Arrangement for effecting float condition in loader hydraulic lift cylinder when hydraulic fluid supply is decoupled

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9226439-B2
Application number	US-201414501203-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2014
Priority date	Oct 1, 2013
Publication date	Jan 5, 2016
Grant date	Jan 5, 2016

Abstract

A front loader arrangement ( 12 ) with a mounting frame ( 16 ) and mounting mast ( 18 ) is proposed, wherein the mounting mast ( 18 ) can be coupled to the mounting frame ( 16 ) and can be decoupled therefrom. Furthermore, a loader arm ( 20 ) is connected to the mounting mast ( 18 ) for being pivoted vertically by a hydraulic cylinder ( 24 ) extending between the loader arm ( 20 ) and the mounting mast ( 18 ). In order to facilitate coupling of the mounting mast ( 18 ) to the mounting frame ( 16 ), it is proposed that a hydraulic system ( 85 ) be coupled to the hydraulic cylinder working chamber(s) ( 90, 96 ) and include adjusting means by which the hydraulic cylinder ( 24 ) can be brought into a floating position when the hydraulic fluid supply is decoupled from the hydraulic system ( 85 ).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. In a front loader arrangement ( 12 ) including:
a supporting frame ( 16 ), and
a mounting mast ( 18 ),
wherein the mounting mast ( 18 ) can be coupled to, and decoupled from the supporting frame ( 16 ),
a loader arm ( 20 ) being mounted to said mast ( 18 ) for vertical pivotal movement relative to said mast ( 18 ),
an extensible and retractable hydraulic cylinder ( 24 ) extending between the loader arm ( 20 ) and the mounting mast ( 18 ) and being selectively operable for lifting and lowering said loader arm ( 20 ) relative to said mounting mast ( 18 ), and
a hydraulic system ( 85 ) including:
a hydraulic fluid supply line ( 87 ) coupled to a head end chamber of said hydraulic cylinder ( 24 ) and being adapted for being selectively coupled to and decoupled from a source of fluid pressure, the improvement comprising:
said hydraulic system ( 85 ) of the loader arrangement ( 12 ) further including:
an adjusting arrangement ( 82 , 84 , 94 ) hydraulically coupled to a head end chamber ( 90 ) of said hydraulic cylinder ( 24 ) and being selectively operable for establishing a float condition in said hydraulic cylinder ( 24 ) when the hydraulic fluid supply line ( 87 ) is decoupled from said source of fluid pressure,
wherein said adjusting arrangement ( 82 , 84 , 94 ) comprises:
a hydraulic accumulator ( 84 ) coupled to said hydraulic fluid supply line ( 87 ) by way of a shut-off valve ( 82 ) operable for selectively establishing a fluid connection between hydraulic accumulator ( 84 ), and
said head end chamber ( 90 ) of said hydraulic cylinder ( 24 ).

2. An agricultural vehicle ( 10 ) equipped with a front loader arrangement ( 12 ) constructed as in claim 1 .

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Faivre Damien
• Villarreal Diego Adrian
• Bertrand Hugues

Classifications

• F15B1/021

  used for damping · CPC title

• E02F3/43

  Control of dipper or bucket position; Control of sequence of drive operations · CPC title

• E02F9/2264

  Arrangements or adaptations of elements for hydraulic drives · CPC title

• A01B63/10

  operated by hydraulic or pneumatic means · CPC title

• E02F9/2203

  Arrangements for controlling the attitude of actuators, e.g. speed, floating function · CPC title