US3777375A — Suction dredge with brush cutting attachment

Claim 1

Independent Claim 220 words

Apparatus for excavating material such as earth from an underwater basin and reducing trees, brush, roots, and the like growing at the bank of the basin to chips which are removed as excavated material, to enlarge the basin, comprising: a dredge frame; a material removing cutterhead thereon for digging and collecting material to be dredged; means for removing the cutterhead in a to-and-fro, generally horizontal, path of travel; additional means on the dredge frame for moving the cutterhead in a vertical path of travel to position the cutterhead at various depths; suction means associated with the dredge means for removing said material from said cutterhead in a slurry form and tranferring it to a remote location; and chipping means on said dredge frame, horizontally movable in a horizontal path of travel, for reducing trees, roots, brush, and the like growing on the bank to chips and fragments and directing the chipped material to a location for removal by said cutterhead and said suction means to said remote location; said chipping means including a rotary chipping member having at least one chipping knife for reducing said trees, roots, brush and the like to chips; means on said dredge frame mounting said chipping member for rotation about an axis inclined to the horizontal; and drive motor means for rotating said chipping member.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 220 words

Apparatus for excavating material such as earth from an underwater basin and reducing trees, brush, roots, and the like growing at the bank of the basin to chips which are removed as excavated material, to enlarge the basin, comprising: a dredge frame; a material removing cutterhead thereon for digging and collecting material to be dredged; means for removing the cutterhead in a to-and-fro, generally horizontal, path of travel; additional means on the dredge frame for moving the cutterhead in a vertical path of travel to position the cutterhead at various depths; suction means associated with the dredge means for removing said material from said cutterhead in a slurry form and tranferring it to a remote location; and chipping means on said dredge frame, horizontally movable in a horizontal path of travel, for reducing trees, roots, brush, and the like growing on the bank to chips and fragments and directing the chipped material to a location for removal by said cutterhead and said suction means to said remote location; said chipping means including a rotary chipping member having at least one chipping knife for reducing said trees, roots, brush and the like to chips; means on said dredge frame mounting said chipping member for rotation about an axis inclined to the horizontal; and drive motor means for rotating said chipping member.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 48 words

The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said chipping knife includes a composite cutting edge comprising a first generally radially disposed cutting edge portion and additional radially spaced cutting edge portions oppositely inclined to said first cutting edge portion at opposite ends thereof for cutting chips.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 20 words

The apparatus set forth in claim 2 wherein said radially spaced cutting edge portions are oppositely inclined to said disc.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 26 words

The apparatus set forth in claim 3 wherein said radially spaced cutting edge portions lie in planes which converge in a direction away from the disc.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 25 words

The apparatus set forth in claim 2 wherein said first cutting edge portion and said radially spaced cutting edge portions lie in a common plane.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 64 words

The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said rotary chipping member comprises a rotatable disc having a plurality of spirally arranged, axial slots therethrough; and a plurality of chipping knives are provided on said disc including generally U-shaped cutting edges for cutting chips on one side of said disc and propelling them through said slots to the other side of said disc.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 50 words

The apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said knives each include an axially inclined first surface terminating in a generally radially disposed forward cutting edge and radially spaced surfaces which diverge from said first surface and terminate in radially spaced cutting edges inclined to said forward cutting edge.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 28 words

The apparatus sa set forth in claim 1 wherein said rotary chipping member is vertically inclined and inclined less than 90* relative to said horizontal path of travel.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 27 words

The combination of claim 1 wherein said chipping means is disposed forwardly of said cutterhead and said chipping means directs the chipped material rearwardly toward said cutterhead.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 29 words

The combination of claim 1 includIng means mounting said chipping means for individual vertical movement to control the depth of cut of said chipping means relative to said cutterhead.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 17 words

The combination of claim 1 wherein said chipping means includes a plurality of spirally arranged chipping knives.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 24 words

The combination of claim 11 wherein said chipping means includes a rotatable chipping disc mounting a plurality of circumferentially and radially spaced chipping knives.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 31 words

The combination of claim 11 wherein said disc is vertically inclined and positioned in such a manner relative to said cutterhead as to direct the chipped material laterally toward the cutterhead.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 28 words

The combination of claim 13 wherein said chipping means comprises deflector means for receiving the chipped material from the chipping disc and deflecting it downwardly toward the cutterhead.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 168 words

Apparatus for excavating material such as earth from an underwater basin and reducing trees, brush, roots, and the like growing on the bank of the basin to chips which are removed as excavated material to enlarge the basin comprising: a floatable hull; a material moving cutterhead for digging and collecting material to be dredged mounted on said hull; means for moving said cutterhead in a to-and-fro, generally horizontal, path of travel; suction means associated with said hull for removing said material from said cutterhead in slurry form and transferring it to a remote location; chipping means on said hull movable in a horizontal path with said cutterhead for reducing trees, roots, brush and the like growing on the bank to chips and fragments and directing the chipped material to a location for removal by said cutterhead and said suction means to said remote location; means mounting said cutterhead for vertical movement independently of said chipping means; and means for vertically moving said cutterhead independently of said chipping means.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 168 words

