WO2018211463A1

WO2018211463A1 - Ballast for operating machinery

Info

Publication number: WO2018211463A1
Application number: PCT/IB2018/053510
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sandro DINI
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2017-05-19
Filing date: 2018-05-18
Publication date: 2018-11-22
Anticipated expiration: 2019-11-19
Also published as: EP3625164C0; IT201700054405A1; EP3625164A1; EP3625164B1

Abstract

Ballast (1) for operating machinery, comprising at least one portion (2) removably couplable with at least one hooking seat of said operating machinery, at least one fixed part (3) provided with said couplable portion (2), at least one movable part (4), at least one actuator (5) for moving said movable part away/closer from/to said movable part to said fixed part along at least one movement direction (X) of said movable part with respect to said fixed part, and at least one linear guide (6) for said at least one movable part which has longitudinal axis (Z) substantially parallel to the movement direction (X) of said at least one movable part, said guide comprising at least one first sleeve (6a) constrained to said fixed part, said ballast further comprising sliding means (7) to slide said movable part along at least part of the outer surface (6b) of said at least one first sleeve (6a), characterized in that said sliding means (7) comprise at least one second sleeve (7a) sliding along the outer surface (6b) of said at least one first sleeve (6a), said at least one movable part (4) being combined or integral with said at least one second sleeve (7) next to at least one portion (7c) of the outer surface (7b) of said at least one second sleeve (7a).

Description

"BALLAST FOR OPERATING MACHINERY" FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to ballast for operating machinery. It has to be noted that by operating machinery any vehicle and/or machine able to automatically and/or manually perform mechanical operations will be meant. In particular, under the term operating machinery machines are meant such as, for example, excavators, road working machinery, building machines, agricultural machinery such as, for example, tractors, lifting machinery of the lift truck type and the like, and others.

KNOWN PRIOR ART

According to known art, such operating machineries must sometimes be made heavier in order to have greater tire grip during the starting and breaking steps, in addition to better balancing of masses. Such weighing down and/or redistribution of the machine or vehicle weights, with subsequent displacement of the center of gravity thereof, aims to prevent the drive wheels from slipping and, simultaneously, to allow exploiting the driving torque the vehicle is provided with. Furthermore, the weighing down and/or redistribution of weights also has the non-secondary task of preventing the operating machinery from tilting or even rolling over during the working steps.

The means allowing the weighs of an operating machinery to be weighed down and/or balanced is termed ballast.

The aforementioned ballast becomes essential also in case of operating machines used to lift platforms or provided with mechanical arms for lifting heavy objects. In such cases, the torque the machine is subjected to, especially when the mechanical arm or the platform is in a cantilevered configuration with respect to the machine frame, is highly dangerous and has to be well balanced just by the use of one or more ballasts properly arranged on the machine.

For example, the US patent US5598935 in the name of American Crane Corporation describes ballast for lifting machinery comprising a fixed part embodied with the operating machinery, a movable part, two actuators to make the movable part move away/closer from/to said fixed part along a movement direction, and two linear guides to facilitate the movement of the movable part. These linear guides have a longitudinal axis substantially parallel to the movement direction of the movable part. Each actuator is arranged within the respective linear guide and comprises a cylinder and a piston sliding in the cylinder and along the guide, or along a direction parallel to that of the movement of the movable part. Moreover, the ballast comprises two beams sliding along the two guides and at the ends of which the movable part is combined and is therefore moved once the actuators are actuated. In particular, the piston of each actuator is combined to the respective beam so as to make the latter slide along the guide it is combined with. The movable part is generally made of metal, steel or cast iron blocks that are connected to the two ends of the two linear guides.

An identical solution to the one described in the US5598935 patent is described in the Japanese patent JPH0873187.

