CA1036624A - All electric excavating and loading system - Google Patents

Abstract

ALL ELECTRIC EXCAVATING AND LOADING SYSTEM
Abstract of the Disclosure An excavating and loading system includes a vehicle having a main frame supported for movement over a surface and an excavating wheel assembly at the front end of the vehicle for rotation about an axis extending parallel to the width and perpendicular to the length of the vehicle. The excavat-ing wheel assembly comprises an axle, two rigid side excavating wheels mounted cantilever on the axle and representing the outermost structural components of the excavating and loading system, and a third rigid excavating wheel supported on the axle between the two side excavating wheels. An electric motor rotates the excavating wheels so that the digging buckets follow a circular path. An engine is mounted on the vehicle together with an electric generator driven by the engine for supplying power to the electric motor. Each of the excavating wheels has a plurality of digging buckets, with the buckets of the side excavating wheels spanning continuously from the outer ends of the assembly to points immediately adjacent supports for the wheels, and with the buckets of the center excavating wheel spanning continuously between points immediately adjacent these supports. Each digging bucket has a rear wall mounted for movement between a material receiving position and a material discharging position. The movable wall of each digging bucket is positively actuated to the material discharging position during each rotation in response to rotation of the excavating wheel assembly. A conveyor mounted on the vehicle behind the excavating wheel assembly receives material from the center excavating wheel and carries this material upwardly and rearwardly to a discharge point at the rear of the vehicle. Material received from the two side excavating wheels is directed to the conveyor for transportation to the discharge point.

Description

lQ36624 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This application is a division of application Serial ~2956 No. 249,229 filed March 30, 1976.
The present invention relates to improvements in excavating and loading systems which form an excavation of a sufficient width to allow the following portion of the system ! to move through the excavation. In large excavating and loading systems, for example, of the type capable of loading ¦1 4,000 cu. yds. of earth per hr., it has heretofore been known to utilize a system which forms a trench in the ground Il of a sufficient width to allow the system to move through li the trench behind the excavating portion of the system.
, Although various examples of such excavating and loading ! systems have been designed previously, the need persists I for considerable improvement in the art.
- , In accordance with the broader aspects of the present 1 invention, an improved excavating and loading system is ; ¦' disclosed including a vehicle with an excavating wheel i 1, assembly supported at the front of the vehicle. The ¦ excavating wheel assembly is wider than the following portion of the vehicle and forms an excavation which is wider than I the portion of the vehicle positioned in the excavation.
Supporting and housing apparatus is mounted on the front of the vehicle for supporting the excavating wheel assembly therefrom. The system is powered by an internal combustion I engine which drives a generator and hydraulic pump system.
i! At least one electric motor is positioned on the vehicle and ¦ a drive shaft extends from the electric motor to gearing withi I the excavating and loading wheel assembly for effecting ,~ rotation of the assembly.

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-- More specifically the invention consists of an excavating and loading system comprising: vehicle means having a main frame means supporting the frame for movement over a surface and having a predetermined length and a -predetermined width; excavating wheel means mounted at the front end of the vehicle means for rotation about an axis extending parallel to the width and perpendicular to the :~
length of the vehicle; said excavating wheel means comprising - axle means, two rigid side excavating wheels mounted - 10 cantilever on the axle means and comprising the outermost structural components of the excavating and loading system, :
a third rigid excavating wheel supported on the axle means :
and extending between the two side excavating wheels, and spaced, parallel excavating wheel supporting and housing :~
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: means extending between the center and the two side excavating wheels; means including at least one electric ~: motor and speed reducer means driven thereby for rotating .. the excavating wheels so that the digging buckets follow a -:
.. circular path; engine means mounted on the vehicle mea~s;
electrical generator means mounted on the vehicle and driven by the engine means for supplying operating power for the .~.
electric motor; each of said excavating wheels further comprisinq a plurality of digging buckets with the digging - :
. buckets of the side excavating wheels spanning continuously ~-.
. from the outer ends of the excavating wheel means to points :, immediately adjacent the supporting and housing means and ., .~
~;~. with the digging buckets of the center excavating wheel ' spanning continuously between points immediately adjacent - the two supporting and housing means; the digging buckets ~.

