Power bucket

Abstract

A bucket for a power shovel is disclosed which includes a first and second bucket half. Each bucket half includes a pair of elongated pivot arms having a scoop secured to one end of the pivot arm. The scoop includes spaced apart front and back walls, a bottom wall and a generally horizonal cutting edge which extends along one edge of the bottom wall between the front and back walls. The other ends of the pivot arms on one bucket half are pivotally secured to the pivot arms on the other bucket half so that the bucket halves are movable between an open position and a closed position. In the closed position, the open sides of the bucket halves register with each other to contain cargo within the interior of the bucket whereas, in their open position, the open ends and the digging edges of the bucket are spaced apart from each other. A head is disposed above the bucket halves and is secured to the bucket halves by cables which extend from the head and to each scoop. A closure cable is then secured to the bucket halves for moving the halves between their open and their closed position. Additionally, the length of the cables together with the connection point between the cables and the bucket halves are arranged so that the cutting edge moves substantially in a horizontal plane as the bucket halves are moved between their open and their closed position.