Dozer Blade Assembly

Abstract

A dozer blade assembly for connection to a vehicle having a vertically movable mount, the dozer blade assembly including a blade connected to a blade support frame by a universal joint, and being pivotally movable relative to the blade support frame about a vertical yaw axis so as to turn left or right, about a lateral pitch axis so as to rotate forward or rearward, and about a longitudinal roll axis so as to tilt left or right. The dozer blade assembly further includes at least one yaw actuator, at least one pitch actuator and at least one roll actuator, with the actuators connected to the blade and to the blade support frame in locations that permit compound movements of the blade relative to the blade support frame.

1 . A dozer blade assembly for connection to a vehicle having a vertically movable mount, comprising:
 a blade extending laterally and having a front surface, a rear surface, a bottom edge, a first end and an opposed second end;   a blade support frame having a rear mounting member and a front bulk head located longitudinally forward of the rear mounting member;   a universal joint having a front end connected to the rear surface of the blade and a rear end connected to the front bulk head and having through a center of a pivotal member of the universal joint a vertical yaw axis, a lateral pitch axis and a longitudinal roll axis;   the blade being pivotally movable relative to the blade support frame about the vertical yaw axis so as to turn left or right, about the lateral pitch axis so as to rotate forward or rearward, and about the longitudinal roll axis so as to tilt left or right;   at least one yaw actuator pivotally connected at a first end to the blade support frame between the rear mounting member and the front bulk head and generally within an imaginary horizontal plane through the roll axis, extending forward and laterally outward from the blade support frame and being connected at a second end to the rear surface of the blade and generally within the imaginary horizontal plane through the roll axis;   at least one pitch actuator pivotally connected at a first end to the blade support frame between the rear mounting member and the front bulk head and generally within an imaginary vertical plane through the roll axis, extending forward from the blade support frame and being connected at a second end to the rear surface of the blade and generally within the imaginary vertical plane through the roll axis;   at least one roll actuator pivotally connected at a first end to the blade support frame at a location above the roll axis and generally along the yaw axis, extending downward, forward and laterally outward from the blade support frame and being connected at a second end to the rear surface of the blade and generally within the imaginary horizontal plane through the roll axis;   wherein the at least one yaw actuator, at least one pitch actuator and at least one roll actuator provide compound movements of the blade relative to the blade support frame.   
     
     
         2 . The dozer blade assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the blade support frame and blade are configured to be moved vertically upon movement of the vertically movable mount of the vehicle. 
     
     
         3 . The dozer blade assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the blade support frame further comprises a plurality of adjustable length connectors connected at first ends to the vertically movable mount of the vehicle and connected at second ends to the blade support frame to stabilize the connection of the blade support frame to the vertically movable mount of the vehicle. 
     
     
         4 . The dozer blade assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of adjustable length connectors further comprises a pair of ratchet chain binders. 
     
     
         5 . The dozer blade assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one yaw actuator, at least one pitch actuator and at least one roll actuator are hydraulic actuators. 
     
     
         6 . The dozer blade assembly of  claim 5 , further comprising at least one hydraulic valve body used to control the hydraulic actuators. 
     
     
         7 . The dozer blade assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the pitch actuator further comprises a pitch position gage. 
     
     
         8 . The dozer blade assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the pitch actuator position gage further comprises a rod connected to the second end of the pitch actuator and a tube telescopically movable relative to the rod and connected to a portion of the pitch actuator that moves forward and rearward, with the tube being connected to a cable that extend through a hose, wherein a length adjustment of the pitch actuator causes the tube to move the cable and change the extent to which the cable extends from the hose and provides an indication of the pitch position of the blade. 
     
     
         9 . The dozer blade assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the blade includes a rearward extending cutting edge. 
     
     
         10 . The dozer blade assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the rearward extending cutting edge is adjustable with respect to the distance it extends from the rear surface of the blade. 
     