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~Q366Z4 each comprising a rear wall mounted for movement between a material receiving position and a material discharging position; means located within the margins of the excavating wheel means and responsive to rotation of the excavating wheel means relative to the vehicle for positively actuating the movable wall of each digging bucket to the material discharging position during each rotation thereof; conveyor means mounted on the vehicle behind the excavating wheel means for receiving material from the center excavating wheel and for carrying the material upwardly and rearwardly to a discharge point at the rear of the vehicle; and means :~
mounted on the vehicle behind the excavating wheel means for receiving material from the two side excavating wheels and for directing the material to the conveyor means for transportation thereby to the discharge point.
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1~36624 56 I DESCRIPTION O~ Tl~ DRAWI~GS
more complete understanding of the present invention ,. may be had by referrlng to the following detailed description , of embodiments thereof when taken in conjunction with the 1 accompanying drawings wherein:
!~ FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of an excavating and loading system comprising an embodiment of the present invention FIGURE 2 is a partial enlarged side elevation of the ¦' front portion of the excavating and loading system illustrated 1! in ~igure 1;
, ' .' ' FIGURE 3 is a partial enlarged plan view of the front .
. , portion of the excavating and loading system illustrated in Figure 2; ~-FIGURE 4 is a plan view partially in section similar I 1S !~ to Figure 3; -. .
FIGURE 5 is a section of the system for actuating ~ :
'~. 1l the rear plates of the digging buckets of the excavating . I and loading system taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4;
! FIGURE 6 is a front view taken on line 6-6 of r. 20 ¦I Figure 3, looking in the direction of the arrows; and I¦ FIGURES 7 and 8 illustrate views similar to Figure ¦1 4 of alternate configurations of the excavating wheel assembly : ¦~ Other aspects of the apparatus disclosed are claimed ¦~ in the parent application referred to above. .
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:. j, .--4- ~-~ 1Q366Z4 1~ 56 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODI~NTS
Referring now to th~ Drawlngs, and particularly to Figure 1, an excavating and loading system 20 incorporating thc invention is shown. The system 20 comprises a vehicle 22 with an opcrator cab 23 and rear tired type wheels 24 and front tired wheels 26. Each of the wheels 24 is adapted for ' movement over highways or other paved surfaces as well as for - , operation in unpaved areas, such as during the excavating ! operation. It is to be ~nderstood, of courset that other types of wheels such as endless track type wheels cc.uld be utilized with the system.
In the preferred embodiment, the rear wheels 24 are motorized wheels such as those that utilize a magnetic frame of the motor to support the vehicle as well as to serve as .,. , : .
L5 i a magnetic structure of the motor. This type of wheel ,- minimizes the overall vehicle width. These wheels are well known in the art and are presently manufactured by General ' Electric and sold as motorized wheels, model number 5 GE 772.
'I As illustrated in Figure 2, front wheels 26 are 1l pivotally connected to frame 30. Frame 30 is in turn pivotally connected to a subframe 32 at horizontally extending axis 33.
A pair of double-acting hydraulic cylinder assemblies 42 are , pivotally connected between the frame 30 and subframe 32.
j The rod 46 of the hydraulic cylinder assembly 42 is connected ~5 , to the frame 3n. By selectively actuating the hydraulic ; cylinder assemblies 42, the height H of the front end 34 of the subframe j, 32 can be raised or lowered.
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6 ' In accordance with the illustrated embodiment of the invention, an engine and generator (not shown) is supported on the subframe 32. The engine can be a Cummins model number VTA
1710 C 700 and the generator a General Electric model nu~ber ' 5 GT 603. In addition, the engine can be coupled to power - ' hydraulic pumps, air compressors and the like. The air ' -compressors are provided for the conventional braking systems i present on the vehicle. The hydraulic pumps, in turn, supply ~l~ operating power through suitable controls in cab 23 for the 10 ,; various hydraulically operated systems of the excavating i' and loading system 20. -~
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An excavating wheel assembly 60 is positioned on i' the forward portion of the vehicle 22. A pair of electric . I, motors 61 are mounted on the subframe 32 and supply power to drive the excavating wheel assembly 60 through drive shafts 63. The excavating wheel assembly 60 includes a supporting 'I and housing apparatus 62 extending from the front of the sub-j'l frame 32.
i! The support housing apparatus comprises a pair of I plates which rigidly extend from the subframe 32. The plates 64 are positioned in a vertically extending spaced arrangement.
The excavating wheel assembly 60 is supported from the plates .. ii .
64 to rotate about a horizontal axis. Drive shafts 63 extend through the plates 64 and supply power to the excavating ! whcel assembly 60, as will be hereinafter dcscribed in dctail.
In Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6, the details of the ~
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B2956 j excavating wheel assembly 60 are shown. The assembly 60 com-prises three excavating wheels 66a, 66b and 66c each of ! which are rotatably supported from the plates 64 by shafts j 68. The shafts 68 are driven by shafts 63 which are coupled ' to shaft 68 through right angle drive assemblies 70, as best ¦jillustrated in Figure 4. The wheels 66a, 66b and 66c are each connected to the shafts 68 through planetary gear speed reducers 72. Housings 74a, 74b and 74c are supported from Iplates 64 respectively within the excavating wheels 66a, 66b ¦jand 66c. Bearing assemblies 76a, 76b and 76c support the wheels 66a, 66b and 66c respectively, from the housings 74a, 74b and 74c. In this manner, each of the wheels 66a, 66b ~'and 66c is mounted to rotate about a horizontal axis ex-. . , , Itending through the center of shaft 68.
, Each excavating wheel 66 of the excavating wheel ¦assembly includes a pair of rims 84 which extend radially outward along the sides of the wheels. Rims 84 define the overall width of each wheel 66. Each of the rims 84 is rotatably supported from one of the housings 74 by bearings 76a, 76b or 76c.
! In the disclosed embodiment, two drive shafts 63 ¦and two motors 61 are provided. It is to be understood, ,of course, that a single motor and drive shaft could be used .-to power the shaft 68 through a single right angle drive 70.
, 25 IAs is illustrated in detail in Figure 5, each of the wheels ji66 further comprises a plurality of digging buckets 102 which ., l :' ' I j ~' ,,, , '' -, :

