US1619875A - Excavating machine - Google Patents

Description

March 8,1927. TLLOFTUS 1 75 EXCAVATING MACHINE Filed Jan. 25, 1926 \J ffiO .5 INmNTOR v 1 TLLOfzfuS.

A TTORNE YS 'THUMAS LAWRENZGE LOFT US, DEITV'ER, CQIJOBADO, ASSIGNOR T0 ELLEN VIRGINIA V TIMM, 6F DENVER, COLORADO.

EXCAVAT-I'NG MACHINE.

Application filed January 25., 1926. Serial No. 83,695.

My invention relates to improvements in excavating machines, and it consists in the combinations, constructions, and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object .of my invention is to provide an excavating machine which is adapted to dig trenches of various widths and depths, or which may be used for digging and elevating potatoes or the like, the device when used for this latter work employing a chain belt to permit the dirt to fall from the potatoes.

A further object of my invention is to provide .a device of the type described which is extremely simple in construction, durable.

and iefficient for the purpose intended.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device,

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the device,

Figure 3 is a plan view of a chain belt employed with the device,

Figure 4 is a plan view of the digging point,

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the device, and

Figure 6 is a section along the line 66 of Figure 5.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a frame 1 mounted upon wheels 2. The front wheels 2 are connected to the frame 1 by means of a rocker bolster 3. A tongue 4 is connected to the bolster 3 for permitting the device to be drawn by horses. It is obvious that the device may be drawn by a tractor, if desired.

The frame 1 carries uprights 5, these uprights being braced by bracing bars 6. A conveyor frame 7 is pivotally secured to the uprights 5 adjacent to the top of the up rights. The conveyor frame 7 carries an endless belt 8 for conveying dirt to a chute 9. \Vhen potatoes are being dug, the belt 8 is removed and a. chain belt 10 of the type shown in Figure 3 is substituted therefor. This belt permits the dirt to fall from the potatoes or other articles dug while conveying the potatoes to the chute 9.

In Figure 1, I show an engine 11 which is operatively connected to the conveyor belt 8 by means of a belt or chain 12. A clutch, not shown, may be used for operative'ly connecting or for disconnecting the engine 11 from the conveyor belt 8.

The forward end of the conveyor frame 7 is pivot-ally connected to a'digging point 13 at 14. The point in turn is pivotally connected at 15 to a. supporting bar 16, the latter being pivotal'ly secured at 17 to the frame 1. The pivot pin 17 carries a sleeve 18 through which the bar 16 1s slidably disposed. This bar is provided with a. plurality of openings 19 for receiving what I term .a ratchet 20, which in reality is a .pin, remova'bly disposed in any one of the openings 19.

The pin 20 is carried a guide member 21 and this member in turn is carried by the sleeve 18 so as to be moved when the sleeve is moved. It is obvious that when the bar 16 is lowered, the frame 7 will pivot about the upright 5 and will carry the digging point 13 in a circular path, thereby causing the bar 16 to pivot at the pointl7.

To permit this movement, I mount an idler pulley 22 on an arm 23 and pivotally secure this arm to the upright 5 at 24. A spring 25 yieldingly holds the pulley 22 in contact with the belt 12. lVhen the frame 7 is in the position shown in Figure 1, the idler pulley 22 takes up some of the slack in the belt 12. This slack is for the purpose of per mitting the frame 7 to pivot about the upper ends of the uprights 5 without causing the belt to bind upon the pulley 26.

The special construction of the digging point 13 is shown in Figure 4. It will be noted from this figure that the digging point is channel-shaped and carries cutting discs 27 on the sides thereof. These discs determine the width of the trench dug. The forward end of the digging point is rounded at 28 for the purpose of scooping the dirt. Cutter points 29 are removably carried by the member 13 and are for the purpose of loosening up the ground just in front of the digging point. As the machine, is moved forward, the loosened ground is received by the digging point and is then conveyed onto the conveyor belt 8 by means of an upwardly curved rear end portion 30, this portion overlying the lower end of the conveyor belt.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood. As

stated in the first part of the specification, the device may be used for digging a trench or removing potatoes or the like from'the ground. WVhen potatoes are being dug, the digging point 13 is disposed substantially in the position shown in Figure l. The chain belt shown in Figure 3 is used, and it will therefore be apparent that as the device is moved over the ground, it Will remove the potatoes from the ground, convey the potatoes and dirt upon the chain belt 10, and then Will convey the potatoes to the chute 9, the dirt in the meanwhile dropping through the chain belt 10.

In digging a trench, disc cutters 27 are adjusted for the desired Width of trench. In addition, the frame 7 together with the digging point 13, is lowered to the desired depth the pin or bolt'20 being inserted in one of the openings 19 as soon as the adjustment has been made. As heretofore stated, the bar 16 Will slide through the sleeve 18 and Will cause the sleeve to pivot on the point 17. The guide member 21 Will also swing With the sleeve 18, thereby keeping the bolt in close proximity to the bar 16 at all times. The device is now ready for digging.

The excavator may be drawn by horses or by a tractor, and as it is drawn forward, it Will dig a trench of the desired depth and Width and Will convey the dirt onto the conveyor belt8, this belt subsequently delivering the dirt to the chute 9. The chute is at a suiiicient height above the ground to permit the chute to deliver the dirt by gravity to a Wagon, if desired. The pivot point 15 is provided with clamping means, such as Wing nuts 31 for rigidly securing the digging point to the bar 16. This construction prevents the buckling of the digging point 13 at the points of pivot 14 and 15.

I claim:

An excavator comprising a frame, Wheels for supporting said frame, a digging point, cutter discs adjustably carried by said digging point cutters carried by said digging point, means for adjusting said digging point with respect to said frame, a conveyorhingedly secured at one end to said digging point and pivotally carried by said frame, an endless belt carried by said conveyor, means for actuating said endless belt a chute disposed beneath the free end of said conveyor a suflicient distance above said frame to permit the substance carried by the conveyor to be emptied into the chute.

THOMAS LAWRENCE LOFTUS.

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