Apparatus for backfilling
First Claim
1. An apparatus for use in backfilling, comprising:
- a) a frame having front and rear ends, said frame having a handle extending from said rear end, said handle allowing an operator to maneuver said apparatus as said operator walks behind said apparatus;
b) engine means for providing mechanical power, said engine means being mounted onto said frame;
c) drive wheels rotatably mounted to said frame such that said frame is supported by said drive wheels, said drive wheels being coupled to said engine means such that said drive wheels are rotated by said engine;
d) an auger rotatably mounted to said frame, said auger having a shaft with a double row of solid wall flighting extending radially outward therefrom, said shaft being oriented horizontally, said auger and said flighting having respective ends, said auger being for filling a trench with dirt;
e) guide wheels rotatably mounted to said frame, said guide wheels being located adjacent to ends of said auger, said guide wheels contacting the ground beneath said apparatus to allow said apparatus to be easily steered by said operator with the handle;
f) end plates coupled to the ends of said flighting at said ends of said auger to close off the ends of the auger to prevent dirt from spilling to the outside of the auger.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention includes a frame, to which is mounted a handle, an engine, drive wheels and an auger. The engine drives the drive wheels, making the apparatus self-propelled and also rotates the auger. Control levers are located on the handle to selectively control the on-off engagement of the drive wheels and the auger to the engine and to control the speed of the drive wheels. As the apparatus propels itself along a trench, the rotating auger moves dirt from the sides of the ground around the trench to inside of the trench. A packer wheel on the handle packs the dirt in the filled trench. The height of the auger relative to the ground is adjustable so as to minimize lawn damage. The auger has a double row of flighting and guide wheels positioned adjacent to the auger to enable the apparatus to be easily steered.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. An apparatus for use in backfilling, comprising:
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a) a frame having front and rear ends, said frame having a handle extending from said rear end, said handle allowing an operator to maneuver said apparatus as said operator walks behind said apparatus; b) engine means for providing mechanical power, said engine means being mounted onto said frame; c) drive wheels rotatably mounted to said frame such that said frame is supported by said drive wheels, said drive wheels being coupled to said engine means such that said drive wheels are rotated by said engine; d) an auger rotatably mounted to said frame, said auger having a shaft with a double row of solid wall flighting extending radially outward therefrom, said shaft being oriented horizontally, said auger and said flighting having respective ends, said auger being for filling a trench with dirt; e) guide wheels rotatably mounted to said frame, said guide wheels being located adjacent to ends of said auger, said guide wheels contacting the ground beneath said apparatus to allow said apparatus to be easily steered by said operator with the handle; f) end plates coupled to the ends of said flighting at said ends of said auger to close off the ends of the auger to prevent dirt from spilling to the outside of the auger. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12)
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8. An apparatus for use in backfilling a trench, comprising:
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a) a frame having front and rear ends, said frame having a handle extending from said rear end, said handle allowing an operator to maneuver said apparatus as said operator walks behind said apparatus; b) engine means for providing mechanical power, said engine means mounted onto said frame, said engine means having throttle control means for controlling the power of said engine means, said throttle control means being located on said handle; c) drive wheels rotatably mounted to said frame such that said drive wheels support said frame above the ground, said drive wheels being coupled to said engine means such that said drive wheels are rotated by said engine; d) an auger rotatably mounted to said frame, said auger being oriented so as to be horizontal and so as to extend across the front end of said frame, said auger having a shaft with first and second ends and a center portion, said auger having a first double row of solid wall flighting extending from said first end to said center portion and an oppositely directed second double row of solid wall flighting extending from said second end to said center portion said first and second double rows of flighting extending radially outward from said shaft, said auger being mounted to said frame by said first and second ends, said auger being for filling said trench with dirt; e) end plates coupled to said first and second ends of said auger to close off the ends of the auger to prevent dirt from spilling to the outside of the auger, said auger having a length between said first and second ends, said drive wheels being separated by a distance that is as long as the length of said auger; f) said auger being coupled to said engine means at said center portion such that said engine means rotates said auger. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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Specification