Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BOOM APPARATUS WITH NOSE BODY
Field of the Disclosure
[001] The present disclosure relates to a boom apparatus. In particular, it
relates
to a nose of the boom apparatus.
Background of the Disclosure
[002] There are forestry machines that have a boom apparatus and a work tool
attached to the nose of the boom apparatus. A number of flexible lines (e.g.,
hydraulic and electrical) are routed along the boom apparatus past the nose to
the
work tool.
Summary of the Disclosure
[003] According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a boom apparatus
comprises a clevis pin unit, at least one flexible line, and a boom. The at
least one
flexible line extends longitudinaliy of the boom. The boom comprises a first
boom
side wall, a second boom side wall spaced apart from the first boom side wall
laterally of the boom, a top wall, a bottom wall spaced apart from the top
wall, and a
monolithic nose body. The top wall and the bottom wall interconnect the first
boom
side wall and the second boom side wall. The first boom side wall, the second
boom
side wall, the top wall, and the bottom wall cooperate to define a periphery
of a box
structure of the boom. The first boom side wall and the second boom side wall
extend longitudinally of the boom beyond the box structure to provide
respectively a
first wall extension and a second wall extension.
[004] The nose body is positioned at a nose of the boom and the boom
apparatus.
The nose body is attached to and sandwiched between the first and second wall
extensions and attached to the top and bottom walls so as to close an end
portion of
the box structure. The nose body and the first and second wall extensions
receive
therein the devis pin unit such that the nose body, the first and second wall
extensions, and the clevis pin unit are included in a clevis of the boom
apparatus for
suspension of a work tool therefrom. The nose body comprises a passageway
through which the at least one flexible line is routed.
[005] The above and other features will become apparent from the following
description and the coupled drawings.
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Brief Description of the Drawings
[006] The detailed description of the drawings refers to the accompanying
figures
in which:
[007] FIG. 1 is a right-hand side elevation view showing a boom apparatus
attached to a diagrammatic base machine and a diagrammatic work tool;
[008] FIG. 2 is a perspective view, with portions broken away, showing routing
of
at least one flexible line (shown diagrammatically as a dashed line) through a
passageway of a nose body of the nose of the boom apparatus;
[009] FIG. 3 is a top view, with portions broken away, showing the nose of the
boom apparatus:
[010] FIG. 4 is a bottom view, with portions broken away, showing the nose of
the
boom apparatus;
[011] FIG. 5 is a sectional view, taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 3;
[012] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the nose body;
[013] FIG. 7 is a front elevation view of the nose body;
[014] FIG. 8 is a right-hand side elevation view of the nose body;
[015] FIG. 9 is a top view of the nose body; and
[016] FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the nose body.
Detailed Description of the Drawings
[017] Referring to FIG. 1, an exemplary work machine 10 comprises a base
machine 12, a boom apparatus 13, and a work tool 14. The work machine 10 may
be any of a variety of work machines.
[018] For example, the work machine 10 may be a forestry machine. In such a
case, the base machine 12 may be, for example, a tracked feller buncher or a
wheeled or tracked harvester. The work tool 14 may be a hydraulically-actuated
forestry attachment, such as, for example, a disk saw felling head, a
harvesting
head, a debarking head, a cutting head, a delimber, a tree handling device, or
a
combination thereof, to name but a few forestry attachments. The boom
apparatus
13 is illustrated, for example, as a boom apparatus for a forestry harvester,
it being
understood that the boom apparatus 13 may be configured for a wide variety of
work
machines.
[019] The boom apparatus 13 comprises a first end portion 15 and a second end
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portion 16. The first end portion 15 is attached to the base machine 12, and
the
work tool 14 is attached to the second end portion 16. As such, the second end
portion 16 is the working end portion, or nose, of the boom apparatus 13.
Illustratively, the work tool 14 may comprise, for example, a connector 43
attached
pivotally to the nose 16 and a harvesting head 44 suspended from the connector
43
as indicated diagrammatically. The connector 43 is useful with a rotator (not
shown)
of the harvesting head 44 that can rotate the harvesting head 44 more than 360
degrees, although the connector 43 may be configured in other ways (e.g., a
dog-
bone connector) with less rotatability of the harvesting head 44.
(020) The boom apparatus 13 comprises a heavy duty boom structure 17.
Exemplarily, the boom structure 17 comprises a first or hoist boom 18 and a
second
or stick boom 20. The first boom 18 is attached pivotally to the base machine
12 for
pivotal movement of the first boom 18, and thus the boom structure 17,
relative to
the base machine 12 about a first boom pivot axis 22. The second boom 20 is
attached pivotally to the first boom 18 for pivotal movement of the second
boom 20
relative to the first boom 18 about a second boom pivot axis 26. Each of the
booms
18, 20 is configured, for example, as a weldment.
