1. A mobile hoist for lifting, transporting and depositing relatively heavy compact loads, said mobile hoist comprising
a substantially \u201cU\u201d shaped base frame comprising
a forward connecting section,
a pair of spaced generally parallel side members fixed to and extending rearwardly of said connecting section and forming therewith a rearwardly open space within said base frame,
means for supporting the mobile hoist for movement over a variety of finished surfaces and unfinished terrains, said support means comprising
a wheel assembly affixed to each of said side members proximate its rearward end externally of said rearwardly open space, and
each said wheel assembly having a tire with a tread suitable for use on a variety of finished surfaces and unfinished terrains,
a hitch member extending forwardly of said connecting section for releasable engagement with a source of motive or manual power,
a foot assembly carried by said hitch member for supporting the front of the mobile hoist when said hitch member is not engaged with or resting on a towing vehicle or other source of support or motive or manual power, said foot assembly comprising
a vertically disposed manually rotatable rod threadedly engaged with said hitch member,
a pad assembly carried on the lower distal end of said threaded rod for contact with the surface on which the mobile hoist is positioned,
a boom support positioned generally centrally on and projecting upwardly from said connecting section,
at least a pair of braces positioned on said connecting section at locations spaced from the location of said boom support, said braces extending upwardly from said connecting section for fixed engagement with said boom support proximate its upper distal end to restrain said boom support against undesired movement relative to said base frame,
a boom journaled on said boom support proximate its upper distal end for limited pivotal movement thereon in a generally vertical plane,
a fluid operated power cylinder having a piston rod journaled on said boom, said rod being selectively extendible and retractable to pivot said boom between its said upper and lower positions,
means for selectively actuating said power cylinder to pivot said boom between said lower and upper positions, said actuating means comprising a manually operable control for selectively
supplying fluid under pressure to said power cylinder to extend said piston rod and pivot said boom upwardly, and
releasing fluid from said power cylinder to permit retraction said piston rod and movement of said boom downwardly,
a load bearing member
depending from the outer distal end of said boom, and
being releasably engagable with a load upon movement of said mobile hoist to a location proximate the load and said boom to a vertical position wherein said load is attachable to said load bearing member,
said parallel side member being provided with means for stabilizing a load against undesired movement relative to the base frame after such load has been lifted and positioned for transportation,
said load stabilizing means comprising
a plurality of tie-downs secured at spaced locations on said side members, and
at least one support member positioned transversely across said rearwardly open space and provided with ends adapted to rest securely but movably on said side members to permit positioning of said support member for reception thereon of at least part of the weight of the load.
2. A mobile hoist according to claim 1, characterized by
said boom having a positioning aperture proximate its outer distal end,
an end place telescopically moveable relative to said boom between retracted and extended positions,
a plurality of aligned latching apertures spaced longitudinally in said end piece for individual alignment with said positioning aperture in response to selective movement of said end piece relative to boom, and
a pin member sized for reception in said positioning aperture and any one of said latching apertures upon alignment thereof with said positioning aperture for releasably fixing said end piece in a desired position on said boom.
3. A mobile hoist according to claim 1, characterized by said power cylinder being a pneumatic cylinder and said fluid being a gaseous substance.
4. A mobile hoist according to claim 1, characterized by said power cylinder being a hydraulic cylinder and said fluid being a hydraulic oil.
5. A mobile hoist according to claim 1, characterized by
said connecting section comprising a pair of horizontally spaced parallel inner and outer cross members extending between and fixed to said side members,
said boom support being fixed generally centrally to and extending upwardly from said inner cross member, and
said braces being fixed to and extending upwardly from spaced locations on said outer cross member and angling into fixed engagement with said boom support.
6. A mobile hoist according to claim 5, characterized by
at least one support member positioned transversely across said rearwardly open space within said base frame, said support member being of such length that its ends are positionable for reception by said side members, and
said side members releasably receiving said ends of said support member whereby said support member is manually positionable on said side members for reception by said support member of at least part of the weight of said load during its movement.
7. A mobile hoist according to claim 6, characterized by inwardly facing upwardly open indents provided in said side members, said indents being generally coextensive with one another and adapted to slidingly receive said ends of said support member to permit movement of said support member relative to said side members for reception thereon of said load.
8. A mobile hoist according to claim 1, characterized by said foot assembly providing a swivel roller assembly positioned to contact the surface on which the mobile hoist is positioned and to permit multidirectional movement thereof over such surface.
