US3616553A - Elevating belt loader and excavation apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A HORIZONTAL PLATFORM IS DEVOID OF AN UNDERCARRIAGE AND SUPPORTS HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL EXCAVATING BLADES FOR DEPOSITING EXCAVATED EARTH ON AN ENDLESS CONVEYOR ADAPTED TO DISCHARGE THE MATERIAL TO ONE SIDE OF THE PLATFROM. THE PLATFORM IS COUPLED TO A LEADING PRIME MOVER FOR PIVOTING ABOUT ORTHAGONAL AXES WHICH PIVOT AXES MAY BE RAISED AND LOWERED VERTICALLY. THE REAR END OF THE PLATFORM IS COUPLED TO THE TRACK CENTER OF THE TRAILING PRIME MOVER BY PAIRED ARMS WHICH IN TURN PIVOT ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS PASSING THROUGH THE MOVER. HYDRAULIC MEANS INDEPENDENTLY RAISES AND LOWERS THE PLATFORM ABOUT THE HORIZONTAL AXIS EXTENDING THROUGH THE TRAILING PRIME MOVER AND ALLOWS TILTING OF THE PLATFORM ABOUT A

LONGITUDINAL AXIS. THE HORIZONTAL CUTTING BLADE EXTENDS UPWADLY AND REARWARDLY IN INCLINED FASHION FROM A POSITION BELOW THE PLATFORM TO DIRECT EXCAVATED EARTH ONTO THE ENDLESS CONVEYOR. THE VERTICAL CUTTING BLADE LIES OUTOARD OF AND REARWARDLY OF THE HORIZONTAL BLADE AND IS INCLINED OUTWARDLY AND FORWARDLY, AND A VERTICAL PLANAR FENCE EXTENDS ABOVE AND ALONG THE FULL INBOARD EDGE OF THE HORIZONTAL BLADE AND FORWARDLY BEYOND THE END OF THE SAME TO INSURE THAT THE EXCAVATED MATERIAL FALLING INWARDLY FROM THE VERTICAL BLADE LIES IN THE NARROW PATH IN FRONT OF THE HORIZONTAL BLADE.

Description

ELEVATING BELT LOADER AND EXCAVATION APPARATUS Filed May 2'7 1970 Nov. 2, 1971 F. H. HOLLAND 5 SheetsSheet l R m N E V m FRANCIS H. HOLLAND Q W; m-

ATTORNEY Nov. 2, 1971 I F, HOLLAND 3,616,553

ELEVATING BELT LOADER AND EXCAVATION APPARATUS Filed May 27 1970 5 Sheets-Sheet n INVENTOR FRANCIS H HOLLAND ATTORNEY BY W W ELEVATING BELT LOADER AND EXCAVATION APPARATUS Filed May 27 1970 F. H. HOLLAND Nov. 2, 1971 3 Sheats-Sheet 5 @N r w x Q mm vm Q s 5 8 lNVENTbR FRANCIS H. HOLLAND BY w M flM/war- ATTORNEY United States Patent Int. Cl. E02f 5/00 U.S. Cl. 37-110 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A horizontal platform is devoid of an undercarriage and supports horizontal and vertical excavating blades for depositing excavated earth on an endless conveyor adapted to discharge the material to one side of the platform. The platform is coupled to a leading prime mover for pivoting about orthagonal axes which pivot axes may be raised and lowered vertically. The rear end of the platform is coupled to the track center of the trailing prime mover by paired arms which in turn pivot about a horizontal axis passing through the mover. Hydraulic means independently raises and lowers the platform about the horizontal axis extending through the trailing prime mover and allows tilting of the platform about a longitudinal axis. The horizontal cutting blade extends upwardly and rearwardly in inclined fashion from a position below the platform to direct excavated earth onto the endless conveyor. The vertical cutting blade lies outboard of and rearwardly of the horizontal blade and is inclined outwardly and forwardly, and a vertical planar fence extends above and along the full inboard edge of the horizontal blade and forwardly beyond the end of the same to insure that the excavated material falling inwardly from the vertical blade lies in the narrow path in front of the horizontal blade.

