US2400478A - Power-driven earth auger - Google Patents

Description

May 21, 1946. 1.. E. BECK POWER DRIVEN EARTH AUGER Filed Aug. 10, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Lf. BECK May 21, 1946. BECK 2,400,478

POWER DRIVEN EARTH AUGER Filed Aug. 10, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VEN TOR.

Y L.E.BEC/1 Mm My).

May ZI, 1946; L. E. BECK POWER DRIVEN EARTH AUGER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 10, 1945 IN V EN TOR.

Patented May 21, 1946 UNITED, STATE s PATENT orrlca POWER-DRIVEN EARTH AUGER Lester E. Beck, near Danville, Iowa Application August 10, 1943, Serial No. 498,131

some: The present invention relates to apparatus r boring holes and more particularly to apparatus provision of improved driving means connecting the power unit with the earth auger. so that the functioning of the latter is not in the least disturbed by adjusting the positioning of the auger; the provision of elevating means for a power auger which isv so constructed that, when the auger is lowered by the power lift, the tendency of the hoisting drum to overrun will be neutralized; and such further objects,' advantages, and capabilities as will hereafter appear and as are inherent in the construction disclosed herein. My invention further resides in thecombination, construction, and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings and, while I have shown therein what is now regarded as the preferred embodiment of this invention, I desirethe same to be understood as illustrative only and not to be interpreted in a limiting sense.

In the drawings annexed hereto and forming a part hereof,

Fig. 1 represents a fragmentary elevation, partly in section, showing an apparatus embodying my present invention; v Fig. 2 represents a fragmentary part of the structure shown in Fig.1, on a somewhat enlarged scale, the same being taken in the direction shown fragmentarily and illustrated in Fig. 1

as applied to a tractor, shown fragmentarily.

Reference will now be made in greater detail to the annexed drawings for a more complete description of this invention. In these drawings,

the prime mover is denoted in general by the letter M, the auger by the letter A, and the augersupporting framework by the letter F. The supporting framework has a plurality of horizontal pipes or bars I which extend through the bottom part of the prime mover and are secured thereto. From these members rise frame mem bers 2, preferably made of angle iron, the same being secured in any desired manner to the members i and being connected together at their top portions by side members 3, for which I prefer to use channel irons.

members I and 2 by means of U-bolts. Crossbars '4 connect the channel irons 3 and serve as supports for bearings 5 in which is mounted the drive shaft 6. This drive shaft is made up of a plurality of sections connected by universal has'a longitudinally slidable section 8, connected by a universal joint 9 to a short shaft section [0, mounted in bearings II. On the outer end of this shaft section it is a bevel gear 12 which meshes with a corresponding bevel gear I3, connected in driving relation to the shaft H which is slidably connected with the auger A. Part of the supporting members 2 extend upwardly beyond the cross-members 3 and, with short posts I5, serve as supporting means for the shafts, pipes, or bars I6. On these are slidably mounted guide members I'I, shown in the present instance as sleeves surrounding shafts it. These guide members are connected by a plate It through which extends an eye -l9, engaging in an eye 20. The eye 2|! extends through a yoke member 2 I, secured at its ends to bars 22 forming a part of the augersupporting framework. The means connecting members 2| and 22 are preferably U-bolts, shown most clearly in Fig. 6.

Passing through the upper ends of a pair of legs 2 is a shaft 23 to one end of which is secured an adjusting lever 24 by means of which the guiding members I! may be adjusted on the bars or rods I 6; An arm 25 extends upwardly from the shaft 23 and is connected by linkage means 26 and post 21 to the plate 18. A sector 28 serves to hold the handle 24 in adjusted position. This sector 28 may be held in rigid position, as by being secured to a rigidly mounted sleeve 29 surrounding the shaft 23. Any other suitable means for this purpose. may be provided, the foregoing being given merely as an illustration of how this I prefer to connect the to the cross-members 3, are connected to a frame member 3| secured to the .outer ends of the bars i5. It will thus be seen that the outer extremities of these bars are rigidly supported from the I supporting framework.

