AU619967B2 - Operating console for a trenching machine - Google Patents

Description

0i9967 COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTIRALIA Patents Act 1952 :0.

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o a AUSTOFT INDUSTRIES LIMITED Cummins Street, North Bundaberg, Queen'sland, 4670,

AUSTRALIA.

Rodney Allen STIFF Malcolm John BAYER Graham George YATES GRANT ADAMS COMPANY Patent Trade Mark Attorneys Level 9 NATIONAL M UTU AL CENTRE 144 Edward Street BRISBANE QUEENSLAND 4000

AUSTRALIA.

FOR THE INVENTION ENTITLED: Address for Service: COMPLETE SPECIFI CATION 1 OPERATING CONSOLE FOR A TRENCHING MACHIN4E" The following statement is a full description of tnle invention including the best method of performing it known to the applicant.

-I I INT ODUCTION THIS INVENTION relates to an opereting console for a trenching machine or trencher and, more particularly, to an operating console for a trenching machine on which the operator may ride and which is self-propelled.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Trenchers are machines used for digging 10trenches into which pipe, cable and the like may be laid Ss"' 10 and then covered. The trench cut by the trencher is as cleanly formed as possible to reduce unnecessary damaqe 0000 Sto the earth surface since such trenches are commonly S: made to lay underground wiring or telephone cables in Sresidential areas.

Such trenchers commonly have the trenching head or cutting tool mounted on the rear of the vehicle with the filling blade mounted on the forward end. The 0 operator faces forwardly and while the machine is moving in the forward direction, the trenching head is lowered and the trench is dug. After the trench is completed or simultaneously therewith, the cable or pipe is laid in the trench. Thereafter, the filling blade on the forward end of the trencher is used to fill the trench with the previously removed earth.

Present trenchers suffer many disadvantages.

One problem is the operator's position. Because the operator faces forwardly, he is continually looking rearwardly over his shoulder to determine the operating characteristics of the trenching head. When a trench is being dug, however, there is considerable shock transferred to the vehicle and thereafter transferred to the operator. When the operator is in a position with his head sidewise to observe the trenching unit, there ft is additional strain placed on his back and the additional shock because of such an operating position results in frequent spinal injuries to such operators.

A further problem with existing trenchers is that relating to the operating platform and controls.

In present trenchers, foot operated controls for at least some of the trencher functions are present. The presence of such foot operated controls on the operating platform creates tripping opportunities and a cluttered operating environment. More importantly, however, the chance of a back injury occurring is increased. This is so because the operator may place additional strain on his back because of the concurrent use of a foot control a e when his sight extends rearwardly in observing the 15 trenching head. Some trenchers have rotatable operating o• consoles. When the operating console is rotated, the presence of foot operated controls or other obstructions on the operating platform of the trencher offer the potential for inconvenience and possible injury to the operator when the operating console is being rotated.

*s Yet a further problem with existing trenchers :is that most are mec:hanically operated or utilize a as combination of mechanical and hydraulic components to power the vehicle and to operate the trenching unit sees attached to the vehicle. Mechanical components in a trencher, while being commonly used and easily available s es are not the most desirable components in a machine which is continually subject to shock and impact loading.

This is so since, again, the impact loads are transmitted directly to che frame of the vehicle and, thereafter are transmitted directly to the operator.

Such loads are absorbed only minimally and the mechanical components used for the power train and trenching unit. A related problem is that with a mechanical power train using forward and rearward differentials, the position of the drive shaft from the prime mover to the rear differential results in an operator straddling the drive shaft. Again, therefore, the operating platform is obstrusive and inconvenient for the operator.