This application is a continuation-in-part of applicatiOn Ser. No. 804,045, filed Feb. 10, 1969, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,530,599.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This invention relates to excavation apparatus employed in earth or material removal and in particular to excavators useful in grading, surface mining and like operations.

Description of the prior art Endless conveyors have been incorporated in conjunction with excavating apparatus for facilitating the removal of the earth after cutting though formations of the same. However, such combined assembly constitutes relatively large pieces of equipment requiring separate and distinct undercarriages which support both the ex cavating blades and the conveyor, independently of the prime movers, which either pull or push the assembly. This effects initial excavation of material which is then moved via the endless conveyor up and away from the point of excavation for gravity discharge into a truck or the like in longitudinal but parallel position with respect to the path of travel of the excavating and conveying assembly.

These prior devices have experienced wide-spread use but users encounter difliculty in connection with steering functions and maintaining alignment of cut. Moreover, where the prime mover is an integral part of the apparatus, the prime mover is necessarily limited in its function and cannot be used for other duties, thereby greatly increasing the cost of maintenance, operation,

and original manufacture of these devices. The prime mover relates essentially to the combination of dual blade means, that is, a short horizonal blade cooperating with a vertical blade for multi-plane excavation, for dumping excavated material onto an endless conveyor associated therewith for conveying material to one side of the assembly opposite that holding the dual blade means. The dual blade means and the endless conveyor are carried by a frame assembly and supported intermediate two separate prime movers. The blade and conveying means form a unit assembly on a triangular frame which works independent of the prime movers per se, may be disconnected from the same, and may be mounted between other and different prime movers as conditions may require.

Specifically, the excavation and conveying assembly includes a generally horizontal frame or platform assembly which is triangular in plan configuration and is coupled to the leading prime mover for rotation about a single vertical pivot axis which may be raised and lowered. Preferably, the coupling means between the frame assembly and the leading prime mover allows further tilting of the frame assembly about orthogonal axes while, at the same time the three intersecting pivot axes may be raised and lowered vertically which in turn raises and lowers the frame assembly about a pivot axis which passes through trailing prime mover. Preferably, the rear end of the triangular frame assembly is ball and socket coupled to the trailing prime mover through a pair of arms or booms Which may be raised and lowered, one of the booms being an extension of the frame assembly and rigid therewith while the other boom is pivotably coupled to the frame assembly on the same side as the cutting blade. An extensible hydraulic ram is coupled to the boom and to the frame assembly on the blade side of the excavation and conveying assembly to effect tilting of the frame assembly about an axis including the vertical pivot axis of the front coupling.

The coupling between the forward end of the frame assembly and the leading prime mover is independently raised and lowered by a second hydraulic ram which may form a part of the leading prime mover or a part of the excavation and conveying assembly and powered therefrom. A short, angularly inclined horizontal blade extends from the inboard end of the conveyor, and cooperates with a right hand fence, extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the excavation and conveying assembly and vertically upward from the horizontal blade plane while, on the opposite sides of the endless conveyor belt, a short rigid, vertical blade, extends upwardly and inclined outwardly in the direction of forward movement of the assembly. Material cut by the horizontal blade and the vertical blade readily falls onto the inboard end of the conveyor belt for conveying upwardly and outwardly for gravity discharge into a truck body underlying the raised discharge end of the endless conveyor belt, on the side of the excavation and conveying assembly opposite that of the blades.

The present invention provides independent prime mover means separably steerable without interference with the excavationmeans, and further provides means for tilting of the cutting blades as a further function of the prime mover means or the excavating and conveying assembly itself.

In the present invention, the essential motive force for the device is supplied by prime movers independent of the conveying function and the need for an undercarriage, insofar as the excavation and conveying assembly, is eliminated. In prior devices, it was often the case that the movement of the machinery was interrelated with either the cutting means or the conveyor means. The present invention provides for greatly improved guidance functions by the employment of dual prime movers which are independent of the means for operation of the conveying system. A further advantage of the present invention resides in the fact that prime movers may be substituted Which conform to particular terrain requirements.

By elimination of the need for incorporating a prime mover as an integral part of the cutting and conveying apparatus, the initial cost of manufacturing devices is substantially lower than previously proposed arrangements of this general class.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the following specification when read in conjunction with the annexed drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the improved excavation and conveying assembly of the present invention, including the leading and trailing prime movers for facilitating operation of the same.

