US3199656A

US3199656A - Catch basin excavating machine

Info

Publication number: US3199656A
Application number: US190514A
Authority: US
Inventors: Oscar S Mcbride; Runge Glen Vernor
Original assignee: Twinwood Inc
Current assignee: Twinwood Inc
Priority date: 1962-03-21
Filing date: 1962-03-21
Publication date: 1965-08-10
Anticipated expiration: 1982-08-10

Description

1955 o. s. M BRIDE ETAL 3,199,656

CATCH BASIN EXCAVATING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 21, 1962 INVENTOR. Oscar 5. M B/m e 6/07 1 Ru/vye @WW ATTORNE Y 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 21, 1962 nlllllllll Aug. 10, .1965

Q. s. M BRIDE ETAL CATCH BASIN EXCAVATING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 21, 1962 INVENTOR. 050/ 5. Wfl/Me y @Gm V Range ATTORNEY 1965 o. s. M BRIDE ETAL CATCH BASIN EXCAVATING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 21, 1962 IN V EN TOR.

6/40 V Runye ATTORNEY United States Patent Office 3,199,656 Patented Aug. 10, 1965 3,199,656 CAT IIH EAdIN EXCAVATING MACHiNE Oscar S. McBride, Isabella County, and Glen Vernor Range, Hudsonville, Mich; said McBride assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Twinwood, Ina, Mount Pleasant,

Mich, a corporation of Michigan Filed Mar. 21, 1962, Ser. No. 190,514 Claims. (Cl; 198-88) This invention relates to improvements in catch basin excavating machine. The principal objects ofthis invention are:

First, to provide a mobile excavating machine which will remove debris and sediment collected in catch basins and dry wells through a manhole and transfer the excavated material to a truck.

Second, to provide a mobile excavating machine which can be towed into an appropriate position alongside a manhole and adjusted to project a power operated bucket into the manhole for excavating debris from the bottom of the manhole.

Third, to provide a mobile excavating device with a vertically adjustable excavating bucket conveyor with a laterally swingable section on the end of the conveyor so that the buckets will function over a relatively wide area at the lower end of the conveyor.

Fourth, to provide a mobile excavating device with a vertically adjustable bucket conveyor and off feeding belt conveyor which is adjustable under the discharge end of the bucket conveyor to receive wet debris from the bucket conveyor with a minimum of splatter and further deliver the debris to a receiving vehicle.

Fifth, to provide an excavating conveyor that is vertically and laterally adjustable on a mobile carriage to permit the conveyor to be lowered into a catch basin at varying distances from the side of the carriage.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and claims.

The drawings, of which there are four sheets, illustrate a highly practical form of the excavating machine.

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the excavating machine and its transporting carriage.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary rear end elevational view of the excavating apparatus lowered into operative position in a catch basin shown in cross section.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary enarged end elevational view of the lower end of the excavating conveyor shown in FIG. 2.

FiG. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal cross sectional view taken along the plane of the line 44 in FIGS. 1 and 2 and illustrating the carriage platform and laterally adjusting mechanism of the machine.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary rear end elevational view of the upper discharge end of the excavating conveyor shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary horizontal cross sectional view through the vertically adjustable support for the excavating conveyor taken along the plane of the line 66 in FIGS. 1 and 5.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary cross sectional view through the pivotal connection to the lower end of the excavating conveyor taken along the plane of the line 77 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 8 is a schematic wiring diagram of the electrical drive and control circuit of the machine.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the support for the off feed belt, the view being taken along the plane of the line 9-9 oin FIG. 2.

