This invention relates to earth-moving vehicles that include precision foundation trenchers which remove all likely consistencies of earth, ranging from hard and rocky earth to loose dirt, and which pile the earth in ridges spaced stably apart from foundation trenches without manual labor.
Foundation trenches are widely known and used. None, however, are known to be capable of blade-clearing trench areas, removing all likely consistencies of soil, ranging from hard and rocky earth to loose dirt, and placing the earth stably apart from foundation trenches without manual labor in a manner taught by this invention.
Prior art found to be related but different includes the following:
Objects of patentable novelty and utility taught by this invention are to provide an all-earth foundation trencher which:
can blade-clear foundation-trench area ahead of it without manual labor for supporting earth-mover track and for containing ridges of moved earth that are spaced stably apart from a foundation trench dug with an aft portion of the all-earth foundation trencher;
can maintain precise verticality of a mechanized digger and resulting required preciseness of verticality of trench walls on variably horizontal, sloped and uneven foundation-trench areas;
has endless-track mobility for rigid vehicle support of the mechanized digger;
can dig all likely consistencies of soil, ranging from hard and rocky earth to loose dirt;
can place the earth stably apart from foundation trenches; and
can dig predeterminedly variable trench widths and depths.
This invention accomplishes these and other objectives with an all-earth foundation trencher having a digger body pivotal selectively on a track chassis. The digger body has an earth-mover blade that is manipulatable multi-directionally on a front end. A digger boom has a base end that is pivotal vertically on a boom base that is predeterminedly forward from an aft end of the digger body. The digger boom has a digger end extended rearward from the digger body. A digger head is manipulatable on the digger end of the digger boom for power-digging foundation trenches having desired widths and depths in all likely consistencies of soil, ranging from hard and rocky earth to loose dirt. Conveyors are positioned intermediate the track chassis and the digger head for conveying removed earth sufficiently far from either or both sides of a foundation trench that the removed earth will not spill back into the foundation trench. Form blades can be positioned proximate opposite sides of the digger head for forming walls on trench sides of berms to further assure that removed earth will not spill back into the foundation trenches. A compaction roller can be positioned aft of the digger head where it can be articulated to bear sufficient weight of the all-earth foundation trencher for a reliable concrete base. A laser guide proximate the digger head provides accurate directional and attitudinal digging with the digger head.
This invention is described by appended claims in relation to description of a preferred embodiment with reference to the following drawings which are explained briefly as follows:
A description of the preferred embodiment of this invention follows a list of numbered terms which designate its features with the same numbers on the drawings and in parentheses throughout the description and throughout the patent claims.
1. Digger body
2. Blade end
3. Digger end
4. First side
5. Second side
6. Chassis-attachment base
7. Track-laying chassis
8. First track
9. Second track
10. Prime mover
11. Control-power source
12. Chassis connection
13. Control-power distributor
16. Earth-mover blade
17. Blade-control beams
19. Digger boom
20. Boom-control rod
22. Digger head
23. Head-control rod
25. Compact roller
26. Compaction-control rod
27. Compaction controller
28. Earth conveyor
29. First-side conveyor
30. Second-side conveyor
31. Central conveyor
32. First-conveyor control rod
33. First-conveyor controller
34. Second-conveyor control rod
35. Second-conveyor controller
36. Conveyance-direction controller
37. Safety panels
38. Safety control rods
39. Safety controller
40. Pile blades
41. Pile-control rods
42. Pile controller
43. Pilot house
44. Operator seat
45. Control panel
46. Directional indicator
47. Body-direction point
48. Chassis-direction point
49. Knob plate
50. Verticality indicator
51. Body-verticality point
52. Chassis-verticality point
53. Ball-and-socket controller
54. Ball
55. Socket
56. Blade plate
57. Epicentral knob
58. Boom-controller knob
59. Depth point
60. Up mark
61. Down mark
62. Boom plate
63. Incremental marks
64. Dig-width knob
65. Head-slant knob
66. Dig-speed knob
67. Width point
68. Min-width mark
69. Max-width mark
70. Width-indicator plate
71. Slant point
72. No-slant mark
73. Max-slant mark
74. Slant-indicator plate
75. Speed point
76. Stop mark
