Attachment for small skid steer loader
View Patent ↗A loader has lift arms that are used for mounting a number of different attachments. The attachments can be mounted to the rear of the forward end of the lift arms in order to move the center of gravity of the attachment more directly over the loader frame. Various types of attachments can be used, as shown, and can be controlled to be pivoted for dumping or loading, and can be raised and lowered on the lift arms.
1. A small loader comprising a frame adapted for movement over a supporting surface, the frame having at least one lift arm thereon that is pivotally mounted to the frame and has an outer forward end that is raisable and lowerable under power, a first attachment being attached to the at least one lift arm at a pivotal mounting thereon adjacent and to the rear of the outer forward end of the at least one lift arm such that the center of gravity of the first attachment is located at its rearmost position and located rearwardly of the outer forward end of the at least one lift arm with the at least one lift arm in a lowered position.
2. The loader of claim 1 , wherein the at least one lift arm comprises a support at the outer forward end thereof, and a second attachment mounted to the support.
3. The loader of claim 1 , wherein said first attachment comprises one of a group of attachments including a cement mixer, an auger mixer, a sod roller, and an open top hopper.
4. The loader of claim 3 , wherein a tiltable plate is pivotally mounted at the outer forward end of the at least one lift arm, a link connected between the attachment and the tiltable plate, and wherein tilting the tiltable plate causes pivoting of the attachment relative to the at least one lift arm.
5. The loader of claim 1 , wherein there is a linkage connected between the first attachment and the frame of the loader and wherein moving the at least one lift arm about a pivot relative to the frame causes the attachment to tilt relative to the at least one lift arm.
6. The loader of claim 1 , wherein said first attachment comprises a working body, and a support integral with the working body for pivotally mounting to portions of the at least one lift arm.
7. The loader of claim 1 , wherein the first attachment is attached to the at least one lift arm without being attached to the frame such that the lift arm can be moved to raise or lower the first attachment without a change in relative position between the first attachment and the at least one lift arm.
8. The loader of claim 1 , wherein the at least one lift arm has a tilting attachment plate at the forward end thereof coupled to the first attachment, a power operator connected between the at least one lift arm and the tilting attachment plate, and wherein there is a sensor for sensing movement of the at least one lift arm relative to the frame, said sensor causing the power operator of the tilting attachment plate to change position to maintain the orientation of the first attachment relative to a supporting surface as the at least one lift arm is raised and lowered.
9. The loader of claim 1 , further comprising a pivoting plate having a lower edge pivotally mounted at a plate pivot to the at least one lift arm, and being movable about the plate pivot, a first linkage connected between the first attachment and the pivoting plate, the first linkage causing pivoting of the first attachment when an upper edge of the pivoting plate is rotated forwardly about the plate pivot.
10. The loader of claim 9 , further comprising a locking linkage removably connected to the first attachment and to the pivoting plate to prevent pivotal movement of the first attachment relative to the at least one lift arm, the locking linkage being removable to permit pivoting the first attachment forwardly by pivoting the pivoting plate to a position where the first attachment rests on the ground, and the pivoting plate can be disconnectable from the at least one lift arm.
11. The loader of claim 1 , wherein the first attachment comprises a hopper and a stop bumper on a rear portion of the hopper aligned with a portion of the at least one lift arm to engage such portion and stop rearward pivotal movement of the hopper.
12. A work attachment comprising a mounting connectable to a loader arm, the loader arm being pivotally attached to and movable relative to a loader frame, the mounting comprising a support having a first pivot mount for operable pivotal mounting to the loader arm and a second pivot mount for operable pivotal connection to a solid link mechanism, the solid link mechanism operably pivotally connected to the support at a first end proximate to a forward end of the support and adaptable to be pivotally mounted onto a portion of the loader frame at a second end, the first pivot mount being positionable on the loader arm rearward of the portion of the loader frame and forward of the pivotal attachment of the loader arm to the loader frame, and the portion of the loader frame and the first pivot mount being movable relative to each other when the first pivot mount is mounted on the loader arm.
13. The work attachment of claim 12 , wherein the first pivot mount is positioned forwardly of a rear portion of the support, whereby portions of the support extend rearwardly from the first pivot mount when mounted on the loader arm.
14. The work attachment of claim 12 , wherein the attachment is an open top receptacle, and wherein the solid link mechanism controls pivotal movement of the open top receptacle on the first pivot mount to pivot the open top receptacle in a forward direction and dump material from the receptacle over a forwardly extending end of the open top receptacle when the loader arm is raised.
15. The work attachment of claim 12 , wherein the loader arm has an outer end that is raiseable and lowerable, and wherein the portion of the loader pivotally connectable to said solid link mechanism is pivotally connected to the portion of the loader and such portion does not raise and lower with the loader arm.
16. The work attachment of claim 13 further comprising a stop bumper on the rear portion of the support, the stop bumper positioned to engage a portion of the loader arm on which the support is mountable to stop pivotal movement about the first pivot mount in one direction of pivotal movement.
17. A work attachment for a loader having a loader frame and a loader arm, the loader arm being pivotally attached to and movable relative to the loader frame, the work attachment comprising a mounting connectable to the loader arm and comprising a support having a first pivot mount for operable pivotal mounting to the loader arm and a second pivot mount for operable pivot connection to a solid link mechanism, the solid link mechanism operably pivotally connected to the support at a first end proximate to a forward end of the support and adaptable to be pivotally mounted onto a portion of the loader at a second end, the first pivot mount being positionable on the loader arm rearward of the portion of the loader and forward of the pivotal attachment of the loader arm to the loader frame, and the portion of the loader and the first pivot mount being movable relative to each other when the first pivot mount is mounted on the loader arm, to cause pivoting of the support about the first pivot mount.
18. The work attachment of claim 17 , wherein the work attachment comprises an open topped container mounted on the support for movement with loader arm.
19. The work attachment of claim 17 , wherein the work attachment comprises a container on the support the container being movable with the support.
20. The work attachment of claim 19 , wherein said container comprises a cement mixer.
21. The work attachment of claim 19 , wherein said container comprises an auger mixer and has an open top, and a discharge trough at a forward end of the container.
22. The work attachment of claim 17 , wherein the work attachment is selected from a group consisting of an auger mixer, a cement mixer, a hopper, and a sod roller.
23. The work attachment of claim 17 , wherein the second end of the solid link mechanism is connectable to a tilting attachment plate located at a forward end of the loader arm and comprising the portion of the loader, and wherein the tilting attachment is coupled to an actuator for moving said tilting attachment plate relative to the first pivot mount.
24. The work attachment of claim 23 , wherein the loader arm has an outer end that is raisable and lowerable, and said tilting attachment plate moves with said loader arm, and the support has an attachment mounted to it comprising an open top receptacle that is pivoted when the tilting attachment plate is tilted to cause the open top receptacle to dump over a forward end thereof. which the support is mountable to stop pivotal movement about the first pivot mount in one direction of pivotal movement.
25. The work attachment of claim 17 , further comprising an attachment plate coupled to an end of the loader arm and comprising the portion of the loader, wherein the second end of the solid link mechanism is adaptable to be pivotally mounted onto the attachment plate.