US2940189A - Excavating machine - Google Patents

Description

EXCAVATING MACHINE INVENTOR. HENRY L. MEYER A TTONEYS June 14, 1960 H. 1 MEYER EXCAVATING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 21, 1957 INVENTOR. HENRY L. MEYER x Y IIx n- .n .e l ll l. Il

2422/65/ 728;@ lgw,

ATTENEYS June 14, 1960 H. L. MEYER EXCAVATING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet I5 Filed June 2l, 1957 2,940,189 ExcAvATnvG ivrAcnusii nited States Pate"`fiA The Cleveland Trencher Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Fife Jiie 21, 1957, -ser'. Nb, ssznsiV s eta' im' s; (envien Thisinven titu; relates to an excavating machine and more particularly to the conveyor apparatus used to" discharge vthe excavated material' from the machine.

For many years it has been Vcustomary toprovidea trench excavating machine with 'a discharge conveyor such, lfor instance, 'an endless belt extendingacross'the machine in position to receive and discharge Vexcavated material. Such conveyors have usually been mounted fortransverse movement on a suitable support carried by the machine so that they mightibe 'extended out# Wardly from the machine toward either'side thereof, as

desired, and so control the'position of `the discharged material. These conveyors have been providedz at theiropposite ends with drive shafts' carrying rollers or driims to drivingly support the endlessbelt of the conveyor. The belt has been driven by' an endless drive chain which has. been interconne'ctedbetween vsprocket wheels i mounted onthe aforementioned drive shaftslj A power-` -driven sprocketV Wheel has been generallymonnted on thesupport in position to Vvengage one" stretch of' the chain intermediate 'the end sprockets 'and so'drive'fthe vi'dedwith a rackcoacting'with a pinion carriedbya gear housing mounted on the conveyor supportiandcon-f taining' a worm 'gear' reducing unit for shifting"tliejcon`v veyor to either side of the'machinejy The gearfreduf ing unit has either been handoperatedas byV rneansfof a crank or hasbeen coupled with the Vniotor unitofthe excavating machine for power `shifting of 'the 'discharge conveyor. l

The conveyor frame in most prior art 'arrangements has' generally been of arcuate shape "inside elevation` to provide a facile configuration forshiftingthe conveyor and for' elevating the ends` thereof,"to discharge the excavated material at variableheights into a receiving vehicle, or onto piles along the sides of the machine. This arcuate construction ofconveyor hasnot always been found satisfactoryin that the conveyor is subject to interference and/or damaging contact during digging operations, with exterior obstructions, such as mounds of dirt, rocks, etc, disposed along the rim of the excavation. Moreover, the angle of travel of the belt element of the conveyor has been rather severe at the discharging end thereof Vwhen the latteris raised to its maximum height during digging operations. yIf. the radius of the arcuate construction is increased to thereby `decreasethe angular graden? the endsof the conveyor, an adequate range of vertical height adjust:- ment of the conveyor with respect tothegrou'nd level is precluded. A

The present invention provides lan excavating machine which includes ajdischargeconveyor which is offgen.-

erally Vshape in side elevationand 'which is shfta'ble to discharge from either side otjthemachinei The V construction of the Vconveyor provides greater clearance between the rim of the excavation and the conveyor mechanism, thus Vaiding toeliminate the possibility of interference between the conveyor and the delining walls of the excavation aswell as between the conveyor and other exterior obstructions, and thus precludes'damage to the conveyor structure.

Furthermore, the present invention provides aconveyor'mechanism in which the angular grade at thedischarging end 'thereof is lsuch that the excavated material may be movedalong the conveyor without Yfalling back due to the action of gravity and which provides' a greater range offvertical height adjustment "ofthe discharging end ofthe'conveyoras compare'dto a similar length arcuate type: conveyor.

