US2586977A

US2586977A - Scraping and leveling machine

Info

Publication number: US2586977A
Application number: US654712A
Authority: US
Inventors: Arthur J Moody
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1946-03-15
Filing date: 1946-03-15
Publication date: 1952-02-26
Anticipated expiration: 1969-02-26

Description

Feb. 26, 1952 c. E. MOODY 2,586,977

SCRAPING AND LEVELING MACH'INE MQM w@ Wife/wams Feb. 26, 1952 y C, E, MOODY 2,586,977

SCRAPING AND LEVELING MACH'INE Filed March l5, 1946 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Patented Feb. 26, 1952 SCRAPVING AND LEVELING 'MACHINE Charles E. Moody, Visalia, Calif.; Arthlll' Moody administrator of said Charles E. Moody, de,-

ceased Application March 15, 1946, Serial N o. 654,712

(Cl. 37e- 180) 2 Claims. l

This invention relates to earth levelling de.- vices and more particularly to a scraping and grading machine for levelling and grading land. A main object of the invention yis to provide `a novel and improved earth levelling machine of very simple construction, which is easy to operate and which is very dependable in performance.

A furtherobject of the invention is to provide an improved land grading device vhaving tractable support means of substantial bearing area adapted to maintain the scraping element of the .device in a substantially horizontal position under a wide range of conditions of terrain, said device "being further provided with means afford- -ing a relatively small turning radius for the device when it is desired to reverse the direction of Yoperation of the grading machine.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accom panying drawing, wherein:

`Figure 1 is a side elevational View of a lland grading machine constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan View of the grading machine of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure l.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional View taken on v' line 4 4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional detail view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Referring to .the drawing, designates the frame of the grading device, said frame being generally rectangular in plan and being of su Vstantial length, and including spaced side members each comprising a lower member 4|), an upper member Y4|, and an intermediate member 42. Frame is supported at its front end by a longitudinally serrated roller member vI2 extending substantially Yfor the full width of `frame and journalled in the rearwardly extending legs I3, I3 of a U-shaped roller-supporting member I4 which has its bight pivotally secured to the front cross-bar I5 of frame at its center by a vertical king pin I6 to permit relative rotation of member |4 with respect to frame in a horizontal plane about a vertical axis, the cross bar I5 being connected at its ends to the intermediate members 42. Frame Il is supported at its rear end by a longitudinally serrated roller member I1 also extending substantially for the full width of the frame and journalled in the rearwardly extending legs I8, I8 of a Il I) 2 U-shaped roller-supporting member I9 which 'has its bight pivotally secured to the rear crossvbar 20 vof frame v|| at its center by a vertical king pin 2| -to permit relative rotation of mem- Vber I9 with respect to frame II in a horizontal plane about a vertical axis, the cross bar 20 being connected at its .ends to the intermediate members 42. It is .to Ibe noted that the U-shaped support member I4 with its bight pivotally connected to the cross bar I5 with its legs having the roller Lli journaled therein vand the U-shaped support member I9 with its vbight pivotally se .cured tothe cross bar 10 lwith `its legs having the rol-ler di journaled y therein 'provide a castering action for the frame al Support member I4 is 'linked to support member lIl) by a pair of cables 22, 22., keach ,cable being connected to one of the arms L3 ,and extending across the forward portion .of lopnositefside of frame H over .a pu1n1ey123 iol-1r 1 d on a Side bar of the frame and over u y ,24 journalled on lsaid :side :oar tothe e ar support YIrlorrlloer i5 adjacenij, id side bar, Therefore, cables 22 cross each o.

