Bucket lifting extension device

Abstract

The bucket lifting extension device may comprise a pair of mounting blocks and a bucket extension. The bucket lifting extension device may be an attachment for a bucket of a piece of equipment. As non-limiting examples, the piece of equipment may be a front end loader such as a skid steer loader or a tractor. The bucket extension may enlarge the bottom of the bucket such that the bucket may easily lift bulky items. The pair of mounting blocks may couple to a bucket rear wall in order to retain the bucket extension on the bucket. The bucket extension may slide into a gap located between the pair of mounting blocks and the bucket rear wall. The bucket extension may be detachable by removing capture nuts, pivoting hinges located on the pair of mounting blocks, and sliding the bucket extension out from under the pair of mounting blocks.

Claims

1. A bucket lifting extension attachment device configured for detachable coupling to a bucket of a piece of equipment, the device comprising: a first mounting block and a second mounting block, wherein each of said first and second mounting blocks is adapted for attachment to a rear wall of the bucket, the first mounting block being positioned adjacent to a left side wall of the bucket and the second mounting block being positioned adjacent to a right side wall of the bucket, wherein each of the first and second mounting blocks includes a hinge mechanism featuring a pivoting hinge bottom half, enabling the hinge bottom half to pivot relative to a hinge top half connected to the mounting block; and, a bottom wall designed to slide into the gap defined beneath the first and second mounting blocks, and further including a first side wall and a second side wall extending upwards from the bottom wall to form a U-shaped structure, wherein the first side wall is positioned adjacent to the left side wall of the bucket and the second side wall is positioned adjacent to the right side wall of the bucket, thereby preventing materials from falling off the sides of the bucket extension when coupled to the bucket; wherein the first and second mounting blocks are elevated above a bottom wall of the bucket to define a gap beneath the mounting blocks, the gap having a height sufficient to accommodate a bottom wall of a bucket extension, thereby allowing the bottom wall of the bucket extension to slide into the gap for coupling with the bucket; wherein the bucket extension further comprises a first block capture post and a second block capture post, each positioned to engage with a corresponding hinge bottom half of the first and second mounting blocks respectively, enabling the bucket extension to be securely fastened to the bucket through a detachable engagement, facilitated by capture nuts that can be screwed onto the first and second block capture posts through the hinge bottom halves of the first and second mounting blocks, thus securing the bucket extension in place; and, wherein the device, through the aforementioned components and their configuration, enables the bucket of the piece of equipment to be enlarged for lifting bulky items, including but not limited to wood, mulch, construction materials, and farming materials, without affirmatively claiming the bucket as part of the invention, thereby enhancing the lifting and transporting capabilities of the bucket through a detachable, adaptable attachment that is specifically configured for compatibility with a range of equipment types, including skid steer loaders and tractors.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The advantages and features of the present device will become better understood with reference to the following more detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is an in-use view of a bucket lifting extension device, according to an embodiment of the present device;

(3) FIG. 2 is an isometric view of an individual mounting block, according to an embodiment of the present device;

(4) FIG. 3 is a side view of an individual mounting block, according to an embodiment of the present device;

(5) FIG. 4 is a front view of an individual mounting block, according to an embodiment of the present device;

(6) FIG. 5 is a rear view of an individual mounting block, according to an embodiment of the present device;

(7) FIG. 6 is an isometric view of a bucket extension, according to an embodiment of the present device;

(8) FIG. 7 is a side view of a bucket extension, according to an embodiment of the present device;

(9) FIG. 8 is a front view of a bucket extension, according to an embodiment of the present device; and

(10) FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of an bucket lifting extension device, according to an embodiment of the present device, across Line 9-9 as shown in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTIVE KEY

(11) 100 bucket lifting extension device 200 bucket extension 202 bucket extension bottom wall 206 bucket extension left side wall 208 bucket extension right side wall 212 left block capture post 214 right block capture post 216 capture nut 218 individual block capture post 222 left mounting block 224 right mounting block 226 individual mounting block 230 block retention post 232 retention nut 234 retention lock washer 240 hinge 242 hinge top half 244 hinge bottom half 246 hinge pin 248 hinge bottom aperture 290 gap 900 piece of equipment 910 bucket 912 bucket rear wall 914 bucket left side wall 916 bucket right side wall 918 bucket bottom wall

Description of the Device

(12) The present device is directed to an bucket lifting extension device (herein described as the device) 100. The bucket lifting extension device 100 may comprise a pair of mounting blocks and a bucket extension 200. The bucket lifting extension device 100 may be an attachment for a bucket 910 of a piece of equipment 900. As non-limiting examples, the piece of equipment 900 may be a front end loader such as a skid steer loader or a tractor. The bucket extension 200 may enlarge the bottom of the bucket 910 such that the bucket 910 may easily lift bulky items. As non-limiting examples, bulky items may comprise wood, mulch, construction materials, and farming materials. The pair of mounting blocks may couple to a bucket rear wall 912 in order to retain the bucket extension 200 on the bucket 910. The bucket extension 200 may slide into a gap 290 located between the pair of mounting blocks and the bucket rear wall 912. The bucket extension 200 may be detachable by removing capture nuts 216, pivoting hinges 240 located on the pair of mounting blocks, and sliding the bucket extension 200 out from under the pair of mounting blocks.

