BUCKET FOR COLLECTING MATERIAL

Abstract

 The invention relates to a bucket (10) for collecting material, preferably snow, which includes
- a frame (12) comprising a floor (14) comprising an opening (16), side walls (18) attached to the floor (14), and a rear wall (20) attached to the floor (14) and to the side walls (18), wherein the frame (12) forms a partly open volume for the material,
- a scraper blade (24), arranged through the opening (16) and extending through the floor (14), and
- attachment elements (26) for attaching the bucket (10) to a work machine (100),
- wings (28), which are attached in an articulated manner by vertical articulated joints (30) to front edges (32) belonging to the side walls (18), for collecting material from an area that is wider than the frame (12) in the bucket (10), and
- actuators (34) for pivoting the wings (28) with respect to the articulated joints (30),
wherein the bucket (10) has two operating positions, namely a scraping position and a collecting position, wherein, in the scraping position, the scraper blade (24) is arranged so as to engage the material in order to scrape the material off into the bucket (10) and, in the collecting position, the scraper blade (24) is arranged so as to be clear of the material with the wings (28) spread out in order to collect material from an area wider than the frame (12) in the bucket (10).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a bucket for collecting material, preferably snow, which includes

• a frame comprising
  • a floor comprising an opening,
  • side walls attached to the floor,
  • a rear wall attached to the floor and to the side walls,
  wherein the frame forms a partly open volume for the material,
• a scraper blade for scraping off material, arranged through the opening and extending through the floor, and
• attachment elements configured in the rear wall for attaching the bucket to a work machine.

[0002] The CB190 scraper blade manufactured by the Finnish company LLP Farm Machinery Group Oy, the rear part of the floor of the bucket including an opening through which the scraper blade is arranged, is known in the prior art. When the bucket is driven along a substrate beneath the floor, the scraper blade extending under the floor advantageously scrapes compacted snow from the surface of the road into the bucket through the opening in the rear of the floor. When the bucket is being used for snow removal, it is, however, frequently also necessary to collect snow following the removal of the compacted snow. In this case, the bucket must be tilted forward and driven with the bucket resting on the front blade at the front edge of the floor on the substrate, whereby snow is collected in the bucket and the bucket no longer scrapes the snow. In other words, when snow is being collected, the scraper blade is clear of the substrate, i.e. clear of the road. However, a problem with this way of collecting snow is that the front blade of the bucket easily sinks deep into the snow when tilted and damages the road surface or produces an uneven track. In addition, the working width of the bucket is quite narrow.

[0003] The object of the invention is a bucket which is more versatile than the buckets of the prior art, by means of which it is possible to scrape off material, as well as to collect material more efficiently. The characteristic features of the invention are set out in the attached patent claim 1.

[0004] The object of a bucket according to the invention can be achieved with a bucket for collecting material, preferably snow, which includes a frame comprising a floor provided with an opening, side walls attached to the floor, and a rear wall attached to the floor and to the side walls, wherein the frame forms a partly open volume for the material. The bucket additionally includes a scraper blade for scraping off material, arranged through the opening and extending through the floor, and attachment elements configured in association with the rear wall for attaching the bucket to a work machine. The bucket further includes wings, which are attached in an articulated manner by articulated joints to front edges belonging to the side walls, for collecting material from an area that is wider than the frame in the bucket, as well as actuators for pivoting the wings with respect to the articulated joints. The bucket has two operating positions, namely a scraping position and a collecting position, wherein, in the scraping position, the scraper blade is arranged so as to engage the material in order to scrape material off into the bucket and, in the collecting position, the scraper blade is arranged so as to be clear of the material with the wings spread out in order to collect material from an area wider than the frame in the bucket.

[0005] By adding wings to the structure of a scraper bucket according to the prior art, two separate buckets can be combined into a single unit by means of which it is possible both to scrape off material and to collect material in separate steps. Preferably, the material to be collected is snow, in which case compacted snow is scraped off a road by means of the scraper blade before snow is collected in the bucket with the wings spread out.

[0006] Preferably, the articulated joints are arranged so as to allow the rotation of the wings about an axis of rotation essentially perpendicular to the plane of the floor. The wings can thus be spread out for the collecting position of the bucket and conversely brought close to the side walls of the bucket in the scraping position.

