AU688934B2 - Fencing machine - Google Patents

Description

Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

Names of Applicants: Actual Inventors: Peter Bruce GAS KELL apd Peter Bruce GASKELL and Christopher Michael DUNN Address for Service: r' ADERNPATN F11 TO6RINE%'fT1', COlt~~~~ Co K Vi rKrc V.

1 orr 1 Adelaiide, South Awctr~ili, Ac6zA8- e St zsc~ Invention Title: "FENCING MACHINE" Details of Associated Provisional Application No: PM 8112 dated 13th September, 1994 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to the applicants.

~*REG

-~22.10O(2)' 4,T 0~ -1- This invention relates to a machine which is useful for driving the posts of a fence, for example the posts which support the vines of a vineyard, and also to a method of fencing.

It is known to use standard type post driving equipment on mobile machines such as, for example, small graders, front end loaders, tractors or the like, to drive posts into the ground prior to stringing wires and creating a complete fence. However such machines are usually unnecessarily unwieldy, and are particularly difficult to steer when correction is required for alignment purposes. One object of the invention therefore is to provide a machine which is more useful for the driving of posts, which is more manoeuvrable, and which is of lower cost.

Another difficulty with utilising general purpose machines or adapting other machines as mentioned above is that usually those machines have ooooo relatively large engines, and these are expensive to run because of fuel and :15 maintenance costs. Another object of the invention is to provide a machine which can be powered by a much smaller engine, and yet get adequate speed to traverse the distance from post to post which can be quite small.

In an embodiment of the invention, there is provided a fencing machine comprising a front portion and a rear portion, wheels supporting remote ends of 20 said portions, articulation means joining adjacent ends of said portions for articulation about a vertical axis, a post driver carried on one of said remote ends, an operator control platform also on said one remote end adjacent the post driver, hydraulic steering means interconnecting said portions, and an engine/hydraulic pump assembly hydraulically coupled to said steering means.

While the invention need not necessarily include the abovementioned details an embodiment is describe hereunder in some further detail with -2reference to and is illustrated in the accompanying sketches wherein: Fig 1 is a partly sectioned plan view of a machine constructed in accordance with the invention; and Fig 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of Fig 1, Fig 2 also showing the plane 1-1 which represents the plane upon which the section of Fig 1 is taken.

In this embodiment a fencing machine 10 comprises a front portion 11 and a rear portion 12, the two portions being joined together for articulation about a vertical axis AA by a vertical pin 13 which extends between bearings 14 and 15 respectively on the front and rear portions. A hydraulic ram 16 is offset with respect to the central longitudinal plane of the machine, and coupled between the front and rear portions, the hydraulic ram providing means whereby steering of the front portion can be readily effected.

The machine is designed to carry a post driver of known type, and the ooi post driver 18 shown in part only is of the type sold under the Registered Trade 15 Mark "Sunbeam". It is a post driver of the type which is commonly used, and carries a weight 19 which thumps the post into the ground, When in use, the post driver 18 is vertical as shown in Fig 2 in full lines, but in transport it is desirable that the post driver be retracted and that is shown in dashed lines in Fig 2, being supported by a cradle 20. Because of the size of the post driver 18 it is obviously desirable that this be elevated or retracted by hydraulic mrneans, and there is provided a second hydraulic ram 21 which is an elevating ram and will retract the post driver from its in use position to its retracted position, co-operating with a guide link 22 as illustrated in Fig 2.

Post drivers are usually actuated by hydraulic means which effect lift of the weight, and the post driver 18 is shown to have a hydraulic lifting ram 23 to effect that lift. The ram 23, and its associated tilt rams 24a and 24b, are original equipment for the "sunbeam" post driver.

-3- In order to control the steering, elevating and post driver rams, the rear portion 12 is provided with a block of hydraulic valves 26, and these receive hydraulic fluid at pressure from a pump 27 driven by an engine 28, the engine 28 being carried on the front portion 11 in order to give more control of the wheels 30 which are used for steering, sometimes over rough terrain.

Not only does the pump 27 deliver fluid at pressure for actuating the three hydraulic rams 16, 21 and 23, but also for actuating a reversible hydraulic motor 31 (Fig 2) which forms portion of a motor/differential combination coupled to the two rear wheels 32 for driving the vehicle. This is also controlled by one of the valves of block 26 on the rear portion.

Because high speed and high torque is not required in this invention, the engine 28 can be quite small and the pump 27 can have relatively low output, and therefore the running costs of a machine in accordance with this invention is very much smaller than any other machine which could be used and which is 15 otherwise known to the applicants. Because of the facility to swivel the front portion 11 with respect to the rear portion 12, if some lateral adjustment is required for positioning the post driver 18 this can frequently be effected by merely swivelling the front portion 11 and working the machine forward and S backwardly, or in one direction only. This is far more effective than attempting 20 to swivel the rear end of a tractor for example.

As shown, there is provided at least one operator control platform 34 (if not two), so that the operator can quickly alight from the vehicle for example to collect a further post. A line of posts can quickly, easily and accurately be inserted in the ground by a single operator, by use of this invention.

A consideration of the above embodiment will indicate that the invention makes available a low cost vehicle, and it appears probable that the vehicle will be capable of a higher production rate than general purpose vehicles which have been used heretofore.

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Claims (7)

1. A fencing machine comprising a front portion and a rear portion, wheels supporting remote ends of said portions, articulation means joining adjacent ends of said portions for articulation about a vertical axis, a post driver carried on one of said remote ends, an operator control platform also on said one remote end adjacent the post driver, hydraulic steering means interconnecting said portions, and an engine/hydraulic pump assembly hydraulically coupled to said steering means.

A fencing machine according to claim 1, further comprising o 10 hydraulic drive means coupled to said wheels which support said one remote end.

3. A fencing machine according to either claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said engine/hydraulic pump assembly is located above that said end which is remote from said operator control platform. 15

4. A fencing machine according to any preceding claim wherein said articulation means comprises a vertical pin rotatable in bearings carried by both said portions.

A fencing machine according to any preceding claim further comprising a cradle on said one remote end, and an elevating ram and a link coupling said post driver to said one remote end in a configuration which guides said post driver between a vertical in-use position and a retracted position wherein it is partly supported by said cradle.

6. A fencing machine according to claim 5 wherein said steering means comprises a steering ram connected at its ends to respective said portions, and wherein said post driver comprises a lifting ram, further comprising a plurality of hydraulic valves adjacent said operator control platform for control of said respective rams.

7. A fencing machine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Dated this 5th day of January 1998. PETER BRUCE GASKELL By their Patent Attorneys COLLISON CO. a *i 6 ABSTRACT A fencing machine (10) has two portions (11, 12) which are hinged (13) between their adjacent ends. Wheels (30) at the front end of the machine support an engine/hydraulic pump assembly (27, 28), and wheels (32) at the other end support a post driver an operator platform and hydraulic control valves There are provided a steering ram (16) between the portions (11, 12) an elevating ram (21) for elevating or retracting the post-driver and a post driver ram all controlled by the valves (26). *V. oeo *e e