Various collecting basins in drainage systems such as the catch basins in storm sewer drains and dry wells and septic tanks of domestic sewerage systems require periodic cleaning out of debris and sludge which collects in the chain loops taut.

basins. As used herein the term catch basin is intended to describe any subterranean chambers having a relatively small access Opening such as a' manhole at the top through whichaccess may behad to the basin. The excavating machine of the invention includes a wheeled carriage 1 having'a platform 2 and towing tongue 3 by means of which the carriage may be towed along the ground or roadway to a position alongside of a catch basin 4 having a manhole or other opening 5 at-its top. The platform 2 carries a rear horizontal guide rail 6 of channel shaped cross section and a relatively shorter front guide rail 7 of oppositely facing channel shaped cross section. The

rails

6 and 7 laterally slidably guide andsupport a first flat horizontal frame having a rear frame member 8 and shorter front frame member 9 slidably engaged in the

rails

6 and 7. An intermediate frame member 10 is connected to the front frame member 9 byconverging side bars 11. The

members

8 and 10 are connected by a cross bar 12 and other structure to be described. The platform 2 has a rack' 13 secured to its upper surface which is engaged by the worm gear 14 carried on the crank shaft 15 mounted on the side mem ber 11 of the frame. By means of this structure the horizontal supporting frame can be projected laterally beyond the side of the platform 2 or retracted to approximately. full overlapping supported relation-of the platform and horizontal frame. Desirably the platform 2 has a notch cut therein as at 16 to receive the excavating conveyor to be described in the retracted traveling-position of the excavating machine and carriage.

Secured to the outer ends of the

transverse frame members

8 and 10 are two spaced opposed

upright guide rails

17 and 18 of channel shaped cross section connected at the top by a longitudinal cross beam 19. (See FIG. 1.) The

rails

17 and 18 form a vertical slideway for a vertically reciprocable frame generally indicated at 20 and consisting of outwardly opening slide rails 21 vertically slidably received in the

guide rails

17 and 18 and connected just below their upper ends by a cross bar 22. Adjacent their lower ends the slide rails 21 are connected by a cross shaft 23 and a second cross shaft 24 connects the slide rails at apoint spaced below the top cross member 22. Extension arms or bars 25 are connected to the lower cross shaft 23 at 26 to swing with the shaft laterally of the slide rails 21. (See FIGS. 3 and 7.) When the vertically reciprocable frame 20' and the extension arms 25 are aligned they can be drawn upwardly in the

guide rails

17 and 18 as shown in FIG. 1 to elevate the lower ends of the arms 25 above ground level. When the

horizontal frame members

8 and 10 are retracted on the platform 1 the vertical frame 20 is retracted laterally into the notch 16.

Adjacent to the cross shaft 24 the upright slide rails 21 are provided with laterally inwardly or rearwardly inclined support arms 27 which project over'the platform 2. The arms 27 support an upright motor support frame 28 having inner uprights 29 and outer uprights 30' connected by top cross pieces 31. The cross pieces 31 support a motor support panel 32 carrying an electric motor 33 and reduction gear box 34 connected by the chain 35 to an excavator drive shaft 36 mounted at the inner ends of the cross bars 31 and generally vertically. above the inner ends of the arms 27. The shaft 36 drives sprockets 37 around which are trained spaced parallel chain loops 3-3 having excavating buckets 39 secured transversely therebetween at'spaced intervals along the chain loops. The-chain loops and'theco'nveyor buckets carried there-' by are directed in a short generally downwardly directed reach below the drive sprockets37 to guidesprockets carried at the inner ends of arms 27 by a cross shaft d0 mounted on the adjustable bearings 41 to maintain the The loops are then directed downwardly and outwardly relative to the platform to guide sprockets 42 and then in vertically downwardly directed reaches 43 alongside of the slide members 21 to idler sprockets 44 that are freely rotatable on the cross shaft 23. Fromthe sprockets 44 the chains are directed downwardly around idler sprockets 45 carried on the shaft 46 at the lower ends of the laterally tiltable extension arms 25. Retaining guide sprockets 47 mounted on the opposite ends of cross arms 48 retain the vertical reaches of the chain loops in engagement with the sprockets 44 as the extension arms are swung laterally from the slide rails 21. Returning upwardly from the extension arms 25 the chain loops are directed in upwardly directed working reaches 49 to sprockets 50 on the cross shaft 24 from which they are directed in upwardly and laterally inwardly inclined reaches 51 to the drive sprockets 37. It will thus be seen that the buckets 39 are translated in a horizontal scooping action at the bottom of the extension arms then upwardly and laterally to over the drive sprockets 37 where the buckets are inverted over the platform and return for further excavating movement.

