ROCK HANDLING ATTACHMENTS

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/719,827 filed Nov. 13, 2024 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/845,037 filed Jul. 16, 2025, each of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD

The teachings disclosed herein relate generally to rock handling, and more specifically, to rock handling attachments for vehicles.

INTRODUCTION

U.S. Pat. No. 10,066,360 (Burenga et al.) discloses a rock bucket attachment for securement with a skid steer unit or tractor front loader. The attachment incorporates a bucket for use in combination with a grapple. The bucket has side walls, back walls, and a bottom wall, the grapple interconnecting by lever arms to the side walls of the bucket, the grapple having a pair of side arms pivotally connected with the front of the lever arms, and hydraulic cylinders interconnecting between the back of the side arms and the back end of the side walls, or the frame structure interconnecting between the two, such that when the hydraulic cylinders are actuated, they initially pivot the lever arms forwardly to their fullest extent to arrange the grapple and its rake over a debris pile, and then further actuation of the hydraulic cylinders pivoting the side arms relative to the lever arms to pivot the rake of the grapple downwardly to urge any debris into the bucket as the rake comes into proximity with the front of the bucket, to retain any raked debris therein.

United States Pat. App. Pub. No. 2015/0042116 (Jacobson) discloses an implement attachment including a back plate member and a fixed arms member. The fixed arms member is fixedly coupled to the back plate member. A shiftable arm member is fixedly coupled to the back plate member and is shiftable relative to the fixed arms member to define a variable gap therebetween.

U.S. Pat. No. 9,844,172 (Forster) discloses an attachment for an engineering vehicle that has a first side having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a first plurality of surfaces extending between the outer surface and the inner surface defining a first plurality of holes having a hole diameter; a second side having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a second plurality of surfaces extending between the outer surface and the inner surface defining a second plurality of holes having the hole diameter; and a plurality of rods occupying at least some of the first plurality of holes and at least some of the second plurality of holes, each rod having a first end, a second end, a longitudinal axis intersecting the first end and the second end, a rod length between the first end and the second end along the longitudinal axis, and a rod diameter.

SUMMARY

The following summary is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of the applicant's teaching, but not to define any invention.

According to some aspects, a rock handling attachment for a vehicle includes a bucket having a bucket axis extending longitudinally between a rear and a front of the bucket. The bucket includes a back wall extending laterally at the rear of the bucket between laterally opposed sidewalls. The sidewalls project forward from the back wall to laterally bound a rock collection space of the bucket. The rock collection space is open to the front of the bucket and bounded at the rear by the back wall. The bucket further includes a base extending longitudinally between the back wall and a cutting edge at the front of the bucket and laterally between the sidewalls for bounding the rock collection space from below. The base comprises a plurality of base crossbars extending laterally between the sidewalls and spaced apart from each other along the bucket axis by base openings sized to facilitate retention of rocks larger than the base openings in the rock collection space and sifting of finer ground material from the rock collection space. In some examples, the attachment further includes a grapple mounted to the bucket proximate the back wall. The grapple includes a jaw pivotable relative to the bucket between an open position in which the jaw is raised above the rock collection space for receiving rocks therein and a closed position in which the jaw is lowered toward the rock collection space relative to the open position for retaining rocks therein.

In some examples, the jaw has a jaw axis extending longitudinally between a jaw rear and a jaw front, the jaw including laterally spaced apart side arms projecting from the jaw rear to the jaw front, and a jaw barrier extending laterally between the side arms for covering the rock collection space when the jaw is in the closed position and shielding the vehicle from rocks when the jaw is in or between the open and closed positions.

In some examples, the jaw barrier comprises a plurality of jaw crossbars extending laterally between the side arms and spaced apart from each other along the jaw axis by jaw openings sized to provide visibility through the jaw barrier for an operator in the vehicle.

In some examples, each side arm has a lower edge directed toward the bucket for engaging rocks between the jaw and the bucket when pivoting the jaw from the open position toward the closed position.

In some examples, the jaw has an underside surface directed toward the bucket when the jaw is in the closed position, and the underside surface is concave when viewed from the side to provide increased rock capacity in the rock collection space beneath the jaw.

In some examples, the grapple comprises at least one jaw actuator operatively coupled between the bucket and the jaw for moving the jaw between the open and closed positions.

In some examples, the back wall comprises a plurality of rear crossbars extending laterally between the sidewalls and spaced vertically apart from each other by back wall openings.

In some examples, the back wall is laterally wider than the cutting edge, and the sidewalls converge laterally inwardly relative to each other toward the cutting edge to narrow the rock collection space toward the cutting edge.