In a broad aspect, the present invention resides in a trencher comprising: a main frame; a trencher head at the rearward end of said main frame; and an operating console mounted on the main frame, said operating console comprising: an operator's chair means mounted on an So. operating platform on said main frame; an operator's control panel; 15 a steering wheel on said operator's control panel; connection arm means extending between said operator's chair means and said operator's control panel; and 20 control means for said trenching head on

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said operator's control and/or said connection arm 0 means; i. the improvement comprising means for mounting said operator's control panel for a limited partial rotation between the forward and rearward ends of the said trencher with said operator's chair means and said connection arm means; said control means being operable when said operator's control panel is in said limited partially rotated position, whereby the operator can observe the trenching operation while looking over his shoulder to observe the forward motion of the trencher when the operator's control panel is partially rotated between the forward and rearward ends of the trencher.

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66£ C BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be described, by way of example only, by the use of drawings, in which: FIG 1 is a side view of the trenching machine according to the invention; FIG 2 is a front view of the trenching machine of FIG 1; FIG 3 is a rear view of the trenching machine of FIGS 1 and 2; 10 FIG 4 is a plan view of the trenching machine according to the previous FIGS; FIG 5 is a partial sectional view taken along the lines V-V of FIG 6;

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i-; FIG 6 is a side view of the trencher with particular reference to the front axle and filling blade assemblies; FIG 7 is a diagrammatic side view of the trenching unit; FIG 8 is an exploded isometric view of the trencher according to the present invention; and FIG 9 is partial diagrammatic sectional view of the gear train.

DESCRIPTION OF THE SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

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Referring now to the drawings, a trenching machine is shown generally at 10 in FIG 2. It comprises four main units, the trenching head or unit generally shown at 11, the longitudinal main frame generally shown at 12 (FIG the operating console generally shown at 13 and the combination front axle and filling blade assemblies generally shown at 17 (FIG The longitudinal main frame 12 consists of a pair of relatively narrow frame members 14, 20 spaced a distance apart depending upon the size of the c particular trenching machine 10. The longitudinal frame a. members 14, 20 have a forward end 21 which is the forward end of the machine 10 and a rearward end 22 (FIG 7).

a 25 At the rearward end 22 of the longitudinal ej main frame 12, a fuel tank 23 holds the fuel for the vehicle 10 and acts as a structural cross member for the longitudinal frame members 14, 20. A second tank, namely the hydraulic oil tank 24 is mounted forwardly of the fuel tank 23 and similarly acts as a structural cross member and bears a significant portion of the load on the longitudinal main frame 12. The rear wheels of the trenching machine 10 and their associated hydraulic motors 16 are mounted in the longitudinal -i frame members 14, 20 adjacent the fuel and hydraulic oil tanks 23, 24, respectively. The fuel and hydraulic oil tanks 23, 24, respectively, also act to support the operating console 13 as will be explained hereafter.

A recess 30 between the fuel tank 23 and the hydraulic oil tank 24 is provided to act as an insulator to prevent the transfer of heat from the hydraulic oil in the tank 24 to the fuel in the fuel tank 23.

Two further cross-members are provided between the longitudinal frame members 14, 20 in the forward end of the main frame 12. The forwardmost cross-member 31 acts as a first mounting location for attachment of the axle 32 and its associated elements as will be described a in greater detail hereafter. The cross-member 31' (FIG O15 5) located rearwardly of the forwardmost cross-member 31 acts as a second mounting location for the support arm of the filling blade 34, the support arm 35 extending to the filling blade 34 below the axle 32, the filling blade 34 being positinoed at the forward end of the trenching machine 10 as will also be explained in greater detail hereafter.

Two openings 40, only one of which is shown, t' are positioned in the longitudinal frame members 14, Each opening 40 is located centrally between the forward and rearward ends of the frame members 14, 20. Each opening 40 allows access to the components between the o0o .longitudinal frame members 14, A pair of platform support brackets 41, 42 extend outwardly from the longitudinal frame members 14, j 20 and act to support the metal sheets 43, 44, respectively, which form the flat and unobstructed operators platform 46. Each of the metal sheets 43, act to support a cover 50, 51, within which are housed the most frequently serviced components of the trenching machine 10, namely the hydraulic valve assembly generally shown at 52 on the leftward side of the I ~V .1machine 10 and the oil filters 53 and battery 54 on the rightward side of the machine 10. The covers 50, 51 are removable together with the metal sheets 43, 45 so as to allow ready access to the components therein which are located outside the longitudinal frame members 14, The front axle 32 is, as previously noted, attached to the forewardmost cross member 31. A pin is inserted through the axle 32 and this pin 60 also e:ritends through the cross member 31. A steerable wheel assembly 61 is mounted to each side of the axle 32 and a respective hydraulic motor 52 is mounted to each of the steerable wheel assemblies 61. The steerable wheel assemblies 61 each include a king pin assembly 64 and a g: mount plate 66 connected to the king pin assembly 64.