gerend-'when ifront roller l2 is `lsu-irrigr :its ls-ins pin |16 .in one direction with respect to rra-me M @rear roller I1 is turned in opposite d thereby providing a Shortgoed turning S for the device- ,.'llfie fior-varo end of ,frame gli .is connected by cables 2.5J A25 -to fa 1suitable lmobile draft vehicle as `a tractor. When the tractor turns, the drag .error-tod op the front roller l2 Causes Such roller :to automatially in the proper direc- .tionpn its lgi-ng pin I5. The rearwardly located 11er L2 relative to the king pin 6 assists thls automatic turn-.ing 'but iS not er1- lr essential- .:Pivotglly connected to the Side :bars vof fra-me l rizontallyfdisposod:pivots.located at the @mediate Yp..o;.rtio.r;1 .of frame H is a U-Shapod :scraper bladememher 26., .the bigot .portion oomprisirie :a vertical transverse blade portion and `being formed with a :rearwardly projecting threaded 1-aug mexx-mor 2:1 at the .center Portion thereof adjacent its upper edge. Lug 21 is threadedly engaged by a vertical adjusting shaft 28 which extends through an upper cross-bar 29 secured to frame and is journalled in a bearing member 30 pivotally supported in a pair of angle brackets 3|, 3| mounted on each side of shaft 28 on cross-bar 29.. Secured to the upper end of shaft 28 is a crank member 32 which bears on top surface of bearing member 30, providing a thrust bearing for shaft 28. By manually rotating crank member 32 the elevation of the vertical transverse blade portion of U-shaped scraper blade member 26 may be adjusted as desired by the operator.

The device is employed to grade and smooth land to place it in a suitable level condition, as for example, for irrigation. The large front and rear rollers provide a large bearing 'surface for the frame I I and prevent the frame from tilting sideways in soft dirt or muddy ground during the grading operations, thereby insuring accurately horizontal scraping by blade member 26. During straight forward movement of the device the

linkage cables

22, 22 maintain the rollers I2 and I'I in parallel relationship. When the device is being turned, as when the direction of operation is to be reversed, the linkage cables cause the rollers to turn in opposite directions with respect to frame II, thereby greatly shortening the turning radius of the device and saving time and reducing fuel consumption by the tractor.

While a specific embodiment of a land levelling machine has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modiiications within the spirit of the `invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention other than as dened by the scope -of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a scraping and levelling machine including a scraper blade, a frame having spaced side members each comprising a lower member, an upper member, and an intermediate member, a cross bar arranged transversely of vvsaid side members adjacent the forward and rearward ends thereof and connectedat its ends to said intermediate member, a U-shaped member positioned underneath said frame adjacent each of said cross bars and having the bight pivotally connected to the adjacent cross bar for movement about a vertical axis with its legs extending rearwardly of said axis and a roller journaled in the legs of each of said U-shaped members whereby there is provided a castering actionlfor said frame, guide means positioned adjacent to and carried by the lower member of each of said side members intermediate its ends, a rst ilexible cable having its intermediate portion in engagement with the guide means on one of said lower members and having one end connected to one of the legs of the U-shaped member pivotally connected to the rearward cross bar and having the other end connected to the diagonally opposite one leg of the U-shaped member pivotally connected to the forward cross bar, and a second exible cable having its intermediate portion in engagement with the guide means on the other of said lower members and having one end connected to the other of the legs of the U-shaped member pivotally connected to the rearward cross bar and having the other end connected to the diagonally opposite other leg of the U- shaped member pivotally connected to the forward cross bar, whereby movement of the rearward U-shaped member in one direction causes simultaneous movement of the forward U- shaped member in the opposite direction.

2. In a scraping and levelling machine including a scraper blade, a frame having spaced side members each comprising a lower member, an upper member, and an intermediate member, a cross bar arranged transversely of said side members adjacent the forward and rearward ends thereof and connected at its ends to said intermediate member, a U-shaped member positioned underneath said frame adjacent each of said cross bars and having the bight pivotally connected to the adjacent cross bar for movement about a vertical axis with its legs extending rearwardly of said axis and a roller journaled in the legs of each of said U-shaped members whereby there is provided a castering action for said frame, guide means embodying spaced vertically disposed rotatable pulleys positioned adjacent to and carried by the lower member of each of said side members intermediate its ends, a irst flexible cable having its intermediate portion in engagement with the pulleys on one of said lower members and having one end connected to one of the legs of the U-shaped member pivotally connected to the rearward cross bar and having the other end connected to the diagonally opposite one leg of the U- shaped member pivotally connected to the forward cross bar, and a second flexible cable having its intermediate portion in engagement with the pulleys on the other of said lower members and having one end connected to the other of the legs of the U-shaped member pivotally con'- nected to the rearward cross bar vand having the other end connected to the diagonally opposite other leg of the U-shaped member pivotally connected to the forward cross bar, whereby movement of the rearward U-shaped member in one direction causes simultaneous movement of the forward U-shaped member in the opposite direction.

CHARLES E'. vIVIOODY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are Fof record in the iile of this patent:

Germany Dec. 25, 1936