Material moving attachment with deployable back-drag frame

Abstract

A material moving attachment for a vehicle includes a first frame and a second frame pivotable relative to the first frame about a pivot axis between retracted and deployed positions. The first and second frames include respective first and second containment walls extending laterally between left and right sides of the attachment. The first containment wall has a first vertical extent terminating at an abutment edge. The second containment wall has a second vertical extent bounded by spaced apart proximal and distal edges. In the retracted position, the first and second containment walls are disposed rearward of the pivot axis and in a vertically stacked arrangement with the proximal edge of the second containment wall bearing against the abutment edge of the first containment wall. In the deployed position, the second containment wall is disposed forward of the pivot axis and configured to engage a surface to be cleared.

1 . A material moving attachment for a vehicle, comprising:
 a) a first frame including a bucket bottom wall having a rear edge and a front edge spaced longitudinally forward of the rear edge, a first containment wall extending upward from the rear edge and extending laterally between a left side of the attachment and a right side of the attachment, and a first left sidewall and a first right sidewall extending forward from the first containment wall at the left and right sides, respectively, wherein the first containment wall extends upward from the rear edge of the bottom wall to an abutment edge, the abutment edge extending laterally between the left and right sides; and   b) a second frame pivotable relative to the first frame about a pivot axis between a retracted position and a deployed position, the second frame including a second containment wall extending laterally between the left side and the right side of the attachment, and a second left sidewall and a second right sidewall extending longitudinally from the second containment wall at the left and right sides, respectively, wherein the second containment wall extends vertically between a proximal edge and a distal edge spaced apart from the proximal edge, each of the proximal and distal edges extending laterally between the left and right sides, wherein   c) when the second frame is in the retracted position, the first and second containment walls are disposed rearward of the pivot axis and aligned in a vertically stacked arrangement with the proximal edge of the second containment wall bearing against the abutment edge of the first containment wall, the stacked first and second containment walls forming a back wall for enclosing a first collection space disposed forward of the back wall for collecting material when operating the attachment in a bucket mode; and   d) when the second frame is in the deployed position, the second containment wall is spaced apart from the first containment wall and disposed forward of the pivot axis for engaging a surface to be cleared, the second containment wall for enclosing a second collection space rearward of the second containment wall for collecting material when operating the attachment in a back-dragging mode.   
     
     
         2 . The attachment of  claim 1 , wherein moving the second frame from the retracted position to the deployed position reduces a vertical extent of the attachment for improved visibility over the attachment by an operator inside the vehicle when operating the attachment in the back-dragging mode. 
     
     
         3 . The attachment of  claim 2 , wherein the abutment edge of the first containment wall is spaced vertically apart from the rear edge of the bucket bottom wall by a first vertical extent, and the proximal edge and the distal edge of the second containment wall are spaced apart by a second vertical extent, wherein the second vertical extent is at least 25 percent of the first vertical extent. 
     
     
         4 . The attachment of  claim 1 , wherein the front edge of the bucket bottom wall comprises a first engagement strip for engaging material to be collected in the first collection space when operating the attachment in the bucket mode. 
     
     
         5 . The attachment of  claim 1 , wherein the distal edge of the second containment wall comprises a second engagement strip for engaging the surface to be cleared when operating the attachment in the back-dragging mode. 
     
     
         6 . The attachment of  claim 5 , wherein each of the second left and second right sidewalls includes a side engagement edge aligned parallel to the surface to be cleared when the attachment is in the back-dragging mode. 
     
     
         7 . The attachment of  claim 6 , wherein each of the second left and second right sidewalls comprises a body panel fixed to the second containment wall and a wear plate secured to the body panel, wherein the wear plate comprises the side engagement edge. 
     
     
         8 . The attachment of  claim 6 , wherein when the second frame is in the deployed position, the second engagement strip is inclined at a second engagement angle relative to the surface to be cleared such that the second engagement strip extends upward and longitudinally forward from the surface to be cleared. 
     
