WO2001016429A1

WO2001016429A1 - Trench grinder for cutting and grinding asphalt or concrete

Info

Publication number: WO2001016429A1
Application number: PCT/US2000/023170
Authority: WO
Inventors: Brian Schonberg; Ronald J. Lowe; Robert P. Schnarr
Original assignee: Brian Schonberg
Priority date: 1999-08-27
Filing date: 2000-08-23
Publication date: 2001-03-08
Also published as: AU6930500A

Abstract

A trench grinder (10) which may be mounted on a mobile carrier (16) via arms (12) which permit raising and lowering of the grinder (10). The grinder (10) comprises a drum equipped with picks to cut asphalt, concrete, or the like from the surface of a road or the like. The grinder (10) can be moved laterally by a chain drive mounted on a plate at the end of the arms (12). The grinder (10) also includes a breaker bar within its housing to promote communication of the asphalt or concrete after it is cut from the surface.

Description

TRENCH GRINDER FOR CUTTING AND GRINDING ASPHALT OR CONCRETE

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (a) Field of the Invention

This invention relates to construction equipment used in digging a ditch or trench during underroad service or construction and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a trench grinder for cutting and grinding asphalt and concrete in a trench in an upper surface of a roadway and a method of cutting and grinding the roadway material and backfilling the aggregate in the trench, (b) Discussion of Prior Art

In U.S. Patent 4,704,045 to Taylor et al. an apparatus for pulverizing asphalt on a roadway is disclosed. In the Taylor invention, a pair of hydraulic motors connected to a pair drive plates are used for releasably engagement to opposite sides of a drive drum. The drive plates are also attached to slide arms. The slide arms are connected to a pair of hydraulic cylinders which are used to move the drive drum laterally and for engaging and disengaging the drive plates from the sides of the drive drum. The apparatus is attached to the front of a mobile piece of equipment. While the Taylor et al. apparatus is similar in some respects to the subject invention, it does not includes all of the structural features , advantages and o jects which are disclosed and described herein.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing, it is a primary object of the subject invention to provide an improved trench grinder for digging a trench in a roadway by cutting and grinding asphalt or concrete found in a top surface of the roadway.

Another object of the invention is the trench grinder is designed to engage the soft underside of a roadway surface and grind the broken material into itself leaving reusable aggregate. The aggregate can be deposited in a backfilled trench eliminating the need of using steel plates to cover the exposed trench saving time and expense . Yet another object of the trench grinder is the trench can be dug quickly and efficiently while backfilling the trench at the same time rendering the road useable to vehicle and pedestrian traffic.

Still another object of the trench grinder is once the trench is dug and backfilled, a contractor can dig out the backfilled aggregate for laying utilities or repairing utilities and again use the aggregate for backfill. Also, the aggregate can be stockpiled for future use on other job sites without any further processing requirements. Another object of the invention is the grinder is readily adaptable for mounting on various types and sizes of heavy duty mobile transport carrier type construction equipment. The grinder can be adapted for various widths and depths of ditches to be dug in the roadway. Still another object of the invention is the trench grinder eliminates the need of breaking up asphalt and concrete and hauling the material to a land fill, thus saving time and expense along with reducing waste.

The trench grinder includes a rotatable drum having a plurality of removable carbide cutting tips mounted around an outer circumference of the drum. On one side of the drum is attached to a drive plate rotated by a hydraulically driven planetary gear. The planetary gear is mounted on a first side plate which is part of a drum housing. The drum housing also includes a second side plate, a first and second upper side covers, a first and second skid plate, a front breaker bar and a semi-circular upper cover. A rear portion of the first and second side plates is slidably attached to a pair of endless chains. The chains are received on chain sprockets mounted on a front of a back plate. A rear of the back plate includes a pair of lift arm mounting plates which are releasably attached to hydraulically mounted lift arms. The lift arms are part of a front of a mobile transport carrier. The mobile transport carrier is used to raise, lower and transport the trench grinder when in operation.

