US3388821A - Hydraulic control means for loaders - Google Patents

Description

June 18, 1968 w- MCKEAN wHrr JR 3,388,821

HYDRAULIC CONTROL/MEANS FOR LOADERS Filed Sept. 22, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 v INVENTOR.

' ATTORNEY WILLIAM MC. KEAN WHITE JR.

June 18, 1968 w. MCKEAN WHITE, JR 3,

HYDRAULIC CONTROL MEANS FOR LOADERS Filed Sept. 22, 1966 s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. WILLIAM Mc KEAN WHITE JR.

June 18; 1968 w. McKEAN WHITE, JR 3 ,388,821

HYDRAULIC CONTROL MEANS FOR LOADERS Filed Sept. 22, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 a IIII'" /4 /4 i 1. I 56 1 a4,

I 36 z 24 V /Z 3 Z; /Z 57 a4 54 v INVENTOR. WILLIAM McKEAN WHITE JR.

ATTORNEY June 18, 1968 r w. M KEAN WHITE, JR 3,333,821

HYDRAULIC CONTROL MEANS FOR LOADERS Filed Sept. 22, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. WILLIAM McKEAN WHITE JR.

ATTOR Y June 18, 1968 w, MCKEAN w T JR 3,388,821

HYDRAULIC CONTROL MEANS FOR LOADERS Filed Sept. 22, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 sac/(7- c YL moms 800M 6 Y1. woERS INVENTOR. WILL/AM MCKEAN WHITE JR.

BY ZKz/M ATTORNEY United States Patent ()fice Patented June 18, 1968 3,388,821 HYDRAULiC CONTROL MEANS FOR LOADERS William McKean White, Jru, Elkhart, Ind., assignor to The Warner & Swasey Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Sept. 22, 1966, Ser. No. 581,206 4 Claims. (Cl. 214778) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A hydraulic actuating means for wheeled loaders having two spaced levers shiftable fore and aft of the loader for controlling actuation of the loader wheels. Another lever is linked to each of said shiftable levers by means of an interconnecting pivoted handgrip which actuates one of either a loader bucket or a boom when shifted relative to the associated wheel control lever. The bucket and boom actuating levers are each shiftable with the associated wheel actuating levers in a manner to produce no actuation of the boom or bucket.

This invention relates to improvements in hydraulic control means for loaders. More particularly, it relates to hydraulic control means for four-wheel drive loaders in which the wheels are power-driven by individual hydraulic motor means or in which drive means at each side drive the wheels at that side.

The improvement of this invention comprises a first set of control valve means for the selected distribution of hydraulic fluid to hydraulic motor means operatively connected to wheel drive means or directly to the loader wheels and a second set of control valve means for the selected distribution of hydraulic fluid to the loader boom and bucket actuators respectively. Each member of the second set of control valve means is adapted to be actuated in a fore and aft direction. Controlling the operations of the first set of control valve means is a first pair of spaced levers pivoted and independently shiftable fore and aft. A handgrip is pivoted to one end of each member of said first pair of levers to rock in a vertical plane. Controlling the operations of the second set of control valve means is a pair of spaced links. Each member of the pair of links lies alongside a member of said first pair of levers and connects a free end of an adjacent handgrip with a rockable valve control member. Each member of the set of links swings in substantially the same plane as the adjacent member of the first pair of levers. Each rockable member is connected with the attached link to be shiftable by vertical rocking of said handgrip to actuate the rockable member and the associated control valve which positions either the boom or the bucket, and being substantially stationary incident to actuation of the associated lever without vertical rocking of said handgrip.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a novel and simple means for controlling the driving, steering, load lifting and bucket tilting actions of a loader.

A further object is to provide a device of this character having a pair of controls arranged side by side, each correlated to and controlling the wheel drive means at one side of the device, and each having associated therewith and shiftable therewith, but independently manipulable, a second control element for controlling one of the functions of elevating and tilting a work-carrying bucket.

A further object is to provide hydraulic control means of this character utilizing a single control assembly for the selected control of two hydraulic valves, controlling operation of a loader and parts thereof, one of said valves being controlled by movement of a substantially vertical lever, and the other control valve being controlled by a substantially horizontal control lever pivoted at the upper end. of the first lever and adapted to be grasped by the operator to selectively control both valves by a combination of push and pull actions each in the direction in which the loader or a part thereof is to be operated.

