Articulated vehicle with trench filler and tamper

• US 3,908,292 A
• Filed: 06/14/1973
• Issued: 09/30/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Marvin K. Harris
• Original Assignee: Marvin K. Harris
• Inventors: Harris, Marvin K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crowder, Clifford D.
• Application Number:
  US05/369,891
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• Field of Search: 37/142.5,109,94,85 172/224-227,100 404/133
• US Class Current: 37/142.5
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/78 with rotating digging elements
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/961 with several digging elements or tools mounted on one machine for backhoes E02F3/964 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 5/223 for back-filling in association with trench excavators E02F5/12
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 5/30 Auxiliary apparatus, e.g. for thawing, cracking, blowing-up, or other preparatory treatment of the soil

Abstract

An articulated tractor-type vehicle having a supporting frame including a pivotable boom to which a steerable wheel is mounted. The supporting frame carries an adjustably positionable tamping unit and an adjustably positionable trench filling unit such as a drag conveyor to provide simultaneous filling and tamping of a trench. A novel reciprocating tamping unit having increased effectiveness and reduced shock transmission is described.

Claims

1. A device for filling and tamping a trench comprising:

a vehicle having a pivotable boom with a steerabLe wheel at its forward end, said pivotable boom being connected to said vehicle at a substantially vertical pivot point;

arm means pivotally connected to said vehicle at one end thereof about a vertical pivotal point;

a reciprocating tamping unit supported from the other end of the arm means; and

a drag conveyor means pivotally mounted to said pivotable boom along a substantially vertical axis, whereby said tamping unit and said conveyor means are independently adjustable laterally with respect to said vehicle.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the steerable wheel supports the entire front portion of the device.

3. A device according to claim 1 wherein the drag conveyor is pivotally mounted about a substantially horizontal axis and has a means for permitting substantially 180* rotation about said substantially horizontal axis to and from a position substantially on one side of said boom and a position substantially on the other side of said pivotable boom.

4. A device according to claim 3 having means for tilting the drag conveyor about said substantially horizontal axis.

5. A device according to claim 4 having means for vertically adjusting the position of said drag conveyor.

6. A device according to claim 1 wherein said drag conveyor comprises two rotatably mounted members having a continuous flexible drive belt extending around said rotatably mounted members;

and earth moving blades attached to said flexible drive belt.

7. A device for filling a trench comprising:

support means;

a first member rotatably mounted to said support means;

a second member rotatably mounted to said support means;

a continuous flexible drive belt surrounding said first and second members;

earth moving blades connected to said drive belt;

means for moving said drive belt; and

means for allowing said filling device to be pivoted substantially 180* about an axis of one of said first and second rotatable members.

8. A device as defined in claim 7 wherein said means for moving said drive belt is reversible to thereby drive the belt either clockwise or counterclockwise.