Case Corporation

Richard L Ehrhardt

John M Moffitt

James W Donoghue

An off-highway loading vehicle having a frame, a cab, and a linkage arrangement for operably attaching a work implement to the frame is disclosed. The loading vehicle includes a pair of spaced apart lift arms having a rear end portion pivotally connected to the frame and a forward end portion pivotally connected to the work implement. A lowermost edge of a forward section of the lift arms angles downwardly from a lowermost edge of a rearward section thereof. Thus, the lift arms avoid contact with the frame when in a lowered position to place the work implement adjacent a front end of the frame. In addition, a lifting device acts between the frame and the lift arms to move the lift arms between the lowered position and a raised position. A tilt mechanism is also provided for pivoting the work implement between a lowered position in which an underside thereof is tilted below a horizontal plane, an intermediate position in which the underside is substantially horizontal, and a raised position in which the underside is tilted above the horizontal plane. The tilt mechanism includes a pair of tilt linkages pivotally connected to the work implement, a pair of extension arms interconnecting the lift arms and the tilt linkages, and a pair of tilt cylinders adapted to move either the tilt linkages or extension arms to thereby tilt the work implement a desired amount. The tilt cylinders are adapted to pivot with respect to the frame in response to raising and lowering of the lift arms.

Growing community of inventors

Monmouth, IL, United States of America

Richard L Ehrhardt