Moreover, the instant invention provides al shiftable conveyor mechanism whichis fol'dable'v intermediate the ends'thereof to maintain the overall"'width of "thema chine within predetermined limits during -roading operai tions, and hydraulic Vmeans for conveniently accomplish# ing the shifting and/ or folding operations. In` addition, the'present invention 'provides various other struc tural and operational features for the conveyor mecha-1 nisfml than improvesV the*efficiency` and usability of the excavating'rnz1c hi nei"'Y n l It is,'therefore, an"object ofthe present" invention't'o provide 'ani excavatingVI machine' having an unloading conveyor' of `generally V-shape'fconiiguration-in sidenelef-l vationV "foreie'gitie i discha'rgefof the' excavated"v4 materiaf to `one "or A'botlr'sicl'es'of the machines@M 's Another, ,Qbesf ef .the invention .is ,merende air `ex1 Cav'atugmachine Qf the, latter .freer/herein .the unload-- ina @Brei/cit ishftable bv hydraulic means to either? side ofjthe machine for lselectively increasing ordefA creasinglthegheiehf and d stanof the .discharging end? ofgthelonveyor from the 'dirtrec'eiving section or 'stai non thereof Another, vbie'cf' of the invention is to provide an excavatingV machine of the above-mentioned Atype wh'e'ref inthe conveyoruis foldable A intermediate Vtheends 'there` of for maintaining the overallwidth of the excavating machineA within predeterrninedl limits during roading operations, and .wherein hydraulic and linkage means con: nected to ,theeachne frame and t0 the, Conveyor.. are operableto accomplish the 'folding and the shifting of thec'onvfeyor.Y

Anatheffcbiect ,0f the. invent@ is to Pro/ ide an excavfiia machine .Qf .the latterrmenfoned type, wherein a novel arrangement lof slack takefup sprockets is provided V to increase the `wrap ofthe drive `chain of the conveyorabout Atl'ledrive sprocket thereof While effectivelytensioning the drive chain:n

A further object of the invention is Vto provide a wheel type excavating machine having ja transversely extending,A shiftable,V-shaped'discharge conveyor whichk is relatively simple and "light-weight in construction,'com paratively inexpensive to manufacture, and which may be easilyfolded by means of a single `hydraulic piston andcylinder unit to maintain theoverall width of the machine within predetermined limits for reading ope eration, and which utilizesthe'same hydraulic unit for both V,shifting and folding'of the conveyor.

.Qtherfeatures andadvantageseofjthe invention will be. apparent from the fcllowns 'description taken in C0n= junction with the drawings.Whelan;M 1

Fig, V1A is aside elevation of an excavating machine embodyng the present invention; n ,Q

Fig 2 is a rearelevationof the machine with certain parts of the machine having beerioniitted .in the interests of simplicity; one operative psitio'of the inachines4 dis`-i Y charge'conveyor and its adjustment tion of the arrows;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view taken Y -.'strmitin-e20v of the machine. l

orY shifting means has been shown in full lines with the remainder of the Y structure Vand a second operative position of the conveyor sho'wn in phantom lines and with the position of the conveyor shifting means infsaid second operativey position being shown diagrammaticallyin dot-dash lines; also shown in dashed lines is VtheV inoperative folded position of the conveyor and its shifting means; o

Fig 3V is a transverse section illustrating the driving mechanism for the unloading conveyor, the' plane ofthe section being generally indicated by the Yline 3--3 in Fig. 1; j Y Y Fig.' 4 is'an Venlarged fragmentary elevational view taken generally along line 4-4 of Fig. 2 illustrating in detailone of the rollers on the boom of the excavating machine Von which the unloading conveyor travels duringV shiftingthereohand the structurerfor maintaining the conveyor in assembled relationship on the boom;

