GB1589074A - Mole drainers - Google Patents

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO MOLE DRAINERS (71) I, MICHAEL HENRY MOORE, a British citizen of Wellinditch Farm, Stow Maries, Chelmsford, Essex CM3 6SD do hereby - declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particu Marly described in and by the following state ment: This invention relates to mole drainers for boring drainage holes in ground up to depths of, say, 36 inches, the holes being generally circular in cross section.

Known mole drainers comprise a single boring beam which is dragged along the ground by a towing vehicle, such as a tracked vehicle known as a "crawler", and whose free trailing end is provided with a vertically-adjustable blade having at its lower end a mole and an expander which are pulled through the ground at a predetermined depth to provide a bored drainage hole.

These known mole drainers suffer from two major disadvantages. Firstly, the weight bf the beam dragging along the ground in the region above the mole and expander tends to hinder displacement of the soil, due to the progress of the mole and expander through the ground, thus impeding the progress of the drainer, and also that of the towing vehicle, and causing the beam to move up and down, whereby the boring depth is not maintained constant. Secondly, the leading edge of the blade above the ground tends to collect roughage, such as hay and stubble, between the ground and the other side of the beam, thus causing the beam to lift from the ground with a consequential raising of the mole and expander moving beneath the ground.

The present invention overcomes these disadvantages associated with known mole drainers by providing a mole drainer comprising a boring beam which has a vertically adjustable blade provided, at its lower end, with a boring device and two parallel beams which are connected to the boring beam on opposite sides thereof, whereby, in use, the two parallel beams contact the compact, and the boring beam is spaced from the ground.

The boring device may comprise a conventional mole and expander but may also comprise any other suitable boring device which is capable of providing a drainage hole beneath the ground.

The blade is advantageously located at the trailing end of the boring beam, the drainer being provided with a frame with respect to which the boring beam is pivotable between working and non-working positions.

A preferred embodiment of mole drainer in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a partial elevation of the mole drainer, in use, and Figure 2 is a partial plan view of the mole drainer taken along the line A-A of Figure 1.

In the drawings, a mole drainer comprises a rectangular frame 1 mounted between a pair of running wheels 2. A pair of parallel beams 3, extending parallel to and between the longer sides of the frame 1, are spaced a predetermined distance apart by transverse members 4, 5, 5', 5" and 4' and are, at their leading ends, pivotally mounted on the frame 1 by means of a horizontal pivot pin 6 extending transversely between the leading ends of the two longer sides of the frame. Secured to the leading ends of the parallel beams 3 are a conventional eye coupling 7 and an adjustable coupling 8, which can be connected to cooperating couplings on a vehicle, such as a tractor, for towing purposes, these two couplings being pivotable with respect to the beams 3 upon a pivot pin 9.

A boring beam 10 is secured rigidly between, and parallel to, the two beams 3 via the transverse members 5', 5" and 4' and is provided at its trailing end with a vertically-adjustable blade 11 having, at its lower end, a mole 12 and expander 13. The beam 10 is located above the beams 3 such that in the working position, as shown in Figure 1, it does not contact the ground.

The beams 3, boring beam 10, the blade 11 and associated mole 12 and expander 13 are pivotable about the pivot pin 6 with respect to the frame 1 by means of a hydraulic or pneumatic lifting unit 14 whose piston 15 is pivotally secured to the boring beam 10 at 16 and whose hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder 17 is secured pivotally at 23 to the frame 1 via supports 18, 19. Hydraulic or pneumatic operating hoses 20 connect the cylinder 17 to a hydraulic or pneumatic supply located on, say, a towing vehicle. Thus, the boring beam 10, and associated blade 11, mole 12 and expander 13, can be lowered into the working position as shown in Figure 1, or raised into a non-working position when not in use.

The depth of the mole 12 and expander 13 below ground level can be adjusted by means of spaced holes 21 in the blade 11 adapted to receive a locating pin 22 passing through an associated hole (not shown) in the beam 10.

It has been found that mole drainers constructed in accordance with the invention do not suffer from the disadvantages associated with known mole drainers having a boring beam which, in use, is dragged along the ground. Also, it has been found that the inventive mole drainer reduces frictional retarding forces with the ground, whereby it can be towed by a conventional wheeled tractor, whereas the known mole drainers have to be towed by "crawlers". When moving known mole drainers from site to site, the associated "crawler" has also to be moved, thus involving the use of a low loader vehicle for transportation of the "crawler", whereas drainers in accordance with the present invention merely have to be towed by their associated towing tractor between sites. Therefore, substantial reduction in operating costs is attained.

Claims (8)

WHATICLAIMIS:

1. A mole drainer comprising a boring beam which has a vertically-adjustable blade provided, at its lower end, with a boring device and two parallel beams which are connected to the boring beam on opposite sides thereof, whereby, in use, the two parallel beams contact the compact, and the boring beam is spaced from, the ground.

2. A mole drainer as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the two parallel beams are pivotally connected to a wheel-mounted frame for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis, whereby the boring beam and associated boring device are movable between working and non-working positions.

3. A mole drainer as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the boring beam and associated boring device are movable between said positions by means of a hydraulic or pneumatic lifting unit connected pivotally between the boring beam and the frame.

4. A mole drainer as claimed in Claim 2 or 3, wherein the frame is rectangular and the two parallel beams and boring beam are located between the longer sides of the rectangular frame.

5. A mole drainer as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the blade is located at the trailing end of the boring beam.

6. A mole drainer as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the leading ends of the two parallel beams are provided with towing means.

7. A mole drainer as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the boring device comprises a mole and expander.

8. A mole drainer substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.