The hand lever 24, through its linkage 25 and auger-suspending mechanism, is used for adjusting the auger farther from and closer to the tractor. so that if the driver, in approaching the position where he is to make a post hole, falls by a few inches to get exactly the right distance from the location, the auger can be moved out from the tractor or in toward the tractor until it is in exactly the correct line. Adjustment of the auger forward and back is accomplished by moving the tractor the required direction and amount so as to bring the auger exactly over the marked spot.

A guide track comprising the upright parallel bar 32 and connecting cross-members 33 is secured to the supporting loop 22 and therefore swings therewith and maintains a fixed relationship thereto as the eye 20 swings in the eye l5. It will therefore be seen that the auger A, the loop 32, 33, and all the connecting structure supported by the eye 20 will act as a pendulum and will hang substantially vertical when free of the ground, even though the prime mover should not be standing level.

Shafts 34 and 34A extend through the uprights 32 and have sprockets 35 mounted thereon, these sprockets supporting a chain 35 which is connected to a carriage 31. The shaft 34 has a sprocket 34a thereon at its outer end which is connected by a chain 34b to a sprocket 34c, rigidly connected to a shaft 34d which has a hand wheel 38 mounted thereon and which may, if desired,

.be used in raising and lowering the carriage 31 to raise and lower the auger A and for furnishing any pressure needed for forcing the auger into the ground. Rollers 39 are mounted upon opposite sides of the carriage 31 and engage opposite edges of the uprights 32, and this serves to guide the carriage in its vertical movements. There is also a pulley 40 mounted on the carriage, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5. A cable 4| has one end secured to the plate i8 and this cable then passes under the pulley 40, up over the pulley 42, and transversely to a pulley 43, from which it passes downwardly to a drum 44, to which it is connected and upon which it is wound, when power from the prime mover is used to drive the shaft 45 upon which the drum 44 is mounted, providing the clutch 45 is actuated as described below.

A clutch 46 has clutch-operating mechanism 41 and this clutch is used to connect the drum 44 and shaft 45 in driving relation. A sprocket chain 48 connects the sprocket 49 and 50 upon the shafts 45 and in driving relation. These shafts are mounted in bearings secured to the frame 52 which is pivotally connected at 53 to the supporting framework. On the shaft 5| is rigidly mounted a belt pulley 54 which may be made to engage a belt 55 by swinging the frame 52 to the right, as viewed in Fig. 3. This swinging motion is caused by the operator by pulling on the rod 55 which is connected to the crank 51 carried by'the bottom part of the frame 52, as shown most clearly in Fig. 3.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the crank 51 is connected to a, clutch-actuating lever 59 which acts upon the actuating member 55 for the clutch actuator 41. It is believed clear from Figs. 2 and acoom's forced toward the clutch 45,

the actuator 41 to inter-engage the parts of the and this will cause clutch. Simultaneously, pulling upon the rod 55 will swing the frame 52 toward the belt 55 and carry the belt-pulley 54 into'engagement therewith and, if the belt is being driven, the shafts 5i and 45 will be rotated and the drum 44 driven.

It is apparent that, if the frame 52 is moved laterally toward the belt 55, it will cause engagement of the pulley 54, with the belt. This will cause driving'of the shaft 45 but, without actu- 3 that when the rod 55 is pulled outwardly, as I ation of the clutch-actuating lever 55, the clutch will not be engaged to drive the drum 44. This, then, serves as a safety means to prevent inadvertent lifting of the auger, since it is only by pulling on the rod 55 that such lifting can be effectuated. Lifting of the auger can be accomplished only by both swinging the frame 52 and actuating the clutch 45, since either one alone will not cause this result.

A belt pulley 52 is mounted on the power takeoff of the prime mover and a belt pulley 53 on the shaft 5. The belt 55 connects these two belt pulleys and thus power is transmitted from the prime mover, through the belt 55, to the pulley 53 and from this to the shaft 5, when the clutch connected therewith is actuated. This clutch is actuated by means of an actuator member 54 engaged by the conical surface of the actuator member 55. Suitable actuating means 55 is provided for moving this member 55 longitudinally to cause engagement of the clutch so as to drive the pulley 53. From the foregoing it is apparent that the clutch connected with the drum 44 and that connected with the pulley 53 may be operated independently and that, therefore, the auger A and its hoist may be independently operated or may be operated simultaneously.