, v Fig. 5 is an enlarged end view of the conveyorf taken generally along line 5 5 of Fig. 2.V looking'in the direc-Y In the drawings, there is illustrated a wheel-type ex-V cavating or ditching machine. As shown in Fig. 1,l the machine comprises a frame supported by tractor belts 11. A motor 12 is mounted at one endrof the frame and is connected with the tracto'r belt by a drive chain l13 and a suitable speed reduction gear mechanism (not shown) but arranged to be controlled manually, as for instance, by an operating lever 14. ,Y Y A The excavator wheel is shown vat 1S as comprising a pair of rings 16 joined together at their peripheries by L l-shaped excavating buckets 17. The excavating wheel is supported by a plurality of rollers 18,"one pair o'f which is supported by a shaft 37, and others of which are shown in Fig. l, as supported by frame structure 19. .The shaft 37 and frame structure k19 are both supported by horizontally extending boom member 20. The innen end of vthe boom is pivotally connected as at 21 to a carriage 22 which is mounted for vertical movement on mast 24 carried by the yforward end of the frame 10; 1 f Cables 26 and 27 secured at one endto winding drums 28 and 29 mounted on theY machine frame and at the other end to the outer and inner ends respectively of the boom 20, as at 30 and 31, serve Vto' control the raising and lowering movementof the excavating wheel V15. The drums 28 and 29 are driven bythe motor 12 in any suitable manner and are selectively controlled V-as for in-` stance by'operating levers 32 and 33.

The excavating wheel is driven bythe motor 12.

i ThisV Ywheel carries a series of pins 35 which coactwith motor 12 in any suitable manner. The application of power to the shaft 41 is controlled, as by means of ia `manually operable lever 45.

The drive chain 39 is tensioned by a pair of sprocket wheels 44 carried by a pivoted lever 43 and around which the drive chain`39v islooped.V `A- spring 47 interconnected between lever V43 and,y the machine frame -tensions the 'j driving chain throught the medium of the sprockets 4 4; The discharge conveyor "is generally indicated at 50. This conveyor comprisesa segmental frame 51, mounted for kr(movement transversely". of jthe .frame j 10 andboo'm In the embodiment of the invention shown, Vframe 51 comprises two sectionsSla and 51b, hinged together as at 52. Each of sections 51a`and 51b comprises a pair of longitudinally spaced, elongated rail members 53 co'nnected by cross bar members 54 (Figs. 6 and 7). Preferably fabricated, side wall structure 53a projects upwardly from each of rail members'53 and is suitably attached thereto. A transversely extending shaftr55 is mounted on each end of the conveyor and carries a belt-supporting drum 56.V Since the -V-shaped construction of the conveyor provides greater clearance `between Ythe co'nveyor frame andthe nm of the excavation,rdrum 56 may be of larger than usual size, thus providing more positive driving characteristics forv the'conveyor. Auxiliary belt supporting rollers 56a Yare disposed intermediate the ends of the belt'as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The rollers 56a are rotatably mounted on shafts carried by conveyor frame 51. Material is retained on the conveyor byelongated side plate members 58 inrcombination with side wall structure 53a. Plates 58 extend over the top reach of the conveyor belt 59 and are supported on one side of the conveyor frame by side brackets 60. Plates 58 on the other side of the conveyor frame are supported on an extension of the associated side wall structure 53a, as may be best seen in Fig. 7.

Section 517b of the conveyor frame on its inner endembodies the base portion 61 of the V construction. Base portion 61 is ofV generally V-shape, in side elevation, fabricated construction, and is rigidly connected at one end to section 51h `of 4the conveyor frame and at its other end is hinged, as aforementioned, at 52 to section 51a of the conveyor frame. YIt will be seen, therefore, that the unloading conveyor Vin etect comprises a pair of Vouter, generally linearly extending sections which diverge outwardly with respect to one anotherand a central portion or section of generally angular or arcuate-like coniiguration, in.

sideV elevation, which is yattached to the outer sections to form the V-shaped contour of the conveyor. It has been found that the most desirable angle of grade or elevation at the discharging end of the conveyor, when it is raised to its maximum height, should be approximately 30 degrees with respect to kthe horizontahin order tojobtain an adequate range of vertical height adjustment of the discharging end with respect to ground level, while still permitting the excavated material being carried by belt element 59 to be moved upwardly without'slipping back on the conveyor due to the action Vof gravity. The V-shaped conguration of the conveyor provides for a greateradjustment `of the discharging end of the conveyor, with a smaller amount of lateral or shifting movement, as compared to an arcuate type conveyor of corresponding length, as will be understood by those skilled in the art.

