US717589A - Excavating-machine. - Google Patents

Description

No. 717,589. Y PATENTED JAN. 6, 1903. E. A. MATHBRS. EXGAVATING MACHINE.

APPLIATIDN FILED JUNE 21, 1901.

W! TNE SSE S PATEN-TBD JAN. 6, 1903.

E. A. MATHERS.

.BXCAVATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2l. 1901.`

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

NO MODEL.

/NE/von A 1 f w/TNESSES.-

No. 717,589. l APATEN'lz'l) JAN. 6, 1903,.

' E. A. MATHE'RLS- l BXGAVATING MACHINE.

APPLIoATIol; FILED JUNI: .21,v 1901'.

a SHEETS-saam a.

Y No MODEL.

'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EZRA A. MATHERS, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT 0F COLUMBIA.

EXCAVATI N G -lVlAC H IN E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 717,589, dated January 6, 1903.

Application Jfiled June 21,1901.

To @ZZ roh/om it may concern:

Beit known that LEZRA A. MATHERS, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Excavating-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My said invention consists in an improved construction of excavating-machines designed particularly forV cutting through embankments, hills, dac., in grading for railway, canal, or such like construction, whereby said work can be carried on rapidlyand economically, as will bev hereinafter more fully described and claimed. c

Referring toy the accompanying drawings,l which are made a part hereof and on which similar reference characters indicate similar parts, Figure 1 is a top or plan viewof a machine embodying mysaid invention; Fig.`2, a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3, a horizontal section looking downwardly from the dotted line 3 3 in Fig. 2;'Fig. 4, a detail crosssection on the dotted line 4 4 in Fig. 1; Fig. 4a, a cross-section looking toward the left from the dotted line 4L 4a in Fig. 1; Fig. 5, a detail section through the front truck on the dotted line 5 5in Fg.`3; Fig. 6, a View, partly in elevation andpartly. in section, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows from the dotted line 6 6 in Fig. 3; Fig. 7, a section through the rear truck on the dottedflinev 7 7 .in Fig. 3; Fig. 8, a detail perspective view of the digger-head, an'dFig. 9 details showing the manner of'securing the teeth in said head.

In said drawings'the portions marked A represent the main or supporting frame of the machine; B, a frame pivoted thereon, which carries Y the operating mechanism 5' 0,' an elevator; D, a frame carrying the digger and operating mechanism, and E said digger.

The frame A is rectangular in form and of i suitable size and strength, being formed of either timber or iron beams and cross-pieces, as preferred, appropriately secured together and mounted on suitable trucks 1 and 2, which are arrangedunder either end thereof f and are of any appropriate construction for the purpose.

The frame B is also of any appropriate material and construction, being pivoted on an .upright shaft 3, which passes through a rear seria No. 65,409. oit model.)

cross-piece B', and connected to a segmental gear H, secured on the iront end of frame A, by a worm 5 on a shaft 6, journaled in suitable bearings on said frame B and geared by a sprocket and chain to the engine, as will be presently described.

r The elevator C, as shown, is simply an endless-belt carrier on a suitable frame; but, as will be readily understood, in the machine it will be of a construction more suited to the heavy character of the work for Vwhich the machine is intended, and it is supported on .the frame B in any appropriate manner, preferably by being pivoted at its rear end and adjustably supported at its front from the frame D above by means of chains C. A nose-piece 4 is mounted on the front end of said elevator-frame, being pointed and adapted to be driven into the work somewhat and forming an apronA extending back over the` front end of the elevator-apron.

D is a framework of suitable character to carry the track on which the digger operates and the engine which provides the power. It is preferably built of steel beams braced with truss-rods and cables, as shown. Its front end runs to a point, while its rear portion is formed with parallel sides extending back to the rear of the machine, where they are connected to the .uprights '7, which are mounted on the frame B. It has a suitable engine 8 mounted thereon, and is provided on its under side with a double track 9, extending from its front end to a point near its rear end.

TheY digger E consists of a head, preferably formed of a section of I-beam, having teeth e, secured Vthereto by eyebolts e', as shown in Fig.'9,"`the Shanks of said teeth being rectan-A gular in form and adapted-,to iit into notches formed in the flanges of said I-beam and `held .securely therein by said eyebolts. Extending back from said head are two poles or rods E', which pass through and are adapted to slide in apertures in' guide-blocks 10, which are mounted on a cross-bar 1l, carried lby a truck 12, whichl is mounted on the double track 9. Another truck 13 is mounted on said track near its front, carrying a sheave 14. A sheave 15 is also mounted in an ap propriate housing on a cross-bar, connecting the poles E' a short distance back from the ICO head E. A cable or rope 16 is attached at one end to the housing or frame of truck 13, passes down and under said sheave 15, back and over sheave 14, then under and over a sheave 17 on the extreme front end of the frame D, back, and is attached'to awindingdrum 18 on a shaft 19, journaled in suitable bearings near the engine. Another cable or rope 20 is attached to the digger-head E, extends back and over a sheave 21, located on frame D near the rear end of track 9, and is attached to a winding-drum 22 on a shaft 23, mounted in suitable bearings on frame D near the engine. Both the shaft 19 and the shaft 23 are geared to be driven from said engine. On the outer end of said shaft 23 is mounted a sprocket-wheel 24, adapted to be connected thereto by a clutch, and from said sprocketwheel a sprocketchain 25 runs back to a sprocket-wheel 26 on a shaft 27, journaled in bearings on the uprights 7. Said shaft 27 also has a sprocket-Wheel on its opposite end, which is connected by a sprocket-chain 28 to a sprocket-wheel on the shaft 29, which is journaled on the top of frame B. Spur-gears 30, mounted on .said shaft 29 by suitable clutches, mesh with a bevel gear-wheel 31 on the end of shaft 3, and said shaft has a Wormgear 32, which engages with a worm-gear 33 on each axle of the truck 1. On the shaft 27 are also mounted the drums 34, carrying the elevator C. By throwing in the appropriate clutch to connect the proper gear 30 with shaft 29 it will thus be seen that the truck 1 and the machine as awhole can be moved back and forth at will. A sprocket 35 is also mounted on the outer end of shaft 19 and is connected by a sprocket-chain 36 with a sprocket 37 on the end of a shaft 38, mounted in suitable bearings on the frame D at a point above the front truck 2. A sprocket-chain 40 connects said sprocket 39 with a sprocket 41 on the end of shaft 6, which carries the worm 5 on the front end of frame B. By this means the shaft 6 can be driven, and through said worm 5 and toothed segment 4 the front end of said frame B, carrying the entire machine except the trucks, can be swung laterally, and the machine is thus adapted to work through a large range. As shown best in Figs. 3 and 5, the front end of said frame B is supported on the frame A or segmental track carried thereby by trucks if, arranged to travel in a groove gin said track.

