Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 2
Claim 1
Independent Claim
401 words
A dredge comprising: a. an upper buoyant hull, b. self-propulsion means on said hull for propelling said hull upon the surface of a body of water, c. a lower mobile platform having a front end and a rear end, d. wheel means mounted on said lower platform for engaging the bottom of a body of water and supporting said lower platform above said bottom, e. hydraulic motor means on said platform for driving said wheels, f. vertical legs having bottom ends fixed to said lower platform and a height greater than the depth of the body of water in which said dredge operates, g. means on said hull receiving said legs for vertical reciprocal movement relative to said hull, h. reversible hydraulic motor means on said hull operatively connected to said legs for positively raising said legs to elevate said lower platform to a retracted position beneath and proximate to said hull, and to positively lower said legs to lower said platform to an extended position in which said wheels engage the bottom of the body of water and said hull is raised above the surface of the body of water, i. a ladder having a front end and a rear end, j. means mounting the rear end of said ladder on the front end of said lower platform for vertical and horizontal swinging movement of said ladder, relative to said lower platform, k. hydraulic swing motor means on said lower platform for positively swinging said ladder about a horizontal axis and for positively swinging said ladder about a vertical axis, l. a rotary cutter head mounted on the front end of said ladder, m. a hydraulic motor on the front end of said ladder drivingly connected to said rotary cutter head, n. a suction pipe operatively connected to said cutter head, o. a suction pump mounted on said lower platform and operatively coupled to said suction pipe for conveying and discharging the spoil from said cutter head, p. hydraulic motor means on said lower platform for driving said suction pump, q. a hydraulic pump mounted on said hull, r. drive means on said hull operatively connected to said hydraulic pump for driving said pump, and s. a hydraulic circuit operatively connecting said hydraulic pump to all said hydraulic motors, including a collapsibleexpansible hydraulic line connecting said hydraulic pump to all said hydraulic motors on said lower platform and said ladder.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
401 words
A dredge comprising: a. an upper buoyant hull, b. self-propulsion means on said hull for propelling said hull upon the surface of a body of water, c. a lower mobile platform having a front end and a rear end, d. wheel means mounted on said lower platform for engaging the bottom of a body of water and supporting said lower platform above said bottom, e. hydraulic motor means on said platform for driving said wheels, f. vertical legs having bottom ends fixed to said lower platform and a height greater than the depth of the body of water in which said dredge operates, g. means on said hull receiving said legs for vertical reciprocal movement relative to said hull, h. reversible hydraulic motor means on said hull operatively connected to said legs for positively raising said legs to elevate said lower platform to a retracted position beneath and proximate to said hull, and to positively lower said legs to lower said platform to an extended position in which said wheels engage the bottom of the body of water and said hull is raised above the surface of the body of water, i. a ladder having a front end and a rear end, j. means mounting the rear end of said ladder on the front end of said lower platform for vertical and horizontal swinging movement of said ladder, relative to said lower platform, k. hydraulic swing motor means on said lower platform for positively swinging said ladder about a horizontal axis and for positively swinging said ladder about a vertical axis, l. a rotary cutter head mounted on the front end of said ladder, m. a hydraulic motor on the front end of said ladder drivingly connected to said rotary cutter head, n. a suction pipe operatively connected to said cutter head, o. a suction pump mounted on said lower platform and operatively coupled to said suction pipe for conveying and discharging the spoil from said cutter head, p. hydraulic motor means on said lower platform for driving said suction pump, q. a hydraulic pump mounted on said hull, r. drive means on said hull operatively connected to said hydraulic pump for driving said pump, and s. a hydraulic circuit operatively connecting said hydraulic pump to all said hydraulic motors, including a collapsibleexpansible hydraulic line connecting said hydraulic pump to all said hydraulic motors on said lower platform and said ladder.