Machine for transversely slotting a strip of concrete pavement at different angles

Claim 1

IN A MACHINE FOR TRANSVERSELY SLOTTING A STRIP OF PAVEMENT, THE COMBINATION OF: (A) A WHEELED VEHICLE MOVABLE LONGITUDINALLY OF THE STRIP OF PAVEMENT AND INCLUDING A MAIN FRAME SUPPORTED BY LONGITUDINALLY-SPACED FRONT AND REAR WHEEL ASSEMBLIES; (B) PAVEMENT SLOTTING MEANS, CARRIED BY SAID MAIN FRAME BETWEEN SAID FRONT AND REAR WHEEL ASSEMBLIES AND MOVABLE LATERALLY OF SAID MAIN FRAME ALONG A TRANSVERSE SLOTTING PATH, FOR TRANSVERSELY SLOTTING THE STRIP OF PAVEMENT; (C) SAID WHEEL ASSEMBLIES INCLUDING WHEEL FRAMES RESPECTIVELY HAVING WHEELS ROTATABLY MOUNTED THEREON; (D) HINGE MEANS RESPECTIVELY CONNECTING SAID WHEEL FRAMES TO SAID MAIN FRAME FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT RELATIVE THERETO ABOUT UPRIGHT AXES TO VARY THE ANGLE OF SAID TRANSVERSE SLOTTING PATH RELATIVE TO THE PATH OF SAID VEHICLE; (E) EACH OF SAID HINGE MEANS INCLUDING AT LEAST THREE INTERLEAVED, VERTICALLY ALIGNED, HINGE ELEMENTS ON SAID MAIN FRAME AND THE CORRESPONDING ONE OF SAID WHEEL FRAMES, AND INCLUDING AN UPRIGHT HINGE PIN PIVOTALLY INTERCONNECTING SAID HINGE ELEMENTS THEREOF, ALTERNATE ONES OF SAID INTERLEAVED HINGE ELEMENTS OF EACH OF SAID HINGE MEANS BEING ON SAID MAIN FRAME AND THE CORRESPONDING WHEEL FRAME, RESPECTIVELY; (F) LOCKING MEANS RESPECTIVELY CONNECTING SAID WHEEL FRAMES TO SAID MAIN FRAME FOR LOCKING SAID WHEEL FRAMES IN PREDETERMINED ANGULAR POSITIONS RELATIVE TO SAID MAIN FRAME; AND (G) EACH OF SAID LOCKING MEANS BEING REMOTE FROM THE CORRESPONDING HINGE MEANS AND INCLUDING INTERENGAGED LOCKING ELEMENTS ON SAID MAIN FRAME AND THE CORRESPONDING WHEEL FRAME.