Bucket lift ring for loader and backhoe buckets

Abstract

A removable bucket ring attachment configured to slide over a terminal bottom front end of a bucket on a loader or a backhoe; where the bucket ring attachment has a pair of parallel plates closed at one end and open at an opposing end.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A system for lifting heavy items with a hydraulic bucket configured for scooping earth and loose bulk material, the system comprising:
 a bucket with a bucket bottom portion with a terminal bottom front end;   a removable bucket ring attachment having: a front closed end and an opposing open end and further having an attachment width characteristic, an attachment length characteristic and an attachment thickness characteristic; wherein said removable bucket ring attachment comprises:
 an outside portion having an outer width characteristic, an outer length characteristic and an outer thickness characteristic; 
 an inside portion having an inside width characteristic, an inside length characteristic and an inside thickness characteristic; 
 wherein said outer width characteristic is substantially the same as said attachment width characteristic and said inside width characteristic; 
 wherein said outer portion comprises: 
 an outer portion bucket facing surface and an opposing outer portion attachment surface; 
 a means for connecting the outside portion to the inside portion at one end so as to leave an opposing end open and configured to receive therein said terminal bottom front end, where said opposing end is said opposing open end; 
 an outer portion free end distal to said means for connecting; and 
 an elongated flexible member receiving structure disposed on and coupled only to said outer portion at a location which is between said front closed end and said opposing open end. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a retaining stud receiving hole disposed in one of said outside portion and said inside portion; 
 a retaining stud having a retaining stud handle portion and a retaining stud bucket mating free end, said retaining stud configured to advance through said retaining stud receiving hole when said retaining stud handle portion is rotated; and 
 wherein said outer width characteristic has a smaller dimension than said outer length characteristic and larger dimension than said outer thickness characteristic. 
 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said retaining stud receiving hole is disposed in said inner plate. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said outer portion and said inner portion are located in separated but substantially parallel planes. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said means for connecting comprises a separate piece of metal coupled to each of said outer portion and said inner portion. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said connecting means is a portion of a single piece of bent metal, which also comprises said outer portion and said inner portion and wherein said outer thickness dimension is substantially the same as said inside thickness dimension. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said elongated flexible member receiving structure is proximal to said means for connecting and a plane defined by said outer width characteristic and said outer length characteristic faces an outside surface of said bucket bottom portion. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a handle proximal to said means for connecting, and wherein said elongated flexible member receiving ring is proximal to said opposing end. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 2  wherein said elongated flexible member receiving structure is proximal to said means for connecting. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said inner portion is an inner plate. 
     
     
         11 . A method of lifting heavy items with a hydraulic bucket configured for scooping earth and loose bulk material, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a bucket with a bucket bottom portion with a terminal bottom front end;   providing a removable bucket ring attachment having: a front closed end and an opposing open end and further having an attachment width characteristic, an attachment length characteristic and an attachment thickness characteristic; wherein said removable bucket ring attachment comprises:
 an outside portion having an outer width characteristic, an outer length characteristic and an outer thickness characteristic; 
 an inside portion having an inside width characteristic, an inside length characteristic and an inside thickness characteristic; 
 wherein said outer width characteristic is substantially the same as said attachment width characteristic and said inside width characteristic; 
 wherein said outer portion comprises: 
 an outer bucket facing surface and an opposing parallel outer attachment surface; 
 a means for connecting the outside portion to the inside portion at one end so as to leave an opposing end open and configured to receive therein said terminal bottom front end, where said opposing end is said opposing open end; 
 an outer portion free end distal to said means for connecting; 
 providing an elongated flexible member receiving structure disposed on and coupled only to said outer portion at a location which is between said front closed end and said opposing open end; 
 placing said removable bucket ring attachment on said bucket; 
 coupling a first end of an elongated flexible member to said elongated flexible member receiving structure; 
 coupling a second end of said elongated flexible member to an object to be lifted; and 
 lifting said object by raising said bucket. 
   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising the steps of:
 providing a retaining stud receiving hole disposed in one of said outside portions and said inside portions; 
 providing a retaining stud having a retaining stud handle portion and a retaining stud bucket mating free end, said retaining stud configured to advance through said retaining stud receiving hole when said retaining stud handle portion is rotated; and 
 rotating said retaining stud handle portion so that said retaining stud bucket mating free end contacts said bucket and helps secure said removable bucket ring attachment to said bucket. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said retaining stud receiving hole is disposed in said inner portion. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said outer portion and said inner portion are substantially parallel and a plane defined by said outer portion width characteristic and said outer length characteristic faces an outside surface of said bucket bottom portion. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said means for connecting comprises a separate piece of metal coupled to each of said outer portion and said inner portion. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said connecting means is a portion of a single piece of bent metal, which also comprises said outer portion and said inner portion and a plane defined by said outer portion width characteristic and said outer length characteristic faces an outside surface of said bucket bottom portion. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said elongated flexible member receiving structure is proximal to said means for connecting. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising a handle proximal to said means for connecting, and wherein said elongated flexible member receiving structure is proximal to said opposing end. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12  wherein said elongated flexible member receiving structure is proximal to said means for connecting, and said elongated flexible member is a chain. 
     
     
         20 . A system for lifting heavy items with a hydraulic bucket configured for scooping earth and loose bulk material, the system comprising:
 a bucket with a bucket bottom portion with a terminal bottom front end;   a removable bucket ring attachment having a front closed end and an opposing open end and further comprising:
 an outside ring plate portion; 
 an inside plate portion; 
 a means for connecting the outside ring plate portion to the inside plate portion at one end so as to leave an opposing end open and configured to receive therein said terminal bottom front end; 
 an elongated flexible member receiving ring disposed on said outer ring plate; 
 wherein said outer ring plate and said inner plate are substantially parallel; 
 wherein said connecting means is a portion of a single piece of bent metal which forms said front closed end and also comprises said outer ring plate and said inner plate; and 
 wherein said elongated flexible member receiving ring is proximal to said means for connecting.