US935992A - Excavator. - Google Patents

Description

Patented Oct. 5, 1909. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. P. KERR. EXGAVATOR. APPLIOATIONIILED SEPTJQ, 1908.

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J. P. KERR. EXGAVA'IOR.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 19, 1908.

935,992. Patented 0011.5, 1909.

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EXGAVATOR.

APPLICATION .I'ILBD SBPT.19,1908.

Patented Oct. 5, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Q Vitweoozo JOSEPH P. KERR, OF VERSAILLES, ILLINOIS.

EXCAVATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 5, 1909.

Application filed September 19, 1908. Serial No. 453,869.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH P. KERR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Versailles, in the county of Brown, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Excavators; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to improvements in excavators, and it has for its principal object the production of a comparatively simple and exceedingly efficient machine of that class provided with an elevator driven in such a manner as to discharge the dirt from the same side of the machine irrespective of the direction in which the latter is traveling, this feature being of great importance in the construction of levees, for which work the machine is especially designed. To this end, the sprocket chains which effect the movement of the elevator are driven from a pair of sprockets mounted upon a shaft which is provided with a pair of pinions slidable thereupon and disposed upon opposite sides of a main pinion carried by a continuously rotating shaft operatively connected with the drive axle of the machine, one or the other of the sliding pinions being arranged for the movement into mesh with the abovementioned main pinion according as the machine is traveling in one direction or the other, as a result of which construction, it will be apparent that the movement of the elevator will be in the same direction in both instances. Such construction, however, necessitates a shifting of the plow, since the latter must be turned to one side when the machine moves in one direction, in order to throw the dirt upon the elevator, and to the other side when the ma chine moves in the opposite direction.

The invention therefore further resides in the provision of a disk plow shiftable from side to side of the frame in which it is mounted and operated by a lever carrying a pawl arranged for engagement with one or the other of a pair of racks secured to said frame.

The invention still further resides in the provision of an outer elevator section operatively connected with the main section or elevator proper, and driven at a speed approximately three times that of the latter,

whose weight is also considerably greater than that of the outer section, the purpose of this construction being to obviate the necessity of extending the upper end of the main elevator beyond the adjacent side of the machine to any appreciable extent, and to dispense with the use of long driving chains.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which corresponding parts are designated by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

Of the said'drawings, Figure l is a plan view of the complete machine. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 8 is a transverse section taken upon the line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail section taken on the line 4ll of Fig. 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, A designates, generally, the frame of the machine, B and C the main and outer sections of the elevator, and D the plow mechanism. The frame, as shown in Fig. 1, is rectangular and includes front and rear end bars 1 and 2, left and right hand side bars 3 and at, and a bar 5 disposed parallel with and in spaced relation to the bar Al. The bars 3, 4 and 5 are further connected by a pair of spaced parallel cross bars 6, the front cross bar having secured thereto a forwardly-extending arcuate frame 7 upon which the drivers seat 8 is mounted. The front bar 1 has pivotally connected thereto the front axle 9 to whose ends are secured the ground wheels 10, the swinging movement of the front axle being effected by a chain 11, the central portion of which is Wound around a drum 12, secured to the lower end of the steering rod 15, whose upper end extends within easy reach of the occupant of the seat 8 and is provided at such point with a hand wheel. The rear axle 16 has its ends journaled in bearings carried by the bars 3, 4 and 5, and is provided at one end with a loose ground wheel 17 and at the other end with the drive wheel 18 keyed or otherwise secured thereto, the last-mentioned wheel fitting between the rear ends of the bars 4 and 5. The rear axle is further provided with a main drive sprocket 19 connected by a chain 20 with a smaller sprocket 21 secured to the short transverse shaft 22, journaled in bearings carried by the bars fl: and 5, these hearings being located between the cross bars 6. At its outer or right hand end, the shaft 22 carries a large beveled pinion 23 which is arranged to mesh with and drive one or the other of a pair of smaller pinions 2% slidable upon a longitudinal shaft 25 j ournaled in bearings fastened to the projecting right hand ends of the cross beams. Each of the sliding pinions has its hub portion formed with a groove embraced by the yoke end of a rod 26, the inner ends of said rods being pivoted to an operating lever 27 disposed. longitudinally of the machine and located between said bars l and 5, the for ward end of the lever being formed with a series of perforations 28 arranged to interchangeably receive a removable bolt 29, whose lower end fits in a perforation formed in the forward cross bar. At its forward end, the lever 27 terminates in an operating handle. The rods 26 are pivoted intermediate their ends to the bar 4t, owing to which construction, it will be apparent that when the lever is moved in one direction, the forward pinion will be moved out of mesh with the pinion 23, and the rear pinion 2i engaged with the latter, the lever being retained against displacement by means of the pin 29 which is fitted in the proper perforation. Movement of said lever in the opposite direction will release the rear pinion from and reengage the front pinion with the pinion 23.

