (118); and a first back support (238) and a second back support (239), each back support extending at a rearward angle between the board tail (204) and the bucket back (118), the first back support (238) and the second back support (239) each being associated with a back support side plate to provide an enclosed space between the paddle board (200) and the recessed bucket back (118); The bucket underside (198) includes a seat frame including a protruding rib (232) generally corresponding to a trumpet shape.

2. The bucket (102) of claim 1, wherein the paddle (200) includes a first arcuate edge (206) directed toward the bucket centerline (154) and a second arcuate edge (208) directed toward the bucket centerline (154).

3. The bucket (102) of claim 2, wherein the protruding rib (232) includes a first curved rib (234) and a second curved rib (236).

4. The bucket (102) of claim 1, wherein the bucket shell assembly includes a bucket bottom plate (150) and a bucket top plate (152) disposed above the bucket bottom plate (150), the concave bucket back (118) interconnecting the bucket bottom plate (150) and the bucket top plate (152).

5. The bucket (102) of claim 4, wherein the bucket floor (150) is a wedge-shaped bottomed bucket including a separation gap (260) between the bucket underside (198) and the paddle (200).

6. The bucket (102) of claim 5, further comprising a plurality of spacer wedges (240) in a separation gap (260) between the bucket underside (198) and the paddle (200).

7. The bucket (102) of claim 6, wherein the plurality of spacer wedges (240) each include a first inclined surface (242) adjacent the bucket underside (198) and a second inclined surface (244) adjacent the paddle (200).

8. The bucket (102) of claim 7, wherein one of the plurality of spacer wedges (240) is angled to overlap a first weld (256) between the center shell (160) and the first outer shell (162), and another angled spacer wedge is angled to overlap a second weld (258) between the center shell (160) and the second outer shell.

9. The bucket (102) of claim 1, wherein the plate tail (204) is forked and includes a center heel branch (214) flanked by first and second outer heel branches, laterally spaced apart by first and second lift arm recesses (220, 222) to provide clearance for a lift tool (104).

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