GB2305640A - A dump truck with a grading blade - Google Patents

Abstract

The dump truck and grader is in the form of an articulated vehicle with a rear section carrying a dump bucket 4 linked to a front section having a driver's cab 3 and a forward-facing grading blade 6. The blade 6 can be raised, lowered and tilted by hydraulic rams (Fig. 2). The linkage between the front and rear sections comprises upper and lower bearings and a universally-jointed drive shaft for transmitting drive to the rear wheels 2 (Fig. 3).

Description

ImProvements relating to DumD Trucks The standard design of dump truck has a drivers cab and a dump bucket which can be raised in order to deposit materials in the bucket. This material (rubble, soil etc) may then need to be independently smoothed over to provide a level working surface.

According to the present invention there is provided a dump truck having a forward facing drivers cab at one end and a dump bucket projecting rearwardly at the other end, together with a grading blade movable from a raised position below the cab to a lowered position generally in line with the base of the front wheels and directed forwardly thereof.

The design of the truck in this way, with the drivers cab facing away from the dump bucket and the provision of a grading blade on the truck is substantially advantageous as it allows dumped material to be graded immediately. A secondary advantage is that the wheels tend to compact graded material, the whole giving a faster, safer and more efficient method of operation.

The position of drivers cab is particularly useful as it provides operating space for the blade, gives good visibility to work on progress by the blade and gives better than usual all round visibility to the driver for all dumper operations generally. A secondary advantage is that dust is less likely to be blown in to the driver's face from the skip.

It is preferred that the blade should be mounted pivotally on the support frame so as to be movable thereon to provide differing attack angles for differing levels of material to be graded. The blade support frame is ideally movable into the raised condition to about 30 e above the horizontal as this provides a good attack angle of the vehicle when it is being driven over rough terrain.

A further aspect of the invention is a dump truck comprising a drivers cab at one end and a dump bucket at the other end and an articulated drive linkage between the two parts, the chassis connections between the two parts above and below the drive linkage comprising an upper locating bearing secured at its lower end with a removable bolt and a lower floating bearing.

This arrangement provides a relatively straightforward means of providing the connecting bearings and provides a better ground clearance than conventional designs.

The invention may be performed in various ways and a preferred embodiment will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a side view of the general features of a dump truck of this invention; Figure 2 illustrates in more detail the design of a grading blade of the truck; and Figure 3 illustrates detail of a drive linkage and bearing arrangement of the dump truck of Figure 1.

The dump truck illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings is mounted on two pairs of wheels 1, 2 and has a forward facing drivers cab 3 at one end and a rearwardly directed dump bucket 4 at the other end. The chassis frame parts of the front and rear portions are interconnected by a drive linkage and bearing assembly 5. At the front the truck is provided with a grading blade 6.

As can be seen in Figure 2 the grading blade 6 is carried on a support arm 7 pivotally mounted at 8 to the main frame 9 of the drivers cab 3. A ram 10 is operable to raise and lower the arm 7. When the arm 7 is in its fully raised position it provides an attack angle of about 30O which allows the truck to be driven over rough terrain. In the lowered position of the arm 7 the blade 6 can be tilted by a ram 11 so that a blade tip 12 can be moved to any desired angle in the range.

Figure 3 illustrates in more detail the drive linkage and bearing assembly for the vehicle. A linkage 13 interconnects an input 14 from the gearbox and an output 15 to the rear axle of the truck. The lower front chassis ends in a stub axle 16 upon which a self aligning bearing part 18 floats axially whilst prohibiting all radial movement.

Bearing part 18 is locked into a lower rear chassis link part 17. The upper front chassis ends in a stub axle part 20 upon which a self aligning bearing part 19 is fixed, prohibiting all axial and radial movement, by a flange nut part 23, through which passes a locking bolt 22. This ensures that assembly cannot be released accidentally. The bearing part 19 is locked into an upper rear chassis link part 21.

Claims (1)

1. CLAIM

   The invention comprises a vehicle with a rear dumping bucket and a forward facing movable grading blade, separated by the operators cab.

   The blade can be raised and lowered within 30 degrees above the horizontal, to facilitate consolidation and movement over rough terrain, and also tilted to provide the necessary angle of attack.

   An articulated drive linkage connects the dump bucket to the operators cab.

   The chassis above and below the drive linkage is connected by a removable bolt, between an upper located bearing and a lower floating bearing, to provide sufficient ground clearance.

   The vehicle is mounted on two pairs of wheels of the same size to provide consolidation and grading of tipped material.