US2637123A - Earth scraper - Google Patents

Description

R. L. MILLER EARTH SCRAPER May 5, 1953 Filed April 14; 194'? 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORI- ROSCOE. LL NHLLER ATTORN EYS y 5, 1953 L 'R. L. MILLER 2,637,123 EARTH SCRAPER Filed April 14, 1947 s Sheets-Sheet s mmvrom- ROSCOE. L.. MILLER M:4AM/

ATTORNEYS Patented May 5, 1953 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE EARTH SCRAPER Application April 14, 1947, Serial No. 741,167

6 Claims. 11

This invention relatestoearth scrapers and more: particularly: to such implements suited. to the; scooping,v transporting, and spreading of earth;

Earth. scrapers are of two general types; the morecommon of-which comprises a relatively flat scoop: that is slidably drawn over the ground by a draft appliance for earth loading and transporting purposes. The scoop not only acts as a cutting means in removing a layer of earth from traversedareas hutreceivessuch. earth and by being tipped backwardly by the operator functions as a sled in transporting the earth accumulated. In the, manually controlled forms of this type of scraper, considerable physical energy is required; to ;hol'd;.the1 bowl in soi1 engagement for cutting purposes, intipping the bowl backward for transporting the earth, and in pivoting the scraper forward. to dump the earth. Even in power controlled forms of this type of scraper, it, is difficult accurately to control the depth of soil engagement during the loading of the scraper, excessive drawing power is required to motivate such scrapers, and; the frictional engagement of the scoop with the earth occasions frequently undesirable packing thereof and rapidly wears away the scoop. For these and other reasons, attention is being attracted to the other scraper type as a possible means of obviating the problems discussed. This second type generally provides an earth elevating'reel which engages earth scooped upby a scraper blade and deposits. such earth in a transporting bowl. Although possessingexceptional attributes, thislatter type of scraper is characterized by obiectionable features that have precluded its coming into general use. Such scrapershave generally provided earth elevating reelsthatare required, to function as wheels or rollers in the transportation of the scraper and" its load. Terrain over which such reelsrmay be rolled is limited to areas not harmed by-chopping action of the reels. It has been ditficult to regulate the depth of soil engagement of the reels. Precision control of the depth of scraper blade engagement with the soil has not been possible. At least one form of scraper of this 'latter type has provided support wheels for transporting purposes. The mounting of the wheels has been such as to preclude accurate elevational control of the scraper blade and the earth elevating reel. Further the wheels have been caused totraverse the earth at the sides of? the. scraper blade and reel which is usually very) poorly suited to free rolling movement generally is souneven asv to make accurate controleof: thev scraper: virtually. impossible,

An object of my invention is to provide animproved scraper adapted to load and transport earth in quantities in excess of. that heretofore possible with a given available drawing power.

Another object is to provide a scraper adapted to deposit, as well as to scrape off, terrain trans.- versed to accurately gauged extents.

Another object is to provide a scraper having means operable to loosen the soil and chopencountered material preliminary to their being encountered by a scraper blade, saidmeans engaging the soil to accurately gauged extent.

Another object is to provide a scraper of the earth elevating and transporting type having wheel sup ort in relation to which the other elements of the scraper are elevated and depressed to accurately controlled extents for loading, transporting, and dumping purposes.

Another object is to provide a. scraper of the earth transporting type in which an earth scooping element, earth elevating elements, and. an earth transporting element are cooperatively. em.- ployed concentrically associated elements, said scooping element being elevationally positionable by remote control means independently of, and concurrently with elevational positioning of the earth elevating and transporting elements.

Another object is to provide a scraper of" the character set forth in which supporting wheels are mounted so as to transverse terrain over which they have been preceded by the scraper blade, earth elevating elements, and earth transporting bowl, thus providing improved rolling surfaces for the wheels.

Another object is to provide an improved scraper of the type set forth in the preceding paragraph in which the earth elevating elements, earth transporting bowl and a semi-cylindrical hood element mounting a scraper blade are co axially arranged and earth encountered by the blade elevated and dropped into the top of the bowl by the revolving of earth elevating elements about the bowl and within the hood asmotivated by engagement with earth traversed by the scraper.