The main section B of the elevator which is disposed transversely of the machine and directly above the cross bars (3 is provided with upper and lower shafts 30 and 31 having respectively secured thereto, pulleys and 33, the former of which has a greater diameter than the latter. Around these pulleys passes a belt 3ft, the ends of said shafts extending through openings formed in the sides of the elevator frame, which latter carries a series of shafts disposed intermediate of and parallel with the shafts 30 and 31. These intermediate shafts are provided with rollers across which the belt likewise travels. The shaft 30 has secured to one end thereof, a sprocket 7% connected by a chain 35 with a sprocket 36 secured to the shaft 25, the rotation of the last-mentioned shaft effecting the movement of the elevator, as will be apparent. The gear and sprocket connections between the main elevation section or elevator proper, and the .rear axle, are so proportioned that the speed of the elevator is approximately equal to that of the drive wheel 18.

The plow mechanism D above referred to, consists primarily, of a pivoted U-shaped frame 37, and a rotatable cutting disk 38. The frame 37 has the free ends of its legs pivotally secured to the lower ends of a pair of depending hangers 39, fastened at their upper ends to the under side of the bar 3. The frame legs have further pivoted thereto, the lower ends of a pair of vertical links 42,

whose upper ends are similarly fastened to the outer ends of a pair of horizontal arms 4:3, which are rigidly secured at their inner ends to the ends of alongitudinal rock shaft stat mounted in bearings carried by the frame side 3. The movement of this shaft is effected by a lever 4:5, whose lower end is rigidly fastened thereto, said lever carrying a springpressed pawl d6, arranged for engagement with a rack &7 which is likewise fastened to the bar 3, the provision of the lever permitting the plow disk to be forced the requisite distance into the ground or raised thereabove as will be apparent, the frame 37 being held in adjusted position, owing to the provision of the rack and pawl mechanism.

The disk 38 above referred to, is rotatably mounted upon the lower arm of an L-shaped shaft 48, whose vertical arm projects upwardly through a vertical opening formed in the free end of a bearing 49, which projects laterally toward the bar 3 from the bight portion of the frame 37, said shaft being held against displacement in any preferred manner. To the projecting upper end of the shaft 48, is secured a lever 50 by means of which the position of the disk is reversed, said lever carrying a spring-pressed pawl 51, arranged for engagement with a pair of outwardly-projecting racks 52, which are likewise bolted to the bight portion of said frame and are disposed at opposite sides of the bearing 49. The lever 50 is further provided with a scraper 53, the edge of whose plate contacts with the inner or concave face of the disk, the curved stem of the scraper being secured to the lever.

The frame 37 has its legs connected by a cross-bar -7 5 disposed directly above and in line with the elevator-shaft 31, said bar being fastened to the lower end. of the elevator frame by depending adjustable straps 7 3, as a result of which construction, it will be apparent that the lower end of the elevator will likewise be raised or lowered with said frame when the latter is moved in one direction or the other by the lever 45.

The outer section C of the elevator has its lower end disposed beneath the upper or discharge end of the main section, as shown in Fig. 3. This outer section, whose weight is considerably less than that of the main section is disposed at the right hand side of the machine and projects laterally beyond the same. Like the main section B, the sides of its frame are provided at their opposite ends with alining openings which receive the enos of the upper and lower shafts 54: and which carry the pulleys 56 and 57 around which travels a belt 58, upon which the dirt falls from the discharge end of the main elevator. The lower pulley 57 has a greater diameter than the upper pulley. The lower shaft 55 is further provided at one end with a sprocket 59 connected by a chain 60 with a lUO sprocket (31, secured to the shaft 25, the movement of the section C being thus effected. The gear connections between the two sections, however, are so proportioned that the speed of the outer section is approximately three times that of the main section, which latter carries at its discharge end a shoe or funnel-shaped guide ()2 which directs the advancing column of dirt onto the central portion of the belt 58. The section C likewise includes a series of intermediate shafts, each of which has a roller secured thereto, the belt 58 traveling across these rollers.

