US3563320A

US3563320A - Mobile earth boring machine

Info

Publication number: US3563320A
Application number: US793852*A
Authority: US
Inventors: Raymond E Von Ruden
Original assignee: General Equipment Co
Current assignee: General Equipment Co
Priority date: 1969-01-24
Filing date: 1969-01-24
Publication date: 1971-02-16
Anticipated expiration: 1988-02-16

Abstract

An earth boring machine having a power head including an auger drive shaft movable toward and away from the ground and having means for tilting the auger shaft for boring holes at various angles relative to the vertical. A single prime mover on the machine operates to impart movement thereto over the ground, tilt, raise, and lower the power head, and rotate the drive shaft, selectively, by means of transmission and control mechanisms.

Description

United States Patent [72] Inventor [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,348,024 5/1944 Parrish Raymond E. Von Ruden Owatonna, Minn. [21] AppLNo. 793,852

173/28X l73/27X 173/27 173/43 [22] Filed Jan. 24, 1969 [45] Patented Feb. 16, 1971 [73] Assignee General Equipment Co.

Owatonna, Minn.

a corporation ormnnem ABSTRACT: An earth boring machine having a power head including an auger drive shaft movable toward and away from the ground and having means for "tilting the auger shaft for boring holes at various angles relative to the vertical. A single prime mover on the machine operates to impart movement thereto over the ground, tilt, raise, and lower the power head, and rotate the drive shaft, selectively, by means of transmission and control mechanisms.

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l N V EN TOR. RaymonoE VanHuden J9 TTORNEVS MOBILE EARTH BORING MACHINE SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The earth boring machine of this invention is a highly compact self-propelled unit, comprising a normally horizontal base frame having supporting and driving wheels journaled thereon and carrying a primer mover. A generally uptight stand: J extends upwardly from the base frame and is pivotally mounted thereon, and an'elongated generally upright guide member is pivotally mounted on the standard, the pivotal connections between thebase frame, standard and guide member being so arranged that the guide member may be swung or tilted in forward, rearward. and sideward directions relative to the base frame. A power head is mounted on the guide member for movements longitudinally thereof and carries a fluid pressure operated motor having a rotary auger drive shaft the axis of which is parallel to the longitudinal dimension of the guide member. The power head is elevated by means including a second fluid pressure operated motor, and a pair of other fluid pressure operated motors are operatively connected each to a pair of wheels on an opposite side of the base frame to drive the wheels at one side independently of those at the opposite side. Power transmission mechanism for operating the fluid pressure operated motors includes a fluid pump connected to-the prime mover and fluid circuits between the pump and the several fluid pressure operated motors. Control valves in each of the circuits provide for control of each fluid pressure operatedmotor selectively and independently of the others thereof DESCRIPTIONOF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a view in side elevation of a mobile earth boring machine produced. in accordance with this invention, some parts being broken away;

FIG. 2 is a view in front elevation, some parts being broken away;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view partly in plan and partly in section, taken substantially on the; line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3, and rotated I80";

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken substantially on the line 5-5 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a still further enlarged fragmentary section taken on the line 6-6 ofFlG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view in rear elevation, as seen from the line 7-7 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken substan-- tially on the line 8-8 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on the line 9-9 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken substantially on the line 10-10 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 11 is a schematic fluid diagram.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The earth boring machine of this invention comprises a normally horizontally disposed flat rectangular base frame 1, a generally upright standard 2, an elongated guide member 3, a power head 4 mounted on the guide member 3 for longitudinal generally upward and downward movements on the guide member 3, an earth boring auger 5 carried by the power head 4, and a prime mover in the nature of a conventional internal combustion engine 6 mounted on the base frame I. Also mounted on the base framel is a fuel tank 7 for the engine 6 and a reservoir 8 for fluid, such as hydraulic liquid.

