CA2484710A1 - Trencher - Google Patents

Trencher Download PDF

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Publication number
CA2484710A1
CA2484710A1 CA002484710A CA2484710A CA2484710A1 CA 2484710 A1 CA2484710 A1 CA 2484710A1 CA 002484710 A CA002484710 A CA 002484710A CA 2484710 A CA2484710 A CA 2484710A CA 2484710 A1 CA2484710 A1 CA 2484710A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
digging chain
carriage
support frame
digging
trencher
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
CA002484710A
Other languages
French (fr)
Other versions
CA2484710C (en
Inventor
Wesley Allen Bainter
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from US10/147,834 external-priority patent/US6658768B1/en
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of CA2484710A1 publication Critical patent/CA2484710A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA2484710C publication Critical patent/CA2484710C/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • EFIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E02HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
    • E02FDREDGING; SOIL-SHIFTING
    • E02F5/00Dredgers or soil-shifting machines for special purposes
    • E02F5/02Dredgers or soil-shifting machines for special purposes for digging trenches or ditches
    • E02F5/06Dredgers or soil-shifting machines for special purposes for digging trenches or ditches with digging elements mounted on an endless chain
    • EFIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E02HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
    • E02FDREDGING; SOIL-SHIFTING
    • E02F3/00Dredgers; Soil-shifting machines
    • E02F3/04Dredgers; Soil-shifting machines mechanically-driven
    • E02F3/08Dredgers; Soil-shifting machines mechanically-driven with digging elements on an endless chain
    • E02F3/10Dredgers; Soil-shifting machines mechanically-driven with digging elements on an endless chain with tools that only loosen the material, i.e. with cutter-type chains
    • EFIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E02HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
    • E02FDREDGING; SOIL-SHIFTING
    • E02F3/00Dredgers; Soil-shifting machines
    • E02F3/04Dredgers; Soil-shifting machines mechanically-driven
    • E02F3/76Graders, bulldozers, or the like with scraper plates or ploughshare-like elements; Levelling scarifying devices
    • EFIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E02HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
    • E02FDREDGING; SOIL-SHIFTING
    • E02F3/00Dredgers; Soil-shifting machines
    • E02F3/04Dredgers; Soil-shifting machines mechanically-driven
    • E02F3/76Graders, bulldozers, or the like with scraper plates or ploughshare-like elements; Levelling scarifying devices
    • E02F3/7609Scraper blade mounted forwardly of the tractor on a pair of pivoting arms which are linked to the sides of the tractor, e.g. bulldozers
    • E02F3/7613Scraper blade mounted forwardly of the tractor on a pair of pivoting arms which are linked to the sides of the tractor, e.g. bulldozers with the scraper blade adjustable relative to the pivoting arms about a vertical axis, e.g. angle dozers
    • EFIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E02HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
    • E02FDREDGING; SOIL-SHIFTING
    • E02F3/00Dredgers; Soil-shifting machines
    • E02F3/04Dredgers; Soil-shifting machines mechanically-driven
    • E02F3/76Graders, bulldozers, or the like with scraper plates or ploughshare-like elements; Levelling scarifying devices
    • E02F3/78Graders, bulldozers, or the like with scraper plates or ploughshare-like elements; Levelling scarifying devices with rotating digging elements
    • E02F3/783Graders, bulldozers, or the like with scraper plates or ploughshare-like elements; Levelling scarifying devices with rotating digging elements having a horizontal axis of rotation
    • EFIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E02HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
    • E02FDREDGING; SOIL-SHIFTING
    • E02F5/00Dredgers or soil-shifting machines for special purposes
    • E02F5/02Dredgers or soil-shifting machines for special purposes for digging trenches or ditches
    • E02F5/12Dredgers or soil-shifting machines for special purposes for digging trenches or ditches with equipment for back-filling trenches or ditches
    • EFIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E02HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
    • E02FDREDGING; SOIL-SHIFTING
    • E02F9/00Component parts of dredgers or soil-shifting machines, not restricted to one of the kinds covered by groups E02F3/00 - E02F7/00
    • E02F9/08Superstructures; Supports for superstructures
    • E02F9/0841Articulated frame, i.e. having at least one pivot point between two travelling gear units

