Apparatus for padding underground conduits
First Claim
1. A padding machine for extracting padding material of a maximum predetermined size from excavated material removed from an open trench and depositing at least a portion of said padding material at a selected location in the trench to form a bench pad, the apparatus to be mounted to a vehicle which may be located near a side of the trench, said apparatus comprising:
- an elongated housing having a first and a second end, the first end having a tapered head fixed thereto whereby the head and first end of the housing may be inserted directly into the excavated material removed from the trench;
an inlet assembly formed in the housing proximate the first end of the housing and adapted for allowing a portion of the excavated material to pass through the inlet assembly and into the housing when the head and first end is inserted sufficiently into the excavated material;
a conveyor assembly mounted in the housing and positioned for receiving the extracted portion and conveying the extracted portion toward the second end of the housing;
a first outlet assembly formed in the housing between the first and second ends of the housing for receiving at least a portion of the extracted portion and depositing the portion of the extracted portion into the trench; and
a screen assembly having openings of the maximum predetermined size to allow particles less than the maximum predetermined size in the excavated material to pass through said screen assembly and be used as padding material, said screen assembly connected to the housing and forming a part of the inlet assembly or first outlet assembly.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides an apparatus for constructing bottom pads, or bench pads, as well as for padding a pipeline during construction. To pad the bottom of a pipeline, a padder is removably attached to one end of a conventional excavator or other base machine or vehicle, whereby a portion of the padder is inserted in the backfill and extracts padding material of a maximum predetermined size.
67 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A padding machine for extracting padding material of a maximum predetermined size from excavated material removed from an open trench and depositing at least a portion of said padding material at a selected location in the trench to form a bench pad, the apparatus to be mounted to a vehicle which may be located near a side of the trench, said apparatus comprising:
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an elongated housing having a first and a second end, the first end having a tapered head fixed thereto whereby the head and first end of the housing may be inserted directly into the excavated material removed from the trench; an inlet assembly formed in the housing proximate the first end of the housing and adapted for allowing a portion of the excavated material to pass through the inlet assembly and into the housing when the head and first end is inserted sufficiently into the excavated material; a conveyor assembly mounted in the housing and positioned for receiving the extracted portion and conveying the extracted portion toward the second end of the housing; a first outlet assembly formed in the housing between the first and second ends of the housing for receiving at least a portion of the extracted portion and depositing the portion of the extracted portion into the trench; and a screen assembly having openings of the maximum predetermined size to allow particles less than the maximum predetermined size in the excavated material to pass through said screen assembly and be used as padding material, said screen assembly connected to the housing and forming a part of the inlet assembly or first outlet assembly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus for obtaining padding material of a maximum predetermined size from the excavated material removed from a trench or similar cavity and depositing the padding material into the cavity, the apparatus to be mounted to a vehicle which may be positioned near a side of the cavity, said apparatus comprising:
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an elongated housing having a first and a second end; an inlet assembly formed in the housing proximate the first end of the housing and adapted for receiving an extracted portion of the excavated material; a conveyor assembly mounted to the housing and positioned for receiving the extracted portion from the inlet assembly and conveying the extracted portion toward the second end of the housing; a first outlet assembly formed in the housing between the first and second ends of the housing for receiving at least a portion of the extracted portion and depositing the portion of the extracted portion into the cavity; a screen assembly having openings of the maximum predetermined padding material size to allow particles in the excavated material less than the maximum predetermined size to pass through the screen assembly, said screen assembly mounted to the housing and forming a part of the inlet assembly or the first outlet assembly; and a substantially conical shaped head portion fixedly attached to the first end of the housing and adapted for being inserted into the excavated material to a depth sufficient to allow the extracted portion to be received by the inlet assembly. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A vehicle for obtaining padding material of a maximum predetermined size from the excavated material removed from a trench or similar cavity, the vehicle which may be positioned near a side of the cavity during operation, comprises:
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a prime mover; a mounting bracket attached to the prime mover; and a padding machine attached to the mounting bracket, said padding machine comprises; an elongated housing having a first and a second end; an inlet assembly formed in the housing proximate the first end of the housing and adapted for receiving an extracted portion of the excavated material; a conveyor assembly mounted to the housing and positioned for receiving the extracted portion from the inset assembly and conveying the extracted portion toward the second end of the housing; a first outlet assembly formed in the housing between the inlet assembly and the second end of the housing for receiving at least a portion of the extracted portion and depositing the portion of the extracted portion into the cavity; a tapered head portion fixedly attached to the first end of the housing and adapted for being inserted into the excavated material to a depth sufficient to allow the extracted portion to be received by the inlet assembly; and a screen assembly having openings of the maximum predetermined size to allow particles less than the maximum predetermined size in the excavated material to pass through the screen assembly and be used as padding material, said screen assembly connected to the housing and forming a part of the inlet assembly or the first outlet assembly.
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Specification