US3601910A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Ditch building machine
Assignee: SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
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Filing: 1968-08-21
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Granted: 1971-08-31
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Expires: 1988-08-21
Abstract
Abstract A ditch building machine has a front lister on which a prime mover and hydraulic pump are mounted and has a forward extending steering tongue which may be pivoted about its transverse horizontal and vertical axes. Behind the front lister are movable listers pivotally attached about a vertical axis to vary the width of the bottom of the ditch. Behind each movable lister is a moldboard pivoted thereto about both vertical and transverse horizontal axes. The rearward end of each moldboard is supported by a ground wheel which rests on the ground to the outside of the ditch. Structure is provided for controlling the angle of the moldboard relative to the longitudinal horizontal axis of the machine and relative to the horizontal to vary the width and depth of the ditch (and likewise the slope of the sides). Spoil blades are pivotally mounted to the rear of the moldboards to smooth the banks ahead of the rear wheels.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenneth P Goltz
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 00:30
CPC Classifications
E; E02; E02F; E02F3/00; E02F3/04; E02F3/76; E02F3/7663; E02F3/7686; E02F5/00; E02F5/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
247 words
A ditch building machine comprising a lister section for forming the bottom of a ditch, a moldboard on each side of said machine, moldboard mounting means pivotally mounting said moldboard to the side and rear of said lister section for movement in and out transversely of said machine and also for movement of the rear of said moldboard up and down, moldboard actuating means for pivotally moving said moldboard relative to said lister section, a pair of rear wheels, rear wheel mounting means for mounting one said rear wheel on the rear of each said moldboard, whereby said rear wheels rest on the banks of a ditch while said lister section is on the bottom of said ditch and said moldboards extend along the sides of said ditch, said rear wheel mounting means comprising a generally vertical hinge pin on the rear of said moldboard, a shaft connected for oscillatory movement with said hinge pin and disposed perpendicular to said hinge pin, a link on said shaft, an axle on the end of said link opposite said shaft, a wheel on said axle, hydraulic means interconnecting said moldboard and said shaft to pivot said link and said wheel about said hinge pin, and valve means for said hydraulic means, said valve means responsive to movement of said shaft and of said moldboard to automatically pivot said link so that said wheel is parallel to the direction of movement of said machine at any position of said moldboard.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
247 words
A ditch building machine comprising a lister section for forming the bottom of a ditch, a moldboard on each side of said machine, moldboard mounting means pivotally mounting said moldboard to the side and rear of said lister section for movement in and out transversely of said machine and also for movement of the rear of said moldboard up and down, moldboard actuating means for pivotally moving said moldboard relative to said lister section, a pair of rear wheels, rear wheel mounting means for mounting one said rear wheel on the rear of each said moldboard, whereby said rear wheels rest on the banks of a ditch while said lister section is on the bottom of said ditch and said moldboards extend along the sides of said ditch, said rear wheel mounting means comprising a generally vertical hinge pin on the rear of said moldboard, a shaft connected for oscillatory movement with said hinge pin and disposed perpendicular to said hinge pin, a link on said shaft, an axle on the end of said link opposite said shaft, a wheel on said axle, hydraulic means interconnecting said moldboard and said shaft to pivot said link and said wheel about said hinge pin, and valve means for said hydraulic means, said valve means responsive to movement of said shaft and of said moldboard to automatically pivot said link so that said wheel is parallel to the direction of movement of said machine at any position of said moldboard.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
113 words
A machine according to claim 1, in which said moldboard actuating means comprises a longitudinally extending guide, means pivotally mounting said guide about a transverse horizontal axis to said lister section, guide actuating means for pivoting the rear end of said guide up and down relative to said lister section, a subframe on the rear of said guide, connecting means connecting said subframe to said moldboards for raising and lowering the rear of said moldboards relative to said lister section, said connecting means including two perpendicularly related pivots whereby said subframe remains vertical at all times and said moldboard pivots about both horizontal and vertical axes at the forward end of said moldboard.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
A machine according to claim 2, which further comprises means pivotally interconnecting said lister section and said subframe parallel to said guide to maintain said subframe parallel to said lister section as said subframe moves under influence of said guide actuating means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
90 words
A machine according to claim 1, in which said valve means comprises a spool, means articulately connecting one end of said spool to said moldboard actuating means and means articulately connecting the other end of said spool to said shaft, said last-mentioned means arranged to move said valve to energize said hydraulic means to turn said shaft to maintain the plane of rotation of said wheel parallel to the longitudinal central plane of said machine as the rear end of said moldboard moves in and out relative to said plane.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