     
         11 . The dozer blade assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the rearward extending cutting edge further comprises a cutting element having a rear cutting edge connected to a mounting flange that extends rearward from the rear surface of the blade. 
     
     
         12 . The dozer blade assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the mounting flange that extends rearward from the rear surface of the blade has a pattern of apertures through the mounting flange varying in distance from the rear surface of the blade, the cutting element has a complementary straight, laterally spaced pattern of apertures through the cutting element at a fixed distance from the rear cutting edge, and further comprising fasteners that connect the mounting flange and the cutting element via aligned selected apertures through the mounting flange and selected apertures through the cutting element. 
     
     
         13 . The dozer blade assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the pitch actuator further comprises a removable stop that limits rearward pitch of the blade to control ground surface contact of the bottom of the blade and the rearward extending cutting edge. 
     
     
         14 . The dozer blade assembly of  claim 13 , wherein when the removable stop is installed and the blade is lowered to a position contacting a ground surface, the bottom edge of the blade and the rearward cutting edge generally simultaneously contact the ground surface. 
     
     
         15 . The dozer blade assembly of  claim 13 , wherein when the removable stop is removed and the blade is lowered to a position contacting a ground surface, the rearward cutting edge extends further downward to contact the ground surface than the bottom edge of the blade. 
     
     
         16 . The dozer blade assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the blade further comprises a centrally located upstanding mast receiver. 
     
     
         17 . The dozer blade assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the blade further comprises an additional upstanding mast receiver proximate the first end of the blade and an additional upstanding mast receiver proximate the second end of the blade. 
     
     
         18 . The dozer blade assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the blade support frame further comprises a centrally located upstanding mast receiver. 
     
     
         19 . The dozer blade assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a mast that is removably connected to and extends upward from an upstanding mast receiver on the blade or on the blade support frame. 
     
     
         20 . The dozer blade assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising auxiliary blade sections connected to the first and second ends of the blade. 
     
     
         21 . The dozer blade assembly of  claim 20 , wherein each auxiliary blade section further comprises an inner end having a mounting flange and an outer end having a forward extending end wall. 
     
     
         22 . The dozer blade assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the universal joint further comprises a ball and socket assembly. 
     
     
         23 . The dozer blade assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the pivotal movement of the ball and socket assembly has a left or right range of movement about the yaw axis of approximately 40 degrees. 
     
     
         24 . The dozer blade assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the ball of the ball and socket assembly further comprises a stem extending from the ball. 
     
     
         25 . The dozer blade assembly of  claim 24 , wherein the stem is connected to and that extends rearward from the rear surface of the blade, and the socket is connected to and extends forward from the bulk head of the blade support frame. 
     
     
         26 . The dozer blade assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a sensor to measure the extent to which the blade is tilted left or right about the longitudinal roll axis. 
     
     
         27 . The dozer blade assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a rotation sensor to measure the extent to which the blade is turned left or right about the vertical yaw axis. 
     
     
         28 . The dozer blade assembly of  claim 27 , wherein the rotation sensor further comprised downward extending posts located adjacent opposed sides of the roll actuator. 
     
     
         29 . The dozer blade assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the blade support frame further comprises upper and lower support members connected to and extending between the rear mounting member and a front bulk head. 
     
     
         30 . The dozer blade assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the blade support frame further comprises at least one vertical support member connected to and extending between the rear mounting member and the front bulk head. 
     
     
         31 . The dozer blade assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the front bulk head further comprises a laterally extending aperture through which the pitch actuator extends and is movable to accommodate turning of the blade. 
     
     
         32 . The dozer blade assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a quick disconnect mounting bracket connected to the rear mounting member of the blade support assembly and being configured to mount to a front mounting assembly on the vertically movable mount of the vehicle. 
     
     
         33 . The dozer blade assembly of  claim 32 , wherein the rear mounting member is height adjustable relative to the quick disconnect mounting bracket.