US2239280A - Xmachine f for picking up rocks from a - Google Patents

Description

April 22, 1- M. J. WOZNACK MACHINE FOR PICKING UP ROCKS FROM A HIGHWAY Filed July 51. 1939 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 22, 1941 UNITED STATES MACHINE FOR PICKING UP ROCKS FROM A HIGHWAY Michael J. Woznack, Escondido, Calif.

Application July 31, 1939, Serial No. 287,475

Claims.

moderate sized boulders causing these to be de- 1' acteristic of my invention relates to rotating the teeth so that when in contact with the ground they move in a forward direction, that is, the direction of travel of the machine, the teeth of course moving forwardly at a much higher speed than the rate of forward progression of the machine, therefore my invention involves a mechanism for rotating the teeth on an axis transverse to the machine at a sufficiently high rate of speed to not only dislodge the stones but to cause these to be picked up and discharged into a chute. Considered in further detail, my invention employs one or more rotatable drums mounted on a transverse shaft or axle and each drum having a plurality of spaced stone-loosening and picking teeth, the teeth being spaced not only longitudinally but circumferentially to the drum. A further feature of my invention involves a mounting for the shaft and hence the drums relative to the frame of the vehicle so that the shaft and hence the teeth may be lowered or raised and in accordance with the depth desired in the cut and at the same time the axle or shaft is given a swinging movement relative to a horizontal trunnion mounted in the frame of the vehicle, this being to maintain a constant length of sprocket chain drive from the power transmission mechanism and also from the shaft to a secondary drive for an endless belt conveyor.

Another feature of my invention relates to the discharging of the stones loosened and picked up by the rotating set of teeth into a chute in which feature a trailing guide plate drags from the chute to the ground to prevent the stones being projected forwardly and to cause these to be elevated by the picker teeth. A further detail of my invention relates to the particular mounting of an endless belt conveyor preferably of the slat type on which the stones are dumped from thechute and carried by the'upper run for discharge into a truck. In this case a pivoted cradle arm maintains a constant length of a sprocket chain drive for the endless belt conveyor.

Another feature of my invention relates to the frame construction of the machine being such that it may be connected to and towed from a truck which receives the load of stones and the power drive to the picking teeth and the rock elevator is from the ground wheels, preferably the rear wheels of the machine. By this construction and using the desired gear ratio together with preferably a sprocket chain drive to the operating equipment, the desired speed of rota.- tion of the picking teeth may be developed without the necessity of mounting a special engine on the frame of the picker to operate the picking teeth.

My invention is illustrated in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan taken in the direction of the arrow 1 of Fig. 2 with parts broken away and the arrangement of the picking teeth being shown in diagram. I

Fig. 2 is a side elevation taken in the direction of the arrow 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view taken in the direction of the arrow 3 of Fig. 4 showing the front of one of the detachable teeth with the portion of the drum shown in'section.

Fig. 4 is a side elevationof the tooth taken in the direction of the arrow 4 of Fig. 3 with the drum being shown. in section.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, the machine is of a type intended to be towed behind aftruck which receives the load and therefore the frame and the running gear are of simple construction. The frame or chassis of the machine designated H has side beams l2 preferably channels converging towards the front at l3 and having a front cross beam M and a rear cross beam l5. Intermediate braces are omitted for sake. of clarity. A front sub frame IE-pro-vides a mounting for the front axle ii in which are mounted the front wheels, these being steered by a connecting link and steering spindles designated by the assembly IS. The machine 'is towed in any suitable manner by means of a tow bar I9. The rear axle 20 is mounted in a fixed positionrelative to the frame in any conventional manner and has the ground wheels 2! freely rotatable thereon. Such wheels nay have cleats or the like.

The rock picker assembly 'designated iiil has a substantial non-rotatable axle 3i which extends transversely of the machine below the frame" the center of which is the shaft 44 due to the use of the radius arms 40. These radius arms retain the drive chain 95 always at the proper length. Likewise the forward radius arms '45 maintain the drive chain I02 at the proper length and cause a forward and rearward oscillating action of the shaft 48 with its sprocket mounted thereon, this being on the pivot formed by the shaft 56 which has the conveyor operating drum mounted thereon. Thus although the conveyor is located in a relatively fixed position, the drum with the picking teeth may be raised and lowered and this without interfering with the hopper I or the apron I2I. The stones loosened from the rod are in a sense kicked forwardly and upwardly being guided by the apron I2I until they reach the edge of the chute. In such position the teeth have a slight downward inclination tending to facilitate the rocks rolling off the teeth, however the projecting motion and impulse given to the loosened stones and rocks causes their deposit in the chute and thus on to the endless belt conveyor. The clutch assemblies 86 of which there are two, are provided to allow having a positive or an open drive to either of the two drums 6|] and BI when the machine is making a sharp turn. In the illustration the drive to the conveyor is shown as taking all the power drive to the drum GI but'for the shoit period of time in which the machine is making a sharp turn, the conveyor may be stationary if desired. For ordinary curves in a highway however, both clutches may be in closed position, the slight slippage of one drum relative to the other being immaterial.

