Apron drive for a tractor scraper

Abstract

A tractor scraper includes a tractor portion and a scraper portion. The scraper portion may include a bowl and an apron disposed adjacent a forward end of the bowl. The tractor scraper may include a first drive configured to raise the apron. The first drive may include an actuator drivingly connected to a pinion. The first drive may also include a rack connected to the apron and the pinion in a manner allowing the actuator to raise the apron by driving the rack with the pinion. The rack may include a plurality of teeth facing rearward.

1 . A tractor scraper, comprising:
 a tractor portion;   a scraper portion disposed rearward of the tractor portion, the scraper portion including
 a bowl, and 
 an apron disposed adjacent a forward end of the bowl, the apron having a forward face; and 
   a first drive configured to raise the apron, the first drive including
 an actuator drivingly connected to a pinion, and 
 a rack connected to the apron and operably engaged to the pinion to allow the actuator to raise the apron by driving the rack with the pinion, wherein the rack is disposed rearward of the apron and includes a plurality of teeth facing rearward. 
   
     
     
         2 . The tractor scraper of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the apron includes a side connected to the forward face of the apron and to a side of the bowl; and   the rack is attached to the side of the apron.   
     
     
         3 . The tractor scraper of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the side of the apron includes an indentation away from the side of the bowl; and   the rack is disposed at least partially within the indentation.   
     
     
         4 . The tractor scraper of  claim 2 , wherein the apron is mounted to the bowl in a manner allowing the apron to pivot about a lateral axis. 
     
     
         5 . The tractor scraper of  claim 4 , wherein the rack has a substantially semicircular shape. 
     
     
         6 . The tractor scraper of  claim 4 , wherein the rack has a substantially semicircular shape substantially concentric with the lateral axis. 
     
     
         7 . The tractor scraper of  claim 2 , wherein the rack is disposed within an indentation of the apron. 
     
     
         8 . The tractor scraper of  claim 7 , wherein the actuator, the pinion, and the rack are mounted to the scraper portion of the tractor scraper. 
     
     
         9 . The tractor scraper of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator, the pinion, and the rack are mounted to the scraper portion of the tractor scraper. 
     
     
         10 . The tractor scraper of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator is a rotary motor. 
     
     
         11 . The tractor scraper of  claim 1 , further comprising a second drive configured to assist the first drive in raising the apron. 
     
     
         12 . A tractor scraper, comprising:
 a tractor portion;   a scraper portion disposed rearward of the tractor portion, the scraper portion including
 a bowl, the bowl having a side, and 
 an apron disposed adjacent a forward end of the bowl, the apron having a forward face and a side, the side of the apron being connected to the forward face of the apron and to the side of the bowl in a manner allowing the apron to pivot about a lateral axis, and the side of the apron including an indentation away from the side of the bowl; and 
   a first drive configured to raise the apron, the first drive including
 an actuator drivingly connected to a pinion, and 
 a substantially semicircular rack disposed substantially concentric to the lateral axis and connected to the side of the apron within the indentation and rearward of the forward face of the apron, the rack being operably engaged to the pinion to allow the actuator to raise the apron by driving the rack with the pinion, wherein the rack includes a plurality of teeth facing rearward. 
   
     
     
         13 . A tractor scraper, comprising:
 a tractor portion;   a scraper portion disposed rearward of the tractor portion, the scraper portion including
 a bowl, and 
 an apron disposed adjacent a forward end of the bowl, the apron having a forward face and a side connected to a side of the bowl; and 
   a first drive configured to raise the apron, the first drive including
 an actuator drivingly connected to a pinion, and 
 a rack connected to the side of the apron and operably engaged to the pinion to allow the actuator to raise the apron by driving the rack with the pinion, wherein the rack is disposed rearward of the forward face of the apron. 
   
     
     
         14 . The tractor scraper of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the side of the apron includes an indentation away from the side of the bowl; and   the rack is disposed at least partially within the indentation.   
     
     
         15 . The tractor scraper of  claim 13 , wherein the apron is mounted to the bowl in a manner allowing the apron to pivot about a lateral axis. 
     
     
         16 . The tractor scraper of  claim 15 , wherein the rack has a substantially semicircular shape. 
     
     
         17 . The tractor scraper of  claim 15 , wherein the rack has a substantially semicircular shape substantially concentric with the lateral axis. 
     
     
         18 . The tractor scraper of  claim 17 , further comprising a second drive configured to assist the first drive in raising the apron. 
     
     
         19 . The tractor scraper of  claim 13 , further comprising a second drive configured to assist the first drive in raising the apron. 
     
     
         20 . The tractor scraper of  claim 13 , wherein the actuator, the pinion, and the rack are mounted to the scraper portion of the tractor scraper.