The machine as a whole being thus adapted to be moved back and forth and its front end swung back and forth in the arc of an circle, its ready and convenient manipulation is provided for. In operation, the machine being set as desired, the digger is drawn forward and up by the winding-drum 18 and cable 16 until it is over the point desired, when the drum 18 is released to allow said digger to drop into said work, and the drum 22 is started to wind up the cable 20, which operates to pull said digger and its load back onto the apron B, the load being deposited on the elevator and carried to the point of discharge. The cable 16 being then wound up on drum 18, the digger is drawn upto the frame or truck 13, and said truck will then run out on the track 9 until said digger is again above the point where it is desired to operate and the operation repeated. By having the guideblocks mounted on a truck to travel on the track 9 a wide range of travel of the digger is provided for, as it can be drawn from one end of the track to the other, if desired, as will be readily seen.

The engine is made to drive the proper drum 18 or 22 and the various sprockets by the shifting of the appropriate clutch es when required as will be readily understood.

In front of the teeth e of the digger is hinged a scraper S, which is adapted to be let down in front of said teeth when the character of the work makes the scraper more desirable than the prongs, as in soft and sandy banks. This scraper is held up out of the way when notl in use by suitable catches s, as shown.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an excavating-machine, the combination, of the frame, the digger comprising a head with digging devices and rearwardlyprojecting arms mounted on said frame, said arms being mounted to slide in suitable supports on said frame, means for carrying said digger upward and forward and then lowering it into the earth, and then drawingit back toward the'machine away from the point of loading with the load and then freeing it from said load by raising it and again carrying it forward, and the driving mechanism, substantially as set forth.

2. In an excavating-machine, the combination, of the frame, a track thereon, supports for the digger-arms mounted to travel on said track, the digger with arms projecting back from the head thereof and resting in said supports to slide in relation thereto, and means for forcing said digger back and forth and raising and lowering it, substantially as set forth.

3. In an excavating-machine, the combination,of the supportingframe,the horizontallyswinging frame thereon, a frame carrying a track mounted on said swinging frame and extending out beyond its front end, traveling supports for the digger mounted on said track, said digger comprising a head with digging devices and arms, said arms being mounted in said traveling supports to slide in relation thereto, and the operating mechanism, substantially as set forth.

4. In an excavating-machine, the combination, of the supporting-frame, an overhanging frame carrying a track, a truck carrying a sheave thereon, winding-drums, an engine for driving them, a second truck mounted on said track-carrying guide-blocks,a digger consisting of a head with digging devices and having arms projecting through said guide- IIO blocks, and cables or ropes connected to appropriate parts of said digger and passing over sheaves and connected with said drums, whereby said digger is operated, substantially as set forth.

5. In an excavating-machine, the combination, of the supporting-frame, an overhanging frame supporting a track, a digger mounted to slide hack and forth in supports carried on trucks which are mounted on said track, means for swinging the-front end of said digger up and down, and means for operating it back and forth, substantially as set forth.

6. In an excavating-machine, the combination, ofthe supporting-frame mounted on suitable trucks, the swinging frame, pivoted at its rear end to the rear truck and mounted at its front end to travel on asuitable track, said track supported on the main frame and having a rack, a Worm on said swinging frame adapted to engage said rack, gearing connecting said worm with driving power, an elevator for carrying away the material, an overhanging frame, and a digger mounted on said overhangng frame to move up and down and back and forth, substantially as set forth.

7. In an excavating-machine, the combination, of the supporting-frame, the horizontallyswinging frame mounted thereon, the overhangng frame mounted on said swinging frame, a track thereon, sliding supports on said track, -thc digger mounted to travel back and forth on said sliding supports and constructed and arranged to excavate on its downward and inward movement, drums and Y connections for operating said digger back and forth and up and down, and means for driving the mechanisms supported on the machine` substantially as set forth.

8. In an excavating-machine, the combination, of The frame, a carrying-away elevator the front end of which is arranged in line with the'work of the digger, and said digger nionnted to be driven into the Work and then front of said-elevator, substantially as Set v forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, at Washington, District of Columbia, this 11th day of June, A. D. 1901.

EZRA A. MATHERS. [L S.]

l/Vitnesses:

CHAs. E. RIoRnoN, E. W. BRADFORD.

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