In view of the fact that the teeth are subject to severe wear in operating through the ground and loosening rocks and stones of the desired size, it is desirable that these be readily removable. Therefore, I prefer afconstruction of the removable teeth as illustrated in Fig. 4, the individual tooth being designated by the numeral 65. In this construction each tooth may be considered as having a shank I with a substantially flat front face I3I, a curved relief I32 at the back leading to the tip end I33. An abutment shoe I34 extends rearwardly and has a curved face I35 conforming to the curvature of the drum. A continuation of the stem designated the inserted end I36 passes through an opening I31 in the drum. This opening preferably has a radial rear edge I38 on one side and V a convex curved edge I39 on the forward edge.

A locking hook I40 of the tooth extends forwardly engaging the inside of the drum. The tooth isprovided with a boss I4I on its forward face, this having an undercut wedge shaped surface I42. A wedge I43 somewhat triangular in section is fitted with its lower surface I44 in contact with the drum and a vertical face I45 in contact with the face I3I of the tooth, there being an eye fitting in the undercutting surface I42. The wedge is inserted from one side and driven tight into place. It is then held by a pin I46 having a tight driven fit through a perforation I41 in the wedge and a perforation I48 in the rum. It will be noted that the teeth have practically parallel side faces I49. By this construction it will be seen that the teeth may be readily inserted and removed and the wedge blocks I43 used over and over again with new teeth or teeth which have been built up with a hard wearing metal.

Various changes may be made in the details of the construction without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device as described, a wheeled vehicle having a frame, an axle, a pair of screws swivelly mounted on opposite sides of the frame and each having a connection to the axle to raise and lower such axle, a pair of drums rotatably mounted on the axle, each drum having a series of rock picking teeth arranged circumferentially and longitudinally thereof, a countershaft journalled in the frame and transverse thereof, a radius rod on each side of the frame having end connections aligning with the axis of the countershaft and of the axle, a sprocket chain drive between the countershaft and each drum on each side of the frame each with a clutch and means to rotate the countershaft, the drive rotatingthe drum whereby the teeth in proximity to the ground move in a forward direction at a higher speed than the forward movement of the vehicle.

2. In a device as described and claimed in claim 1, a subframe connected to the vehicle frame and having the lower end of an endless belt conveyor journalled adjacent the bottom of the subfram-e on a lower sprocket shaft, a rocking arm extending upwardly from said lower shaft, an upper sprocket shaft connected to the upper end of the said arm, a radius arm from the upper sprocket shaft to said axle and a sprocket chain drive from at least one of the drums to a sprocket on the upper sprocket shaft and a sprocket chain drive from a sprocket on such upper sprocket shaft to the lower sprocket shaft. I

3. In a device as described and claimed in claim 1, a subframe connected to the vehicle frame and having the lower end of an endless belt conveyor journalled adjacent the bottom of the subframe on a lower sprocket shaft, a rocking arm extending upwardly from said lower shaft, an upper sprocket shaft connected to the upper end of the said arm, a radius arm from the upper sprocket shaft to said axle and a sprocket chain drive from at least one of the drums to a sprocket en the upper sprocket shaft and a sprocket chain drive from a sprocket on such upper sprocket shaft to the lower sprocket shaft, a chute attached to the subframeand positioned to discharge on the upper run of the conveyor, an apron connected to the chute positioned to guide rocks elevated by the teeth into the chute and hence to the conveyor.

4. In a device as described in which a wheeled vehicle has a pair of drive wheels at the rear, a vehicle frame, a towing means and steering wheels at the front combined with a transverse axle, a pair of screws each mounted in a swivel connection to opposite ends of the axle whereby the axle may be raised and lowered, two drums mounted for rotation on the axle, each drum having a series of rock picking teeth positioned circumferentially and longitudinally thereof in helical rows, a countershaft journalled transversely of the frame, a gear drive from each rear wheel to the countershaft, a radius rod on each side of the frame having end connections align ing with the countershaft and the axle, a first sprocket and sprocket chain drive from the countershaft to each drum, each drive having a clutch therein, an endless belt type of conveyor, means to drive said conveyor from the rear wheels and means to guide rocks elevated by the picking teeth to the conveyor, the drive to the picking teeth rotating the teeth adjacent the ground in a forward direction at a higher speed than the forward movement of the vehicle.

5. In a device as described and claimed in claim 4, the conveyor, being positioned with a drum at its lower end in proximity to the toothed drum but forward thereof, the upper. end of the conveyor being adapted to discharge rocks into a towing truck and means to guide and deposit rocks elevated by the picking teeth on the upper run of the conveyor. v

6. In a device as described, a wheeled vehicle having a frame, an axle having a vertical adjustment connecting to said frame, a first radius rod assembly pivotally connecting the axle to the frame, a drum mounted on the axle and having a plurality of circumferentially and longitudinally positioned rock picking teeth, a drive means to rotate the drum with the teeth adjacent the ground moving in a forward direction at a higher speed than the forward progress of the vehicle, an endless type of conveyor positioned to receive the rocks, a driving drum over which the conveyor operates, a second radius rod connected to the axle, a rocking arm pivoted on the axis of said drum, a pivot for the second radius rod and said arm, a gear mounted on said pivot and a drive connection from the said axle to said gear and from said gear to said drum.

'7. In a device as described, a wheeled vehicle having a frame, an axle having a vertical adjustment connecting to said frame, a first radius rod assembly pivotally connecting the axle to the frame, a drum mounted on the axle and having a plurality of circumferentially and longitudinally positioned rock picking teeth, a drive means to rotate the drum with the teeth adjacent the ground moving in a forward direction at a higher speed than the forward progress of the vehicle, a secondary frame connected to the vehicle frame and having a chute mounted thereon, an apron pivotally connected to the chute to guide rocks removed from the ground by the teeth to the said chute, an endless type of conveyor positioned to receive the rocks discharged from the chute, a driving drum over which the conveyor operates, a second radius rod connected to the axle, a rocking arm pivoted on the axis of said drum, a pivot for the second radius rod and said arm, a gear mounted on said pivot and a drive connection from the said axle to said gear and from said gear to said drum,

8. In a device as described in which a wheeled vehicle is provided with a frame combined with a transverse shaft, a pair of screws each mounted on a swivel connection to opposite ends of the axle and a pivoting mounting for each screw connected to the frame whereby the axle may be raised and lowered, a pair of radius rods having a pivotal connection to the said axle and to the frame, a drive connection from the frame to the axle, the drum operatively connected to the axle, such drum having a series of rock picking teeth positioned circumferentially and longitudinally, the teeth of the drum in contact with the ground being driven in a forward direction at a higher speed than the progressive motion of the vehicle over the ground.

9. In a device as described in which a wheeled vehicle is provided with a frame combined with a transverse shaft, a pair of screws each mounted on a swivel connection to opposite ends of the axle and a pivoting mounting for each screw connected to the frame whereby the axle may be raised and lowered, a pair of radius rods having a pivotal connection to the said axle and to the frame, a drive connection from the frame to'the axle, the drum operatively connected to the axle, such drum having a series of rock picking teeth positioned circumferentially and longitudinally, the teeth of the drum in contact with the ground being driven in a forward direction at a higher speed than the progressive motion of the vehicle over the ground, a driving drum, an endless belt type of conveyor operating thereover, the drum being connected to the frame, a gear shiftably mounted as to the frame and a drive connection from the axle to the said gear and from the said gear to the driving drum.

10. In a device as described, a wheeled vehicle having a frame, an axle having a vertical adjustment as to the frame, a pair of drums rotatably mounted on the axle, a common drive shaft with means to rotate the same, a clutch and drive connection between said shaft and each of the drums to at will rotate one drum and retain another drum stationary, each drum having a plurality of circumferentially and longitudinally positioned rock picking teeth, the drive connection rotating the teeth adjacent the ground in a forward direction at a higher speed than the forward progress of the vehicle, a secondary frame connected to the vehicle frame and having a chute mounted thereon, an apron pivotally connected to the rear end of the chute to guide rocks removed from the ground by the teeth to the said chute, an endless type of conveyor positioned to receive rocks discharged from the chute and a drive connection for the elevator from the said drive shaft.

' MICHAEL J. WOZNACK.

'April 22, 1941. w. F. ASTLEY 2,239,281

' HEAT INSULATING TAPE L Filed Oci. 19, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l r '7 as 26 3 7 Z3 21 6 z wezc zaz?

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