US96824A - Improved ditching-machine - Google Patents

Description

MPETERS, PHOYOLITHOGHAPMER, wASHmGYoN, o, C.

danni 5in-nts vEls'.

sind l etnias.

JAMES W. MCGEHEE, 0F FAYETTEVILLE, TEXAS.

Letters Patent No. 96,824, lated November 16, 1869.

IMPRO'EID DITCHING--MACI-IINE.

The Scheule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part oflthe same.

rlhis invention relates to' improvements in ditchingmachines, whereby it is designed to provide an eiicient arrangement of steam-power ditching-apparatus.

The invention consists essentially of a boring or ditching-auger, suspended iom the frame of a truck, and having an enlarged head projecting in advance of the truck, and rotated, so as to bore out a groove as the truck is moved along, screwing the earth taken back through ai trough, to an elevator, whichv carries it up to a' spout, chuting it t0 one'side.

Another arrangement of the boring-tool and elev-ai ting-apparatus dispenses with the trough, the said elevating-apparatus being arranged immediately behind the boring-head.

Steam-power is placed upon the truck, for propelling it and the ditching-apparatus.

Figui-el represents an elevation of my improved machine, partly in longitmlinal section Figure 2 represents a transverse sect-ion;

Figure 3 represents a section of a part of the trou/gh, showing a section of the auger, and the bottom of the elevating-apparatus Figure 4 represents a transverse section, showing the bottom ofthe elevati11g-apparatus;

Figure 5 represents a side view of a boring-instrument;

Figure (i represents an end view of thc same;

Figure 7 a side and sectional view of another boring-instrument; and

Figure 8, an end of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding paris.

From a strong frame, A, mounted on wheels B C, I suspend, in a trough, D, rotary boring-instruments E, with boring-heads larger than the troughs, and projecting beyond the same.

rlhe said troughs are detachably connected to the iiame, to 'permit of readily detaching the boring-instrument and trough when the machine is to be transported from place to place, said detachment being necessary because the apparatus must be suspended as much below the bottom of the' truck-wheels kas the required depth ofthe ditch.

F is a pivoted`handlever connected with the front-4 pivoted axle y of the wheels B, by means of a link, c,

which constitutes the means of turning said axle so as to guide the machine in passing over the ground.

To commence work, a grooveis first dug by hand, the machine placed over it,and the boring-apparatus attached.

The shaft I of the auger is provided with bearings G G, supported by the trough, and projects rearward to an end bearing-spimllc, II, suitably suspended from V the frame. v

The said shaft or its bearing supports a chain-wheel, K, at the rear-of the trough, and working loosely thereon,

- Motion is imparted to the boring-instrument by bevel-wheels L, receiving motion from the drivingcrankl shaft M.

lh'is shaft carries loose chain-wheels N, which clutch with fixed clutching-disks O, when required, and thereby imparts propelling motionto the truck-wheels C, by belts or chains P.

The wheels are moved to andfrom the clutch-disks by an oscillating shaft, Q, working in ,sleeves R, having spiral grooves-T, in which pins on the shaft work, to move the said sleeves longitudinally on the shaft.

These sleeves carry crotch-arms S, which engage the hubs of the chain-wheels N, and move them as required.

A handle, U, is applied to the shaft, for working it.

Anoverhead-shaft, V,4 is provided for driving the elevator \V, and is drivenby an upright shaft, X, deriving motion from the main shaft below rlhis elevator-chain W carries cups Y,- passing around the auger-shaft, in rear of the 'varies thereof, and moving in opposite directions thereto, taking the earth from the'said vancs, and delivering it to the spout-Z. n

Spring-plates a are attached to the rear of the vanes of the auger, to press the earth into the cups.

As the angers may encounterlargc stones, or other obstructions in so'mc soils, I have provided acranel,A, with grapples B', on a cord, C', working through a pulley thereon, and over the driving-sl1att\l\f, so that by throwing the driving-wheels out of gear, the said obstructions may be raised' by the grapples, and swung out of the way.

A chain, D', is employed to hold the crane against the action of the rope Gl while aising the said obstructions.

The rear wheels of the truck are fixed to a rotating shaft, but the front wheels work loosely on the axle, which is capable of turning, for guiding the machine, and a hand-lever, E', is provided for turning it.

For angers of small size, I propose t'o apply two scoops ll", to form the cutting-head, as shown, tig. (i, but for larger ones I may use four, as shown in fig. S.

Instead of using long auger-vanos and a trough, as

shown in fig. 1, I may dispense with them, and place the chain-drum or wheel K and elevator immediately behind the auger-head, as is partly shown in fig. 7, where I have represented the said chain-wheel on a sleeve Working on the auger-shaft.

The said sleeve is grooved to be supported in a snspending bearing. When the auger is used without the trough, suitable bearings are provided for it.

When the ditching is accomplished, and the machine to be moved away, the trough and angers are detached by unbolting the suspending brackets l. They are then slung from the crane by the rope C and grapples.

Having thus described my invention,

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1 The combination, with a truck-frame, of a ditch- 5. Snspending the trough and auger by detachable connections, substantially as specified.

Witnesses: JAS. W. MCGEHEE.

J. D. MEYER, W. H. DONATHAN.

oups, ofthe spring-plates a, substantially as specified..

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