High rotation linkage assembly

Abstract

The addition of a thumb to a bucket of a work machine allows more uses for the work machine than having only the bucket. These uses, however, are often limited to the capabilities of the linkage of the thumb and its ability to rotate the thumb with the bucket. An attachment arrangement for a load-bearing member of a work machine for attaching the implement to the load-bearing member, comprises an implement, an actuator, and a high rotation linkage assembly rotatably attaching the implement to the load-bearing member and to the actuator, the high rotation linkage assembly structured and arranged to allow the implement to have a range of rotation of at least 190 degrees.

1 . An attachment arrangement for a load-bearing member of a work machine, comprising: 
 an implement rotatably attached to the load-bearing member;    an actuator attached to the load-bearing member; and    a high rotation linkage assembly rotatably attaching the implement to the load-bearing member and to the actuator, the high rotation linkage assembly structured and arranged to allow the implement to have a range of rotation of at least 190 degrees.    
     
     
         2 . The attachment arrangement of  claim 1  wherein the implement is a thumb.  
     
     
         3 . The attachment arrangement of  claim 1  wherein the high rotation linkage assembly comprises: 
 a first link having first and second-end portions and an extension portion extending from the first-end portion, the first-end portion of the first link being rotatably attached to the load-bearing member at a second rotatable attachment point, and the second-end portion of the first link being rotatably attached to the actuator at a third rotatable attachment point; and  
 a second link having first and second-end portions, the first-end portion of the second link being rotatably attached to the implement at a first rotatable attachment point, the second-end portion of the second link being rotatably attached to the extension portion of the first link at a fourth rotatable attachment point.  
 
     
     
         4 . The attachment arrangement of  claim 3  wherein the extension portion further has an extension portion long axis and the first link further comprises a long member having a long member long axis oriented in a non-parallel relationship with the extension portion long axis.  
     
     
         5 . The attachment arrangement of  claim 3  wherein a distance between the first rotatable attachment point and the fourth rotatable attachment point is greater than a distance between the second rotatable attachment point and the end portion of the load-bearing member.  
     
     
         6 . The attachment arrangement of  claim 3  wherein a distance between the second rotatable attachment point and the third rotatable attachment point is greater than a distance between the second rotatable attachment point and the end portion of the load-bearing member.  
     
     
         7 . The attachment arrangement of  claim 3  wherein the second link has a convex shape bent away from the load-bearing member when attached with the load-bearing member.  
     
     
         8 . An attachment arrangement for a load-bearing member of a work machine, comprising: 
 a first implement rotatably attached to the load-bearing member;    a second implement rotatably attached to the load-bearing member;    an actuator attached to the load-bearing member; and    a linkage assembly rotatably attaching the second implement to the load-bearing member, the linkage assembly structured and arranged to allow the first implement and the second implement to have substantially the same range of rotation.    
     
     
         9 . The attachment arrangement of  claim 8  wherein the first implement is a bucket and the second implement is a thumb.  
     
     
         10 . The attachment arrangement of  claim 8  wherein the rotation linkage assembly comprises: 
 a first link having first- and second-end portions and an extension portion extending from the first-end portion, the first-end portion of the first link being rotatably attached to the actuator at a third rotatable attachment point, the second-end portion of the first link being rotatably attached to the load-bearing member at a second rotatable attachment point; and  
 a second link having first and second-end portions, the first-end portion of the second link being rotatably attached to the extension portion of the first link at a fourth rotatable attachment point and the second-end portion of the second link being rotatably attached to the second implement at a first rotatable attachment point.  
 
     
     
         11 . The attachment arrangement of  claim 10  wherein the extension portion further has an extension portion long axis and the first link further comprises a long member having a long member long axis oriented in a non-parallel relationship with the extension portion long axis.  
     
     
         12 . The attachment arrangement of  claim 10  wherein a distance between the second rotatable attachment point and the third rotatable attachment point is greater than a distance between the second rotatable attachment point and the end portion of the load-bearing member.  
     