Disadvantageously, this type of ballast, although extremely simple from a structural point of view, is not without drawbacks. In fact, the operating machinery must be implemented and designed so as to already include the ballast in the operating machinery. Therefore, in practice, the ballast can neither be disassembled nor used on other operating machineries. Moreover, even whenever this ballast were to be combined to other operating machineries, it would be extremely cumbersome. In fact, the two linear guides should be cantileverly assembled on one side of the operating machinery, thus considerably extending with respect to the machine itself, with the movable part already arranged far away from the side of the machine on which the ballast is mounted. This would limit possible applications of the ballast to only those cases in which the area, where the operating machinery is operating, is large enough to meet the encumbrance needs of the ballast itself.

Finally, the ballast described in the US4953722A in the name of Becker Thomas K is known. This ballast for operating machinery comprises a portion removably couplable to a hooking seat of the operating machinery, a fixed part provided with the couplable portion, a movable part, an actuator to move the movable part away/closer from/to the fixed part along a movement direction for the movable part with respect to the fixed part, and a linear guide for the movable part with a longitudinal axis substantially parallel to the movement direction of the movable part. The guide comprises a first sleeve constrained to the fixed part, whereas the ballast further comprises means to make the movable part slide along the outer surface of the first sleeve. This sliding occurs by means of a substantially U-shaped carriage. This necessarily involves the use of a support at the end of the guide to prevent the movable part from being thrown off balance and from coming out of the guide. Moreover, as a result of the criticalities highlighted, this type of ballast cannot be used when the operating machinery is in motion.

Object of the present invention is to implement ballast that can be combined with one or more operating machineries, even different from one another, and that is more compact than those of known art.

It is further object of the present invention to implement ballast that is however structurally simple and user-friendly.

Finally, object of the present invention is to implement ballast safer than those of known art and that can simultaneously be used when the operating machinery, on which the ballast is mounted, is in motion.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

These and other objects are achieved with ballast for operating machinery comprising at least one portion removably couplable to at least one hooking seat of said operating machinery, at least one fixed part provided with said couplable portion, at least one movable part, at least one actuator to move said movable part away/closer from/to said fixed part along at least one movement direction for said movable part with respect to said fixed part, and at least one linear guide for said at least one movable part with longitudinal axis substantially parallel to the movement direction of said at least one movable part, said guide comprises at least one first sleeve constrained to said fixed part. Moreover, the ballast comprises means for the sliding of said movable part along at least part of the outer surface of said at least first sleeve. Advantageously, said sliding means comprise at least one second sleeve sliding along the outer surface of said at least one first sleeve, wherein said at least one movable part is combined or integral with said at least one second sleeve next to at least one portion of the outer surface of said at least one second sleeve. This solution advantageously results to be rather simple from a constructive point of view and also makes it possible to extend the lifting arm of the movable part with respect to the fixed part, since, when sliding, the second sleeve is supported by the first sleeve. This solution makes it possible to distribute the load of the movable part over a good part or throughout the length of said at least one first sleeve, since this movable part lies above the guide, at least when the latter is completely near the fixed part. This solution is therefore extremely advantageous since the movable part, in its initial position, is in contact with the fixed part, since it slides along the outer surface of the linear guide which, in turn, is constrained to the fixed part, preferably cantilevered with respect to the latter. Therefore, in practice, the linear guide, unlike the solutions of known art, is self-supporting and able to both support the weight of the movable part for a good part of its travel along the guide and to guide it in the sliding direction. Moreover, the weight of the movable part is more evenly distributed along the linear guide compared to that of the ballasts of known art. Furthermore, this solution prevents the movable part, during the operations of the operating machinery, from coming out of the guide, since the second sleeve, which therefore has a closed and inner hollow profile, slides along the outer surface of the first sleeve. This therefore doesn't also require the use of external supports on the end of the fixed part, such as shown in the US document US4953722A of known art, in order to increase the sliding stability between the movable part and the fixed part of the ballast.

Reciprocal sliding means of the lubricating grease type or similar materials, for example, are preferably comprised between the first and second sleeve.

Advantageously, as mentioned above, said at least one first sleeve is constrained cantileverly to said fixed part. In practice, said first sleeve has a base combined with or constrained to the fixed part of the ballast, by welding, interlocking or bolting for example. This fixed part can be plate-shaped, in turn comprising said couplable portion, and is provided with a planar face said base of said first sleeve is combined with, so as the axis of the linear guide is substantially orthogonal to the planar face of the plate of the fixed part.

