Trenching and cable laying machine

• US 3,201,948 A
• Filed: 05/04/1961
• Issued: 08/24/1965
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/1961
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Arthur G. Schramm
• Original Assignee: Arthur G. Schramm
• Inventors: Schramm, Arthur G.
• Application Number:
  US04/107,828
• Time in Patent Office: 1,573 Days
• US Class Current: 405/174
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/083 including a screw-type conveyor for transporting the excavated material
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/10 with tools that only loosen the material , i.e. with cutter-type chains
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 5/06 with digging elements mounted on an endless chain E02F5/109 takes precedence; with digging elements mounted on an endless chain per se E02F3/08
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 5/12 with equipment for back-filling trenches or ditches

Claims

1. A TRENCH AND CABLE LYING MACHINE COMPOSED OF A FRAME INCLUDING TWO PARALLEL LATERALLY POSITIONED AND TRANSVERSELY SEPARATED UPRIGHT SIDE PLATE MEMBERS, HAVING CONNECTING TRANSVERSE TOP AND FRONT PLATES, SAID FRAME HAVING FRONT AND REAR, WHEELS MOUNTED ON TRANSVERSE SHAFTS ON SAID FRAME IN TANDEM ARRANGEMENT ON EACH SIDE, THEREOF, THE TRANSVERSE SHAFT TO WHICH THE FORWARD WHEELS ARE ATTACHED EXTENDING THROUGH SAID FRAME AND HAVING MEANS FOR RECEIVING DRIVING MOTION;

AN ENGINE MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME AND ATTACHED THROUGH CLUTCH MEANS TO SAID WHEELS;

A TRANSVERSE POWER-DRIVEN DHAFT JOURNALLED AT ITS ENDS IN SAID FRAME PLATE MEMBERS;

AN ENDLESS CHAIN DIGGER OPERATED BY SAID TRANSVERSE POWER-DRIVEN SHAFT, A CABLE POSITIONING TUBE PIVOTALLY ATTACHED TO SAID TRANSVERSE POWER-DRIVEN SHAFT AT ITS FORWARD END AND ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A CABLE TO BE LAID IN A TRENCH FORMED BY SAID DIGGER, SAID TUBE EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY AND REARWARDLY FROM SAID FRAME, ROLLERS AT THE REAR OF SAID TUBE TO MINIMIZE FRICTION OF A CABLE EXTENDING AND RUNNING THROUGH SAID TUBE, A CURVED PLIANT BAFFLE AT THE REAR OF SAID TUBE EXTENDING UPWARDLY AND LATERALLY SPANNING THE TRANSVERSE WIDTH OF SAID DIGGER;

HAVING ITS EDGES PLIANTLY BEARING ON THE WALLS OF SAID TRENCH, A VIBRATING TAMPER POSITIONED ADJACENT TO AND REARWARDLY OF SAID BAFFLE ATTACHED TO A U-SHAPED FRAME, SAID U-SHAPED FRAME PIVOTALLY ATTACHED TO THE REAR ENDS OF SAID FRAME PLATE MEMBERS AND SUPPORTING SAID TAMPER, MECHANICAL MEANS ON SAID U-SHAPED FRAME FOR VIBRATING SAID TAMPER A SECOND U-SHAPED FRAME POSITIONED OUTWARDLY OF SAID FIRST MENTIONED U-SHAPED FRAME AND PIVOTALLY ATTACHED TO SAID PLATE MEMBERS, RIDING WHEELS VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE ATTACHED TO THE REAR OF SAID SECOND U-SHAPED FRAME TO SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF THE REAR OF SAID SECOND U-SHAPED FRAME, MECHANISM FOR DRIVING SAID DIGGER FROM SAID ENGINE ON SAID FRAME AND MECHANISM FOR DRIVING THE TANDEM WHEELS ON EACH SIDE OF SAID FRAME;

SAID MECHANISM OPERABLE TO DRIVE EITHER OF THE RIGHT OR LEFT FORWARD WHEELS, AS DESIRED, AND A ROTARY SPIRAL SCRAPPER OPERATING IN THE REAR END OF SAID SECOND U-SHAPED FRAME HAVING RIGHT AND LEFT SPIRAL FLIGHTS DISPOSED ON A TRANSVERSE SHAFT IN SAID FRAME AND ADAPTED TO MOVE DIRT FROM EACH SIDE OF SAID DITCH CENTRALLY AND INTO SAID DITCH.