In some examples, the back wall is at least 1.5 times as wide as the cutting edge. In some examples, the back wall is at least twice as wide as the cutting edge.

In some examples, each sidewall includes a side plate extending forward from a rear edge proximate the back wall to a front end proximate the cutting edge, wherein a lateral spacing between the side plate and the bucket axis decreases from toward the front end.

In some examples, each side plate has a lower edge extending between the rear edge and the front end of the side plate along the base, and an upper edge vertically opposite the lower edge, the upper edge sloping toward the base from the rear edge to the front end of the side plate.

In some examples, the base of the bucket has a front portion extending rearward from the cutting edge and a rear portion extending forward from the back wall, wherein the front portion is angled upwardly away from a plane defined by the rear portion, providing a convex underside to facilitate prying.

In some examples, the bucket includes at least one support member laterally between the sidewalls and extending longitudinally from the back wall toward the cutting edge, the support members coupled to and supporting the base crossbars between the sidewalls.

In some examples, the base crossbars comprise rods having a circular cross section.

In some examples, the bucket includes a plurality of teeth projecting forward from the cutting edge and spaced laterally apart from each other.

In some examples, the plurality of teeth are longitudinally staggered to include at least one pair of outer trailing teeth and one or more central leading teeth laterally intermediate and projecting forward of the pair of trailing teeth.

In some examples, the bucket includes a pair of the central leading teeth.

In some examples, the back wall has a front face directed toward the rock collection space and a rear face opposite the front face, and a vehicle mount is fixed to the rear face for mounting the attachment to the vehicle.

According to some aspects, a rock handling bucket for a vehicle includes a back wall extending laterally at a rear of the bucket between opposed sidewalls. The sidewalls project forward from the back wall to laterally bound a rock collection space of the bucket. The rock collection space is open to a front of the bucket and bounded at the rear by the back wall. The bucket further includes a base extending laterally between the sidewalls and longitudinally from the back wall to a cutting edge at the front of the bucket for bounding the rock collection space from below. The sidewalls converge laterally inwardly relative to each other toward the cutting edge to narrow the rock collection space from a collection space rear width proximate the back wall to a collection space front width proximate the cutting edge. The collection space rear width is greater than the collection space front width. The base includes a plurality of base crossbars extending laterally between the sidewalls and spaced apart from each other longitudinally by base openings sized to facilitate retention of rocks larger than the base openings in the rock collection space and sifting of finer ground material from the rock collection space.

In some examples, the collection space rear width is at least 1.5 times the collection space front width. In some examples, the collection space rear width is at least twice the collection space front width.

According to some aspects, a rock handling bucket for a vehicle includes a back wall extending laterally at a rear of the bucket between opposed sidewalls. The sidewalls project longitudinally forward from the back wall to laterally bound a rock collection space of the bucket. The rock collection space is open to a front of the bucket and bounded at the rear by the back wall. The back wall is formed from a plurality of rear crossbars extending laterally between the sidewalls and spaced vertically apart from each other by respective back wall openings providing visibility through the back wall. The back wall defines a back wall plane in which at least some of the rear crossbars lie. The bucket further includes a base extending laterally between the sidewalls and longitudinally from the back wall to a cutting edge at the front of the bucket for bounding the rock collection space from below. The base is formed from a plurality of base crossbars extending laterally between the sidewalls and spaced apart from each other longitudinally by respective base openings sized to facilitate retention of rocks larger than the base openings in the rock collection space and sifting of finer ground material from the rock collection space. At least a rear portion of the base defines a base plane in which at least three of the base crossbars lie. The back wall projects upwardly and forwardly at an incline relative to the rear portion of the base with the back wall plane intersecting the base plane at an acute angle open to the rock collection space.

In some examples, an entirety of the base is generally planar from the back wall plane to the cutting edge with all of the base crossbars lying in the base plane.

In some examples, the attachment includes at least one crossbar support member laterally between the sidewalls. In some examples, each crossbar support member has a beam portion extending longitudinally from the back wall toward the cutting edge and supporting the base crossbars between the sidewalls. In some examples, each crossbar support member has an upright portion projecting upward from a respective beam portion along the back wall and supporting at least some of the rear crossbars between the sidewalls.

In some examples, the plurality of base crossbars and rear crossbars comprise rods having a circular cross section.

In some examples, the back wall has a front face directed toward the rock collection space and a rear face opposite the front face and directed toward the vehicle, and a vehicle mount is fixed to the rear face for mounting the attachment to the vehicle.

DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the described examples and to show more clearly how they may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of an example rock handling attachment, shown in a closed configuration;

FIG. 2 is a side schematic view showing the rock handling attachment of FIG. 1 mounted to an example vehicle;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the rock handling attachment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of the rock handling attachment of FIG. 1, shown in an open configuration;

FIG. 5 is a side schematic view showing the rock handling attachment of FIG. 4 mounted to the vehicle;

FIG. 6 is a front perspective view of the rock handling attachment of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a front view of the rock handling attachment of FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a rear view of the rock handling attachment of FIG. 4;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of another example rock handling attachment;

FIG. 10 is a front view of the attachment of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the attachment of FIG. 9, taken along line 11-11 in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a rear view of the attachment of FIG. 9; and

FIG. 13 is a top view of the attachment of FIG. 9.

DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS EXAMPLES

Various apparatuses, systems, or processes will be described below to provide an example of each claimed invention. No example described below limits any claimed invention and any claimed invention may cover processes, systems, or apparatuses that differ from those described below. The claimed inventions are not limited to apparatuses, systems, or processes having all of the features of any one apparatus, system, or process described below or to features common to multiple or all of the apparatuses, systems, or processes described below. It is possible that an apparatus, system, or process described below is not an example of any claimed invention. Any invention disclosed in an apparatus, system, or process described below that is not claimed in this document may be the subject matter of another protective instrument, for example, a continuing patent application, and the applicants, inventors, or owners do not intend to abandon, disclaim, or dedicate to the public any such invention by its disclosure in this document.

Rock handling attachments for work vehicles (e.g. skid steers, compact track loaders, front-end loaders, telehandlers, etc.) are used for various rock handling operations, such as lifting and transporting rocks. Some rock handling attachments utilize a rock fork design that includes a wide base formed of laterally spaced apart tines for collecting rocks while sifting finer material. Such rock fork designs often include an arcuate hump, which can help inhibit rocks from rolling forward and out of the attachment during further operations, but may also make it more difficult to load rocks into the attachment. Such rock fork designs also have the tine tips extend across an entire width of the attachment, which can make ground penetration difficult and the attachment suboptimal for more precise rock picking operations. Some rock fork designs can also include one or more grapples. While useful for certain handling operations, the grapple or grapples can obstruct an operator's view when in and moving between open and closed positions, particularly in known grapple designs having a solid upper surface area of substantial size to provide the grapple with the necessary strength to carry out its indented functions. The solid surface blocks an operator's view of the work area in front of the grapple, making it difficult to determine proper positioning of the attachment. Furthermore, known rock handling attachments typically include a mount at a rear of the attachment for releasably coupling the attachment to the work vehicle, in which the mount further obstructs visibility of the work area in front of the attachment from an operator seated in the cab of the vehicle.

The present teachings disclose rock handling attachments for vehicles that may help alleviate some disadvantages of other rock handling attachment designs. According to some aspects, the attachments of the present disclosure may provide for sifting action and rock holding capacity similar to that of some rock fork designs, while optionally also providing for improved soil penetration ability and/or digging action similar to that of narrower stump bucket designs. In some examples, aspects of the rock handling attachments of the present teachings can also provide improved rock retention (or rollback mitigation) without negatively affecting rock collection and sifting capabilities. In some examples, the attachments of the present teachings may also include a grapple that can be moved between open and closed positions, the grapple serving to help retain rocks in the bucket and to shield the vehicle, while maintaining visibility (adequate sightline) through the attachment for an operator in the cab of the vehicle.

Referring to FIG. 1, an example rock handling attachment 100 for a vehicle 10 (FIG. 2) is shown. In the example illustrated, the rock handling attachment 100 includes a bucket 102 having a bucket axis 104 extending longitudinally between a rear 106 and a front 108 of the bucket 102. The bucket 102 has a back wall 110 extending laterally at the rear 106 of the bucket 102 between laterally opposed sidewalls 112. The sidewalls 112 project forward from the back wall 110 to laterally bound a rock collection space 114 of the bucket 102. The rock collection space 114 is open to the front 108 of the bucket 102 and bounded at the rear 106 by the back wall 110.