9. A mobile hoist according to claim 1, characterized by manually positionable bracing for electively supporting said boom against undesired movement while under stress of a heavy load, said bracing comprising:
a base member fixed relative to said boom support,
a series of offset notches provided along the bottom surface of said boom, and
an elongated rigid brace removably positional between said base member and a selected one of said offset notches.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1-9. (canceled)
10. A directable discharge boot assembly for an unloading auger tube of an agricultural combine, comprising:
a hollow boot including an inner surface having an open interface portion having a partial circular profile shape when viewed from a sideward direction, and an open spout extending angularly from the open interface portion, a lower portion of the open interface portion comprising a dam impingement extending upwardly adjacent to the spout portion; and
an element disposed about an open distal end of the auger tube and including an outer surface having a partial circular profile shape when viewed from a sideward direction, the interface portion of the inner surface of the boot being disposed in mating pivoting relation with the outer surface such that the boot is pivotable thereabout through a range of positions including at least one operating position extending downwardly from the open distal end for allowing free flow of grain therefrom, and a grain save position wherein the dam impingement extends upwardly and outwardly above at least a lower portion of the open distal end of the auger tube for preventing dribbling of grain therefrom.
11. The assembly of claim 10, further comprising an actuator connected between the unloading auger tube and the boot assembly, the actuator being controllably operable for pivoting the boot assembly through the range of positions.
12. The assembly of claim 11, further comprising an input device at another location and connected in operative control of the actuator and an unloading auger located in the tube, the input device being operable for automatically controlling the actuator to move the boot from the grain save position to a nominal operating position in the range when or just after engaging or turning on the unloading auger, and to automatically control the actuator to move the boot from any of the positions in the range to the grain save position when turning off or disengaging the auger.
13. The assembly of claim 12 wherein the input device is operable for controlling the actuator for moving the boot up or down through an infinite number of operating positions within the range.
14. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the interface portion, including the dam impingement, and the element disposed about the distal end of the auger tube, comprise a spherical joint, such that when the boot is in the grain save position the dam impingement will bound and define a partial spherical shaped cavity outwardly of the open distal end of the auger tube, and when the boot is in the operating position the dam impingement will be located below the distal end.
15. A method for unloading grain from a combine harvester through an auger tube thereof containing a helical auger rotatable for discharging grain through an open distal end of the tube, comprising steps of:
providing a directable boot assembly mounted on the open distal end of the tube, the boot assembly including a hollow boot having a spout extending outwardly from an interface portion mounted for upward and downward pivotal movement about the distal end between a grain save position wherein the spout will extend outwardly and upwardly from the open distal end, and at least one operating position wherein the spout will extend outwardly and downwardly from the open distal end, the interface portion comprising an upwardly facing inner surface disposed to slidably engage a mating downwardly facing outer surface on the distal end when the boot is pivoted;
providing an actuator controllably operable for pivoting the boot between the grain save position and the at least one operating position responsive to signals from an input device; and
operating the actuator to move the boot to the grain save position such that the inner surface of the interface portion will extend upwardly from the downwardly facing outer surface outwardly of a lower portion of the open distal end for preventing dribbling of grain therefrom.
16. The method of claim 15, comprising a step of operating the actuator to move the boot to one of the operating positions such that the inner surface of the interface portion will at least substantially underlay the downwardly facing outer surface and the spout will extend downwardly and outwardly from the open distal end to allow free flow of grain therefrom.
17. The method of claim 15, wherein the input device is configured for controlling operation of the auger simultaneously with the operation of the actuator, such that the step of operating the actuator to move the boot to the grain save position will also operate to turn off or disengage the auger.
18. The method of claim 15, wherein the upwardly facing inner surface of the interface portion of the boot and the downwardly facing outer surface on the distal end of the tube comprise mating portions of a spherical joint connecting the boot to the tube.
19. A directable discharge boot assembly for an unloading auger tube of an agricultural combine, comprising:
an element disposed about an open distal end of the auger tube and having a partial spherical shaped outer surface; and
a hollow boot including an open interface portion having a partial spherical shaped inner surface matingly disposed about the partial spherical shaped outer surface of the element, forming a spherical joint therewith, and an open spout extending angularly from the open interface portion, a lower portion of the open interface portion comprising a dam impingement extending upwardly from the spout portion, the boot being pivotable about the distal end of the tube through a range of positions including at least one operating position wherein the spout extends downwardly from the distal end and the dam impingement is disposed beneath and in mating relation to the element so as to allow free flow of grain from the distal end, and a grain save position wherein the dam impingement extends upwardly and outwardly in relation to at least a lower portion of the distal end for preventing dribbling of grain therefrom.
20. The assembly of claim 19, further comprising an actuator connected between the unloading auger tube and the boot assembly, the actuator being controllably operable for pivoting the boot assembly through the range of positions.
21. The assembly of claim 20, further comprising an input device at another location and connected in operative control of the actuator and an unloading auger in the tube, the input device being operable for automatically controlling the actuator to move the boot from the grain save position to a nominal operating position in the range when or just after engaging or turning on the unloading auger, and to automatically control the actuator to move the boot from any of the positions in the range to the grain save position when turning off or disengaging the auger.
22. The assembly of claim 21, wherein the input device is operable for controlling the actuator for moving the boot up or down through an infinite number of operating positions within the range.
23. The assembly of claim 19, wherein the dam impingement bounds and defines a partial spherical shaped cavity outwardly of the distal end of the auger tube when the boot is in the grain save position.