Excavating machine with lift arm assembly

• US 6,055,750 A
• Filed: 01/13/1997
• Issued: 05/02/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samson Industries, Inc. (Trifast PLC)
• Original Assignee: Samson Enterprises, Inc.
• Inventors: Ditzler, Steven J., Yoder, Shaun Lamar
• Primary Examiner(s): Lillis, Eileen Dunn
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hartmann, Gary S.
• Application Number:
  US08/782,622
• Time in Patent Office: 1,205 Days
• Field of Search: 37/91, 37/92, 37/93, 37/94, 37/95, 37/96, 37/97, 37/443, 37/352, 37/367, 299/39.6, 299/76
• US Class Current: 37/352
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/181 including a conveyor
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/188 with the axis being horizontal and transverse to the direction of travel
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/20 with tools that only loosen the material , i.e. mill-type wheels
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/241 digging wheels
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/248 Cleaning the wheels or emptying the digging elements mounted on the wheels, e.g. in combination with spoil removing equipment
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 5/08 with digging wheels turning round an axis E02F5/109 takes precedence; with digging wheels per se E02F3/18
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 5/14 Component parts for trench excavators, e.g. indicating devices travelling gear chassis, supports, skids
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 7/02 Conveying equipment mounted on a dredger conveyors in general B65G

Abstract

An excavating machine is provided having an L-arm assembly located between a power unit and an earth cutting device, the L-arm assembly for raising and lowering the earth cutting device. The L-arm assembly has a first arm for operable attachment to the power unit and a second arm integral with and substantially transverse to the first arm for operable attachment to the earth cutting device. The first arm of the L-arm assembly is longer than the second arm of the L-arm assembly. Hydraulic cylinders are included resulting in an earth cutting device which is held down into the ground in a positive manner so as to be more efficient in operation.

Claims

1. An excavating machine comprising:

(A) a power unit;

(B) earth cutting means comprising a continuous excavator pulled from behind said power unit;

(C) an L-arm assembly located between said power unit and said earth cutting means, said L-arm assembly having a first arm for operable attachment to said power unit, said first arm having a first end and a second end opposite to said first end, said L-arm assembly further having a second arm integral with and substantially transverse to said first arm for operable attachment to said earth cutting means, said second arm having a first end integral with said first end of said first arm and a second end opposite to said first end of said second arm, said first arm of said L-arm assembly being longer than said second arm of said L-arm, assembly;

(D) means for raising and lowering said L-arm assembly; and

(E) means for adjusting the pitch of said earth cutting means relative to said L-arm assembly, wherein said means for adjusting the pitch is pivotally connected to said second arm substantially near said first end and said second end.

2. The excavating machine of claim 1, wherein said first arm comprises an integral frame having a top plate and first and second side plates extending transversely from said top plate, said first side plate being substantially parallel with said second side plate, said first arm of said L-arm assembly further having attachment means at said second end thereof for pivotal attachment to said power unit.

3. The excavating machine of claim 1, wherein said second arm of said L-arm assembly comprises a rectangular housing with attachment means extended from said second end thereof for pivotal attachment with said earth cutting means.

4. The excavating machine of claim 1, wherein said L-arm assembly further comprises means for attachment to said means for raising and lowering said L-arm assembly.

5. The excavating machine of claim 1, wherein said L-arm assembly further comprises means for attachment to said means for raising and lowering said L-arm assembly, said means for attachment being located proximate to said first end of said first arm of said L-arm assembly.

6. The excavating machine of claim 1, wherein said means for raising and lowering said L-arm assembly comprises a linear actuator operably attached between said power unit and said L-arm assembly.

7. The excavating machine of claim 1, wherein said means for adjusting the pitch of said earth cutting means comprises a linear actuator operably attached between said L-arm assembly and said earth cutting means.

8. The excavating machine according to claim 7, wherein said linear actuator operably attached between said L-arm assembly and said earth cutting means is extendable to create a downward force on said rotary trenching wheel.

9. The excavating machine of claim 8, wherein one of said parallel second arm members includes within its rectangular housing means for extending and retracting said extended attachment means relative to the attachment means of the other of said parallel second arm members.

10. The excavating machine of claim 9, wherein said means for extending and retracting said extended attachment means comprises a telescoping housing operably attached between a linear actuator and said extended attachment means.