Other objects will be apparent from the following specificatiou.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a loader utilizing my improved control, wherein the loader bucket and boom are in lowered positions.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a loader utilizing my improved control and illustrating the boom and bucket in elevated position;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary front perspective view of the drivers seat of a loader and my new controls, illustrating the relation of the controls to each other and to the drivers seat;

FIG. 4 is a view of a loader in side elevation with the boom and bucket in lowered position;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a loader utilizing my improved controls;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectional view taken on line 66 of FIG. 5 and illustrating one of the controls and its relation to the valves controlled thereby;

FIG. 7 is an axial sectional view of one of the control valves for a wheel driving motor and its connection to the control unit;

FIG. 8 is a schematic view illustrating the hydraulic circuit for the wheel driving means of one embodiment of the loader; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating the assembly of my new controls and the valves controlled thereby.

FIG. 10 is a schematic view illustrating an alternative hydraulic circuit for a loader.

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating a modified drive arrangement for wheels at one side of a loader.

Referring to the drawings which illustrate one embodiment of the invention, the numeral 10 designates the frame or chassis of a loader which is supported upon four wheels 12 each mounted upon a fixed axle. Each wheel 12 is provided with a hydraulic driving motor 14 of known type, adapted to operate the associated Wheel for forward drive or reverse drive, and having a neutral stationary position. The chassis 1t) mounts an operators seat 16, preferably intermediate the length thereof. Rear counterbalance weights 18 are mounted on the chassis. A suitable gasoline engine 26 is mounted upon the chassis and operates a plurality of hydraulic pumps, such as pump 22. Preferably, one tandem pump or dual pumps (not shown) are connected in circuits leading to valves to control the elevation of the boom and tilting of the bucket, to be described.

The pump 22 in the wheel-driving circuit has connection with a right wheel drive supply conduit 24 and with a left wheel drive supply conduit 26. Conduit 24 communicates with a right wheel control valve 28, and conduit 26 communicates with a left wheel control valve 30. Each of the valves 28 and 30 has a conduit 32 leading to the wheel drive motor 14 associated with a front wheel, and a conduit 34 communicating with the wheel drive motor 14 associated with a rear wheel.

The conduits 32 and 34 provide for flow of liquid under pressure to the adjacent wheel motors for forward drive thereof. Other conduits 36, as seen in FIGS. 7 and 8, are connected with the adjacent wheel drive motors 14 for supply of liquid under pressure for reverse operation or rotation of the wheels. Each of the motors 14 has a conduit 38 for discharging fluid therefrom to a sump or reservoir 40, from which the pump 22 derives its supply of liquid through a conduit 42.

Each of the valves 28 and 30 for control of the wheel drive motors 14 may be of the construction illustrated in FIG. 7, wherein an elongated cylindrical valve housing 44 has the inlet port or conduit 24 connected thereto substantially centrally thereof. The conduits 32, 34 for the forward operation of the Wheel drive motors are connected to valve housing 44 adjacent the rear end thereof, and the conduits 36 for the reverse operation of the wheel drive motors are connected adjacent the front of the valve housing. A valve stem 46 is slidable longitudinally in the valve housing 44 and mounts a cylindrical seal-bearing disk 48 normally interposed between the ports 24 and 32 and a second seal-bearing disk 50 normally interposed between ports 24 and 36, said normal or neutral position being effected by spring means, such as spring 47. The disks 48 and 50 are spaced apart a distance less than the spacing of the conduit ports 32 and 36 and greater than the spacing between the port 24 and either of the other ports, such as 32 and 36.

The stem 46 projects from the valve housing 44 and is adapted for pivotal connection at 52 with a lever 54 projecting upwardly therefrom and normally positioned at neutral by spring 47. The valves 28 and 30 are preferably mounted upon the chassis at a sub-floor or low level support 56 below an upper floor or support 58, and the levers 54 extend through an aperture in the upper floor 58 and each is pivoted thereto at 60 and projects upwardly to a level convenient to the reach of an operator sitting upon the seat 16, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. The levers 54 are pivoted to swing fore and aft, and when a lever 54 is swung forwardly by the operator, the valve stem 46 will be urged rearwardly to open the ports 24 and 32 in communication for liquid flow to the correlated wheel motors 14 to effect forward drive of the wheels at the side of the vehicle controlled by the actuated lever. Conversely, a rearward pull upon a lever 54 by the operator will move the valve stem forwardly to open into communication the ports 24 and 36 for liquid flow in a path to cause reverse or rearward drive of the wheels at the side of the vehicle controlled by the actuated lever.

