Trench filler

• US 6,139,223 A
• Filed: 11/20/1998
• Issued: 10/31/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Snyder, Robert Wayne
• Original Assignee: Snyder, Robert Wayne
• Inventors: Snyder, Robert Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): Taylor, Dennis L.
• Application Number:
  US09/196,802
• Time in Patent Office: 711 Days
• Field of Search: 405/179, 405/154, 405/158, 172/509, 172/508, 172/81, 172/716, 404/96-98, 37/142.5, 37/405, 37/466
• US Class Current: 405/179
• CPC Class Codes: A01C 5/066 Devices for covering drills or furrows
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/80 Component parts
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 5/223 for back-filling in association with trench excavators E02F5/12

Abstract

A trench filler having a generally synclinal front section having a solid top and generally downwardly extending sidewalls, a rear section of unitary construction with the front section, the rear section having a solid top and generally downwardly extending sidewalls that are generally longitudinally parallel to each other, and integral running skids beneath the sidewalls that extend forwardly beyond the front section and having upwardly curled ends wherein dirt located beside a trench is gathered by the front section and released through the rear section back into the trench without substantially disturbing the turf located about the trench.

Claims

1. A trench filler comprising:

a generally synclinal front section for gathering dirt located beside a trench, the front section having a top and generally downwardly extending sidewalls; and

a rear section for releasing the gathered dirt into the trench, the rear section being of unitary construction with the front section and having a top and generally downwardly extending sidewalls that are generally longitudinally parallel to each other.

2. The trench filler of claim 1 wherein each of the front and rear section tops are solid.

3. The trench filler of claim 1 further comprising:

integral running skids beneath the sidewalls that extend forwardly beyond the front section and having upwardly curled ends wherein the skids prevent substantially disturbing turf located about the trench.

4. The trench filler of claim 1 further comprising:

a support formed on the top of the trench filler for attaching the trench filler to a motorized utility vehicle.

5. The trench filler of claim 4 wherein the support is a solid plate having a lip cornice to facilitate engagement to a motorized utility vehicle.

6. The trench filler of claim 1 wherein the top of the front section slopes outwardly downwardly from the longitudinal center.

7. The trench filler of claim 1 wherein the top of the rear section slopes downwardly rearwardly.

8. The trench filler of claim 1 wherein the sidewalls of the rear section slope downwardly outwardly.

9. The trench filler of claim 1 wherein the sidewalls of the rear section are distanced at a width substantially equivalent to the width of the trench.

10. A method for backfilling trenches comprising:

gathering dirt located along the trench with a generally synclinal forward member;

collecting dirt from the generally synclinal member within a generally rectangular rearward member;

depositing dirt from the generally rectangular rearward member back into the trench; and

leaving dirt raised above a ground level wherein the dirt is substantially within the longitudinal margins of the trench.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the generally rectangular member has breadth dimensions substantially equivalent to the trench.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

tamping the dirt after it has been deposited within the trench.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

moving the generally synclinal and rectangular members through use of a motorized utility vehicle.

14. A trench filler comprising:

a generally synclinal front section having a solid top that slopes outwardly downwardly from a longitudinal center and generally downwardly extending sidewalls;

a rear section of unitary construction with the front section, the rear section having a solid top that slopes downwardly rearwardly and outwardly downwardly extending sidewalls that are generally longitudinally parallel to each other and that are distanced at a width substantially equivalent to the width of the trench;

integral running skids beneath the sidewalls that extend forwardly beyond the front section and having upwardly curled ends;

a support formed on the top of the trench filler for attaching the trench filler to a motorized utility vehicle the support having a lip cornice to facilitate engagement with the motorized vehicle, wherein dirt located beside a trench is gathered by the front section and released through the rear section back into the trench without substantially disturbing turf located about the trench.