In the example illustrated, the bucket 102 includes a base 116 bounding the rock collection space 114 from below. The base 116 extends longitudinally between the back wall 110 and a cutting edge 118 at the front 108 of the bucket 102. The base 116 extends laterally between the sidewalls 112. In the example illustrated, the base 116 is formed from a plurality of base crossbars 120 extending laterally between the sidewalls 112 and spaced longitudinally apart from each other along the bucket axis 104 by base openings 122. The base openings 122 are sized to facilitate retention of rocks larger than the base openings 122 in the rock collection space 114 and sifting of finer ground material from the rock collection space 114. In some applications, the crossbars 120 can provide for improved sifting of ground material (e.g. compared to rock fork tines), for example, by facilitating break up of clumped ground material as it travels across the crossbars (e.g. compared to having the ground material slide along rock fork tines). The crossbars 120 can also help improve rock retention and mitigate rollback by inhibiting sliding of rocks along the bucket axis 104. For example, rock portions can be caught in the base openings 122 between adjacent crossbars 120 to inhibit sliding, and smaller rocks caught in the base openings 122 can block movement of larger rocks.

Referring to FIG. 4, in the example illustrated, the back wall 110 comprises a plurality of rear crossbars 126 extending laterally between the sidewalls 112 and spaced vertically apart from each other by back wall openings 128, which can further facilitate sifting and/or visibility into the rock collection space 114 from the rear (e.g. for an operator seated in the cab of the vehicle).

In the example illustrated, the back wall 110 is generally planar. In the example illustrated, the back wall 110 defines a back wall plane 111 (FIG. 3) in which at least some of the rear crossbars 126 lie. In the example illustrated, at least three of the rear crossbars 126 lie in the back wall plane 111. In the example illustrated, the back wall 110 extends vertically between a bottom end 110a adjacent a rear portion 116a of the base 116 and a top end 110b vertically opposite the bottom end 110a, and is generally planar from the bottom end 110a to the top end 110b. Referring to FIG. 3, the rear portion 116a of the base 116 projects forward from the back wall 110 and defines a base plane 119 in which at least three of the base crossbars 120 (FIG. 4) lie. In the example illustrated, the base 116 includes a total of ten base crossbars 120, six of which lie in the base plane 119. In the example illustrated, the back wall 110 projects upwardly and forwardly at an incline relative to the rear portion 116a of the base 116 with the back wall plane 111 intersecting the base plane 119 at an acute angle 121 open toward the rock collection space 114. This can further facilitate retention of rocks in the rock collection space 114 through, for example, trapping and/or wedging of some of the rocks at the rear of the rock collection space 114 when they slide into the most rearward position against the back wall 110. The angle 121 can be between, for example, 60 and 80 degrees, and in some examples, can be between 65 and 75 degrees. In the example illustrated, the angle 121 is around 72 degrees. In the example illustrated, the top end 110b of the back wall 110 is positioned forward of the bottom end 110a of the back wall 110 and overlies the rear portion 116a of the base 116.

Referring to FIG. 7, in the example illustrated, the bucket 102 includes a plurality of crossbar support members 124 spaced laterally apart from each other between the sidewalls 112. In the example illustrated, the bucket 102 has a pair of the crossbar support members 124. In the example illustrated, each crossbar support member 124 includes a beam portion 124a extending longitudinally along the base 116 from the back wall 110 toward the cutting edge 118 for supporting the base crossbars 120 between the sidewalls 112. Each beam portion 124a has a plurality of beam portion openings spaced longitudinally apart from each other along the beam portion 124a and through which respective base crossbars 120 pass laterally. In the example illustrated, each crossbar support member 124 further includes an upright portion 124b projecting upward from a rear of the beam portion 124a along the back wall 110 for supporting the rear crossbars 126 between the sidewalls 112. Each upright portion 124b includes a plurality of upright portion openings spaced vertically apart from each other along the upright portion 124b and through which respective rear crossbars 126 pass laterally.

Referring to FIG. 1, in the example illustrated, each sidewall 112 extends forward from a sidewall rear edge 130 proximate the back wall 110 to a sidewall front end 132 proximate the cutting edge 118. In the example illustrated, the rear edge 130 of each sidewall 112 extends vertically along the back wall 110. Each sidewall 112 has a lower edge 134 extending between the rear edge 130 and the front end 132 of the sidewall 112, and joined to the base 116. Each sidewall 112 has an upper edge 136 vertically opposite the lower edge 134. In the example illustrated, the upper edge 136 slopes toward the base 116 from the rear edge 130 to the front end 132 of the sidewall 112. In the example illustrated, the upper edge 136 converges with the base 116 at the front end 132 of the sidewall 112, which can mitigate interference of the sidewall 112 with rock handling (e.g. digging) operations. In the example illustrated, the upper edge 136 extends generally linearly from the back wall 110 to the front end 132 of the sidewall 112. In the example illustrated, each sidewall 112 is in the form of a side plate extending axially from the rear edge 130 to the front end 132 of the sidewall 112, and vertically from the upper edge 136 to the lower edge 134 of the sidewall 112.

