Note : Les revendications sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive
property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. A fluid cylinder mechanism couplable between first
and second structures, comprising:
a cylinder means having a base end couplable to the first
structure, and having a rod end opposite the base end;
a piston means slidably received within said cylinder
means, said piston means having an opening defined therein, a
base end chamber being formed between the piston means and the
base end of the cylinder means, and a rod end chamber being
formed between the piston means and the rod end of the
cylinder means;
a rod means slidably received by the rod end of the
cylinder means and the piston means opening, said rod end of
the cylinder means and said piston means being positioned
between first and second end portions of the rod means, said
second end portion being operatively couplable to the second
structure, and said rod means being shiftable along its
longitudinal axis within the rod end of the cylinder means and
within the piston means opening as the first and second
structures shift relative to each other;
said piston means being shiftable along the rod means to
a position substantially adjacent the rod end of the cylinder
means regardless of the position of the rod means within the
cylinder means;
a fluid circuit means in communication with the rod end
chamber for selectively forcing fluid into said rod end
chamber to selectively urge the piston means toward the base
end, said fluid circuit means also being in communication with
the base end chamber;
abutment means formed between the piston means and first
end portion of the rod means for urging the rod means toward
the base end as the piston is urged toward the base end,
thereby urging the first and second structures toward each
other, and
said first end portion of the rod means and the abutment
means each have effective diameter's substantially smaller
than the diameter of the piston such that the first end
portion of the rod means and abutment means displace less
fluid as the rod means shifts relative to the piston means
than the piston means and rod means displace when shifting
together,
restrictor means coupled with the fluid circuit means
downstream of the base end chamber and upstream of the rod end
chamber during normal operation for maintaining a slightly
higher fluid pressure in the base end chamber than the rod end
chamber for thereby biasing the piston means to the rod end of
the cylinder means during normal operation.
2. The invention of claim 1, wherein the abutment means
comprises a snap ring carried by the first end portion of the
rod means.
3. The invention of claim 1, wherein the restrictor
means is a variable orifice weight transfer valve.
4. A fluid cylinder mechanism as used for coupling an
implement to a vehicle, comprising:
a cylinder means having a base end couplable to the
vehicle, and having a rod end opposite the base end;
a piston means slidably received within said cylinder
means, said piston means having an opening defined therein, a
base end chamber being formed between the piston means and the
base end of the cylinder means, and a rod end chamber being
formed between the piston means and the rod end of the
cylinder means;
a rod means slidably received by the rod end of the
cylinder means and the piston means opening, said rod end of
the cylinder means and said piston means being positioned
between first and second end portions of the rod means, said
second end portion being operatively couplable to the
implement, said rod means being shiftable along its
longitudinal axis within the rod end of the cylinder means and
within the piston means opening as the implement shifts
vertically relative to the vehicle to accommodate variations
in ground contour;
said piston means being shiftable along the rod means to
a position substantially adjacent the rod end of the cylinder
means regardless of the position of the rod means within the
cylinder means,
a fluid circuit means in communication with the rod end
chamber for selectively forcing fluid into said rod end
chamber to selectively urge the piston means toward the base
end, said fluid circuit means also being in communication with
the base end chamber,
abutment means formed between the piston means and first
end portion of the rod means for urging the rod means toward
the base end as the piston is urged toward the base end,
thereby urging the implement toward the vehicle
said abutment means and first portion of the rod means
having a smaller effective diameter than the piston means such
that a smaller amount of fluid is displaced by the rod means
shifting relative to the piston means as the implement rides
up and down over ground contours than the piston means and rod
means displace when shifting together, and
biasing means for biasing the piston means to the rod end
of the cylinder means during an operating mode of the
implement, said biasing means acting to maintain a space
between the abutment means and the piston means for generally
allowing the abutment means to shift within the cylinder means
without contacting the piston means when the rod means shifts
within the cylinder means as variations in ground contours are
encountered by the implement, wherein the biasing means
further comprises a restrictor means coupled with the fluid
circuit means downstream of the base end chamber and upstream
of the rod end chamber during normal implement operation for
creating a slightly higher fluid pressure in the base end
chamber than the rod end chamber.
5. The invention of claim 4, wherein the biasing means
biases the piston means toward the rod end of the cylinder
means.
6. The invention of claim 4, wherein the number of
piston means carried within the cylinder means equals one.
7. The invention of claim 4, wherein the restrictor
means is a variable orifice weight transfer valve.