Apparatus for excavating material such as earth from an underwater basin and reducing trees, brush, roots, and the like growing on the bank of the basin to chips which are removed as excavated material to enlarge the basin comprising: a floatable hull; a material moving cutterhead for digging and collecting material to be dredged mounted on said hull; means for moving said cutterhead in a to-and-fro, generally horizontal, path of travel; suction means associated with said hull for removing said material from said cutterhead in slurry form and transferring it to a remote location; chipping means on said hull movable in a horizontal path with said cutterhead for reducing trees, roots, brush and the like growing on the bank to chips and fragments and directing the chipped material to a location for removal by said cutterhead and said suction means to said remote location; means mounting said cutterhead for vertical movement independently of said chipping means; and means for vertically moving said cutterhead independently of said chipping means.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 51 words

The apparatus set forth in claim 15 wherein said chipping means includes an upstanding, rotary chipping disc, rotatable about an axis and having at least one axial chip slot therethrough, and at least one chipping knife adjacent said slot for chipping said material into chips and hurling them through said slot.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 41 words

The apparatus as set forth in claim 15 wherein means mounts said chipping means on said hull for vertical movement independent of said cutterhead and means is provided for vertically moving said chipping means on said hull independently of said cutterhead.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 194 words

Apparatus for excavating material such as earth from an underwater basin and reducing trees, brush, roots, and the like, growing on the bank of the basin, to chips which are removed as excavated material, to enlarge said basin comprising: a dredge frame; a material removing cutterhead thereon for digging and collecting material to be dredged; means for moving the cutterhead in a to-and-fro horizontal path of travel; additional means on the dredge frame for moving the cutterhead in a vertical path of travel to position the cutterhead at various depths; suction means associated with the dredge means for removing said material from said cutterhead in slurry form and transferring it to a remote location; chipping means on said dredge frame, disposed forwardly of and at a higher level than said cutterhead, movable in a horizontal path of travel for reducing trees, roots, brush, and the like to be dredged to chips and fragments; and deflector means carried for movement with the chipping means for receiving the chipped material from said chipping means and deflecting it laterally and downwardly to a location for removal by said cutterhead and said suction means to said remote location.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 194 words

Apparatus for excavating material such as earth from an underwater basin and reducing trees, brush, roots, and the like, growing on the bank of the basin, to chips which are removed as excavated material, to enlarge said basin comprising: a dredge frame; a material removing cutterhead thereon for digging and collecting material to be dredged; means for moving the cutterhead in a to-and-fro horizontal path of travel; additional means on the dredge frame for moving the cutterhead in a vertical path of travel to position the cutterhead at various depths; suction means associated with the dredge means for removing said material from said cutterhead in slurry form and transferring it to a remote location; chipping means on said dredge frame, disposed forwardly of and at a higher level than said cutterhead, movable in a horizontal path of travel for reducing trees, roots, brush, and the like to be dredged to chips and fragments; and deflector means carried for movement with the chipping means for receiving the chipped material from said chipping means and deflecting it laterally and downwardly to a location for removal by said cutterhead and said suction means to said remote location.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 186 words

Apparatus for excavating material such as earth from an underwater basin and reducing vertically growing brush, roots, and trees and the like growing at the bank of the basin to chips which are removed as excavated material, to enlarge the basin, comprising: a dredge frame; a material removing cutterhead thereon for digging and collecting material to be dredged; means for moving the cutterhead in a to-and-fro, generally horizontal path of travel; additional means on the dredge frame for moving the cutterhead in a vertical path of travel to position the cutterhead at various depths; suction means associated with the dredge means for removing said material from said cutterhead in slurry form and transferring it to a remote location; a rotary chipping knife including edge means on said dredge frame for reducing trees, roots, brush, and the like growing on the bank to chips and fragments; and means presenting said knife to vertically growing trees such that said trees are cut by said edge means angularly to the vertical plane in which said trees lie when said chipping knife is rotated and moves in said horizontal path.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 186 words

Apparatus for excavating material such as earth from an underwater basin and reducing vertically growing brush, roots, and trees and the like growing at the bank of the basin to chips which are removed as excavated material, to enlarge the basin, comprising: a dredge frame; a material removing cutterhead thereon for digging and collecting material to be dredged; means for moving the cutterhead in a to-and-fro, generally horizontal path of travel; additional means on the dredge frame for moving the cutterhead in a vertical path of travel to position the cutterhead at various depths; suction means associated with the dredge means for removing said material from said cutterhead in slurry form and transferring it to a remote location; a rotary chipping knife including edge means on said dredge frame for reducing trees, roots, brush, and the like growing on the bank to chips and fragments; and means presenting said knife to vertically growing trees such that said trees are cut by said edge means angularly to the vertical plane in which said trees lie when said chipping knife is rotated and moves in said horizontal path.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 24 words

The apparatus as set forth in claim 19 wherein said edge means moves in an annular path of travel in a vertically inclined plane.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1976-12-10	1977-06-11	1977-12-11	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1980-12-10	1981-06-11	1981-12-11	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1984-12-10	1985-06-11	1985-12-11	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Suction dredge with brush cutting attachment

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