The vehicle frame 10 is provided with a pair of rear upwardly projecting rigid supports 62 adjacent each side thereof. To the upper end of each support 62 is provided at 64 an elongated boom arm 66. The arm 66 are preferably substantially L-shaped and include end portions 68 projecting downwardly from gusset plates 70 in the normal or lowered position of the boom as illustrated in FIG. 4. Booms 66, 68 are rigid and each has pivotally connected thereto at 72 at its free end, a bracket 74 fixedly secured to and projecting rearwardly from a scoop or bucket 76. One end of an extensible fluid pressure power member 78, preferably constituting a cylinder and piston, is pivoted at 80 to the lower portion of each upright projecting support 62. The other end of each power member, such as piston rod 82, is pivotally connected at 84 to an intermediate portion of the boom, preferably at the gusset plates 70, as illustrated. Two power members 78 are preferably provided, one being located at each side of the device, the same being similar and adapted to simultaneously apply lifting forces to the booms. The power members 78 are preferably hydraulic and are controlled by a hydraulic valve, such as the valve 86, illustrated in FIG. 9.

A pair of extensible and retractable fluid pressure or hydraulic power members 90, each preferably including a cylinder and a piston therein, have connections between each boom and the bucket. Thus, one end of each cylinder 90 may be pivoted to a boom intermediate the length thereof, as at or adjacent a gusset plate 70. The extensible piston rod 92 of member 90 has pivotal connection at 94 with a bracket 96 projecting from the bucket 76. The power members 90 are preferably hydraulic and are controlled by a hydraulic valve, such as the valve 98, illustrated in FIG. 9.

Each of the valves 86 and 98 is preferably mounted upon the sub floor 56, as illustrated in FIG. 9, with the valve 86 preferably being located adjacent to the lefthand lever 54, and the valve 98 preferably being located adjacent to the righthand lever 54.

Brackets 100 mounted on sub-floor 56, journal a rock shaft 182 having a connection at 104 with the slidable plunger of the shiftable part or stem of the valve 86. A rock arm 186 projects from shaft 102 toward the lever 54 and has pivotal connection by means of a clevis with a substantially vertical rod or link 108 which is pivotally connected at 110 to the forward end of lever 112 extending substantially horizontallyand pivoted intermediate its ends at 114 on a horizontal axis to the upper end of the lefthand lever 54. A hand grip 116 projects rearwardly of the pivot 114, said hand grip being fixedly secured to the lever 112.

Juxtaposed to the valve 98 are brackets 120 mounted on sub-floor 56 and journaling a rock shaft 122 carrying a connection 124 to the slidable valve stem 126 of valve 98, as seen in FIG. 6. A rock arm 128, fixedly secured to the rock shaft 122, is pivotally connected to a vertical rod or link 130 whose upper end is pivotally connected at 132 to a hand lever 134 pivoted intermediate its ends at 136 on a horizontal axis to the upper end of the righthand lever 54. A hand grip 138 is carried by and forms the rear end of the hand lever 134.

It will be understood that each of the valves 86 and 98 is connected in a circuit in which a pump driven by the engine 20 provides a source of liquid under pressure adequate to operate the power member or members 78 to lift the boom and the bucket under load and adequate to operate the power member or members 90 to tilt the bucket and to maintain it in load-carrying position while loaded.

In the operation of the device, an operator assumes a position on the seat 16 and grasps the two hand grips 116 and 138. The openator is able to control the speed of the engine. by means of accelerator pedal 140. When the two levers 54 are positioned in intermediate or neutral position with the valves 28 and 30 adjusted as illustrate-d in FIG. 7, the loader is stationary. Forward swinging of the levers 54 will cause an adjustment of the valves 28 and 30, which produces forward travel of the loader by actuation of hydraulic wheel motors 14. Similarly, rearward movement of the levers 54 from neutral position will cause reverse operation of the loader by reverse operation by relative operation of the two levers 54. Thus, a turn to the right may be effected by moving the left lever 54 forwardly beyond neutral position a greater distance than the right lever 54 is moved, and the degree or extent of difference of movement from neutral position determines the sharpness of the turn of the vehicle. It is also possible to make a very sharp turn in which the vehicle turns substantially in its length by moving the two levers 54 in opposite directions from neutral position so as to cause the wheels at one side of the vehicle to move forwardly and the wheels at the opposite side of the vehicle to move rearwardly. Thus, the device is rendered highly maneuver-able and readily controllable with reference to direction of travel and for sharp turns in small quarters.

