US2322151A

US2322151A - Excavating mechanism

Info

Publication number: US2322151A
Application number: US416715A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr John J Matus
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1941-10-27
Filing date: 1941-10-27
Publication date: 1943-06-15
Anticipated expiration: 1960-06-15

Description

June 15, 1943. J. J. MATUs, JR 2,322,151

EXCAVATING MECHANISM INVENTOR ATTORNEYS .June I5, 1943. J. .-1. MATus, .1R-

EXCAVATING MECHANISM Filed Oct. 27. 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTO R N EYS Patented June 15, 1943 l I a. v 2,322,151v

" ExoAvA'rrNq MEcnANIsM John J". Matus, Jr., San Juan Bautista, Calif.

Application October 27, 1941, SeriaPNo. 416,715

z'ciaims.-

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in excavating mechanism.

An important object of my invention isto provide an excavating mechanism that may be expeditiously mounted on or removed from -av conventional caterpillar tractor, or the like, and that includes means driven by the single power take off ofthe tractor forswinging the mechanism about a vertical or horizontal axis, and for raising and lowering the excavating bucket.

Still another object of my invention is to provide an excavating mechanism of the abovementioned character that may be operated by one man and that may be inexpensively manufactured and applied to the tractor.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the drawings, forming a part of this` specifcation, vand wherein like numerals are ernployed vto designate like parts throughout the same, l

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a device embodying my invention, and showing the same associated with a traction engine, and

Figure 2 is a top plan View of the same and showing parts broken away.

Figure 3 is an enlarged side View of the drums shown in Figure'2, showing the means for holding the same against rotation.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration, is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral Il! designates a traction engine of the caterpillar type. seat II at one end thereof andthe power take olf unit I2 projects from the frame of the caterpillar below the drivers seat.

The excavating mechanism comprising my invention is adapted to be attached tothe end of the caterpillar frame below the power take olf unit I2 and the supporting platform I3 is provided at one end with a plurality of spaced openings Awhich receive the bolts I4 for connecting the'same to the frame. The connecting end of the platform is of substantially the same width as the frame and the oppositeend thereof extends substantially rearwardly thereof. Thev four marginal edges I5 of the platform are preferably bent downwardly and welded or otherwise secured to each other to provide maximum rigidity therefor. Castors I6 are pivotally mounted on the underside of the platform at opposite` The engine is provided with a drivers zontal position and pivot freely relative thereto in a manner to in no way hinder the normal operation of the caterpillar.

The king post I1 is mounted on the longitudinal center of the platform adjacent the outer end thereof. The lower end of the king post is provided with an integral disk-like plate I1 formed centrally with a depending journal I8 which operates within a bearing I9 provided in the supporting platform. The journal is adapted to rotate freely within the bearing and to permit turning of the disk and king post about a vertical .castors operating within the track and assuring axis. The bottom side of the plate I1 is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced small rollers or castors 20 which ride within a track on the upper` surface of the supporting platform. T he castors 20 mutually coact to prevent binding of the journal within its bearing when stress is applied to the king post to effect pivotal movement of the same about its axis, the

asrnooth pivotal operation of the king post about its axis.

Substantially all of the weight will be applied to the king post from a point spaced substantially laterally thereof and' the brace rods 2I are provided to assure adequate support therefor. The brace rods comprise upper rod sections 22 connected to the radially extending tabs 23 of the-collar 24 which is carried by the post adjacent its upper end. The lower rod sections 25 are connected to the forward end of the tractor frame by the coil springs 26 and the adjacent ends of the rod sections are screw-,threaded and connected by the turnbuckles 21. By rotating the turnbuckles, the pull of the rods against the king post may be selectively adjusted and the coil springs 26 are essentially heavy to permit the rods and post to yield slightly if an excessive load islapplied to the post.

