Ditch forming apparatus and method

• US 20030035688A1
• Filed: 08/20/2001
• Published: 02/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ronald R. Weaver, Thomas L. Vance
• Original Assignee: Ronald R. Weaver, Thomas L. Vance
• Inventors: Vance, Thomas L., Weaver, Ronald R.
• Granted Patent: US 6,789,980 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 404/98
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/185 for both depositing and spreading-out or striking-off the deposited mixture laying-down the materials and consolidating them, or finishing the surface, E01C19/48

Abstract

A ditch forming apparatus makes the finishing touches on the ground work whereat the ditch is to be formed, pours the concrete, screeds the concrete, and finishes the surface of the concrete. The apparatus uses a hopper with and open top and an open bottom to receive as well as pour the concrete. An extension on the front of the apparatus has a pair of sloped sides joined by a flat bottom making the final shaping of the ground prior to concrete pour. The back edge of the open bottom screeds the concrete while a skid attached to the rear of the apparatus finishes the surface of the poured concrete, the skid having surfaces that are generally parallel with the sides of the extension.

Claims

1. A ditch forming apparatus comprising:

a hopper having a front end and a rear end joined by a pair of side members, an outer surface, an inner surface, an open top, and an open bottom;

a first frame member attached to the front end of the hopper, the first frame member having a first pair of wheels attached thereto;

a second frame member attached to the rear end of the hopper, the second frame member having a second pair of wheels attached thereto;

an extension extending downwardly from the open bottom proximate the front end, the extension having a pair of sloped side edges joined by a flat bottom edge; and

a skid attached to the rear end, the skid having a pair of sloped side surfaces joined by a flat bottom surface.

2. The ditch forming apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising a tongue attached to the first frame member, the tongue adapted to be attached to a locomotion device.

3. The ditch forming apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising:

a first pair of stanchions slidably attached to the first frame member in spaced apart fashion, the first pair of stanchions capable of being secured in a fixed position relative to the first frame member; and

a second pair of stanchions slidably attached to the second frame member in spaced apart fashion, the second pair of stanchions capable of being secured in a fixed position relative to the second frame member.

4. The ditch forming apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the open top is larger than the open bottom.

5. The ditch forming apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the hopper has an upper section and a lower section wherein the upper section is wider than the lower section.

6. The ditch forming apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising at least one brace extending between the front end and the rear end.

7. The ditch forming apparatus as in claim 6 further comprising a chain attached to the brace.

8. The ditch forming apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising a baffle removably positioned within the hopper.

9. A ditch forming apparatus comprising:

a hopper having, a front end and a rear end joined by a first side and a second side, an outer surface, an inner surface, an open top, and an open bottom having an outer periphery that has a front edge that terminates the front end, a first edge that terminates the first side, a rear edge that terminates the rear end, and a second edge that terminates the second side;

a first frame member attached to the front end of the hopper, the first frame member having a first pair of wheels attached thereto;

a second frame member attached to the rear end of the hopper, the second frame member having a second pair of wheels attached thereto;

an extension extending downwardly from the front edge and that has a bottom periphery with a first portion that extends diagonally downwardly, a second portion that extends generally horizontally, and a third portion that extends diagonally upwardly; and

a skid attached to the rear end, the skid having a first section that is generally parallel with the first portion a second section that is generally parallel with the third portion, joined by a medial portion that is generally parallel with the second portion.

10. The ditch forming apparatus as in claim 9 further comprising a tongue attached to the first frame member, the tongue adapted to be attached to a locomotion device.

11. The ditch forming apparatus as in claim 9 further comprising:

a first pair of stanchions slidably attached to the first frame member in spaced apart fashion, the first pair of stanchions capable of being secured in a fixed position relative to the first frame member; and

a second pair of stanchions slidably attached to the second frame member in spaced apart fashion, the second pair of stanchions capable of being secured in a fixed position relative to the second frame member.

12. The ditch forming apparatus as in claim 9 wherein the open top is larger than the open bottom.

13. The ditch forming apparatus as in claim 9 wherein the hopper has an upper section and a lower section wherein the upper section is wider than the lower section.

14. The ditch forming apparatus as in claim 9 further comprising at least one brace extending between the front end and the rear end.

15. The ditch forming apparatus as in claim 14 further comprising a chain attached to the brace.

16. The ditch forming apparatus as in claim 9 further comprising a baffle removably positioned within the hopper.

17. A method of forming a ditch comprising the steps of:

placing a pair of coextensive forms on the ground;

providing a ditch forming apparatus having a hopper having, a front end and a rear end joined by a pair of side members, an outer surface, and inner surface, an open top, an open bottom, a first frame member attached to the front end of the hopper, the first frame member having a first pair of wheels attached thereto and a second frame member attached to the rear of the hopper, the second frame member having a second pair of wheels attached thereto, an extension extending downwardly from the open bottom proximate the front end, the extension having a pair of sloped side edges joined by a flat bottom edge, and a skid attached to the rear end, the skid having a pair of sloped side surfaces joined by a flat bottom surface;

placing the first pair of wheels and the second pair of wheels on the pair of forms;

placing concrete into the hopper; and

pulling the ditch forming apparatus along the pair of forms.

18. The method as in claim 17 wherein the ditch forming machine is pulled via a tongue attached to the first frame member.

19. The method as in claim 17 wherein the ditch forming machine further comprises a first pair of stanchions slidably attached to the first frame member in spaced apart fashion, the first pair of stanchions capable of being secured in a fixed position relative to the first frame member and a second pair of stanchions slidably attached to the second frame member in spaced apart fashion, the second pair of stanchions capable of being secured in a fixed position relative to the second frame member.

20. The method as in claim 17 wherein the open top is larger than the open bottom.

21. The method as in claim 17 wherein the hopper has an upper section and a lower section wherein the upper section is wider than the lower section.

22. The method as in claim 17 wherein the ditch forming machine further comprises at least one brace extending between the front end and the rear end.

23. The method as in claim 22 further comprising a chain attached to the brace.

24. The method as in claim 17 further comprising a baffle removably positioned within the hopper.