Earth working machine, such as a bucket wheel dredge, or the like

Claim 1

IN AN EARTH WORKING MACHINE, SUCH AS A BUCKET WHEEL DREDGE OR THE LIKE, IN COMBINATION, A LOWER SUPPORT STRUCTURE ADAPTED TO REST ON THE GROUND; AN UPPER SUPPORT STRUCTURE HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY UPRIGHT PORTION AND A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL LOWER PORTION PROJECTING TO ONE SIDE OF SAID UPRIGHT PORTION; MEANS PERMANENTLY TENDING TO TILT SAID UPPER SUPPORT STRUCTURE IN DIRECTION OF SAID ONE SIDE THEREOF; A WORKING BOOM CONNECTED AT ONE END THEREOF TO SAID UPRIGHT PORTION PROJECTING TO THE OTHER SIDE THEREFROM; A TURNTABLE HAVING A TURNING AXIS; AN ANNULAR THRUST BEARING CARRIED BY SAID LOWER SUPPORT STRUCTURE COAXIALLY WITH SAID TURNING AXIS OF SAID TURNTABLE AND SUPPORTING THE LATTER TURNABLY ABOUT SAID TURNING AXIS; MOUNTING MEANS MOUNTING SAID LOWER PORTION OF SAID UPPER SUPPORT STRUCTURE ON SAID TURNTABLE TILTABLE ABOUT A TILTING AXIS LOCATED LATERALLY OF AND SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TO SAID TURNING AXIS; AND COOPERATING MEANS ON SAID TURNTABLE AND SAID UPPER SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR LIMITING TILTING MOVEMENT OF SAID UPPER SUPPORT STRUCTURE RELATIVE TO SAID TURNTABLE, WHEREBY CHANGE OF A LOAD ON THE FREE END OF SAID WORKING BOOM SAID UPPER SUPPORT STRUCTURE MAY TILT RELATIVE TO SAID TURNTABLE WITHOUT AFFECTING THE POSITION OF THE LATTER RELATIVE TO SAID THRUST BEARING.