[0007] Preferably, the articulated joints are vertical articulated joints.

[0008] Preferably, the bucket further includes moving means for moving the scraper blade into contact with the material to be scraped in the scraping position and clear of the material in the collecting position. Moving means can be considered the collective designation for the structure used to position the scraper blade in contact with the material to be scraped in the scraping position and clear of the material in the collecting position.

[0009] In this context, moving can mean pivoting the scraper blade into a position or moving it linearly into some other position.

[0010] According to a preferred first embodiment, the floor includes a flat part and a bevelled part, wherein the opening and the scraper blade are arranged at the bevelled part in such a manner that the scraper blade is higher than the plane formed by the flat part when the flat part of the bucket is lying against the substrate and parallel to the substrate, thus allowing material to be collected in the bucket when the bucket is moved against the substrate beneath the flat part of the floor, and the moving means are the attachment elements for tilting the bucket between the collecting position and the scraping position. With this structure, the bucket does not have to be tilted forward when collecting material with the wings spread out, but rather the bucket can lie on the bottom of the floor without the scraper blade engaging the substrate. During scraping, the bucket is tilted back using the attachment elements, whereby the scraper blade emerges.

[0011] Preferably, the bevelled part is configured to rise toward the open space of the frame. This creates an opening associated with the scraper blade via which the material can be scraped into the bucket.

[0012] In a first embodiment, the attachment elements can be attached to the rear wall in such a manner that the distance of the articulation points from the plane formed by the flat part of the floor is 20 - 40%, preferably 25 - 35%, of the height of the bucket, thus allowing the bucket to be tilted in such a manner that the scraper blade attached to the bevelled part is in contact with the substrate. Attachment elements in traditional buckets are lower, because these buckets do not need to be tilted back when the bucket is on the ground.

[0013] Preferably, the attachment elements include two brackets at a distance from each other, wherein each bracket includes a hook arranged at the upper end of the operating position of the bracket and an articulation point arranged at the lower end of the operating position of the bracket, and the brackets are attached to the rear wall. This is an economical and a fairly common way of forming attachment elements in a bucket, so that the bucket can be used with common quick-attachment tools of a work machine.

[0014] According to an alternative embodiment, the moving means includes coupling means formed in the frame for the scraper blade, as well as an actuator arranged between the frame and the scraper blade for moving the scraper blade supported by the coupling means between the scraping position and the collecting position. In such an embodiment, the floor of the bucket can be at least mostly flat and thus simpler than in the first embodiment with an inclined part.

[0015] According to a first alternative embodiment, the scraper blade is attached to the attachment elements and the bucket further includes vertical guides formed in the rear wall of the frame as the coupling means, on which vertical guides the attachment elements are arranged in a height-adjustable manner, and second actuators for moving the attachment elements on the guides so as to guide the scraper blade through the opening into the scraping position and conversely into the frame for material collection. In this embodiment, the floor of the bucket can be completely flat, i.e. a bevelled part is not necessary. The moving scraper blade can also itself act as obstruction means in order to prevent material from escaping by closing the opening. This embodiment is, however, structurally more complex than a fixed arrangement of the scraper blade.

[0016] According to a second alternative embodiment, the scraper blade is attached to the frame by means of a second articulated joint, and the bucket includes a stop for supporting the scraper blade in the scraping position and blade actuators for pivoting the scraper blade so as to place it in the scraping position against the stop and partially outside the frame, and in the snow-collecting position inside the frame, in which the scraper blade closes the opening. In this embodiment too, the floor of the bucket can be completely flat, i.e. a bevelled part is not necessary. The scraper blade attached in an articulated manner can itself act as obstruction means in order to prevent material from escaping by closing the opening. This embodiment is, however, structurally more complex than a fixed arrangement of the scraper blade.

[0017] Preferably, the bucket includes a front blade arranged at the front edge of the floor in the direction of travel of the bucket. The front blade prevents wear on the front edge of the floor when material is being collected, so that the front edge of the floor is the first surface of contact with the material to be collected.