Referring to FIG. 7, in the example illustrated, the back wall 110 extends laterally between the sidewalls 112 at the rear edges thereof, the lateral extent of which defines a back wall width 142 that corresponds to a rear width of the collection space. The cutting edge 118 extends laterally between the sidewalls 112 at the forward ends thereof, the lateral extent of which defines a cutting-edge width 144 that corresponds to a front width of the collection space 114. In some examples, a lateral spacing between the side plate and the bucket axis decreases from the rear edge to the front end of the side plate. In some examples, the back wall width 142 is greater than the cutting-edge width 144, and the sidewalls 112 converge to narrow the rock collection space toward the cutting edge 118. A narrower cutting edge 118 can provide increased ground penetration pressure and can facilitate more precise rock picking operations compared to wider cutting edges. Expanding the rock collection space rearwardly can provide increased rock holding capacity in the bucket, and the narrowed front width of the collection space 114 can facilitate rock retention. For example, in the example illustrated, the front ends 132 of the sidewalls 112 are offset laterally inwardly relative to the rear edges 130 of the sidewalls 112, providing laterally inwardly tapered front portions of the sidewalls that act as barriers inhibiting unintended egress of rocks from the collection space 114.

In some examples, the back wall width 142 can be at least 1.5 times the cutting-edge width 144. In some examples, the back wall width 142 can be at least two times (twice) the cutting-edge width 144. In the example illustrated, the back wall width 142 is at least 2.5 times the cutting-edge width 144. In some examples, the back wall width 142 is at least 30 inches, and the cutting-edge width 144 is less than 15 inches. In some examples, the back wall width is at least 75 cm, and the cutting-edge width is less than 37 cm. In some examples, the back wall width 142 is between 34 and 38 inches and the cutting-edge width 144 is between 10 and 16 inches. In some examples, the back wall width is between 85 cm and 95 cm, and the cutting-edge width is between 25 cm and 40 cm. In the example illustrated, the back wall width 142 is about 90 cm, and the cutting-edge width 144 is about 32 cm. In some examples, the cutting-edge width is about 30% the back wall width.

Referring to FIG. 1, in the example illustrated, the attachment 100 includes a grapple 146 mounted to the bucket 102 proximate the back wall 110. The grapple 146 includes a jaw 148 pivotable about a lateral pivot axis 149 relative to the bucket 102 between an open position (shown in FIG. 4) in which the jaw 148 is raised above the rock collection space 114 for receiving rocks therein, and a closed position (shown in FIG. 1) in which the jaw 148 is lowered toward the rock collection space 114 relative to the open position for retaining rocks therein.

Referring to FIG. 4, in the example illustrated, the jaw 148 has a jaw axis 152 extending longitudinally between a jaw rear proximate the back wall 110 and a jaw front 154 disposed forward of the jaw rear. The jaw 148 includes, in the example illustrated, laterally spaced apart side arms 150 projecting from the jaw rear to the jaw front 154. The jaw 148 further includes, in the example illustrated, a jaw barrier 156 extending laterally between the side arms 150 for covering the rock collection space when the jaw is in the closed position (FIG. 1). Referring to FIG. 4, when the jaw 148 is in the open position, the jaw barrier 156 extends upwardly from the back wall 110 and can serve to shield the vehicle 10 (and operator in the cab of the vehicle 10) from rocks. In the example illustrated, the jaw barrier 156 includes a plurality of jaw crossbars 158 extending laterally between the side arms 150 and spaced apart from each other along the jaw axis 152 by jaw openings 160. In the example illustrated, the jaw openings 160 are sized to provide visibility through the jaw barrier 156 when the jaw 148 is in the open position (e.g. to provide the operator with a sightline through the grapple 146 from the vehicle to the cutting edge 118). In the example illustrated, the plurality of base crossbars 120, rear crossbars 126, and jaw crossbars 158 comprise rods having a circular cross section.

Referring to FIG. 3, in the example illustrated, each side arm 150 of the jaw 148 has a lower edge 162 directed toward the bucket 102 for engaging rocks between the jaw 148 and the bucket 102 when moving the jaw 148 from the open position toward the closed position. Each lower edge 162 has a plurality of teeth 164 projecting toward the rock collection space 114 and spaced apart from each other along the lower edge 162 toward the front 154 of the jaw 148.