FIG. 2 is a first side elevational view of the assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a portion of the assembly of FIGS. 1 and 2 taken about lines 33, looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 4 is an opposite side elevational view to that of FIG. 2 in a first position.

FIG. 5 is a similar view to that of FIG. 4 with the frame assembly pivoted counterclockwise to a limited extent.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings in more detail, initially to FIG. 1 thereof, the overall excavator and conveyor assembly comprises three main components; a leading prime mover 12, an intermediate excavation and conveying assembly 14, and a trailing prime mover 16. The prime movers 12 and 16 may be preferably of the crawler type as illustrated in the drawings, or, alternatively, any other class or type of prime mover suitable to the particular conditions of use and terrain may be incorporated into the assembly. The prime movers per se are conventional, but are modified with respect to the hitch assembly 18 associated with the leading prime mover 12 and with respect to the means for mounting the aft or rear end of the excavator and conveyor assembly 14 to the trailing prime mover 16. These modifications are described in more detail hereinafter.

The leading prime mover 12 includes a pair of rearwardly directed arms or booms 20, outwardly of tracks 22, which are mounted for oscillation about horizontal axis XX, at their forward ends, by conventional pivot mounting means 24. The rear ends of booms 20 are coupled together by a transversely extending cylinder 26, whose outer ends are fixed to the booms 20 by being welded thereto. Centrally of cylinder 26, is a bracket 28 welded to cylinder 26 and carrying spaced upstanding ears 30 and defining in conjunction with upper plate 34 a clevis and pin arrangement 32, allowing the upper plate 34 to pivot about a horizontal axis Z-Z which is normally in longitudinal alignment with assembly 10. A concentric cylindrical assembly 36 has one portion 38 fixed to the upper plate 34 of the pivot hitch, while the outer and upper cylindrical member 40 of this telescoping assembly is concentrically carried thereby. An upper collar 42 is pivotably coupled to a hydraulic ram or cylinder 44 by pivot pin 46, with the opposite end of the ram 44 pivotally coupled to a transverse bar 48 intermediate of the tri angulated frame members 50 and 52 on the right and left sides, respectively. The lower collar 54 is rigid with collar 42 by being welded thereto through sleeve 55. Cylinder 40 is capped by threaded flange cap 57 and collar 54 is pin connected to frame assembly 58 by pin 59. This permits the pivot hitch to pivot about the vertical axis WW while, at the same time, extension and contraction of hydraulic ram 44 pivots collar 54 about axis VV of pin 59 and raises paired arms or booms 20 about axis XX of the leading prime mover and the paired booms 60 and 64 associated with assembly 14 about the horizontal axis YY of the trailing prime mover 16. This in turn causes the pivot hitch assembly 28 to be tilted as best seen in FIG. 5. Of course, the action of hydraulic ram 44 in no way affects pivoting of the pivot hitch about the vertical axis W-W or including about the horizontal ZZ axis associated with the clevis and pin coupling at 32.

The excavation and conveying assembly 14 includes a main platform or frame assembly 58 which in plan configuration, FIG. 1, includes principally, the right hand arm or boom 60 pivotably coupled at its rear end, to the trailing prime mover 16 by ball pivot coupling means 62. A left side pivotable arm or boom 64 is pivotally coupled to the prime mover for oscillation about the common horizontal axis Y-Y by a conventional ball pivot coupling 66. The triangulated frame members 50 and 52 which converge toward the leading end of the assembly and which are fixedly coupled to transverse frame member 66 in turn, extend rearwardly such that the terminal ends which are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the assembly are fixedly coupled by Welding or the like to rear cross members 72. Additional frame members are employed at 74 as defining struts and braces for the assembly. These members define an open rectangular frame which facilitates the support of the vertical Cutting blade 80. The horizontal cutting blade 116 lies forwardly of the same parallel to the bottom edge of the vertical cutting blade, with an inboard vertical fence 118 extending upwardly and running the partial length of the assembly from a line just forward of the endless conveyor belt 154 to some distance beyond the horizontal cutting edge 76 of horizontal blade 116. Of course, the struts and braces may be readily varied both in number and position depending on the number and the size of the apparatus and the type of conveyor to be employed as a principal component thereof. The elongated vertical cutting blade 80 is supported by the frame assembly in such a manner that the horizontal blade, whose cutting edge 76 extends outwardly from the vertical fence 118, causes a narrow column of material to be removed from the earth formation defined by the width of the cutting edge of horizontal blade 116 and thus the space between the fence 118, the vertical cutting blade 80, and the outer edge 78 of the outwardly inclined vertical cutting blade 80.