     
         9 . The attachment of  claim 6 , wherein the bucket bottom wall is disposed at a higher elevation than the second engagement strip when the attachment is in the back-dragging mode for providing clearance between the bucket bottom wall and the surface to be cleared. 
     
     
         10 . The attachment of  claim 1 , wherein the pivot axis extends laterally between the left and right sides, proximate the front edge of the bucket bottom wall. 
     
     
         11 . The attachment of  claim 10 , wherein a longitudinal spacing between the pivot axis and the front edge of the bucket bottom wall is less than 33 percent of a longitudinal spacing between the rear edge and the front edge of the bucket bottom wall. 
     
     
         12 . The attachment of  claim 10 , wherein when the second frame is in the deployed position, the distal edge of the second containment wall is spaced forward of the front edge of the bucket bottom wall by a forward offset. 
     
     
         13 . The attachment of  claim 12 , wherein the forward offset is at least 50 percent of the longitudinal spacing between the rear edge and the front edge of the bucket bottom wall. 
     
     
         14 . The attachment of  claim 1 , further comprising a mount fixed to the first containment wall for releasably mounting the attachment to the vehicle. 
     
     
         15 . A material moving attachment for a vehicle, comprising:
 a) a first frame including a first containment wall extending laterally between a left side of the attachment and a right side of the attachment, the first containment wall having a first vertical extent terminating at an abutment edge, the abutment edge extending laterally between the left and right sides; and   b) a second frame pivotably coupled to the first frame at a pivot axis and pivotable relative to the first frame about the pivot axis between a retracted position and a deployed position, the second frame including a second containment wall extending laterally between the left side and the right side, the second containment wall having a second vertical extent bounded by a proximal edge and a distal edge spaced apart from the proximal edge, each of the proximal and distal edges extending laterally between the left and right sides, wherein   c) when the second frame is in the retracted position, the first and second containment walls are disposed rearward of the pivot axis and aligned in a vertically stacked arrangement with the proximal edge of the second containment wall bearing against the abutment edge of the first containment wall, the stacked first and second containment walls forming a back wall for enclosing a first collection space disposed forward of the back wall for collecting material when operating the attachment in a forward collection mode; and   d) when the second frame is in the deployed position, the second containment wall is disposed forward of the pivot axis and configured to engage a surface to be cleared, the second containment wall for enclosing a second collection space located rearward of the second containment wall for collecting material when operating the attachment in a back-dragging mode.   
     
     
         16 . The attachment of  claim 15 , wherein moving the second frame from the retracted position to the deployed position reduces a vertical extent of the attachment for improved visibility over the attachment by an operator inside the vehicle when operating the attachment in the back-dragging mode. 
     
     
         17 . The attachment of  claim 15 , wherein the first frame further comprises a first left sidewall and a first right sidewall each extending forward from a respective first sidewall rear end to a respective first sidewall front end, the first sidewall rear ends adjoining the first containment wall, and the first sidewall front ends spaced apart from the first sidewall rear ends by a first sidewall longitudinal extent. 
     
     
         18 . The attachment of  claim 17 , wherein the pivot axis is disposed proximate the first sidewall front ends, and wherein when the second frame is in the deployed position, the second containment wall is spaced forward of the first sidewall front ends by a longitudinal reach that is at least 50 percent of the first sidewall longitudinal extent. 
     
     
         19 . The attachment of  claim 17 , wherein the second frame further comprises a second left sidewall and a second right sidewall at the left and right sides, respectively, the second left and right sidewalls cooperating with the first left and right sidewalls to laterally enclose the first collection space when the second frame is in the retracted position, and wherein the second left and right sidewalls project forward from the second containment wall and are in vertically stacked arrangement with the respective first left and right sidewalls of the first frame when the second frame is in the retracted position. 
     
     
         20 . The attachment of claim  20 , wherein the second left and right sidewalls project rearward from the second containment wall when the second frame is in the deployed position for laterally enclosing the second collection space when operating the attachment in the back-dragging mode.