11. The excavating machine of claim 1, wherein said L-arm assembly further comprises a pair of parallel L-arms, each of said L-arms having a first arm and a second arm integral with and substantially transverse to said first arm, said parallel L-arms having tubular support members extended transversely therebetween.

12. The excavating machine according to claim 1, wherein said means for raising and lowering said L-arm assembly comprises a linear actuator in operable connection between said power unit and said first arm.

13. An L-arm assembly for use on an excavating machine, said L-arm assembly for location between a power unit and an earth cutting means comprising a continuous excavator pulled from behind said power unit on said excavating machine, said L-arm assembly having a first arm for operable attachment to said power unit, said first arm having a first end and a second end opposite to said first end, said L-arm assembly further having a second arm integral with and substantially transverse to said first arm for operable attachment to said earth cutting means, said second arm having a first end integral with said first end of said first arm and a second end opposite to said first end of said second arm, said first arm of said L-arm assembly being longer than said second arm of said L-arm assembly, said L-arm assembly further comprising means for adjusting the pitch of said earth cutting means relative to said second arm, wherein said means for adjusting the pitch is pivotally connected to said second arm substantially near said first end and said second end.

14. The L-arm assembly of claim 13, wherein said first arm comprises an integral frame having a top plate and first and second side plates extending transversely from said top plate, said first side plate being parallel with said second side plate, said first arm of said L-arm assembly further having attachment means at said second end thereof for pivotal attachment to said power unit.

15. The L-Arm Assembly of claim 13, wherein said second arm of said L-arm assembly comprises a rectangular housing with attachment means extended from said second end thereof for pivotal attachment with said earth cutting means.

16. The L-Arm Assembly of claim 13, wherein said L-arm assembly further comprises a pair of parallel L-arms, each of said L-arms having a first arm and a second arm integral with and substantially transverse to said first arm, said parallel L-arms having tubular support members extended transversely therebetween.

17. The L-Arm Assembly of claim 15, wherein one of said parallel second arm members includes within its rectangular housing means for extending and retracting said extended attachment means relative to the attachment means of the other of said parallel second arm members.

18. The excavating machine of claim 17, wherein said means for extending and retracting said extended attachment means comprises a telescoping housing operably attached between a linear actuator and said extended attachment means.

19. An excavating machine comprising:

(A) a power unit;

(B) earth cutting means;

(C) an L-arm assembly located between said power unit and said earth cutting means, said L-arm assembly comprising a pair of parallel L-arms having a first arm for operable attachment to said power unit and a second arm integral with and substantially transverse to said first arm for operable attachment to said earth cutting means, each of said first arms having a first end and a second end opposite to said first end, each of said second arms having a first end integral with a corresponding one of said first ends of said first arms and a second end opposite to said first end of said second arm, each of said first arms being longer than said second arms, each of said second arms of said parallel L-arms comprising a rectangular housing with attachment means extended from said second end thereof for pivotal attachment with said earth cutting means, one of said parallel second arm members including within its rectangular housing means for extending and retracting said extended attachment means relative to the attachment means of the other of said parallel second arm members;

(D) means for raising and lowering said L-arm assembly;

(E) means for controlling the pitch of said earth cutting means relative to said L-arm assembly.

20. The excavating machine according to claim 19, wherein said means for extending and retracting said extended attachment means comprises a telescoping housing operably attached between a linear actuator and said extended attachment means.

21. An L-arm assembly for use on an excavating machine, said L-arm assembly for location between a power unit and earth cutting means on said excavating machine, said L-arm assembly comprising a pair of parallel L-arms, each of said L-arms having a first arm for operable attachment to said power unit, said first arms having a first end and a second end opposite to said first end, each of said L-arms further having a second arm integral with and substantially transverse to a corresponding one of said first arms for operable attachment to said earth cutting means, said second arms having a first end integral with said first end of said corresponding first arm and a second end opposite to said first end of said second arm, said first arms of said L-arm assembly being longer than said second arms of said L-arm assembly, said second arms of said L-arm assembly comprising a rectangular housing with attachment means extended from said second end thereof for pivotal attachment with said earth cutting means, said L-arm assembly further comprising means for extending and retracting said extended attachment means relative to the attachment means of the other of said parallel second arm members.

22. The L-arm assembly according to claim 21, wherein said means for extending and retracting said extended attachment means comprises a telescoping housing operably attached between a linear actuator and said extended attachment means.