Backfill and pipe laying attachment for side discharge trencher

Claim 2

In combination, a trencher operable to move over the ground including digging means and dig a trench as the trencher proceeds in a forward direction, backfill means disposed to the rear of said trencher and operable to discharge dirt therefrom into a trench dug by said trencher at a point spaced behind the trencher, dirt conveying means operable to receive dirt from said digging means and convey the dirt received to said backfill means, said backfill means including a forwardly extending structure whose lower portion is operable to move through the trench dug by said digging means behind the latter and forwardly of the backfill means, said lower portion including guide means operable to lengthwise guidingly receive therepast a length of pipe to be laid in the bottom of said trench.

Claim 3

In combination, a side discharge trencher including discharge means on one side for discharging dirt dug by said trencher outwardly of said one side of said trencher, a trailer attached to the rear and trailerable behind said trencher, said trailer including spaced apart opposite side support wheel means for straddling a trench being dug by said trencher, an elongated longitudinally extending conveyor assembly supported from said trailer having a rear discharge end operable to discharge material downwardly therefrom into said trench behind said trencher, said conveyor assembly being forwardly angled outwardly to said one side of said trencher and positioned to receive dirt from said discharge means, said trailer including a forwardly and downwardly extending structure whose lower portion is disposed to the rear of said trencher and forward of said rear discharge end, said lower portion being operable to move through the trench dug by said digging means behind the latter and forwardly of the backfill means, said lower portion including guide means operable to lengthwise guidingly receive therepast a length of pipe to be laid in the bottom of said trench.

Claim 4

In combination, a side discharge trencher including discharge means on one side for discharging dirt dug by said trencher outwardly of said one side of said trencher, a trailer attached to the rear and trailerable behind said trencher, said trailer including spaced apart opposite side support wheel means for straddling a trench being dug by said trencher, an elongated longitudinally extending conveyor assembly supported from said trailer having a rear discharge end operable to discharge material downwardly therefrom into said trench behind said trencher, said conveyor assembly being forwardly angled outwardly to said one side of said trencher and positioned to receive dirt from said discharge means, said trailer including a forwardly and downwardly extending structure whose lower portion is disposed to the rear of said trencher and forward of said rear discharge end, said lower portion being operable to move through the trench dug by said digging means behind the latter and forwardly of the backfill means, said lower portion including guide means operable to lengthwise guidingly receive therepast a length of pipe to be laid in the bottom of said trench.

Claim 5

The combination of claim 2 wherein said rear discharge end of said conveyor assembly is supported from said trailer for adjustable lateral shifting relative to said wheel means.

Claim 6

The combination of claim 3 wherein said forwardly and downwardly extending structure is supported from said trailer against lateral shifting relative to said wheel means.

Claim 7

In combination, a side discharge trencher including discharge means on one side for discharging dirt dug by said trencher outwardly of said one side of said trencher, a trailer attached to the rear and trailerable behind said trencher, said trailer including spaced apart opposite side support wheel means for straddling a trench being dug by said trencher, an elongated longitudinally extending conveyor assembly supported from said trailer having a rear discharge end operable to discharge material downwardly therefrom into said trench behind said trencher, said conveyor assembly being forwardly angled outwardly to said one side of said trencher and positioned to receive dirt from said discharge means, said trailer including a forwardly and downwardly extending structure whose lower portion is disposed to the rear of said trencher and forward of said rear discharge end, said lower portion being operable to move through the trench dug by said digging means behind the latter and forwardly of the backfill meAns, said lower portion including guide means operable to lengthwise guidingly receive therepast a length of pipe to be laid in the bottom of said trench, the upper end of said forwardly and downwardly inclined structure being supported from said trailer for moving about a horizontal transverse axis, means operatively connected between said trailer and said inclined structure releasably retaining the latter in adjusted inclined position.

Claim 8

In combination, a side discharge trencher including discharge means on one side for discharging dirt dug by said trencher outwardly of said one side of said trencher, a trailer attached to the rear and trailerable behind said trencher, said trailer including spaced apart opposite side support wheel means for straddling a trench being dug by said trencher, an elongated longitudinally extending conveyor assembly supported from said trailer having a rear discharge end operable to discharge material downwardly therefrom into said trench behind said trencher, said conveyor assembly being forwardly angled outwardly to said one side of said trencher and positioned to receive dirt from said discharge means, said trailer including a forwardly and downwardly extending structure whose lower portion is disposed to the rear of said trencher and forward of said rear discharge end, said lower portion being operable to move through the trench dug by said digging means behind the latter and forwardly of the backfill meAns, said lower portion including guide means operable to lengthwise guidingly receive therepast a length of pipe to be laid in the bottom of said trench, the upper end of said forwardly and downwardly inclined structure being supported from said trailer for moving about a horizontal transverse axis, means operatively connected between said trailer and said inclined structure releasably retaining the latter in adjusted inclined position.

Claim 9

The combination of claim 5 wherein said inclined structure includes means for adjusting its effective length extending between said axis and said guide means.

Claim 10

The combination of claim 6 wherein said guide means comprises a flanged wheel journaled from the lower end of said inclined structure for rollingly engaging the upper surface portions of said pipe and depressing the latter downwardly into said trench.