The base frame 1 includes a pair of laterally spaced longitudinal box frame members 9, front and rear transverse

box frame members

10 and 11 respectively and intermediate

cross frame members

12 and 13, the transverse or cross frame members 10-13 being welded at their opposite ends to adjacent ones of the longitudinal or side frame members 9. The front transverse frame member 10 and cross frame member'12 are connected by a brace member 13, see particularly FIG. 3. As

therein shown, the front transverse frame member 10 is disposed in rearwardly spaced relation to the extreme front ends of the side frame members 9. The base frame I is supported by pneumatic tire equipped supporting and driving wheels arranged in longitudinally spaced pairs at opposite sides of the base frame 1 and adjacent: the front and rear ends thereof. The wheels of one pair thereof are indicated at 14, the pair of wheels at the opposite side being indicated at 15. Each of the

wheels

14 and 15 are mounted on drive shafts I6 journaled in inner and

outer bearings

17 and 18 respectively, the

bearings

17 and 18 being rigidly mounted on the side frame members 8.

The pairs of

wheels

14 and 15 are independently driven I from the engine 6 by power transmission mechanism including a fluid pump 19 operatively connected to the drive shaft of the engine 6, respective ones of a pair of rotary

hydraulic motors

20 and 21 each mounted on a different one of the side frame members 9 and driven by fluid under pressure from the pump 19, and mechanical connections between the

hydraulic motors

20 and 21 and their respective pairs of

wheels

14 and 15. These mechanical connections include pairs of

sprocket wheels

22 and 23, each pair thereof being mounted on a respective drive shaft 24 and 25 of the

hydraulic motors

20 and 21 respectively, front and rear '

spnocket wheels

26 and 26 respectively mounted on the shafts 16 of the front and rear wheels 14 respectively within the adjacent side frame member 9, and endless front and

rear link chains

28 and 29 each entrained over a different one of the sprocket wheels 22 and a respective one of the sprocket wheels 26 and 27. The shafts 16 of the pair of wheels 15 are provided with front and

rear sprocket wheels

30 and 31 respectiv ly. within the adjacent side frame member 8, and front and rear endless link chains 32 and 33 are each entrained over one of the sprocket wheels 23 and a respective one of

thesprocket wheels

30 and 31. As shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 8, idler sprocket wheels 34 are journaled on shafts 35 that extend through slots 36 in the side frame members 9, each of the idler sprocket wheels 34 engaging a different one of the

link chains

28, 29, 32 and 33, the sprocket shafts 35 being adjustable in the slots 36 to maintain the drive chains under proper driving tension. As shown diagrammatically in FIG. 8, the

hydraulic drive motors

20 and 21 are disposed in a hydraulic circuit with the pump 19 and reservoir 8, operation of the motors 20 and .21 being independently controlled by a pair of

control valves

37 and 38 respectively. The

valves

37 and 38 are of well-known conventional structure and are shown in FIG. 8 as being rotary valves only for the sake of convenience. In practice, the

valves

37 and 38 are built into a valve body 39 in common with other valves to be described, the valve body 39 being mounted on the upper end of the reservoir 8, the

valves

37 and 38 being operated by respective operating handles 40 and 411. By proper manipulation of the operating handles 40 and 41, the

hydraulic motors

20 and 21 may be operated to propel the machine forwardly or rearwardly, or to impart steering movements to the machine by turning one of the pairs of

wheels

14 or 15 at greater speed than the other pair thereof. If desired, one of the pairs of

wheels

14 and 15 may be rotated in a forward direction, while the otherpair thereof is rotated in a reverse direction, whereby to cause the machine to turn on its own axis.

