GB575821A - Improvements in or relating to excavating machines - Google Patents

Abstract

575,821. Escavators. RANSOMES & RAPIER, Ltd., and CAMERON, C. M. April 13, 1944, No. 8799. [Class 68 (i)] A drag-line excavator comprises two parallel and similar crawler trucks A, B spaced apart a distance substantially greater than the length of the tracks of the trucks, a frame D rigidly fixed to the front truck B and pivoted on a horizontal axis on the rear truck A, a gantry frame and boom mounted on the frame D and means also on frame D for driving the trucks and operating the boom and drag-line apparatus ; the driving means preferably comprises a motor and gearing on a cab above the truck A and controls in a cab above the truck B. The trucks may have single or multiple tracks. The drag line preferably passes over a fairlead L carried by a pivoted arm L<1> adapted to be swung laterally to permit side cutting. As shown, the rear truck A is pivoted to the frame D by brackets S, S<1>. The driving mechanism comprises an engine N which, through reversing gearing drives a' shaft N<1> connected to the drums U controlling the elevating, hoisting and drag-line ropes and also driving gears N<3>, N<4>, N<5>; from gear N<4> and bevel gears O<1>, a shaft P may be driven, which shaft, through clutches P<2>, R<1> drives the trucks simultaneously or independently, while from gear N<5> may be driven a transverse shaft T<2> carrying spaced pulleys from which ropes L<3> pass to the fairlead arm L<1> to move the latter laterally.