초록 ▼

A material handling apparatus is described including a vehicle having a front end, a rear end, a left side, a right side, a chassis, and a ground engagement device attached to the chassis for providing movement of the vehicle across ground; an engine constructed for propelling the vehicle; a loader

A material handling apparatus is described including a vehicle having a front end, a rear end, a left side, a right side, a chassis, and a ground engagement device attached to the chassis for providing movement of the vehicle across ground; an engine constructed for propelling the vehicle; a loader assembly; a hydraulic system constructed for driving the loader assembly; and operator area including a cage for protecting an operator located within the operator area, and controls for controlling movement of the vehicle and for controlling operation of the loader assembly; and a forward tools area extending from the operator seating area to the front end of the vehicle. The material handling apparatus can include an entrance to the operator area through the rear end of the vehicle, a loader assembly that includes a tower that rotates relative to the chassis, and a dump box or work platform provided in the forward tools area. A method for operating a material handling apparatus is provided.

대표청구항 ▼

We claim: 1. A material handling apparatus comprising: a vehicle comprising a chassis, and having a front end, a rear end, a left side and a right side; a rear mounted engine for providing a counterbalancing skidding effect when turning and for propelling the material handling apparatus; a loader a

We claim: 1. A material handling apparatus comprising: a vehicle comprising a chassis, and having a front end, a rear end, a left side and a right side; a rear mounted engine for providing a counterbalancing skidding effect when turning and for propelling the material handling apparatus; a loader assembly comprising a left boom extending from the vehicle left side, and a right boom extending from the vehicle right side; an operator area comprising a cage for protecting an operator located within the operator area, controls for controlling movement of the material handling apparatus, controls for controlling operation of the loader assembly, an operator seat located over the engine wherein the seat can be rotated to face the front end of the vehicle and rotated to face the rear end of the vehicle, and an entrance to the operator area through the rear end of the vehicle and located between the operator seat and the left boom or between the operator seat and the right boom; a forward tools area extending from the operator area to the front of the vehicle; and wherein the material handling apparatus is a compact loader constructed to provide for skid steering. 2. A material handling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the left boom and the right boom each comprise; (i) a tower extending from the vehicle chassis, wherein the tower is constructed to rotate relative to the vehicle chassis; (ii) a lift arm attached to the tower, wherein the lift arm rotates relative to the tower; and (iii) an attachment arm attached to the lift arm, wherein the attachment arm is constructed to rotate relative to the lift arm. 3. A material handling apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the left boom and the right boom each comprise: (i) a tower cylinder constructed for rotating the tower relative to the vehicle chassis; and (ii) a lift arm cylinder constructed for rotating the lift arm relative to the tower. 4. A material handling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the forward tools area comprises at least one of a work platform or a dump box. 5. A material handling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the forward tools area comprises a protective cover constructed to cover an internal area within the vehicle. 6. A material handling apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the internal area comprises a space for housing vehicle components. 7. A material handling apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a rear tools area. 8. A material handling apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the rear tools area comprises a hydraulically driven power takeoff. 9. A material handling apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the rear tools area comprises a mechanically driven power takeoff. 10. A material handling apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the rear tools area comprises rear implements hydraulic cylinder lines for operating tools in the rear tools area. 11. A material handling apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the rear tools area comprises at least one of a lift, a bucket, a rake, a mower, a box scraper, a dozer blade, a drill, a bale spear, a hitch, a three point hitch, or a rear hitch stabilizer. 12. A material handling apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a bucket attached to the loader assembly. 13. A material handling apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the bucket comprises a clam shell bucket. 14. A material handling apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a ground engagement device comprising wheels or tracks. 15. A material handling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the forward tools area comprises at least one of a hitch, a fluid tank, a handheld sprayer, a vacuum/blower device, a wire/cable/hose spool, or a cement mixer. 16. A material handling apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the attachment arm of the left boom and the attachment arm of the right boom extend toward the center of the compact loader so that the attachment arms attach to the universal attachment mount. 17. A material handling apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising an attachment cylinder for rotating the attachment arms relative to the lift arms. 18. A material handling apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an attachment attached to the loader assembly, wherein the attachment comprises at least one of a bucket, a landscape rake, a spray assembly, a sweeper, a mower, a hitch, a cement mixture, a blade, a trencher, a container lifter, a plow, a pincer, or a bale grappler. 19. A material handling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the compact loader has an operating capacity of about 600 lbs to about 3,800 lbs. 20. A material handling apparatus comprising: a vehicle comprising a chassis, and having a front end, a rear end, a left side and a right side; a rear mounted engine for providing a counterbalancing skidding effect when turning and for propelling the material handling apparatus; a loader assembly comprising a left boom extending from the vehicle left side, and a right boom extending from the vehicle right side; an operator area comprising a cage for protecting an operator located within the operator area, controls for controlling movement of the material handling apparatus, controls for controlling operation of the loader assembly, an operator seat located over the engine wherein the seat can be rotated to face the front end of the vehicle and can be rotated to face the rear end of the vehicle, and an entrance to the operator area through the rear end of the vehicle and located between the operator seat and the left boom or between the operator seat and the right boom; a rear tools area comprising a dozer blade; and wherein the material handling apparatus is a compact loader constructed to provide for skid steering. 21. A material handling apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising hydraulic cylinders for adjusting the dozer blade. 22. A material handling apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising a bucket attached to the loader assembly. 23. A material handling apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the bucket comprises a clam shell bucket. 24. A material handling apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising a forward tools area comprises at least one of a work platform, a dump box, or a protective cover. 25. A material handling apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the rear tools area comprises rear implements hydraulic cylinder lines. 26. A material handling apparatus comprising: a vehicle comprising a chassis, and having a front end, a rear end, a left side and a right side; a rear mounted engine for providing a counterbalancing skidding effect when turning and for propelling the material handling apparatus; a loader assembly comprising a left boom extending from the vehicle left side, and a right boom extending from the vehicle right side; an operator area comprising a cage for protecting an operator located within the operator area, controls for controlling movement of the material handling apparatus, controls for controlling operation of the loader assembly, an operator seat located over the engine wherein the seat can be rotated to face the front end of the vehicle and rotated to face the rear end of the vehicle, and an entrance to the operator area through the rear end of the vehicle and located between the operator seat and the left boom or between the operator seat and the right boom; a forward tools area extending from the operator area to the front of the vehicle and including an internal area between the vehicle left side and the vehicle right side, and comprising at least one of a dump box, a work platform, or a protective cover for covering the internal area; and wherein the material handling apparatus is a compact loader constructed to provide for skid steering.