US1526799A - Ditching machine - Google Patents

Description

L.H.LAR5N DITCHING MACHINE Filed, Mar- Feb. 17, 1925.

1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I/v VE/V TOR Lou/.5 hf ll/msolv flTToR/VE rs L. H. LARSON' nrrcmxe mbnxua Filed March 1, 192g- 4 Sheesihe'et 4 Feb. 1.7, 1.925. 1,526,799

flTTORNEY-S Patented Feb. 17, 1925.

more n. arson, or -;SANTIAGO, MINNESOTA.

nrroHrNeMaoHmn.

Application filed. March 11, 1922. Serial NOFMOJSG.

T allay/20m itmrqz concern Be itlmownthat L'LoUIslI. Larson,

a citizen of the :United Q States, resident of Santiago, county of Sherhurne, State. of M nnesota, have 111vented-certa1n 1183\"52111Cl.

useful Improvements in Ditching Machines, of. i which the following, is a ;sp ecification.

.My. invention relates to. machinesadapted for dig 'ing widening or deepening open ditches or digging tile trenches, and theprimany object of: the inventionis to dispense with the heavy, cumbersomeinaohinesofthis type 111 general use and provide onesw l-nch terial on either. do ofi the; ditch-aor wtrench.

Afu1fthe1= iobject is to-provide a: frame; so constructed that it will adapt" ltSElfy to j inequalities of the ground over which; the niachine-lmayi .be moving.

tlon.

part of this specification?- Figure 1. a: plan view of a :ditching machine embodying my inventiom its load,

Figure 3 is. a detail sec-tionalwiew.onythc line i of Figure 2,

being indicated by dotted. lines, t

Figure 5 1s a detail vlew, showin-githe boom supporting carriage at the limit of its travel in one direction,

Figure-6 is a plan view shoW'ing the machinewith the EXtGnSlOllmlllflGk removed to adapt itgfor tile trenching :Figure: 7. is a front elevationuof ,thesane, Figures 8 and-9 .are. detailsperspective be moving, helt frames with the frame 5, allowing freeviews,.showing the. manner of. pivotnlly con necting the: frame rails at. the. corners,

Figure 10.1s adet-ail plan v ewuofthe hoom andhucket operating mechanism,

Figure. 11 is a. detailsectionalviewshow' ing the means .for automat cally stopping the movement of the boom supporting car- .riage on its track.

In the drawings, referring to Figures 1 and 2-,2represents suitable frames having traction belts 3 mounted. therein. These framesiare pivotally"connected atitswith the frame 5 of the naclnnm, WlllCll consists pret.

erably of I-heanirailsarranged to form a rectangle and having pivotal connectionsfi at the corners to allow the rails. to; rock or osc llate one upon the other and permit the frame ofgthe-machineto adapt itself to inequalities of the ground over which it may Braces 7 connect the traction dom of movement of the traction heltframes on their pivots hut holding-them in their ;prop.er relative position. D agonahbraces 8.pivotallyconnect-the side rails of the frame with the middle portionof the rear iails' and-aid in, holding the parts ofzthe frame in; ;position.

These braces also sl p.-

port theforward portionofithe deck .or plat ;0ther objects of the. invention will zap pear from .ythe 1 following ideta-iled flClQSQI'lP- form, as shown in; Figure V6.

At the rear of the main frame ,is 1 a iplatformsor deck-9 on which the power Theinvenl-ion consists-generajlly in va.-- rious; constructionseand-combinations, all L as hereinafter deseribed ,and:ipanticularly 1 pointediontiin the claims.

In the accon'lpanyingl .idrawings l forming plant 1 nd operating mechanism of the machineare mounted. 10 represents a.:suitable "motor, preferably of the internal con'ibustion type. Drive shafts 11' having universal: joints 12 therein arei connected with lLllG HlOlTOl 10. From; these shafts ll drive bolts 13 transmit power through. a

i suitable: differential to the traction helts tl Figaro 2.1sa. side elevation of, =t-he..-san1e, showing the 1' dipper 111 .posit-ionnto discharge to propel the machine. I do not explain this driving connection ,in detail, as it; may be is, applied from the motor to drive the traction belts. at the rear onhoth sides of the machine.