77. Max-speed mark
78. Speed-indicator plate
79. Digger backboard
80. Cutter chain
81. Central digger chain
82. Left digger chain
83. Right digger chain
84. Chain-sprocket teeth
85. Top-central chain wheel
86. Bottom-central chain wheel
87. Top-left chain wheel
88. Bottom-left chain wheel
89. Top-right chain wheel
90. Bottom-right chain wheel
91. Top sprocket axle
92. Bottom sprocket axle
93. Sprocket-wheel slider
94. Backboard first side
95. Backboard second side
98. Backboard-width controller
99. Laser guide
100. Accuracy controller
101. Control communicator
102. Operational controllers
104. Control knob
105. Rock-digger blades
106. Directional reference point
Referring to
The prime mover (10) has power-transfer communication with a control-power source (11) on the digger body (1) for providing power for operating components of the all-earth foundation trencher. Preferably for most operational components, the power provided by the control-power source (11) is hydraulic fluid pressure. This is basically a hydraulic-power system. However, some components and some portions of components are articulated to require some electrical, others some pneumatic power and others mechanical power. All are provided by the control-power source (11).
A chassis connection (12) is in predetermined communication intermediate the chassis-attachment base (6) on the digger body (1) and the track-laying chassis (7). In addition to providing standard mechanical and hydraulic linkage predeterminedly from the prime mover (10) to the first track (8), to the second track (9) and to other operational components on the track-laying chassis (7), the chassis connection (12) also provides novel verticality pivot of the digger body (1) on a pivot axis that is collinear to linear axes of the track-laying chassis (7), the first track (8) and the second track (9). This allows control of verticality of a digger head (22) that is orthogonal to the digger body (1).
The control-power source (11) has control-power communication with a control-power distributor (13) that is positioned on the digger body (1).
The chassis connection (12) includes track-directional communication of control of mobility of the first track (8) and the second tract (9) with a mobility controller in communication with the control-power distributor (13). The chassis connection (12) includes body-orientational control of orientation that includes at least verticality of the digger body (1) in relationship to orientation of the track-laying chassis (7) with an orientation controller in communication with the control-power distributor (13).
An earth-mover blade (16) is manipulatable on blade-control beams (17) projected from a blade-attachment portion of the track-laying chassis (7). The earth-mover blade (16) has a predetermined plurality of directional orientations controlled by a blade controller in communication with the control-power distributor (13).
A digger boom (19) is pivotal vertically from a boom-attachment portion of the digger body (1). The digger boom (19) is manipulated vertically with at least one boom-control rod (20) having a boom controller in communication with the control-power distributor (13).
A digger head (22) is pivotal vertically on a digger-attachment portion of the digger boom (19). The digger head (22) is manipulated vertically with at least one head-control rod (23). The digger head (22) has a head controller in communication with the control-power distributor (13).
A digger backboard (79) is positioned aft of a cutter chain (80) of the digger head (22) for deterring loose earth from falling from the cutter chain (80).
A compact roller (25) is positioned proximate a bottom-aft portion of the digger head (22) with the compact roller (25) being manipulated vertically on the digger head (22) with at least one compaction-control rod (26) having a compaction controller (27) in communication with the control-power distributor (13).
An earth conveyor (28) is positioned predeterminedly intermediate the digger head (22) and a conveyor-attachment portion of the track-laying chassis (7). The earth conveyor (28) includes a first-side conveyor (29), a second-side conveyor (30) and at least one central conveyor (31). The first-side conveyor (29) is manipulated horizontally with at least one first-conveyor control rod (32) having a first-conveyor controller (33) in communication with the control-power distributor (13). The second-side conveyor (30) is manipulated horizontally with at least one second-conveyor control rod (34) having a second-conveyor controller (35) in communication with the control-power distributor (13). The central conveyor (31) is articulated for conveying earth to the first-side conveyor (29) and to the second-side conveyor (30) selectively with a conveyance-direction controller (36) in communication with the control-power distributor (13).