The manipulation of the levers 54 to control fore and aft movement of the vehicle can be made without altering the position of the boom control power member or members 78, and the bucket controlling power member or members 90. As will be apparent from a consideration of FIG. 6, only a slight deviation from a parallelogram arrangement of parts 54, 130, and 134 producing only a slight 'hand grip lever 116 or 138. This tilting operation can occur while the levers 54 are stationary or can occur during the time that the levers 54, or either of them, are being pivoted. Thus, as the operator approaches a load, he can pivot the levers 54 forwardly to move the vehicle forwardly, and can observe the position of the booms 66, 68 and the bucket 76. The operator can either raise or lower the booms 66, 68 as he approaches the load of manipulating the boom control valve 86 by pivoting the hand grip lever 112, 116, hiring of hand grip 116 elevating the boom, and lowering of hand grip 116 lowering the boom. Similarly, if he observes that the bucket 76 is not properly oriented to pick up a load as he approaches the load, the operator can pivot the hand lever 134, 138 to properly adjust the bucket control valve 98, i.e., lifting of hand grip 138 moves the bucket to load carrying position and lowering of grip 138 tilts the bucket to discharging position.

It will be apparent that the operator is able to control the speed and direction of travel of the vehicle, to make turns, to raise and lower the boom and to change the attitude or position of the bucket on the boom by a natural manipulation of the control devices according to the direction of movement desired while maintaining a grip upon the hand grips 116 and 138. Thus at no time need the operator remove his hands from the hand grips 116, 138 in order to control the operation of the device.

A modified embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. and 11. In this embodiment the Wheel drive is changed to that illustrated in FIG. 11, wherein the wheels 12 at the right side of the loader are illustrated as being mounted upon stub axles each suitably journaled upon the chassis 10 and each mounting a sprocket 152. Chains 154 are trained around the sprockets 152 and also around drive sprockets 156 mounted upon the output shaft 158 of a gear reducer 160 of a reversible hydraulically actuated prime mover for driving the associated wheels at the adjacent side of the vehicle. It will be understood that similar driving connections are provided for the driving wheels at the left side of the vehicle.

A modified schematic hydraulic circuit is illustrated in FIG. 10 particularly suitable for use in a loader having the Wheel drive ilustrated in FIG. 11. In this circuit the motor for operating the right wheels is associated with and controlled by valve 172. A similar left wheel motor, 174, is controlled by a left wheel motor valve 176. Both motors 170 and 174 are hydraulic and reversible. The right wheel motor 172 is connected in a circuit including a pump 178, a reservoir and a filter 182, by conduits 184. The left wheel motor 174, and its valve 176, are connected in a circuit including a section 186 of a tandem pump 188, a separate reservoir 190, and a filter 192 by circuit conduits 194. The tandem pump 188 has a section 196 connected by a conduit 1% to a valve 200 for controlling the operation of one or more extensible hydraulic power members 202 for controlling the operation of the bucket 76. Also, connected to the conduit 198, in series relation to the valve 200, is a valve 204 for controlling the operation of one or more extensible hydraulic power members 206 for operating the boom 66, 68. The conduit 198 is connected with conduit 194 for return connection to the reservoir 190. The conduit 268 provides for return flow to reservoir from tandem pump section 196 in the event a relief valve 210 requires such flow.

This circuit entails the use of a tandem pump, separate reservoirs, and the wheel drive of FIG. 11, but in other particulars, functions or accommodates functioning of the units of the motor substantially in the same manner described above.

