Apparatus for adjusting the position of an earth moving blade

Abstract

A blade and mount that allows the blade angle to be adjusted without allowing the blade to either interfere with other parts of a prime mover to which it is attached, or requiring the blade to be positioned further from the center of the chassis of such prime mover. The blade is constructed using a unique arrangement of apertures on a connection structure so that it can be mounted to any machine in a manner that allows the blade angle to be adjusted while maintaining clearance to more than a single component.

We claim:  
     
         1 . An excavator comprising: 
 (a) an undercarriage comprising a backfill blade lift pivot; and    (b) a backfill blade frame pivotally mounted to the undercarriage to pivot about the backfill blade lift pivot comprising two apertures substantially perpendicular to the backfill blade pivot that define angle pivot axes for a backfill blade.    
     
     
         2 . An excavator as in  claim 1  further comprising: 
 (a) a backfill blade comprising 
 a first plate with a first aperture defining a first pivot axis;  
 a second arcuate plate with a first aperture defining a second pivot axis at a first distance from the first aperture in the first plate;  
 the second arcuate plate with a second aperture defining a second locating axis at the first distance from the first aperture in the first plate  
 
 
     
     
         3 . The excavator as in  claim 2  further comprising the first plate including an arcuate portion with a second aperture defining a second locating axis at the first distance from the second pivot axis in the second arcuate plate.  
     
     
         4 . A backfill blade comprising: 
 a) a first plate with a first aperture defining a first pivot axis;    b) a second arcuate plate with a first aperture defining a second pivot axis at a first distance from the first aperture in the first plate;    c) the second arcuate plate with a second aperture defining a second locating axis at the first distance from the first aperture in the first plate.    
     
     
         5 . The backfill blade as in  claim 2  further comprising the first plate including an arcuate portion with a second aperture defining a second locating axis at the first distance from the second pivot axis in the second arcuate plate.  
     
     
         6 . An excavator comprising: 
 a) an undercarriage;    b) a backfill blade frame operatively pivotally attached to the undercarriage about a substantially horizontal axis;    c) a backfill blade;    d) a connecting structure operatively attached to the backfill blade for attaching the backfill blade to the backfill blade frame, said connection structure further comprising:    d) a first pivotal connection between the frame and the connecting structure about a second axis substantially transverse to the horizontal axis;    e) a second pivotal connection between the frame and the connecting structure about a third axis substantially transverse to the horizontal axis;    f) the blade being in a first position substantially parallel to the horizontal axis when the first and second pivotal connections are attached to the backfill blade frame;    g) the blade being in a second position when the blade is pivoted about the first pivotal connection from the first position thereof and fixed at a position different than the first position thereof; and    h) the blade being in a third position when the blade is pivoted about the second pivotal connection from the first position thereof and fixed at a position different than the first or second positions thereof.    
     
     
         7 . A blade apparatus adapted to be attached to a prime mover of a type having a frame with a first opening  236  disposed along a first axis and a second opening  238  disposed along a second axis substantially parallel to the first axis, said blade apparatus comprising: 
 an elongated blade  200  extending which is disposed transversely with respect to a direction of forward travel of the prime mover;  
 attachment structure operatively attached to the blade, said attachment structure having a first aperture  210   a  disposed around a third axis which can be aligned with said first axis and a second aperture  220   a  disposed around a fourth axis which can be aligned with said second axis when the blade is in a first operative position;  
 a first pin disposed through the first opening in the frame and the first aperture in the attachment structure when the blade is in the first operative position (FIGS. 5 a ,  7   a );  
 a second pin disposed through the second opening in the frame and the second aperture in the attachment structure when the attachment structure is in the first operative position thereof;  
 said attachment structure having a third aperture  222   a  disposed about a fifth axis, said fifth axis being substantially the same distance from the third axis as the distance between the third axis and the fourth axis; and  
 said blade having a second operative position (FIGS. 5 b ,  7   b ) wherein the first axis and the third axis are aligned and the first pin is disposed through the first hole  236  in the frame and the first aperture  210   a  in the attachment structure and the second axis and the fifth axis are substantially aligned and the second pin is disposed through the second opening  238  and the third aperture  222   a.    
 