[0018] Preferably, the opening is arranged in the floor at a distance from the rear wall, which distance is 0-20% of the length of the floor between the front blade and the rear wall, for collecting material in the bucket in association with the rear wall. In this type of structure, the bucket can be supported firmly against the substrate and the material to be scraped off rises through the opening into the bucket.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the width of the floor decreases as one moves from the front blade of the bucket towards the rear wall. This enables a better accumulation of material in the volume formed by the bucket than in a completely straight bucket. Moreover, the tapering design of the frame allows the rotation of the wings behind the side walls with respect to the direction of travel of the bucket so that they are hidden.

[0020] Preferably, the width of the floor decreases as one moves from the front blade of the bucket towards the rear wall along a length that represents 40 - 600 of the length of the floor between the front blade and the rear wall for collecting material in the bucket, before increasing towards the rear wall, the width at the rear wall being 80 - 110% of the distance between the side walls at the front blade. The tapering front part of the bucket renders the accumulation of the material to be collected in the bucket more efficient, while the widening rear part makes it possible to use a scraper blade with a width equal to or close to the width of the front blade. The bucket thus makes it possible to scrape over the entire width of the bucket.

[0021] Preferably, the wings are configured to pivot into a perpendicular position with respect to the front blade of the bucket, next to the side walls. The wings are thus "hidden" behind the side walls of the bucket with respect to the direction of travel of the bucket. Where necessary, the bucket thus has no projections extending beyond the working width, which is important, for example, when working in narrow spaces.

[0022] Preferably, the bucket includes obstruction means configured to prevent material collected in the bucket from escaping through the opening, wherein the obstruction means is arranged in association with the opening. This way, when material is collected in the bucket, the material collected via the front blade or scraper blade cannot escape from the opening, or at least any escaping material will be minimal.

[0023] Preferably, the obstruction means includes a rubber flap attached to the frame before the opening, moving from the front blade towards the rear wall, which rubber flap at least partially covers the opening and points towards the rear wall. A rubber flap is an economical and reliable structure to prevent material from escaping, which bends under the force of the material entering the bucket in order to cover the opening.

[0024] According to one embodiment, the front blade is arranged parallel to the floor, which prevents the front blade from becoming embedded in a substrate. This is important, for example, when snow is being collected on an uneven gravel substrate.

[0025] According to another embodiment, the front blade is arranged at an angle relative to the plane of the floor, which optimizes an embedding of the front blade into a substrate. This is important, for example, when it is desired to collect heavily compressed and hard snow, for example, from a parking lot.

[0026] Preferably, the side walls include an inclined part which slants outward from a centreline of the bucket in order to increase the volume of the bucket. The inclined part facilitates the entry of material into the bucket via the scraper blade.

[0027] Preferably, only a single volume is formed inside the frame for the material to be collected. More material can be collected in the bucket this way.

[0028] Preferably, the wings are configured so as to be rotatable around articulated joints into a position essentially parallel to the side walls of the bucket in the scraping position.

[0029] The invention, which is not limited to the embodiments described in the following, is explained in more detail with reference to the attached figures, wherein

Figure 1a

shows an axonometric, front oblique view of a bucket according to the invention with the wings open,

Figure 1b

shows an axonometric, rear oblique view of a bucket according to the invention with one wing open and the other turned back,

Figure 2a

shows a side view of a bucket according to the invention attached to a work machine in a material-collecting position,

Figure 2b

shows a side view of a bucket according to the invention attached to a work machine in a material-scraping position,

Figure 3a

shows a cross-sectional side view of a first embodiment of a bucket according to the invention,

Figure 3b

shows a cross-sectional side view of a second embodiment of a bucket according to the invention,

Figure 4

shows a top view of a bucket according to the invention with the wings open,

Figure 5

shows a bottom view of a bucket according to the invention with one wing open and the other turned back,

Figure 6

shows a front view of a bucket according to the invention with the wings open,

Figure 7

shows a rear view of a bucket according to the invention with one wing open and the other turned back,

Figure 8

shows a side view of a bucket according to the invention,

Figure 9a

shows an enlargement of a bucket according to a first alternative embodiment of the invention with the scraper blade in a scraping position in cross section,

Figure 9b

shows an enlargement of a bucket according to a first alternative embodiment of the invention with the scraper blade in a collecting position in cross section,

Figure 10a

shows an enlargement of a bucket according to a second alternative embodiment of the invention with the scraper blade in a scraping position in cross section,

Figure 10b

shows an enlargement of a bucket according to a second alternative embodiment of the invention with the scraper blade in a collecting position in cross section.