These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent to those familiar with the equipment used in cutting, grinding and pulverizing asphalt, concrete and other aggregates used in roadway surfaces when reviewing the following detailed description, showing novel construction, combination, and elements as herein described, and more particularly defined by the claims, it being understood that changes in the embodiments to the herein disclosed invention are meant to be included as coming within the scope of the claims, except insofar as they may be precluded by the prior art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings illustrate complete preferred embodiments of the present invention according to the best modes presently devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a mobile transport carrier mounted on rubber tires and having hydraulic cylinders for raising lift arms. The lift arms are releasably attached to the subject trench grinder. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the trench grinder illustrating a drum housing with rotatable drum mounted therein. The drum housing includes side plates which are slidably attached to a back plate with lift arm mounting plates. The lift arm mounting plates are used for attaching the grinder to the mobile transport carrier.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the trench grinder illustrating the individual components making up the rotatable drum, the drum housing and the back plate. FIG. 4 is a side view of the trench grinder showing a lower portion of the drum extending downwardly below the drum housing. The drum includes carbide cutting tips therearound for engaging a soft underside of a roadway and grinding the material into itself. FIG. 5 is a front view of the drum and drum housing mounted in front of the back plate.

FIG. 6 is a top view of the drum, drum housing and back plate with lift arm mounting plates. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In FIG. 1, a side view of the subject trench grinder is shown having a general reference numeral 10. The trench grinder 10 is attached to one end of a pair of lift arms 12 connected to hydraulic cylinders 14. The lift arms 12 and hydraulic cylinders 14 are part of a mobile transport carrier 16 having rubber tires 18. While the mobile carrier 16 is shown, it should be kept in mind various types of mobile construction equipment can be used for raising, lowering and transporting the grinder 10 when cutting and grinding a trench in a roadway.

In FIG. 2, a perspective view of the trench grinder 10 is shown illustrating a drum housing having a general reference numeral 20 with rotatable drum 22 mounted therein. The drum housing 20 includes a first side plate 24 and a second side plate 26 having a rear portion 28 attached to a top roller carriage 30 and a bottom roller carriage 32. The roller carriages 30 and 32 are used for guiding and sliding the drum housing 20 laterally along the length of a back plate 34. Mounted at the rear of the back plate 34 are a pair of lift arm mounting plates 36 which are used for attaching the grinder 10 to the lift arms 12 of the mobile transport carrier 16. Also mounted at the rear of the back plate 34 is a first side plate drive motor 38 attached to a drive sprocket 40 and a second side plate drive motor 42 attached to another drive sprocket 40. The two drive sprockets 40 engage an upper endless chain 44 and a lower endless chain 46 received on idle sprockets 48. Only a portion of the chains 44 and 46 are shown in the drawings. A link in each of the chains 44 and 46 are attached to the top and bottom roller carriages 30 and 32. When the two drive motors 38 and 42 are activated, the chains 44 and 46 are used to move the drum housing 20 laterally either to the left or the right on the back plate 34. The use of the drive motors 38 and 42 allows the operator of the grinder 10 to properly position the rotatable drum 22 next to a curb or other positions across a width of a roadway prior to the cutting and grinding operation.

The drum housing 20 also includes a semi-circular upper cover 50 attached to a first upper side cover 51 and a second upper side cover 53. The upper side covers 51 and 53 are pinned to hinge arms 52 mounted on top of the rear portion 28 of the first and second side plates 24 and 26. The upper cover 50 can be raised on the hinge arms 52 for servicing the drum 22 and in particular changing out removable carbide cutting tips 54 which are spaced around an outer circumference of the drum 22.

A front breaker bar 56 is attached to the front of the first and second side plates 24 and 26. The breaker bar 56 is used to receive the cut aggregate thereagainst during the cutting operation thereby allowing the material to grind against itself as the trench grinder 10 is moved forward when cutting a trench in the roadway. Also attached to the front of the first and second side plates 24 and 26 is a pair of pivotable skid plates 58 with height adjustment arms 60. By adjusting and pinning the arms 60 to the sides of the side plates 24 and 26, the height of the drum 22 making the cut in the top surface of the roadway can be adjusted up and down.

In FIG. 3, an exploded perspective view of the trench grinder 10 is illustrated. In this view, the individual components making up the drum housing 20 are detached to expose the interior of the housing and the drive elements of the rotatable drum 22.

