US2017477A - Excavator and loader - Google Patents

Description

EXCAVATOR AND LOADER Filed Deo. 1, 1952 5 sheets-sheet' 1 Oct. 15, 1935. Q W sHlpPE 2,017,477

EXCAVATOR AND LOADER Filed Deo. l, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct, l5, 1935. c. w. sHlPPEE EXCAVATOR AND LOADER Filed Deo. l, 1932 Gew-$17 v' Sheets-Sheet 3 55 roll 22, both mounted in bearings in an oblique- Patented Oct. 15, 1935 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to a machine for removing loam or other easily loosened material from a ground surface to be stripped or excavated, and for loading the material into a suitable container for transportation.

It is the general object of my invention to provide a machine adapted to force a pair of scoops or shovels through the material to be removed, and to provide such a machine with improved means for raising and lowering each shovel and for applying do-wnward pressure thereon.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved elevating and conveying mechanism associated with the shovels and preferably adjustable therewith toward and away from the operative position of the shovels.

My invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

A preferred form o-f the invention, together with a modification thereof, is shown in the drawings, in which Fig. l is a side elevation of my improved excavator and loader;

Fig. 2 is a plan view therof;

. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation, taken along the line 3-3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of certain hydraulic operating mechanism;

Fig. 5 is an end elevation of certain parts, looking in the direction of the arrow 5 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a sectional end elevation of certain other parts, taken along the line 6 6 in Fig. 4,

' and Fig. '7 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing a modied construction of the mechanism for raising the shovels and conveyors.

Referring to the drawings, I have shown my invention embodied in a motor vehicle preferably having a single front wheel IIJ, a pair of rear wheels Il, inner frame members |2 and outer frame members I4. The machine is provided with a seat S for the operator and with a steering wheel W connected to swing the front wheel ID. A cross shaft |5 (Fig. 1) is connected through suitable clutch mechanism to an engine E and may be continuously rotated thereby. Chains I6 connect sprockets on the shaft |5 to sprockets I8 by which the wheels I are rotated. The motor vehicle may thus be driven and steered as desired.

A conveyor belt 20 at each side of the machine is mounted on a driving pulley 2| and a guidely positioned conveyor support 24. Each support 24 comprises a back portion 25 (Fig. 3) and raised side portions 26 which extend substantially above the upper run of the conveyor belt 20.

The support 24 is provided with guide-rolls 2l (Fig. 2) at each side thereof and said guide-rolls are positioned in guiding channel members 28 fixed to the frame of the machine at opposite sides of each conveyor support. The lower end 10 of each support is also provided with a base portion 33 and with a scoop or shovel 3|.

The lower end of eachr conveyor support 24 is pivotally connected at 33 (Fig. 1) to the lower end of a forked lever 34 (Fig. 2) mounted on a 15 short shaft 35 pivoted in the frame of the machine. Itis obvious that by swinging the lever 34, the conveyor support 24 and shovel 3| may be moved toward or away from the material to be excavated and loaded. v 2o For moving the lever 34, I have shown in Fig. 3 a hydraulic cylinder pivoted at 4| to the frame of the machine and having a piston 42 and piston rod 43. The rod 43 is pivotally connected at 44 to the forked lever 34. Pipes 45 and 46 25 connect the opposite ends of the cylinder 4|] to a suitable source of supply of iluid under pressure, and by connecting one end of the cylinder to the fluid supply and the other end tothe exhaust, the conveyor support 24 and shovel 3| may be 30 moved obliquely toward or away from the material to be excavated.

The machine is preferably provided with a self-contained body B having one or more dump gates 50, connected by a link 5|. In Fig. 4 I 35 have shown hydraulic mechanism for operating the gates 50, said mechanism comprising a cylinder 52 mounted on a fixed pivot 53 and having a piston 54 pivotally connected by a rod 55 to an arm 56 mounted on a cross shaft 5l. Addi- 40 tional arms 58 on the shaft 5l are connected by links 59 to one of the gates 50.