Safety panels (37) are manipulated vertically and laterally proximate opposite sides of the digger head (22) with safety control rods (38) having a safety controller (39) in communication with the control-power distributor (13).
Pile blades (40) are manipulated vertically and horizontally proximate opposite sides of the digger head (22) with pile-control rods (41) having a pile controller (42) in communication with the control-power distributor (13).
A pilot house (43) is positioned and articulated on the digger body (1) for forward visibility of earth-mover-blade factors and rearward for visibility of earth-digger factors from an operator seat (44) in control-operable proximity to a control panel (45) in operable relationship to the control-power distributor (13).
The chassis connection (12) can include predetermined universality. The universality can include directional rotation of the digger body (1) in relationship to linear direction of the first track (8) and the second track (9) of the track-laying chassis (7). The universality can include verticality pivot of the digger body (1) in relationship to horizontality of the first track (8) and the second track (9) of the track-laying chassis (7).
Referring to
Referring to
The directional indicator (46) and the verticality indicator (50) are preferably articulated with a low profile and positioned on the control panel (45) for ease of access and visibility and for avoidance of unintended actuation.
The directional indicator (46) preferably includes precise measurement, readout and fixedly automatic control of steering-control alignment for precise directional control of trench digging.
The verticality indicator (50) preferably includes laser-precision measurement, readout and fixedly automatic control of body verticality for precise verticality control of trench digging with the digger head (22).
Referring to
The ball-and-socket controller (53) is articulated with a low profile and positioned on the control panel (45) for ease of access and visibility and for avoidance of unintended actuation.
The ball-and-socket controller (53) preferably includes precise measurement, readout and fixedly automatic control of orientation of the earth-mover blade (16) for desirably precise mechanized clearing, grading and leveling of foundation-trench areas, for accurate track mobility and for reliable piling of removed earth beside foundation trenches.
Referring to
The boom-controller knob (58) is articulated preferably with a low profile and positioned on the control panel (45) for ease of access and visibility and for avoidance of unintended actuation.
The boom controller preferably includes selectively precise measurement, readout and fixedly automatic control of digging depth of the digger head (22) by rotation of the boom-controller knob (58).
Measurement of digging depth can include incremental marks (63) on the boom plate (62) intermediate the up mark (60) and the down mark (61).
Referring to
The dig-width knob (64) has a width point (67) that is rotational selectively intermediate a min-width mark (68) and a max-width mark (69) on a width-indicator plate (70) for width control.
The head-slant knob (65) has a slant point (71) that is rotational selectively intermediate a no-slant mark (72) and a max-slant mark (73) on a slant-indicator plate (74) for slant control.
The dig-speed knob (66) has a speed point (75) that is rotational selectively intermediate a stop mark (76) and a max-speed mark (77) on a speed-indicator plate 20 (78) for dig-speed control.
The dig-width knob (64), the head-slant knob (65) and the dig-speed knob (66) can include a group of three separate knobs on the control panel (45).
Referring to
The top-left chain wheel (87) and the top-right chain wheel (89) are in linearly sliding contact with the top sprocket axle (91). The bottom-left chain wheel (88) and the bottom-right chain wheel (90) are in linearly sliding contact with the bottom sprocket axle (92).
The head controller includes a sprocket-wheel slider (93) that is operable by the dig-width knob (64) for controlling dig width of the digger head (22).
Referring to
The backboard-width controller (98) is articulated with a low profile that includes a knob positioned on the control panel (45) for ease of access and visibility and for avoidance of unintended actuation.
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
A new and useful all-earth foundation trencher having been described, all such foreseeable modifications, adaptations, substitutions of equivalents, mathematical possibilities of combinations of parts, pluralities of parts, applications and forms thereof as described by the following claims and not precluded by prior art are included in this invention.