[0030] The bucket according to the invention is preferably intended to collect snow and scrape off compacted snow, but it should be understood here that the bucket can also be used for collecting and scraping off other material, such as gravel or the like, for example when levelling a road.

[0031] The idea underlying the bucket according to the invention is to combine a scraper bucket and a wing bucket into a single bucket, which can be employed effectively both for collecting material in the bucket over the front blade and for scraping off material using a scraper blade from the rear part of the bucket into the bucket.

[0032] As shown in Figure 1a, the bucket 10 includes a frame 12, a scraper blade 24, attachment elements 26 (shown in Figure 2), wings 28 and actuators 34 for rotating the wings 28 preferably about vertical articulated joints 30. As shown in Figure 2a, the frame 12 consists of a floor 14, side walls 18, which are attached to the edges of the floor 14, and a rear wall 20, which is attached to the rear edges of both the floor 14 and the side walls 18 in the direction of travel. A volume is formed inside the frame 12 for the material to be collected, preferably snow. Preferably, the bucket 10 also includes a front blade 22, which is attached to the front edge of the floor 14 in the direction of travel, thus allowing a precise collection of snow in the bucket 10 when the wings 28 are spread out. The floor 14 includes an opening 16, preferably arranged at the opposite edge of the floor 14 with respect to the front blade 22, between the floor 14 and the rear wall 20. Arranged in association with the opening 16 is the scraper blade 24, by means of which material can be scraped from the substrate via the opening 16 into the bucket 10. The wings can also be called lateral guides.

[0033] There are two alternative embodiments for the use of the scraper blade 24 of the bucket 10 according to the invention, both of which involve the movement of the scraper blade from a scraping position to a collecting position and vice versa, preferably using moving means 62 belonging to the bucket 10. In the case of the first, advantageous embodiment, the position of the scraper blade in the floor is elevated, so that use of the scraper blade requires the bucket to be tilted back in such a manner that the front blade of the bucket is raised clear of the material to be scraped. In this embodiment, the moving means consist of the elevated position of the scraper blade on an inclined part of the floor and attachment elements that allow the bucket to be pivoted between different operating positions. The other alternative embodiment is in turn implemented in such a manner that the scraper blade can be moved by the moving means in such a manner that, in the scraping position, it extends through the plane formed by the floor to the outside of the frame and, conversely, in the material-collecting position, the scraper blade can be raised into the frame.

[0034] Figure 1b shows the attachment elements 26 of the bucket 10 according to the invention in more detail. The attachment elements 26 can be means of a quick-locking type entirely known in the prior art by means of which the bucket 10 can be attached to a front lifting device 102 of a work machine 100 as shown in Figures 2a and 2b. In the embodiment of Figure 1b, the attachment elements 26 include brackets 44 attached to the rear wall 20 at a distance from each other, wherein each bracket 44 includes a hook 46 and an articulation point 48. Since in the first embodiment of the bucket 10 according to the invention the bucket 10 has to be tilted back, i.e. in such a manner that the front blade 22 of the bucket is raised into the air, when it is desired to use the bucket for scraping material, the position of the attachment elements 26 relative to the bucket 10 is preferably also elevated. In other words, the attachment elements 26 can be 30 - 200 mm, preferably 50 - 100 mm, higher than in a similarly sized scraper bucket according to the prior art. It can further be said that the brackets 44 are attached to the rear wall 20 in such a manner that the distance of the articulation points 48 from the plane formed by the floor 14 against the substrate is 20 - 40 %, preferably 25 - 35 %, of the height of the bucket 10.