When pressure is applied through a pipe 60 to one end of the cylinder 52, the gates 50 will be moved to the open or dumping positions indicated in Fig. 4. When pressure is applied through a pipe 6| to the opposite end of the cylinder, the gates will be moved to the closed position shown in Fig. 1, in which position the arms 58 and links 59 form locking toggles. 50

Rotary hydraulic motors 'I0 (Figs. 2 and 4) are provided for the driving pulleys 2| by which the conveyor belts 2|) are operated, each motor being provided with a supply pipe 'II and an exhaust or return pipe '|2. A

Oil or other fluid under pressure is provided by pumps 14 and 15 actuated through a drive shaft 16 having a chain and sprocket connection to the crank-shaft 11 (Fig. 2) of the engine E.

The pump 14 supplies fluid to a feed pipe 80 (Figs. 4 and 5) which is connected to a pair of four-way valves 8| (Fig. 5). The valves 8| are also connected through branch pipes 82 to an exhaust or return pipe 83 by which the fluid is returned to the pump 14. The pipes 45 and 46 from one lifting cylinder 40 are connected to one valve 8| and the pipes 45 and 46 from the other lifting cylinder 48 are connected to the other valve 8|.

Handles 65 (Figs. 2 and 4) are provided for the valves 8|, and by manual operation of. the

valves 8| either cylinder 40 may be caused to raise or lower the associated conveyor support 24 and the shovel and conveyor belt mounted thereon.

A link 86 (Fig. 2) is pivoted to one handle 85 and is notched as indicated at 81 in Fig. 5 to engage the other vhandle 85. An additional handle 88 (Fig. 2) is provided on the link 86. When the link 86 is in operative position, the two valves 8| may be operated simultaneously to raise and lower both conveyor supports, but if it is desired to separately manipulate one of the supports, the link 86 may be swung over to inoperative position.

The four-way valves 8| are of ordinary commercial structure and are so constructed that when one of the pipes 45 or 46 is connected to the feed pipe 82, the other pipe 45 or 46 will be connected to the exhaust or return pipe Si). 'Ihe valves also have an intermediate position in which all pipes are closed so that there can be no circulation of fluid. When the valves 8| are in this latter position, each piston 42 is locked in its cylinder 45, thus holding the conveyor support substantially xed in a selected position.

The pump 15 (Figs. 4 and 6) is provided with a feed pipe 90 having a four-way valve 9| (Fig. 6) to which the pipes 6l] and 6| from the gate-operating cylinder 52 are connected. A return or eX- haust pipe S3 connects the valve 9| to the return side of the pump 15.

A handle S4 (Fig. 2) is pro-vided for manual manipulation of the valve 9|, and by suitably setting the valve fluid under pressure may be admitted to one end or the other of the cylinder 52, or the piston may be locked in position in the cylinder, the operation being substantially the same as for the valves 8| previously described.

The feed or supply pipe 90 is also connected by a pipe (Fig. 6) through a valve 96 tobranch feedpipes 1| supplying pressure uid to the conveyor belt motors 10 previously described. A handle 91 (Figs. 2 and 6) is provided for convenient manual operation of the valve 96. Additional hand-operated valves 98 are provided in each branch pipe 1| so that either motor 1|) may be rendered selectively operative or inoperative. The return pipe 12 (Figs. 4 .and 6) connects into the return pipe 93 previously described.

As the pumps 14 and 15 run continuously and the cylinders 4|! and 52 and motors 10 are used intermittently, I provide pressure relief Valves |08 and |6| (Figs. 5 and 6). 'Ihe relief valve |00 (Fig. 5) forms a by-pass fromthe feed pipe 8|) to the return pipe 83, through which fluid will `flow when a given operating pressure is exceeded.

The relief valve |8| (Fig. 6) similarly connects the feed pipe 95 to the return pipe 12, thus forming a pressure-controlled return for the pump 15.