Y It will be seen that lateral or` transverse movement of the Vthe machine frame and drivingly connected Ywith the Y conveyor provides a wide scopeV of vertical height positions of the discharging end of the conveyor, ranging from a substantially horizontal position to the diagonally ex tending position of the outer Vend of the conveyor section 51a illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

Latch structure 62 (Fig. 6) maintains the sections 51a and 51h Vof the conveyor frame in normal operating position. Latch structure 62 comprises a tongue element 62a attached at one end to angular portion 61 on conveyor Section 51h and a pair of Vtransversely spaced anges S2-b attached to section 51a of the conveyor frame between which tongue element 62a is receivable. Aligned openings 63 in elements 62a and 6217 are adapted toreceiveV therethrough a removable retaining element 64, sch as a pin or bolt, for holding the conveyor sections 51a and 51h in operating position. 'Y f As shown,inFigs.,` 2 and 3,V theV boom 20. comprises a painofspacednie'm ers65, 'which in the embodiment illustrated are of polygonalconguration in vertical cross section, and are connectedby. cross-frameelernentsa (Fig`.3).e` Y Each of` beams 65 vcarries a pairfofjspaced brackets `(Figs. 3 .fanclY l4*) lon the inner-.side ,surface atraiga plate 68 and serves tov retain the conveyor seated on the roller 67.

The conveyor 50 is driven from the shaft 37 Which, as heretofore described, is driven by the motor 12. AAs illustrated in Fig. l, the shaft 37 is provided with a sprocket wheel 70 which is drivingly connected as by a drive chain 70a with a sprocket Wheel 71 carried by a shaft 71a journaled in a housing 72 secured to boom 2l). The housing 72 is provided with a power transmission unit, including a Areverse gear mechanismfor reversing the direction of Vdrive of conveyor 50. A drive shaftv 74 which is operatively connected to the power transmission unit and reverse gear mechanism extends exteriorly of housing 72 and is provided with a drive sprocket wheel 74a (Figs. l and 3), which is connected with the conveyor shafts 55 heretofore mentioned by an endless drive chain 75 (Fig. 3)'. Drive chain 75 is looped about the drive sprocket wheel 74a and a pair of sprocket Wheels 76 which are secured to conveyor shatfs 55. A pair of idler sprocket wheels 77 carried by a cross-member 65a of the boom 20 serve to guide the lower reach of thedrive chain 75 above the beams 65 of the boom. An idler sprocket Wheel 77a mounted on central portion 61 of the conveyor frameY 51 maintains the upper stretchy of chain 75 below the upper extremity of the conveyor 5t) wd out of damagingV contact with the excavating wheel 15.

The drive chain 75 is tensioned by a pair of idler sprocket wheels 7S and 79. In Fig. 3 of the drawings, all of the aforementioned sprocket wheels are only diagrammatically illustrated. Sprocket wheels 78 and 79 are rotatably mounted on depending arm elements 78a and 7 9A, respectively, which are pivoted as at 78b and 79h on their upper ends to boom structure 20. An adjustable spring unit 80 is connected between sprocket aim 7&1 and 79a 'and is connected thereto intermediate the ends thereof.

A nut 80a threaded on shank Silb of unit S0 provides means for varying the tension in spring S00. Unit 80 tends to pull arms 78a and 79a together, thereby taking up the slack in the drive chain. In this connection, assuming that the drive sprocket 74a is moving in the direction of the arrow, the tight section 81 of the lower stretch of drive chain 75 will cause take-up sprocket 78 to pivot away from drive sprocket 74a, thereby pulling take-up sprocket 79 toward the drive sprocket 74a 'through the medium of spring unit SG. Sprocket 79 thereby takes up the slack in the loose section 82 of the lower stretch of drive chain 75 and results in greater chain wrap around drive sprocket 74a. A greater length of drive chain is necessary for a predetermined length of conveyor of the V-shaped type of the invention as compared to -the arcuate type, due to the greater range or" vertical movement of the conveyor upon transverse movement thereof. Accordingly, more slack results in the drive chain. The latter slack take-up arrangement provides a much more ecient and positive driving mechanism, thereby reducing the possibility of slippage and the chance of failure ofthe drive chain and drive sprocket members.

