Skid device attachable to loader bucket, loader bucket assembly for moving material, and method thereof

Abstract

A skid device and a loader bucket assembly includes the skid device, which include a ski-shaped base plate. The skid device is attachable to a front end of a loader bucket including a plurality of mounting holes for securing an accessory, such as an edge plate and a toothbar, to a bottom side of the loader bucket at a front side thereof, with a portion of the accessory extending forwardly of a front edge of the loader bucket when the accessory is mounted to the loader bucket. The skid device is also attachable to the loader bucket without the accessory mounted thereto. Two or more skid devices can be attached to the front end of the loading bucket to enable it to move materials on the ground.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A skid device mountable to a loader bucket including a plurality of mounting holes for securing an accessory to a bottom side of the loader bucket at a front side thereof, with a portion of the accessory extending forwardly of a front edge of the loader bucket when the accessory is mounted to the loader bucket, the skid device comprising:
 a base plate including:
 a first section with a slot extending in a fore and aft direction of the base plate; 
 a second section extending outwardly and angled upwardly from the first section; and 
 a third section extending outwardly and angled upwardly from the first section, the second and third sections extending in opposite directions along the fore and aft direction from the first section; 
   a stop member disposed at an upper side of the first section adjacent to one of the second or third section and configured to abut a leading end of the loader bucket,   wherein a width of the slot is dimensioned to permit a threaded shaft of a fastener to pass through and a mounting hole, among the plurality of mounting holes in the loader bucket, from a bottom side of the first section, while preventing a head of the fastener, which is disposed at one end of the threaded shaft and dimensioned larger than the threaded shaft, from passing completely through the slot, and   wherein a length of the slot provides a fore and aft adjustment that allows the skid device to be mountable to the loader bucket with or without the accessory mounted, so that the stop member abuts the leading end, which is either the front edge of the loader bucket in a state where the accessory is not mounted to the loader bucket or a front edge of the accessory extending forwardly of the front edge of the loader bucket in a state where the accessory is mounted to the loader bucket.   
     
     
         2 . The skid device according to  claim 1 , wherein the accessory is an edge plate. 
     
     
         3 . The skid device according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the base plate is made of monolithic aluminum or steel, and   the first section is thicker than each of the second and third sections.   
     
     
         4 . The skid device according to  claim 1 , further including a reinforcing section extending upwardly from an upper side of the first section. 
     
     
         5 . The skid device according to  claim 4 , wherein the stop member extends upwardly from an upper side of the reinforcing section. 
     
     
         6 . The skid device according to  claim 1 , wherein the slot is stepped or countersunk deeper than a thickness of the head of the fastener so that the head is at least flush with a bottom surface of the first section. 
     
     
         7 . The skid device according to  claim 4 , wherein the reinforcing section has a slot that is narrower than the slot in the first section and permits the threaded shaft of the fastener to extend therethrough but prevents the head of the fastener from passing through. 
     
     
         8 . The skid device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a wear member removably secured to a lower side of the base plate and configured complementary to a configuration of the base plate and cover a bottom surface of the base plate. 
     
     
         9 . The skid device according to  claim 5 , wherein skid device is mountable to the loader bucket with either the second or third section extending forwardly of the leading end of the loader bucket. 
     
     
         10 . A loader bucket assembly for moving material, the bucket assembly comprising:
 a loader bucket including a plurality of mounting holes for securing an accessory to a bottom side of the loader bucket at a front side thereof, with a portion of the accessory extending forwardly of a front edge of the loader bucket when the accessory is mounted to the loader bucket; and   at least two skid devices each mounted to the loader bucket using a fastener through a mounting hole, among the plurality of mounting holes in the loader bucket,   wherein each of the two skid devices includes:
 a base plate including:
 a first section with a slot extending in a fore and aft direction of the base plate; 
 a second section extending outwardly and angled upwardly from the first section; and 
 a third section extending outwardly and angled upwardly from the first section, the second and third sections extending in opposite directions along the fore and aft direction from the first section; 
 
