US2729002A

US2729002A - Excavating and loading machine

Info

Publication number: US2729002A
Application number: US339690A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles W Hedgecock
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1953-03-02
Filing date: 1953-03-02
Publication date: 1956-01-03
Anticipated expiration: 1973-01-03

Description

1956 c. w. HEDGECOCK 2,729,002

EXCAVATING AND LOADING MACHINE Filed March 2, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Char/es u. Hedgecoc/c Q INVENTOR. E RY C. W. HEDGECOCK EXCAVATING AND LOADING MACHINE Jan. 3, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Wad-3w.

Attorney:

Char/es W Hedgecoc/r Filed MarQh 2, 1953 Jan. 3, 1956 c. w. HEDGECOCK EXCAVATING AND LOADING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 2, 1953 .a U M M M m u CT m H 3 mm mm QQ m8 m WE W m aol'llli Unite States Patent 2,729,002 EXCAVATIN G AND LOADING MACHINE Charles W. Hedgecock, El Dorado, Ark.

Application March 2, 1953, Serial No. 339,690

2 Claims. (Cl. 37- 190) This invention relates to the class of earth moving apparatus and more particularly to an excavating and loading machine.

An object of this invention is to provide an excavating and loading machine capable of excavating, ditching, and loading of gravel, sand, soil and equally adaptable for the loading of other substances such as grain.

The construction of this invention features the use of a cutting wheel which is rotated and by centrifugal force cuts and throws the substance being excavated against an enclosing shield which directs the continuous flow of the substance onto a conveyor which carries the material to a loading chute from whence the material may be deposited in a dump truck or other cart or vehicle.

Other specific features of the invention include the means for pivotally raising and lowering the free end of the conveyor to which there is pivotally and adjustably secured the cutter drum. The cutter drum is mounted by means of a novel cutter carrier consisting of a pair of spaced cutter crank arms which carry a shaft having a torque converter on which shaft there is mounted the cutter drum. Replaceable cutter blades having teeth are attached to the cutter drum when used in the excavation of relatively hard materials.

Still further objects and features of the invention reside in the provision of a loading and excavating machine that is strong and durable, capable of excavating and loading material at a relatively high rate so as to reduce the cost and time necessary in handling a unit volumn of material, while being relatively easy and inexpensive to operate.

These, together with the various ancillary objects and features of the invention which will become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by this excavating and loading machine, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, by way of example only, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation view of the excavating and loading machine comprising the present invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of this earth moving apparatus;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view as taken along the plane of line 3-3 in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional detail view as taken along the plane of line 4-4 in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of one of the crank arms and cutting drum carriers comprising important elements of this invention;

Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the drive means for operating the various elements of this earth moving apparatus;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of one of the cutter drums used;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the cutter drum employing removable blades with tooth edges; and,

Figure 9 is a sectional view illustrating the cutter drum shown in Figure 8.

"ice

With continuing reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, reference numeral 10 generally designates a vehicle of suitable construction and adapted to provide locomotion for the entire apparatus. The vehicle 10 includes an internal combustion engine 12 or other prime mover which can drive wheels 14. The front wheels 16 of the vehicle may be turned through use of a conventional steering wheel 18 in order to direct the path of travel of the vehicle. A second prime mover 20 is carried by the vehicle at the front portion thereof for providing motor power to the cutting drum and conveyor. Upwardly extending from the frame 22 of the vehicle 10 are vertical supporting members 24.

Carried by the supporting members 24 is a shaft 26. Rotatably mounted on the shaft 26 by means of bearings 28 is a transverse frame member 30 of channel construction. Depending from the transverse channel beam 30 are longitudinally extending channel members 32 which carry a lower transverse cross-beam 34 to which there is attached bearing blocks 36 within which a lower shaft 38 is journalled. Mounted on the shaft 26 are pulleys 40 and mounted on the shaft 38 are pulleys 42 over which the endless chain 44 carrying the endless belt conveyor 46 are entrained. The conveyor 46 is driven by means of the endless chain 48 mounted on the pulley 50 attached to the drive shaft of the prime mover 20. The endless belt is entrained over another pulley 52 mounted on the shaft 26.

As can be readily seen by an inspection of Figures 3 and 4 there is provided means for taking up any slack in the chain 46. This includes substantially L-shaped connecting members 54 which are terminally attached to the bearing blocks 36 and adjustably attached by means of fasteners 56 to L-shaped members 58 urged by the threaded member 60 to an extended position to tighten the chain 46. An upper guard or shield 62 is provided for the entire conveyor and hydraulic means for pivoting the conveyor relative to the vehicle 10 are provided. These hydraulic means include a cylinder 64 carried by the vehicle 10 and having a piston therein to which a piston rod 66 is attached, the piston rod 66 being mounted on stub shaft 68 for pivotal movement. Hydraulic conduit 70 interconnect each end of the cylinder 64 with a hydraulic control mechanism including a pump as generally indicated at 72. In this manner the height of the conveyor and of the elements depending therefrom may be adjusted.