In some examples, when in the closed position, the jaw 148 is arched along the bucket axis 104 over the rock collection space 114 to provide for increased rock capacity in the rock collection space 114 beneath the jaw 148. In the example illustrated, the jaw 148 has an underside surface directed toward the bucket when the jaw 148 is in the closed position, and the underside surface is concave (e.g. when viewed form the side) to provide increased rock capacity in the rock collection space 114 beneath the jaw 148. In the example illustrated, the jaw 148 has a rear portion 166 pivotably mounted to the bucket 102 proximate the back wall 110 for movement of the jaw 148 between the open and closed positions and a front portion 167 at the front 154 of the jaw 148. The front portion 167 is proximate the cutting edge 118 of the bucket 102 when the jaw 148 is in the closed position and raised away from the cutting edge 118 when the jaw 148 is in the open position. The jaw 148 further includes an intermediate portion 168 extending between the rear and front portions 166, 167 of the jaw 148. The intermediate portion 168 is arched away from the bucket 102 relative to the rear and front portions 166, 167 to provide the jaw 148 with an arched side profile.

Referring to FIG. 7, the jaw 148 tapers laterally inwardly toward the front 154 of the jaw to generally correspond in shape to the taper of the rock collection space 114. In the example illustrated, the rear portion 166 of the jaw extends laterally over a jaw rear width 169, and the front portion 167 extends laterally over a jaw front width 170. The jaw front width 170 is less than the jaw rear width 169, and the side arms 150 of the jaw converge laterally inwardly toward each other from the jaw rear width 169 at the rear portion 166 of the jaw 148 to the jaw front width 170 at the front portion 167 of the jaw 148. In some examples, the jaw rear width 169 is at least two times (twice) the jaw front width 170, and in the example illustrated, the jaw rear width 169 is at least 2.5 times the jaw front width 170. The jaw rear width 169 and the jaw front width 170 are at least half of the back wall width 142 and the cutting-edge width 144, respectively. In the example illustrated, the jaw rear width 169 and the jaw front width 170 are around two-thirds of the back wall width 142 and the cutting-edge width 144, respectively.

Referring to FIG. 3, in the example illustrated, the grapple 146 comprises at least one jaw actuator 171 operatively coupled between the bucket 102 and the jaw 148 for moving the jaw 148 between the open and closed positions. In the example illustrated, the jaw actuator 171 comprises a hydraulic cylinder 172 connectable to the hydraulic system of the vehicle. In some examples, the grapple can include a pair of jaw actuators spaced apart from each other on opposite sides of the jaw axis, thereby providing space between the actuators which can further enhance visibility of the work area in front of the attachment from an operator seated in the cab of the vehicle.

In some examples, the bucket 102 has a convex underside 173 angled upwardly toward the cutting edge 118, which can facilitate leveraged prying of rocks with the bucket 102. In the example illustrated, the base 116 of the bucket 102 has a front portion 116b extending rearward from the cutting edge 118, and which includes four of the base crossbars 120 in the present example. In the example illustrated, the front portion 116b of the base 116 is angled upwardly away from the base plane 119 defined by the rear portion 116a of the base 116, providing a convex underside to facilitate prying by leveraging the bucket 102 about a fulcrum between the rear portion 116a and the front portion 116b. The lower edge 134 of each sidewall 112 has a corresponding convex profile to that of the base 116 to provide the convex underside 173.

Referring to FIG. 4, in the example illustrated, the bucket 102 includes a plurality of teeth 182 projecting forward from the cutting edge 118 and spaced laterally apart from each other. In the example illustrated, the plurality of teeth 182 are longitudinally staggered to include at least one pair of outer trailing teeth 184 and one or more central leading teeth 186 laterally intermediate and projecting forward of the pair of trailing teeth 184. In the example illustrated, the bucket 102 includes a pair of central leading teeth 186, which can facilitate more balanced handling of rocks with the central teeth 186 (relative to, for example, having a single central leading tooth).

In the example illustrated, the back wall 110 has a front face 188 (FIG. 6) directed toward the rock collection space 114 and a rear face 190 opposite the front face 188 (FIG. 4). In the example illustrated, a vehicle mount 192 is fixed to the rear face 190. The vehicle mount 192 is configured for mounting the attachment 100 to the vehicle 10 (e.g. a skid steer or compact track loader). Referring to FIG. 4, in the example illustrated, the vehicle mount 192 is in the form of a quick mount system, including a pair of laterally spaced apart mounting pads 198 for flush engagement with corresponding spaced apart coupling palms fixed to the vehicle, a horizontal retaining cleat 200 extending across upper end of the pads, and apertures in a lower flange 202 for receiving locking pins. In the example illustrated, visibility is provided through the vehicle mount, between the pads thereof, via the openings 128 in the back wall 110 of the bucket 102 (FIG. 4).