     
         13 . The attachment arrangement of  claim 10  wherein a distance between the first rotatable attachment point and the fourth rotatable attachment point is greater than a distance between the second rotatable attachment point and the end portion of the load-bearing member.  
     
     
         14 . The attachment arrangement of  claim 10  wherein the second link has a convex shape bent away from the load-bearing member when attached with the load-bearing member.  
     
     
         15 . The attachment arrangement of  claim 10  wherein the second implement has a range of rotation of at least 190 degrees.  
     
     
         16 . An attachment arrangement for an implement of a work machine, the attachment arrangement comprising: 
 a load-bearing member having an end portion;    an implement attached to the load-bearing member in proximity to the end portion;    a first link having first and second-end portions and an extension portion extending from the first-end portion, the first-end portion of the first link being rotatably attached to an actuator at a third rotatable attachment point, the second-end portion of the first link being rotatably attached to the load-bearing member at a second rotatable attachment point a predetermined distance from the end portion of the load-bearing member; and    a second link having first and second-end portions, the second-end portion being rotatably attached to the implement at a first rotatable attachment point, the second-end portion being rotatably attached to the extension portion of the first link at a fourth rotatable attachment point, the second, third, and fourth rotatable attachment points defining non-co-linear attachment points.    
     
     
         17 . The attachment arrangement of  claim 16  wherein the implement is a thumb.  
     
     
         18 . The attachment arrangement of  claim 16  wherein the predetermined distance is less than a distance between the second and third rotatable attachment points.  
     
     
         19 . The attachment arrangement of  claim 16  wherein the first link and the second link are structured and arranged to allow the implement to have a range of rotation of at least 190 degrees.  
     
     
         20 . The attachment arrangement of  claim 16  wherein the extension portion further has an extension portion long axis and the first link further comprises a long member having a long member long axis oriented in a non-parallel relationship with the extension portion long axis.  
     
     
         21 . An attachment arrangement for a load-bearing member of a work machine comprising: 
 a load-bearing member;    a first implement rotatably attached to the load-bearing member;    a first actuator attached to the load-bearing member applying a force to the first implement to move the first implement relative to the load-bearing member;    a second implement rotatably attached to the load-bearing member;    a second actuator attached to the load-bearing member applying a force to the second implement to move the second implement relative to the load-bearing member, the second actuator moving the second implement independently of the first implement; and    a linkage assembly rotatably attaching the second implement to the load-bearing member, the linkage assembly allowing each of the first implement and the second implement to have a range of rotation of at least approximately 190 degrees.    
     
     
         22 . An attachment arrangement according to  claim 21  wherein: 
 the first implement is an earth-excavating bucket; and  
 the second implement is a thumb which can move under force of the second actuator in an opposite direction of the bucket to apply a pinching force to an object between the bucket and the thumb.  
 
     
     
         23 . An attachment arrangement for a load-bearing member of a work machine comprising: 
 a load-bearing member;    a bucket rotatably attached to the load-bearing member;    a first actuator operatively attached to and applying a force to the bucket to rotate the bucket relative to the load-bearing member;    a thumb rotatably attached to the load-bearing member and adapted to produce a pinching between the bucket and the thumb;    a second actuator applying a force to the thumb to rotate the thumb relative to the load-bearing member;    a linkage assembly connecting the second actuator to the thumb, the linkage assembly comprising: 
 a first link; and  
 a second link;  
 wherein the first link is attached at a first end thereof to the load-bearing member and the first link is attached at a second end thereof opposite its first end to a first end of the second link, the second link is attached at a second end thereof opposite its first end to the thumb; and  
 wherein the second actuator is attached to the first link at a point in between the first end and second end of the first link.  
   
     
     
         24 . An attachment arrangement according to  claim 23  wherein the thumb has a range of motion of at least approximately 190 degrees relative to the load-bearing member.