Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
314 words
In a backhoe machine of the type including a tractor having a vertically adjustable boom operatively secured thereto; the combination thereof including an endless bucket excavating apparatus disposed intermediate its ends on the boom, attaching means for detachably securing the apparatus to the boom in operative position thereon, said means including a pair of spaced parallel brackets rigidly secured at their inner ends to the boom, the endless bucket apparatus being rotatively secured to the outer ends of the brackets to permit the apparatus to rotate in a vertical plane, a hydraulic piston-cylinder mechanism operatively disposed on the upper surface of the outer portion of said boom in substantially parallel relation thereon with the inner end of such mechanism being secured to the boom, said endless bucket apparatus being elongated and carried by said boom in substantially upright operative position, the outer end of the piston-cylinder mechanism being secured to the end of the endless bucket apparatus to provide longitudinal pitch in the positioning of the apparatus with respect to the boom whereby the apparatus may be selectively positioned at an angle to the vertical in the longitudinal plane of the boom, rotating means disposed between and connecting the brackets and the end of the boom to permit lateral pitch in the positioning of the elongated endless bucket apparatus whereby the apparatus may be positioned at an angle to the vertical in a plane at right angles to the longitudinal plane of the boom, said rotating means being a reversible rotary-type hydraulic motor, and further including two sets of spherical bearings operatively secured to the outer end of the brackets to allow free lateral swing of the endless bucket apparatus. 2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said endless bucket apparatus includes a frame formed of detachable modular sections to permit forming such elongated apparatus into preselected lengths for forming trenches of preselected depths.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
112 words
The structure of claim 1 wherein said endless bucket apparatus includes an elongated frame, an endless gear chain operatively disposed on said frame for rotation thereabout, excavating buckets operatively disposed on said chain in spaced relation thereon for excavating, a set of coacting gears including a drive gear disposed on said frame and meshed with said chain to drive the same, and a reversible hydraulic motor disposed on said frame and meshed with said gears to drive the same whereby the chain may be rotated in one direction on the frame for excavating and may be reversed in direction to release the buckets if they become stuck in the material being excavated.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The structure of claim 3 wherein the reversible hydraulic motor gears and hydraulic motor are disposed at the bottom of the upright endless bucket apparatus to give more positive drive to the digging buckets adjacent thereto.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
105 words
The structure of claim 3 and further including a reversible endless conveyor belt assembly operatively disposed on the endless bucket apparatus so as to receive dirt from the buckets as they pass over the top of the frame and carry and dump the dirt lateraLly of the apparatus, said belt assembly being laterally movable with respect to the apparatus thereby enabling the belt assembly to be disposed in a preselected lateral position with respect to the endless bucket apparatus whereby dirt may be dumped laterally to the left or right of and directly adjacent the apparatus or at a substantial lateral distance from the apparatus.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
50 words
The structure of claim 3 and further including a dirt-feed auger and coacting dirt-removal tray operatively disposed on the apparatus to receive dirt from the buckets as they pass over the top of the frame and carry and dump the dirt laterally to the left or right of the apparatus.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
40 words
The structure of claim 3, wherein said endless gear chain is formed of arced gear links of equal size each having gear teeth, each of said links having a pitch diameter and pressure angle the same as said drive gear.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
The structure of claim 7 wherein a bucket is disposed on every other link of said gear chain.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The structure of claim 1 wherein said endless bucket apparatus is of trapezoidal configuration in longitudinal section for digging ditches of trapezoidal shape in transverse configuration.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The structure of claim 1 wherein said endless bucket is of rectangular configuration in longitudinal section for digging ditches of rectangular shape in transverse configuration.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
The structure of claim 1 wherein said endless bucket is of triangular configuration in longitudinal section for digging ditches of triangular shape in transverse configuration.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The structure of claim 1 wherein said endless bucket apparatus is of circular configuration in longitudinal section for digging ditches of substantially circular shape in transverse configuration.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
95 words
The structure of claim 1 and further including a hydraulic piston-cylinder mechanism rotatably secured at one end to the boom intermediate the ends thereof and at the other end to the tractor below the point where the boom is attached to the tractor for raising and lowering the boom, and a coacting second piston-cylinder mechanism rotatably secured at one end to the boom intermediate the ends thereof and at the other end to the tractor above the point where the boom is attached to the tractor for providing positive downward depressive force on the boom.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
The structure of claim 1 wherein the piston-cylinder mechanisms are hydraulically interlocked to coact with each other in applying a positive downward depressive force to the boom.