0211 The boom apparatus 13 comprises two hoist cylinders 24 configured as two
fluid cylinders (e.g., hydraulic cylinders). The hoist cylinders 24 are
attached
pivotally to the base machine 12 and the first boom 18 to raise and lower the
first
boom 18, and thus the boom structure 17, relative to the base machine 12 about
the
first boom pivot axis 22.
(0221 The boom apparatus 13 comprises a stick cylinder 28 configured as a
fluid
cylinder (e.g., hydraulic cylinder). The stick cylinder 28 is attached
pivotally to the
first boom 18 and the second boom 20 to pivot the second boom 20 relative to
the
first boom 18. The cylinder 28 is so attached to pivot the second boom 20
relative to
the first boom 18 about the second boom pivot axis 26.
(023] Referring to FIGS. 2-5, the second boom 20 comprises a first boom side
wall 30, a second boom side wall 32 spaced apart from the first boom side wall
30
laterally of the second boom 20, a top wall 34, and a bottom wall 36 spaced
apart
from the top wall 34 depth-wise of the second boom 20. The top wall 34 and the
bottom wall 36 interconnect and are welded to the first boom side wall 30 and
the
second boom side wall 32. The first boom side wall 30, the second boom side
wall
32, the top wall 34, and the bottom wall 36 cooperate to define a periphery 38
of a
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box structure 39 of the second boom 20. The structure 39 is hollow given that
it has
a box shape. The first boom side wall 30 and the second boom side wall 32
extend
longitudinally of the second boom 20 beyond the box structure 39 to provide
respectively a first wall extension 40 and a second wall extension 41.
(024] The second boom 20 comprises a monolithic (one-piece) nose body 42.
The nose body 42 is positioned at the nose 16 of the second boom 20 and the
boom
apparatus 13. The nose body 42 bridges a width 51 between (inclusively) the
first
and second wall extensions 40, 41 laterally of the second boom 20.
[0251 The nose body 42 is attached to and sandwiched between the first and
second wall extensions 40, 41 and attached to the top and bottom walls 34, 36
so as
to close an end portion 52 of the box structure 39. Such a configuration may
promote stress minimization and part count economy in a clevis 57 of the boom
apparatus 13.
(026] The nose body 42 and the first and second wall extensions 40, 41 receive
therein a clevis pin unit 21 such that the nose body 42, the first and second
wall
extensions 40, 41, and the clevis pin unit 21 are included in the clevis 57 of
the boom
apparatus 13 for suspension of the work tool 14 therefrom. The nose body 42
comprises a passageway 58 through which at least one flexible line 59 of the
boom
apparatus 13 is routed.
(0271 The at least one flexible line 59 extends longitudinally of the second
boom
20 along an underside thereof. In an example, there are several such flexible
lines
59 (e.g., hydraulic and electrical lines), represented diagrammatically as a
dashed
line. Since the lines 59 are routed through the passageway 58, they do not
hang
down as they pass through the nose 16 to the work tool 14. The passageway 58
thus promotes protection of the lines 59 against vulnerability to damage and
an
aesthetically pleasing, clean appearance in the nose area of the second boom
20.
Routing of the lines 59 through the passageway 58 further promotes
simplification of
the routing of the lines 59 through the nose 16.
(028] Referring to FIGS. 6-10, the nose body 42 comprises a first body side
wall
46, a second body side wall 47 spaced apart from the first body side wall 46
laterally
of the second boom 18, an upper, spinal wall 48, and a lower, barrier wall 49
spaced
apart from the spinal wall 48. The spinal and barrier walls 48, 49
interconnect the
first and second body side walls 46, 47. The first and second body side walls
46, 47
are attached (e.g., welded) respectively to the first and second wall
extensions 40,
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41. The spinal wall 48 is attached to the top wall 34 and the bottom wall 36
as part
of closing the end portion 52 of the box structure 39 by the nose body 42. The
passageway 58 is defined between the spinal and barrier walls 48, 49 and
between
the first and second body side walls 46, 47.
[029] Referring to FIGS. 2-5, the clevis pin unit 21 is received in a first
collar 60 of
the first body side wall 46 and a second collar 61 of the second body side
wall 47.
The elevis pin unit 21 comprises a first clevis pin 23 received in the first
collar 60 and
a second clevis pin 23 received in the second collar 61.
[030] Referring to FIG. 5, the nose body 42 is arched in its lateral profile
(see also
FIG. 6). The spinal wall 48 is longer than and arches about the barrier wall
49 such
that the passageway 58 is arched so as to direct smoothly the routing of the
at least
one flexible line 59 through the nose 16. In so doing, the at least one
flexible line 59
enters the passageway 58 via a rearward opening 64 defined between the spinal
and barrier walls 48, 49 and exits the passageway 58 via a forward opening 66
defined between the spinal and barrier walls 48, 49. The at least one flexible
line 59
is routed sequentially through the rearward opening 64, the passageway 58, and
the
forward opening 66, avoiding sharp edges on passage through the nose 16. In
the
case of the illustrated connector 43, the at least one flexible line 59 is
then routed
through a central passageway of the connector 43 to the harvesting head 44.