A further obiect is to provide in a scraper having an earth transporting bowl supported in a forwardly movable draft frame, remote control means for positioning the bowl to receive; earth and for upsetting the bowl to discharge the earth.

Further objects and advantages will appear from the subsequent description in the specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. I is a side elevation, of the improved-earth scraper constructed according to the present in vention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of said scraper, portions of the earth elevating means thereof being broken away more clearly to show internal portions of the scraper.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the scraper as seen from line 33 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken longitudinally of the earth scraper indicatin elements thereof as employed to scrape a layer of soil from the earth preliminary to transporting the same.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken longitudinally of the scraper of the present invention illustrating elements thereof as employed to transport earth accumulated in the bowl.

Fig. 6 is a similar fragmentary sectional view taken longitudinally of the scraper showing the elements of the present invention in earth dumping position.

Referring in greater detail to the drawings:

In Fig. 1 a suitable forwardly movable draft frame is indicated generally at H] being adapted at the forward end I I thereof to be supported and motivated by a draft appliance, such as a tractor, and supported at the opposite end thereof by wheels [2, the mounting thereof being presently more fully described. Suffice it at this point to observe that the frame may be raised and lowered with reference to the support wheels on which it is mounted.

A shaft I3 is mounted transversely in the frame forwardly of the support wheels l2. As seen in Figs. 2 and 3, the shaft is conveniently journaled in pillow blocks l4 mounted in the frame. A substantially cylindrical bowl I5 is fixedly mounted on the shaft l3. The bowl has an opening formed longitudinally therein adapted to receive earth to be transported and to dis-charge such earth when the bowl is inverted.

Circular discs l6 are journaled on the shaft [3 between the bowl l5 and the frame It). Earth elevating vanes I! are interconnected the discs near their peripheries. The discs and vanes comprise a dirt elevating reel, the discs thereof being rotated and the vanes revolved about the bowl by a rolling action of the reel over the ground. Said reel is preferably provided in circumjacent relation to the bowl. It has been discovered that the vanes operate more efficiently if formed into angularly related portions as shown in Fig. 1, the inner portion l8 of each vane is substantially radially related to the discs on which they are mounted and have outwardly disposed portions 19 angularly displaced from such radial rela-- tion forwardly therefrom, that is, in the normal direction of movement of the vanes when the reel is rolled along the ground. Said outer portions I9 are angled substantially degrees from alignment with the radial portions.

A segmentally cylindrical hood 28 is pivotally mounted on the shaft l3 disposed rearwardly of the earth elevating reel. The hood has end segments pivotally connected to the shaft and radially and rearwardly extended therefrom and an interconnecting segmentally cylindrical segment spaced in intimate concentric relation to the periphery of the reel. A scraper blade 2| is borne by the hood transversely related to the scraper for earth engagement. The hood extends arcuately upwardly from the scraper blade to a position adjacent the top of the bowl l5, said hood and blade comprising an earth scoop. It is obvious that the scraper blade may be inserted 4 into the earth or retracted therefrom, to controlled extents, by pivoting the hood on the shaft I3.

It will be noted from inspection of Figs. 4, 5 and 6, that bracket arms 22 are pivotally connected to the frame [0 disposed rearwardly of the shaft 13, the bowl IS, the reel, and the hood 2E] and in depending relation to said frame by a pivot rod 23. An axle 24 interconnects the bracket arms, and by pivoting of the latter, said axle is elevationally related to the frame, as desired. The support wheels [2 are journaled on the axle in positions causing them to traverse terrain already traversed by the reel, the hood, the scraper blade, and the bowl.

Lowering of the frame In is preferably adjustably limited by substantially erect adjustable stops 25, having elongated openings 26 formed therein, secured to the frame 10 in positions causing the downwardly disposed ends thereof to abut the axle 24 when lowered. Bolts 21 are passed through the openings in the stops, engaged to the frame I0, and serve to secure said stops in adjusted position. The stops are employed to limit the descent of the frame toward the axle 24 and thus to predetermine limits of earth engagement of the vanes H.

To the ends of raising the frame I!) above its resting position on the stops 25 and raising and lowering the hood 20 and scraper blade 2| borne thereby, an extensile and contractile linkage is provided between the axle 24 and said hocd. A bell crank, comprising a leg 28 rigidly secured to the axle 24 and upwardly and forwardly extended therefrom and a leg 29 rigidly interconnecting the pivot rod 23 of the bracket arms 22 and the upwardly extended end portion of the leg 28, provides a leveraging arrangement for rotating the pivot rod, pivotally moving the arms 22 and raising the frame I0 on the wheels I2. A pair of auxiliary legs 28a rigidly interconnect the axle 24 on opposite sides of the leg 28 and a medial portion of the leg in bracing relation to the leg. A flange 30 is mounted on the hood in convenient relation to the upwardly extended end portion of the bell crank. The extensile and contractile means may be of various types suitably powered and conveniently comprises a hydraulic cylinder 3! mounted on the bell crank at the upwardly extended end portion thereof. A piston, not shown, is slidably housed in the cylinder, the connecting rod 32 of which extends therefrom and is connected to the flange 30 on the hood. Hydraulic fluid under pressure is fed to, and bled from, the cylinder by means of hoses 33 and 34 respectively, communicating with the cylinder at each side of the piston. Manipulation of the pressures impressed on the piston through the hoses 33 and 34 serves selectively to contract, to extend, and to lock the linkage between the axle 24 and the hood 20, at will.

Adjustable limiting means 35 are provided for the hood 2!] predetermining extent of movement thereof. Said limiting means comprise elongated bars each having an opening 36 formed longitudinally therein near an end portion. The opposite ends of the bars are provided with a series of bolt holes through which bolts 38 are inserted to secure the limiting means to the frame. The plurality of bolt holes provides longitudinal adjustment of the limiting means. Ears 39 are formed on the hood 20 and slide pins 40 employed slidably t9 @SSociate the bars with the ears by assumes being passed; through. the-.lon-gitudinaL openin s 3fi1andsecured totheear-si Further control; means; arezproyided 3 positively to. position and to;upset;the bowl, [5: Thecontrol means. preferably consist ofia toothed wheel H rigidly affixed to the. shaft l3; as shown inFigs. l, 2 and 3-. Forwardly from the 'shaftand'scraper elements borne thereby, .a. rocker arm". 42: is pivotally mounted near itsmidportion on the frame it: The. control arm provides upwardly and downwardly disposed arcuate portionsdt. A rod Mi preferably interconnects the upper endportions of-the control arms. Another extensile and contractile hydraulic unitispreferably connected between therod M and the forward portion of the frame Ill. Said hydraulic unit is'of thepositive type having hydraulic fluid fed thereto, and bleed therefrom, through hoses 45 and ll, respectively, communicatingwith the cylinder at oppositesides of the piston, saidpiston preferably being. connected to the rod :34 by a connecting rod id. It is obvious that as the hydraulic unit is extended, or. contracted the control arm d2 is responsively pivoted in the frame. Such pivoting ofthe controlarin is translated into rotation of the shaft 53 and rotational positioning of the bowl mounted thereonby a-chain d9 connected to an arcuate element 43, engaged to the tooth wheel 4!, and returned and secured to the opposite arcuate element" 56: of said control arm. Although two control arms, apair of toothed wheels, and two communicating chains are shown inthe Figs. 2 and. 3, itiis obvious that the present invention is not limited-to such number, one frequently beingrsuiiicient rotationally to position the bowl.