While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be understood that changes in the construction maybe made within th scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. Hydraulic actuating means for a multiple wheeled loader having an adjustable boom and a pivoted bucket, comprising:

a plurality of hydraulic motor means each operatively connected to a loader wheel;

a first set of control valve means for the, selected distribution of hydraulic fluid to said hydraulic motor means in such a manner that wheels on one side of the motor are controlled by one member of the set and the wheels on the opposite side of the loader are controlled by the other member of the set;

a second set of control valve means for the selected distribution of hydraulic fluid, each member of the second set of control valve means connected to a hyd'raulic-valve-controlled power operated positioning means, one said positioning means being operatively connected to control said boom, the other positioning means being operatively connected to control said pivoted bucket, each member of the second set of control valve means being actuated in a fore and aft direction;

pump means for supplying fluid to said first and second sets of control valve means;

a first pair of spaced members, each controlling the operations of a member of the first set of control valve means and constituting pivoted levers independently shiftable fore and aft;

a pair of handgrip levers, normally positioned to extend longitudinally of the loader, each pivoted intermediate its end to an end of one member of said first pair of spaced levers on an axis substantially parallel to the pivotal axis of said member lever and swinging in a substantially vertical plane;

a second pair of spaced members, each controlling the operations of a member of the second set of control valve means and including a link alongside one member of said first pair of spaced levers connecting a free end of an adjacent handgrip with a rockable member;

each of said links being carried by and adjustable in substantially the same plane as a member of said first pair of spaced levers;

each rockable member being connected to one of said second set of control valves;

each said link being shiftable in one path by said vertical swinging of said handgrip to actuate said rockable member and the associated one of the second set of control valve means and in another path substantially independent of said control valve member;

whereby the wheel hydraulic motor means at one side of the loader and one of said boom positioning means and bucket positioning means can be adjusted selectively, independently and jointly by manipulation of each handgrip.

2. Hydraulic actuating means for a multiple Wheeled loader having an adjustable boom and a pivoted bucket, comprising:

a pair of flexible drive means each operatively connected to wheels on one side only of the loader;

a pair of hydraulic motor means, each operatively connected to one of said flexible drive means;

a first control valve means for selectively controlling distribution of hydraulic fluid to one of said hydraulic motor means;

a second control valve means for selectively controlling distribution of hydraulic fluid to the other of said hydraulic motor means;

a boom control valve means;

a bucket control valve means;

a pump means connected to said first, second, boom and bucket control valve means;

said boom control valve means including a part shiftable fore and aft;

said bucket control valve means including a part shiftable fore and aft;

a pair of spaced levers shiftable fore and aft and each controlling the operations of one of said first and second control valve means;

a pair of handgrip levers normally extending longitudinally of said loader, each pivoted intermediate its ends to one of said spaced levers on an axis substantially parallel to the pivotal axis of said lever and swinging in a substantially vertical plane;

a pair of shiftable members, one controlling the operations of said boom control valve means and the other controlling the operations of said bucket control valve means, each shiftable member including a link alongside one of said levers and connected to a free end of an adjacent handgrip and a rockable member;

each of said links being carried by and adjustable in substantially the same plane as the adjacent lever;

one rockable member being connected to said boom control valve means and the other rockable member being connected to said bucket control valve means;

each said link being shiftable substantially vertically by said handgrip to actuate the associated rockable member and being shiftable fore and aft substantially independently of said associated rockable member;

whereby the hydraulic motor means at each side of the loader and one of said boom and bucket control valve means can be adjusted selectively, independently and jointly by manipulation of said handgn'p in the direction of desired movement of the means controlled thereby.

3. The hydraulic actuating means for a multiple wheeled loader as defined in claim 2, wherein said first and second control valve means each include parts shiftable fore and aft, each said first and second control valve means bieng displaced aft of the pivotal axis of the associated lever, each of said boom and bucket control valve members being disposed forwardly of one of said first and second control valve members.

4. The hydraulic actuating means for multiple wheeled loader as defined in claim 2, wherein each of said boom and bucket control valve means includes:

a housing having an elongated chamber and a. plurality of conduit ports in communication with said chamber, first and second ports each being disposed adjacent opposite ends of said chamber and a third port being disposed between said first and second ports;

a valve stem extending longitudinally in said chamber and projecting exteriorly of said housing and pivotally connected to said rockable member, said stem being slidable fore and aft of said loader;

a pair of sealing valve disks mounted upon said valve stem in spaced relation of less than the spacing between first and second ports and greater than the spacing between said third port and said first and second ports so that when said disks are positioned by said valve stem between first and second ports, there is no fluid communication between ports, and when the said disks are shifted by said stem, one of said first and second ports is placed in fluid communication with said third port.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,154,164 10/1964 Shaw et al. -6.48 X 3,319,817 5/1967 Juhl et a1. 214778 HUGO O. SCHULZ, Primary Examiner.

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