Skid loader

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article or section needs copy editing for proper spelling, grammar, usage, tone, style, and voice.
You can help by editing it now. A guide is available, as is general editing help.

The M-200 Melroe self-propelled loader was introduced in 1958.

First four-wheel, skid-steer loader from Melroe Manufacturing.

A Bobcat S300 skid-steer loader.

A Skid loader or skid-steer loader is a rigid frame, engine-powered machine with lift arms used to attach a wide variety of labor-saving tools or attachments. Skid-steer loaders are four-wheel drive vehicles with the left-side drive wheels independent of the right-side drive wheels. By having each side be independent of the other, wheel speed and direction of rotation of the wheels determine the direction the loader will turn.

Skid-steer loaders can turn in their own tracks which makes them extremely maneuverable and valuable for applications that require a compact, agile loader.

Unlike in a conventional front loader, the lift arms in these machines lie alongside the driver with the major pivot points behind the driver's shoulders. Because of the operator's proximity to moving booms and buckets, early skid loaders were not as safe as conventional front loaders, particularly during entry and exit of the operator. Modern skid loaders have fully-enclosed cabs and other safety features to protect the operator from injury. Like other front loaders it can scrape material from one location to another, carry material in its bucket or load material into a truck or trailer.

1 Operation
2 History
3 Other Compact Equipment
4 See also
5 External links
- 5.1 Major manufacturers
- 5.2 General information

[edit] Operation

A Skid loader can sometimes be used in place of a large excavator by digging a hole from the inside. The skid loader first digs a ramp leading to the edge of the desired excavation. It then uses the ramp to carry material out of the hole. The skid loader reshapes the ramp making it steeper and longer as the excavation deepens. This method is particularly useful for digging under a structure where overhead clearance does not allow for the boom of a large excavator, e.g. for the purpose of digging a basement under an existing house.

The conventional bucket of many skid loaders can be replaced with a variety of specialized buckets or attachments, many powered by the loader's hydraulic system. Examples of such substitutions are backhoe, hydraulic breaker, pallet forks, angle broom, sweeper, auger, mower, snow blower, stump grinder, tree spade, trencher, and wheel saw.

Angle broom	Auger	Hydraulic breaker	Snowblower
Stump grinder	Sweeper	Trencher

[edit] History

The very first three-wheeled, front-end loader was invented by brothers Cyril and Louis Keller (manufacturer) in their machinist blacksmith shop in Rothsay, Minnesota, in 1957. The Kellers built the loader to help a nearby farmer, Eddie Velo, mechanize the process of cleaning turkey manure from his two-story pole barn. The light and compact machine, with its rear caster wheel, was able to turn around within its own length, while performing the same tasks as a conventional front-end loader.

The Melroe brothers, whose Melroe Manufacturing Company was down the road in Gwinner, N.D., purchased the rights to the Keller loader in 1958 and hired the Kellers to continue refining their invention. As a result of this partnership, the M-200 Melroe self-propelled loader was introduced at the end of that year. It featured two independent front-drive wheels and a rear caster wheel, a 12.9-hp engine and a 750-lb. lift capacity. Just two years later, they replaced the caster wheel with a rear axle and introduced the M-400, the first four-wheel, skid-steer loader. The “Bobcat” name was added in 1962 to describe the key attributes of the machine: tough, agile, and quick. The term "Bobcat" is sometimes used as a generic term for skid-steer loaders. The M-440 was powered by a 15.5-hp engine and had an 1100-lb. rated operating capacity. Skid-steer loader development continued into the mid-1960s with the introduction of the M600 loader.

In the years since, the Bobcat skid-steer loader has experienced quite a few changes, including the development of a hydrostatic drive system, rollover protective cab structures, radius and vertical path lift-arm configurations, deluxe instrumentation and heating and air conditioning.

Today, in addition to rubber tire skid-steer loaders, there are all-wheel steer loaders and compact track loaders. Compact track loaders feature a rubber track undercarriage that provide better digging and pushing performance. Compact track loaders provide less ground disturbance and feature better traction and flotation in soft, wet, muddy, and sandy conditions.

Bobcat all-wheel steer loader

Compact track loader

[edit] Other Compact Equipment

Compact Hydraulic Excavators The compact hydraulic excavator is somewhat unique from other construction equipment in that all movement and functions of the machine are accomplished through the transfer of hydraulic fluid. The compact excavator's work group and blade are activated by hydraulic fluid acting upon hydraulic cylinders. The excavator's slew (rotation) and travel functions are also activated by hydraulic fluid powering hydraulic motors.

In recent years, hydraulic excavator capabilities have expanded far beyond excavation tasks. With the advent of hydraulic powered attachments such as breakers, clamps, augers, and compactors, the excavator is frequently used in many applications other than excavation and actually serves as an effective attachment tool carrier. Many excavators feature quick-attach mounting systems for simplified attachment mounting, dramatically increasing the machine's utilization on the jobsite.

Mini Loaders Mini skid-steer loaders or compact utility loaders are even smaller and include 'walk behind' cable or radio controlled skid loaders and the slightly larger platform skid loaders. Platform skid loaders have a small platform on the back instead of a seat for the operator to stand on.

Toolcat Utility Work Machine The Toolcat utility work machine combines the features of a utility loader (lifting, loading and material handling), utility vehicle/pickup truck (hauling cargo and towing a trailer) and attachment carrier (operating attachments for various applications) into one platform. It's designed to excel at large property maintenance, commercial groundskeeping and surface landscaping tasks. It can take an operator and a co-worker to the jobsite and complete the job like no other machine can — by out-lifting, out-towing and out-hauling other machines.