The rotatable drum 22 has one side releasably attached to a plurality of outwardly extending studs 62 attached to a drive plate 64. The drive plate 64 is attached to one side of a hydraulically driven planetary gear 66. Hydraulic lines to the gear 66 are not shown in the drawings. An opposite side of the planetary gear 66 is attached to the sides of a circular opening 68 in the first side plate 24. A bearing plate 70 is attached to an opposite side of the drum 22. The bearing plate 70 includes an outwardly extending drum axle 72 which is mounted on a pair of bearing housings 74. The two housing 74 are attached to the sides of a circular opening 76 in the second side plate 26. It should be mentioned that the drum 22 can come in various widths. By removing the drive plate 64 and the bearing plate 70 from the drum 22, the installed drum can be quickly removed and replaced by reinstalling a smaller or larger width drum depending on the width of the desired cutting operation.

In FIG. 4, a side view of the trench grinder 10 is shown traveling from right to left as indicated by arrow 78. The drum 22 is being rotated by the planetary gear 66 in a clockwise direction, as indicated by arrows 80. In this drawing, a lower portion of the drum 22 is shown extending downwardly below the drum housing 20 with the carbide cutting tips 54 rotated first into previous ground up aggregate 82 in a roadway 84. As the cutting tips 54 continue to rotate, they contact a compacted roadway subsurface 86 before engaging a soft underside of a hardened top roadway surface 88. Obviously, by rotating the drum 22 in this manner, the speed of the digging of a trench is increased and the life of the cutting tips 54 are extended as opposed to engaging the hardened top roadway surface 88 first with the rotating drum 22.

Note, the rotation of the drum 22, indicated by arrows 80, is in the same direction as the forward progress of the trench grinder 10, as indicated by arrow 78. Therefore, as the asphalt or concrete is cut, it is moved upwardly against the breaker arm 56 and into the drum housing 20. At this time, the cut material continues to be mixed, pulverized and ground into itself before being deposited as the aggregate 82 backfilling the previously cut trench. As mentioned above, the aggregate 82 can be left in place as a backfill, thereby providing the advantage of allowing traffic to continue to cross the ditch after the roadway is cut.

In FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, a front view and top view of the drum housing 20, the drum 22 and the back plate 34 are shown in detail. In these drawings, the first and second side plate drive motors 38 and 42 can be seen mounted on the back plate 34 along with drive sprockets 40, idle sprockets 48 and a portion of the upper and lower endless chains 44 and 46. Also shown in dashed lines is the hydraulically operated planetary gear 66 with drive plate 64 and studs 64 engaging one side of the drum 22. On the opposite side of the drum 22 is shown in dashed lines the bearing plate 70 with drum axle 72 received inside the bearing housings 74.

While the invention has been shown, described and illustrated in detail with reference to the preferred embodiments and modifications thereof, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that equivalent changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as claimed, except as precluded by the prior art.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention for which an exclusive privilege and property right is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A trench grinder for digging a trench in a roadway by cutting and grinding asphalt or concrete found in a top surface of the roadway, the trench grinder adapted for attachment to hydraulically operated lift arms in front of a mobile transport carrier, the trench grinder comprising: a rotatable drum having a plurality of removable carbide cutting tips mounted around an outer circumference of said drum; hydraulic drive means attached to said drum, said hydraulic drive means for rotating said drum; a drum housing, said drum, said drive plate and said bearing plate mounted in said drum housing; and chain drive means mounted on a back plate, said chain drive means attached to said drum housing for moving said drum housing laterally in front of said back plate, said back plate adapted for releasably attachment to the hydraulically operated lift arms.

2. The trench grinder as described in claim 1 further including a drive plate releasably attached to one side of said drum, said hydraulic drive means attached to said drive plate.

3. The trench grinder as described in claim 2 further including a bearing plate, said bearing plate attached to an opposite side of said drum.

4. The trench grinder as described in claim 2 wherein said hydraulic drive means is a hydraulically driven planetary gear, said drive plate rotated by said planetary gear.

5. The trench grinder as described in claim 3 wherein said bearing plate includes a drum axle, said drum axle rotatably mounted on said drum housing.