The lower stretch of the endless belt element 59 passes beneath boom structure 20 as best shown in Fig. 3. Rollers 84 rotatably mounted on boom structure 20 serve to lguide the lower reach of belt 59 below the beams 65 of the boom.

A hydraulic motor unit could be used to drive the belt element of the conveyor instead of the mechanical gear,

`chain and sprocket arrangement illustrated. Such a hy- 6 draulic motor'coul'd, for instance, be mounted on 'either end of the conveyor frame in :driving relationship with one -or both of belt supporting drums 56, and would be suitably connected to 4a source of pressurized uid such as a pump mounted on the machine chassis. The aforediscussed advantages of the V-type conveyor of the instant invention would exist equally well with such a hydraulically driven conveyor as compared to'the mechanically `driven arrangement show-n'.

Shifting of the'conveyor 50 to either side 'of the 'ex'- cavating machine is'accomplishedby means of' double acting hydraulic unit 86 (Fig.2) in combination with 4linkage; structure S7. One end of hydraulic unit 86 is pivotally mounted by .meansfof-bracket 88V (Fig. 1) on boom Ztlwhile the other 'end of unit S6 is'pivotally coit-V nected to linkl rocker arm *89.5 The outer end'of arm 89 is'pivotally yattached as at' 90, as by means of remov'- able'pin 90a (Eig,- 5) to lug element 92which,"inturn; is connected to side wall structure'SSa onthe outer end of conveyorfleurie 51. v Y.

The inner' end'of 1inkarm--89 is pivotallyV connected as at'94 to the outer'endl of link 'arm V96. The inner end of varm-96 is pivotally mounted as at 9 7 (Fi'g. l) to boom structure 20 of the machine. Hydraulic unit S6 is connected to a source of pressurized uid such as a pump (not shown), but which may be of a conventional type, mounted on the machine cli-assis'. Feed lines 98' (Fig-2) connect unit 86to the source of pressurized' iuid and suitable valve means' (not shown) which may be o f any conventional character, control the Aflow of uid to unit 86 to actuate the latter;l Whenthe conveyor is'in a laterally disposed position on either'side Aof the machine chassis', all of the stress dueto'the weighti'ofhinge'd sectionsla and 511? of the conveyor" is transmitted directly to the aforementioned latch lstructure 62 lockingthe conveyor sections together', noneV being'absorbed by the linkage `87' and hydralic'unit 86.

When it is desired to shift' thel conveyor from theposition shown inFig. 2 to the'o'thefrv side of the machine' or to any intermediate position,"the 'aforementioned vvalve means is actuated, thereby supplying pressurized'uid' to the `cylinder of hydraulicunit '86`and causing the plunger portion to retract.' Upon inward movement ofv the plunger, the linkage" structure 87 iscaused to fold' inwardly thus shifting `the `conveyorV laterally. The conveyor is thus moved transversely onthe aforementioned rollers 67 on beam"me'mbefsj65 -tothe' desired position with respect tothe machine 'chassis lvand theV bottom struc'- ture 20. In'Fig'. 2-,ithe1ocation of the' end of the conveyor when it is moved' transversely to its maximum lateral position on the other side of the machine chassis, is shown in phantomlines asj'at 100, The resultant folded position of actuating linkage S7 and" associated hydraulic unit 86 isalso shown in'dot-dash.' Lugs102 (Figs. 3 and 7) attached to theunder'sideof platesf on members 53 and 'adapted for engagement with boom 'structure 2may beV provided to limit the transverse' shifting movement of thev conveyor.