The outer elevator has its lower shaft journaled in openings formed in a pair of depending brackets 77, secured to the cross bars (l and located directly beneath the brackets 78 in which the shaft 30 is journaled. The sides of the frame of this outer conveyer have secured thereto, the outer ends of a pair of cables ('14, which are trained over a pair of grooved pulleys 6:5, revolubly mounted upon a rod 66 which connects the upper ends of a pair of standards (57, which are likewise bolted to the cross bars 6. The inner ends of said ables are secured to a drum 79 carried by a shaft 80, whose opposite ends are jourualed in bearings carried by said cross bars. The rotation of this shaft is effected by a rod (38, provided at its lower end with a worm G9 which engages a worm gear 70 carried by the shaft 80, the upper end of said rod carrying a hand wheel. This construction, as will be apparent, admits of the outer end of the elevator section C being raised or lowered at will.

The machine propelled either by draft animals or by a traction engine, as preferred. in the first instance, the animals are hitched to a whillle tree 71 located at each end of the frame.

The operation of the machine is as follows. The plow disk having been adjusted to position to discharge the dirt turned up thereby onto the main elevator, the frame 3.) is lowered to cause the disk to penetrate the ground to the requisite depth, after which the proper sliding pinion 24 is moved into engagement with the drive pinion 23. During the movement of the machine toward the end of the levee or embankment, the dirt turned up by the plow disk will be discharged onto the main elevator and thence to the outer elevator section. When the end of the levee is reached, the d aft animals or engine, as the case may be, is connected with the other end of the machine frame and the machine moved toward the opposite end of the elevator. Prior to the return movement of the machine, the position of the plow is reversed, and the other pinion 9A thrown into mesh with the pinion it will be apparent, therefore, that the dirt will be discharged from the machine upon the same side irrespective of the direction in which the frame which carries the disk may be raised or lowered, to adjust the position of the disk with respect to the ground, and that the discharge end of the outer elevator may likewise be raised or lowered. The machine is steered during its travel by the rod 15 and the cable connection 11 between the latter and the swinging front axle.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination in an excavator, of a frame; an upwardly-inclined elevator carried thereby; means for driving the elevator; a plow located at the foot of said ele vator; a rotatable shaft upon which the plow is mounted; and a lever secured to the shaft for rotating the same in either direc tion, to swing the plow bodily to one side or the other for reversing the position of the latter with respect to said elevator.

2. The combination in an excavator, of a frame; a transversely disposed-upwardly inclined elevator carried thereby; means for driving the elevator; a plow located at the foot of said elevator; a rotatable shaft upon which theplow is mounted; a lever secured to said shaft for rotating the same in either direction,-to swing the plow bodily to one side or the other for reversing the position of the latter with respect to said elevator; and devices ar 'anged for engagement with said lever to retain the plow in adjusted position.

3. The combination in an excavator, of a main frame; a transversely-disposed upwardly inclined elevator carried thereby; means for driving the elevator; a supplemental frame connected to one of the sides of the main frame; a bearing secured to one member of the supplemental frame and formed with an opening; a shaft journaled in said opening; a plow mounted upon said shaft and located at the foot of said elevator; and a lever secured to said shaft for rotating the same in either direction, to swing the plow bodily to one side or the other for reversing the position of the latter with respect to said elevator.

i. The combination in an excavator, of a main frame; a transversely-disposed upwardly inclined elevator carried thereby; means for driving the elevator; a supplc mental frame connected to one of the sides of the main frame; a bearing secured to one member of the supplemental frame and formed with an opening; a shaft ournaled in said opening; a plow mounted upon said shaft and located at the foot of said elevator; means for maintaining the direction of movement of the elevator constant, to discharge the dirt delivered thereto hy the plow from the same side of the machine, irrespective of the direction in which the latter travels; and a lever secured to the shaft for rotating the same in either direction, to swing the plow bodily to one side or the other for reversing the position of the latter with respect to said elevator.