It is clear that when the auger is being let down something must be provided for preventing the drum 44 from running too freely and unwinding too much of the cable 4i. Therefore, a brake mechanism, as shown in Fig. 4, is mounted upon the frame 52 and the pressure thereof upon the outer surface of the clutch 45' may be ad- Justed by adjusting the compression of the spring 51. Ordinarily, this pressure does not need to be adjusted but such is provided for to be used when and if the friction between thebrake and. the clutch 45 should be reduced by wear. This brake is designated by the numeral 58.

It should be understood that the internal crosssection of the shaft section 5 should be the same shape as the cross-section of the part which fits therein and which serves to rotate the section 8. It is also understood that relative longitudinal adjustment of these two sections is necessary to maintain driving connection between them when the' auger A and its supporting structure are adjusted longitudinally of the bar l5 by the handle 24, aswell as when the auger swings horizontally by reason of its suspension i9, 20. It is clear from Figs. 1 and 5 that the supporting elements 15 and H constitute a supporting'framework for the bearings i I supporting shaft section ID. This supporting framework is secured-to the uprights 32 and therefore constitutes a-rigid part of the auger-supporting frame. A roughly ushaped member 12 is rigidly connected with the carrier 51 and rises and falls therewith. It is also rigidly connected with the plate 13 to which the upper end of the auger A is rotatably attached. A hook 14 is pivotally mounted on a rigid cross-member 15. This hook 14 is provided for the suspension ing the equipment The auger-bit 16 lower end of the auger body so that it may be detached therefrom, if such should benecessary. The rod I4 is preferably angular in cross-section and is'slidable vertically through the gear i3 and the body of the auger, the cross-section of the rod l4 and of the internal cavity of the auger body, as well as the opening through the gear i3, being substantiallythe same shape and size, so that driving power transmitted through the shaft 8 may be delivered to the gear l3, shaft l4. and auger A for the driving of the latter. I prefer that thi shaft be square in cross-section. The universal Joints 1 and 8 make it possible for the auger, suspended freely from the eye l9, to assume a vertical position and tube driven into the earth in a vertical direction easily and with great speed. it having been found possible with this apparatus to bore from eighty to one hundred or more holes per hour,-'to a depth of four feet. The mechanism for adjustingthe positioning of the auger is a considerable factor in this speed. Also, the ability to operate the auger-.- rotating mechanism-and the auger-lifting mechanism independently or con-jointly is also a considerable factor in the making possible of the great speed of operation with this machine. If the weight of the auger A should be changed in any way, as by changing its size, it, may be necessary to change the location of the boring means with reference to its support. This is accomplished by loosening the nuts of the U-bolts 22a and adjusting yoke 2i and bars 22 relatively to each other so as to make the auger cally.

In case the ground is hard it may be necessary to use the hand wheel 38 to cause feeding of the auger into the ground.

When the operator of the machine is bgrirrg a row of holes, as, for example, for a fence around an ordnance plant or af farm, he drives his trace tor alongside the row of location previously marked by the engineer and stops at a location such thatthe auger is approximately over the marked spot. Then his helper operates the hand lever 2| to move the suspended system either toward or from the tractor so as toget the auger exactly over the mark. When this spot is reached, the cable n is permitted to unwind from the drum 44, thus allowing the auger to descend to the ground. Next, the mechanism at 64, 65, 66 is actuated to engage the belt pulley 83 with the shaft 6 to cause rotation thereof and of the auger A. Normally this auger cuts its way into time made of the handground without any use being particularly hard wheel 38 but, if the ground is and pressure is needed to cause the auger to cut into the ground, the handwheel 38 can he turned so as to lower the carriage 31 and, with it, the

hang vertispirit of this invention as set forth herein and in the appended claims.

Having now described my invention, I claim: 1. In an apparatus for the purpose described, having a prime mover provided with power takeoff means; the combination of an earth auger, a

' drive shaft for rotating saidauger, a drive belt shaft and the pulley,

connecting the power take-off and the shaft in driving relation, a belt pulley on said shaft over which the drive belt runs, a clutch for connecting and disconnecting the driving relation of the apair of shafts parallel to said drive shaft, a pulley on one of said pair of shafts engaging said drive belt with variable degrees of pressure, a winding drum on the other of said pair of shafts, a clutch for connecting said drum and its shaft in driving relation, a brake connected with said drum to prevent overrunning thereof, and means for simultaneously increasing the pressure of said pulley on the drive belt and engaging the second clutch whereby to cause winding motion of the drum.

