Vertical outrigger leg

Abstract

An outrigger assembly for the support and stabilization of a mobile work machine, such as a vehicle-mounted telescopic belt conveyor, while the machine is operating. The outrigger assembly includes a vertical outrigger leg assembly. The vertical outrigger leg assembly is attached to the end of a horizontally extending member and includes multiple telescopically extendable sections that extend until a support pad is in contact with the work surface, then raise the mobile work machine off of the ground into a stabilized position. The multiple leg sections allow for increased vertical lifting distance, thus improving stability on uneven work surfaces, and allow the outrigger assembly to be used on larger machines.

1 . An outrigger assembly for stabilizing a mobile work machine, comprising: 
 an outrigger leg housing having an open interior;    a hydraulic cylinder having an outer wall and an open interior, the hydraulic cylinder being operatively positioned within the outrigger leg housing and movable within the outrigger leg housing between a retracted position and an extended position;    a leg member telescopically positioned within the hydraulic cylinder, the leg member being moveable between a retracted position in which the leg member is contained within the hydraulic cylinder and an extended position in which the leg member extends from the hydraulic cylinder, and    wherein the hydraulic cylinder and the leg member are each movable from the retracted position to the extended position and from the extended position to the retracted position by hydraulic pressure.    
   
   
       2 . The outrigger assembly of  claim 1  wherein the outrigger leg housing, the hydraulic cylinder, and the leg member are centered on a common axis.  
   
   
       3 . The outrigger assembly of  claim 2  wherein the common axis is a vertical axis.  
   
   
       4 . The outrigger assembly of  claim 3  wherein the movement of the hydraulic cylinder and leg member is along the vertical axis.  
   
   
       5 . The outrigger assembly of  claim 1  wherein the hydraulic cylinder forms a seal between its outer wall and the open interior of the outrigger leg housing and a seal between its open interior and the leg member.  
   
   
       6 . (canceled)  
   
   
       7 . The outrigger assembly of  claim 1  wherein the outrigger leg housing includes a first hydraulic inlet and a second hydraulic inlet.  
   
   
       8 . The outrigger assembly of  claim 7  wherein hydraulic pressure is applied to the first hydraulic inlet to move both the hydraulic cylinder and the leg member from the retracted position to the extended position.  
   
   
       9 . The outrigger assembly of  claim 8  wherein hydraulic pressure is applied to the second hydraulic inlet to move both the hydraulic cylinder and the leg member from the extended position to the retracted position.  
   
   
       10 . The outrigger assembly of  claim 1  wherein the outer wall of the hydraulic cylinder includes a hydraulic passage to communicate the hydraulic fluid to the leg member.  
   
   
       11 . The outrigger assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a support pad mounted to a lower end of the leg member.  
   
   
       12 . The outrigger assembly of  claim 1  wherein the hydraulic cylinder and the leg member are independently movable between their respective extended positions and retracted positions.  
   
   
       13 . The outrigger assembly of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a stationary support housing mountable to the work machine;    an inner housing telescopically positioned within the stationary support housing, wherein the inner housing is connected to and supports the outrigger leg housing; and    a drive cylinder operatively positioned between the stationary support housing and the inner housing, the drive cylinder being operable to move the inner housing between a retracted position in which the inner housing is positioned within the stationary support housing and an extended position in which the inner housing extends from the stationary support housing.    
   
   
       14 . The outrigger assembly of  claim 13  wherein the outrigger assembly is connected to a distal end of the inner housing.  
   
   
       15 . The outrigger assembly of  claim 13  wherein the drive cylinder, the hydraulic cylinder, and the leg member are independently movable such that the hydraulic cylinder and the leg member can be extended while the inner housing is positioned at any location between its extended and retracted positions.  
   
   
       16 . An outrigger assembly for stabilizing a mobile work machine, comprising: 
 an outrigger leg housing having an open interior;    a hydraulic cylinder having an outer wall and an open interior, the hydraulic cylinder being operatively positioned within the outrigger leg housing and movable within the outrigger leg housing between a retracted position and an extended position;    a leg member telescopically positioned within the hydraulic cylinder, the leg member being movable between a retracted position in which the leg member is contained within the hydraulic cylinder and an extended position in which the leg member extends from the hydraulic cylinder;    a first hydraulic inlet located in the outrigger leg housing;    a second hydraulic inlet located in the outrigger leg housing;    wherein pressurized hydraulic fluid is applied to the first hydraulic inlet to move the hydraulic cylinder and the leg member from their retracted positions to their extended positions; and    wherein pressurized hydraulic fluid is applied to the second hydraulic inlet to move the hydraulic cylinder and the leg member from their extended positions to their retracted positions.    
   
   
       17 . The outrigger assembly of  claim 16  wherein the outrigger assembly is perpendicularly connected to a horizontally oriented inner housing.  
   
   
       18 . The outrigger assembly of  claim 17  wherein the inner housing is positioned within a stationary support housing connected to the mobile work machine.  
   
   
       19 . The outrigger assembly of  claim 18  wherein the inner housing is extendably connected to the stationary support housing by a drive cylinder.  
   
   
       20 . The outrigger assembly of  claim 16  wherein the hydraulic cylinder forms a seal between its outer wall and the outer wall of the outrigger leg housing and a seal between its outer wall and the leg member.  
   
   
       21 . (canceled)  
   
   
       22 . An outrigger assembly for stabilizing a mobile work machine, comprising: 
 a vertically oriented outrigger leg housing having an outer wall, a first and second inlet, and an open interior;    a vertically oriented hydraulic cylinder telescopically positioned within the outrigger leg housing having an outer wall and an open interior;    a vertically oriented leg member with a support pad attached to a lower end of the leg member, wherein the leg member is telescopically positioned within the hydraulic cylinder, the leg member being moveable from a retracted position to an extended position;    a stationary support housing attached to the mobile work machine; and    an inner housing connected within the stationary support housing, wherein the inner housing is extendable by a drive cylinder utilizing hydraulic pressure; and    wherein the leg assembly is movable from a retracted position to an extended position by pressurized hydraulic fluid supplied through the first inlet and the leg assembly is movable from an extended position to a retracted position by pressurized hydraulic fluid supplied through the second inlet; and    wherein a plurality of outrigger leg assemblies are mounted to the mobile work machine and the drive cylinders and leg assemblies are independently movable.    
   
   
       23 . The outrigger assembly of  claim 16  further comprising: 
 a hydraulic passage located within the outer wall of the hydraulic cylinder;    an open interior within the outrigger leg housing; and    an open interior within the hydraulic cylinder;    wherein the open interior of the outrigger leg housing is in fluid communication with the open interior of the hydraulic cylinder through the hydraulic passage.    
   
   
       24 . The outrigger assembly of  claim 23  wherein pressurized hydraulic fluid is supplied through the first inlet to the open interior of the outrigger leg housing to move the hydraulic cylinder and leg member from a retracted position to an extended position; and 
 wherein pressurized hydraulic fluid is supplied through the second inlet to the hydraulic passage to move the hydraulic cylinder and leg member from an extended position to a retracted position.