Crawler dozer blade corner visibility

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12320093-B2
Application number	US-202117494366-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 5, 2021
Priority date	Oct 5, 2021
Publication date	Jun 3, 2025
Grant date	Jun 3, 2025

Abstract

A crawler dozer includes a main frame having a longitudinal central axis. A push frame includes left and right push beams. A dozer blade is pivotally connected to the left and right push beams. At least one tilt cylinder is connected between the dozer blade and at least one of the left and right push beams. The tilt cylinder includes a larger cylinder portion pivotally connected to the dozer blade and a smaller piston portion pivotally connected to the at least one of the left and right push beams. The tilt cylinder includes a cylinder axis diverging laterally outward relative to the longitudinal central axis of the main frame in a forward direction by a splay angle of at least 2 degrees.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A crawler dozer, comprising:
a main frame having a longitudinal central axis extending between a front and a rear of the main frame;
left and right crawler tracks for supporting the main frame from a ground surface;
an operator's station supported from the main frame;
a push frame including left and right push beams located laterally outside of the left and right crawler tracks, respectively;
a dozer blade pivotally connected to the left and right push beams;
a tag-link extending laterally between the dozer blade and the main frame to support the dozer blade and the push frame from the main frame against lateral forces acting against the dozer blade;
at least one tilt cylinder connected between the dozer blade and at least one of the left and right push beams and configured to tilt the dozer blade about a tilt axis transverse to the longitudinal central axis, the at least one tilt cylinder including a cylinder portion pivotally connected to the dozer blade and a piston portion pivotally connected to the at least one of the left and right push beams, the cylinder portion having a larger outside cross-sectional dimension than the piston portion; and
wherein the at least one tilt cylinder includes a cylinder axis diverging laterally outward relative to the longitudinal central axis of the main frame in a forward direction by a splay angle of at least 2 degrees such that a view from the operator's station of a lower laterally outer corner portion of the dozer blade is provided along a line of sight passing laterally inward of the piston portion of the at least one tilt cylinder.

2. The crawler dozer of claim 1 , wherein:
the splay angle is at least 3 degrees.

3. The crawler dozer of claim 1 , wherein:
the splay angle is at least 4 degrees.

4. The crawler dozer of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one of the left and right push beams connected to the piston portion of the at least one tilt cylinder includes a front end portion connected to the dozer blade, a rear end portion connected to a respective one of the crawler tracks, and an intermediate portion extending from the rear end portion to the front end portion, the front end portion being offset laterally inward towards the longitudinal central axis of the main frame relative to the intermediate portion.

5. The crawler dozer of claim 1 , further comprising:
a tilt cylinder guard located above the cylinder portion of the at least one tilt cylinder.

6. The crawler dozer of claim 5 , wherein:
the tilt cylinder guard is configured such that the tilt cylinder guard covers no more of the lower laterally outer corner portion of the dozer blade when viewed from the operator's station than does the tilt cylinder.

7. The crawler dozer of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of hoses connected to the at least one tilt cylinder, the hoses being routed upward from the at least one tilt cylinder and laterally inward toward the central longitudinal axis of the main frame away from the tilt cylinder.

8. The crawler dozer of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one of the left and right push beams connected to the piston portion of the at least one tilt cylinder includes a front end portion connected to the dozer blade and a rear end portion connected to a respective one of the crawler tracks, and the front end portion includes a cut-away front laterally outside corner.

9. The crawler dozer of claim 8 , wherein:
the cut-away front laterally outside corner is hidden behind the crawler track adjacent the at least one of the left and right push beams when viewed from the operator's station.

10. The crawler dozer of claim 1 , wherein:
the dozer blade includes a front blade surface, an end bit mounted to a lower laterally outer corner of the front blade surface, and a blade supporting structure located behind the front blade surface, and the blade supporting structure includes a cut-away adjacent the lower laterally outer corner portion of the dozer blade, such that the end bit is visible when viewed from the operator's station.

11. The crawler dozer of claim 1 , further comprising at least three additional features selected from the group of additional features consisting of:
(1) the at least one of the left and right push beams connected to the piston portion of the at least one tilt cylinder including a front end portion connected to the dozer blade, a rear end portion connected to a respective one of the crawler tracks, and an intermediate portion extending from the rear end portion to the front end portion, the front end portion being offset laterally inward relative to the intermediate portion towards the longitudinal central axis of the main frame;
(2) a tilt cylinder guard located above the cylinder portion of the at least one tilt cylinder;
(3) a plurality of hoses connected to the at least one tilt cylinder, the hoses being routed upward from the tilt cylinder and laterally inward toward the central longitudinal axis of the main frame away from the tilt cylinder;
(4) the front end portion of the at least one of the left and right push beams connected to the piston portion of the at least one tilt cylinder including a cut-away front laterally outside corner; and
(5) the dozer blade including a front blade surface and a blade supporting structure located behind the front blade surface, and the blade supporting structure including a cut-away adjacent the lower laterally outer corner portion of the dozer blade; and
wherein the selected additional features collectively improve the view of the lower laterally outer corner portion of the dozer blade when viewed from the operator's station.

12. The crawler dozer of claim 1 , further comprising:
(1) the at least one of the left and right push beams connected to the piston portion of the at least one tilt cylinder including a front end portion connected to the dozer blade, a rear end portion connected to a respective one of the crawler tracks, and an intermediate portion extending from the rear end portion to the front end portion, the front end portion being offset laterally inward relative to the intermediate portion towards the longitudinal central axis of the main frame;
(2) a tilt cylinder guard located above the cylinder portion of the at least one tilt cylinder;
(3) a plurality of hoses connected to the at least one tilt cylinder, the hoses being routed upward from the tilt cylinder and laterally inward toward the central longitudinal axis of the main frame away from the tilt cylinder;
(4) the front end portion of the at least one of the left and right push beams connected to the piston portion of the at least one tilt cylinder including a cut-away front laterally outside corner; and
(5) the dozer blade including a front blade surface and a blade supporting structure located behind the front blade surface, and the blade supporting structure including a cut-away adjacent the lower laterally outer corner portion of the dozer blade.

13. The crawler dozer of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one tilt cylinder includes left and right tilt cylinders connected between the dozer blade and the left and right push beams, respectively.

14. A crawler dozer, comprising:
a main frame having a longitudinal central axis extending between a front and a rear of the main frame;
left and right crawler tracks for supporting the main frame from a ground surface;
an operator's station supported from the main frame;
a push frame including left and right push beams located laterally outside of the left and right crawler tracks, respectively;
a dozer blade pivotally connected to the left and right push beams;

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Dorman Michael R
• Horstman Nathan J
• Simms Todd R
• Neilson Ryan R
• Tigges Michael R

Classifications

• E02F3/7618 Primary

  with the scraper blade adjustable relative to the pivoting arms about a horizontal axis · CPC title