US2344336A - Excavating tool - Google Patents

Description

March 14, 1944.

H. K. WEINSTEIN EXCAVATING TOOL Filed Sept. 24, 1942 Patented Mar. 14, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT YOFFICE aangaf; n

EXCAVATING rrooL Henry K. Weinstein, Pittsburgh, Pa.` y f l0 j Application september 24, 1942, seria1N0.459,4s6

1 f 2le1aimis. (o1. 25a- 67) My invention relates tof-,curb box cleaners for removing dirt from curb boxes'jorserviceboxes whose upper-ends areusually flush with the-sidewalk and in whoselowei` ends; shutfoiifvalves are located in pipe lines that lead from a gasorvwater main into residences and other buildings. Occasionally the covers Vofthese boxes become displaced or loose, and dirt accumulates in the boxes to such an extent as to cover the valve stem to a considerable depth, and thus prevent access of a long-handled wrench thereto. In such cases, it has generally been necessary to make an excavation and remove the curb box, so that the gas or water can be shut oi. This not only calls for considerable labor, but time is required to secure a street opening permit from the municipal authorities to do the digging. Meanwhile there may be waste and damage because of uncontrolled low of water or gas. Thereafter the paving must be repaired.

One object of my invention is to provide a device whereby dirt may conveniently be removed from curb boxes, to permit of access to shut-oir valves at the lower ends of the boxes, without the necessity of making an excavation and removing the curb boxes.

Another object of my invention is to provide an excavating tool of such form that the excavated dirt can conveniently be dislodged from the tool.

Some of the forms which my invention may take are shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View of a curb box with my excavating tool therein; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view showing a different form of tool, and Fig. 3 is a View taken on the line III-III of Fig. 2.

Referring rst to Fig. l, a water or gas line is indicated by the numeral 4, a shut-off valve 5 being provided with a stem 6 whereby the valve can be opened and closed with the usual wrench. The curb box may be of conventional form with a base portion 'I, a lower tubular section 8 and an upper tubular section 9. The parts 8 and 9 are threaded for relative longitudinal adjustment, so that the box is adapted for use with pipe lines at various depths.

The excavating tool comprises a tubular cutter member II that has cutting teeth I2 at its lower end. At the upper end of the tube II, portions thereof are cut away to form legs I3 whose upper ends are welded to a coupling member I4. The coupling I4 is threaded for connection with a tubular stem I5 which may suitably be of halfinch pipe. The stem I5 may be of a length suitable to insure that the cutter will reach, to the bottom of curb boxes of any length, and may be composed of several joints of pipe having threaded connection with one anothen, Atgits upper end, the .stem I5 carries a Kloirxecross I6 or the like, of standard form, into vwhich pipes or rods I'I may be threaded to serve as handlesforturning the cutter.

An auger bit I9 has threaded connection with the coupling I4 and is held at desired positions of vertical adjustment therein by a set screw 20. If the dirt is tightly packed in the curb box, the bit I9 may be set so that it projects a considerable distance below the cutter tube II, as shown in Fig. 1. In such cases, when the bit approaches the bottom of the box, the tool will be lifted out and the set screw loosened to permit the bit to be turned farther up into the coupling, so that the bit will not come into contact with the water line in case the tool is tilted so that the bit passes the valve stem. The lower end of the tube II is tapered somewhat, so that it can be moved downwardly in the box without too great interference from gravel or other hard material, and will not catch on the sides of the box.

In use, the tool is inserted in the box and the cutter tube II, together with the bit I9, are rotated while the tube is being pushed downwardly. Dirt will accumulate in the tube I I and as it becomes filled, it can be lifted from the box from time to time and the dirt knocked out of it. While there may usually 4be some loose dirt remaining around the valve stem 6 after a dirtremoving operation, such amount of dirt will not be suiicient to prevent engagement of the stem with a wrench.

In Figs. 2 and 3 I show an excavating tool similar to that of Fig. 1, but wherein provision is made for electing discharge of dirt from the cutter tube 22 which, in this case, has only two legs or arms 23 whereby it is connected to a coupling 24. This tool contains a scraper 25 that is of inverted U form and whose legs lie close to the inner wall of the tube 22, so that when the scraper is rotated, it will separate the dirt from the inner wall of the tube 22. A cap piece 26 is bolted to the scraper yoke 25 and has upstanding arms 21 that serve as handles by means of which the scraper may be rotated. The arms 2`I on the member 26 extend radially somewhat beyond the inner surface of the cutter sleeve 22,

as shown in Fig. 3, so that it will be vertically ing held at its adjusted position by a thumb screw 29.

In use the tool of Fig. 2 will be operated to take up dirt in the same manner as Fig. 1. However, in those cases where the dirt is wet and sticks to the inner wall of the tube 22, upon removal of the tool from the service box, the scraper 25 will be given rotative movement to dislodge the dirt from the tube, and in case the dirt is of such tenacity that it still adheres to the auger bit, thethumb nut will be turned to release the bit and allow it, together with the adhering dirt, to drop from the tube 22. When the dirt is wet and soft, rotation of the tool may not be necessary, since by simply forcing the tool downwardly into the box may cause Ithe tube 22 to become filled with dirt that can Abe dislodged therefrom upon removal of the tool from the box.

In some instances the nature of the dirt in scraper to dislodge dirt from the inner wall of the cutter.

2. An excavating tool for cleaning curb boxes and the like, comprising a tubular cutter hav-` ing a cutting edge on its lower end and an openving through an upper portion of its side wall, a

stern connected to the upper end of the cuttezfv for rotating the same, an auger bit disposed. within the cutter and having connection with;`

said stem, a scraper disposed within the cutter and extending longitudinally thereof, and an arm on the scraper extending into the said open ing, by which the scraper may be oscillated to dislodge ldirt from thev inner wall of the cutter. the vertical walls 0f the opening being spaced apart a great distance relative to the width of the arm, whereby the arm and the scraper may be given oscillatory movement about the axis of the cutter.

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