' Operation The operation is believed to be clearly apparent inithe preceding description of the present invention and is briefly summarized at this point. The scraper is connected to admit appliance at the end it thereof and the frame it and supported elements of the scraper caused to traverse terrain which is to be scraped. In Fig. 4, the working elements of the scraper of the. present invention are. illustrated intheir relative positions assumed iii-loading. thescraper. the scraper is drawn along the ground the vanes ill engage the-earth and the reel is rolled over. the. ground, the vanes loosening the soil and. cutting or breaking encountered debris into segmentsconveniently handled by the, scraper. The scraper. blade 2! engages the earth already traversed and loosened by the rolling action of thevanes. Th scraper lowered into the earth by increasingthe hydraulic, pressure. imposed; upon the cylinder 3| through. the hosett relative, to. the hosetlt. The scraper bladeis raised by increasingthehydraw lic ressure imposedon thecylinder through the hose 33 relative to the hose 34 Earth is picked up bythescraper bladeand engaged by the vanes as they are revolved about the shaft 13. The angular character of the; vanes, already described, assists in scooping the earth so engaged and lifting it as the vanes continue to revolve to; aposition above the, bowl 5%. The hood. 2% assists, in the emcient elevating ottne earth in the manner described by, assisting in maintaining theearth on. the, vanes. Earth so elevated is spilled inwardly by the vanes into the bowl where it is conveniently maintained for transporting purposes.

Inasmuch asthe, earth-is depostied in the bowl usually; at the rearwardside thereof,vv it is;neccs'- sary thatthe bowlibe. maintained inza filling-positioni r.esistive;.-to; atendencyi thereof to.-turn.bach.-.- ward due to loading: of. the: rearward; portion; This is conveniently accomplished by adjustin the balance of. pressures-imposed on.the. hydraulic unit 45' through: the lioses lfi. and 41.

The scraper 'bladexmay be: adjusted! to encoune ter the: earth to the depth desired by manipulating the hydraulic pressures: impressed on the hydraulic cylinder 3| through thehoses 33 and 3d to raise and lower the hood; that bears the blade. It will be clearly apparentthat accurate regulationof such pressures-results in the scraper blade removing as thick or" as thin alayer of earth from the ground as desired. The positive control and mounting of'the scraper blade preeludes digging-in commonly experienced in conventional scrapers.

To transport earth accumulated in the bowl, the hydraulic pressure impressed on the cylinder 31- through thehose 33, relative to that through the hose 3 3, is increased resulting in a respons ive raising of thehood. As the=hoodis raised, the slide pins til reach the upper ends of the longitudinal openings 36 and further upward movement or the hood is precluded by the limiting means 35; Such-elevating of the hood raises the scraper blade 2| clear of" the earth but allows the earth elevating reel to remain in earth engagement. The hoo'd'being' unable to move upward further, continued expansion of' the linkage results in a tipping of the" bell crank upwardly and rearwardly resulting in a raising of the frame lo from the axle 2t. Thus expansion of the hydraulic linkage after the pins have reached the upper limits of the longitudinal openings 36, results in concurrent elevational control. of all of the elements borne by the, frame.

The rocker arm 42, as seen in full line in Fig, 5, is in a position maintaining the bowl 15' in its upwardly directed or filling position. In dotted line the rocker arm and the hydraulic unit. #35 are indicated in the' attitudes they assume to upset the bowl, it when it is desired to discharge the earth contained therein. The bowl is upset by increasing the hydraulic pressure impressed on the hydraulic unit through the hose 43 over that impressed through hose d7 resulting in contraction oilsaid hydraulic unit. This rotates the rocker arm. ina clockwise direction as seen in Fig. 5, causing. the. bowl E5 to assume. the inverted position shown in Fig. 6. When it is desired. to spread the dirt discharged in. a thin layer over the terrain traversed, the

- bowl may be tipped a little. at a time to spill the dirt gradually. In cooperation with this gradual spilling, it, is sometimes desirable to contract the hydrauliclinkage til-42. to lower. the frame, to the extent. permittedby thestops. 25, in, which position the reel assists in spreading the discharged earth by rolling theretl'irough. Further the scraper blade. may be lowered as desired by further contraction of the hydraulic linkage sothat the earth isspread in asthin or as thick. a layer as desired.

After the earth has been. so discharged, the hydraulic. linkage l -3ii; isagain expanded until the reel and the;- blades are elevated. a .suihcient distanceabove the ground for safe transporter tion of-the scraper; The. scraper is again. drawn across terrainldesired to bescraped; the hydraulic linkage 3l--32- beinggthen contracted to permit the frame to. descend on. the rear; axis; as. per. mitted by. the stops 25; The reel; is; again r0- tated by engaeementor. the: vanes: [*Tr with: the.

earth and the hydraulic linkage further contracted to bring the scraper blade 2| into engagement with the earth to the depth desired. The second hydraulic unit 45 is employed to return the rocker arm 42 to the position shown in Fig. 5 in full line construction, resulting in a return of the bowl to its loading position.