(13) The pair of mounting blocks may be coupled to the interior of the bucket 910 on the bucket rear wall 912. A left mounting block 222 may be coupled to the left side of the bucket 910 and a right mounting block 224 may be coupled to the right side of the bucket 910. In some embodiments, the left mounting block 222 may be positioned adjacent to a bucket left side wall 914 and the right mounting block 224 may be positioned adjacent to a bucket right side wall 916. The pair of mounting blocks may be elevated above a bucket bottom wall 918 such that the gap 290 exists beneath both the left mounting block 222 and the right mounting block 224. The left mounting block 222 and the right mounting block 224 may be positioned at the same height above the bucket bottom wall 918. The height of the gap 290 may be at least the thickness of a bucket extension bottom wall 202 such that the bucket extension bottom wall 202 may slide into the gap 290.

(14) An individual mounting block 226 selected from the left mounting block 222 and the right mounting block 224 may be a rectangular cuboid. The individual mounting block 226 may be oriented such that a bottom surface of the individual mounting block 226 is parallel to the bucket bottom wall 918. A block retention post 230 may project from the rear of the individual mounting block 226 such that the individual mounting block 226 may be coupled to the bucket 910. Specifically, the block retention post 230 may pass through one of a pair of block mounting apertures located on the bucket rear wall 912. The block retention post 230 may be threaded such that a retention nut 232 and a retention lock washer 234 screwed onto the block retention post 230 from the rear of the bucket 910 may hold the individual mounting block 226 in place on the bucket 910. The pair of block mounting apertures may comprise a left block mounting aperture and a right block mounting aperture. The left block mounting aperture may be located on the left side of the bucket 910 and the right block mounting aperture may be located on the right side of the bucket 910.

(15) The front surface of the individual mounting block 226 may comprise the hinge 240. A hinge top half 242 may be coupled to the individual mounting block 226 with a hinge pin 246 at the bottom of the individual mounting block 226. The hinge pin 246 may be horizontally oriented such that a hinge bottom half 244 may extend forward horizontally in front of the individual mounting block 226 and may pivot up to a vertical position that is parallel to the front of the individual mounting block 226. The hinge bottom half 244 may pivot relative to the hinge top half 242 at the hinge pin 246.

(16) The hinge bottom half 244 may comprise a hinge bottom aperture 248. The hinge bottom half 244 may pivot down such that one (1) of a pair of block capture posts located on the bucket extension bottom wall 202 may pass through the hinge bottom aperture 248 to hold the bucket extension 200 in place.

(17) The bucket extension 200 may comprise the bucket extension bottom wall 202 and bucket extension side walls. The bucket extension 200 may detachably couple to the bucket 910 such that the bucket 910 may be enlarged.

(18) The bucket extension bottom wall 202 may be a horizontally-oriented plate that may lie parallel to the bucket bottom wall 918. The bucket extension side walls may be vertically-oriented plates that may be coupled to the lateral edges of the bucket extension bottom wall 202 to form a U-shaped structure. The bucket extension side walls may comprise a bucket extension left side wall 206 and a bucket extension right side wall 208. The bucket extension side walls may prevent materials from falling off of the bucket extension 200 to the sides. The bucket extension left side wall 206 may be located on the left side of the bucket extension 200 and the bucket extension right side wall 208 may be located on the right side of the bucket extension 200. The bucket extension left side wall 206 may be positioned adjacent to the bucket left side wall 914 and the bucket extension right side wall 208 may be positioned adjacent to the bucket right side wall 916. The width of the bucket extension 200 may be less than the interior width of the bucket 910 such that the bucket extension 200 may fit within the interior of the bucket 910.

(19) The bucket extension bottom wall 202 may comprise the pair of block capture posts. A left block capture post 212 may be located on the rear quarter of the left side of the bucket extension bottom wall 202 and a right block capture post 214 may be located on the rear quarter of the right side of the bucket extension bottom wall 202. The pair of block capture posts may be positioned to engage the hinge bottom apertures 248 in the hinge bottom halves 244 of the pair of mounting blocks. An individual block capture post 218 selected from the pair of block capture posts may be threaded such that the capture nut 216 screwed onto the individual block capture post 218 from above may hold the hinge 240 onto the individual block capture post 218. As a non-limiting example, the capture nut 216 may be a wing nut.

(20) In use, the pair of mounting blocks may be coupled to the bucket 910. The block retention post 230 of the left mounting block 222 may pass through the left block mounting aperture on the bucket rear wall 912 and a retention nut 232 and a retention lock washer 234 may be screwed onto the block retention post 230 of the left mounting block 222. The block retention post 230 of the right mounting block 224 may pass through the right block mounting aperture on the bucket rear wall 912 and a retention nut 232 and a retention lock washer 234 may be screwed onto the block retention post 230 of the right mounting block 224. The bucket extension 200 may be coupled to the bucket 910 by sliding the bucket extension 200 into the bucket 910 such that the bucket extension bottom wall 202 slides to the rear of the bucket 910, passing under the pair of mounting blocks. The hinge bottom half 244 of the left mounting block 222 may be pivoted down such that the left block capture post 212 passes through the hinge bottom aperture 248 and a capture nut 216 may be screwed onto the left block capture post 212 to prevent the hinge bottom half 244 from lifting. The hinge bottom half 244 of the right mounting block 224 may be pivoted down such that the right block capture post 214 passes through the hinge bottom aperture 248 and a capture nut 216 may be screwed onto the right block capture post 214 to prevent the hinge bottom half 244 from lifting. The bucket extension 200 may be loaded with materials and the bucket 910 may be lifted so that the piece of equipment 900 may move the materials.

(21) The bucket extension 200 may be removed by reversing the process stated aboveremove the capture nuts 216, pivot the hinge bottom halves 244 up, slide the bucket extension 200 out from under the pair of mounting blocks and out of the bucket 910.

(22) The exact specifications, materials used, and method of use of the bucket lifting extension device 100 may vary upon manufacturing. The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present device have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the device to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the device and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the device and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.