According to the aforementioned embodiment, said at least one portion of said outer surface of said at least one second sleeve is shaped so as to bear said at least one movable part. In particular, the cross section of said at least one first sleeve and/or said at least one second sleeve is circular or polygonal in shape, preferably with substantially square or rectangular sections, and internally hollow along the longitudinal direction. More in detail, one side of the polygon can be substantially arranged horizontally so as to increase the bearing surface of the movable part.

Moreover, said at least one first sleeve and/or said at least one second sleeve comprise(s) a section bar.

Always according to the invention, said at least second sleeve extends over the entire length of said at least one first sleeve. Moreover, said at least one movable part extends over the entire length of said portion of the outer surface of said at least one second sleeve.

According to a preferred aspect of the invention, said at least one movable part comprises a plate-like base constrained and leaning on, or integral with, at least part of the outer surface of said at least one second sleeve. Moreover, said plate-like base is further shaped so as to accommodate, on top, one or more loading plates stackable on one another. This solution offers a double advantage. First, the load of the ballast is distributed along a wider surface than that normally used on ballasts of known art. Secondly, the load can be changed in an extremely simple and precise way, since it is sufficient to add other loading plates, one on top of the other, to the base in order to change the position of the center of gravity of the operating machinery on which the ballast will be installed. Moreover, the bearing surface of the base, as the one of the loading plates, can also be used to support boxes or the elements needed to carry out a job, since the surface offered, either by the base or loading plates, is rather wide. Moreover, and advantageously, said at least one actuator comprises at least one cylinder and at least one piston sliding within said cylinder along an axis parallel to said at least one movement direction of said movable part.

Furthermore, said at least one actuator is of the hydraulic, pneumatic or electric type. Also, the cylinder of said at least one actuator is constrained to said at least one movable part and the piston of said at least one actuator is constrained to said fixed part, or vice- versa. The invention also protects operating machinery comprising ballast of the type described above and combined with one of the sides of said operating machinery. BREIF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

These and other aspects of the present invention will be made more clear by the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment provided herein by way of example only and without limitations, with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:

Figure 1 A shows an axonometric view of the back side of ballast according to the invention;

figure IB shows an axonometric view of the front side of the ballast in figure 1 A; figure 1C shows an axonometric view of the front side of the ballast in figure 1A, with the movable part that moved with respect to the fixed part;

figure ID shows an axonometric view of the front side of the ballast in figure 1A, with a loading plate to be applied to the movable part;

figure IE shows an axonometric view from the bottom of the ballast in figure 1C; figure 2A shows a sectional view on a horizontal plane of the ballast, with the movable part in the position closest to the fixed part;

figure 2B shows a sectional view on a horizontal plane of the ballast, with the movable part that moved with respect to the fixed part;

figure 3 shows an axonometric view of one of the loading plates of the ballast according to the invention;

figure 4 shows a three-point connection combinable with the couplable portion of the ballast according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMB ODEVIENT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

With reference to the aforementioned figures, ballast 1 according to the invention is shown.

As shown in the figures attached, the ballast 1 for operating machinery (not shown herein) comprises a portion 2 removably couplable to a hooking seat (not shown herein) of the aforementioned operating machinery. This ballast 1 comprises a platelike fixed part 3 provided with the couplable portion 2 and a movable part 4 made of metal material.

Moreover, the ballast 1 also comprises an actuator 5 to move the movable part 4 away/closer from/to the fixed part 3 along a movement direction X for the movable part 4 with respect to the fixed part 3. Moreover, the ballast 1 also comprises two linear guides 6 for the movable part 4, each having a longitudinal axis Z substantially parallel to the movement direction X of the movable part 4. In particular, each guide 6 comprises one first sleeve 6a constrained to the fixed part 3. This constraint is made by means of interlocking and welding on the fixed part 3. Advantageously, according to the invention, the ballast 1 also comprises means 7 for the sliding of the movable part 4 along the outer surface 6b of each first sleeve 6a.