[0035] Figures 2a and 2b show a bucket 10 according to the first embodiment of the invention in a side view and attached to a front lifting device 102 of a work machine 100. The work machine used can advantageously be a wheel loader, although it can also be a tractor or a truck equipped with a front lifting device. In Figure 2a, the bucket 10 is in the collecting position, i.e. the floor 14 of the bucket 10 lies against the substrate 104 and the wings 28 are spread out in this case. As the bucket 10 is moved forward by the work machine 100, material, preferably snow, on top of the substrate 104 is collected by means of the wings 28 over a working width wider than the frame 12 of the bucket 10 into the bucket 10 over the front blade 22 attached to the front edge of the floor 14 while the scraper blade 24 is clear of the substrate.

[0036] In the scraping position shown in Figure 2b, the bucket 10 has been pivoted by the front lifting device 102 of the work machine 100 in such a manner that the front blade 22 is clear of the substrate 104 and the scraper blade 24 is in contact with the substrate 104. In other words, the bucket 10 is supported on the substrate 104 by the scraper blade 24. As the work machine 100 moves the bucket 10 forward, the scraper blade 24 scrapes off material, i.e. preferably dislodges compacted snow from the surface of a road, and this scraped-off material moves along the scraper blade 24 via the opening in the floor into the frame 12 of the bucket 10, into the rear part of the bucket. Material does not enter the bucket over the front blade during scraping.

[0037] Figures 3a and 3b show two alternative designs of a bucket 10 according to the first embodiment of the invention in cross section. The only difference between these designs is the position of the front blade 22. Figures 3a and 3b show the position of the scraper blade 24 in the bucket 10 in more detail. According to these figures, the floor 14 of the bucket 10 in this embodiment consists of two parts, namely a flat part 40 and a bevelled part 42 joined to the flat part 40. The flat part 40 is essentially perpendicular to the vertical articulated joint 30 of the wings 28. When the bucket 10 is being used to collect material with the wings 28 open, the bucket 10 is supported on the substrate with the flat part 40 parallel to the plane of the substrate. The direction of travel of the material into the bucket 10 in this case is similar to that of the arrow shown in dashed lines in Figure 3a.

[0038] When the bucket is used in the scraping position, as shown in Figure 3b, the path of travel of the material into the interior of the frame 12 of the bucket 10 runs, as shown by the dashed lines, under the flat part 40 of the floor 14 of the bucket, along the scraper blade 24 and into the frame 12 via the opening 16. The bevelled part 42 of the floor 14 enables an unobstructed path of travel of the material via the scraper blade 24 into the frame 12. The length of the bevelled part 42 can be 20 - 40 % of the length of the floor 14 between the front blade 22 and the rear wall 20. The bevelled part 42 can be arranged at an angle of 5°- 30°, preferably 10° - 20°, relative to the plane formed by the flat part 40.

[0039] The orientation of the front blade 22 in the bucket 10 can vary in different designs as shown in Figures 3a and 3b. In Figure 3a, the front blade 22 is attached to the, in the direction of travel, front edge of the floor 14 so as to be essentially parallel to the flat part 40 of the floor 14. More specifically, the floor 14 is shaped in such a manner that the front blade 22 attached to the floor 14, e.g., with bolt fasteners lies essentially parallel to the plane of the flat part 40. The front blade mounted parallel to the plane does not sink as deeply into the substrate when the bucket is in use, but rather glides over the substrate. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 3a, the front blade 22 can be mounted at an oblique angle relative to the flat part 40 of the floor 14. In other words, the, in the direction of travel, leading edge of the front blade 22 points towards the substrate so that, when in use, the bucket tends to sink effectively into the substrate, which improves the effectiveness of the blade in removing compacted material such as snow. In this case, the front edge of the floor 14 can also be configured so as to point towards the substrate over a short distance, to which the front blade can be attached by means of bolt fasteners.

[0040] According to one embodiment, there can be a series of different bevelled intermediate plates between the front blade and the floor, which allow the angle of the front blade to be set as desired relative to the plane of the floor while the structure of the frame of the bucket remains constant.