The scraper of the present invention loads and transports earth in quantities greatly in excess of that heretofore possible with a given available drawing power. The scraper is conveniently employed to deposit as well as to remove earth from terrain traversed in accurately gauged quantities. The reel serves to loosen the soil and to chop encountered material preliminary to their being picked up by the scraper blade. The wheels of the present invention track terrain already traversed by the scraper blade and rotary reel, thus while loading, roll on a smoothed surface providing a more accurate base in relation to which the scraper blade and reel may be elevationally positioned with accuracy. This wheel positioning has a further advantage of restricting the over-all width of the scraper to a minimum in keeping with the width of the scraper blade, the hood, the reel and the bowl.

Although I hav herein shown and described my invention in which I have conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made there from within the scope of my invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein, but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices.

I claim:

1. An earth scraper comprising a forwardly movable support frame, a shaft journaled transversely in the frame, a substantially cylindrical bowl fixedly mounted on the shaft, and having an earth receiving and discharging opening formed therein, means mounted on the frame and communicating with the shaft whereby the bowl is selectively positioned in earth receiving and earth discharging positions, disc members journaled on the shaft at each end of the bowl, vanes interconnecting the disc members near their peripheries and revolved about the bowl by rolling along the ground and rotating the disc members on the shaft, a segmentally cylindrical hood pivotally mounted on the shaft disposed rearwardly of the vanes, a scraper blade downwardly extended from the hood whereby earth encountered by the scraper is elevated by the revolving vanes in association with the hood and deposited in the bowl, means communicating between the frame and the hood limiting elevating and depressing of the hood and scraper blade borne thereby relative to the frame, support wheels pivotally mounted on the frame, and controlled extension means communicating between the hood and the wheels whereby the hood and scraper blade are raised and lowered in the frame and whereby the frame and frame borne elements of the scraper are raised and lowered relative to the ground traversed by the wheels.

2. An earth scraper comprising a draft frame; a shaft rotatably mounted transversely in the frame; circular disc members journaled on the shaft within the frame; vanes interconnecting the disc members near their peripheries and revolved by rolling along the ground and rotating the disc members; a substantially cylindrical hopper having an earth receiving and discharging opening formed therein, said hopper being fixedly mounted on the shaft concentrically within the disc borne vanes; a segmentally cylindrical hood pivotally mounted on the shaft disposed rearwardly of the vanes; a downwardly extended scraper blade borne by the hood whereby earth is scooped up by the blade, elevated by the vanes in association with the hood and deposited in the hopper; a toothed wheel fixedly mounted on the shaft; a rocker arm having a mid portion thereof pivoitally mounted on the frame; extensile and contractile hydraulic means connected between the frame and the rocker arm controllably adjusting the attitude of said rocker arm; and a chain engaged to the toothed wheel and to the rocker arm translating positioning of said rocker arm into loading and dumping positioning of the bowl.

3. An earth scraper of the earth transporting type comprising a forwardly movable frame; a. mounting shaft journaled transversely in the frame; a substantially cylindrical bowl fixedly mounted on the shaft and having an opening formed therein upwardly disposed to receive earth and downwardly disposed by upsetting the bowl to discharge earth; means connected to the shaft to rotatably position the same and the bowl borne thereby; an earth elevating reel journaled on the shaft circumjacent the bowl; a scraper blade positioned for earth engagement disposed rearwardly of the reel; a segmentally-cylindrical hood having end segments pivoted on the shaft and radially extended therefrom and an arcuate body portion interconnecting the end segments disposed rearwardly of the reel and in intimate spaced relation to the periphery of the reel, said hood mounting the blade and extending upwardly therefrom to a position adjacent the top of the bowl; bracket arms pivotally mounted in depending relation on the frame; an axle interconnecting the bracket arms; support wheels journaled on the axle disposed rearwardly of the hood and laterally spaced to traverse earth already traversed by the reel and blade; adjustable stops mounted on the frame limiting downward movement of the frame relative to the wheels; limiting means communicating between the hood and the frame restricting upward and downward movement of said hood, and thus the blade, to predetermined extents; and an extensile and contractile hydraulic means communicating between the hood and the axle, contraction thereof serving to lower the reel into ground engagement according to the adjustment of the stops, by lowering the frame on said stops; further contraction thereof serving to insert the scraper blade into the earth as restricted by the limiting means; and extension of the hydraulic means serving to withdraw the scraper blade from the earth, further extension serving to elevate the scraper blade and reel above the earth by raising the frame from the stops.