At the forward end of the deolrt9 lprovide a baseplate 14; having a pivot lfi for therear end of a boom; 16 provided with wheel-l7 to. roll on; the surface of illefbflse plate as {the -b00101 is -swung horizontally fromqisicle totside. 18 represents the; excavat-mg; dipper or. bncket, of any ordinary or preferred construction, having an. arm '19,

a lifting bail 20, and a hinged bottom 21 normally held in its closed position by the locking device 22, commonly used on dippers of this type.

The boom has a horizontal extension 23 at its outer end and a cable 24 is connected to this extension at 25 and has a running connection with the bail 20 and from thence passes over a sheave 26 on the boom to a drum 27 mounted preferably near the middle portion of the deck 9 and which I prefor to designate as the loading drum. A drive shaft 28 is mounted on the deck 9 and has a belt connection 29 with the motor 10 and a chain drive connection 30 with the drum 27. This shaft operates continuously when the motor is in motion, having preferably a friction starting clutch 31 and a clutch by means of which the drive chain 30, loosely connected with the shaft 28, may be controlled. A roller 33 is preferably mounted on the middle portion of the boom for guiding the loading cable past the dipper arm. This cable has the function of pulling the dipper through the soil to load it, as indicated by the dotted line position of the dipper and cable in Figure 2.

A drum 34, see Figure 3, is mounted in the boom and a cable 35 is attached to the dipper arm and is wound on said drum. A worm gear 36 is mounted on the drum 34 and engages a worm 37 on a rod 38 having an operating crank 39 by means of which the drum 34 may be revolved to wind or unwind the cable 35 and regulate the depth of the drop of the dipper, according to the depth of the ditch that is being dug.

I prefer also to provide sight gauges in connection with this cable controlling the drop of the dipper, said gauges comprising bars 40, vertically movable in guides 41 on the boom and having cables 42 connected with the drum 34 and wound thereon simultaneously with the cable 35. A series of pins 43 project horizontally from the bars at different elevations, so that the operator of the machine can sight over these pins to the stakes, having similar pins for convenience in sighting, in front of the machine, which -are set out by the engineers to indicate the depth of cut of the ditch to obtain the desired fall and provide for the flow of water by gravity. By the operation of the worm control, the cable regulating the depth of drop of the dipper and the gauge bars will be simultaneously adjusted and will work in unison in the operation of the machine.

A raising and lowering cable 44 is attached to the rear of the dipper and extends to a drum 45 that is loosely mounted on its shaft 64 near the loading drum 27. This drum has a driving connection 46 with a continuously operating shaft 47 driven by a chain 4-8 from the drive shaft 28. A similar drum 45 is also loosely mounted on shaft 64 and has a driving connection 46 with the shaft 47. Operation of these drums is controlled by a clutch 49 on the shaft 47 (see Figure 10, where this clutch is shown in neutral position, with both drum stationary). A cable 50 connects the drum 45 with the locking device of the dipper bottom.

I prefer to provide the drums 45 and 45 with lugs 51 and 51 arranged so that one drum may make one revolution independently of the other drum and then the lugs will come in contact with each other and the second drum will be revolved with the first one. By the adjustment of the clutch 49 the drum 45 may be revolved one revolution independently of the other drum to trip the dipper bottom, and then moved together, or the clutch may be moved in the other direction and power transmitted to the drum 45 to revolve both the drums in the first instance.

I will now proceed to describe the boom supporting track, which forms the principal part of my invention:

Referring to Figures 1 and 4, reprecents a curved track, mounted at 53 011 the forward rail of the main frame and having bolsters 54 seated on the side rails and secured by suitable means, such as bars 55. This track 52 is preferably of I-beam con struction and a carriage 5G is provided to slide longitudinally on the upper flange of the track, supported by wheels 57 and guided by suitable means, such as rollers 58. This carriage is free to travel back and forth on the track following the curvature thereof and the arc of the circle (of which the pivot of the main boom is the center). At each end the track is provided with safety stops 59. A frame 60 is mounted on the carriage 56 and projects upwardly therefrom and near its upper end has cross bars 61 adapted to enter notches 62 in the lower edge of the end extension 23 of the boom and form a seat for the boom, the frame 60 supporting the weight of the outer end of the boom and the dipper and transmitting the load thereof to the carriage and the track beneath, thus relieving the opposite end of the machine from the function of counter-balancing the boom and bucket. Usually in machines of this type the rear portion of the machine has to be made sufliciently heavy or weighted sometimes to counterbalance the tendency of the outer end of the boom and the bucket to tilt the machine. This naturally throws the weight to the rear and concentrates it at one point, making it diflicult to move the machine over soft ground and necessitating a heavier structure than is necessary for the work to be performed. IVith my machine the boom is supported at both ends, the rear portion may be made much lighter, and in general the weight of themachine canbe distributed andthe bearing points widely separatedso that there is less tendencyof the machine to: sink into soft ground. a a

The use of: the carria 'e su ortin the a PP g outer end ofthe boom enables me tomount.

the track down close to the frame of the-ma:

chine Where it is unnecessary tovbracei it against racklng and i tWlStlll g i to the a extent that would be necessary if the track were raised to a; point opposite the normal position ofthe outer end of the boom. Furthermore, the use of thecarriage permits tilting of the machine frame on uneven ground without affecting the IHOVQDTGDt OZEitlIQ boom to the extent that it i would be if the track were raised.

I prefer to provide two supporting bars 61 so thatthe elevation [of theboonrcan be changed slightly, if desired, and thesheave 26 is made adjustable in the boom, as indi-V a point outside the frame of the machine,

as, indicated by dotted lines in; Figure 1,

where it will be noted the bucket or dipper and boom are indicatedby fu'll lines in the middle of the figure, 4 while a in dotted lines a the dumping position ofthe bucket is 1nd1-.

cated either to the right orleft of thema chine frame.

i For oscillating the boom and bucket to these a dumping positions, I a provide drums 63 and 63 keyed tothe shaft 64 onwhich the drums45 and 45 are loosely mounted. Cables 65 and65 are connected withthe drums 63 and 63, the former forswinging the boom to the left and the latter for swinging it to the right. The cables are oppositely woundton the drums, as shown plainly in Figures land 10.

For operating these drums I prefer to provide the following describedmechanism:

Referringto Figure 1l,a gear 66 is mounted on the drum 63. A pinion 67flS secured on a SllflftjGS' and'meshes with the gear 66 to revolve the drums 63 and 63 when power is. applied to said vshaft. gear 69 is mounted on the shaft- Hand pinions 70 and 70? are loosely mounted-on said shaft and mesh with the gear-69' uponopposite sides of the shaft 47. Clutches 71 and 71 are provided forvr-locking the pinions 70 and TOe alternately on the shaft 68. Asliding rod 72: is placedbetweenthe clutches 71 and 71? so that when one is moved into its clutching position, the other is disengagedreversing the dil'GOtlOUuOf movement of the shaft GS -and tl'iedrums 63-and 63M107 wind or-unwind the cables. Clutch arms 73" and 7 ti a-re providedand rods Hand 74 con nect these clutch arms with arms 7 5 and 7 5 mounted on shaft/s76 and 7.6 on the forward portion of the deck 9,. These shafts extend transversely of, the lmachine' and are a provided with operating-hand levers 7 7 and'77 by means of which the operatorof the machine-can control the direction of revolu tion of the drums63 and63 It isdesirable in machinesof this typeto provide means for automatically operating theclutches 71 and 71 to stop the boom when itreaches a pointjnear the end iofits I therefore provide supporting track. cables 7 8 and? 8211110- formerconnected with the arm and theqlatter with the lever77.