[0041] Unlike the scraper buckets according to the prior art, the frame 12 of the bucket 10 according to the invention preferably tapers towards the rear wall 20 as shown in Figure 4, which renders the collection of material in the bucket via the front blade 22 more effective. Most preferably, the frame 12 first tapers as shown in Figure 5 until it widens again towards the opening 16 in the floor 14 and the associated scraper blade 24. The width of the frame 12 of the bucket 10 at its narrowest point can be 70 % - 90 %, preferably about 80 %, of the width of the frame 12 of the bucket 10 at the front blade 22. More specifically, the width of the floor 14 can decrease as one moves from the front blade 22 of the bucket 12 towards the rear wall 20 along a length that represents 40 - 60 % of the length of the floor 14 between the front blade 22 and the rear wall 20. The widening width of the floor 14 after the narrowest point is in turn intended to widen the frame 12 so that a scraper blade 24 with a width corresponding to 80 - 110 % of the distance between the side walls 18 at the front blade 22 can be accommodated in the bucket 10. The working width of the bucket 10 is thus essentially the same as the width of the frame 12 of the bucket 10 also when scraping.

[0042] As shown in Figure 6, the side walls 18 of the frame 12 can be attached perpendicularly to the floor 14, at least over part of the height of the side walls 18, so that the side walls 18 effectively guide the material to be collected towards the rear wall 20 of the frame 12. Conversely, when the scraper blade is in use, the material to be collected enters the volume formed inside the frame 12 via the opening in the rear part of the bucket 10 whence it moves towards the front blade 22 of the bucket 10. As the floor 14 narrows over a short distance as one moves from the opening 16 towards the front blade 22 in the advantageous embodiment shown in Figures 5 and 6, the resistance to the material caused by the frame 12 increases. In order to reduce this resistance, the upper parts of the side walls 18 are preferably inclined as shown in Figure 6, the inclined part of the side walls 18 being designated in Figure 6 by the reference number 50.

[0043] The wings 28 belonging to the bucket 10 according to the invention are attached to the front edges 32 of the side walls 18 in an articulated manner by vertical articulated joints 30 as shown, for example, in Figure 1a. The wings 28 are pivoted by the actuators 34 between a spread-out, material-collecting position and a protective position perpendicular to the front blade 22. Each actuator 34 is preferably a hydraulic cylinder, which is attached at its ends by vertical articulated joints 52 to the wing 28 and to the side wall 18 of the frame 12, for example as shown in Figure 8. As the frame 12 preferably tapers towards the rear wall 20 as shown in Figure 5, the wings 28 are hidden behind the side walls 18, in the direction of travel, and sheltered from potential shocks in the protective position. Moreover, with this design, the wings 28 do not widen the frame 12 when they are in the protective position, which allows the bucket 10 to be configured with a narrower overall width and thus to be used in narrower areas.

[0044] In this context, wings are understood to be flat extensions attached to the side walls of the frame in an articulated manner, which can be spread so as to widen the working width of the bucket. Preferably, a height of the wings is 0.5-1.0 times the height of the side walls, while a width of the wings is preferably 0.2-0.7 times the width of the bucket.

[0045] The motive power required to operate the wings of the bucket, preferably hydraulics, can be drawn from the work machine with quick couplings in a manner known in the prior art.

[0046] As shown in Figures 3a and 3b, the bucket 10 according to the invention further preferably includes obstruction means 36 for preventing material collected in the bucket 10 from leaving the bucket 10 via the opening 16. In the embodiment of the bucket 10 shown in Figures 3a and 3b, the obstruction means 36 is a rubber flap 38 attached to the floor 14 in association with the opening 16, the rubber flap 38 preferably pointing and arching towards the rear wall 20 of the bucket 10. When material is collected in the bucket over the front blade, i.e. via the so-called mouth of the bucket, the material moving towards the rear wall 20 reaches the opening 16 in the floor 14 and the rubber flap 38. The rubber flap 38 is preferably a structure which is as wide as the opening 16 and which bends backwards under the force of the material entering the bucket against the scraper blade 24, as shown in Figures 3a and 3b, thus closing the opening 16. Alternatively, the obstruction means can also close the opening by bending under the force of the material against the floor or the rear wall.

[0047] Figures 9a and 9b show an enlargement of the attachment of the scraper blade 24 for the bucket 10 according to a first alternative embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the scraper blade 24 is attached to the attachment elements 26 by a shank 54 and the bucket 10 further includes vertical guides 56 formed in the rear wall 20 of the frame 12, on which vertical guides 56 the attachment elements 26 are arranged in a height-adjustable manner. A height adjustment can be performed by means of second actuators (not shown) arranged on the bucket 10 between the attachment elements 26 and the rear wall 20. By means of the second actuators, for example a hydraulic cylinder, the attachment elements and the scraper blade 24 attached thereto can be moved on the guides 56 so as to move the scraper blade 24 through the opening 16 into a scraping position as shown in Figure 9a and, conversely, into the frame 12 for material collection as shown in Figure 9b.

[0048] Figures 10a and 10b show an enlargement of the attachment of the scraper blade 24 for the bucket 10 according to a second alternative embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the scraper blade 24 is attached to the frame 12 by means of an articulated blade joint 58. The bucket 10 includes a stop 60 for supporting the scraper blade 24 in the scraping position and blade actuators between the scraper blade 24 and the frame 12 for pivoting the scraper blade 24 in order to move it into a scraping position as shown in Figure 10 against the stop 60 and partially protruding from the frame 12, as well as into a snow-collecting position as shown in Figure 10b inside the frame 12, in which the scraper blade 24 closes the opening 16. The stop 60 can be, for example, a piece welded to the side wall of the frame with which a rotation of the scraper blade 24 around the articulated blade joint 58 is limited.

[0049] In both the first alternative embodiment of Figures 9a and 9b and the second alternative embodiment of Figures 10a and 10b, the scraper blade 24 constitutes the obstruction means 36 for closing the opening 16.

[0050] The bucket according to the invention can be manufactured from steel in accordance with the prior art, a wear-resistant steel with a hardness suitable for the intended usage being employed for the front blade and the scraper blade and potentially also for the floor of the bucket. The frame of the bucket according to the invention can have a width of 150 - 300 cm, a height of 80 - 150 cm, and a depth of 90 - 180 cm. The volume formed inside the bucket frame can thus be 1 - 4 m³. The weight of the bucket can vary in the range of 400 - 1500 kg as a function of the materials selected and material strengths. The front blade and the scraper blade used in the bucket can be structures made of a wear-resistant steel according to the prior art, which structures can include blades with a hard casing in order to improve the durability of the structure. If the bucket according to the invention is used for collecting and scraping off a material other than snow, the front blade and the scraper blade used in the bucket can be reinforced in order to withstand the stresses brought about by handling a more abrasive material.

Claims

1. A bucket (10) for collecting material, preferably snow, which includes

- a frame (12) comprising

- a floor (14) comprising an opening (16),

- side walls (18) attached to the floor (14),

- a rear wall (20) attached to the floor (14) and to the side walls (18),

wherein the frame (12) forms a partly open volume for the material,

- a scraper blade (24) for scraping off material, arranged through the opening (16) and extending through the floor (14), and

- attachment elements (26) configured in association with the rear wall (20) for attaching the bucket (10) to a work machine (100),

characterized in that that the bucket (10) further includes

- wings (28), which are attached in an articulated manner by articulated joints (30) to front edges (32) belonging to the side walls (18), for collecting material from an area that is wider than the frame (12) in the bucket (10),

- actuators (34) for pivoting the wings (28) with respect to the articulated joints (30),

wherein the bucket (10) has two operating positions, namely a scraping position and a collecting position, wherein, in the scraping position, the scraper blade (24) is arranged so as to engage the material in order to scrape material off into the bucket (10) and, in the collecting position, the scraper blade (24) is arranged so as to be clear of the material with the wings (28) spread out in order to collect the material from an area wider than the frame (12) in the bucket (10).

2. The bucket according to claim 1, characterized in that the bucket (10) further includes moving means (62) for moving the scraper blade (24) into contact with the material to be scraped in the scraping position and clear of the material in the collecting position.

