Screw jack assembly for paving machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11293532-B2
Application number	US-202016750117-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 23, 2020
Priority date	Jan 23, 2020
Publication date	Apr 5, 2022
Grant date	Apr 5, 2022

Abstract

A screw jack assembly includes a first body defining a longitudinal axis and a screw drive disposed within the first body. The screw jack assembly also includes a second body movable relative to the first body and coupled to the screw drive, and a first gear coupled to the screw drive. The screw jack assembly further includes a handle assembly having a tube member coupled to the first body. The handle assembly also includes a second gear coupled to the first gear. The handle assembly further includes a handle member coupled to the second gear and adapted to rotate about a rotational axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The handle member is adapted to selectively rotate between an operating position and a stowed position about the longitudinal axis based, at least in part, on rotation of the tube member relative to the first body along the longitudinal axis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A paving machine comprising:
a chassis;
a tow arm pivotally coupled to the chassis;
a screed assembly pivotally coupled to the tow arm, the screed assembly having a frame and at least one side gate movably disposed on the frame; and
at least one screw jack assembly operably coupled to the at least one side gate, the at least one screw jack assembly including:
a first body defining a longitudinal axis and fixedly coupled to the frame;
a screw drive rotatably disposed within the first body and axially aligned along the longitudinal axis, the screw drive defining a first end and a second end;
a second body movable relative to the first body along the longitudinal axis and operably coupled to each of the screw drive and the at least one side gate;
a first gear coupled to the first end of the screw drive; and
a handle assembly including:
a tube member movably coupled to the first body and axially aligned along the longitudinal axis;
a second gear disposed within the tube member and operably coupled to the first gear; and
a handle member fixedly coupled to the second gear and adapted to rotate about a rotational axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis,
wherein the handle member is adapted to selectively rotate between an operating position and a stowed position about the longitudinal axis based, at least in part, on rotation of the tube member relative to the first body along the longitudinal axis.

2. The paving machine of claim 1 , wherein the handle assembly further includes a plunger disposed in association with each of the tube member and the first body, the plunger adapted to selectively engage and disengage with the first body.

3. The paving machine of claim 2 , wherein the handle assembly further includes a resilient member disposed in association with the plunger, the resilient member adapted to bias the plunger in engagement with the first body.

4. The paving machine of claim 2 , wherein the first body includes at least one hole adapted to engage with the plunger.

5. The paving machine of claim 4 , wherein the at least one hole includes a plurality of holes, each of the plurality of holes disposed spaced apart from another on the first body.

6. The paving machine of claim 1 , wherein the handle assembly is adapted to selectively move away from the first body along the longitudinal axis to disengage the second gear relative to the first gear.

7. The paving machine of claim 6 , wherein the handle assembly further includes a resilient member disposed in association with the tube member, the resilient member adapted to bias the second gear in engagement with the first gear.

8. The paving machine of claim 1 , wherein the handle member is adapted to selectively move away from the tube member along the rotational axis to disengage the second gear relative to the first gear.

9. The paving machine of claim 8 , wherein the handle assembly further includes a resilient member disposed in association with the handle member, the resilient member adapted to bias the second gear in engagement with the first gear.

10. The paving machine of claim 1 , wherein the handle assembly is adapted to selectively rotate up to 360 degrees about the longitudinal axis.

11. The paving machine of claim 1 , wherein each of the first gear and the second gear is a bevel type gear.

12. A screw jack assembly for a screed assembly associated with a paving machine, the screw jack assembly comprising:
a first body defining a longitudinal axis and fixedly coupled to a frame of the screed assembly;
a screw drive rotatably disposed within the first body and axially aligned along the longitudinal axis, the screw drive defining a first end and a second end;
a second body movable relative to the first body along the longitudinal axis and operably coupled to each of the screw drive and a side gate of the screed assembly;
a first gear coupled to the first end of the screw drive; and
a handle assembly including:
a tube member movably coupled to the first body and axially aligned along the longitudinal axis;
a second gear disposed within the tube member and operably coupled to the first gear; and
a handle member fixedly coupled to the second gear and adapted to rotate about a rotational axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis,
wherein the handle member is adapted to selectively rotate between an operating position and a stowed position about the longitudinal axis based, at least in part, on rotation of the tube member relative to the first body along the longitudinal axis.

13. The screw jack assembly of claim 12 , wherein the handle assembly further includes a plunger disposed in association with each of the tube member and the first body, the plunger adapted to selectively engage and disengage with the first body.

14. The screw jack assembly of claim 13 , wherein the handle assembly further includes a resilient member disposed in association with the plunger, the resilient member adapted to bias the plunger in engagement with the first body.

15. The screw jack assembly of claim 12 , wherein the first body includes at least one hole adapted to engage with the plunger.

16. The screw jack assembly of claim 12 , wherein the handle assembly is adapted to selectively move away from the first body along the longitudinal axis to disengage the second gear relative to the first gear.

17. The screw jack assembly of claim 16 , wherein the handle assembly further includes a resilient member disposed in association with the tube member, the resilient member adapted to bias the second gear in engagement with the first gear.

18. The screw jack assembly of claim 12 , wherein the handle member is adapted to selectively move away from the tube member along the rotational axis to disengage the second gear relative to the first gear.

19. The screw jack assembly of claim 18 , wherein the handle assembly further includes a resilient member disposed in association with the handle member, the resilient member adapted to bias the second gear in engagement with the first gear.

20. The screw jack assembly of claim 12 , wherein each of the first gear and the second gear is a bevel type gear.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Paving Products Inc

Inventors

• Graves Cameron Eitel
• Jorgensen John Eron
• Thiesse Ryan Todd

Classifications

• B66F3/16 Primary

  actuated through bevel-wheel gearings · CPC title

• E01C2301/16

  Laterally slidable screeds · CPC title

• E01C19/12

  for distributing granular or liquid materials ({E01C19/002, E01C19/45, E01C19/46, E01C19/48, E01C23/03, E01C23/065} , E01C23/07 take precedence; for filling joints or grooves E01C23/02, E01C23/09) · CPC title

• E01C19/48 Primary

  for laying-down the materials and consolidating them, or finishing the surface {, e.g. slip forms therefor, forming kerbs or gutters in a continuous operation in situ (E01C19/002, E01C23/065 take precedence; devices for guiding or controlling the machines along a predetermined path E01C19/004)} · CPC title

• F16H25/20 Primary

  Screw mechanisms (with automatic reversal F16H25/12) · CPC title