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56 are equally spaced circum~erentially aroun~ the wheels 66 and : extend between the rims 84. The digging buckets 102 each I have a cuttin~ edge 104 and a plurality of teeth 106 and a : l~ stationary wall 108, extending generally radially inward :: -!~ from the cutting edge 104. Each digging bucket further includes a rear wall 110, which is supported for pivotal ; I~move~ent between a material receiving position and a material discharge position.
1, Operation of the rear wall 110 is best illustrated 0 llin Figure 5, wherein the wall 110 is shown manipulated between jla material receiving position where the respective buc'cets 102 are in the lower and forward position of their rotary motion : -I'and a material discharge position where the respective buckets ~ , - ¦jare in the upper and rearward positions of their rotary motion.
.5 ! Referring particularly to Fiqures 4 and 5, an actu-. j. ating system 120 for the digging buckets 102 is shown. The system 1~120 is located completely within the margins of one of the : ¦¦wheels 66 and comprises a plurality of push rods 122, each ¦lof which is connected between one of the rear walls 110 and ~0 I!a chain 124. The chain 124 is generally unconstrained, b~t :
¦,extends around a roller 126 which is supported from one of the ::
~housings 74 by brackets 129. The roller 126 is sprocketed ,on its outer periphery to engage the chain 124. As the I;excavating wheels 66 are rotated about the shaft 68 under the ;`)5 1 action oE the ~otors 61, each push rod 122 comes into engage-ment with the roller 126 whereupon its respective rear wall 110 ;` ' , ' ' , -~

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- ! -lQ366Z4 U2956 is pusl~ed outwardly into the material dumping position.
Subsequently, as each digging buc~ct is rotated to the lower j and forward portion of the circular path, the ch~in operates through the push rod 122 to positively return the rear wall 110 to the l,materi~ in~ positlon. This positlve ~ctuation of the ¦'rear wall 110 in both directions has been found to be vastly superior to the arrangements that have been used heretofore jwherei~ rear portions of digging buckets were allowed to return to the diggin~
jposition under the action of gravity and/or crowding of lexcavated material into the buckets. It is envisioned, of ¦jcourse, that other positive actuating systems could be used, i such as those described inU S. Patent llo. 3,896,571, granted July 29, 1975 to Charles R. Satterwhite.