A cutting drum 74 is keyed to a shaft 76 which is driven through a torque converter 78 by means of an endless belt 80 entrained about pulley 82 mounted on the torque converter driving shaft 84. The endless belt is entrained about the pulley 86 mounted on a collar 88 driven by means of the endless belt 90 which is mounted on the pulley 92. The endless belt 90 is further entrained about the pulley wheel 94 mounted on a collar 96 and driven by means of the endless belt 98 which is entrained about the pulley 100. The pulley 100 is also mounted on the collar 96. Power is transmitted by means of the

endless belts

102 and 104 from the prime mover 20. The torque converter 78 is provided to take up any shock or an unexpected load were the cutter drum '74 to encounter any unusually hard formations or be subjected to a stoppage by overload or any other reason. The cutter drum 74 is carried by means of a novel carrier 106 which is formed in two opposed portions each including a crank arm member 108 carrying bearing

cups

110 and 112. The bearing cups 112 are mounted on the shaft 38 and the bearing cup 110 is connected by means of a stub shaft 114 mounted therein to a piston rod 116 of a hydraulically actuated piston, not shown, mounted Within a cylinder 113 which is connected by means of asuitaole hydraulic conduits to the hydraulic control mechanism 72. In this manner the cutting drum 74 may be adjusted to p'edetermine the pitch or cutting angle thereof. The crank arm I08 carries a retaining clip 12% which is Welded thereto and which is adapted to retain the cutter drum supports 122. An adjusting block 125 is welded to each of the crank arms 1% and threaded adjusting bolts 126 are used to urge the cutter dr supports 1.22 away from the crank arms This enables any slack to be taken out of the endless chain 50. The cutter drum supports carry bearing members 124 through which the shaft '76 extends.

The cutter drums 74 have a plurality of annularly spaced spirally curved cutter blade elements r26 integrally formed therewith which terini cuttin: edges 12 If exceedingly hard material 13 being excavated, the cutter drum illustrated in Figure 8 say no used. This cutter drum 130 is provided with cutter blade elements E32 which are provided with grooves 33% therein for reception of cutter blades 136 provided with teeth 138 and secured thereto by means of screws 1443 or other fasteners. As the

cutter drum

74 or 130 rotates the substance being excavated and loaded will he carried upward within the cup-shaped confines between the helical

cutter blade elements

126 or 132 and by centrifugal force directed and thrown upwardly. A curved battle shield 142 is mounted over the cutter drum 74 space between the guard 62 and the conveyor 46 and" onto the conveyor 46 whence it is carried upwardly and deposited upon the chute 14- for loading into a dump truck or other vehicle.

Since from the foregoing, the construction and advantages of this excavating and loading machine are readily apparent, further description is believed to be unnecessary.

However, since numerous modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the foregoing specification and accompanying drawings, it is not intended to limit the invention to the precise embodiment shown and described, but all suitable modifications and equivalents may be readily resorted to as desired.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. An excavating and loading machine comprising a vehicle, a conveyor frame mounted for pivotal movement at its upper end on said vehicle, an endless belt conveyor about said frame, hydraulic means for pivoting said conveyor to raise and lower the free end of said conveyor secured to said frame and said vehicle, a cutter drum carrier, a cutter drum journalled on said carrier, drive means for actuating said conveyor and rotating said cutter drum, said drive means being entrained about a shaft journalled in said conveyor frame, hydraulically actuated means for pivoting said carrier relative to said frame, said carrier including a pair of crank arms each having a pair of sockets, one socket of each pair of said sockets of each of said crank arms being rotatably mounted on an end of said shaft, the other socket of each pair of said sockets having said hydraulically actuated means pivotally mounted therein, and cutter drum supports carried by said crank arms, said cutter drum being rotatably carried by said cutter supports, and means for urging the cutter drum supports away from the crank arms including clips secured to said crank arms, adjusting blocks secured to said crank arms, and threaded adjusting bolts threadedly secured in said a justing blocks engaging said cutter drum supports.

2. An excavating and loading machine comprising a vehicle, a conveyor frame mounted for pivotal movement at its upper end on said vehicle, an endless belt conveyor about said frame, hydraulic means for pivoting said conveyor to raise and lower the free end of said conveyor secured to said frame and said vehicle, a cutter drum carrier, a cutter drum journalled on said carrier, drive means for actuating said conveyor and rotating said cutter drum, said drive means being entrained about a shaft journalled in said conveyor frame, hydraulically actuated means for pivoting said carrier relative to said frame, said carrier including a pair of crank arms each having a pair of sockets, one socket of each pair of said sockets of each of said crank arms being rotatably mounted on an end of said shaft, the other socket of each pair of said sockets having said hydraulically actuated means pivotally mounted therein, and cutter drum supports carried by said crank arms, said cutter drum being rotatabiy carried by said cutter supports, and means for urging the cutter drum supports away from the crank arms including clips secured to said crank arms, adjusting blocks secured to said crank arms, and threaded adjusting bolts threadedly secured in said adjusting blocks engaging said cutter drum supports, a baille shield positioned over said cutting drum, said vehicle carrying a chute, said chute being in alignment with the upper end of said conveyor, said cutting drum being mounted on a driven shaft, said driven shaft including a torque converter for compensating for shock to said cutting drum.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 839,179 McCoy Dec. 25, 1906 1,269,098 Latta June 11, 1918 1,790,315 Meserve et a1. Ian. 27, 193 1 2,287,230 Cartlidge June 23, 1942 2,353,094 Veneziano July 4, 1944 2,393,563 Petterson Ian. 22, 1946 2,426,507 Inksetter Aug. 26, 1947 2,627,680 Schulte et a1. Feb. .10, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 406,809 Germany Dec. 3, 1924 OTHER REFERENCES Rosebrough: Fluid Drive for Mining Machinery, Mining Congress Journal, pp. 3034, Dec. 1941.