When it is desired to fold the conveyor to maintain the width of the excavating machine within predetermined limits forjroading', Vthe aforementioned pin 64 is removed from vlatch structure 62 on each' side of theY conveyor frame, and the weightof sectio Sla of the conveyor in combinationwith actuation of'the plunger elementof hydraulic unitl 86' causes the'co'nveyor section 51a to fold down about its hinged connection 52 to substantially'the position shown in dashed lines 'andindicated by reference numberu 103 in Eig. 2 of the drawings.

Pin `90u may then be removed to disconnect the'end of linkage arm 89'lfroin the conveyor Iafter which the hydraulic unit 86 may be further retracted to fold linkage 87 within the general outline ofthe excavating machine, thus` providing a machine of predetermined width for roading operations. During-theifolding operation ofthe' movement.

Y 7 f conveyor a spring actuated latch mechanism generally indicated vat 104, `attached to boom structure 2G and adapted to coact with the underside yof the conveyor ytrame may be provided to hold the conveyor against lateral Such a latch mechanism is shown and described in United States Patent No. 2,598,339, issued May 27, 1952, to Albert R. Askue, and not be discussed in detail here.

From the foregoing description .and accompanying drawings, it will be seen that the invention provides an excavating machine having a transversely shiftable, unloading conveyor mechanism which is of generally V- shaped configuration in side elevation and providing a lesser angle of grade or elevation'at the discharging end of the conveyor for eicient movement of the excavated material along the conveyor and one which provides a greater clearance betweenthe conveyor frame and the rim of the excavation, as welles providing a greater range of vertical height adjustment for the discharging endY of the conveyor. Moreover, the invention provides an excavatingY machine of the latter-mentioned type,1wherein the discharge conveyor is shifted transversely ofthe chassis of the excavating `machineby means of a hydraulic unit in combination with a linkage mechanism, and wherein a novel arrangement is provided for taking up the slack in thedrive chain of the conveyor. ln addition, the invention provides a discharge conveyor which is foldable intermediate the ends thereof, thus permitting the use of a greater length conveyor during digging operations which results in a greater lateral range of discharge of the excavated material, but providing means for maintaining the overall` width of the excavatingrmachine within predetermined limits for Vroading operations.

The terms and expressions which have been employed are used Vas terms of description and not of limitation, and there ispno intention inthe use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalentsV of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but 'it is recognized that various modiiicationsare possible within the vscope of the invention claimed. Y Y

I claim:

l. A discharge mechanism for an excavating machine Y or the like comprising a support, a discharge conveyor mounted on said support, said conveyor including a-frarne of generally V-shaped conguration inV side elevation, means mounting said frame on said support foranti friction movement of said frame transversely of said sup port, a reciprocable hydraulic motor unit pivotally mounted at one end adjacent an Vouter edge portion of said support, collapsible linkage mechanism pivotallytconnected at one end to said outer edge portion of said support and at the other end being pivotally connected 'to the respective end of Vsaid frame, the other end of 'said hydraulic motor unit being pivotally connected to s'aidllinkage mechanism for actuating the latter and thus shifting said conveyor transverselyton said support whereby a rocking of said conveyor on said support occurs 'to locate the rectilinear endpoitions ofrsaid conveyor in selectiveangular relationship with respect to the hori- Izontal, said conveyor including spaced belt-supporting 'means mounted on said frame, an endless belt looped` about said means and having its upper stretch position to receivematerial to be discharged, a sprocket wheel drivlngly connected to each of said belt-supporting means, a drivesprocket wheel mounted on said support, an endless drive chain interconnecting said iirst-named sprocket wheels and said drive sprocket wheel and having its bottom stretch' engaged by said drive sprocket wheel, chain tensioning means mounted on said supporton opposite sides lof saidfdrive sprocket wheeltand coacting with saidfdriv'e chain to take up slack in the latter',V saidY tensioning means comprising spaced sprocket Wheels, each of sa1d last-mentioned wheels being'rotatably mounted on a dependlng armV member, said 'arm memberY being pivotally mounted at one Aend thereof 'to said Vsupport :accordingly will 1 vand a resilient unit-extending between said arm members and being connected thereto for drawing said last-mentioned sprocketwheels toward oneV another into engagement withsaid drive chain, said last-mentionedrwheels being operative to increase the wrap ,of said drive chain about said drive sprocket, and meansV for adjusting the tension in said resilient unit.