55 words
A machine according to claim 1, which further comprises a spoil wing normally positioned ahead of said rear wheel, means mounting said spoil wing on the rear of said moldboard for pivotal movement about A substantially horizontal axis, and means interconnecting said moldboard and said spoil wing to pivot said spoil wing about said axis.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
54 words
A machine according to claim 5, in which said means mounting said spoil wing further comprises a bracket, means mounting said bracket to said moldboard for pivotal movement about said hinge pin and means for pivoting said bracket about said hinge pin to swing said spoil wing in and out relative to said moldboard.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
70 words
A machine according to claim 6, which further comprises a brace, means attaching said brace to said spoil wing for swivel movement relative to said spoil wing, means attaching said brace to said link for swivel movement relative to said link, whereby upon depressing said wheel and pivoting said spoil wing up relative to said horizontal axis, said spoil wing is raised above and inward relative to said rear wheel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
120 words
A machine according to claim 1, in which said moldboard actuating means comprises a longitudinally extending guide, a subframe on the rear of said guide, a hydraulic cylinder having a rod mounted on said subframe, and on either side of said machine a first link pivoted to said subframe about a vertical axis, a second link pivoted to the outer end of said first link, the outer end of said second link pivoted to said moldboard about a vertical axis, connecting means interconnecting said rod and said links to move the outer end of said second link in and out relative to said subframe, and means pivotally connecting the outer end of said second link to one of said moldboards.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
A machine according to claim 8, in which said first and second links are connected at a vertical hinge, and said connecting means is pivotally connected to said hinge.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
63 words
A machine according to claim 1, in which said lister section comprises a fixed lister, a movable lister on each side of said fixed lister, means pivotally mounting each movable lister to the side and rear of said fixed lister, and movable lister actuating means for moving said movable listers in and out to vary the width of the bottom of said ditch.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
236 words
In a ditch building machine a lister section, a moldboard on each side of said machine, an L-shaped pivot pivotally connected to the side and rear of said lister section for pivotal movement of said moldboard about both a vertical and a horizontal axis, a rear wheel at the rear of said moldboard, a horizontal shaft connected to said moldboard, a link pivoted to said shaft, an axle on said link, said rear wheel on said axle, means for pivoting said link about said shaft to raise and lower said rear wheel relative to said moldboard, a bracket pivoted to said moldboard about a substantially vertical axis, said shaft held by and pivoting with said bracket, means for pivoting said bracket about said vertical axis, a spoil wing normally positioned ahead of said rear wheel, a second bracket pivotally mounted about said vertical axis to said moldboard, means mounting said spoil wing to said second bracket for pivotal movement about a substantially horizontal axis, means for pivoting said spoil wing about said horizontal axis relative to said moldboard, a brace, a first swivel attaching one end of said brace to said second bracket, and a second swivel attaching the other end of said brace to said link, whereby, upon depressing said wheel and pivoting said spoil wing up relative to said horizontal axis, said spoil wing is raised above and inward relative to said rear wheel.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
236 words
In a ditch building machine a lister section, a moldboard on each side of said machine, an L-shaped pivot pivotally connected to the side and rear of said lister section for pivotal movement of said moldboard about both a vertical and a horizontal axis, a rear wheel at the rear of said moldboard, a horizontal shaft connected to said moldboard, a link pivoted to said shaft, an axle on said link, said rear wheel on said axle, means for pivoting said link about said shaft to raise and lower said rear wheel relative to said moldboard, a bracket pivoted to said moldboard about a substantially vertical axis, said shaft held by and pivoting with said bracket, means for pivoting said bracket about said vertical axis, a spoil wing normally positioned ahead of said rear wheel, a second bracket pivotally mounted about said vertical axis to said moldboard, means mounting said spoil wing to said second bracket for pivotal movement about a substantially horizontal axis, means for pivoting said spoil wing about said horizontal axis relative to said moldboard, a brace, a first swivel attaching one end of said brace to said second bracket, and a second swivel attaching the other end of said brace to said link, whereby, upon depressing said wheel and pivoting said spoil wing up relative to said horizontal axis, said spoil wing is raised above and inward relative to said rear wheel.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-08-30 | 1975-03-01 | 1975-08-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-08-30 | 1979-03-01 | 1979-08-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-08-30 | 1983-03-01 | 1983-08-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |