US 12,227,917 B2
Yoke assembly for excavator thumb
Aaron D Kovar, Topeka, KS (US); and Ryan P Shea, Wamego, KS (US)
Assigned to Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, IL (US)
Filed by Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, IL (US)
Filed on Aug. 26, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/412,843.
Prior Publication US 2023/0064244 A1, Mar. 2, 2023
Int. Cl. E02F 3/40 (2006.01)
CPC E02F 3/404 (2013.01) 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A thumb for an implement of a machine, the thumb comprising:
first and second side plates each having a pivot end for pivotally connecting to a linkage of the machine and an engagement end for engaging with a load;
a belly plate extending across a width of the thumb between the first and second side plates and extending along a length of the thumb from the pivot end toward the engagement end;
a yoke assembly mounted to a surface of the belly plate and configured to connect the thumb to a thumb actuator that pivots the thumb about the pivot end, the yoke assembly including:
a first yoke plate having a first yoke plate opening;
a second yoke plate opposing the first yoke plate and having a second yoke plate opening aligned with the first yoke plate opening;
a first inner collar spacer mounted to an inner surface of the first yoke plate aligned with the first yoke plate opening;
a second inner collar spacer mounted to an inner surface of the second yoke plate aligned with the second yoke plate opening; and
a thumb support structure disposed at the engagement end, the thumb support structure including:
a first support plate having a first convex side facing the pivot end and a first concave side facing the engagement end, the first convex side being connected to the belly plate,
a second support plate having a second convex side facing the engagement end and a second concave side facing the pivot end, the second concave side being connected to the first concave side and forming a cavity, and
a third support plate being connected to the first convex side and an interior side of the belly plate.