These cables extend forwardly to-bell cranks 79'and 79flmounted on the underside o-fthe track 52; and connected by links 80 with trip,

levers 81 and i 81 which project upwardly into the path ofa bracket 82, on the frame 60530 that when-"the carriage reaches a predetermined point in its inovemchton the track this bracket will engage one of the trip levers and act-uateitto shift the clutch 1nembers 71;and 71 and stop the drums63 and'63 The cables "65 and 65 engage the sheaves 83 011 aasliding bar 841 mounted at the forward portion of the deck and have runningconnectionswith sheaves 85; 86 and" 87 mfounted on the end" portions ofthe curved track, and from thence past to sheaves SS and are connected atS9-tol the forward middle portion of the carriage, for moving it and the boom supported thereby baclcand forth on the track as the cables1 arci wound andunwound on the drums. Thus theoperator of the machinemay, by the manipulation of thehand levers, control the lateral movement ofthebooni-supporting carriage or hemay allow the outer movement to be automaticallycontrolled by thewtrip'levers and their connections with the drum controlling clutches.

In Figure 6 I have shown a machine adapted} for digging 'tile trenches, or those. where a tile is laid in the excavation and then covered usually, as distinguished from the Wider open ditches in the digging of which the machine with the curved supporting track is used.- The operation of the apparatus shown in Figures Sand 7 is substantially thesame as described with ref erence to the other figures, the curved track being removed and the carriage supporting the'boom resting and sliding upon the forward rail of the machine frame. hen the machine is used in thisway, the bucket is preferably unloaded (ii-discharged on either side of thenarrow tile trench, as: indicated by dotted lines in Figure 6..andthere is sufficient, room between the side :railsof the frame to unload the bucket, as itis not necessary to deposit the excavated material outside the frame, and hence the use of the track for guiding the carriage to a point beyond the sides of the frame is unnecessary. In other words, in digging narrow or tile trenches, the curved track may be omitted, the forward portion of the boom being carried directly upon the frame of the machine, while in wide ditches, usually those of the open type, there is no room inside the frame to deposit the excavated material, and hence the use of the track extending beyond the frame is desirable.

The forward traction supports of the main frame form the guiding means, and to oscillate these supports on a vertical axis to steer the machine, I provide a bar 90 mounted to slide transversely of the machine in guides 91 and connected by rods 92 with the forward portions of the traction belt frames. Cables 98 and 93 are connected to the ends of the bar 90 and pass around sheaves 9f on the machine frame to a steering post and lever 95 mounted on the forward portion of the deck 9. (See Figures 1 and 6.) A bar 96 mounted to slide transversely of the deck 9 is connected by rods 97 with the frames of the rear traction belts, and one end of this bar has a rack 98 meshing with a pinion 99 on a steering post and lever 100, also mounted on the forward portion of the deck 9, so that the operator of the machine can easily and quickly oscillate the rear supporting tractors to assist the guiding of the machine.

The sliding bar 84 and the sheaves engaging the cables and 65 have the function of guiding these cables back and forth on their respective drums, the bar 8 f moving transversely of the machine and being actuated through a belt 84 and screw 84? from the drum 63. (See Figure 1.)

I claim as my invention:

1. A ditching machine comprising a frame, a boom mounted at one end thereon, a track having bearings on said frame and extending transversely thereof adjacent the rails of said frame whereby said track is rendered more stable and bracing is avoided, a carriage mounted on said track on a level with the lower portion of said boom, means mounted on said carriage and projecting upwardly therefrom and having a support for the upper end of said boom, and means for moving said carriage on said track from side to side of said frame.

2. A ditching machine comprising a frame, a boom mounted to swing laterally thereon, an excavating bucket carried by said boom, a carriage having a support for the upper end of said boom, a track arranged transversely of said frame and having end sections projecting outwardly beyond the side rails of said frame a sufiicient distance to allow said carriage to be moved outwardly 011 said track to points outside the side rails of said frame and said excavating buckets to be discharged of its contents in the space between said frame and the end sections of said track.

3. A ditching machine comprising a frame, a boom mounted to swing laterally thereon, an excavating bucket carried by said boom, a carriage having a support for the upper end of said boom, a track for said carriage arranged transversely of said frame and having end sections projecting outwardly beyond the side rails of said frame a suflicient distance to allow said carriage to be moved outwardly on said track to points outside the side rails of said frame and said excavating bucket to be discharged of its contents in the space between said frame and the end sections of said track, said track and carriage being located on a level with the lower port-ion of said boom and adapted to support the upper or outer end thereof.

