Westendorf Manufacturing Company, Inc.

Westendorf Mfg. Co., Inc.

Other

Neal Walter Westendorf

Joseph W Langenfeld

Matthew N Westendorf

James Curtis Stender

Mitch Gibler

Joesph W Langenfeld

Wally Hansen

Lloyd D Bauer

Myron J Kellen

Randal H Thompson

Randal W Thompson

Daniel Keith Yarnell

Joseph W Lagenfeld

A grappling assembly is configured to connect to one or more arms of a utility component. The grappling assembly includes a first claw, a second claw, one or more pivot couplings, and one or more springs coupled to one or more of the first claw, the second claw, or the one or more pivot couplings.

Spring-biased grappling assemblies

A utility system may include at least one moveable arm, and at least one grappling assembly connected to the at least one moveable arm. The grappling assembly may include an upper claw including one or more lower grasping surfaces, and a lower claw including one or more upper grasping surfaces. The lower claw may be pivotally secured to the upper claw. The upper claw may be configured to close with respect to the lower claw. The lower claw may be configured to be wedged into at least a portion of the moveable arm so that the upper claw may compressively grasp a structure between the one or more lower grasping surfaces and the one or more upper grasping surfaces.

Grappling assembly for use with utility equipment

A utility system may include at least one moveable arm, and at least one grappling assembly connected to the moveable arm. The grappling assembly includes an upper claw, a lower claw, and fasteners to pivotally secure the lower claw to the upper claw. The upper claw includes lower grasping surfaces and coupling openings. The lower claw includes upper grasping surfaces and mating openings. Each mating opening is axially aligned with one of the coupling openings. The upper and lower claws rotate about the fasteners at first pivot axes when the fasteners are retained within first coupling openings of the upper claw and within the mating openings of the lower claw. The upper and lower claw rotate about the fasteners at different, second pivot axes when the fasteners are retained within second coupling openings of the upper claw and within the mating openings of the lower claw.

A bracket stabilization system is configured to be secured to a tractor. The bracket stabilization system includes a cross bar linking bracket that extends between opposed first and second lateral brackets extending from opposite sides of the tractor. The cross bar linking bracket securely couples the opposed first and second lateral brackets together.

Tractor bracket stabilization systems and methods

A hydraulic line attachment device is provided. The hydraulic line attachment device comprises a first assembly comprising a first frame constructed for holding a plurality of first hydraulic line couplers and a first coupling member; and a second assembly comprising a second frame constructed for holding a plurality of second hydraulic line couplers and a second coupling member constructed to engage the first coupling member and align the plurality of first hydraulic line couplers with the plurality of second hydraulic line couplers. At least one of the first coupling member and the second coupling member comprises an arm constructed to engage at least one of the first frame and the second frame and engage the other of the first coupling member and the second coupling member. The other of the first coupling member and the second coupling member comprises a cam that engages the arm to provide tightening of the first assembly relative to the second assembly. A method for using a hydraulic line attachment device is provided.

Hydraulic line attachment device and method

An adapter bracket assembly is configured to allow a tractor to operatively connect to a different, otherwise incompatible utility component. The adapter bracket assembly includes an attachment member configured to securely connect to an attachment bracket that is compatible with the tractor, and a component-engaging member that is configured to securely connect to the different utility component in order to securely and operatively connect the different utility component to the tractor.

Adapter bracket assembly configured to adapt a utility vehicle for use with a different utility component

A two piston cylinder providing asymmetrical expansion and retraction capabilities is disclosed having two linked expansion chambers and a single chamber for retraction. The retraction chamber is situated between the two expansion chambers, and the expansion chambers are linked together by a tube passing through the piston that provides hydraulic fluid to both the retraction chamber and one of the expansion chambers.

Two piston cylinder

A two piston cylinder providing asymmetrical expansion and retraction capabilities is disclosed having two linked expansion chambers and a single chamber for retraction. The refraction chamber is situated between the two expansion chambers, and the expansion chambers are linked together by a tube passing through the piston that provides hydraulic fluid to both the retraction chamber and one of the expansion chambers.

A hydraulic system is disclosed that utilizes a switching block to selectively allow pressurized fluid to be stolen from a master or lift cylinder and directed to a single acting cylinder to perform a function, such as securing an implement to a vehicle. The system utilizes the highly pressurized hydraulic fluid from an extended lift cylinder to maintain a secondary cylinder in an extended position. To withdraw the secondary cylinder, a one-way valve directs fluid to the opposite chamber of the secondary cylinder. The secondary cylinder, however will only retract if the master cylinder is retracted and not under pressure, thus providing a significant safety benefit in certain applications. This system provides many cost efficiencies and may be utilized by work vehicles to perform secondary functions such as attaching and removing an implement from a vehicle such as, for example, a loader from a tractor.

Auto attachment coupler with abductor valve

The hydraulic cylinder and line guard of the claimed invention substantially surrounds and protects both a hydraulic cylinder and portions of a hydraulic line. The guard also significantly reduces the visual appearance of the hydraulic lines. While maintaining the flexibility of the hydraulic lines at pivot points, the guard inhibits movement of the line near the cylinder thereby reducing wear on the line. The claimed invention also achieves the important objective of providing an aesthetically pleasing and easily replaceable guard for hydraulic cylinders and lines. The improved guard is achieved by utilizing a resilient guard to cover both the cylinder and the line. The guard may be formed from a single stretchable resilient tube that is deformed to enclose both the line and the cylinder, wherein a cross-section of the guard is defined primarily by combined cross sections of the cylinder adjacent to the line. The guard may also be formed from multiple interconnected resilient segments that combine to substantially enclose a hydraulic line and cylinder. The guard may further have a raised wear surface arranged in an ornamental and/or functional pattern.

Guard structures for hydraulic cylinders, hydraulic lines, and loader arms

The front end loader and method of the present invention provides front end loader lift arms that may be removed from an implement, such as a bucket, and secured to the bucket in a cantilevered position for storage of the lift arms. Connections on the implement and lift arms allow the lift arms to be securely interconnected with connections on the bucket without the use of tools or pins so that the center of gravity of the lift arms is above the bucket. The lift arms may then be removed from a utility vehicle. In this storage position, the lift arms are stored and maintained in a secure position so that they may later be easily and quickly reattached to the utility vehicle.

Loader assembly and method providing for cantilevered storage of lift arms

A hand-operable connection assembly is described for quickly connecting and disconnecting a vehicle from a boom assembly. The connection assembly includes a tower and a bracket, the tower is rotatably secured to both an actuator and a boom arm while the bracket is secured to a vehicle or construction device. The tower and bracket interconnect via pins that seat in pockets, and the tower is secured or locked to the bracket via a hand-operable locking clevis that rotates about one of the pins and wraps around the curved exterior of one of the pockets. The center point of the exterior curvature is offset from the center point of the clevis rotation such that rotation of the clevis tightens the clevis against the pocket. The pins may be located at the two hinges connecting the boom arm and actuator to the tower, or the pins may be separated from the hinges. The exterior of the pocket may include a grind sheet designed to scrape against and secure a grind bar of the locking clevis in a locked configuration. The clevis is structured such that if the pin moves around in the pocket while in use by the vehicle, the weight of the grind bar will cause the clevis to rotate to a more locked configuration. The connection assembly may also include a spring, lever, or torque bar to assist in unlocking the assembly if the clevis becomes over-tightened.

Growing community of inventors

Dakota Dunes, SD, United States of America

Neal Walter Westendorf