US536551A - Ditching and grading machine - Google Patents

Description

' l.) 2Shets-Sheet 1.

E. I'. SOJOURNER. DITGHING AND GRADING MACHINE.

Patented Mar. 26, 1895.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2'.

' E. F. SOJOURNER.

DITOHING AND GRADING MACHINE.

Patented Mar. 26

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

EDWARD F. SOJOURNER, OF HAZLEHURST,MISSISSIPPI.

DITCHING AND GRADING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 536,551, dated March 26, 1895.

Application filed September 7.18941. serial No. 52 2,364. No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD F. SOJOURNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hazlehurst, in the county of Oopiah and State of Mississippi, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ditching and Grading Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a side elevation of my machinej Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the elevator rim, detached. Fig. 3 is a plan view of machine. Fig. 4 is a front elevation, partly in section; and Fig. 5 a detail section showing the reversible chute.

This invention relates to that class of grading and ditching machines mounted upon suitable wheels and carrying suitable plows which are adapted to take up the earth and turn it into a large broad-rimmed elevatorwheel provided on its interior with suitable buckets which carry the excavated dirt above the axle and empty it into a chute, which latter conveys it out to one side of the machine and empties it into a cart or upon the surface of the ground, as the case may be, as more fully hereinafter described. I

Referring to the drawings, a designates the frame of the machine, in the rear bifurcated end of which is loosely mounted an elevating rim or spokeless wheel b, this rim carrying suitable buckets b on its interior. A plow d is mounted upon each side of the wheel and adapted to loosen the earth and turn it into the wheel, each plow being rigidly connected to a'forwardly-extending beam d which is pivoted to the frame and is swung up and down to adjust the plow vertically, by means of a lever d" which is pivoted on the frame and has its lower end connected pivotally to a longitudinal slot 01 in the beam. The upper end of each lever d" is locked in its adjusted positions by means of the usual notched segment 01 carried by the frame. Each beam (1 carries a colter d near its lower end in advance of the plow, which assists the plow in cutting up the earth and directing it into the wheel. The forward end of the frame a works through a horizontal frame e, which is pivoted on horizontal pivots e at its. ends, said pivots being supported by a frame e bolted to the front bolster a The front end of the frame a is pivoted to the frame 6, through which it passes horizontally, by means of a vertical bolt fiwhich is carried by the frame and works in longitudinal slots f formed in the frame, said slots extending the full length of said frame. The bolt f works freely back and forth in said slots as the frame a, is moved fromone side to the other of the frame, and to draw said frame a to one side or the other ropes or chains 9 are connected at their outer ends to the respective ends of the rocking-frame e and are wound upon a vertical Windlass 9 carried on the forward end of the beam or frame a in. front of the rocking-[frame e. The axle carrying the wheels h-h is formed in two sections, which are bolted adjustably to the front bolster e by means of vertical eye-bolts 71., whereby the wheels may be adjusted in and out in order to run in the ditch or upon the surface of the ground adjacent to the ditch. One of the axles may be cranked, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, in order to enable the machine .to be adjusted for working on the side of a hill. As shown in Fig. 3, the double-tree o is provided with extensible sections i, and the neck-yoke j is provided with similar sections 3', whereby the team may be brought closer to the pole or farther from it as the exigencies of the case may render desirable.

It will be observed that the bolster or beam (3 carrying the front axle is deepenough to permit the frames 6 e to be extended over the top of the front wheels, which construction permits the wheels to be adjusted in and out without hindcrance. Pivoting the forward end of the frame or beam 0!. to a rocking frame and slidingly connecting the frame thereto by a vertical bolt, permits the elevator rim and plows to be adjusted laterally in order to excavate close to either edge of the roadway or ditch, and also permits the wheel and plows to vibrate vertically, to not only enable them to conform to the surface of the ground, but alsopermit them to work in the ditch while the front wheels work outside the ditch. To adjust the elevator wheel to either side of the machine it is simply necessary to rotate the Windlass g, whereupon one of the ropes or chains g will be wound upon the Windlass and the other rope or chain will be unwound therefrom, which will slide the front end of ICC It will be observed that either or both plows may be used.

The advantage of mounting a plow on each side of the elevating rim opposite the spout or chute is that the road-bed may be graded close to its edges and the excavated earth taken up and thrown back upon the road-bed, as is evident.