4. The combination, with a rectangular frame having supporting traction means at the corners thereof, of a boom mounted at one end on the rear portion of said frame and overhanging the forward portion to swing laterally, a curved track removably mounted on the forward portion of said frame, on a level with the lower portion of said boom, a carriage to travel on said track having upwardly projecting means for supporting the forward end of said boom, said carriage when said track is removed being adapted to run on the forward rail of said frame, and an excavating bucket carried by said boom.

5. In a ditching machine, a frame, a boom supported on the rear of said frame, an excavating bucket carried by said boom, a carriage mounted on the forward portion of said frame for lateral movement thereon, a frame projecting upwardly from said can riage and having a seat thereon to receiy'e and support the forward end of said boom, said boom being mounted for vertical adjustment on said carriage frame.

6. A ditching machine comprising a frame, rectangular substantially in form, and having a deck at its rear end and a curved track at the forward end of said frame projecting laterally beyond the side rails thereof, a carriage mounted to travel on said track and a boom supported at its rear end on said deck and having its forward end supported by said carriage to move laterally therewith, and an excavating bucket carried by said boom, said track being removable from said frame to allow said carriage to be supported and operated on the forward rail of said frame.

7. A machine of the class described comprising a frame, a curved track mounted on one end of said frame and having its ends extending outwardly beyond the side rails lUu iii)

of said frame, a carriage mounted to move back and forth on said track and having an upwardly projecting frame, cables attached to the lower portion of said carriage and having running connections with the outer ends of said track, drums whereon said cables are wound for moving said carriage back and forth on said track, a boom mounted at one end on said frame and having its opposite end supported by the upwardly projecting frame of said carriage, and an excavating arm and bucket mounted in said boom, said carriage, boom, and bucket being moved to bucket discharging points outside said machine frame upon opposite sides thereof.

8. A ditching machine comprising a frame, aboom mounted at one end thereon, a curved track supported on the forward portion of saidframe 011 a level with the lower portion of said boom, a carriage com "prising rails having wheels to rest and travel on said track, a frame supported by said carriage rails and projecting upwardly therefrom, and having means connected with said carriage, and with a source of power for moving said carriage forward and backward on said track, and an excavating bucket supported by said boom.

9. A ditching machine comprising a frame, a boom mounted at one end thereon, a track mounted on said frame and extending from side to side thereof, a carriage having antifriction hearings on said track and movable thereon from one side of the machine to the other, said carriage being on :1 level with the lower portion of said boom, means mounted on said carriage and projecting upwardly therefrom and having a support for the upper end of said boom, and means for moving said carriage on said track from side to side of said frame.

10. A ditching machine comprising a frame, a boom mounted at one end thereon, a track provided at the other end of said frame, a carriage mounted totravel on said track on a level with the lower portion of said boom, means for moving said carriage forward and backward on said track, a frame projecting upwardly from said earriage, cross-bars mounted in said frame upon different levels, and adapted to s p port the upper end of said boom, and for changing the vertical adjustment of said boom on said frame, and an excavating bucket mounted in said boom.

11. A ditching machine comprising a frame, a boom mounted at one end thereon, a track mounted on said frame, a carriage having bearings on said track 0 posite and on a level with the lower portion of said boom, means for moving said carriage for"- ward and backward on said track, levers for controlling the operation of said moving means, a frame mounted on said carriage and projecting upwardly therefrom and having a support at its upper end for the outer end of said boom, a bracket mounted on the lower portion of said frame in position to engage and actuate said levers when said carriage reaches a predetermined point on said track, and an excavating bucket mounted in said boom.

12. A, ditching machine comprising a frame having side and end rails, a boom mounted at one end on the rear port on of said frame, a curved track mounted on the forward rail of said frame and having bolsters seated on said side rails and secured thereto, said track being in the form of an I-beam and a carriage having wheels toslide on the upper flange of said beam and provided with suitable guiding rollers, means for moving said carriage forward and backward on said track, a frame mounted on said carriage and projecting upwardly therefrom and whereon the upper end of said boom is seated, and an excavating bucket carried by said boom.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 25th day of February, 1922.

LOUIS H. LARSON.

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