For the purpose of releasably locking the machine in any desired location, the shafts 16 of the

rear wheels

14 and 15 are provided with disc elements 42 that are engaged by brake calipers 43 mounted on the side frame members 9 and controlled by operating rods 44 connected to a bell crank lever 45 carried by the cross frame member 13 and connected to an operating handle 46 adjacent one of the side frame members 9, see particularly FIGS. 3 and 4. With reference particularly to FIG. 1, it will be seen that the engine 6, fuel tank 7 and reservoir 8 are disposed intermediate the front and rear ends of the base frame 1, the rear end portion of the base frame I being at least partially covered by a plate or grill work 47 upon which the operator stands convenient to the valve operating handles 40 and 41 as well as other control devices hereinafter to be described. A railing 48 is mounted on the rear end portion of the base frame 1 adjacent one side thereof, to prevent the operator from falling from the machine during movement thereof over the ground. a

The standard 2 is in the nature of a rigid generally rectangular metallic plate pivotally secured at its lower end to the front transverse frame member 10, by means of a pair of hinges 49, for generally fore and aft swinging movements about a normally horizontal axis extending transversely of the base frame 1. The upper end of the standard 2 is formed to provide an arcuate edge 50 and a pair of upstanding stop lug portions 51 at opposite ends of the arcuate edge 50 and adjacent the opposite side edges of the standard 2. Means for imparting forward and rearward tilting movements to the standard 2 from its normally generally vertical position shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, comprises the internal combustion engine 6 and power transmission mechanism including the fluid pump 19, a fluid pressure operated cylinder 52 pivotally connected to the base frame 1, as indicated at 53, a cooperating piston rod 54 projecting axially outwardly from the cylinder 52 and pivotally connected to the standard 2, as indicated at 55 in FIGS. 1, and 7, and a fluid pressure circuit between the pump 19 and cylinder 52. Operation of the cylinder 52 and piston rod 54 is controlled by a valve 56 shown diagrammatically in FIG. 8 and having a valve operating handle 57, see FIG. 2.

The elongated guide member3' is preferably formed from Means for imparting generally upward and downward movements to the power head 4 longitudinally of the guide member 3, comprises a flexible chain 79 bolted or otherwise heavy gauge sheet metal to provide a back portion 58, fori I wardly projecting longitudinal side portions 59'and intumed flanges 60 to define opposed longitudinal channels 61, see particularly FIG. 10. Adjacent its lower end, the back portion or wall 58 has welded or otherwise rigidly secured thereto a reinforcing plate 62 that is provided adjacent its lower end with a rearwardly projecting stub shaft 63 that is joumaled in a boss 64 on the standard 2, the shaft 63 being provided with an axially rearwardly extending stud portion 65 that screwthreadedly receives a handle-equipped locknut or the like 66, see particularly FIG. 9. At its upper end, the reinforcing plate 62 is provided with a rearwardly extending stud 67 on which is slidably mounted a clamp 68 that engages the upper end portion of the standard 2 adjacent the arcuate edge 50 thereof and which is releasably locked in clamping engagement with the standard 2 by a handle-equipped clamping nut 69 screwthreaded on the stud 67. As shown in FIG. 7, the guide member 3 is pivotally movable on the axis of the stub shaft 63 and stud 65 in opposite directions from an intermediate upright position, transversely of the direction of movement of the machine, swinging movement of the guide member 3 and parts carried thereby being limited by engagement of the clamp 68 with the upstanding lugs 51 on the standard 2. The handle'equipped locking nut 66 aids the clamping nut 69 in rigidly holding the guide member 3 in any desired set position of its swinging movement relative to the standard 2.

The power head 4 comprises a hydraulic motor 70 having a normally vertically disposed drive shaft 71, the auger 5 having an upper socketed end portion 72 for reception of the drive shaft 71 and means, such as a set screw 73, for releasably locking the auger 5 to the drive shaft 71. With reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 5, it will be seen that .the hydraulic motor 70 and its drive shaft 71 are disposed to support the auger 5 with its axis in forwardly spaced parallel relationship to the guide member 3. The power head 4 is mounted for longitudinal up ward and downward movements relative to the guide member 3 by a cradle 74 including a shroud 75 fabricated from heavy gauge sheet metal, the cradle 74 having vertically spaced pairs of rollers 76 joumaled thereon for rolling movements in the channels 61 of the guide member 3. The hydraulic motor 70 is driven from the prime mover or internal combustion engine 6 through power transmission mechanism in the nature of a hydraulic circuit including the fluid pump 19, operation of the hydraulic motor 70 being controlled by a valve 77 contained in the valve body 39 and operated by a valve operating handle 78.