8. A hydraulic piston means mountable between a mobile
vehicle and an implement swingably mounted from said vehicle,
said hydraulic piston means comprising:
cylinder means having an inside diameter, including
a base end having a chamber therein,
a rod end having a chamber therein and an opening
therethrough;
rod means slidably mounted in and shiftable through the
opening in the rod end of the cylinder means,
the portion of the rod means carried within the
cylinder means having an abutment means thereon; and
piston means carried in the cylinder means and on the rod
means,
said piston means being slidable on and with the rod
means as said piston means shifts within the chambers of the
cylinder means, said piston means being shiftable along the
rod means to a position substantially adjacent the rod end of
the cylinder means regardless of the position of the rod means
within the cylinder, and being abutable against the abutment
means as said piston shifts toward the base end of the
cylinder means,
a fluid source in communication with the rod end chamber
for selectively forcing fluid into said rod end chamber to
selectively urge the piston means toward the base end, said
piston being abutable against the abutment means as said
piston shifts toward the base end of the cylinder means, said
fluid source also being in communication with the base end
chamber,
said first end portion of the rod means and the abutment
means each having effective diameters substantially smaller
than the inside diameter of the cylinder means such that a
relatively small amount of fluid is displaced as the rod means
shifts relative to the piston, and
biasing means for biasing the piston means to the rod end
of the cylinder means during an operating mode of the
implement, said biasing means acting to maintain a space
between the abutment means and the piston means for generally
allowing the abutment means to shift within the cylinder means
without contacting the piston means when the rod means shifts
within the cylinder means as variations in ground contours are
encountered by the implement, wherein the biasing means
further comprises a restrictor means coupled with the fluid
circuit means downstream of the base end chamber and upstream
of the rod end chamber during normal implement operation for
creating a slightly higher fluid pressure in the base end
chamber than in the rod end chamber.
9. The invention of claim 8, wherein the restrictor
means is a variable orifice weight transfer valve.
10. A fluid cylinder mechanism for coupling an implement
with a vehicle, comprising:
a cylinder means having a base end couplable to the
vehicle, and having a rod end opposite the base end;
a piston means slidably received within said cylinder
means, said piston means having an opening defined therein, a
base end chamber being formed between the piston means and the
base end of the cylinder means, and a rod end chamber being
formed between the piston means and the rod end of the
cylinder means;
a rod means slidably received by the rod end of the
cylinder means and the piston means opening, said rod end of
the cylinder means and said piston means being positioned
between first and second end portions of the rod means, said
second end portion being operatively couplable to the
implement, and said rod means being shiftable along its
longitudinal axis within the rod end of the cylinder means and
within the piston means opening as the implement rides up and
down across ground undulations;
said piston means being shiftable along the rod means to
a position substantially adjacent the rod end of the cylinder
means regardless of the position of the rod means within the
cylinder means;
a fluid source in communication with the rod end chamber
for selectively forcing fluid into said rod end chamber to
selectively urge the piston means toward the base end;
abutment means formed between the piston means and first
end portion of the rod means for urging the rod means toward
the base end as the piston is urged by the fluid source toward
the base end, such that the implement is selectively urged
toward the vehicle as to a transport position; and
said first end of the rod means having an effective
diameter substantially smaller than the diameter of the
piston, such that a smaller amount of fluid is displaced as
the rod shifts relative to the piston when the implement rides
up and down across a ground undulation than the amount of
fluid displaced when the piston and rod are being shifted
together by the fluid source in communication with the rod end
chamber, and
said fluid source is also in communication with the base
end chamber and includes a restrictor means downstream of the
base end chamber and upstream of the rod end chamber for
maintaining a slightly higher fluid pressure in the base end
chamber than the rod end chamber to bias the piston means to
be positioned substantially adjacent the rod end of the
cylinder means during normal implement operation, said piston
means thereby being spaced from the abutment means for
allowing the rod means and abutment means to shift toward the
rod end of the cylinder without contacting the piston means as
the implement encounters variations in ground contours.
11. The invention of claim 10, wherein the restrictor
means is a variable orifice weight transfer valve.
