Caterpillar Inc.

Kent D Smith

Darryl J Brincks

Timothy Edward Camacho

Robert L Isaia

David J Balzer

Jerrold R Asal

Jonathan R Whitehead

Kory D Gerbick

Valerii V Zinoviev

Michael J Murphy

Kevin J Klein

A pipelayer providing higher lifting capacities without adding weight or size to an undercarriage or boom of the pipelayer is disclosed. The pipelayer is designed and sized to have a maximum lifting capacity when the boom is extended from the undercarriage a predetermined, relatively short distance. However, in use the boom often needs to extend further away from the undercarriage, and in so doing the lifting capacity of the pipelayer decreases. The present disclosure provides additional lifting capacity in that extended range by selectively deploying a counterweight away from the undercarriage once the boom is extended past the predetermined distance. In so doing, not only is the lifting capacity of the pipelayer increased, but the size and weight of the undercarriage and boom are not increased. This enables standard sized undercarriages and other supporting structure to be used, thereby aiding in maneuverability and shipping of the pipelayers, while at the same time reducing manufacturing and usage costs.

Lightweight high-performance pipelayer

A boom configured to maneuver large objects, such as sections of pipe, which comprises a machine guard assembly having a support member. The support member includes an outer support surface with a protective layer disposed thereon.

Boom with guard

It is desirable in many applications to have a bulldozer assembly that can be angled and/or tilted without having interference between elements of the bulldozer assembly and the machine on which it is mounted. In the subject arrangement, a bulldozer assembly has a blade connected to a U-shaped frame through a universal connector. The blade is angled by a pair of angle cylinders connected between the U-shaped frame and a pair of spaced apart angle cylinder brackets located on the blade. The universal connector is connected to the blade generally midway between the pair of spaced apart angled cylinder brackets and generally aligned therewith. The pitch of the blade is maintained at a preselected position by a pitch control mechanism and mechanically adjusted by the pitch control mechanism. Since the pair of spaced apart angle cylinder brackets and the universal connecting joint bracket are in general transverse alignment and the universal connecting bracket is located generally midway therebetween, any angling and/or tilting of the blade permits the pair of angle cylinders to remain generally along their neutral axis. The subject arrangement provides freedom of angling and tilting of the blade without interference between elements of the bulldozer assembly and the machine.

Bulldozer assembly with angle, tilt and pitch control

Mounting arrangements are required to mount and stabilize a bulldozer blade on a vehicle when it is desirable to both angle and tilt the bulldozer blade relative to the vehicle. During the angling and tilting of the bulldozer blade, it is desirable to control the pitch of the blade without inducing unnecessary stresses in the mounting arrangement or high cylinder pressures in the angle cylinders. The present mounting arrangement includes a bracket apparatus which is utilized to allow normal pitching of the bulldozer blade but limit any abnormal pitching thereof during tilting and/or angling thereof. The bracket apparatus utilizes a first bracket assembly secured to a mounting frame and having a transverse slot defined therein. The bracket apparatus further includes a second bracket assembly secured to a rear central portion of the bulldozer blade and has a pin assembly secured thereto and disposed in the transverse slot. The pin assembly being disposed in the slot merely follows the slot during normal tilting and angling of the bulldozer blade but limits the degree of pitch whenever the bulldozer blade tries to abnormally pitch. This arrangement is simple in construction and is readily retrofitted to current mounting arrangements. Furthermore, it provides a positive pitch control of the bulldozer blade relative to the mounting frame without inducing any high stresses in the mounting frame and/or high pressures in the angling cylinders.

Bulldozer blade mounting and stabilizing arrangement

Growing community of inventors

Mapleton, IL, United States of America

Kent D Smith