In order to vertically lower the frame 20 carrying the excavating chain loops and buckets the horizontal frame member 8 carries a sub-frame 52 on which is mounted a motor 53 driving through a chain 54 and reduction gear 55 to the winch or drum 56. The drum 56 takes in or pays out the cable 57 trained over the pulley 58 at the top of the guide frame and around a sheave pulley 59 on the vertically reciprocable excavator frame and back to an anchor 60 on the guide frame.

In order to laterally swing and adjust the extension arms 25 at the lower end of the conveyor frame the shaft 23 on which the arms are mounted is provided with sprocket 61 (see FIGS. 3 and 7). The sprocket and shaft 23 are turned by a chain 62 which extends upwardly alongside of one of the slide rails 21 to a drive sprocket driven by the motor 63 mounted on the top cross member 22 and operating through a suitable gear reduction 64. Reverse actuation of the motor 63 reversely oscillates the shaft 23 and swings the lower end of the excavating conveyor to the desired position in the bottom of the catch basin or to sweep across an area in the bottom of the basin.

In order to receive and carry away the sloppy debris ejected by the buckets 39 in the downwardly directed reach 38 of the chain loops, an off feeding belt 65 is mounted on an inclined belt conveyor frame 66 and supported underneath the discharging position of the buckets 39. A hopper 67 mounted on the lower end of the frame 66 retains splash and assists in effective removal of the debris. The forward upper end of the frame 66 is pivotally supported on a cross shaft 68 by struts 69 projecting upwardly from the side frame members 11 of the horizontal frame on the platform. A yoke 70 projects upwardly from the intermediate cross frame member 10 and straddles the belt conveyor frame to adjustably support the belt conveyor by means of a cable 71 anchored to the yoke at 72 and trained around the sheave pulley 73 on a hanger 74 of the conveyor frame to a pulley 75 at the top of the yoke. From the pulley 75 the cable is directed downwardly to a winch 76 on the forward side of the guide frame. The winch 76 is driven through a suitable reduction gear box 77 by a shaft 78 from the previously described motor 53. It will be noted that the single motor 53 controls both the elevation of the excavating conveyor and the elevation of the lower receiving end of the off feeding belt conveyor so that once adjusted to the proper spacing the discharging buckets 39 will continue to deposit material at the same angle onto the off feeding belt regardless of vertical adjustment of the excavating conveyors and slide frame 20.

Drive and control of the excavating conveyor and off feeding belt is provided by an electric generator 79 and gasoline engine 80 mounted on a platform 81 between the framemembers 8 and 10. The output from the generator 79 is delivered to a control box 82 by the electric cable 83. The control box 82 is mounted on the subframe 52 of the horizontally slidable frame and provided with controls positioned closely adjacent the excavating conveyor so that an operator may stand closely alongside the manhole 5 and manipulate the controls as necessary.

The electrical connections of the control system are illustrated in FIG. 8 which show the generator 79 to be connected through an on-otf switch S4 to the motor 85 mounted on the upper end of the belt conveyor frame to drive the off feeding belt. A second on-ofif switch 36 controls the operation of the excavating conveyor motor 33. A pair of reversely actuated switches 87 reversely control the operation of the motor 63 to laterally swing the lower extension arms 25 on the excavating conveyor and a pair of reversely actuated switches 88 are connected to reversely actuate the motor 53 for raising and lowering both the excavating conveyor and the off feeding belt.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In a catch basin cleaning machine having a wheeled carriage with a vertically extending and vertically adjustable bucket conveyor having upwardly and downwardly moving sides horizontally adjustably mounted on said carriage to project beyond and below said carriage,

