US2553077A - Post pulling mechanism for tractors - Google Patents

Description

May 15, 1951 A. w. BRAUN 2,553,077

POST PULLING MECHANISM FOR 'IRACTORS Filed May 20, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet l Fig. I

WwWW mww In ventor Armond W Braun (Fwy Z9. M51815 y 1951 A. w. BRAUN 2,553,077

' POST PULLING MECHANISM FOR TRACTORS Filed May 20, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 wr n l m" E 0 A N i k I I I l 9 E w n IL N) wx as" n 0: 3 v o q, 4 I.

. (a II n .2' & LL Inventor Armond WBraun May 15, 1951. A. w. BRAUN 2,553,077

POST PULLING MECHANISM-FOR TRACTORS Filed May 20, 1947 l s Sheets-Sheet s Inventor Armand W. Braun WWW 15? m Patented May 15, i951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE POST PULLING MECHANISM FOR TRACTORS Armand W. Braun, Grafton, Iowa Application May 20, 1947, Serial No. 749,267

3 Claims. 1

My invention relates to improvements in post pulling mechanisms for tractors of the type embodying a power lift mechanism.

The primary object of my invention is to pro vide a mechanism adapted for mounting on the power lift mechanism of the tractor to grip a post upon opposite sides thereof and lift said post out of the ground without crushing or breaking the post.

Another object is to provide a mechanism of the character and for the purpose above set forth which is adapted for self gripping action and with different degrees of pressure which may be regulated by the driver of the tractor as occasion may require.

Still another object is to equip the power lift mechanism of a tractor with a self gripping post pulling mechanism which is simple in construction, adapted to be installed without change in the basic structure of the power lift mechanism, will not get out of order, and is comparatively inexpensive to manufacture and service.

Other and subordinate objects, also comprehended by my invention, together with the precise nature of my improvements, and the advantages thereof, will be readily understood when the succeeding description and claims are read with reference to the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in side elevation illustrating my invention in a preferred embodiment thereof;

Figure 2 is a view in rear elevation with parts eliminated for clearness of illustration;

Figure 3 is a view in horizontal section taken on the line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a view in vertical transverse section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a view in rear elevation of a modified embodiment of the invention; I

Figure 6 is a view in horizontal section taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5;

Figure '7 is a view in vertical transverse section taken on the line 'i-l of Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, my improved post pulling mechanism has been shown therein as forming an attachment for a type of hydraulic lift mechanism which is well known in the art and, therefore, has been illustrated conventionally and need merely be described briefly as sufiicient to a proper understanding of the invention.

Such hydraulic power lift mechanisms include a pair of side lift bars I, one of which is shown in Figure 1, extending rearwardly from the tractor 2 and pivoted thereon at the front ends of said bars, as at 3, for vertical swinging movement. The side bars I are swingable by a pair of vertically s'wingable crank arms, one of which is shown at 4, operatively connected to said side bars I by a pair of links, one of which is shown at 5. The crank arms 4 are swingable by a rock shaft 6 on the tractor 2 and on which said crank arms are fixed, the rock shaft 6 being hydraulically operated under control of a finger tip control lever I on the tractor 2. A vertically swing-- able compression bar 8 extends rearwardly from the tractor 2 and is centered between the side lift bars I, above the same, to form therewith a parallel link motion, said compression bar 8 also forming part of an over load safety control device for the hydraulic lift mechanism, which need merely be mentioned in passing.

For a detailed disclosure of such power lift mechanism, reference may be had to U. S. Letters Patent No. 2,118,180 to H. G. Ferguson.

According to my invention, in the preferred embodiment thereof illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, a jaw carrying cross-bar 9 with reduced end trunnions Ill extends between the rear ends of the side lift bars I with the trunnions I0 suitably journaled in said bars so that said jaw carrying bar may be held against rotation during swinging of said lift bars I, for a purpose presently seen.

A pair of substantially segmental, coplanar, jaws II with toothed arcuate gripping edges I2 are journaled on the rear side of the jaw carrying bar 9 on a pair of rearwardly extending studs I3 on said bar 9 to swing vertically with the toothed edges I2 thereof confronting and spaced apart equi-distantly upon opposite sides of the transverse center of said bar 9 a distance suitable for a purpose presently seen. Cotter pins I4 and washers I5 retain said jaws II on the studs I3. The toothed edges I2 of the jaws II are eccentric to the axis of vertical swinging movement of said jaws, the radius of the arc, in each instance, decreasing downwardly of said edges I2, so that the pair of jaws I I, when swung downwardly, uniformly, will cause said edges I2 to grip a post therebetween with progressively increasing pressure aginst opposite sides of the post. Preferably the jaws II increase in thickness toward the toothed edges I2 thereof for reinforcing said edges and the jaw carrying bar 9 is bowed, as at I6, to compensate for the increasing thickness of said jaws.

A pair of curved plates I1 with toothed-edges I8 concentric to the axis of vertical swinging movement of the jaws H are bolted, as at I9, to one side of said jaws II between the same and said bar 9, so that said toothed edges I8 will mesh during vertical swinging of the jaws I I and couple said jaws together for vertical swinging in unison and against independent swinging.

A pull chain 20 is attached, as at 2 I, to one jaw H to be suitably extending forwardly to the drivers seat '22 of the tractor 2 for swinging said one jaw II upwardly and consequently the other jaw II therewith.

