Abstract
An accessory for an excavator is presented wherein the excavator has a bucket with an opening and a moveable thumb on the opposite of the bucket opening. The accessory comprises a plate sized to cover at least a portion of the opening of the bucket and a socket for receiving the thumb to attach the plate to the thumb thereby allowing said plate to move with the thumb. Operation of the thumb causes the plate to cover or uncover the portion of the opening of the bucket.
Claims
1. An accessory for an excavator or mini excavator comprising: wherein excavator has a bucket with an opening and a moveable thumb on the opposite of the bucket opening; a plate sized to cover at least a portion of the opening of the bucket; and a socket for receiving the thumb to attach said plate to the thumb thereby allowing said plate to move with the thumb wherein operation of the thumb causes said plate to cover or uncover said portion of the opening of the bucket.
2. The accessory of claim 1 wherein said plate is constructed of one of: steel, iron, and plastic.
3. The accessory of claim 1 wherein said plate is one of: cross shaped, rectangular, square, round, and triangular.
4. The accessory of claim 1 wherein said plate is larger than, smaller than, or equal in size to the excavator bucket but larger than the thumb.
5. The accessory of claim 1 wherein said plate is solid, mesh, barred, or crossed.
6. The accessory of claim 1 wherein said plate has a lip on a downward edge side that is bent upward into a 90 angle.
7. The accessory of claim 1 wherein said socket comprises one of: two bent u-shaped openings, a rectangular opening, and a square opening.
8. The accessory of claim 1 wherein said socket has holes for receiving bolts or screws.
9. The accessory of claim 1 wherein said socket is attached to said plate by one of: wielding, bolting, and screws.
10. The accessory of claim 1 wherein a cutting edge is attached perpendicular to a side of said plate and said cutting edge extends toward the bucket when the accessory is attached to the thumb, such that said cutting edge is within the bucket when the plate covers said portion of the opening of the bucket.
11. The accessory of claim 1 wherein a cutting edge is attached perpendicular to a side of said plate and said cutting edge extends toward the bucket when the accessory is attached to the thumb, such that said cutting edge is outside the bucket when the plate covers said portion of the opening of the bucket.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0006] For a more complete understanding and appreciation of this invention, and its many advantages, reference will be made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
[0007] FIG. 1 is an external view of an excavator with the bucket and thumb identified;
[0008] FIG. 2 is an external view of an excavator with the accessory attached to the thumb;
[0009] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the placement of the accessory on the thumb;
[0010] FIG. 4. is a diagram illustrating the positioning of the accessory when the thumb is open;
[0011] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the positioning of the accessory when the thumb is closed;
[0012] FIG. 6. is a diagram showing the accessory operating with debris in the bucket;
[0013] FIG. 7A-D are diagrams illustrating different perspectives of the accessory showing the plate and socket;
[0014] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the accessory where the plate is a barred plate;
[0015] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating another embodiment of the accessory where the plate comprises a cutting edge;
[0016] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating another embodiment of the accessory with a different configuration of socket;
[0017] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the accessory in which the plate is a crossed plate.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0018] Referring to the drawings, some of the reference numerals are used to designate the same or corresponding parts through several of the embodiments and figures shown and described. Corresponding parts are denoted in different embodiments with the addition of lowercase letters. Variations of corresponding parts in form or function that are depicted in the figures are described. It will be understood that variations in the embodiments can generally be interchanged without deviating from the invention.
[0019] FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of an excavator 1. The excavator 1 comprises a cab 2, an arm 3, a bucket 4, and a thumb 5. The bucket 4 is attached to the end of the arm 3 opposite the cab 2. The bucket 4 has an opening 12 to load items into the bucket 4 for transportation or removal. The thumb 5 is pivotally attached opposite the bucket 4 opening 12. The thumb 5 can be in the open position as seen in FIG. 1 or, as shown in FIG. 5, in the closed position, where the thumb 5 is parallel to the bucket 4 opening 12. The purpose of the thumb 5 is to help secure and hold items in the bucket 4 to keep them in place during transportation. However, because of the thumb's 5 size and shape, items can fall out of the bucket 4 opening 12. The proposed device helps to overcome these limitations by creating a covering over the bucket 4 opening 12.
[0020] FIG. 2 depicts the excavator 1 with the thumb 5 in an open position, moved away from the bucket 4 opening 12. Attached to the thumb 5 is the accessory 6. The accessory 6 is comprised of a plate 7 and a socket 8. The socket 8 is for attaching the plate 7 to the excavator 1 thumb 5. As shown in the figure, the socket 8 receives the thumb 5 and is secured to the thumb 5 with bolts 11 to allow the plate 7 to move with the thumb 5. The operation of the thumb 5 causes the plate 7 to cover or uncover said portion of the opening 12 of the bucket 4. In the open position, the thumb 5 and accessory 6 are positioned away from the bucket 4 opening 12, uncovering the opening 12 of the bucket 4 thereby allowing items to be scooped into the bucket 4. When the thumb 5 is in the closed position, the accessory 6 covers a portion of the bucket 4 opening 12, preventing materials from falling out of the bucket 4. The accessory 6 may be made of steel, iron, plastic, or any other sturdy material that can withstand the normal operation of the excavator 1. The plate 7 is sized to cover at least a portion of the opening 12 of the bucket 4 but it will be understood that different sized plates 7 may be used depending on the requirements for the accessory 6. The plate 7 could be larger or smaller than the opening 12 of the bucket 4.