2. In an apparatus-for the purpose described, having a prime mover, provided with a power take-off means; the combination of an earth auger, a cable connected thereto for raising and lowering theauger, a drive shaft for rotating said I auger, a drive belt for connecting said shaft and frame 12 to which the auger is connected. When the hole of required depth, for example, four feet,

, has been bored, the rod 58 is pulled to cause driving engagement of the pulley 54 with the belt 55 and to cause-driving engagement of the clutch an earth auger carried by the prime mover in. driving relation, a pair of shafts substantially parallel to the first shaft, a

, frame supporting said parallel shafts in swinging said belt so that theyrelation with reference to may be caused to approach and recede therefrom, a pulley on one of said pair of shafts to be moved into driving relation to said belt by the'swinging of said frame, a winding drum on the second of said pair of shafts, a clutch for connecting said drum and its shaft in driving relation, a driving connection between said pair of shafts, and means for swinging said frame and for caus ing engagement of said clutch whereby to cause the cable to be wound on the drum for the raising of the auger, the swinging of the frame carrying the pulley into engagement with the belt and thereby causing rotation of saidparallel shafts and the drum.

3. An earth-boring attachment for a tractor having a power take-off, comprising a framework for attachment to the tractor frame, a driving shaft rotatably mounted in said framework, a clutch-controlled drive pulley on said shaft, a belt connecting said pulley with the power takeoff of the tractor for the driving of said shaft, said framework and driven by said shaft, a swinging frame hingedly connected to the framework-and having a pair of shafts rotatably mounted therein, a pulley on one of said shafts in a position to engage said belt when the swinging frame is moved toward the belt, a driving connection between said pair of shafts, a winding drum on the second of said pair of shafts, a clutch for drivingly connecting saiddrum to its shaft. means for substantially 48. This cause winding rotation of the drum ll, resulting in lifting the auger and the dirt carried thereby. It has been found in actual tests that holes can be bored in five seconds and at the rate of over one hundred twenty-five (125) holes per hour.

It will of course be understood that the speciflcdescription of structure set forth above may be departed from without departing from the simultaneously swinging the pulley into engagement with the belt and causing engagement of the drum clutch, and a cable connecting said drum and the earth auger for causing the raising of the latter when the drum rotates.

4. In a structurefor the purpose indicated, a framework including means for mounting the structure upon a motor vehicle, said framework having uprights and cross-bars adjacent the tops of the uprights, part of the uprights being ati'the right side of the vehicle and part at the left side thereof, said framework supporting a power shaft adjacent its upper end with the shaft extending transversely of the vehicle and beyond one side thereof, there being an extension of said framework above the power shaft, a pair of elongated,

supporting members of substantially uniform diameter supported by the extension, parallel to each other and a substantial distance above the power shaft, a pair of sleeves slidably mounted on said supporting members and rigidly connect ed by a plate, a linked, freely swinging suspension means hanging from said plate, a vertically fixed guiding frame pendulantly supported by said suspension means, movable mechanism for slid-- 'ing said sleeves along the supporting members for laterally moving the guiding frame with respect to the vehicle, a vertically movable auger guided by said guiding frame, and an operable connection between the power shaft and the auger such that the auger may be rotated by the shaft.

5. In a structure for the purpose indicated, a framework including means for mounting the structure upon a motor vehicle, said framework having uprights and cross-bars adjacent the tops of the uprights, part of the uprights being at the right side of the vehicle and part at the left side thereof, said framework supporting a power shaft adjacent its upper end with the shaft extending transversely of the vehicle and beyond one side thereof, there being an extension of said framework above the power shaft, a pair of elongated supporting members of substantially uniform diameter supported by the extension, parallel to each other and a substantialv distance above the power shaft, 9. pair of sleeves slidably mounted on said supporting members and rigidly connected by a. plate, a linked, freely swinging suspension means hanging from said plate, a vertically fixed guiding frame pendulantly supported by said suspension means, movable mechanism for sliding said sleeves along the supporting members for laterally moving the guiding frame withv

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