 a stop member disposed at an upper side of the first section adjacent to one of the second or third section and configured to abut a leading end of the loader bucket, 
 wherein a width of the slot is dimensioned to permit a threaded shaft of the fastener to pass through and a mounting hole, among the plurality of mounting holes in the loader bucket, from a bottom side of the first section, while preventing a head of the fastener, which is disposed at one end of the threaded shaft and dimensioned larger than the threaded shaft, from passing completely through the slot, and 
 wherein a length of the slot provides a fore and aft adjustment that allows the skid device to be mounted to the loader bucket with or without the accessory mounted, so that the stop member abuts the leading end, which is either the front edge of the loader bucket in a state where the accessory is not mounted to the loader bucket or a front edge of the accessory extending forwardly of the front edge of the loader bucket in a state where the accessory is mounted to the loader bucket. 
   
     
     
         11 . The loader bucket assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the accessory is an edge plate. 
     
     
         12 . The loader bucket assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein:
 the base plate is made of monolithic aluminum or steel, and   the first section is thicker than each of the second and third sections.   
     
     
         13 . The loader bucket assembly according to  claim 10 , further including a reinforcing section extending upwardly from an upper side of the first section. 
     
     
         14 . The loader bucket assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the stop member extends upwardly from an upper side of the first section. 
     
     
         15 . The loader bucket assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the slot is stepped or countersunk deeper than a thickness of the head of the fastener so that the head is at least flush with a bottom surface of the first section. 
     
     
         16 . The loader bucket assembly according to  claim 13 , wherein the reinforcing section has a slot that is narrower than the slot in the first section and permits the threaded shaft of the fastener to extend therethrough but prevents the head of the fastener from passing through. 
     
     
         17 . The loader bucket assembly according to  claim 10 , further comprising a wear member removably secured to a lower side of the base plate and configured complementary to a configuration of the base plate and cover a bottom surface of the base plate. 
     
     
         18 . The loader bucket assembly according to  claim 14 , wherein skid device is mountable to the loader bucket with either the second or third section extending forwardly of the leading end of the loader bucket. 
     
     
         19 . The loader bucket assembly according to  claim 13 , wherein the stop member extends upwardly from an upper side of the reinforcing section. 
     
     
         20 . A method of mounting a skid device to a loader bucket including a plurality of mounting holes for securing an accessory to a bottom side of the loader bucket at a front side thereof, with a portion of the accessory extending forwardly of a front edge of the loader bucket when the accessory is mounted to the loader bucket, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing the skid device, which comprises:
 a base plate including:
 a first section with a slot extending in a fore and aft direction of the base plate; 
 a second section extending outwardly and angled upwardly from the first section; and 
 a third section extending outwardly and angled upwardly from the first section, the second and third sections extending in opposite directions along the fore and aft direction from the first section; 
 
 a stop member disposed at an upper side of the first section adjacent to one of the second or third section and configured to abut a leading end of the loader bucket, 
 wherein a width of the slot is dimensioned to permit a threaded shaft of a fastener to pass through and a mounting hole, among the plurality of mounting holes in the loader bucket, from a bottom side of the first section, while preventing a head of the fastener, which is disposed at one end of the threaded shaft and dimensioned larger than the threaded shaft, from passing completely through the slot, and 
 wherein a length of the slot provides a fore and aft adjustment that allows the skid device to be mountable to the loader bucket with or without the accessory mounted, so that the stop member abuts the leading end, which is either the front edge of the loader bucket in a state where the accessory is not mounted to the loader bucket or a front edge of the accessory extending forwardly of the front edge of the loader bucket in a state where the accessory is mounted to the loader bucket; 
   disposing the skid device underneath the load bucket so that the first section is underneath the load bucket and the stop member is disposed close to or abutting the leading end of the loader bucket;   aligning the slot with the mount hole;   inserting the threaded shaft of the fastener through the slot and into the mount hole; and   securing the skid device to the load bucket by fastening a nut on the thread shaft and tightening the bolt while the stop member is abutting the leading end.