Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
111 words
An excavation refill packing machine comprising: a mobile chassis having a frame thereon; soil collecting and conveying means mounted on said frame to pick up soil as the machine advances; an impeller unit on said frame to receive the soil, said impeller unit having a downwardly directed outlet; said outlet being shiftable relative to said frame; means to shift said outlet for better distribution of the soil; and means for self-compaction of the soil comprising driven impeller means in said impeller unit to propel a stream of soil through said outlet into an excavation with sufficient velocity and force to distributively pack the soil firmly and eliminate the need for tamping.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
111 words
An excavation refill packing machine comprising: a mobile chassis having a frame thereon; soil collecting and conveying means mounted on said frame to pick up soil as the machine advances; an impeller unit on said frame to receive the soil, said impeller unit having a downwardly directed outlet; said outlet being shiftable relative to said frame; means to shift said outlet for better distribution of the soil; and means for self-compaction of the soil comprising driven impeller means in said impeller unit to propel a stream of soil through said outlet into an excavation with sufficient velocity and force to distributively pack the soil firmly and eliminate the need for tamping.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
The structure of claim 1 wherein said impeller means includes a rotary impeller having vanes, said vanes directly contacting said stream of soil adjacent to the radially outer ends of said vanes and having a peripheral speed on the order of 100 feet per second.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
73 words
The structure of claim 1, and including a hopper on said frame and a soil conducting flexible boot connecting said hopper to said impeller unit, said impeller unit being suspended from said frame by flexible means and balanced for ease of shifting the impeller unit, said means for shifting comprising manual control means for effecting such shifting to direct highly accelerated soil in a backfilling operation with simultaneous impaction of the backfill soil.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
The structure of claim 1, wherein said impeller means comprises a plurality of vertically spaced impellers, and means to drive the lower impeller at a peripheral speed considerably greater than that of the upper impeller.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
The structure of claim 1, wherein said impeller unit has at least one spray bar adjacent said outlet, with orifices directed toward the path of the stream of soil; and a source of water connected to said spray bar.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
12 words
The structure of claim 5, wherein said orifices are adjustable in area.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
The structure of claim 6, wherein said source of water is of constant pressure.