The lower end of the boom 28 is secured to the mounting 29 positioned adjacent the periphcollar 34. post in amanner to be freely rotatable relative ery of the base plate Il by the horizontal pivot pin 29 and the upper end thereof is provided with a vertical pulley 30 and a pair of horizontal -pulleysv3l and 32. By reason of the pivotal attachment of the boomI with the base plate, it may'freelyrock about a horizontal axis independently of the plate. v

I have'provided a, hand operated mechanism for selectivelyl positioning the boom. The manual means for actuating the boom comprises a drum 33 fixedly secured to the king post by the The drum is spaced from the king thereto and one end of the drum shaft extends v beyond the supporting parts of the collar whereby the essentially large spur gear 35 carried thereby may engage with the essentially small gear 36 pivoted to the collar in a manner to mesh therewith. A crossbar 31 is mounted on the upper end of the king post and includes radially extending arms 38 and 39 arranged at opposite sides of the pivot. The cable 40 has one end thereof ixedly secured to the arm 38 in substantially spaced relation with the end thereof. The cable is reeved through the pulley 32 and extends therefrom to a pulley 4| mounted on the extremity of the arm 38. From the pulley 4| the cable extends longitudinally of the bar 31 and is reeved through a pulley 42 positioned at the extremity thereof. The cable then extends in the direction of the swinging end of the boom, reeved through the pulley 3| and returned to the arm 39 where it is reeved through the pulley 43. From the pulley 43 the cable extends in the direction of the drum 33 to which it is attached. A portion of the cable extending between the pulley 43 and the drum passes over Y an idler pulley 44 which is carried by the bar 31 adjacent its pivot and directly above the drum so that the cable may not become frayed or worn by rubbing of the same against the bar. The gears 35 and 35 are provided with a, suitable catch arrangement which may be released during the operation of the gears but which is thereafter moved into locked engagement therewith to normally hold the same against relative rotation. The handle 45 cooperates with the gear 36 and rotation of the handle will cause the gears 35 and 36 to rotate the drum to wind or unwind the cable therefrom. The boom may thus be made to rock about the lower pivot 29 and the swinging end thereof may be positioned to best meet the exigencies of any particular situation.

The supporting plate 46 is mounted on the platform adiacent one side thereof and the ends of the plate are provided with bearings 41 which receive the opposite ends of the countershaft 48. The spaced drums 49 and 5U are loosely mounted for rotation on the shaft and the adjacent end of each of the drums is provided with a clutch face 5| which cooperates with the clutch 52. The drums 49 and 50 are provided at their outer ends with brake drums 49' and 50', around which the brake bands 52' pass and are operated by the

levers

53 and 54. By this arrangement the drums are held against rotation while the boom is being moved. The clutch is keyed to the shaft and may be moved into meshed relation 'with the clutch face of either of the drums to iixedly connect the same with the countershaft. The drum 49 has one end of the cable 53 secured thereto, which cable extends from the drum and under the idler pulley 54 carried by the platform, around the idler pulley 55 carried by the king post and rearwardly thereof in the direction of the scoop 56. I'he scoop is of conventional shape and construtclon and includes a bail 51 and a short length of cable 59. A pulley 58 is carried by the bail and the cable 59 is reeved through the pulley 58, through the pulley 60 carried by the extending end of the cable 53 and has its opposite ends centrally secured to the scoop at the upper and lower sides of its mouth. One end of the cable 6| is reeved through the pulley 62 carried by the king post, under the pulley 63 carried by the platform and connected to the drum 56. The other end of the cable extends upwardly along the boom 28 over the pulley 38 and downwardly to connect with the block of the pulley 58.

Thus, the clutch 52 may be moved into engagement with the clutch face of the drum 49 to wind the cable 53 thereabout and to cause the open mouth of the scoop to be moved in the direction of the platform. Similarly, the clutch 52 may be moved into engagement with the clutch face of the drum 50 to eect winding of the cable 6| thereabout in a manner to cause the cable to elevate the scoop.

In order that the boom may be swung about a vertical axis I have provided the upper marginal edge of the base plate l1 with a segmental rack 64. A gear box 65 is arranged between the plate and the power take off of the tractor and includes a worm shaft 66 disposed in meshed relation with the worm gear 61 which gear is carried by a shaft 68 arranged above and extending transversely of the worm shaft. One end of the shaft 68 extends to a position above the segmental rack and the pinion 69 carried thereby meshes with the rack.