5. The combination in an excavator, of a main frame; a transversely-disposed upwardly inclined elevator carried thereby; means for driving the elevator; a supplemental frame connected to one of the sides of the main frame; a bearing secured to one member of the supplemental frame and formed with an opening; a shaft journaled in said opening; a plow mounted upon said shaft and located at the foot of said elevator; means for maintaining the direction of movement of the elevator constant, to discharge the dirt delivered thereto by the plow from the same side of the machine, irrespec tive of the direction in which the latter travels; a lever secured to the shaft for rotating the same in either direction, to swing the plow bodily to one side or the other for reversing the position of the latter with respect to said elevator; and devices arranged for engagement with said lever to retain the plow in adjusted position.

G. The combination in an excavator, of a frame; a transversely-disposed upwardly incliued elevator carried thereby; means for driving the elevator; a single cutting member connected with the frame and located at the foot of said elevator; means for swing ing said member bodily from one side to the other to deliver dirt thereto in either position; and means for maintaining the direction of motion of the elevator constant, to discharge the dirt from the same side of the machine.

7. The combination in an excavator, of a frame; a transversely-disposed upwardly inclined elevator carried thereby; means for driving the elevator; a single rotatablv mounted cutting member connected with the frame and located at the foot of said elevator; means for swinging said member bodily from one side to the other, to deliver dirt thereto in either position; and means for maintaining the direction of motion of the elevator constant, to discharge the dirt fro-1n the same side of the machine.

8. The combination in an excavator, of a frame; a transverselydisposed upwardly in clined elevator carried thereby; means for driving the elevator; a single revoluble cutting disk connected with the frame and located at the foot of the elevator; means for swinging said disk bodily from one side to the other, to deliver dirt thereto in either position; and means for maintaining the direction of motion of the elevator constant, to discharge the dirt from the same side of the machine.

9. The combination in an excavator, of a frame; a transverselydisposed upwardly inclined elevator carried thereby; means for driving the elevator; a revoluble cutting disk located at the foot of said elevator; a rotatable shaft upon which said disk is mounted; and a lever secured to said shaft for rotating the same in either direction, to swing said disk bodily from one side to the other, to deliver dirt thereto in either position.

10. The combination, in an excavator, of a frame; an axle carried by the frame and provided with a traction wheel; a shaft carried by the frame and disposed parallel with the axle, driving connections between said shaft and axle; a shaft disposed at right angles to the first-mentioned shaft; a transversely-disposed upwardly-inclined elevator carried by said frame; a pinion secured to the first-mentioned shaft; a pair of sliding pinions carried'by the lastmentioned shaft; means for moving one or the other of the sliding pinions into mesh with the first-mentioned pinion; driving connections between the elevator and said last-mentioned shaft; a plow carried by said frame and located at the foot of said elevator; and means for re versing the position of said plow with respect to said elevator.

11. The combination, in an excavator, of a main frame; an axle carried by said frame and provided with a traction wheel; a shaftdisposed parallel with the axle; driving con nections between said shaft and axle; a pin ion carried by said shaft; a shaft disposed at right angles to the first-mentioned shaft; a pair of sliding pinions carried by the lastmentioned shaft; means for sliding one or the other of said pinions into mesh with the first-mentioned pinion; a transversely-disposed iipwardly-inelined elevator carried by the frame; driving connections between the elevator and the last mentioned shaft; a frame suspended from one of the sides of the main frame; a plow carried by the last mentioned frame and located at the foot of the elevator; and means for swinging the plow bodily from one side to the other of its frame, to reverse its position with respect to the elevator.