the combination of means forming a laterally inwardly and upwardly inclined reach at the upper end of the upwardly moving side of said conveyor connected at its laterally inward upper end to a short generally vertically downwardly directed reach,

supports directing said conveyor in a second inclined downwardly and laterally outwardly directed reach from the bottom of said short generally vertically downwardly directed reach to the top of said downwardly moving side of said conveyor,

an off-feed belt support frame having a vertically swinging portion and being pivotally supported on said carriage and horizontally adjustable with said bucket conveyor,

said frame having its discharge end positioned adjacent its pivotal support at an approximately fixed elevation and in projecting relation beyond the outline of said carriage,

vertical guide means guiding the swinging portion of said frame with one side of the frame under said short generally vertically downwardly directed reach of said bucket conveyor and the other side of the belt projecting laterally away from the bucket conveyor,

an off-feed belt carried by said frame and driven with its upper reach advancing to the discharge end of the frame,

a splash retaining hopper carried by said frame and extending across said belt at the swinging end of the belt,

and means forming an adjustable support for the swinging portion of said frame connected to drive means for also vertically adjusting said bucket conveyor whereby said belt and said hopper are maintained in fixed vertical relation below said short generally vertically downwardly directed reach in all positions of said bucket conveyor.

2. In a catch basin cleaning machine having a wheeled carriage with a vertically extending and vertically adjustable bucket conveyor having upwardly and downwardly moving sides horizontally adjustably mounted on said carriage to project beyond and below said carriage,

said frame having its discharge end positioned adjacent its pivotal support and in projecting relation beyond the outline of said carriage, vertical guide means guiding the swinging portion of said frame with one side of the frame under said short generally vertically downwardly directed reach,

an off-feed belt carried by said frame and driven with its upper reach advancingto the discharge end of the frame,

and means forming an adjustable support for the swing ing portion of said frame connected to drive means for vertically adjusting both said frame and said bucket conveyor whereby said belt is maintained in fixed vertical relation below said short generally vertically downwardly directed reach in all positions of said bucket conveyor.

3. In a catch basin cleaning machine having a wheeled carriage with a vertically extending and vertically adjustable bucket conveyor having upwardly and downwardly moving sides mounted on said carriage to project below said carriage,

an oif-feed belt support frame having a vertically swinging portion and being pivotally supported on said carriage,

said frame having its discharge end positioned adjacent its pivotal support, vertical guide means guiding the swinging portion of said frame with one side of the frame under said short generally vertically downwardly directed reach,

an oft-feed belt carried by said frame and driven with its upper reach advancing to the discharge end of the frame, and means forming an adjustable support for the swinging portion of said frame connected to drive means for also vertically adjusting said bucket conveyor whereby said belt is maintained in fixed vertical relation below said short generally vertically downwardly directed reach in all positions of said bucket conveyor. 4. In a catch basin cleaning machine having a wheeled carriage with a vertically extending and vertically adjustable bucket conveyor having upwardly and downwardly moving sides horizontally adjustably mounted on said carriage to project beyond and below said carriage, the combination of means forming a laterally inwardly and upwardly inclined reach at the upper end of the upwardly moving side of said conveyor connected at its laterally inward upper end to a short generally vertically downwardly directed reach,

an off-feed belt support frame having a vertically swinging portion and being pivotally supported on "said carriage and horizontally adjustable with said bucket conveyor, said frame having its discharge end positioned in projecting relation beyond the outline of said carriage,

means vertically guiding the swinging portion of said frame below said short generally vertically downwardly directed reach,

and means forming an adjustable sup-port for the swinging portion of said frame connected to drive means for also vertically adjusting said bucket conveyor whereby said belt is maintained in fixed vertical relation below said short generally vertically downwardly directed reach in all positions of said bucket conveyor.

