| US 7,566,197 B2 | ||
| Independent hydraulic pinching fingers attachment for utility vehicles | ||
| Neal W. Westendorf, Dakota Dunes, S. Dak. (US); and Joseph W. Langenfeld, Onawa, Iowa (US) | ||
| Assigned to Westendorf Manufacturing Co., Inc., Onawa, Iowa (US) | ||
| Filed on Sep. 09, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/222,642. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2007/0059148 A1, Mar. 15, 2007 | ||
| Int. Cl. B66C 1/00 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 414—729 [294/88; 294/106] | 19 Claims |
| 1. An implement capable of attachment to a utility vehicle having a first boom, a second boom, at least one lift cylinder
for raising and lowering the booms and at least one coupler cylinder for rotating the implement forward and backward, the
implement comprising:
a first pair of pinching fingers comprising a first top pincer claw, a first bottom pincer claw and a first pincer claw cylinder
connected to the first top pincer claw and the first bottom pincer claw, the first pincer claw cylinder distant from both
the first boom and the second boom, the first top pincer claw being rotatably attached to the first bottom pincer claw at
a first hinge so that the first top pincer claw and the first bottom pincer claw may be opened and closed relative to one
another upon activation of the first pincer claw cylinder;
a second pair of pinching fingers comprising a second top pincer claw, a second bottom pincer claw and a second pincer claw
cylinder connected to the second top pincer claw and the second bottom pincer claw, the second top pincer claw being rotatably
attached to the second bottom pincer claw at a second hinge so that the second top pincer claw and the second bottom pincer
claw may be opened and closed relative to one another upon activation of the second pincer claw cylinder;
the first pair of pinching fingers and the second pair of pinching fingers each have a width less than twelve inches;
the first top pincer claw includes a top claw plate located above the first pincer claw cylinder,
the first pincer claw cylinder includes a rod exiting from a rod end of a hydraulic cylinder,
the first pincer claw cylinder having a rod fully extended state, a rod fully retracted state, and a rod partially extended
state,
in both the rod fully extended state and the rod fully retracted state, the rod end positioned distant from the top claw plate,
and
in the rod partially extended state, the rod end positioned proximal to the top claw plate.
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