12. A fluid cylinder mechanism as used for coupling an
implement to a vehicle, comprising:
a cylinder means having a base end couplable to the
vehicle, and having a rod end opposite the base end;
a piston means slidably received within said cylinder
means, said piston means having an opening defined therein, a
base end chamber being formed between the piston means and the
base end of the cylinder means, and a rod end chamber being
formed between the piston means and the rod end of the
cylinder means;
a rod means slidably received by the rod end of the
cylinder means and the piston means opening, said rod end of
the cylinder means and said piston means being positioned
between first and second end portions of the rod means, said
second end portion being operatively couplable to the
implement, said rod means being shiftable along its
longitudinal axis within the rod end of the cylinder means and
within the piston means opening as the implement shifts
vertically relative to the vehicle to accommodate variations
in ground contour;
said piston means being shiftable along the rod means to
a position substantially adjacent the rod end of the cylinder
means regardless of the position of the rod means within the
cylinder means,
a fluid source in communication with the rod end chamber
for selectively forcing fluid into said rod end chamber to
selectively urge the piston means toward the base end, and
abutment means formed between the piston means and first
end portion of the rod means for urging the rod means toward
the base end as the piston is urged toward the base end,
thereby urging the implement toward the vehicle, and
a spring in abutment with the piston means for biasing
the piston means to a position substantially adjacent the rod
end of the cylinder means.
13. A fluid cylinder mechanism as used for coupling an
implement to a vehicle, comprising:
a cylinder means having a base end couplable to the
vehicle, and having a rod end opposite the base end;
a piston means slidably received within said cylinder
means, said piston means having an opening defined therein, a
base end chamber being formed between the piston means and the
base end of the cylinder means, and a rod end chamber being
formed between the piston means and the rod end of the
cylinder means;
a rod means slidably received by the rod end of the
cylinder means and the piston means opening, said rod end of
the cylinder means and said piston means being positioned
between first and second end portions of the rod means, said
second end portion being operatively couplable to the
implement, said rod means being shiftable along its
longitudinal axis within the rod end of the cylinder means and
within the piston means opening as the implement shifts
vertically relative to the vehicle to accommodate variations
in ground contour;
said piston means being shiftable along the rod means to
a position substantially adjacent the rod end of the cylinder
means regardless of the position of the rod means within the
cylinder means,
a fluid source in communication with the rod end chamber
for selectively forcing fluid into said rod end chamber to
selectively urge the piston means toward the base end,
abutment means formed between the piston means and first
end portion of the rod means for urging the rod means toward
the base end as the piston is urged toward the base end,
thereby urging the implement toward the vehicle, and
a compression spring carried within the base end chamber
and in abutment with the piston means for biasing the piston
means to a position substantially adjacent the rod end of the
cylinder means.
14. A hydraulic piston means mountable between a mobile
vehicle and an implement swingably mounted from said vehicle,
said hydraulic piston means comprising:
cylinder means including
a base end having a chamber therein,
a rod end having a chamber therein and an opening
therethrough;
rod means slidably mounted in and shiftable through the
opening in the rod end of the cylinder means,
the portion of the rod means carried within the
cylinder means having an abutment means thereon; and
piston means carried in the cylinder means and on the rod
means,
said piston means being slidable on and with the rod
means as said piston means shifts within the chambers of the
cylinder means, said piston means being shiftable along the
rod means to a position substantially adjacent the rod end of
the cylinder means regardless of the position of the rod means
within the cylinder, and being abutable against the abutment
means as said piston shifts toward the base end of the
cylinder means,
a fluid source in communication with the rod end chamber
for selectively forcing fluid into said rod end chamber to
selectively urge the piston means toward the base end, said
piston being abutable against the abutment means as said
piston shifts toward the base end of the cylinder means,
a spring abutable with the piston means for biasing the
piston means toward the rod end of the cylinder means.
15. The invention of claim 10, wherein the number of
piston means carried within the cylinder means equals one.
16. A hydraulic piston means mountable between a mobile
vehicle and an implement swingably mounted from said vehicle,
said hydraulic piston means comprising:
cylinder means including
a base end having a chamber therein,
a rod end having a chamber therein and an opening
therethrough;
rod means slidably mounted in and shiftable through the
opening in the rod end of the cylinder means,
the portion of the rod means carried within the
cylinder means having an abutment means thereon; and
piston means carried in the cylinder means and on the rod
means,
said piston means being slidable on and with the rod
means as said piston means shifts within the chambers of the
cylinder means, said piston means being shiftable along the
rod means to a position substantially adjacent the rod end of
the cylinder means regardless of the position of the rod means
within the cylinder, and being abutable against the abutment
means as said piston shifts toward the base end of the
cylinder means,
a fluid source in communication with the rod end chamber
for selectively forcing fluid into said rod end chamber to
selectively urge the piston means toward the base end, said
piston being abutable against the abutment means as said
piston shifts toward the base end of the cylinder means,
a compression spring carried within the base end chamber
and in abutment with the piston means for biasing the piston
means toward the rod end of the cylinder means to be spaced
from the abutment means for allowing the rod means and
abutment means to shift toward the rod end of the cylinder
without contacting the piston means.