j :15 Each hydraulic motor 52 is connected to a respective mount plate 66. The king pin assembly 64 further t oie includes a tie rod arm 67 and a steering arm 68. A eg reduction gear drive 69 is mounted to each king pin assembly 64. A tie rod 65 extends between the tie rod j 20 arms 67 on each king pin assembly 64.

C 0 A steering cylinder 59 is connected between the steering arm 68 of the king pin assembly 64 and the S front axle 32 of the trencher 10. A support arm 35 is pivotally mounted to the bracket 36 of the cross member 33. The support arm 35 extends between the mounting bracket 36 and the filling blade 34 below the axle 32.

A hydraulic cylinder 72 extends between the frame 12 and the support arm 35 and is used to raise or lower the filling blade 34. A second hydraulic cylinder 76 is A, 30 connected between the filling blade 34 and support arm as best seen in FIG 5. This cylinder 76 is used to change the angle of the filling blade 34 as may be desired.

The engine 73 of the trencher 10 is mounted on the longitudinal frame members 14, 20 (FIG 7) as illustrated. An engine cover 74 is mounted to be positioned over the engine 73 and is hingedly mounted to the forward end 21 of the trencher 10 so as to be easily removed and expose the engine 73.

The canopy or ROPS structure 80 is mounted on the sides of the fuel tank 23 at the rearward end of the main frame 12. It extends over the operator and also acts to provide protection from the elements as well as protection in the event of a rollover. Located outboards of the ROPS structure 80 and on the operating platform 46 are the filler heads 75, 77 for the fuel and the hydraulic oil, respectively. A small fence 78, 79 surrounds each filler head 75, 77 so that spillage t e cannot contaminate the floor of the operating platform 46.

*S 15 The operating console 13 is supported by the hydraulic oil tank 24. The operating console 13 comprises an operators chair 81 rotatably mounted on the top of the hydraulic oil tank 24 and a connection duct 82 (FIG 4) smoothly extending between the operators chair 81 and the operators console 86. The operators s \86 is located forwardly of the operators chair S. 81. It houses several operating controls and

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instruments for the trencher 10. The necessary Selectrical and hydraulic cables extend through the opening 85 in the platform 46 up the cylinder 87 on which the operators chair 81 is mounted and through the H o connection duct 82 to the operators e l\86. The connection duct 82 is located substantially above the level of the operating platform 46 and on one side of Corro\ c 30 the operators chair 81 and the operators eon e-\6.

A further bank of operators controls 83 is mounted on the top of the connection duct 82 adjacent the operators chair 81 and between the operators- i! 86 and the operators chair 81 so as to fall readily to hand. The controls 83 on the connection duct 82 comprise the primary controls, namely vehicle direction, 8 r< vehicle speed and the speed of the chain on the trenching head 11. There are no foot operated controls utilized on the trencher A flat plate 84 is connected to the bottom of the operators chair 81 about the circumference of the cylinder 87 which supports the operators chair 81. Twin stops 91 are mounted on flat plate 84. They act to contact a protuberance 97 connected to the frame 12.

They allow the plate 84 to rotate a maximum of 125 degrees on each side of the longitudinal axis of the trencher 10. A plurality of recesses 92 in che flat plate 85 which allow a keeper pin (not shown) to be o inserted at the desired operating location. The S*.oo operators chair 81 may be located at the 90, 105 and 125 a 15 degree positions from the centre position as desired.