¦I Positioned below and behind the excavating Jheel ¦ assembly 66 is a moldboard assembly 130. The moldboard assembly 130 is connected to the subframe 32, as is illustrated~
in Figure 2. The embodiment utilizes an elongated blade 131, which is pivotally attached at 132 behind the excavating wheel 'assembly 60. A drag plate 133 is pivotally attached at 135 to the blade 131. A variable length ~ember, such as turnbuckle ¦;136, is pivotally attached between the drag plate 133 and the subframe 32. A selectively operable hydraulic cylinder 138 ,is connected between subframe 32 and the plate 133.

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6 ' The moldboard assembly 130 is mounted on the subframe 32 of vehicle 22 and can be raised and lowered as the vehicle is raised and lowered. The orientation of the blade is not changed by the raising and lowering of the excavating wneel assembly 60. The position of the blade 131 and the drag plate I -133 are selectively controlled by operation of hydraulic cylinder 138. If the cylinder 138 is actuated and elongated, the blade 131 is moved downward, increasing the pressure on ¦ the plate 133. If the cylinder 138 is shortened in length, ! the plate 131 will be raised and the pressure of drag plate ¦ 133 will be reduced. Thus, by manipulating control means provided in the cab 23, the effective length of the hydraulic cylinder 138 can be selectively varied to appropriately ¦
~position the bearing or drag plate as desired. ~his bearing or drag plate can be adjusted to set the vertical pressure to reduce bouncing and stabilize the excavating system.
j As is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the excavating ¦and loading system 20 further includes a loading system 140.
IThe loading system 140 includes a main conveyor 142 co~prising lan endless belt 144 mounted for movement around the course ¦extending angularly upward relative to the subframe 32 of the vehicle 22 and including a lower material receiving portion ~- ¦146 and an upper material delivery portion 148. ~lore particularly ; the course of the belt 144 is defined by a plurality of rollers (not shown) enclosed which are supported on a conveyor frame : 150. The conveyor frame 150 is supported from the frame 30 of :, i ., ,.' il "
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r lQ366Z4 ~2956 the vehicle 22 and includes means supporting the upper portion , 148 for movement about a horizontal axis under the action of a hydraulic cylinder (not shown). l`his permits control of the vertical height and allows folding the matcrial delivery S i portion 148 of the conveyor 142.
1 Belt 144 of the main conveyor 142 extends around a drum 154 mounted at the upper end of the frame 150 and around ¦Ithe drum 156 on the subframe 132. The upper and lower drums are rotated by radial hydrauiic motors (not snown). By this Il,means, the belt 144 is moved around the course defined by the rollers to move material from the material receiving ¦,portion 146 to the material discharge or delivery portion 148.
¦~ A chute 160 is supported from the subframe`32 j'behind and below the excavating wheel 66 to receive material discharged from the buckets 102. The chute 160 is shaped to direct material onto the material receiving portion 146 f the main conveyor 142. This chute 160 transfers material ~excavated by the wheels 66 onto the main conveyor 142 for Itransportation thereby from the material receiving portion 146 to the material delivery portion 148. In addition a pair of transversely extending conveyors 162 can be positioned behind the excavating wheels 66a and 66c to move material toward the center of the material receiving portion 146.
- 25 Referring now particularly to Figure 1, the dis-`.` I!
: jclosed embodiment of the invention further includes an l ! ~
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' 11 ' :~ ' C` lQ366Z4 ,6 an auxiliary conveyor system 170. The auxiliary conveyor syste~
170 includes a frame 172 which is secured to the rear end of the subframe 32 of the vehicle 22. A turntable 174 is supported . on the frame 172 for pivotal movement about a vertical axis under the action of a hydraulic motor (not shown).
!1 An inner conveyor 176 is supported on the turntable ~ ~ .
¦! 174 to receive materials discharged from the material delivery - :
¦I portion 148 of the main conveyor 142. The conveyor 176 com- :~
il prises a frame 178 which is supported on the turntable 174 and ¦¦ an endless belt 180 mounted around a course defined by a ¦! plurality of rollers The belt 180 is driven by a hydraulic :
¦, motor 181, and a hydraulic cylinder 182 is provided for controllin the angular relationship of the fràme 178 to the turntable 174. ¦ ;
j, The auxiliary system 170 further includes an outer . conveyor 184 comprising a frame 186 which is supported from I the frame 178 by upper and lower parallel links 188 and 189.
i In the present embodiment the upper parallel link 188 is a variable length double-acting hydraulic cylinder. An endless ¦ belt 190 is supported on a frame 196 for movement around a . 20 I course defined by a pair of drums 192. The conveyor 184 is driven by a small hydraulic motor (not sho~n) mounted in the : I drums 192.