The excavator of the present invention takes a bench cut which provides the apparatus with maximum efiiciency during excavation and greater capacity than corresponding units. Since the vertical cutting edge 78 is above the horizontal cutting edge 76, the material moves over and up the inclined surface thereof, and onto the endless conveyor belt 154, requiring a comparatively small amount of power as compared to other units. Since the vertical cutting edge 78 is outboard of the outer end of the horizontal cutting edge 76, the vertical cutting edge initially contacts the earth formation and causes a major portion of the excavated material to move inwardly along the inclined surface of the blade and to fall onto the moving surface of the conveyor belt 154. In turn, the horizontal cutting edge 76 is employed to take out a very small section of excavated material which is boosted up onto the belt due to the inclined surface of the same as in conventional designs. Meanwhile the vertical fence 118, inboard of the horizontal cutting edge, forces and holds the excavated material, allowing it to go tip and over the cutting edge and its inclined continuation and onto the belt. This limits, in the particular illustrated embodiment, an area of material, three feet in width, in front of the endless conveyor loader which may be readily contrasted to prior art machines which involve the accumulation of a large pile of dirt or other excavated material which extends the full width of the horizontal cutting edges associated therewith (sometimes extending twelve feet or more in width) which is continuously piled up in front of the machine for forced movement in front of the conveyor belt, with a great waste of power.

The vertical cutting blade 80 is maintained in position by use of welded struts or braces as at 82 and 84, struts 82 being in turn welded to horizontal frame member 72 at the top of the blade, with a similar strut 84 being welded directly to the frame assembly. The inclined planar support 84 constitutes an inboard extension of the cutting blade 80 and terminates at its inboard end just short of the endless conveyor belt 154. A vertical baffle plate 86 directs material from mounting plate 84 onto the endless conveyor belt 154. As mentioned previously, the trailing prime mover arm or boom 60 is welded directly to various frame components including transverse frame members 66 to form an integral part of the frame assembly. Both booms 60 and 64 may comprise modified booms normally supporting a dozer blade at the forward end of the trailing prime mover 16. The left hand boom 64, FIG. 2 is triangular in configuration and is pivotably coupled via pin connection 88 to the frame assembly, while, at its apex, a second pin coupling assembly 90 couples one end of the hydraulic ram 92 whose extensible arm 94 is also coupled to the frame assembly via a ball and socket joint 96. The extensible and retractable hydraulic cylinder or ram 92 is employed in tilting the frame assembly and thus the vertical cutting blade and the horizontal blade 116 about a generally horizontal axis in line with the longitudinal axis ZZ passing through the clevis and pin couplings 32. Each of the points of articulation of the associated arms or booms 60 and 64, and the structural members, and the hydraulic cylinder assembly associated therewith are provided with less than fully rigid lateral connections. Thus by extension and retraction of hydraulic ram 92, it is possible to tilt the frame assembly to either side about the ZZ axis, FIG. 4. Thus, in the present invention, tilting of the frame assembly effects minor adjustment of the line of cut of blades 80 and 116. Due to the clevis and pin support of the pivot hitch assembly 28, this does not materially affect the steering of the assembly by the leading prime mover 12 nor forward and backward movement of the same.