It should be noted that, although the embodiment herein described includes the presence of two linear guides 6, an embodiment comprising only one linear guide 6 nonetheless falls within the protection scope of the present invention.

According to the embodiment described herein, the fixed part 3 is plate-shaped and provided with a front planar face 3a and a back planar face 3b. The base end 6c of each first sleeve 6 is combined with the plate 3 so that the Z axis of each linear guide 6 is substantially orthogonal to the front planar face 3a and the back planar face 3b of the plate of the fixed part 3. The base end 6c of each sleeve 6 is therefore flushed with the back face 3b of the plate 3.

As shown in the figures attached, each first sleeve 6a is constrained cantileverly by means of interlocking or welding to the fixed part 3, therefore the longitudinal Z axis of each guide 6 is substantially orthogonal to the lying plane of the fixed part 3. According to the invention, the sliding means 7 comprise two second sleeves 7a, each sliding along the outer surface 6b of the respective first sleeve 6a. On the other hand, the movable part 4 is combined by screwing to two second sleeves 7a at a portion 7c of the outer surface 7b of each second sleeve 7a. It should be noted that an embodiment wherein the movable part 4 is made integrally with the two second sleeves 7a, or anyhow in another embodiment wherein the movable part 4 is integral to the two second sleeves 7a, would nonetheless fall within the scope of protection the present invention.

This solution prevents the movable part 4 from coming out of the guides. In fact, the second sleeve 7a, with a closed profile, slides along the outer surface 6b of the first sleeve 6a. This therefore prevents the use of external supports to be arranged on the end of the fixed part, as shown in the document US4953722A of known art, in order to increase the sliding stability between the movable part 4 and the fixed part 3 of the ballast 1. Moreover, this ballast 1 can also be used on operating machinery when in motion.

According to this embodiment, the aforementioned portion 7c of the outer surface 7b of each second sleeve 7a is shaped so as to bear the movable part. For example, this portion 7c is planar.

As shown in the figures 1A, IB and 1C, the movable part 4 slides, thanks to the sliding means 7, along the guides 6 between a first position PI, wherein the movable part 4 is in contact with the fixed part 3 (figures 1A, IB or even 2A), and a second position P2, wherein the movable part 4 is at the maximum distance away from the fixed part 3 (figures 1C and 2B). However, the invention allows the movement and resting of the movable part 4 in any position between PI and P2. This is made possible by the use of an actuator 5 controllable by a user so as to move the movable part 4 between said first position PI and said second position P2 and to anyhow maintain the movable part 4 stable in any position between said first position PI and said second position P2.

According to an embodiment herein shown, the cross section of the two first sleeves 6a and the two second sleeves 7a is shaped in the form of a polygon, preferably with square section with rounded edges to facilitate the sliding of the two second sleeves 7a along the outer surface 7b. In particular, the first and second sleeves 6a and 7a comprise a section bar, or a hollow metal element preferably obtained by drawing. It should be noted that, in an alternative embodiment of the invention, the first sleeve and/or the second sleeve can be made tubular, or with circular section.

Moreover, the two second sleeves 7a extend over the entire length of the two first sleeves 6a.

Furthermore, the movable part 4 extends over the entire length of the portion 7c of the outer surface 7b of the second sleeve 7a.

Also, the movable part 4 comprises a plate-like base 4a constrained in a leaning way to the portion 7c of the outer surface 7b of the two second sleeves 7a. This plate-like base 4a is further shaped so as to accommodate one or more loading plates 20 on top, each stackable on one another to increase the load of the ballast 1.

Although not shown in the figures attached, the correct stacking of the plates 20 is achieved by means of two bars (not shown) that are fixed inside two holes 21 made in the plate-like base 4a of the movable part 3, orthogonally to the plane of the base 4a, so that the loading plates 20 can slide along these bars through corresponding through holes 22 embodied in the plates 20.

The actuator 5 is also arranged between the two first linear guides 6a, under the plate-like base 4a of the movable part 4.

