US2714775A

US2714775A - Trench

Info

Publication number: US2714775A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1955-08-09
Anticipated expiration: 1972-08-09

Description

Aug 9, 1955 L. A. CRAWFORD 2,714,775

TRENCH FILLING MACHINE Filed-Aug. 5l, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ank BY )ya ATTORNEY Aug. 9, 1955 l.. A. CRAWFORD TRENCH FILLING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 31, 1951 lNvENToR ATTORNEY Aug. 9, 1955 L. A. CRAWFORD 2,714,775

'FRENCH FILLING MACHINE Filed Aug. 5l, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 @fw/z, @W

We? //M ATTORNEY Aug 9, 1955 1 A. CRAWFORD 2,714,775

TRENCH FILLING MACHINE Filed Aug. 5l, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 @i M4 5w -'EV MW ATTORNEY United States Patent O TRENCH FILLING MACHINE Laurel A. Crawford, Deshler, Ohio Application August 31, 1951, Serial No. 244,543

3 Claims. (Cl. 37-144) This invention relates to earth moving and shifting a machine whereby the apparatus may follow the line of earth to b'e shifted without itself being shifted out of its A desired line of progress by the earth mass.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device, wherein the earth shifting part may be automatically controlled in its position relatively to the earths surface over which it is moved.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel mount for the earth mass contacting and shifting screw.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel control for the various functions of the apparatus.

And another object of this invention is to provide a hydraulic positioning apparatus for the operating element including automatic controls in combination with manual controls for co-ordinating the functions of the machine.

Other objects and advantages of this invention relating to the arrangement, operation and function of the related elements of the structure, to various details of constructing, to combinations of parts and to economies of manufacture, will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the mechanism, including the invention herein, showing a mounting thereof on a self-propelled vehicle;

Fig. 2 is a view from the opposite side of` the machine of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a view of the earth shifting element and its d drive, looking into the device from the right of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view on the line IV-IV, Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a view on the line V-V, Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a view on the line VI-VL Fig. 4.

The operating mechanism of the invention herein is normally mounted on the rear of a truck chassis 10, preferably a so-called heavy-duty truck, that is one having a substantial tonnage rating.

The truck chassis 10 is fitted with an operators station 12 on the rear deck thereof, together with adjacent controls including a pedal 14 and a steering control 16, by which an operator may have complete control of the movements of the tractor 10, which herein, while the earth mechanism is in operation, is usually driven in reverse to the normal driving direction of the chassis 10 with the movements controlled by an operator positioned in station 12 manipulating the pedal 14 and the wheel 16.

A pair of spaced parallel vertical guides 1S, 20 are fixed to the tractor' chassis rear and provide a` slide-way 22 therebetween `for accommodating frame 24. This frame 24 is a substantially box construction, braced to ice form a rigid structure including a center piece 26 which mounts a horizontally positioned pintle or pin 28.

This pin 28 mounts bearings 30 carried by frame 32 for pivotally supporting this pendulous frame 32 on the pin 28. The frame 32 includes a platform region 34 and a sub-frame structure 36 including a pair of aligned bearings 3S, 40.

The platform 34 mounts an engine 42 together with cooperating parts including a controllable transmission 44 for driving shaft 46 having sprocket 43 keyed thereon. This sprocket serves as a drive for chain 50 to sprocket 52 fixed on shaft 54 mounted in the bearings 33, 40.

The size of the

sprockets

48, 50 are selected to determine a speed reduction drive therebetween beyond the L controlled speed of shaft 46 as selected. by operation of the transmission 44. Incidently, the control for the transmission is located within reach of the operator in stationV 12. This allows a complete one operator control of both the tractor and the earth shifting tool or screw 56.