Having described the details of construction of my excavator and loader, the method of operation thereof will be readily apparent. Ihe conveyor supports 24 will be held in raised position -until the machine reaches the selected place of operation. Fluid under pressure will then be admitted through the pipes 45 to the cylinders 40, 5

forcing the pistons 42 downward and lowering the conveyor support and the parts mounted thereon.

When the desired lowered position has been reached, the valves 8| may be set to lock the pistons in the cylinders 4|) as previously described. 10

In the meantime, pressure iiuid is admitted to the motors 10, thus starting the conveyor belts in operation, and pressure fluid is also admitted to the gate cylinder 52 through the pipe 6|, thus holding the gates rmly in the position shown in 15 Fig. 1.

The vehicle is then moved forward by the drive wheels forcing the scoopsor shovels 3| into the loose soil which is pushed up through the open upper end of the shovels and is deposited on 20 the conveyor belts 2l) by which the dirt or other loose material is elevated and delivered to the body or hopper B.

When the body is full, the conveyor supports 24 are raised by admitting pressure fluid to the 25 pipes 46, after which the load may be transported to a desired location and may be dumped by admitting pressure fluid to the cylinder 52 through the pipe 60, moving the gates to the position shown in Fig. 4. 30

Each excavator and loader is thus independent and no time is lost in waiting for other trucks to be loaded, as is the case where a single loading machine is used for a plurality of transporting trucks. 35

Under certain conditions, however, it may be desirable to use separate trucks for transportation of the material, in which case the body B may be readily removed so that a truck can be positioned under the upper ends of the belt con- 40 veyors.

I have thus provided a very simple and economical machine by which a desired thickness of loam or other soil or loose material may be removed from a selected area of ground and by 45 which the excavated material may be loaded into a self-contained body or into a separate truck or wagon.

The three-wheel construction is advantageous, as it permits the shovels to operate at the sides 50 of the vehicle rather than in the center, as is necessarily the case where two front wheels and a central conveyor are used. My improved machine is thus adapted to work much closer to a wall or fence or other boundary of an area to be 55 stripped.

In Fig. 7 I have shown mechanical means for raising and lowering the supports 24. In this construction the supporting levers ||0 are each provided with a segmental worm gear en- 60 gaged by a worm ||2 mounted on a worm shaft ||3 having a handle ||4 by which it may be manually operated. Similar mechanical mechanism may be provided for moving the gates 5D.

Obviously the conveyor driving pulleys 2| may be driven directly from the cross shaft I5, but I prefer the fluid-operated mechanism shown and described in detail herein.

If desired, the pump 14 may be an air pump, 70 in which case the shovels 3| will yield somewhat on encountering an obstruction, compressing the air in the cylinders 40.

VHaving thus described my invention andthe advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited 75 to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:-

1. An excavator and loader comprising a selfpropelled vehicle having a frame and an obliquely movable support, one of said parts having guide rolls at each side of said support and the other part having guide-ways extending longitudinally of said support, a shovel and a conveyor belt mounted on said support, a lever to which the lower end of said support is pivotally connected, and means to swing said lever to raise and lower said support and the parts mounted thereon and to lock said lever in a selected position.

2. An excavator and loader comprising a motor vehicle having a single front wheel, a shovel and conveying mechanism at each side of said machine, and fluid-operated means to raise and lower said shovels and conveying mechanism, and to definitely position said shovels at a definite distance below the surface on which the Vehicle is supported.

3. An excavator and loader comprising a selfpropelled vehicle having a frame, supports mounted at each side of said frame and guided for raising and lowering movement thereon, a shovel and a belt conveyor mounted on each 5 support, fluid-operated means to raise and lower each support and the parts mounted thereon, a Valve controlling the movements of each support, and means to operate said valves separately or simultaneously. 10

4. An excavator and loader comprising a threewheeled motor vehicle, a shovel and a belt-conveyor mounted at each side of the single front wheel for movement toward and from the supporting surface, a load-receiving body having 15 gates mounted between the rear Wheels, and power means to raise and lower the shovels and conveyors, to drive said conveyors and to open and shut said gates.

20 CHARLES W. SHIPPEE.

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