Apparatus for padding underground conduits

• US 6,055,749 A
• Filed: 03/05/1998
• Issued: 05/02/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thomas J. Cronk Jr
• Original Assignee: Thomas J. Cronk Jr
• Inventors: Cronk, Thomas J. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): PEZZUTO, ROBERT ERIC
• Application Number:
  US09/035,539
• Time in Patent Office: 789 Days
• Field of Search: 37/142.5, 405/154, 405/179, 209/281, 209/283, 209/284, 209/285, 209/286, 209/300
• US Class Current: 37/142.5
• CPC Class Codes: B07B 1/005 Transportable screening plants
• CPC Class Codes: B07B 1/20 Stationary drums with moving interior agitators
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 5/226 with means for processing the soil, e.g. screening belts, separators; Padding machines
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 7/026 mounted on machines equipped with dipper- or bucket-arms
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 7/06 Delivery chutes or screening plants or mixing plants mounted on dredgers or excavators for back-filling E02F5/226 takes precedence; separating equipment in general B03; delivery chutes in general B65G

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.

Claims

1. A padding machine for obtaining padding material of a maximum predetermined size from excavated material removed from a trench or similar cavity, the apparatus to be mounted to a vehicle which may be located near a side of the cavity, said apparatus comprising:

an elongated housing having a first and a second end, the first end having a tapered head fixed thereto whereby at least a portion of the head and first end of the housing may be inserted directly into the excavated material;

an inlet assembly formed in the housing proximate the first end of the housing and adapted for being forced at least partially into the excavated material when the head and first end are inserted into the excavated material to a depth sufficient to allow an extracted portion of the excavated material to pass through the inlet assembly and into the housing;

a conveyor assembly mounted to 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 cavity;

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; and

a cover assembly positioned on said housing to surround at least a portion of the second end of the housing so as to engage and move at least a part of the excavated material when the second end is forced through a portion of said excavated material.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing is generally cylindrical and includes an internal chamber wherein the conveyor assembly is mounted.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a motor mounted adjacent to said second end.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the cover assembly substantially surrounds said motor.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cover assembly comprises a bottom portion, a front portion, a rear portion, and a first and second side portion.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the front portion of the cover assembly is adapted to engage a portion of said excavated material as the second end of the housing is forced through a portion of the excavated material.

7. An apparatus for obtaining padding material of a maximum predetermined size from 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:

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;

a tapered head portion fixed 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 cover assembly positioned to cover at least a portion of the second end of the housing and engage and move a portion of the excavated material when the second end is forced through a part of the excavated material.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the housing is generally cylindrical and includes an internal chamber wherein the conveyor assembly is mounted.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a motor mounted adjacent to said second end.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the cover assembly substantially surrounds said motor.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the cover assembly comprises a bottom portion, a front portion, a rear portion, and a first and second side portion.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the front portion of the cover is adapted to engage a portion of said excavated material as the second end of the housing is forced through a portion of the excavated material.

13. A vehicle for obtaining padding material of a maximum predetermined size from excavated material removed from a trench or similar cavity, the vehicle which may be positioned near a side of the cavity during operation, comprises:

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 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 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 fixed 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;

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 on the first outlet assembly; and

a cover assembly positioned adjacent at least a portion of said second end of the housing.

14. The vehicle of claim 13, further comprising a motor mounted adjacent to said second end.

15. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the cover assembly substantially surrounds said motor.

16. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the cover assembly comprises a bottom portion, a front portion, a rear portion, and a first and second side portion.

17. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the front portion of the cover is adapted to engage a portion of said excavated material as the second end of the housing is forced through a portion of the excavated material.

18. An apparatus for obtaining padding material of a maximum predetermined padding size from 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:

an elongated housing having a first and a second end;

an inlet assembly proximate the first end of the housing and adapted for receiving an extracted portion of the excavated material, said inlet assembly including an inlet opening and a first screen across the inlet opening, the first screen having openings of a maximum predetermined inlet size whereby said openings of the first screen prevent particles of the excavated material greater than said inlet size from passing through the inlet screen and into the housing;

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 between the inlet assembly and 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, the first outlet assembly including a first outlet opening and a second screen connected across the first outlet opening, the second screen having openings of the maximum predetermined padding size whereby said openings of the second screen prevent particles of the extracted material greater than said maximum padding size from passing through the second screen and into the cavity;

a tapered head portion 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 cover assembly attached to at least a portion of said second end of the housing.