.o With particular reference to FIG 4, the trenching unit 11 is mounted on the rear of the fuel tank 23 located at the rear of the trencher 10. It comprises a mounting bracket 96 ccnnected to a complementary bracket 94 mounted on the fuel tank 23.

The mounting bracket 86 may be moved laterally on a *oo complementary bracket 94 sG that the trenching unit can assume a plurality of operating positions, whichever is **Goo most desirable for the particular application. A safety pawl 100 is provided which is operable by the action of the operators foot. It retains the trenching unit 11 in I.VZ its raised position. A hydraulic motor 101 and drive assembly generally shown at 102 are mounted in the trenching unit head 103. The drive assembly 102 (FIG 9) comprises an input shaft 105 which drives drive gear 106. A relatively heavy flywheel 107 is mounted to the drive gear 106 and rotates therewith. The drive gear 106 powers drive gear 108 which, in turn, drives the gear sprocket 113 to which I:he chain 112 is connected.

The drive assembly 102 reduces the output speed of the hyrdaulic motor 101 to the desired speed for the chain 9 11.The trenching unit head 103 is pivotally connected to mounting bracket 96 f or rotation about the pivotal connection 104 (FIG 7) so that the trenching unit 11 may be raised or iowered in travelling to or from the ope=.ating location from the trencher 10. A hydraulic cylinder 110 is connected between the mounting bracket 96 and the Iraine 12 of the trencher 10 on the side of the pivotal connection 104 removed from the mounting bracket 96. Thus, the cylinder 110 raises and lowers the trenching unit 11.

The pivotal connection 104 (FIG 7) defines athe axis of rotation of the trenching unit. In particular, the axis of rotation of this unit is perpendicular to the plane of FIG 7 and passes through a the pivotal connection.

**:The digging head 111 comprises the aforementioned chain 112 connected to the drive sprocket 113 which extends from the trenching unit head 103. The chain 112 moves between the drive s-orocket 113 and an idler gear 114. An auger 120 is mounted on the same %Ott axis 200 as the drive sprocket 113 to remove the earth which is brought to the surface by the chain 112 to one L &I side of the machine. Axis 200 is shown in FIGS 1, 4 and 9. As can be seen in these FIGS, this axis of rotation is spaced from the axis of rotation of the trenching unit defined by pivotal connection 104. A chain guard 121 (FIG 7) extends from the trenching unit head 103 Fm.d IS.C C surrounds the top of the chain 112 for safety. A support arm 122 is also attached to the trenchingj unit head 103 and acts to support the trencher 10 as the digging operation is underway and to transfer the digging shocks to some degree from the trenching unit 11 to the ground rather than to the trencher

OPERATION

In operation, the operator will commence the operation of the trencher 10 by positioning the trencher i 10 at the desired operating location. The operatoS Scontrols 83 include an engine r.p.m. lever (not shown) 0 h! a direction lever (not shown) for the trencher 10 and a lever (not shown) used to commence the movement of the chain 112.

The operator may wish to assume a rearward operating position and, in order cc do so, he will grasp lever 123 adjacent the operators chair 81 and pull it upwardly to allow keeper pin 93 to become removed from the centre recess and thereby allow the operating console 13 to be rotated in its entirety around the axis 115 of the cylinder 87. The operator may then select Sco the desired operating location whereby the keeper pin 9 ;93 automatically re-enters the appropriate recess. The 15 operator will then commence the operation of the chain 112 with the use of the appropriate control lever in the roperators controls 83.

The operator will initially lift the trenching unit 11 by the appropriate control lever on the operators console 86. The safety pawl 100 will be c manually disengaged from the trenching unit 11 which will then be lowered from its riased to its lowered position by contracting the hydraulic cylinder 110.

n c The pressure of the chain 112 on the earth may cC be controlled by the use of the appropriate control lever on the operators console 86. Because the support arm 122 will assume a position on top of the earth, a 0 good amount of force will be transferred by the chain 112 through the support arm 122 directly to the ground.