The power take oi l2 of the tractor includes a shaft 10 which may be rotated in opposite directions in the conventional manner. Spaced gears 1| and 12 are loosely mounted on the shaft the adjacent sides of the gears being provided with clutch faces 13. The clutch 14 keyed to the shaft intermediate the gears may be moved into engagement with one or the other of the gears to positively connect the same with the shaft. The gear 12 is connected to a gear 15 carried by the extending end of the worm shaft 66 by the endless chain 16. 'Ihe gear 1| is connected to the gear 11 by the endless chain 18.

Movement of the clutch 14 into engagement with the clutch face of the gear 12 will cause the rotation of the worm shaft which in turn will rotate the shaft 68 whereby the meshed pinion 69 will traverse the arcuate rack 64 to effect rotation of the base plate and boom. When the clutch 14 is in the neutral position or in engagement with the clutch face of the gear 12. the gear 1|, by virtue of its loose connection with the power take olf shaft, will not be actuated. ConsequentlyI the countershaft 48 will not be actuated and the scoop 56 will remain stationary.

After the clutch has been engaged with the gear 12 and the power take off shaft made to rotate in a direction to swing the supporting base in the proper direction, the swinging end of the boom may be positioned directly over the excavation. The clutch 14 may then be shifted into engagement with the gear 1| to positively impart rotation to the countershaft 48. Rotation of the countershaft will not effect winding or unwinding of the cables 53 or 6| from the drums until the clutch 52 is slidably moved into engagement with one or Athe other of the drums. If the clutch is shifted into engagement with the clutch face of the drum 5U and the power take oif shaft made to operate in a direction to wind the cable 6| therearound, the scoop will be elevated from the ground and swung to a position directly under the swinging end of the boom. The direction of rotation of the power take oi shaft may then be reversed to lower the scoop into engagement with the ground. If the clutch 52 is then shifted into engagement with the clutch face of the drum 49 and the power take 0E shaft 10 made to rotate in a direction to wind the cable 53 around the drum the scoop will be moved in the direction of the caterpillar and in a direction to gather soil or the like. When the scoop has gathered a full load of the soil the clutch may again be moved into engagement with the clutch face of the drum 50 to elevate the scoop. The scoop may then be positioned to make suitable disposal of the contents of the scoop. By moving the clutch 'Il into engagement with the clutch face of the gear 12 whereby the pinion 69 will traverse the rack 6I to swing the boom about its vertical axis.

Each of the clutches 52 and 'Il may be connected by a suitable linkage (not shown) to a control arranged forwardly of the drivers seat Il whereby the driver may selectively operate the various clutches during the excavating operation.

It may thus be seen that one man supported by the seat Il of the tractor may control each of the clutches and the reversing mechanism of the power take off shaft and that, by reaching behind the seat, the operator may manually rotate the handle I5 to selectively raise or lower the boom 28. 'Ihe excavating unit is entirely supported on the platform I3 which may be easily applied to or removed from the tractor frame by removing the bolts Il and the endless chains 16 and 'I8 from the sprocket l2 and 13. The fact that the unit may be easily removed from the tractor frame permits the tractor to serve in other capacities and is thus uniquely adapted for use by an individual who cannot or does not wish to buy a large cumbersome machine for excavating purposes.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention, herewith shown and described, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and

that various changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention, or scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. An excavating apparatus, comprising a platform, a swinging boom carried by the platform, a pulley carried by the free end of the boom, a cable passing over the pulley, a scoop, a pulley block carried by the scoop and connected to the cable, a short cable having one end connected to the scoop at the upper end adjacent .the open front end and passing around the pulley and its opposite end connected to the bottom of the scoop adjacent the open front end, and a drag line carrying a pulley through which the short cable passes.

2. An excavating apparatus, comprising a platform, a swinging boom carried by the platform, a pulley carried by the free end of the boom, a cable passing over the pulley, a scoop, a bail carried by the scoop adjacent its rear closed end, a pulley block carried by the bail, a connection between the cable and the pulley block, a short cable having one end connected to the scoop adjacent the open iront end and passing around the pulley and its opposite end connected to the bottom of the scoop adjacent the open front end, and a drag line carrying a pulley through which the short cable passes.

JOHN MATUS, Jn.