Snubber for a dipper door

Abstract

A linkage assembly is provided for a bucket in which a door is coupled to a body of the bucket at a pivot mount. The linkage assembly includes a first link, a second link, and a snubber. The first link is pivotally coupled to the body and disposed in a spaced-apart relation to the pivot mount. The second link is pivotally coupled to the door and disposed in a spaced-apart relation to the pivot mount. The first and second links are also pivotally coupled together at a link pivot. The snubber is disposed between the pivot mount and the first link.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A snubber for a dipper door, comprising:
 a five bar linkage including a linear actuator;   the linear actuator configured to provide resistive force to the dipper door via the linkage assembly when the door is closing.   
     
     
         2 . The snubber of  claim 1 , wherein the dipper door is pivotally coupled to a dipper body at a pivot mount, the five bar linkage including:
 a first link pivotally coupled to the dipper body spaced from the pivot mount;   a second link pivotally coupled to the dipper door spaced from the pivot mount, the first and second links pivotally coupled together at a link pivot;   wherein the linear actuator is provided between the pivot mount and the first link.   
     
     
         3 . The snubber of  claim 2 , wherein the linear actuator is provided at the first link proximate the link pivot. 
     
     
         4 . The snubber of  claim 2 , wherein an angle between the linear actuator and the first link when the dipper door is in a closed position is in the range of about 60 to 90 degrees. 
     
     
         5 . The snubber of  claim 4 , wherein the linear actuator is substantially perpendicular to the first link when the door is in a closed position. 
     
     
         6 . The snubber of  claim 1 , wherein the linear actuator is configured to provide resistive force when a closing angle between the dipper door and a dipper body is in the range of about 0 to 30 degrees. 
     
     
         7 . The snubber of  claim 1 , wherein the linear actuator comprises a hydraulic cylinder. 
     
     
         8 . A linkage assembly for a door coupled to a body at a pivot mount, the comprising:
 a first link pivotally coupled to the body spaced from the pivot mount;   a second link pivotally coupled to the door spaced from the pivot mount, the first and second links pivotally coupled together at a link pivot; and   a linear actuator provided between the pivot mount and the first link.   
     
     
         9 . The linkage assembly of  claim 8 , wherein an angle between the linear actuator and the first link when the door is in a closed position is in the range of about 60 to 90 degrees. 
     
     
         10 . The linkage assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the linear actuator is substantially perpendicular to the first link when the door is in a closed position. 
     
     
         11 . The linkage assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the first link has a length which is a multiple of a distance by which the first link's pivotal coupling to the body is spaced from the pivot mount, said multiple being in the range of about 0.5 to 1.5. 
     
     
         12 . The linkage assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the linear actuator is configured to provide resistive force when a closing angle between the door and the body is in the range of about 0 to 30 degrees. 
     
     
         13 . The linkage assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the linear actuator comprises a hydraulic cylinder. 
     
     
         14 . The linkage assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the linear actuator is provided at the first link proximate the link pivot. 
     
     
         15 . The linkage assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the first link, the second link, the door, the body and the linear actuator define a 5-bar linkage mechanism. 
     
     
         16 . A method of controlling angular movement of a door relative to a body to which the door is coupled at a pivot mount, the method comprising:
 pivotally coupling a first link to the body;   pivotally coupling a second link to the door;   pivotally coupling the first and second links together; and   providing resistive force to the first link remote from where the first link is pivotally coupled to the body.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein resistive force is provided when a closing angle between the door and the body is in the range of about 0 to 30 degrees. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein resistive force is provided substantially perpendicularly to the first link.