Bucket cleanout
Disclosed are excavators or other power machines having a lift arm structure with a bucket coupled to an arm to pick up material during a digging or scooping operation, and a bucket cleanout devices to aid in removal of material from the bucket. The bucket cleanout devices include components which are rotatably coupled to a support structure, such as the arm, an implement carrier and/or the bucket and configured to aid in removal of material during a material dumping movement of the bucket.
1. A bucket cleanout apparatus configured to aid in removal of material from a bucket attachable to an arm of a power machine, the bucket cleanout apparatus comprising:
a cleanout arm assembly configured to be at least partially positioned within the bucket, the cleanout arm assembly comprising a first arm, a second arm, and a cross-member extending between the first arm and the second arm, and wherein each of the first arm and the second arm of the cleanout arm assembly further comprises a first arm portion and a second arm portion;
a pivot attachment mechanism configured to mount the cleanout arm assembly to a first support structure attached to the arm of the power machine and allow the cleanout arm assembly to pivot within the bucket;
a mount coupled to a second support structure and configured to couple the cleanout arm assembly to the second support structure, wherein the cleanout arm assembly being coupled to the second support structure by the mount causes the cleanout arm assembly to move relative to the bucket between a first position and a second position when the bucket is moved relative to the arm of the power machine to thereby aid in removal of material from the bucket, wherein the mount further comprises a first linking mechanism configured to couple the second arm portion of the first arm to the second support structure of the power machine, wherein in a first bucket position the first linking mechanism is not under tension, and wherein rollback movement of the bucket toward a second bucket position places the first linking mechanism under tension such that further roll back movement of the bucket causes the first linking mechanism to move the cleanout arm assembly to the second position relative to the bucket.
2. The bucket cleanout apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least portions of the first arm and the second arm of the cleanout arm assembly are configured to be respectively disposed adjacent to opposite side walls of the bucket.
3. The bucket cleanout apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the cross-member of the cleanout arm assembly extends between the first arm and the second arm substantially across a width of the bucket.
4. The bucket cleanout apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first support structure is the bucket and wherein each of the first arm and the second arm includes a pivot attachment feature positioned between the first and second arm portions, the pivot attachment features of the first and second arms configured to pivotally mount the cleanout arm assembly to the bucket with the pivot attachment mechanism.
5. The bucket cleanout apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the pivot attachment mechanism comprises first and second spring-loaded bracket assemblies each configured to be positioned on sides of an implement carrier to which the bucket is attached and to apply bias forces to the cleanout arm assembly.
6. The bucket cleanout apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the mount further comprises a second linking mechanism configured to couple the second arm portion of the second arm to the second support structure, wherein in the first bucket position the first and second linking mechanisms are not under tension and the first and second spring loaded bracket assemblies maintain the cleanout arm assembly in the first position relative to the bucket, and wherein rollback movement of the bucket toward the second bucket position places the first and second linking mechanisms under tension such that further roll back movement of the bucket causes the first and second linking mechanisms to apply counteracting forces to the cleanout arm assembly to overcome the bias forces applied by the first and second spring-loaded bracket assemblies and thereby move the cleanout arm assembly to the second position relative to the bucket.
7. The bucket cleanout apparatus of claim 1 , wherein distal ends of the second arm portions of each of the first and second arms are pivotally attached to the first support structure by the pivot attachment mechanism.
8. The bucket cleanout apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the first arm portions of each of the first and second arms of the cleanout arm assembly are configured and shaped to be respectively disposed in the bucket adjacent to opposite side walls of the bucket.
9. The bucket cleanout apparatus of claim 8 , and further comprising a middle support member extending between the first and second arms and coupling the first and second arm portions of each arm.
10. A power machine, comprising:
a power machine arm;
a bucket;
an implement carrier coupling the bucket to the power machine arm;
a cleanout arm assembly at least partially positioned within the bucket, wherein the cleanout arm assembly comprises a first arm, a second arm, and a cross-member extending between the first arm and the second arm, wherein at least portions of the first arm and the second arm of the cleanout arm assembly are respectively disposed adjacent to opposite side walls of the bucket, and wherein each of the first arm and the second arm of the cleanout arm assembly further comprises a first arm portion and a second arm portion coupled to the first arm portion;
a pivot attachment mechanism mounting the cleanout arm assembly to a first support structure and allowing the cleanout arm assembly to pivot to move within the bucket; and
a mount coupled to a second support structure and configured to couple the cleanout arm assembly to the second support structure, wherein the cleanout arm assembly being coupled to the second support structure by the mount causes the cleanout arm assembly to move relative to the bucket between a first position and a second position when the bucket is moved relative to the arm of the power machine to thereby aid in removal of material from the bucket, wherein the mount further comprises a first linking mechanism configured to couple the second arm portion of the first arm to the second support structure of the power machine, wherein in a first bucket position the first linking mechanisms is not under tension, and wherein rollback movement of the bucket toward a second bucket position places the first linking mechanism under tension such that further roll back movement of the bucket causes the first linking mechanism to move the cleanout arm assembly to the second position relative to the bucket.
11. The power machine of claim 10 , wherein the cross-member of the cleanout arm assembly extends between distal ends of the first arm and the second arm substantially across a width of the bucket.
12. The power machine of claim 10 , wherein each of the first arm and the second arm includes a pivot attachment feature positioned between the first and second arm portions, the pivot attachment features of the first and second arms pivotally mounting the cleanout arm assembly to the bucket with the pivot attachment mechanism.
13. The power machine of claim 10 , wherein the first arm portions of each of the first and second arms of the cleanout arm assembly are respectively disposed in the bucket adjacent to the opposite side walls of the bucket.
14. The power machine of claim 13 , wherein the pivot attachment mechanism comprises first and second spring-loaded bracket assemblies each positioned on sides of the implement carrier and configured to apply bias forces to the cleanout arm assembly to maintain the cleanout arm assembly in the first position relative to the bucket.
15. The power machine of claim 14 , wherein the mount further comprises a second linking mechanism coupling the second arm portion of the second arm to the arm of the power machine, wherein in the first bucket position the first and second linking mechanisms are not under tension and the first and second spring loaded bracket assemblies maintain the cleanout arm assembly in the first position relative to the bucket, and wherein rollback movement of the bucket toward the second bucket position places the first and second linking mechanisms under tension such that further roll back movement of the bucket causes the first and second linking mechanisms to apply counteracting forces to the cleanout arm assembly to overcome the bias forces applied by the first and second spring-loaded bracket assemblies and thereby move the cleanout arm assembly to the second position relative to the bucket.
16. The power machine of claim 13 , wherein distal ends of the second arm portion of each of the first and second arms are pivotally attached to the first support structure by the pivot attachment mechanism.
17. The bucket cleanout apparatus of claim 16 , and further comprising a middle support member extending between the first and second arms and coupling the first and second arm portions of each of the first and second arms.