The operator, while operating the trenching unit 11, will also be moving the trencher 10 forwardly while digging. This is accomplished by moving the speed control lever in the operators controls 83. A high and low speed range is also provided in the operators controls 83. The use of the high speed range is for movement of the trencher 10 between operating locations.

The use of the low speed range is used when digging and operation of the trencher unit head 11.

While in the digging mode, any impacts caused by hard rocks, tree roots and the like are smoothed and absorbed by the use of flywheel 107 connected to drive gear 106. Thus, the problem of pressure spikes which can damage the hydraulic motor 101 is alleviated to a great extent.

Following completion of the trench digging, the operator will reverse the position of the trencher and put the operating console 13 in the straight ahead location. He will raise the trenching unit 11 and it will automatically be secure with the safety pawl :1 00. The filling blade 34 will be lowered on the 15 support arm 35 by the use of hydraulic cylinder 72 and o r, the blade skew angle will be adjusted by extending or retracting hydraulic cylinder 76. The earth removed by the chain 112 and positioned to one side of the trench by the auger 120 will then be pushed back into the trench following the placement of the cable or pipe.

Many modifications to the invention may 4to tD readily occur to those skilled in the art and while a specific embodiment of the invention has been described, such an embodiment should be taken as illustrative only itt 44 25 and not as limiting the scope of the invention as construed in accordance with the accompanying claims.

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Claims (6)

1. A trencher comprising: a main frame; a trencher head at the rearward end of said main frame; and an operating console mounted on the main frame, said operating console comprising: an operator's chair means mounted on an operating platform on said main frame; an operator's control panel; 6! <a steering wheel on said operator's control panel; Ip anl connection arm means extending between said Soperator's chair means and said operator's control S" 15 panel; and ,l control means for said trenching head on said operator's control panel and/or said connection arm means; the improvement comprising means for mounting 20 said operator's control panel for a limited partial S. rotation between the forward and rearward ends of the said trencher with said operator's chair means and said S, connection arm means; said control means being operable i when said operator's control panel is in said limited *I 25 partially rotated position, whereby the operator can i observe the trenching operation while looking over his ;i shoulder to observe the forward motion of the trencher i when the operator's control panel is partially rotated between the forward and rearward ends of the trencher. f 30

2. A trencher as in Claim i wherein all of the ioperator's controls rotate with the operator's control panel. i

3. A trencher as in Claim I or Claim 2 wherein: i said connection arm means being located to i one side of said operator's chair and said operator's control panel located substantially above said operating It I C to 9 I C a 0 C ac tee V Co CCO d ~e Y' i I platform and adjacent the level of said operator's chair.

4. wherein: A trencher as in any one of Claims 1 to 3 the operator's control panel houses instruments for the trencher; the operator's controls are mounted on said connection arm means and comprise the primary controls for the trencher, namely vehicle speed and the speed of the chain of the trenching head on the trencher; and hydraulic and electrical cables for the ope ator's controls and instruments extend through an opening in the operating platform, up a cylinder supporting the operator's chair on the operating 15 platform and through a connection duct in said connection arm means.

A trencher as in any one of Claims 1 to 4 wherein: a flat plate is connected to the bottom of 20 the operator's chair about the circumference of a cylinder which supports the operator's chair on the operating platform; a pair of stops are provided on the flat plate to contact a protuberence, on the main frame of the trencher on which the operating console is mounted, to allow the flat plate to rotate a maximum of 125 degrees to each side of the longitudinal axis of the trencher.

6. A trencher as in Claim 5 wherein: a plurality of recesses in the flat plats enable a keeper pin to be inserted so that the operator's chair is located at the 90, 105, and 125 degree positions from the longitudinal axis of the trencher. DATED this fifth day of November 1991. AUSTOFT INDUSTRIES LIMITED By their Patent Attorneys L14'- GRANT ADAMS COMPANY. 14