[031] The nose body 42 is attached to the box structure 39 as part of closing
the
end portion 52 of the box structure 39 by the nose body 42. Each of the spinal
wall
48, the first body side wall 46, and the second body side wall 47 is attached
(e.g.,
welded) to the top wall 34 and the bottom wall 36.
[032] The spinal wall 48 is attached to the bottom wall 36. The spinal wall 48
comprises a rearward end edge 68. The end edge 68 comprises a groove 70. The
groove 70 receives a forward end edge 72 of the bottom wall 36 such that the
forward end edge 72 is attached (e.g., welded) to the groove 70.
[033] The spinal wall 48 is attached to the top wall 34. The spinal wall 48 is
attached to a forward end edge 74 of the top wall 34. For example, the spinal
wall
48 is welded to the forward end edge 74 of the top wall 34, as indicated by a
diagrammatic box 75.
[034] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the first and second body side walls 46, 47
are
attached to the top wall 34 and the bottom wall 36. Each of the top wall 34
and the
bottom wall 36 comprises a first corner notch 76 and a second corner notch 78.
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first body side wall 46 comprises a first rim 80 received in and attached to
(e.g.,
welded) the first corner notch 76 of the top wall 34 and the first corner
notch 76 of
the bottom wall 36. The second body side wall 47 comprises a second rim 82
received in and attached to (e.g., welded) the second corner notch 78 of the
top wall
34 and the second corner notch 78 of the bottom wall 36.
(0351 Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, each of the first and second body side walls
46,
47 is generally kidney bean-shaped in its lateral profile. Each of the first
and second
body side walls 46, 47 comprises a forward ear 84, a rearward ear 86, and a
vertex
88 positioned between the forward and rearward ears 84, 86. The forward ear 84
of
the first body side wall 46 comprises the first collar 60. The forward ear 84
of the
second body side wall 47 comprises the second collar 61. The spinal wall 48
extends about the barrier wall 49 forwardly from the rearward ears 86 toward
the
forward ears 84 to the vertices 88 along an upper edge 90 of each of the first
and
second body side walls 46, 47. The barrier wall 49 is positioned at the
vertices 88
and extends along a lower edge 92 of each of the first and second body side
walls
46, 47. The ears 84, 86 are configured, for example, as lobes, with the
forward ears
84 being larger lobes than the rearward ears in order to provide the collars
60, 61.
(0361 As such, the forward ear 84 of the first body side wall 46 is a first
ear, and
the forward ear 84 of the second body side wall 47 is a second ear. The ears
84
project away from the spinal and barrier walls 48, 49 longitudinally forwardly
of the
second boom 20.
[037] The nose body 42 is a monolithic structure, promoting stress
minimization
and sharp-edge avoidance. Exemplarily, the nose body 42 is a casting made, for
example, of cast steel. The first and second body side walls 46, 47 are cast
in a
shell form, promoting weight minimization, such that the walls 46, 47 are
recessed
from their respective rims 80, 82.
(0381 Referring to FIG. 1, each of the first and second boom side walls 30, 32
comprises a laterally inner plate 94 and a laterally outer plate 96 such that
the two
laterally inner plates 94 are positioned laterally inward from the two
laterally outer
plates 96 relative to the lateral dimension of the boom 20. In such a case,
the plates
94, 96 are welded to one another and to the top and bottom walls 34, 36 (each
configured, for example, as a plate). The outer plates 74 extend the length of
the
boom 18. The outer plate 96 of the first boom side wall 30 provides the first
wall
extension 40, and the outer plate 96 of the second boom side wall 32 provides
the
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second wall extension 41. The first rim 80 is welded to a laterally inner face
of
the first wall extension 40 of the laterally outer plate 96 of the first boom
side
wall 30 and to an end edge of the laterally inner plate 94 of the first boom
side
wall 30. The second rim 82 is welded to a laterally inner face of the second
wall
extension 41 of the laterally outer plate 96 of the second boom side wall 32
and
to an end edge of the laterally inner plate 94 of the second boom side wall
32.
[039] The welds and any threads have not been shown in the drawings for
simplification of illustration, it being understood that it would be well
within the
skill of one of ordinary skill in the art to provide those features without
undue
experimentation.
[040] While the
disclosure has been illustrated and described in detail in the
drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description is to be
considered as exemplary and not restrictive in character, it being understood
that illustrative embodiment(s) have been shown and described and that all
changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the disclosure are
desired to be protected. It will be noted that alternative embodiments of the
present disclosure may not include all of the features described yet still
benefit
from at least some of the advantages of such features. Those of ordinary skill
in
the art may readily devise their own implementations that incorporate one or
more of the features of the present disclosure and fall within the spirit and
scope
of the appended claims.
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