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
  • Civil Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Structural Engineering (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Harvesting Machines For Root Crops (AREA)

Abstract

The trencher of the present invention includes a wheeled carriage (12) which has a steering mechanism and a digging chain (72) which operates along an upright path. The trencher includes an upright boom structure (60) that is mounted to the carriage and a digging chain support frame (64) that can be raised and lowered relative to the trencher along an upright path. The digging chain (72) is mounted to the digging chain support frame (64) by a powered sprocket wheel (70) and a freely turning pulley wheel (71). The sprocket wheel (70) and the pulley wheel (71) are positioned so that the digging chain describes an upright path. The path described by the digging chain is sufficiently upright so that the trencher can excavate a curved trench without the digging chain interfering with the walls of the trench to a degree that is sufficient to impede the operation of the trencher.

Claims (22)

1. A trencher comprising:
(a) a carriage for movement over a working surface, the carriage having a steering mechanism for turning the carriage to follow a curved path, (b) an upright boom structure mounted to the carriage, (c) a digging chain support frame mounted to the boom structure for upward and downward movement, (d) an endless digging chain engageable with wheels rotatably mounted to the digging chain support frame and disposed so that the digging chain describes an upright path, (e) a chain drive motor for causing movement of the wheels and the digging chain, and, (f) a digging chain support frame actuator operatively coupled to the digging chain support frame for raising and lowering the digging chain support frame relative to the upright boom structure, whereby the upright digging chain may be lowered into the working surface by activation of the digging chain support frame actuator to excavate a trench and whereby the upright digging chain may also dig a curved trench as the trencher follows a curved path while the digging chain does not sufficiently interfere with the walls of the trench to impede the operation of the trencher.
2. The trencher of claim 1, wherein:
the carriage is a wheeled carriage that includes a forward portion and a rear portion pivotably connected at a joint and the steering mechanism includes an actuator that causes relative rotating movement between the forward portion of the carriage and the rear portion of the carriage about the joint.
3. The trencher of claim 1 wherein:
the upright boom structure is mounted to the carriage and the digging chain support frame is mounted to the upright boom structure so that the digging chain support frame moves away from the center of the carriage as it lowers along a path that is not substantially more than 20° from vertical.
4. The trencher of claim 1 wherein:
the upright boom structure is mounted to the carriage and the digging chain support frame is mounted to the upright boom structure so that the digging chain support frame can be lowered along a path that is sufficiently close to the carriage to permit short radius turning of the carriage as the digging chain excavates a trench.
5. The trencher of claim 1 wherein:

the upright boom structure is mounted to the carriage and the digging chain support frame is mounted to the upright boom structure so that the digging chain support frame moves away from the center of the carriage as digging chain support frame lowers along a path that is not substantially more than 20° from vertical and so that the path of the movement of the digging chain support frame is sufficiently close to the carriage to permit a short radius turning of the carriage as the digging chain excavates a trench.
6. The trencher of claim 1 wherein:
the upright boom structure is mounted to the carriage and the digging chain support frame is mounted to the upright boom structure so that when the lower end of the digging chain is in a lowered position below the working surface while excavating a trench, the digging chain describes a path that is sufficiently vertical to permit a short radius turning of the carriage as the digging chain excavates the trench.
7. The trencher of claim 1 wherein:
the upright boom structure is mounted to the carriage and the digging chain support frame is mounted to the upright boom structure so that when the digging chain is in a lowered position below the working surface while excavating a trench, the digging chain is sufficiently close to the center of the carriage and the digging chain describes a path that is sufficiently vertical to permit a short radius turning of the carriage as the digging chain excavates the trench.
8. The trencher of claim 1 further comprising:
an auger assembly mounted to the digging chain support frame, the auger assembly including an auger drive sprocket wheel for engaging the digging chain and at least one generally transverse, horizontal auger mounted to the auger drive sprocket wheel for transferring material away from the digging chain as the digging chain excavates the material from a trench.
9. The trencher of claim 1 further comprising:
an auger assembly mounted to the digging chain support frame, the auger assembly including an auger drive sprocket wheel for engaging the digging chain and at least one generally transverse, horizontal auger mounted to the auger drive sprocket wheel for transferring material away from the digging chain as the digging chain excavates the material from a trench, the auger assembly adjustably mounted to the digging chain support frame for movement relative to the digging chain support frame to positions corresponding to desired trench depths.
MSO
10. A trencher comprising:
(a) a wheeled carriage for movement over a working surface, the carriage having a steering mechanism for turning the carriage to follow a curved path, (b) an upright boom structure mounted to the carriage, (c) a digging chain support frame mounted to the boom structure for upward and downward movement, (d) a digging chain engageable with wheels rotatably mounted to the digging chain support frame, the wheels disposed so that the digging chain describes an upright path, the wheels including a sprocket wheel that engages the digging chain, (e) an auger assembly mounted to the digging chain support frame including an auger sprocket wheel for engaging the digging chain and at least one generally transverse, horizontal auger mounted to the sprocket for transferring excavated material away from the digging chain, (f) a digging chain drive motor that powers the sprocket wheel for movement of the digging chain and the auger, (g) a digging chain support frame actuator operatively coupled to the digging chain support frame for raising and lowering the digging chain support frame relative to the upright boom structure, whereby the upright digging chain may be lowered into the working surface by activation of the digging chain support frame actuator to excavate a trench and whereby the upright digging chain may also dig a curved trench as the trencher follows a curved path while the digging chain does not sufficiently interfere with the walls of the trench to impede the operation of the trencher, and whereby the auger of the auger assembly also transfers material removed from the excavated trench away from the excavated trench.
11. The trencher of claim 10, wherein:
the carriage includes a forward portion and a rear portion rotatably connected at a joint and the steering mechanism includes an actuator that causes relative rotating movement between the forward portion of the carriage and the rear portion of the carriage about the joint.
12. The trencher of claim 10, wherein:
the upright boom structure is mounted to the carriage and the digging chain support frame is mounted to the upright boom structure so that the digging chain support frame moves away from the center of the carriage as it lowers along a path that is not substantially more than 20° from vertical.
13. The trencher of claim 10, wherein:

the upright boom structure is mounted to the carriage and the digging chain support frame is mounted to the upright boom structure so that the digging chain support frame can be lowered along a path that is sufficiently close to the carriage to permit a short radius turning of the carriage as the digging chain excavates a trench.
14. The trencher of claim 10, wherein:
the upright boom structure is mounted to the carriage and the digging chain support frame is mounted to the upright boom structure so that the digging chain support frame moves away from the center of the carriage as it lowers along a path that is not substantially more than 20° from vertical and so that the path of the movement of the digging chain support frame is sufficiently close to the carriage to permit a short radius turning of the carriage as the digging chain excavates a trench.
15. The trencher of claim 10 wherein:
the upright boom structure is mounted to the carriage and the digging chain support frame is mounted to the upright boom structure so that when the digging chain is in a lowered position so that the lower end of the digging chain is below the working surface and the digging chain is excavating a trench, the digging chain follows a path that is sufficiently vertical to permit a short radius turning of the carriage as the digging chain excavates the trench.
16. The trencher of claim 10 wherein:
the upright boom structure is mounted to the carriage and the digging chain support frame is mounted to the upright boom structure so that when the digging chain is in a lowered position so that the lower end of the digging chain is below the working surface and the digging chain is excavating a trench, the digging chain is sufficiently close to the carriage and follows a path that is sufficiently vertical to permit a short radius turning of the carriage as the digging chain excavates the trench.
17. The trencher of claim 10 wherein:
the auger assembly is adjustably mounted to the digging chain support frame for movement relative to the digging chain support frame to positions corresponding to desired trench depths.
18. The trencher of claim 10 further comprising:
at least one earth moving blade adjustably mounted to the carriage for moving excavated material away from or toward an excavated trench.
19. A trencher unit for attachment to and operation with a loader of the type having an attachment plate supported by movable hydraulically powered arms, comprising:
(a) a support frame having an attachment fitting for attaching to the attachment plate of the loader, (b) a digging chain support member mounted to the support frame, (c) an endless digging chain engageable with wheels rotatably mounted to the digging chain support member, (d) a chain drive motor for causing movement of the wheels and the digging chain, and, (e) an auger assembly adjustably mounted to the digging chain support member, the auger assembly adjustable for placement between a first lower position toward the lower end of the digging chain support member and a second upper position toward the upper end of the digging chain support member, the auger assembly including an auger sprocket wheel for engaging the digging chain and at least two generally transverse, horizontal augers mounted to the sprocket for transferring excavated soil away from the digging chain, whereby the digging chain may be oriented in an upright fashion and positioned and operated to excavate soil to make a trench while in an upright orientation thereby enabling the excavation of curved trenches, and whereby the position of the auger assembly may be adjusted between the first lower position corresponding to the excavation of a shallow trench and a second upper position corresponding to the excavation of a deep trench such that various trenches may be excavated having shallow or deep depths as the digging chain is operated in an upright orientation regardless of the depth of the trench being excavated so that a curved trenches of various depths may be excavated.
20. The trencher unit of claim 19, wherein, the attachment fitting of the trencher unit includes a means for adjustable side to side movement of the attachment fitting relative to the attachment plate of the loader.
21. The trencher unit of claim 19, wherein, the auger assembly includes first and second auger sprocket wheels position in front of and behind the digging chain support member, each auger sprocket wheel for engaging the digging chain and each auger sprocket wheel supporting at least one generally transverse, horizontal auger mounted to the sprocket wheel for transferring excavated material away from the digging chain.
22. The trencher unit of claim 19, wherein, the auger assembly includes first and second auger sprocket wheels position in front of and behind the digging chain support member, each auger sprocket wheel for engaging the digging chain and each auger sprocket wheel supporting at 4east tow generally transverse, horizontal augers mounted on either side of each sprocket wheel for transferring excavated material away from the digging chain and wherein the augers are removable and replaceable such that they can be set up in a first configuration wherein the augers push soil away from the digging chain when the digging chain is operating in a forward direction and such that they can be set up in a second opposite configuration wherein the augers push soil away from the digging chain when the digging chain is operating in a backward direction.
CA2484710A 2002-05-17 2003-05-15 Trencher Expired - Fee Related CA2484710C (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US10/147,834 US6658768B1 (en) 2001-05-19 2002-05-17 Trencher
US10/147,834 2002-05-17
US44483903P 2003-02-04 2003-02-04
US60/444,839 2003-02-04
PCT/US2003/015565 WO2003097946A2 (en) 2002-05-17 2003-05-15 Trencher

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2484710A1 true CA2484710A1 (en) 2003-11-27
CA2484710C CA2484710C (en) 2011-02-15

Family

ID=29552729

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA2484710A Expired - Fee Related CA2484710C (en) 2002-05-17 2003-05-15 Trencher

Country Status (4)

Country Link
AU (1) AU2003229310A1 (en)
CA (1) CA2484710C (en)
GB (1) GB2406872B (en)
WO (1) WO2003097946A2 (en)

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2008106710A1 (en) * 2007-03-07 2008-09-12 Darren Leslie Murdoch Trenching device
CN103397675B (en) * 2013-08-12 2015-05-20 日照市东港区水岩基础工程处 Elliptical ditching machine
CN118633391B (en) * 2024-08-15 2024-11-15 内蒙古农业大学 A pit digging device and pit digging method for sand prevention and control tree planting engineering
CN120273402B (en) * 2025-06-12 2025-08-26 漳州职业技术学院 Excavator and working method thereof

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3603010A (en) * 1969-05-15 1971-09-07 Charles J Polinek Backhoe excavator with endless bucket attachment
US3771241A (en) * 1972-05-05 1973-11-13 Koehring Co Steering mechanism for trencher
US4974348A (en) * 1987-02-06 1990-12-04 Wallace Peter J Chain digger attachment

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB2406872A (en) 2005-04-13
WO2003097946A2 (en) 2003-11-27
AU2003229310A1 (en) 2003-12-02
AU2003229310A8 (en) 2003-12-02
GB0427566D0 (en) 2005-01-19
GB2406872B (en) 2005-12-21
CA2484710C (en) 2011-02-15
WO2003097946A3 (en) 2004-04-15

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Effective date: 20210517