The shaft 54 serves as an axle for the earth shifting tool 56 herein shown as a helix or screw rotatable with the shaft 54 to serve as a screw conveyor element to shift earth 5S laterally as into a trench 6l) from which the earth has previously been removed. This machine is extremely useful in farm areas which are being tiled. The trench 66 is dug by suitable trench digging equipment and the earth 58 piled along and adjacent the rim of the trench. Tile is laid within the trench and this machine then moves along and beside the trench line with the screw continuously back lling into the trench. Not only is the fill complete but all of the loose earth can be completely moved into the trench and the surface graded or smoothed therealong.

With the frame 32 pivotally suspended from the pin 28,

l the screw 56 may be rocked in response to any overload,

thereby avoiding damage to the tool and defeating any slowing up of the tractors linear movement as well as defeating any tendency of the tool pushing the tractor laterally from its desired path or imparting undesirable stresses to the apparatus.

Additionally, the drive and transmission for the tool being mounted on the rear of the tractor, adds sufficient weight to the tractor, so that the screw action will positively shift the earth rather than abut the earth and shift the tractor. The engine 42 thereby serves a dual purpose, that of a drive and a ballast.

For stability, the frame 32 carries an extension 62 having an adjustable link connection 64 with the frame to vary its lateral angular position as to the frame. The extension 62 mounts a caster wheel 66 which normally rolls along the side of the trench being filled, opposite the side along which the tractor is moving. The caster wheel 66 stabilizes the tool and if, in rolling over the terrain, contacts an obstruction, this caster will tilt the l tool accordingly.

Adjacent the tool end, remote from the caster 66, a ground engaging skid or shoe 63 slides along the snrface of the terrain. This shoe 68 is hingedly connected at one end on pivot 70 carried by a forwardly projecting arm 72 from the frame 32. The free end of the shoe may be restricted by a chain connection 74 between the shoe and arm 72. Intermediate the extent of the skid 68, frame work 76 extends upwardly to provide an eye 78 for engaging link 80 extending between said frame worw 76 and one end of bell crank 82 pivotally mounted on the frame 32. The opposite end of this crank 82 is connected by a link 84 to arm 86 fixed to a rotary member or valve 8S in valve housing 9i);

The link is adjustably attached to the frame work 76 which attachment includes an adjustable nut 92 thereon operable against spring 94 thus: providing a resilient connection between the elements 76 and 80.

As the shoe slides over the surface of the ground as carried by the machine, it will follow the contours of the terrain and rock on the pivot 70, and through

linkage

80, 82, 84 and 86, operate the valve 88. This valve controls fluid flow from pump 96 driven by a suitable connection 98from the motor 42. At one position of the valve, pressure fluid is passed by the valve from duct 100l to duct 102 to cylinder 104 of a fluid motor and the piston therein vertically moves piston rod 106 to lift cross bar .108 which is a part of the pintle carrying frame 24. The frame is lifted in the slide-way 22, in turn lifting the pintle, the frame 32 suspended therefrom and hence the tool 56. A reverse movement of the valve allows the cylinder 104 to drain to sump 110. An

adjustable relief Valve 112 and by-pass 113 in the hydraulic system determines the rate of fluid flow limiting the movements of the elevator for the tool.

The mass of the frame 32, including its load, is cushioned on a spring device 114 about post 116 mounted on the chassis 10. Y

It will be seen that the tool 56 will automatically lift and fall in response to the ground contour encountered by the shoe 68. This is a protective feature and one which contributes to a constant filling speed of the device.

The elevator 24 is provided with a rub plate 116 sliding adjacent or against the forward faces of the

slides

18, 20, limiting any canting of the elevator due to stresses on the machine and a stop 118 may be provided as an elevator limiting device.

The supporting frame, the elevator frame and tool carrying frame may all be fabricated for strength and Vproper Weight to insure a smooth operation of the machine and providing a flexibility over various terrains.

The automatic lift has additional linkage 120 from I'y the valve operating arm 86 to lever 122 adjacent the operators station. This permits a manual control for the lift and fall of the tool 56.

It is obvious if the obstruction is met by the caster 66, the tool will be lifted at that end and tilted as to the shoe 68 thereby operating the hydraulic control the same as if an obstruction were directly met by the shoe, so that only one shoe is necessary for full control over the area traversed by the filling device.

lt is not intended to imply that the rise and fall of the screw is quickly responsive to every slight change in ground contour, nor that every clod of earth engaging either the shoe 68 or the wheel 66 will effect a change in adjustment. The operation of the elevating mechanism is based on the average rise and fall of the earths surface over a comparatively large area. The combined weight of the the screw, the elevator, and the accompanying mechanism is considerable and the operating valves are so adjusted that the flow of operating fluid therethrough is restricted, so that an elevation or drop of the screw is slow in response to a shift in the shoe 68. However, if a high or low strip is encountered and the shoe 68 is held in a shifted position for a length of time, then the elevator operating mechanism will have time to adjust the screw to meet the general land contour without responding to short impulses. It is to be understood that this machine is designed to be used over rough terrain, and the screw operated to adjust itself to the general surface of the terrain and does so effectively.

It is to be understood that the above detailed description of the present invention is intended to disclose an embodiment thereof to those skilled in the art, but that the invention is not to be construed as limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of being practiced and carried out in various ways without departing from the spirit of the invention. The language used in the specification relating to the operation and function of the elements of the invention is employed for purposes of description and not of limitation, and it is not intended to limit the scope of the following claims beyond the requirements of the prior art.

What is claimed and desired to secure by United States Letters Patent:

l. in a back filling mechanism of the class described, a tractor having elements for supporting and guiding the tractor for movement generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tractor, a pair of vertical guides on said tractor spaced apart in a plane transverse to said tractor longituinal axis, a frame mounted for vertically shifting movement in said vertical guides, a horizontal pintle carried by said frame in a position generally paral lel and coaxial to the longitudinal axis of said tractor, a support mounted upon said pintle for free pivotal movement about the axis of said pintle, a shaft xedly mounted upon said support generally parallel to the plane of said frame, a conveyor element mounted upon said shaft and operable when rotated to engage and shift material laterally and transversely of said frame, motor means carried by said support and connected to rotate said conveyor, wheel means in general alignment with but spaced substantially outboard of and beyond the end of said conveyor element toward which end said conveyor l is operable to shift material and engageable with the same surface that supports said tractor to support the end of said conveyor adjacent said wheel means and a spring carried by said tractor and constructedrand arranged to resiliently support a portion of the weight of said frame and support and mechanism on said support.

2. The device described in claim 1 wherein said wheel means is castered about a substantially vertical axis, an extension hingedly connected at a rst point to said support to mount said castered wheel means, and a link adjustable in length connecting said castered wheel means to a second point on said support and vertically spaced from said first point, whereby the horizontal axis of said wheel may be raised or lowered with respect to the shaft upon which the conveyor is mounted.

3. In the device described in claim 1 a ground engaging skid adjacent the other end of the conveyor elementfrom said wheel means, said skid being pivoted upon said support and operable to slide over the surface of the ground adjacent said other endV of the conveyor element,

" a fluid motor operable to shift said frame vertically in l fective to raise or lower said frame and support with respect to said tractor.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,532,723 Webb Apr. 7, 1925 1,567,495 Fahrney Dec. 29, 1925 1,574,230 Brown Feb. 23, 1926 1,677,342 Hodgen 1 July 17, 1928 2,064,022 Maloon Dec. 15, 1936 2,109,393 LeBleu Feb. 22, 1938 2,132,790 Jeswine Oct. 11, 1938 2,402,976 Olson July 2, 1946 2,473,655 Lohn June 21, 1949 2,482,213 Ritchie Sept. 20, 1949 2,514,764 Herigstad Julyy l1, 1950 2,527,840 Mott Oct. 3l, 1950 2,567,107 Gobeil Sept. 4, 1951 2,589,553 Kesselrin'g Mar. 18, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 913,047 France May 20, 1946