A pair of upper and lower, vertically aligned,

post forming sections 23, 24 extend from the top and bottom of the jaw carrying bar 9 in the transverse center of said bar. A link 25 is pivoted to the upper end of the upper of said sections 22, as at 26, and to the rear end of the compression bar, as at 21, the jaw carrying bar 9 and jaws II being thereby prevented from tilting laterally during vertical swinging of the side lift bars I and the compression bar 8. Post sections 23, 24 are flush with the rear side of the jaw .3I is provided on the jaw locking bar 21, and the toothed edges I8 ofthe'plates I"! are interposed between the locking bar 2! and the post forming sections 23, 24 so that by lowering said bar 2'! the locking lug 3| will be interposed in the line of mesh of said toothed edges I8 to lock said plates I! and said jaws I I against vertical swingmg.

A locking bar operating lever 32 is pivoted, as at 33, in a, fork 34 of the upper post forming section 23 to extend toward the tractor 2 for grasping by the driver on the seat 22, said lever being operatively connected to said locking bar 21 by a link 35 pivoted to said lever and to said bar 32, as at 36, 31. a

As will now be seen, with the jaws I I locked, by

the locking bar 21 and locking stud 3|, in upswung position, if the tractor 2 is backed to place the jaws II upon opposite sides of a post 38, and the locking bar 2'! then unlocked, as by raising the same through operation of the hand lever 32, the jaws II will descend under the influence of gravity and grip the post 38 therebetween. Then by operation of the hydraulic lift mechanism to raise the side lift bars I and the compression bar 8 upwardly, the cross bar 9 with the jaws II thereon will be raised to pull the post 38. As the jaws I I are thus raised, the same, if left unlocked, tend to grip the post 38 with increasing pressure.

-By looking the jaws II in a manner which will now be clear, as soon as said jaws have gripped the post 38 with sufficient pressure to pull the same, crushing or breaking of the post 38 may be .prevented. To release the post 38, after pulling,

the cross bar 9 and jaws II may be lowered by operation of the hydraulic lift mechanism to thrust the post 38 against the ground, thus swinging the jaws I I vertically on the studs I3 to break their grip on said post.

- -In the modified embodiment of the invention ,shown in Figures 6 to 7, a fixed jaw 39 with a smooth, arcuate, gripping edge 40 is substituted on the cross bar 4| for one of the jaws II and 4 secured thereto by bolts 42, said jaw 39 being suitably spaced from the other jaw 43, corresponding to one of the jaws II, for placing said jaws 39, 43 upon opposite sides of a post as in the preferred embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, as will be clear, the gripping action is effected with successively increasing pressure by downward swinging of the swingable jaws 43. The jaws 43 may be locked in the same manner and by the same means as described with reference to the preferred embodiment of the invention, and the modified embodiment is, otherwise than as described, the same as the preferred embodiment.

The foregoing, will, it is believed, sufiice to impart a clear understanding of my invention, without further explanation.

Manifestly, the invention, as described, is susceptible of modification, without departing from the inventive concept, and right is herein reserved to such modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new is:

1. The combination with the power lift mechanism of a tractor, of a pair of substantially segmental jaws having toothed arcuate convex gripping edges for gripping a post therebetween upon downward swinging of the jaws in unison, means pivotally mounting said pair of jaws separately to swing vertically with said edges confronting and revolving eccentrically of the pivots of the jaws to move toward each other into gripping relation, means for attaching said mounting to said power lift mechanism to be raised and lowered thereby whereby said jaws may be raised from a lowered position with a post gripped therebetween, means operative from said tractor between said jaws to lock said jaws against vertical swinging, and means coupling said jaws together against independent vertical swinging.

2. The combination with the power lift'mechanism of a tractor, of a pair of substantially segmental jaws having toothed arcuate convex gripping edges for gripping a post therebetween upon downward swinging of the jaws in unison, means for mounting said pair of jaws and on which said jaws are pivoted to swing vertically with said edges confronting and revolving into gradually approaching gripping relation, means for attaching said mounting to said power lift mechanism to be raised and lowered thereby whereby said jaws may be raised from a lowered position with a post gripped therebetween, means operative from said tractor to lock said jaws against vertical swinging, and means coupling said jaws together against independent vertical swinging comprising toothed plates on said jaws with the teeth intermeshing between the jaws, said locking means comprising a slide coacting with the teeth of said plates in the line of mesh thereof to block swinging of the same and said aws.

3. The combination with the power lift mechanism of a tractor, of a pair of substantially segmental jaws at least one of which is adapted to swing vertically in coplanar relation to the other jaw, said jaws having arcuate convex gripping edges for gripping a post therebetween upon downward swinging of the swingable jaw, means for supporting said jaws and on which the swingable jaw is pivoted to swing vertically with its gripping edge confronting the gripping edge of the other jaw and revolving into gradually approaching gripping relation thereto, means for S attaching said mounting means to said power lift mechanism to be raised and lowered thereby whereby said jaws may be raised from a lowered position with a post gripped therebetween to pull said post, means operative from said tractor to swing said swingable jaw upwardly for lowering under the influence of gravity into gripping relation to the other jaw comprising a toothed plate fast on said jaw, and a slide coacting with the teeth of said plate to prevent swinging of the plate, and means operative from said tractor to lock said swingable jaw against vertical swinging.

ARMOND W. BRAUN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

5 UNITED STATES PA'I'ENIS Number Name Date 866,638 Ewers Sept. 24, 1907 1,437,547 Pope Dec. 5, 1922 10 1,764,905 Standfuss June 17, 1930 2,199,550 Tobias May 7, 1940 2,332,561 Drott Oct. 26, 1943 2,436,510 Ferguson Feb. 24, 1948

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