     
     
         8 . The blade apparatus of  claim 7  wherein said attachment structure has a fourth aperture ( 224   a ) disposed about a sixth axis, said blade having a third operative position (FIGS. 5 c ,  7   c ) wherein the first axis and the third axis are aligned and the first pin is disposed through the first hole  236  in the frame and the first aperture  210   a  in the attachment structure and the second axis and the sixth axis are substantially aligned and the second pin is disposed through the second opening  238  and the fourth aperture  224   a , said sixth axis being substantially the same distance from the third axis as the distance between the third axis and the fourth axis.  
     
     
         9 . The blade apparatus of  claim 8  wherein said attachment structure has a fifth aperture ( 226   a ) disposed about a seventh axis, said blade having a fourth operative position (FIGS. 5 c ,  7   c ) wherein the first axis and the third axis are aligned and the first pin is disposed through the first hole  236  in the frame and the first aperture  210   a  in the attachment structure and the second axis and the seventh axis are substantially aligned and the second pin is disposed through the second opening  238  and the fifth aperture  226   a , said seventh axis being substantially the same distance from the third axis as the distance between the third axis and the fourth axis.  
     
     
         10 . The blade apparatus of  claim 9  wherein said attachment structure has a sixth aperture ( 212   a ) disposed about an eighth axis (FIG. 6), said blade having a fifth operative position (not shown but a mirror image of FIG. 5 b ) wherein the second axis and the fourth axis are aligned and the second pin is disposed through the second hole  238  in the frame and the second aperture  220   a  in the attachment structure and the first axis  236  and the eighth axis  212   a  are substantially aligned and the first pin is disposed through the first opening  236  and the sixth aperture  212   a , said eighth  212   a  axis being substantially the same distance from the fourth axis  220   a  as the distance between the third axis  210   a  and the fourth axis  220   a.    
     
     
         11 . The blade apparatus of  claim 10  wherein said attachment structure has a seventh aperture ( 214   a ) disposed about a ninth axis (FIG. 6), said blade having a sixth operative position (not shown but a mirror image of FIG. 5 c ) wherein the second axis and the fourth axis are aligned and the second pin is disposed through the second hole  238  in the frame and the second aperture  220   a  in the attachment structure and the first axis  236  and the ninth axis  214   a  are substantially aligned and the first pin is disposed through the first opening  236  and the seventh aperture  214   a , said ninth  214   a  axis being substantially the same distance from the fourth axis  220   a  as the distance between the third axis  210   a  and the fourth axis  220   a.    
     
     
         12 . The blade apparatus of  claim 11  wherein said attachment structure has an eighth aperture ( 216   a ) disposed about a tenth axis (FIG. 6), said blade having a seventh operative position (not shown but a mirror image of FIG. 5 d ) wherein the second axis  238  and the fourth axis  220   a  are aligned and the second pin is disposed through the second hole  238  in the frame and the second aperture  220   a  in the attachment structure and the first axis  236  and the tenth axis  216   a  are substantially aligned and the first pin is disposed through the first opening  236  and the eighth aperture  216   a , said tenth  216   a  axis being substantially the same distance from the fourth axis  220   a  as the distance between the third axis  210   a  and the fourth axis  220   a.    
     
     
         13 . The blade apparatus of  claim 7  including a respective aperture in the attachment structure below each respective one of said first, second and third apertures whereby the first, second and third apertures will be above the frame and the respective apertures will be below the frame so that the first and second pins can extend in such apertures in which they are disposed above and below the frame.  
     
     
         14 . An excavator comprising: 
 a) an undercarriage;    b) a backfill blade frame operatively pivotally attached to the undercarriage about a substantially horizontal axis;    c) a backfill blade;    d) a connecting structure operatively attached to the backfill blade for attaching the backfill blade to the backfill blade frame, said connection structure further comprising:    d) a first pivotal connection between the frame and the connecting structure about a second axis substantially transverse to the horizontal axis;    e) a second pivotal connection between the frame and the connecting structure about a third axis substantially transverse to the horizontal axis;    f) means for adjusting the blade between a first position substantially parallel to the horizontal axis when the first and second pivotal connections are attached to the backfill blade frame and a second position when the blade is pivoted about the first pivotal connection from the first position thereof and fixed at a position different than the first position thereof; and    h) means for selectively locking the blade in the first or second position thereof.    
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14  including means for moving the blade to a third position whereby the blade is pivoted about the second pivotal connection from the first position thereof and fixed at a position different than the first or second positions thereof.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein said locking means is also for selectively locking the blade in the third position.