4. An earth scraper comprising a forwardly movable support frame, a shaft journaled in the frame transversely thereto, an earth elevating reel journaled on the shaft and rotated by rolling movement along the ground, said reel including spaced vanes radially positioned in cylindrical arrangement concentrically of the shaft, an earth scoop pivotally mounted on the shaft for elevational movement in the frame disposed rearwardly of and overlaying the reel for a portion of the peripheral extent of said reel from a point adjacent earth on which the reel is supported upwardly and rearwardly therefrom whereby earth encountered by the scoop is ele vated by the reel in association with the overlaying portion of the scoop and is discharged inwardly from the vanes when elevated, slide means interconnecting the scoop and frame and limiting relative elevational movement of the scoop in the frame to predetermined limits, a bowl mounted on the shaft within the reel and having an opening therein positionable to receive earth discharged by the reel, support wheels, means mounting the Wheels in supporting relation to the frame disposed rearwardly of the scoop for relative elevational movement of the frame on the wheels, and controlled extension means connected between the scoop and the wheel mounting means.

5. In a device of the character described, a support frame; an open top bowl; a scoop mounted for earth engagement rearwardly disposed to the bowl and extended upwardly and rearwardly from a position adjacent the earth in spaced concentric relation to the bowl to a point adjacent the top of said bowl; means mounted in the frame supporting said scoop and said bowl pivotally on a common axis transversely of the frame; means interconnecting the scoop and frame and limiting relative elevational movement of the scoop in the frame to predetermined limits; an earth elevating reel journaled on said supporting means circumjacent to the bowl and interposed between said bowl and the scoop; support wheels mounting the frame thereon for elevational movement relative thereto rearwardly of the bowl, the reel, and the blade; and a controlled extension and contraction linkage interconnecting the scoop and the support wheels whereby initial contraction of said linkage serves to lower the reel into earth engagement by lowering the frame relative to the wheels and further contraction serves to extend the scoop into the earth and whereby initial expansion of the linkage serves to withdraw the scoop from the earth and further expansion thereof to elevate the scoop and the reel above the earth by elevating the frame relative to the wheels.

6. A scraper comprising a forwardly movable support frame, a shaft journaled transversely in the frame, a bowl fixedly mounted on the shaft and having an earth receiving and discharge opening, means mounted on the frame and connected to the shaft whereby the shaft is selectively rotated and the bowl selectively positioned in upright earth receiving and inverted earth discharging positions, an earth elevating reel journaled on the shaft in circumscribing relation to the bowl including a plurality of spaced vanes positioned in cylindrical arrangement concentrically of the shaft, the vanes having inner portions radially related to the shaft and outer portions continuous therewith angled from said radial inner portions in the direction of revolution of the reel in rolling movement over earth traversed, a scoop mounted for elevational posi tioning in the frame rearwardly adjacent to the reel, elongated means having a longitudinal slot connected to the frame and upwardly extended therefrom adjacent to the scoop, said slot having closed ends constituting stops, a pin mounted in fixed position on the scoop and slidably engaged in the slot of the elongated means, wheels mounted on the frame in supporting relation to the frame and for elevational movement relative to said frame, and controlled extension and contraction means connected between the scoop and the wheels having a range of contraction and extension greater than the length of the slot in the elongated means.

ROSCOE L. MILLER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,177364 Cahall Oct. 31, 1939 2,298,566 Johnson Oct. 13, 1942 2,404,123 Clark July 16, 1946

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