[0021] FIG. 3 shows an enlarged view of the accessory 6. In this embodiment, the plate 7 and the socket 8 are secured to the thumb 5 with bolts 11.
[0022] FIG. 4 illustrates the thumb 5 in the open position. Mounted on the thumb 5 is the accessory 6. In the open position, the thumb 5 and accessory 6 are positioned away from the bucket 4 opening 12, allowing the bucket 4 to be used to dig and scoop up debris 9 and other materials.
[0023] FIG. 5 shows the thumb 5 and accessory 6 in the closed position. In the closed position, the accessory 6 covers at least a portion of the bucket 4 opening 12. In creating a surface over the bucket 4 opening 12, the accessory 6 can be used to hold materials in the bucket 4, pinch sod or brush, sift through the debris 9, or cut off the materials in the bucket.
[0024] FIG. 6 shows the bucket 4 containing debris 9. FIG. 6 also shows the thumb 5 and accessory 6 approaching the closed position.
[0025] The excavator thumb accessory 6 utilizes the plate 7 to create a surface over the bucket 4 of the excavator 1, allowing material and debris 9 to be trapped in the bucket 4. Additionally, the plate 7 allows the user to pinch brush to pluck out bushes, minimizing the amount of ground disturbance and excavation. Another challenge when digging swale ditches is to get the end of the scoop into the bucket 4 cleanly without leaving material or debris 9 behind. This accessary 6, allows the user to curl material and debris 9 into the bucket 4 and pinch off sod thereby cutting the sod or leaving a more precise and clean cut. Most operators rely on hand shoveling the remaining material and debris 9 into the bucket 4. This accessory 6 enables the operator to stay on the excavator 1 and not need to perform manual labor, there by saving time, money, and reducing physical exertion.
[0026] FIG. 7A illustrates the accessory 6 not mounted to the excavator 1. This embodiment of the accessory 6 is comprised of a solid rectangular plate 7 and the socket 8 is formed from two bent-u shapes. The thumb 5 slides between the two bent-u shapes comprising the socket 8. Though the accessory 6 may be secured to the thumb 5 in various ways, including using screws or welding, the accessory 6 in this embodiment is secured by bolting the socket 8 to the thumb 5. Holes 10 are places along the socket 8 to allow the bolts 11 or screws or other attachment systems to secure the accessory 6 to the thumb 5. The plate includes a lip 16 on a downward edge side that is bent upward into a 90 angle. The purpose of the lip 16 is to more securely attach the thumb 5 to the socket 8.
[0027] FIG. 7B details the accessory 6 as shown in FIG. 7A rotated 90 degrees to more clearly show the elements of the accessory 6.
[0028] FIG. 7C illustrates the accessory 6 from another perspective. From this angle, the opening 15 of the socket 8 is depicted. Additionally, FIG. 7C shows holes 10 in the socket 8 so that the accessory 6 can be bolted to the thumb 5.
[0029] FIG. 7D shows the placement of bolts 11 and holes 10 along the socket 8.
[0030] FIG. 8 shows another embodiment of the accessory 6a. In this embodiment, the plate 7a is comprised of bars 14a. The bars 14a allow smaller materials to fall out of the bucket 4a while keeping larger materials and debris 9a trapped in the bucket 4a. The socket 8a is comprised of two bent-u shapes with holes 10a placed to allow the accessory 6a to be attached to the thumb 5a with bolts 11a. The space between the bars 14a can be varied to screen different sizes of materials and debris 9a. In fact, the bars 14a could be replaced with or include a mesh material (not shown) for sifting of finer debris 9a.
[0031] FIG. 9 shows another embodiment of the accessory 6b. In this embodiment, a cutting edge 13b is attached to the side of the plate 7b. The cutting edge 13b can be used to cut materials in the bucket 4b when the thumb 5b is moved to the closed position. The cutting edge 13b enters the bucket 4b when the thumb 5b is in the closed position. The cutting edge 13b reduces the size of the debris 9b so that it is contained within the bucket 4b which makes the debris 9b easier to transport by the excavator 1b. Furthermore, the cutting edge 13b allows the bucket 4b to cut debris 9b to more easily be scooped within the bucket 4b. When the thumb 5b is in the closed position, the cutting edge 13b could be on the outside or the inside of the bucket 4b.
[0032] FIG. 10 shows another embodiment of the accessory 6c. In this embodiment, the plate 7c is a solid rectangle. Moreover, the socket 8c is a rectangular shape allowing the thumb 5c to slide in the opening 15c. The socket 8c in this embodiment does not have holes 10c to allow for bolting, but instead the socket 8c can be attached by welding. Other socket 8c configurations are also possible such as a square or other shapes.
[0033] FIG. 11 illustrates another embodiment of the plate 7d. This accessory 6d has a plate 7d that is comprised of two crossed bars 14d. Here, the socket 8d is comprised of two bent-u shapes with holes 10d placed to allow the accessory 6d to be attached to the thumb 5d. The thumb 5d would slide though the opening 15d of the socket 8d. Other shapes of plates 7d are possible such as square, round, and triangular so long as the plate 7d covers a portion of the opening 12d of the bucket 4d.
[0034] This invention has been described with reference to several preferred embodiments. Many modifications and alterations will occur to others upon reading and understanding the preceding specification. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all such alterations and modifications in so far as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents of these claims.