. ~ A hydraulic cylinder 200 is pivotally connected .
between the frames 178 and 186 to manipulate the conveyor ¦ 184 with respect to the inner conveyor 176. In this manner, the outer conveyor 184 may be manipulated to selectively , receive material from the inner conveyor 176. ~y manipulating ' '1, ~ ~
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-r lQ366Z4 B2956 ' hydraulic cylinder 182 the angular relationship of the frames 186 and 178 can be altered as desired.
, In operation, the excavating and loading system 20 j~incorporated in the present invention, will be moved to the 5 l site by means of wheels 24. Hydraulic cylinder 42 will be ;adjusted at the site so that the excavating wheel assembly 60 llwill excavate at the desired depth. The moldboard assembly ¦l130 will be adjusted at the desired position by operation of ¦Ithe cylinder 138. Thereafter, excavating wheels 66 can be ¦Irotated to excavate material from in front of the vehicle. As ¦ illustrated in Figure 6, this excavation area will have 'a width C greater than the width A of the following portion lof the excavating and loading system 20, and thus the excavatin~
; land loading system 20 can move through the excavation formed ! by the excavating wheel assembly 60. It will also be jappreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art ~hat the ~moldboard assembly 130 will operate to remove any material left unexcavated in the spaces between excavating wheels 66 and crowd the material forward and into the excavating wheels ; 20 66.
The material thus excavated is then lifted onto the material receiving portion of the main conveyor 146 and is moved upward and rearward and is discharged over the material discharge end 148 and onto the auxiliary conveyor 170. The material is thereafter conveyed by the auxiliary conveyor 170 . .
upward and rearward where it can be dumped into a hauling vehicle as desired.
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~)366Z4 B2953 j A particular feature of the present invention is illustrated in Figure 6. In this Figure, it can be seen that i . .
the wheels 66a, 66b and 66c are positioned so that their ;
I, respective buckets 102a, 102b and 102c are angularly spaced ll from each other. This angular spacing of the buckets reduces j' the torque required to operate the excavating wheel assembly -because the individual wheels are not operating in the same ~ ¦
mode simultaneously.
¦ In Figure 7, an alternate configuration of the ! excavating wheel assembly is illustrated. The second ;~
embodiment of the excavating wheel assembly 201 is carried by the supporting and housing apparatus 62. The excavating wheel assembly 201 comprises three excavating wheels 202 each -~ ! ..
I having a plurality of digging buckets (not shown) which are identical in construction to the digging buckets 102 on . ~ the wheels 66. In addition, a bucket actuating system 204 is provided for moving the walls of the digging buckets. This ¦ system 204 is identical in construction to the bucket ¦ actuation system illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 as described I above. Each of the wheels 202 is identical to the wheel 82 in all respects except the driving means.
As can be seen, the wheels 202 are supported from a hollow shaft 206, which extends from the supporting and ~I housing apparatus 62. Wheels 202 have rims 210 and 212 which 1 are rotatably supported from shaft 206 by bearings 214.
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~56 A direct c ~ent electric motor 216 is connected to a gearbox 218 positioned inside the wheels 202 and supported on the shaft 206. Suitable electric conductors ~not shown) iarc connected to the motor 216 and cxtcnd through the lapparatus 62 to the cab 23. Conventional controls are provided in the cab 23 for controlling the operation of the motor 216.
¦¦ The motor 216 has a housing with an end plate 220 ¦Iwhich is fixed to the shaft 206. The gearbox 218 is in turn ¦Isupported between the motor 216 and the rim 212. The bucket :: Ijactuation system 204 is supported on the exterior of the ¦Ihousing of the motor 216, as shown.
The motor 216 is operably~connected to gearbox 218.
IThe gearbox 218 is conventional in design and provides a ¦speed reducing function for the output of the motor 216. A
Iplanetary gear provides the output from the gearbox 218 and -.~ Ithis planetary gear (not shown) is coupled to the rim 212.
In this manner, motor 216 drives the gearbox 218 which in Iturn rotates the wheels 202 through the rim 212. Thus, I :
- 20 ¦an electrical motor 216 is used to drive the wheels 202.
¦ According to another feature of this embodiment, .~ Icooling air is supplied in the motor 216 through the supporting . !and housing apparatus 62 as shown. Conduits (not shown) I are provided in the apparatus 62 and communicate with the Ihollow interior of the wheel engaging portion thereof. A
blower can be provided to force air through the conduits --~
into the interior of the supporting and housing apparatus 62.