A conveyor assembly 122 is provided at such a position as to readily receive material removed from the earth formation by vertical cutting blade 80 and horizontal cutting blade 116. The conveyor assembly 122 includes a base frame 124 and is secured to the frame assembly in such a manner that it rotatably houses a first roller 126. Roller 126 in turn carries the endless conveyor belt 154, with side frame members 128 and 130 defining the path of movement of the conveyed material and carrying, at their upward inclined outer ends, a second roller 132 which is journaled between. To roller 132 is coupled a hydraulic drive motor 135, and various frame members 138 support the spaced frame members 128 and 130, and thus the conveyor in proper position. Side boards 134 and 136 are secured to the side frame members and define the path of movement of the material on the endless conveyor belt 154. A plurality of interior cross rollers 139 extends laterally between members 134 and 136 in a longitudinally aligned array to radiall support the couveyor belt 154 over its path of movement. With the endless conveyor belt 154 trained about respective rollers, and driven by hydraulic drive motor 135 in the direction of arrow 142. FIG. 3, material deposited on the conveyor belt at the lower end is rapidly removed for gravity discharge at the opposite upper end.

It will be observed that the drive means for the endless belt itself is independent of the prime mover. In this respect, the frame assembly is further provided with a support platform 144 supporting paired diesel engine and hydraulic pump units 146 and 148, respectively and storage tank 149, FIG. 1. Unit 148 selectively delivers hydraulic fluid and returns the same to hydraulic ram.

44 at the forward end of the frame assembly via hydraulic connection line 150 and supplies pressurized hydraulic fluid via line 153 to conveyor drive motor 135. Fluid returns to tank 149 via lines 151 and 152, while unit 146 selectively delivers pressurized hydraulic fluid by a line 155 to ram 92 and returns the same to tank 149 via line 157. Suitable control means (not shown) control these applications.

In operation, the device is moved forwardly against a line or plane of material to be excavated. The cutting edge 78 of the vertical cutting blade 80 makes a vertical cut along line M, FIG. 3. At the same time, the horizontal blade 116 makes a horizontal out along line L, FIG. 1. The material excavated at line M is forced, by the mounting plate 84 and baffle 86, onto the top flight of the conveyor belt 154. At the same time, material excavated along the line L by the horizontal blade 116 is forced up the inclined surface of the blade 116 onto the belt top. Lateral displacement of material from line L is prevented on one side by the vertical fence or plate 118, and on the other side by the line of unexcavated material in the advance of blade 80.

As noted previously, extension and retraction of the hydraulic cylinder 92 results in a tilting motion of the frame assembly 58, with consequent alteration of the path of travel of both blades. Steering of the overall assembly is accomplished by alteration of direction of both prime movers. Further, by extension and retraction of hydraulic cylinder or ram 44, the frame assembly will be raised and lowered since the same is mounted for movement about horizontal pivot axes XX for the leading prime mover 12, and YY for the trailing prime mover 16. This does not, of course, interfere with either tilting of the frame assembly about the ZZ axis, FIG. 4, or with pivoting of the front end of the frame assembly about the W-W axis of the swivel cylinder assembly 36, forming a portion of the pivot hitch 28. FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate the effect of extension of the hydraulic ram 44 which effect is to raise the frame assembly and, in effect, tilts the same counterclockwise about the YY axis trailing prime mover 16. Conventional controls (not shown) are provided for selectively applying hydraulic fluid to said fluid motors.

Having described and illustrated an embodiment of the invention in some detail, it will be understood that this description and illustration has been offered only by way of example, and that the invention is to be limited in scope only by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Excavation and conveying apparatus comprising:

a first prime mover having a trailing hitch assembly,

a horizontal platform assembly including a horizontal excavation blade, a conveyor secured to said platform assembly rearwardly of said horizontal excavation plate and adapted to convey material from said horizontal excavation blade, a vertical excavation blade secured to the platform assembly rearwardly of said conveyor for excavating material and directing the same onto said conveyor, a trailing prime mover, and boom means pivotally coupled to said trailing prime mover for oscillation about a horizontal axis at right angles to the longitudinal axis of said trailing prime mover, means for coupling said boom means to the rear of said platform assembly, means connecting the leading end of said platform assembly to said trailing hitch assembly, with said trailing hitch assembly and said boom means being the sole support for said platform assembly, and first power means capable of vertically raising and lowering the leading end of said platform assembly and second power means coupled intermediate of said boom means and the trailing end of said platform assembly for tilting said platform assembly about an axis parallel to the direction of movement of said excavation and conveying apparatus to change the angle of cut of said blades.