rigidly secured at its opposite ends to the upper and lower ends respectively of the guide member back portion 58, as indicated at 80 and 81 respectively, see particularly FIG. 5. and a rotary hydraulic motor 82 rigidly mounted in the cradle 74 and having a driveshaft 83 on which is rigidly mounted a sprocket wheel 84. The link chain 79 is anchored at its opposite ends generally centrally between the opposite side portions 59 of the guide member 3, the elevating hydraulic motor 82 being laterally displaced toward one of the side portions 59. The link chain 79 is entrained over the sprocket wheel 84 and a pair of idler sprocket wheels 85 joumaled on stub=shafts 86 mounted on a back plate portion 87 of the eradle 74, the idler sprocket wheels 85 being disposed laterally between the longitudinal center of the guide member 3 and the sprocket wheel 84, see particularly FIG. 6, whereby to provide for substantial engagement between the drive sprocket wheel 84 and the chain 79. The elevating motor 82 is driven from the internal combustion engine 6 through power transmission mechanism including a hydraulic circuit containing the fluid pump 19, operation of the hydraulic motor 82 being controlled by a valve 88 contained in the valve body 39 and operated by an operating handle 89. The link chain 79 being relatively stationary and anchored at opposite ends, motor driven rotation of the elevating drive sprocket 84 causes the same to walk upwardly or downwardly relative to the chain 79, thus moving the cradle 74 and parts carried thereby including the auger 5 upwardly or downwardly depending upon the direction of rotation of the sprocket wheel 84.

By way of example, the several power transmitting circuits include a high pressure line or conduit 90 leading from the pump 19 to the several

hydraulic motors

20, 21, 70 and 82, and the cylinder 52 through

respective branch conduits

91, 92, 93 94 and 95, the fluid pump 19 being connected to the reservoir 8 by a conduit 96. Fluid is returned to the reservoir 8 by means of a return conduit 97 and return

branch conduits

98, 99, 100 and 101. A conventional fllter element 102 is disposed in the fluid circuitry, being shown in FIG. 11, as being interposed in the return line or conduit 97. A bypass conduit 103 having a pressure relief valve 104 therein, is connected to the pressure conduit 90 and the reservoir 8.

The above-described machine is sufficiently compact and light in weight to be easily transported to an area of operation and, by manipulation of the

hydraulic motors

20 and 21, may be quickly and easily moved from place to place within the area so that a group or row of holes may be bored in the earth in quick succession. By tilting the guide member 3, either in a forward or rearward direction by operation of the hydraulic cylinde. 52, or in a lateral direction by loosening of the locking nut 66 and clamping nuts 69, or both, the auger 5 may be positioned to bore holes in the earth at an angle to the vertical. In the same manner, precisely vertical holes may be bored in the earth when the machine is disposed at an oblique angle to the vertical, such as on a hillside or on uneven terrain. The earth-boring machine of this invention, due to its mobility and ease of operation and control, enables a single operator to bore holes in the earth with greater rapidity than heretofore, and in locations heretofore inaccessible to truck or tractor mounted boring devices.

lclaim:

1. A mobile earth-boring machine comprising:

a. a normally horizontal base frame having front and rear ends and laterally spaced sides;

b. supporting and driving wheels operatively joumaled at the opposite sides of said base frame; c. an elongated normally upright guide member having a flat plate-like rear wall;

d. a power head including a rotary drive shaft generally parallel to the longitudinal dimension of said guide member;

e. means including a cradle means mounting the power head on said guide member for movements longitudinally of said guide member;

f. elevating mechanism for imparting said movements to the power head; 5

g. a prime mover mounted on said base frame;

h. power transmission mechanism operatively connected to "aid prime mover for imparting driving movement to said wheels, elevating movements to said elevating mechanism, and driving rotation to said drive shaft;