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~ 1~366Z4 l32953 Another configuration of the excavating wheel assembly is illustrated in Figure 8. This embodiment of the excavating wheel assembly 302 is secured to the supporting and housing , apparatus 62 and contacts the wheel engaging portion thereof.
!` The excavating and wheel assembly 301 comprises three i' excavating wheels 302. These excavating wheels 302 comprise ; ¦! a plurality of digging buckets which are identical in ¦I construction to the buckets 102 on the wheels 66.
i ~In addition, a bucket actuation system 304 is ! provided for moving the walls of digging buckets. The system j¦ 304 is identical in construction to the bucket actuation ;~
system illustrated in Figures ~ and 5 described above.
i' The wheels 302 are identical to wheels 66 in all . 1: .
' aspects except in the driving means. The wheels 302 illustrated~`
1, in Figure 8 are each supported from a shaft 306 that extends ¦; from supporting and housing apparatus 62. Wheel 302 has i rims 310 and 312 which are supported from shaft 306 by ~` , bearings 314. An internal ring gear 320 is likewise positioned I inside the wheels 302 adjacent to the rim 310. An electric 2 motor 316 is supported from shaft 306 by brackets 318. The motor 316 is provided with an output sprocket which engages ring gear 320 to drive the wheel 302. Electrical lines communicating with the motor 316 are positioned to extend ~I through the supporting and housing apparatus 62.
From the foregoing, it would be understood that the present invention comprises additional improvements relating to the excavating and loading system disclosed and claimed in I! ~

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103662~ ~
U.S. Patent No. 3,896,571, granted July 29, 1975 to - Charles R. Satterwhite.
'l`hus, in accor~ance with tlle invcn~ion described herein, an e~cavating and loadiny system comprising the " vehicle having an cxcavatin~ wheel assembly for excavating the material and transferring the material to a main conveyor ¦jwhereupon the material is conveyed to the rear of the vehicle.
iA bifurcated supporting and housing means supports the excavating wheel assembly from the front oE the vehicle. The iexcavating wheel is driven by electrical motors with drive shafts extending through the bifabricated portion. The excavating wheel assembly is wider than the following portion llof the vehicle, thus allowing the vehicle to be supported from and travel through the cxcavation as it is formed.
! This arrangement also increases the width of the ¦excavation formed and permits operation of the excavating and ¦lloading system in the excavation. This materially reduces ¦the amount of movement of the excavating wheel assembly Inecessary to position the assembly for excavation and travel ¦and thereby reduces the overall complexity of ~he excavating and loading system incorporated in the present invention.
It is to be understood, of course, by those of ordinary skill in the art, that although the vehicle is illustrated with conventional tire-type wheels, track-type :~
¦I wheels could be utilized.
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.'' ~ , B2956 It is also envisioned that suitable apparatus could be mounted on the front of the vehicle 22 to provide pitch and roll adjustment for the excavating wheel assembly ' 60. This apparatus could simultaneously move the conveyor - 5 142, chute 160 and moldboard assembly 130 as a unit with .. the excavating wheel assembly 60 to minimize clearance between ' these elements and reduce spillage.
'j Although particular embodiments of the invention . ' have been illustrated in the accompanying Drawings and described in the foregoing Detailed Description, it will be . understood that the invention is not limited to the :. ,; embodiments disclosed, but is capable of numerous rearrange- .
. I~ ments, modifications, and substitution of parts and elements '; without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention .
: lS as defined in the appended claims.
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Claims (6)

