Caterpillar Tractor Co.

Jimmy D Myers

Jan B Yates

John W Bridwell

Lawrence F Fratzke

Noble G Barker

John E Corwin

Joseph C Sabo

Michael G Mikutis

A fire extinguishing system including a pressure vessel (10) adapted to contain under pressure a fire extinguishing material, an outlet (12, 14, 16) connected to the vessel and selectively operable to release extinguishing material therefrom, and a pressure sensing device (18) in fluid communication with the interior of the vessel. The invention contemplates the improvement wherein a temperature sensing device (26) is in proximity to the vessel for determining the temperature in the environment of the vessel and that the scale (24) of the pressure sensing device is scaled in temperature units. The temperature sensing device and the scale (24) are so correlated that a visual comparison of the two will indicate whether the vessel is properly charged at any of a set of widely fluctuating ambient temperatures.

Fire extinguishing system including sensor comparable to determine charge

An improved counterbalancing structure for counterbalancing a material handling machine having an elevated operator compartment wherein the counterbalancing counterweight is picked up by means of a material handling structure carried on lift arms at one end of the machine. The counterweight is provided with an upper hooking portion which is disposed in the line of sight of an operator in a normal operating position in the operator compartment with the lift arms and material handling structure being disposed below the line of the sight of the operator in a lowermost pickup position thereof. The counterweight may include a weight portion having a low center of gravity. The upper hooking portion may be defined by a bracket portion of the counterweight extending substantially upwardly from the weight portion thereof. The material handling structure of the machine may be provided with an upwardly projecting bracket which is similarly in the line of sight of the operator during the counterweight pickup operation.

Means for counterbalancing a material handling machine

Locking apparatus encloses and frees an end portion of a shaft for rotation at a first position of the apparatus relative to the shaft. The locking apparatus further encloses, engages, and prevents rotation of the shaft end portion at a second position of the apparatus relative to the shaft. Respective ends of the apparatus are oriented toward the shaft at the first and second positions. The first position of the locking apparatus permits rotation of the shaft and the second position prevents shaft rotation and related movement of associated implements.

Shaft locking apparatus

Hydraulic fluid conduits are disposed in a counterweight which is adapted to be secured between a tractor and an earth-working implement such as a backhoe. The counterweight has a tractor-engaging side and an earth-working implement-engaging side from which the conduits extend. The conduits are equipped with hydraulic couplings for mating with the hydraulic lines from the tractor and an earth-working implement.

Counterweight assembly for earth-working equipment

A tractor-mounted slide rail assembly for an earth-working machine. The assembly includes an upper and a lower vertically spaced rail, each rail having an upper and a lower outwardly extending flange forming an acute angle with a base portion. A carrier having flange-engaging lips mounted for slidable movement is secured to the upper and lower flanges of the upper and lower vertically spaced rails. A releasable clamp is mounted on the carrier for restraining slidable movement of the earthworking machine along the assembly. The flange-engaging lips on the inner flanges between the rails may be adjusted for improved carrier travel. A safety retaining hook is provided for engaging the assembly in the event the flange-engaging lips disengage.

Mounting structure for an earth-working machine

An improved hydraulic actuator for use as a swing motor in a material handling apparatus of the type having a vehicle mounted boom. Two embodiments are disclosed and each includes a vertically disposed, double-acting cylinder having an internal, vertically reciprocal piston. The cylinder may be disposed between yoke arms mounting a boom and provision is made for securing the cylinder to the vehicle frame. A coupling device is secured to one of the yoke arms and has a first splined surface while means are carried by the piston and movable therewith and include a second splined surface slidably engaging the first splined surface. The piston also carries a third splined surface which is in engagement with a fourth splined surface carried by either the cylinder or a part of the vehicle frame and at least one of the splined surfaces has a helical pitch so that reciprocation of the piston will cause rotation of the coupling device to thereby effect rotation of the yoke to swing a boom attached thereto about a generally vertical axis.

Material handling apparatus

A counterweight structure for use in counterbalancing earthmoving apparatus, such as a loader, having a removable backhoe. The counterweight includes bracket structures for facilitated mounting of the counterweight to different supports carried by the drive machine of the earthmoving apparatus. One of the bracket structures is adapted for temporarily supporting the counterweight on a support portion of a removable section of the earthmoving apparatus, such as the backhoe thereof. The bracket structures are adapted to permit the transfer between the different supports by normal operation of the apparatus whereby a transfer may be effected by a single operator.

Counterweight attachment means for loaders and the like

A fluid motor for a backhoe or the like. A hollow motor cylinder is provided with upper and lower end plates to define a motor chamber through which a generally vertical shaft extends. The shaft is journalled for relative rotation and a first vane is located within the motor chamber and is secured to the shaft and sealingly engages the cylinder and the end plates. A second vane is located within the motor chamber and is secured to the cylinder and sealingly engages the shaft. Ports of a first set are interconnected for continual fluid flow between each other and open into the chamber adjacent one side of the second vane and include at least one port in each of the end plates. Ports of a second set are interconnected to each other and open into the chamber adjacent the other side of the second vane and include at least one port in each of the end plates. As a consequence, sediment in a hydraulic system may be discharged from the motor through the lower ports, while air or other gases in the system may be purged from the motor through the upper ports.

Growing community of inventors

Morton, IL, United States of America

Jimmy D Myers