3. The bucket according to claim 2, characterized in that the floor (14) includes a flat part (40) and a bevelled part (42), wherein the opening (16) and the scraper blade (24) are arranged at the bevelled part (42) in such a manner that the scraper blade (24) is higher than the plane formed by the flat part (40) when the flat part (40) of the bucket (10) is lying against the substrate and parallel to the substrate, thus allowing material to be collected in the bucket (10) when the bucket (10) is moved against the substrate beneath the flat part (40) of the floor (14), and the moving means (62) are the attachment elements (26) for tilting the bucket (10) between the collecting position and the scraping position.

4. The bucket according to claim 3, characterized in that the attachment elements (26) are attached to the rear wall (20) in such a manner that the distance of the articulation points (48) formed in the attachment elements (26) from the plane formed by the flat part (40) of the floor (14) is 20 - 40%, preferably 25 - 35 %, of the height of the bucket (10), thus allowing the bucket (10) to be tilted in such a manner that the scraper blade (24) attached to the bevelled part (42) is in contact with the substrate.

5. The bucket according to one of claims 1 - 4, characterized in that the attachment elements (26) include two brackets (44) at a distance from each other, wherein each bracket (44) includes a hook (46) arranged at the upper end of the operating position of the bracket (44) and an articulation point (48) arranged at the lower end of the operating position of the bracket (44), and the brackets (44) are attached to the rear wall (20).

6. The bucket according to claim 2, characterized in that the moving means (62) includes coupling means (64) formed in the frame (12) for the scraper blade (24), as well as an actuator (66) arranged between the frame and the scraper blade (24) for moving the scraper blade supported by the coupling means (64) between the scraping position and the collecting position.

7. The bucket according to claim 6, characterized in that the scraper blade (24) is attached to the attachment elements (26) and the bucket (10) further includes

- vertical guides (56) formed in the rear wall (20) of the frame (12) as the coupling means (64), on which vertical guides the attachment elements (26) are arranged in a height-adjustable manner, and

- second actuators for moving the attachment elements (26) on the guides (56) so as to guide the scraper blade (24) through the opening (16) into the scraping position and conversely into the frame (12) for material collection.

8. The bucket according to claim 6, characterized in that the scraper blade (24) is attached to the frame (12) by means of an articulated blade joint (58) as the coupling means (64) and the bucket (10) includes

- a stop (60) for supporting the scraper blade (24) in the scraping position, and

- blade actuators for pivoting the scraper blade (24) so as to place it in the scraping position against the stop (60) and partially outside the frame (12), and in the snow-collecting position inside the frame (12), in which the scraper blade (24) closes the opening (16).

9. The bucket according to any of claims 1-8, characterized in that the bucket (10) includes a front blade (22) arranged at the front edge of the floor (14) in direction of travel of the bucket (10).

10. The bucket according to claim 9, characterized in that the opening (16) is arranged in the floor (14) at a distance from the rear wall (20), which distance is 0 - 200 of the length of the floor (14) between the front blade (22) and the rear wall (20), for collecting material in the bucket (10) in association with the rear wall (20).

11. The bucket according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that width of the floor (14) decreases as one moves from the front blade (22) of the bucket (12) towards the rear wall (20) along a length that represents 40 - 60 % of length of the floor (14) between the front blade (22) and the rear wall (20) for collecting material in the bucket (10), before increasing towards the rear wall (20), width at the rear wall being 80 - 110 % of the distance between the side walls (18) at the front blade (22).

12. The bucket according to claim 11, characterized in that the wings (28) are configured to pivot into a perpendicular position with respect to the front blade (22) of the bucket (10), next to the side walls (18).

13. The bucket according to any of claims 1 - 12, characterized in that the bucket (10) includes obstruction means (36) configured to prevent material collected in the bucket (10) from escaping through the opening (16), wherein the obstruction means (36) is arranged in association with the opening (16).

14. The bucket according to claim 13, characterized in that the obstruction means (36) includes a rubber flap (38) attached to the floor (14) before the opening (16), moving from the front blade (22) towards the rear wall (20), which rubber flap (38) at least partially covers the opening (16) and points towards the rear wall (20).

15. The bucket according to any of claims 1-14, characterized in that the side walls (18) include an inclined part (50) which slants outwards from a centreline of the bucket (10) in order to increase the volume of the bucket (10).

Drawing