12. The combination, in an excavator, of a main frame; an axle carried by the frame and provided with a traction wheel; a shaft disposed parallel with the axle; driving connections between the shaft and the axle; a

pinion secured to said shaft; a shaft disposed at right angles to the first-mentioned shaft; a pair of sliding pinions carried by said shaft disposed upon opposite sides of the first-mentioned pinion; means for shifting one or the other of said sliding pinions into mesh with said first-mentioned pinion: a transversely disposed up 'ardly inclined elevator carried by said frame; driving connections between the ele alter and said lastmentioned shaft; a swinging framesnspended from one of the sides of the main frame and having the foot of the elevator connected thereto; a swinging plow carried by the last-mentioned frame; and means for swinging the plow bodily from one side to the other of its frame, to reverse its position with respect to the elevator.

13. The combination, in an excavator, of a frame; an upwardly-inclined transverselydisposed main elevator carried by the frame; an upwardly-inclined elevator having its lower end pivoted to the frame and disposed beneath the upper end of the firstmentioned elevator; a plow carried by the frame and located at the foot of the main elevator; means for driving said elevators; and separate means for raising and lowering the lower end of the main elevator and the upper end of the last mentioned elevator.

1-1. The combination, in an excavator, of a. frame; an upwardly-inclined transverselydisposed main elevator carried thereby; an upwardly-inclined elevator disposed in alinement with the main elevator and having its lower end pivoted to the frame; a plow carried by the frame and located at the foot of the main elevator; means for driving said elevators; means for maintaining the direction of motion of said main elevator, constant to discharge the dirt delivered thereto by the plow; and separate means for raising and lowering the lower end of the main elevator and the outer end of the last-mentioned elevator.

The combination, in an excavator, of a main frame; a swinging frame suspended from one of the sides of the main frame; a

plow carried by the swinging frame; a transversely disposed upwardly inclined elevator carried by the main frame and having its foot connected to the swinging frame; means for driving the elevator; means for maintaining the direction of motion of the elevator constant, to discharge the dirt delivered thereto by the plow from the same side of the machine irrespective of the direction in which the latter travels; and means for raising and lowering said swinging frame.

16. The combination, in an excavator, of a main frame; a swinging frame suspended from one of the sides of the main frame; a plow carried by the swinging frame; a transversely disposed upwardly inclined elevator carried by the main frame and having its foot connected to the swinging frame; means for driving the elevator; means for swinging the plow bodily to reverse its position with respect to the elevator; and means for raising and lowering said swinging frame.

17. The combination, in an excavator, of a main frame; a swinging frame suspended from one of the sides of the main frame; a

plow carried by the swinging flame; a transversely disposed upwardly inclined elevator carried by the main frame and having its foot connected to the swinging frame; means for driving the elevator; means for maintaining the direction of movement of the elevator constant, to discharge the dirt delivered thereto by the plow from the same side of the machine irrespective of the direction in which the latter travels; means for swinging the plow bodily to reverse its position with respect to the elevator; and means for raising and lowering said swinging frame.

18. T he combination, in an excavator, of a main frame; a frame suspended from the main frame; an upwardly inclined elevator carried by the main frame; a swinging disk plow rotatably carried by the last mentioned frame; means for driving the elevator; and means for swinging the plow from one side to the other of said last mentioned frame, to reverse its position with respect to the elevator.

19. The combination, in an excavator, of a main frame; a frame suspended from the main frame; an upwardly inclined elevator carried by the main frame; means for driving the elevator; a swinging disk plow carried by the last mentioned frame and located at the foot of the elevator; a pair of racks carried by the last mentioned frame; and a lever connected to said plow and provided with a pawl arranged for engagement with one or the other of said racks for swinging said plow bodily from one side of said last mentioned frame to the other, to reverse the position of the plow with respect to the elevator.

20. The combination, in an excavator, of a main frame; a frame suspended from the main f time; a bearing carried by the last mentioned frame; an L-shaped shaft journaled in said bearing; a plow disk rotatably mounted upon said shaft; an upwardly inclined elevator carried by the main frame and having its foot located adjacent said disk; means for driving the elevator; an operating lever secured to said shaft, for swinging said disk bodily from one side of the last mentioned frame to the other, to reverse its position with respect to the elevator; a pair of racks carried by said last mentioned frame and located upon opposite sides of said bearing; and a pawl carried by said lever and arranged for engagement with one or the other of said racks to retain said disk in adjusted position.

In testimony whereof, I atlix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH P. KERR. Vitnesses A. O. MoCoY, G. TARRANT.

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