Referring to FIG. 9, another example rock handling attachment 1100 (e.g. for the vehicle 10) is shown. The rock handling attachment 1100 has similarities to the rock handling attachment 100, and like features are identified using like reference characters, incremented by 1000.

In the example illustrated, the rock handling attachment 1100 comprises a bucket 1102 having a bucket axis 1104 extending longitudinally between a rear 1106 and a front 1108 of the bucket 1102. The bucket 1102 has a back wall 1110 extending laterally at the rear 1106 of the bucket 1102 between laterally opposed sidewalls 1112. The sidewalls 1112 project forward from the back wall 1110 to laterally bound a rock collection space 1114 of the bucket 1102. The rock collection space 1114 is open to the front 1108 of the bucket 1102 and bounded at the rear 1106 by the back wall 1110.

In the example illustrated, the bucket 1102 includes a base 1116 bounding the rock collection space 1114 from below. The base 1116 extends longitudinally between the back wall 1110 and a cutting edge 1118 at the front 1108 of the bucket 1102. The base 1116 extends laterally between the sidewalls 1112. In the example illustrated, the base 1116 is formed from a plurality of base crossbars 1120 extending laterally between the sidewalls 1112 and spaced longitudinally apart from each other along the bucket axis 1104 by base openings 1122. The base openings 1122 are sized to facilitate retention of rocks larger than the base openings 1122 in the rock collection space 1114 and sifting of finer ground material from the rock collection space 1114.

In the example illustrated, the back wall 1110 is formed from a plurality of rear crossbars 1126 extending laterally between the sidewalls 1112 and spaced vertically apart from each other by back wall openings 1128, which can further facilitate sifting and/or visibility into the rock collection space 1114 from the rear. Referring to FIG. 11, in the example illustrated, the back wall 1110 is generally planar and defines a back wall plane 1111 in which at least some (e.g. at least three) of the plurality of rear crossbars 1126 lie. In the example illustrated, the back wall 1110 extends vertically between a bottom end 1110a adjacent a rear portion 1116a of the base 1116 and a top end 1110b vertically opposite the bottom end 1110a. The back wall 1110 is generally planar from the bottom end 1110a to the top end 1110b. The base 1116 projects forward from the bottom end 1110a of the back wall 1110 and defines a base plane 1119 in which at least three of the base crossbars 1120 lie. In the example illustrated, an entirety of the base 1116 is generally planar from the back wall plane 1111 to the cutting edge 1118, with each base crossbar 1120 lying in the base plane 1119. In the example illustrated, the base 1116 includes ten base crossbars 1120, all of which lie in the base plane 1119.

In the example illustrated, the back wall 1110 projects upwardly and forwardly at an incline relative to the rear portion 1116a of the base 1116, with the back wall plane 1111 intersecting the base plane 1119 at an acute angle 1121 open toward the rock collection space 1114. This can facilitate retention of rocks in the rock collection space 1114 through, for example, trapping and/or wedging of some of the rocks at the rear of the rock collection space 114 when they slide into the most rearward position against the back wall 1110. The angle 1121 can be between, for example, 60 and 80 degrees, and in some examples, can be between around 65 and 75 degrees. In the example illustrated, the angle 1121 is around 72 degrees. In the example illustrated, the top end 1110b of the back wall 1110 is positioned forward of the bottom end 1110a of the back wall 1110 and overtop of the rear portion 1116a of the base 1116.

Referring to FIG. 9, in the example illustrated, the bucket 1102 includes a plurality of crossbar support members 1124 spaced laterally apart from each other between the sidewalls 1112. In the example illustrated, the bucket 1102 has four crossbar support members 1124. In the example illustrated, each crossbar support member 1124 includes a beam portion 1124a extending longitudinally along the base 1116 (parallel with the bucket axis 1104) from the back wall 1110 toward the cutting edge 1118 for supporting the base crossbars 1120 between the sidewalls 1112. Each beam portion 1124a has a plurality of beam portion openings spaced longitudinally apart from each other along the beam portion 1124a and through which respective base crossbars 1120 pass laterally. In the example illustrated, each crossbar support member 1124 further includes an upright portion 1124b projecting upward from a rear of the beam portion 1124a along the back wall 1110 for supporting the rear crossbars 1126 between the sidewalls 1112. Each upright portion 1124b includes a plurality of upright portion openings spaced vertically apart from each other along the upright portion 1124b and through which respective rear crossbars 1126 pass laterally.

