Material handling assembly

Abstract

A material handling assembly is described herein. The material handling assembly provides an assembly mountable on the articulated arm of the machine consisting generally of a bucket pivotally connectable to the articulated arm of the machine and the means for pivoting the bucket about the pivotal connection of the bucket to the articulated arm, an arm member pivotally connectable to the articulated arm and cooperable with the bucket when mounted on the articulated arm for clamping material being handled therebetween, a bracket mountable on the articulated arm, a strut having a first end thereof pivotally connected to the arm member and second end thereof received within and displaceable along the bracket, and means for detachably securing the second end of the strut to the bracket at selected points along the length of the bracket in a safe and efficient manner.

1 . A material handling assembly mountable to an articulated arm of an excavating machine which comprises:
 a bucket pivotally connectable to said articulated arm; and   a thumb assembly, wherein said thumb assembly is cooperable with said bucket when mounted on said articulated arm for clamping material therebetween, and further wherein said thumb assembly comprises:
 an arm member pivotally connectable to said articulated arm; 
 a bracket mounted on said articulated arm, wherein said bracket comprises at least one wall section, and wherein said at least one wall section comprises:
 at least two generally U-shaped adapters formed therein said at least one wall section; said U-shaped adapters having a continuous transverse opening extending through said U-shaped adapters at an open end of said U-shaped adapters; 
 
 a locking pin, wherein said locking pin is sized for insertion into said continuous transverse opening in said U-shaped adapters; and 
 a strut, wherein said strut operatively connects said arm member and said bracket, and further wherein said strut comprises:
 at least one rigid member; and 
 a pin transverse to a longitudinal axis of said rigid member at one end and pivotally connected to said thumb assembly at opposed end, said pin sized for insertion into said at least two generally U-shaped openings formed within said at least one wall section of said bracket. 
 
   
   
   
       2 . The material handling assembly of  claim 1  wherein said arm member of said thumb assembly comprises:
 a pair of transversely spaced-apart side wall sections wherein said pair of side wall sections are comprised of an inner end and an outer end and further wherein said pair of wall sections are pivotally connected at said inner ends by a pin and further wherein said pair of wall sections are connected at said outer ends by a spacer.   
   
   
       3 . The material handling assembly of  claim 1  wherein said bracket of said thumb assembly further comprises:
 a base section, wherein said base section is connected to said articulated arm, and further wherein said at least one wall section having said at least two generally U-shaped adapters formed therein is connected to said base section.   
   
   
       4 . The material handling assembly of  claim 1  wherein said locking pin of said thumb assembly comprises:
 a handle; and   a shaft connected to said handle wherein said shaft is sized for insertion into said continuous transverse opening in said U-shaped adapters.   
   
   
       5 . The material handling assembly of  claim 1  wherein said pin extending outwardly from said at least one rigid member of said strut extends generally perpendicular from said rigid member. 
   
   
       6 . A thumb assembly for connection to a material handling assembly mountable to an articulated arm of an excavating machine which comprises:
 an arm member pivotally connectable to said articulated arm;   a bracket mounted on said articulated arm, wherein said bracket comprises at least one wall section, and wherein said at least one wall section comprises:
 at least two generally U-shaped adapters formed therein said at least one wall section; said U-shaped adapters having a continuous transverse opening extending through said U-shaped adapters at an open end of said U-shaped adapters; 
   a locking pin, wherein said locking pin is sized for insertion into said continuous transverse opening in said U-shaped adapters; and   a strut, wherein said strut operatively connects said arm member and said bracket, and further wherein said strut comprises:
 at least one rigid member; and 
 a pin transverse to a longitudinal axis of said rigid member at one end and pivotally connected to said thumb assembly at opposed end, said pin sized for insertion into said at least two generally U-shaped openings formed within said at least one wall section of said bracket. 
   
   
   
       7 . The thumb assembly of  claim 6  wherein said arm member comprises:
 a pair of transversely spaced-apart side wall sections wherein said pair of side wall sections are comprised of an inner end and an outer end and further wherein said pair of wall sections are pivotally connected at said inner ends by a pin and further wherein said pair of wall sections are connected at said outer ends by a spacer.   
   
   
       8 . The thumb assembly of  claim 6  wherein said bracket further comprises:
 a base section, wherein said base section is connected to said articulated arm, and further wherein said at least one wall section having said at least two generally U-shaped adapters formed therein is connected to said base section.   
   
   
       9 . The thumb assembly of  claim 6  wherein said locking pin comprises:
 a handle; and   a shaft connected to said handle wherein said shaft is sized for insertion into said continuous transverse opening in said U-shaped adapters.   
   
   
       10 . The thumb assembly of  claim 6  wherein said pin extending outwardly from said at least one rigid member of said strut extends generally perpendicular from said rigid member. 
   
   
       11 . A conversion kit for conversion of a thumb assembly for connection to a material handling assembly mountable to an articulated arm of an excavating machine which comprises:
 a bracket mounted on said articulated arm, wherein said bracket comprises at least one wall section, and wherein said at least one wall section comprises:
 at least two generally U-shaped adapters formed therein said at least one wall section; said U-shaped adapters having a continuous transverse opening extending through said U-shaped adapters at an open end of said U-shaped adapters; and 
   a locking pin, wherein said locking pin is sized for insertion into said continuous transverse opening in said U-shaped adapters.   
   
   
       12 . The conversion kit of  claim 11  wherein said bracket further comprises:
 a base section, wherein said base section is connected to said articulated arm, and further wherein said at least one wall section having said at least two generally U-shaped adapters formed therein is connected to said base section.   
   
   
       13 . The conversion kit of  claim 11  wherein said locking pin comprises:
 a handle; and   a shaft connected to said handle wherein said shaft is sized for insertion into said continuous transverse opening in said U-shaped adapters.   
   
   
       14 . A material handling assembly mountable to an articulated arm of an excavating machine which comprises:
 a bucket pivotally connectable to said articulated arm; and   a thumb assembly, wherein said thumb assembly is cooperable with said bucket when mounted on said articulated arm for clamping material therebetween, and further wherein said thumb assembly comprises:
 an arm member pivotally connectable to said articulated arm; 
 at least two semi-hemispherical structures connected to said articulated arm, said at least two semi-hemispherical structures having a continuous transverse opening extending through said semi-hemispherical structures at an open end of said semi-hemispherical structures; 
 a locking pin, wherein said locking pin is sized for insertion into said continuous transverse opening in said semi-hemispherical structures; and 
 a strut, wherein said strut operatively connects said arm member and one of said at least two semi-hemispherical structures, and further wherein said strut comprises:
 at least one rigid member; and 
 a pin transverse to a longitudinal axis of said rigid member at one end and pivotally connected to said thumb assembly at opposed end, said pin sized for insertion into said at least two semi-hemispherical structures. 
 
   
   
   
       15 . The material handling assembly of  claim 14  wherein said arm member of said thumb assembly comprises:
 a pair of transversely spaced-apart side wall sections wherein said pair of side wall sections are comprised of an inner end and an outer end and further wherein said pair of wall sections are pivotally connected at said inner ends by a pin and further wherein said pair of wall sections are connected at said outer ends by a spacer.   
   
   
       16 . The material handling assembly of  claim 14  wherein said locking pin of said thumb assembly comprises:
 a handle; and   a shaft connected to said handle wherein said shaft is sized for insertion into said continuous transverse opening in said semi-hemispherical structures.   
   
   
       17 . The material handling assembly of  claim 14  wherein said pin extending outwardly from said at least one rigid member of said strut extends generally perpendicular from said rigid member.