. control means for said transmission mechanism operative to control driving movement of said wheels, elevating movement of said elevating mechanism, and rotary movement of said drive shaft, selectively; and

j. means mounting said guide member of said base frame for universal swinging movements in forward, rearward and sideward directions relative to said base frame and comprising:

l. a generally upright plate-like standard having a lower end hinged to the front end of said base frame on a horizontal axis extending transversely of the base frame;

2. means pivotally mounting said guide member rear wall in face to face engagement with said standard for swinging movements of said guide member on an axis normal to said horizontal axis;

3. clamping means operatively associated with said standard and rear wall for releasably locking said guide member in desired set positions for swinging movement thereof relative to said standard;

4. stop means positively limiting said swinging movements of the guide member relative to said standard; and

5. means for imparting limited swinging movements of said standard relative to said base frame.

2. The mobile earth-boring machine defined in claim 1 in which said elevating mechanism comprises an elongated flexible link chain having opposite ends each anchored to a different end of said guide member, a fluid pressure operated elevating motor mounted on said cradle and having a rotary shaft, and a chain engaging drive sprocket wheel on said rotary shaft, characterized by a pair of idler wheels joumaled in said cradle in spaced apart relationship longitudinally of said guide member and disposed to engage said link chain, said drive sprocket wheel being disposed in laterally offset rela' tionship to said idler wheels so that said chain runs from one of said idler wheels generally transversely of said guide member in one direction to and over said drive sprocket wheel, and from thence in the opposite direction to the other of said idler wheels.

Claims

1. A mobile earth-boring machine comprising: a. a normally horizontal base frame having front and rear ends and laterally spaced sides; b. supporting and driving wheels operatively journaled at the opposite sides of said base frame; c. an elongated normally upright guide member having a flat plate-like rear wall; d. a power head including a rotary drive shaft generally parallel to the longitudinal dimension of said guide member; e. means including a cradle means mounting the power head on said guide member for movements longitudinally of said guide member; f. elevating mechanism for imparting said movements to the power head; g. a prime mover mounted on said base frame; h. power transmission mechanism operatively connected to said prime mover for imparting driving movement to said wheels, elevating movements to said elevating mechanism, and driving rotation to said drive shaft; i. control means for said transmission mechanism operative to control driving movement of said wheels, elevating movement of said elevating mechanism, and rotary movement of said drive shaft, selectively; and j. means mounting said guide member of said base frame for universal swinging movements in forward, rearward and sideward directions relative to said base frame and comprising: 1. a generally upright plate-like standard having a lower end hinged to the front end of said base frame on a horizontal axis extending transversely of the base frame; 2. means pivotally mounting said guide member rear wall in face to face engagement with said standard for swinging movements of said guide member on an axis normal to said horizontal axis; 3. clamping means operatively associated with said standard and rear wall for releasably locking said guide member in desired set positions for swinging movement thereof relative to said standard; 4. stop means positively limiting said swinging movements of the guide member relative to said standard; and 5. means for imparting limited swinging movements of said standard relative to said base frame.

2. The mobile earth-boring machine defined in claim 1 in which said elevating mechanism comprises an elongated flexible link chain having opposite ends each anchored to a different end of said guide member, a fluid pressure operated elevating motor mounted on said cradle and having a rotary shaft, and a chain engaging drive sprocket wheel on said rotary shaft, characterized by a pair of idler wheels journaled in said cradle in spaced apart relationship longitudinally of said guide member and disposed to engage said link chain, said drive sprocket wheel being disposed in laterally offset relationship to said idler wheels so that said chain runs from one of said idler wheels generally transversely of said guide member in one direction to and over said drive sprocket wheel, and from thence in the opposite direction to the other of said idler wheels.