2. The exacavation and conveying apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said boom means comprises paired booms extending forwardly on opposite sides of said trailing prime mover, one of said booms being rigidly connected to said platform assembly, said other boom being piovtably coupled to said frame assembly at the rear end thereof, and wherein said second power means comprises a hydraulic ram pivotably coupled at one end to said other boom intermediate of its ends, and coupled to said platform assembly, at a point in spaced vertically aligned position to said other boom by universal coupling means.

3. The excavation and conveying apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said conveying means comprises an endless conveyor belt whose upper flight is inclined upwardly and away from the lower edge of said vertical cutting blade, said vertical cutting blade is inclined forwardly to insure deposition of excavated material onto said conveyor belt, and said horizontal cutting blade is inclined upwardly and rearwardly to discharge excavated material onto said conveying belt, said vertical cutting blade extends laterally outwards of said horizontal cutting blade and said apparatus is further provided with a vertical fence parallel to the longitudinal axis of the assembly and extending forwardly of the cutting edge of the horizontal cutting blade on the inboard side thereof to define, in conjunction with said cutting blades, a narrow cutting path for said excavation and conveying apparatus.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first and second power means are hydraulic rams, and said platform assembly further supports engine operated hydraulic pump means for supplying hydraulic fluid under pressure thereto.

5. The excavation and conveying apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said leading prime mover includes a pair of rearwardly directed booms pivotably coupled to said leading prime mover for oscillation about said horizontal axis at right angles to the longitudinal axis of said leading prime mover, a rigid cylinder coupling the outer ends of said leading prime mover booms and means carried thereby defining orthogonal pivot axes for said pivot hitch assembly.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said pivot hitch assembly includes vertical concentric cylinders, a first collar pivotably coupling one of said cylin ders to said platform assembly, a second collar pivotably coupled to said cylinders at a position remote from said first collar and to one end of a hydraulic ram, and means for pivotably coupling the other end of said hydraulic ram to said platform assembly, whereby expansion and contraction of said hydraulic ram results in tilting of said telescoping cylinders to pivot said platform assembly about a horizontal axis defined by the pivot axis of the 8 boom means carried by said trailing prime mover and to jointly raise and lower the booms carried by said leading and trailing prime movers, respectively.

7. Excavation and conveying apparatus comprising:

a horizontal platform assembly adapted to be moved relative to a stationary earth formation;

a first narrow, rectangular excavation blade carried by said platform defining a forwardly and downwardly directed horizontal cutting edge adjacent one side of said platform;

an endless conveyor disposed on said platform to receive excavated earth from the upper end of said inclined first blade;

a second excavation blade carried by said platform outboard of said conveyor and defining a vertical cutting edge which lies rearwardly of said first blade cutting edge, outboard of said first blade and above the same, whereby a stepped cut of excavated earth by said second blade falls inwardly toward said first blade and said endless conveyor; and

a vertical planar fence extending above the inboard edge of said first blade, forwardly beyond the same with its leading edge coplanar with said first blade cutting edge to insure that the excavated material from said second blade falls in the immediate path of said narrow first blade for movement up the inclined first blade and onto the endless conveyor.

8, The excavation and conveying apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the longitudinal axis of said endless conveyor lies at right angles to the excavation path of movement of said apparatus and said second blade is inclined outwardly and forwardly with its inboard end coplanar with the rear edge of said endless conveyor.

9. The excavation and conveying apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the lower edge of said vertical blade lies in horizontal plane including the discharge edge of said first excavating blade.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 11,382 7/1854 Lyon. 2,386,187 10/1945 Armington et al. 2,488,676 11/1949 Mayner et al. 2,618,083 11/1952 Armington, et a]. 3,245,159 4/1966 MacDonald.

FOREIGN PATENTS 208,854 1/1924 Great Britain.

ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner C. D. CROWDER, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 280-492 Disclaimer 3,616,553.Fmncis H. Holland, Billings, Mont. ELEVATING BELT LOAD- ER AND EXCAVATION APPARATUS. Patent dated Nov. 2, 1971. Disclaimer filed Mar. 21, 1972, by the inventor. Hereby disclaims the portion of the term of the patent subsequent to Sept. 29, 1987.

[Oficial Gazette July 25, 1.972.]

Images