As will be seen the elevating rim is mounted loosely in the frame and is free to rise and fall to conform to the surface of the ground. The rim is guided in its vertical movements and prevented from oscillating by means of side plates or guards is attached rigidly to the frame, these guards being substantially segmental in shape and two being secured on each side of the rim, one in front of and the other in the rear of the chute k, the curved edges of the plates or guards extending slightly beyond the periphery of the rim. Extending over the rim is an arch Z upon the upper part of which is pivoted a lever l which is bifurcated so as to embrace or engage under the rim and which has its upper end connected by a rod 12 to a lever 13 on the front part of the machine, which latter lever is locked in its adjusted positions by means of the usual segment and spring bolt. By means of this arrangement of levers the rim may be lifted and held off the ground while the machine is being transported from place to place. To support the rear end of the machine, a caster-wheel m is mounted pivotally upon the lower end of a standard m whose upper end is pivoted to the rear end of the frame. A lever'm is pivoted upon the frame and connected by link m to the swinging standard m in order that the caster-wheel may be adjusted backward and forward to raise and lower the frame of the machine, as is evident.

As the elevating rim supports simply its Ownweight and that of the buckets and earth carried thereby, it may be necessary to attach to the periphery of the rim the cleats n in order to increase the traction and insure the rotation of the rim. To take up the pressure of the rim against the frame as the machine is traveling forward, an anti-friction roller 72. is journaled between the side beams of the frame, directly in the rear of the rim, and a similar roller is journaled in the forward part of the frame to take up the pressure when the machine is backing. These rollers do not support the rim but simply serve to hold it in place and permit it to rotate with the least possible friction.

The chute 7a is a double ended one and is secured to a rock shaft about midway its length, which rock shaft is journaled upon brackets k supported on the frame and extending across the same through the elevator rim, the rock-shaft itself being supported within the rim and lying parallel with the frame... Thus pivoting the chute within the rim enables it to be tilted toward either side of the frame to throw the dirt in eitherdirection. To look the chute in either of its tilted positions or in a level position, any suitable devices may be employed. A device is shown which consists of a segment k mounted upon one of the brackets and provided with aseries of holes k through one of which aremovable pin k carried by the rock shaft, is passed, thereby locking the rock shaft to the stationary segment. By adjusting the pin in the apertures the chute may be locked in any one of its positions. It is desirable sometimes to lock the chute in a horizontal position in order to hold the excavated earth until it is carried to a suitable dumping place instead of emptying it upon the road-bed alongside the machine as it moves along.

It will be observed that this machine is exceedingly simple in construction and is also easily operated. An important advantage in the construction shown is that the wheel-rim may be removed readily and the machine used as a sulky-plow or cultivator. An important advantage as a sulky plow lies in the fact that the frame and plows may be readily adjusted sidewise with respect to the team in such a manner that ridges or furrows may be readily plowed out and the soil leveled and pulverized, and further it is evident that other kinds of plows and cultivating devices may be used in place of the turn-plows shown.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a grading machine, the combination of a frame and wheels supporting the same, a wheel rim mounted loosely Within the frame and carrying elevating buckets, on its interior and adapted to rest on the ground means for guiding said wheel rim vertically, a chute extending through said wheel rim, and a plow, substantially as described.

2. In a grading machine, the combination of a frame supported on wheels, a wheel rim supported loosely in the frame and carrying buckets, vertical guard-plates attached to the frame and embracing and guiding said rim, a chute extending through said rim, and an adjustable plow, substantially as described.

. 3. In a grading and ditching machine, the combination of a frame mounted on wheels, a spokeless wheel-rim mounted loosely in the frame and adapted to vibrate vertically and carrying buckets, rollers journaled on the frame in front of and in the rear of said wheel rim, means for vertically guiding the rim, a chute, and a plow, substantially as described.

4. The combination of a wheeled frame, a spokeless elevating rim carrying buckets, and means for loosening the earth and depositing it in said rim, and a double-ended chute pivoted within the rim and adapted to tilt in either direction, substantially as described.

5. The combination of a wheeled frame, a spokeless elevating rim carried thereby, a plow, and a double-ended chute pivoted within the rim and extending out beyond both sides thereof, and means for locking said chute in various positions, substantially as described.

6. In aroadgrading machine, the combination of the front wheels and axle, the main frame a connected to the axle, an elevator wheel supported at the rear end of said frame, a spout or chute extending out from one side of the wheel, a pair of plows adj ustably supported on said frame, one being supported on each side of the elevator wheel and adapted to turn the earth into the wheel, substantially tending through said rocking frame, a vertical bolt carried by said main frame and sliding in the slots in the rocking frame, means for adjusting the forward end of the main frame laterally in the rocking-frame, and an elevating wheel and excavating devices mounted on said main frame, substantially as described.

9. In a grading and ditching machine, the combination of a main frame carrying the elevating wheel and excavating devices, the front wheels mounted on independently adjustable axles, a beam or bolster supported on said axles and bolted thereto,'a rocking frame pivotally supported upon said bolster and extending out over the wheels, and means for adjustably connecting the main frame to said rocking frame, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature 45 v in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD F. SOJOURNER. Witnesses:

GEO. B. NELsoN, A. B. GUYRUs.

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