Caterpillar Inc.

Caterpillar Sarl

Matthew P Rosefsky

Jeffrey A Deneve

Brian R Dershem

Rodney D McLamb

Mirza Q Baig

Richard A Naugle

Robert S Anderson

Kevin E Pielmeier

Reid W Waitt

Huan T Nguyen

Michael E Mursch

H Patrick Gaines

Peter Knopp

Jeffrey J Griffith

Steven F Reynolds

Hasan A Kabir

John R Beaton

A releasable locking mechanism has a lockbar which locks a hydraulic cylinder in an extended position for holding a liftarm assembly of a machine in a raised position. The lift cylinder has a body and an extendable rod which incorporates structure thereon acting upon the lockbar to release the locked hydraulic cylinder so that the liftarm assembly is moved from the raised position to a lowered position with minimal operator intervention. The operator intervention occurs only when the liftarm assembly is in the lowered position or when the lift cylinder is locked in the extended position. The lockbar is movable between an inoperative position wherein the lockbar is releasably connected to the liftarm assembly and an operative position wherein the lockbar is in bearing engagement with the body of the lift cylinder to prevent retraction of the rod. A release lever is connected to a lift cylinder and is movable between a rest position wherein the release lever is adjacent and substantially parallel with the lift cylinder and a working position wherein a notched end portion of the release lever is forced against a pin assembly releasably connected on the lockbar to lift the lockbar out of bearing engagement with the body of the lift cylinder.

Releasable locking mechanism for a liftarm of a machine

A skid steer loader has at least one or a pair of implement lift arm assemblies pivotally connected with a body of the loader. The lift arms, their associated lift actuators, and the connections between the various components of the lift arm assemblies and the machine implement are configured to provide increased dump reach without negatively impacting structural life, to increase machine productivity by reduced cycle times, and to improve visibility of the implement from the operator's station.

Implement lift arm arrangement for a skid steer loader

A skid steer loader has a pair of lift arms pivotally mounted to a main frame of the loader. The lift arms are connected together by a cross member located at the forward ends of the arms. The cross member is spaced ahead of a front wall member of the main frame when the lift arms are in their lowered positions so as to create a gap between the cross member and the cross member and the front wall member of the main frame where the operator enters the loader. A combination step/stop arrangement is carried on the front wall member to provide a skid resistant stepping surface across the gap between the front wall member of the main frame and the cross member of the lift arm assembly and to prevent the lift arm assembly from moving past its lowered position.

Combination step/stop arrangement for a skid steer loader

Skid steer loader exterior design

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Haverford, PA, United States of America

Matthew P Rosefsky