Patent Application
20170291788
This invention relates to a carrier for an elongated, weighty tubular member, and more particularly to such a carrier suitable for use in loading thereon at a first location, transporting to a second location and dispensing along a boundry line along the ground, a flexible, tubular member intended for use as an erosion barrier.
On various sites in which vegetation has been removed and perhaps where building construction or a similar activity is contemplated, it has been a common practice to position elongated tubular members formed of a flexible, mesh material containing mulch and perhaps other filler materials, about the periphery of such a particular site, to serve as a barrier to eroded soil and other disturbed materials and objects. Typically, in use, such elongated tubular members are produced at a distant site, loaded on pallets and delivered to a designated site and then manually removed from such drop-off area, manually carried to a perimeter segment of the site, set on the ground along the site perimeter and then staked to the ground. Such segments of tubular members thus form a barrier to eroding soil within the perimeter of the particular site.
Such tubular barrier members typically are 18 inches in diameter, 100 feet in length and weigh approximately 3,250 pounds. Offer, 8 to 10 men are required to lift, haul and position such members, resulting in substantial handling costs.
In view of the foregoing, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide an improved means and/or method of handling such barrier members at various sites which would reduce the amount of labor required thereby decreasing labor costs, freeing personnel for other assignments and expediting the formation of a barrier about the perimeter of a construction or other site.
The principal object of the present invention is achieved by means of a carrier attachable to an arm member of a prime mover, which includes an inverted, U-shaped frame member provided with an upper component and a pair of spaced, depending components, a roller spaced parallel to the upper component and journalled in the lower ends of the spaced depending components; means provided on such roller for detachably securing an end portion of such tubular member thereto; means for rotating the roller for winding such attached tubular member thereon and means for attaching such frame member to the arm of such prime mover. Preferably, the space formed by the frame components is sufficiently large to accommodate the size of the contemplated barrier member, the roller is provided with a suitably positioned means for attaching an end portion of the member to be wound on the roller, and the motor driving the roller includes a slew drive functional to hold radial and axial loads and transmit torque for rotating the roller.
Referring to
Carrier 11 generally includes a housing frame 30, a roller assembly 31 and a motor assembly 32. Frame 30 has an inverted U-shaped configuration including an upper wall component 30a and a pair of spaced, depending end wall components 30b and 30c. Component 30b further consists of a pair of spaced leg members interconnected by a cross member 30d disposed intermediate such leg members and a pair of plate members 30e and 30f interconnecting the outer and inner sides of the lower ends of the leg members. Roller assembly 31 is spaced parallel to frame component 30a and consists of a roller 31a provided with a pair of shaft portions at the ends thereof journalled in aligned bearings mounted on the lower inner side of frame component 30c and the inner side of inner plate member 30f. Such roller is rotatable in forward and reverse directions by slew drive motor 32 mounted on plate member 30e, having a drive shaft coupled to an end shaft of the roller assembly. Operation of such motor may be provided by means provided on the carrier or remote means as may be provided in the operator's station on the prime mover of the carrier.
The size of the space defined by the carrier frame members 30a, 30b and 30c is determined by the length and diameter of each tubular segment 12 intended to be wound on roller assembly 31. In the use of tubular segments of 18 inches in diameter and 100 feet in length, such space has been found to be 4 to 5 feet in depth and 8 feet in width. Each of such tubular members as described consists of a length of tubular mesh material, filled with a material such as mulch and closed in either one or both of the ends. Filled with mulch, a member of such diameter and length can weigh in the amount of 3,500 pounds.
Carrier 11 is connectable to arm member 23 and links 22,22 by means of attachment member 40 secured to the center of upper wall component 30a. Such member includes a support platform 41 secured to component 30a and a pair of laterally spaced plates 42 and 43 provided with two pairs of transversely aligned pin holes 44, 44 and 45, 45. The carrier is detachably connectable to the free ends of arm member 19 and links 22, 22 by a set of pins to connect the carrier to the front end assembly of tractor 10 as shown in
In the use of carrier 11 to load, transport and unload a segment of tubular barrier member 12 as shown in
The carrier and method of use thereof as described, not only require less attending personnel but significantly reduces the amount of time required to transport and maneuver multiple segments of barrier segments about the perimeter of a land site.
From the foregoing detailed description, it will be evident that there are a number of changes, adaptations and modifications of the present invention, which come within the province of those persons having ordinary skill in the art to which the aforementioned invention pertains. However, it is intended that all such variations not departing from the spirit of the invention be considered as within the scope thereof as limited solely by the appended claims.