6. The trench grinder as described in claim 1 wherein said drum housing includes a first side plate and a second side plate, said drum attached to said first and second side plates.

7. The trench grinder as described in claim 6 wherein said chain drive means are endless chains mounted on sprockets, said sprockets mounted on a front portion of said back plate, a rear portion of said first and second side plates slidably attached to said endless chains.

8. The trench grinder as described in claim 7 wherein a rear portion of said back plate includes at least one lift arm mounting plate, said lift arm mounting plate adapted for releasably attachment to the hydraulically mounted lift arms.

9. A trench grinder for digging a trench in a roadway by cutting and grinding asphalt or concrete found in a top surface of the roadway, the trench grinder adapted for attachment to hydraulically operated lift arms in front of a mobile transport carrier, the trench grinder comprising: a rotatable drum having a plurality of removable carbide cutting tips mounted around an outer circumference of said drum; a drive plate rotated by a hydraulically driven planetary gear, said drive plate releasably attached to one side of said drum; a bearing plate with drum axle, said bearing plate and said drum axle attached to an opposite side of said drum; a drum housing, said drum, said drive plate and said bearing plate mounted in said drum housing; and chain drive means mounted on a back plate, said chain drive means attached to said drum housing for moving said drum housing laterally in front of said back plate, said back plate adapted for releasably attachment to the hydraulically operated lift arms.

10. The trench grinder as described in claim 9 wherein said drum housing includes a first side plate, a second side plate, a first and second upper side covers, a first and second skid plate, a front breaker bar and a semi-circular upper cover, said drum attached to said first and second side plates.

11. The trench grinder as described in claim 9 wherein said chain drive means are a pair of endless chains mounted on chain drive and idle sprockets, said chain drive and idle sprockets mounted on a front portion of said back plate, a rear portion of said first and second side plates slidably attached to said endless chains.

12. The trench grinder as described in claim 9 wherein a rear portion of said back plate includes a pair of lift arm mounting plates, said lift arm mounting plates adapted for releasably attachment to the hydraulically mounted lift arms.

13. A trench grinder for digging a trench in a roadway by cutting and grinding asphalt or concrete found in a top surface of the roadway, the trench grinder adapted for attachment to hydraulically operated lift arms in front of a mobile transport carrier, the trench grinder comprising: a rotatable drum having a plurality of removable carbide cutting tips mounted around an outer circumference of said drum; a drive plate rotated by a hydraulically driven planetary gear, said drive plate releasably attached to one side of said drum; a bearing plate with drum axle, said bearing plate and said drum axle attached to an opposite side of said drum; a drum housing having a first side plate, a second side plate, said drum attached to said first and second side plates; a pair of endless chains mounted on chain drive and idle sprockets, a rear portion of said first and second side plates slidably attached to said endless chains; a back plate, said chain drive and idle sprockets mount on a front of said back plate, a rear of said back plate including a pair of lift arm mounting plates, said lift arm mounting plates adapted for releasably attachment to the hydraulically mounted lift arms; and sprocket drive means attached to said back plate, said sproket drive means for driving said endless chains and moving said drum laterally in front of said back plate.

14. The trench grinder as described in claim 13 wherein said drum housing further include a first side plate attached to a first upper side cover and a second side plate attached to a second upper side cover.

15. The trench grinder as described in claim 14 further including a front breaker bar, said front breaker bar attached to a front of said first and second side plates, whereby said breaker bar used to receive the cut aggregate thereagainst during the cutting operation thereby allowing the material to grind against itself as the trench grinder is moved forward when cutting a trench in the roadway.

16. The trench grinder as described in claim 14 further including a pair of pivotable skid plates, said skid plates attached to a front of said first and second side plates.

17. The trench grinder as described in claim 16 further including height adjustment arms attached to said skid plates and adjustably attached to said first and second side plates, whereby by adjusting and pinning said adjustment arms to the sides of said side plates, the height of said drum making the cut in the top surface of the roadway can be adjusted up and down.

18. The trench grinder as described in claim 13 wherein said drive sprocket means is at least one chain drive motor attached to said back plate.