Backfill and grading apparatus

• US 20020044830A1
• Filed: 04/02/2001
• Published: 04/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michael J. Munie
• Original Assignee: Michael J. Munie
• Inventors: Munie, Michael J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,622,403 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 404/84.2
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 5/223 for back-filling in association with trench excavators E02F5/12

Abstract

Apparatus for depositing material within a trench including a hopper and an elongated chute extending down from the hopper which is configured to fit within the trench. The apparatus includes a gate between the hopper and the chute for controlling flow of material out of the hopper through the chute. The apparatus preferably is mounted with a variably positionable mount on the back of a tractor and can include a laser guided control system to maintain the deposit of material at a predetermined grade.

Claims

1. Apparatus for depositing material in a trench, said apparatus comprising:

a hopper;

an elongated chute coupled to said hopper and extending downwardly therefrom; and

a gate between said hopper and said elongated chute;

wherein said apparatus is coupled to a an adjustable mounting means configured for coupling to a vehicle, said adjustable mounting means further configured to variably position said apparatus along a substantially vertical axis with respect to the vehicle.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said adjustable mounting means is a hydraulic mount.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said adjustable mounting means is configured for manual repositioning of said apparatus with respect to the vehicle.

4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said adjustable mounting means comprises a control element configured to automatically reposition said apparatus with respect to the vehicle in response to a feedback control signal.

5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 4 further comprising a laser receiver on said adjustable mounting means, configured to send the feedback control signal to said control element in response to a laser signal.

6. Apparatus in accordance with claim 5 further comprising a laser sender positioned at the trench, said laser sender configured to emit a laser beam that generates the laser signal for the receiver.

7. Apparatus for backfilling a trench at a predetermined grade, said apparatus comprising:

a hopper;

an elongated chute coupled to said hopper and extending downwardly therefrom; and

a gate between said hopper and said elongated chute;

wherein said apparatus is coupled to a vehicle having a hydraulic positioning system configured to variably position said apparatus along a substantially vertical axis with respect to the vehicle as the vehicle advances along the trench so that a lower edge of said chute is maintained at the predetermined grade level.

8. Apparatus in accordance with claim 7 wherein said hydraulic positioning system is configured for manual repositioning of said apparatus with respect to the vehicle.

9. Apparatus in accordance with claim 7 wherein said hydraulic positioning system comprises a control element configured to automatically reposition said apparatus with respect to the vehicle in response to a feedback control signal.

10. Apparatus in accordance with claim 9 further compr ising a laser receiver on said hydraulic positioning system, configured to send the feedback control signal to said control element in response to a laser signal.

11. Apparatus in accordance with claim 110 further comprising a laser sender positioned at the trench, said laser sender configured to emit a laser beam that generates the laser signal for the receiver.

13. A method in accordance with claim 12 further comprising, as the vehicle advances, readjusting the relative position of the apparatus with respect to the vehicle so that the position of the lower edge of the chute is maintained at the predetermined grade level.

14. A method in accordance with claim 13 wherein readjusting the relative position of the apparatus with respect to the vehicle comprises manually readjusting the variably positionable mounting means.

15. A method in accordance with claim 13 wherein readjusting the relative position of the apparatus with respect to the vehicle comprises automatically readjusting the variably positionable mounting means using an automatic control system.

16. A method in accordance with claim 15 wherein automatically readjusting the variably positionable mounting means using an automatic control system comprises providing a laser guided control system for controlling the adjustment of the variably positionable mounting means.

12. A method for maintaining a predetermined grade level of material while backfilling a trench with the material, said method comprising:

providing apparatus comprising a hopper for receiving the material, the hopper coupled to an elongated chute having a lower edge, and a gate between the hopper and chute for controlling the flow of material from the hopper into the chute;

coupling the apparatus to a vehicle using a variably positionable mounting means configured so that the relative position of the apparatus is adjustable along a substantially vertical axis with respect to the vehicle;

lowering the apparatus until the lower edge of the chute is positioned at the predetermined grade level; and

filling the trench with material to the predetermined grade level by advancing the apparatus along the trench while maintaining the lower edge of the chute at the predetermined grade level, thereby controlling the flow of material through the chute.