The embodiments of the invention in which an an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An excavating and loading system comprising:
vehicle means having a main frame means supporting the frame for movement over a surface and having a predetermined length and a predetermined width;
excavating wheel means mounted at the front end of the vehicle means for rotation about an axis extending parallel to the width and perpendicular to the length of the vehicle;
said excavating wheel means comprising axle means, two rigid side excavating wheels mounted cantilever on the axle means and comprising the outermost structural components of the excavating and loading system, a third rigid excavating wheel supported on the axle means and extending between the two side excavating wheels, and spaced, parallel excavating wheel supporting and housing means extending between the center and the two side excavating wheels;
means including at least one electric motor and speed reducer means driven thereby for rotating the excavating wheels so that the digging buckets follow a circular path;
engine means mounted on the vehicle means;
electrical generator means mounted on the vehicle and driven by the engine means for supplying operating power for the electric motor;

(Claim 1 continued) each of said excavating wheels further comprising a plurality of digging buckets with the digging buckets of the side excavating wheels spanning continuously from the outer ends of the excavating wheel means to points immediately adjacent the supporting and housing means and with the digging buckets of the center excavating wheel spanning continuously between points immediately adjacent the two supporting and housing means;
the digging buckets each comprising a rear wall mounted for movement between a material receiving position and a material discharging position;
means located within the margins of the excavating wheel means and responsive to rotation of the excavating wheel means relative to the vehicle for positively actuating the movable wall of each digging bucket to the material discharging position during each rotation thereof;
conveyor means mounted on the vehicle behind the excavating wheel means for receiving material from the center excavating wheel and for carrying the material upwardly and rearwardly to a discharge point at the rear of the vehicle;
and means mounted on the vehicle behind the excavating wheel means for receiving material from the two side excavating wheels and for directing the material to the con-veyor means for transportation thereby to the discharge point.

2. The excavating and loading system according to Claim 1 further including at least one electric motor operatively connected to the supporting means for propelling the vehicle.

3. The excavating and loading system according to Claim 1 wherein the drive means is further characterized by:
dual electric motor means;
dual drive shaft means each drivingly connected to one of the electric motor means and each extending between the center excavating wheel and one of the two side excavating wheels of the excavating wheel assembly;
a pair of right angle drive means each drivingly connected to one of the drive shaft means and each having dual outputs extending substantially transversely to the drive shafts and into the excavating wheels; and the speed reducer means comprising three speed reducer devices each individual to and mounted within one of the ex-cavating wheels and each drivingly interconnected at least one of the outputs of the right angle drive means and the surrounding excavating wheel to effect rotation of the excavating wheel under the action of the electric motor means.

4. The excavating and loading system according to Claim 1 wherein the drive means is further characterized by three electric motors each mounted within one of the excavating wheels of the excavating wheel assembly and individual thereto, and three speed reducer devices each mounted within one of the excavating wheels of the excavating wheel assembly and individual thereto, and each drivingly interconnecting the associated electric motor and the associated excavating wheel to effect rotation of the excavating wheel under the action of the electric motor.

5. The excavating and loading system according to Claim 1 wherein each of the speed reducer means comprises a planetary gearset mounted within the associated excavating wheel and drivingly interconnected the excavating wheel and the associated electric motor.

6. The excavating and loading system according to Claim 1 wherein each of the speed reducer means comprises a pinion mounted on the output of the associated electric motor and a ring gear mounted within the associated excavating wheel and drivingly engaging the pinion.