In the example illustrated, each sidewall 1112 extends forward from a sidewall rear edge 1130 proximate the back wall 1110 to a sidewall front end 1132 proximate the cutting edge 1118. In the example illustrated, the rear edge 1130 of each sidewall 1112 extends vertically along the back wall 1110. Each sidewall 1112 has a lower edge 1134 extending between the rear edge 1130 and the front end 1132 of the sidewall 1112, and joined to the base 1116. Each sidewall 1112 has an upper edge 1136 vertically opposite the lower edge 1134. In the example illustrated, the upper edge 1136 slopes toward the base 1116 from the rear edge 1130 to the front end 1132 of the sidewall 1112. In the example illustrated, the upper edge 1136 converges with the base 1116 (and lower edge 1134) at the front end 1132 of the sidewall 1112, which can mitigate interference of the sidewall 1112 with rock handling operations. In the example illustrated, the upper edge 1136 extends generally linearly from the back wall 1110 to the front end 1132 of the sidewall 1112. In the example illustrated, each sidewall 1112 is in the form of a side plate extending longitudinally from the rear edge 1130 to the front end 1132 of the sidewall 1112, and vertically from the upper edge 1136 to the lower edge 1134 of the sidewall 1112. In the example illustrated, the upper edge 1136 comprises a reinforcing bar 1137 fixed (e.g. welded) to the side plate and extending from the back wall 1110 to the front end 1132 of the sidewall 1112. The reinforcing bar 1137 is thicker than the side plate and can help strengthen and stiffen the sidewall 1112.

In the example illustrated, the sidewalls 1112 are generally parallel with each other, with the width of the back wall being generally equal to that of the cutting edge 1118. In the example illustrated, the base 1116 has an axial extent from the back wall 1110 to the cutting edge 1118. The axial extent of the base 1116 can be less than two-thirds of the width of the back wall and cutting edge. In the example illustrated, the axial extent of the base 1116 is around half of the width of the back wall 1110 (and cutting edge 1118).

In the example illustrated, the bucket 1102 has a backwall extension 1194 projecting upwardly from a central portion of the back wall 1110 parallel therewith, which can provide the vehicle and/or operator with further shielding and/or protection during rock handling operations. In the example illustrated, the backwall extension 1194 projects upwardly to an elevation above the sidewalls 1112, and is spaced laterally inward from the sidewalls 1112. The back wall extension 1194 is formed from a plurality of extension crossbars 1196 extending parallel with the rear crossbars 1126 and spaced vertically apart from each other by respective back wall openings 1128 (e.g. for providing visibility through the backwall extension 1194). The plurality of extension crossbars 1196 lie in the back wall plane 1111 (FIG. 11). In the example illustrated, the plurality of base crossbars 1120, rear crossbars 1126, and extension crossbars 1196 comprise rods having a circular cross section.

In the example illustrated, the bucket 1102 includes a plurality of teeth 1182 projecting forward from the cutting edge 1118 and spaced laterally apart from each other. In the example illustrated, the plurality of teeth 1182 are longitudinally aligned and project forward from the cutting edge 1118 by an equal extent. In the example illustrated, the plurality of teeth 1182 are detachably mounted to the cutting edge 1118 to facilitate replacement thereof. In the example illustrated, the bucket 1102 includes a plurality of tooth adapters 1187 spaced laterally apart from each other and fixed relative to the cutting edge 1118. The plurality of teeth 1182 are detachably secured to respective tooth adapters 1187 to permit replacement thereof.

Referring to FIG. 11, in the example illustrated, the back wall 1110 has a front face 1188 directed toward the rock collection space 1114 and a rear face 1190 opposite the front face 1188 and directed toward the vehicle in use. In the example illustrated, a vehicle mount 1192 is fixed to the rear face 1190. The vehicle mount 1192 is configured for mounting the attachment 1100 to the vehicle (e.g. a skid steer or compact track loader). Referring to FIG. 12, in the example illustrated, the vehicle mount 1192 is in the form of a quick mount system, including a pair of laterally spaced apart mounting pads 1198 for flush engagement with corresponding spaced apart coupling palms fixed to the vehicle, a horizontal retaining cleat 1200 extending across upper end of the pads 1198, and apertures in a lower flange 1202 for receiving locking pins. In the example illustrated, visibility is provided through the vehicle mount 1192, between the pads 1198 thereof, via the openings 1128 in the back wall 1110 of the bucket 1102.