2. In'an. excavating machine including a chassis, an excavating unit, a support-for said unit, a discharge conveyorv including a frame mounted for lateral shifting Y movement on said support, said conveyor being movable to either side of said machine to extend outwardly of the chassis of the machine and being adapted to receive and discharge excavated material from said unit, means to lock said conveyor on said support to prevent transverse movement thereof, said frametcomprising a plurality of hinged sections, manually releasable latch means for maintaining. said sections in normal operative position, said sectionsvwhen in said last-mentioned position defining in side elevation a generally V-shaped structure, a linkage device mounted on said support, means to pivotally connect said linkage device to one end of said frame; a hydraulic piston and cylinder unit mounted on said support and pivotally connected to said linkage device, means toV supply pressurized fluid to said hydraulic unit to activate the latter whereby said linkage device shifts said conveyor transversely of said machine, at least one of said sections being foldable with respect to the other ofvsaid sections, whereby said conveyor is disposed within the outline of the chassis of said machine upon locking of said first-mentioned means, unlocking of said second-mentioned 'means and actuationof said hydraulic unit.

3. In yan excavating machine in accordance withV claim 2, wherein said third-mentioned means comprises a removable holding member and said linkage Vdevice ex- Y tends outwardly of the outline of the chassis of said machine, said linkage device being foldable within the outline of the chassis of said machine upon removal of said holding member. t

4. In an excavating machine, in accordance .with

. claimr2, wherein said linkage device comprises an inner arm member hinged at one end to an outer arm member, the outer end of said last-mentioned member being pivotally connected to said frame, the inner end of said iirstmentioned arm being pivotally connected to said support, and the outer end of said hydraulic unit being pivotally connected to said outer arm member intermediate the ends thereof.l

5. In an excavating machine, an excavating unit, a support for said excavating unit, a discharge conveyor including a frame mounted for lateral shifting movement on said support, said conveyor being shiftable on said support to an operative position wherein the conveyor extends laterally beyond the general outline of said machine, said conveyor being adaptedV to receive thereon and discharge therefrom excavated material from said excavating unit, said frame comprising a plurality of hinged sections, releasable latch means for maintaining said sections in normalV operative relation, conveyor shifting means including a uidpowered motor unit coacting between said support and an end of said frame for shifting said conveyortransversely of said support, at least one of saidvsections 'being foldable relative to the other of said sections and to a position wherein the conveyor is disposed substantially inwardly of the general outline of said machine upon release of said latch means and actuation of said motor unit. 'Y

Y 6. In an excavating machine in accordance with claim 5 wherein said frame is of generally V-shaped configuration in side elevation when in normal operative condition, said shifting means including anY articulated ,linkage de-V vice pivotally mounted' at one 'end of said support and pivotally connected at the other end tosaid frame, said lrnotor 'unit comprising a doubler-acting reciprocal hydraulic piston and cylinder unit pivotally mounted at one end on said support and pivotally connected at the other end to said linkage device.

References Cited in the Ie of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Bard Nov. 10, 1910 Smith Nov. 12, 1912 Bager Jan. 14, 1919 Norris et a1. Jan. 1o, 1922 10 Brown Jan. 14, 1930 Barber June 10, 1930 10 Seyferth et al. May 22, 1934 Gustafson Mar. 1, 1938 -Gordon Mar. 8, 1938 Askue May 27, 1952 Ausherman May 26, 1953 Banister et al Nov. 10 1953 Henry et al. Apr. 3, 1956 Griin May 29, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS Switzerland Apr. 16, 1921 Great Britain I an. 28, 1953

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