Attachment method
An attachment method for attaching a piece of plant machinery such as a mini-excavator to mount, for example a mount on a transporter or trailer. The piece of plant machinery is moved to a mounting location and a moveable portion arrangeable relative to the body is arranged in cooperative engagement with the mount to attach the piece of plant machinery thereto. The moveable portion may for example comprise a moveable drive 10 portion, a scraping blade or an arm.
1. A mount for attaching a piece of plant machinery thereto, the piece of plant machinery comprising a body and a moveable portion arrangeable relative to the body, the moveable portion comprising a moveable drive portion of the piece of plant machinery in contact, in use, with a surface on which the piece of plant machinery rests and by which the piece of plant machinery may be moved, the mount being arranged such that with the body of the piece of plant machinery moved under its own power to a mounting location, movement of the moveable portion brings the moveable drive portion under the mount and thus into cooperative engagement with the mount to attach the piece of plant machinery thereto, the mount comprising a cowling to receive the moveable portion.
2. The mount of claim 1 , wherein the cowling is arranged above a surface on which the body of the piece of plant machinery rests to receive at least a part of the moveable portion there-under when the moveable portion is arranged in cooperative engagement with the mount.
3. The mount of claim 1 , wherein the cowling is arranged to receive at least a part of a drive portion comprising an arrangement of wheels or tracks of the piece of moveable plant machinery when the moveable portion is arranged in cooperative engagement with the mount.
4. The mount of claim 3 , wherein the cowling comprises one or more of: (i) a first portion, and the arranging the moveable portion in cooperative engagement with the mount comprises arranging a front part of the drive portion alongside the first portion of the cowling; (ii) a second portion, and the arranging the moveable portion in cooperative engagement with the mount comprises arranging a rear part of the drive portion alongside the second portion; and (iii) a third portion, and the arranging the moveable portion in cooperative engagement with the mount comprises arranging an upper part of the drive portion alongside the third portion.
5. The mount of claim 4 , wherein the cowling comprises at least one portion that is arrangeable to cooperate with the piece of plant machinery to contribute to attaching the piece of plant machinery to the mount.
6. The mount of claim 1 , comprising a first cowling arranged to receive a drive portion on a first side of the piece of plant machinery and a second cowling arranged to receive a drive portion on a second side of the piece of plant machinery.
7. A transporter comprising the mount of claim 1 .
8. The mount of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one guide rail extending upward from the surface on which the piece of plant machinery rests to bring the moveable drive portion into alignment with the mount.
9. The mount of claim 8 , wherein the at least one guide rail includes a first portion to position the moveable drive portion on the surface and a second portion to bring the moveable drive portion into alignment with the mount.
10. The mount of claim 8 , further comprising:
a stop extending upward from the surface on which the piece of plant machinery rests, the stop being arranged substantially perpendicular to the at least one guide rail to engage a portion of the piece of plant machinery.
11. The mount of claim 1 , wherein the cowling includes a portion positioned, in the mounting location, to reside directly above an upper part of the drive portion of the piece of plant machinery.
12. The mount of claim 1 , wherein lateral movement of the moveable portion brings the moveable drive portion under the mount.