Still according to the invention, the actuator 5 comprises a cylinder 5a and a piston 5b sliding within the cylinder 5a along a Y axis parallel to the movement direction X of the movable part 4.

In a known way, the actuator 5 is of hydraulic type, however an actuator of pneumatic or electric type would also fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Moreover, the cylinder 5 a of the actuator 5 is constrained to the fixed part 3, whereas the piston 5b of the actuator 5 is constrained to the movable part 4. In an alternative embodiment, the cylinder 5a of the actuator 5 can be constrained to the movable part 4, whereas the piston 5b of the actuator 5 can be constrained to the fixed part 3 without departing from the protection scope of the present invention.

According to the invention, the aforementioned ballast 1 is combinable with one or more of the sides of operating machinery so as to allow the movable part 3 to be lifted from the front, back, side and top of the operating machinery itself, so as to change the center of gravity according to the needs of the operator.

Finally, a three-point connection 60 combined, on one side, with the couplable portion 2 next to the back planar face 3b, and on the other side combinable to the hooking seat of the operating machinery (not shown herein), is shown in figure 3.

Claims

1. Ballast (1) for operating machinery, comprising at least one portion (2) removably couplable to at least one hooking seat of said operating machinery, at least one fixed part (3) provided with said couplable portion (2), at least one movable part (4), at least one actuator (5) for moving said movable part (4) away/closer from/to said fixed part along at least one movement direction (X) of said movable part (4) with respect to said fixed part (3), and at least one linear guide (6) for said at least one movable part (4) which has longitudinal axis (Z) substantially parallel to the movement direction (X) of said at least one movable part, said guide (6) comprising at least one first sleeve (6a) constrained to said fixed part, said ballast further comprising sliding means (7) to slide said movable part along at least part of the outer surface (6b) of said at least one first sleeve (6a), characterized in that said sliding means (7) comprise at least one second sleeve (7a) sliding along the outer surface (6b) of said at least one first sleeve (6a), said at least one movable part (4) being combined or integral with said at least one second sleeve (7) next to at least one portion (7c) of the outer surface (7b) of said at least one second sleeve (7a).

2. Ballast (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said at least one first sleeve (6a) is cantileverly constrained to said fixed part.

3. Ballast according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said at least one portion (7c) of said outer surface (7b) of said at least one second sleeve (7a) is shaped to bear said at least one movable part (4).

4. Ballast according to one or more of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the cross section of said at least one first sleeve (6a) and/or of said at least one second sleeve (7a) has circular or polygon shape, preferably with substantially square or rectangular section.

5. Ballast according to claim 4, characterized in that said at least one first sleeve and/or said at least one second sleeve comprise/s a section bar.

6. Ballast according to one or more of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said at least one second sleeve extends for the whole length of said at least one first sleeve.

7. Ballast according to one or more of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said at least one movable part (4) extends over the entire length of said at least one portion (7c) of said outer surface (7b) of said at least one second sleeve (7a).

8. Ballast according to one or more of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said at least one movable part (4) comprises a plate-shaped base (4a) constrained and leaning on, or integral with, at least part of the outer surface of said at least one second sleeve, said base (4a) being further shaped to accommodate, on top, one or more loading plates (20) stackable on one another.

9. Ballast according to one or more of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that said at least one actuator (5) comprising at least one cylinder (5a) and at least one piston (5b) sliding inside said cylinder along an axis (Y) parallel to said at least one movement direction (X) of said movable part (4).

10. Ballast according to claim 9, characterized in that said at least one actuator is of hydraulic, pneumatic or electric type.

11. Ballast according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the cylinder of said at least one actuator is constrained to said at least one fixed part and the piston of said at least one actuator is constrained to said movable part, or vice versa.

12. Ballast according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said couplable portion (2) comprises a three-point connection (60) combinable with said at least one hooking seat of said operating machinery.

13. Operating machinery (100) comprising ballast according to one or more of claims 1 to 12, said ballast being combined with one of the sides of said operating machinery.