5. In a catch basin cleaning machine having a wheeled carriage with a vertically extending and vertically adjustable bucket conveyor having upwardly and downwardly moving sides mounted thereon to project below said carriage,

supports directing said conveyor in a laterally outwardly directed reach from the bottom of said short generally vertically downwardly directed reach to the top of said downwardly moving side of said conveyor,

an off-feed belt support frame having a vertically swinging portion and being vertically adjustably supported on said carriage, said frame having its discharge end positioned in projecting relation beyond the outline of said carriage,

means vertically guiding the swinging portion of said frame below said short generally vertically downward-1y directed reach,

and means forming an adjustable support for the swinging portion of said frame connected to drive means for also vertically adjusting said bucket conveyor whereby said belt is maintained in fixed vertical relation below said short generally vertically downwardly directed reach in all positions of said bucket conveyor.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS SAMUEL F, COLEMAN, Primary Examiner.

JULIUS E. WEST, WILLIAM B. LA BORDE, ERNEST A. FALLER, Examiners.

Claims

1. IN A CATCH BASIN CLEANING MACHINE HAVING A WHEELED CARRIAGE WITH A VERTICALLY EXTENDING AND VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE BUCKET CONVEYOR HAVING UPWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY MOVING SIDES HORIZONTALLY ADJUSTABLY MOUNTED ON SAID CARRIAGE TO PROJECT BEYOND AND BELOW SAID CARRIAGE, THE COMBINATION OF MEANS FORMING A LATERALLY INWARDLY AND UPWARDLY INCLINED REACH AT THE UPPER END OF THE UPWARDLY MOVING SIDE OF SAID CONVEYOR CONNECTED AT ITS LATERALLY INWARD UPPER END TO A SHORT GENERALLY VERTICALLY DOWNWARDLY DIRECTED REACH, SUPPORTS DIRECTING SAID CONVEYOR IN A SECOND INCLINED DOWNWARDLY AND LATERALLY OUTWARDLY DIRECTED REACH FROM THE BOTTOM OF SAID SHORT GENERALLY VERTICALLY DOWNWARDLY DIRECTED REACH TO THE TOP OF SAID DOWNWARDLY MOVING SIDE OF SAID CONVEYOR, AN OFF-FEED BELT SUPPORT FRAME HAVING A VERTICALLY SWINGING PORTION AND BEING PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED ON SAID CARRIAGE AND HORIZONTALLY ADJUSTABLE WITH SAID BUCKET CONVEYOR, SAID FRAME HAVING ITS DISCHARGE END POSITIONED ADJACENT ITS PIVOTAL SUPPORT AT AN APPROXIMATELY FIXED ELEVATION AND IN PROJECTING RELATION BEYOND THE OUTLINE OF SAID CARRIAGE, VERTICAL GUIDE MEANS GUIDING THE SWINGING PORTION OF SAID FRAME WITH ONE SIDE OF THE FRAME UNDER SAID SHORT GENERALLY VERTICALLY DOWNWARDLY DIRECTED REACH OF SAID BUCKET CONVEYOR AND THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BELT PROJECTING LATERALLY AWAY FROM THE BUCKET CONVEYOR, AN OFF-FEED BELT CARRIED BY SAID FRAME AND DRIVEN WITH ITS UPPER REACH ADVANCING TO THE DISCHARGE END OF THE FRAME, A SPLASH RETAINING HOPPER CARRIED BY SAID FRAME AND EXTENDING ACROSS SAID BELT AT THE SWINGING END OF THE BELT, AND MEANS FORMING AN ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT FOR THE SWINGING PORTION OF SAID FRAME CONNECTED TO DRIVE MEANS FOR ALSO VERTICALLY ADJUSTING SAID BUCKET CONVEYOR WHEREBY SAID BELT AND SAID HOPPER ARE MAINTAINED IN FIXED VERTICAL RELATION BELOW SAID SHORT GENERALLY VERTICALLY DOWNWARDLY DIRECTED REACH IN ALL POSITIONS OF SAID BUCKET CONVEYOR.