Slit trench forming apparatuses

Claim 2

A slit trench-forming apparatus comprising: means for connecting said apparatus to a power-driven vehicle; a rotatable input drive shaft drivably connectible at its outer end to a power source and having an inner end; a block mounted eccentrically on the inner end of said input drive shaft; a laterally-movable scotch yoke having an opening in which said eccentric-mounted block is vertically movably mounted; an elongated trench-forming blade mounted for oscillation on a vertical axis and adapted to project downwardly into the ground; and means drivably connecting said scotch yoke to said trenchforming blade in a manner whereby when said input drive shaft rotates the eccentric-mounted block thereon causes lateral sideways reciprocating movement of said yoke which is transmitted to said blade to cause the latter to oscillate about a fixed axis in a predetermined lateral arc which compacts the earth on both sides thereof to form a trench as said blade is urged forwardly through the ground by said vehicle.

Claim 3

The slit trench-forming apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said means drivably connecting said scotch yoke to said trench-forming blade comprises: bracket arm means connected to said yoke and adapted to oscillate in a horizontal arc in response to lateral reciprocating movement of said yoke; a substantially vertical driven shaft connected to said bracket arm means and adapted to oscillate therewith about a fixed axis; and rigid connecting means drivably connecting the upper end of said blade to the lower end of said driven shaft.

Claim 4

The slit trench-forming apparatus recited in claim 2 wherein said driven shaft is provided with peripheral serrations and wherein said bracket arm means is provided with an opening through which said vertical shaft projects which bracket arm opening is provided with mating serrations adapted to mesh with and impart said oscillating motion of said bracket arm means to said vertical shaft.

Claim 5

The slit trench-forming apparatus recited in claim 3 wherein said bracket arm means comprises a pair of vertically spaced bracket arms, one being positioned above and connected to the top of said yoke member and the other being positioned below and connected to the bottom of said yoke member, said vertical, driven shaft extending through aligned openings in said spaced bracket arms.

Claim 6

The trench-forming apparatus recited in claim 4 wherein said yoke member is provided with studs projecting from the center portion of the top and bottom thereof which studs are rotatably journaled in said upper and lower bracket arm members in a manner whereby said bracket arms can oscillate in a predetermined arcuate path while said yoke member reciprocates in a lateral plane.

Claim 7

The slit trench-forming apparatus recited in claim 1 and having a cable chute member attached to said blade.

Claim 8

The slit trench-forming apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said rotatable input shaft is alignable with and directly connectible to a power take-off shaft on said vehicle.

Claim 9

A slit trench-forming apparatus, comprising: a chassis; an input drive shaft carried by said chassis and rotatably drivably connected at its outer end to a power source and having an inner end; an eccentric pin projecting from the inner end of said rotatable input shaft, said pin being spaced radially outwardly from the longitudinal axis of said shaft; a block journaled on said pin; a laterally movable scotch yoke having an opening in which said eccentric block is closely vertically movably mounted; a stud projeCting from the central portion of both the top and bottom of said scotch yoke; a substantially vertical driven shaft having spaced peripheral serrated portions; a pair of swingable bracket arms surrounding said driven shaft having a pair of serrated openings therein adapted to drivingly mesh with the serrations in said vertical shaft, and said bracket arms having openings therein within which said yoke upper and lower studs are rotatably journaled; and an elongated substantially vertical trench-forming blade rigidly secured to and extending downwardly from the lower end of said vertical shaft, said blade including a body portion of generally rectangular cross-section and a forwardly-tapered front portion terminating in a leading vertical edge, said blade being adapted to oscillate laterally about a fixed vertical axis to firmly compact the earth on both sides thereof to form a trench as said blade is urged forwardly through the ground, said oscillating blade motion resulting from the rotation of the block on said eccentric input shaft pin causing said scotch yoke to reciprocate back and forth and oscillate said interconnected bracket arms, vertical shaft, and trench-forming blade.

Claim 10

A slit trench-forming apparatus, comprising: a chassis; an input drive shaft carried by said chassis and rotatably drivably connected at its outer end to a power source and having an inner end; an eccentric pin projecting from the inner end of said rotatable input shaft, said pin being spaced radially outwardly from the longitudinal axis of said shaft; a block journaled on said pin; a laterally movable scotch yoke having an opening in which said eccentric block is closely vertically movably mounted; a stud projeCting from the central portion of both the top and bottom of said scotch yoke; a substantially vertical driven shaft having spaced peripheral serrated portions; a pair of swingable bracket arms surrounding said driven shaft having a pair of serrated openings therein adapted to drivingly mesh with the serrations in said vertical shaft, and said bracket arms having openings therein within which said yoke upper and lower studs are rotatably journaled; and an elongated substantially vertical trench-forming blade rigidly secured to and extending downwardly from the lower end of said vertical shaft, said blade including a body portion of generally rectangular cross-section and a forwardly-tapered front portion terminating in a leading vertical edge, said blade being adapted to oscillate laterally about a fixed vertical axis to firmly compact the earth on both sides thereof to form a trench as said blade is urged forwardly through the ground, said oscillating blade motion resulting from the rotation of the block on said eccentric input shaft pin causing said scotch yoke to reciprocate back and forth and oscillate said interconnected bracket arms, vertical shaft, and trench-forming blade.

Claim 11

The slit trench-forming apparatus recited in claim 8 and including an elongated cable chute member positioned in alignment behind said trench-forming blade.

Claim 12

The slit trench-forming apparatus recited in claim 9 and including means for attaching said cable chute to said blade, comprising: pairs of vertically-spaced lugs projecting forwardly from both the upper and lower portions of said chute member, said lugs having aligned apertures therethrough; pairs of similar, aligned apertured lugs projecting rearwardly from the back face of said trench-forming blade; a straight bar member extending between each of said pairs of spaced lugs, said bar members having apertures therethrough in registration with said lug apertures; and bolt-like elements projected through said aligned lug and bar apertures to secure said chute member to said blade in a manner permitting a degree of movement therebetween.

Claim 13

The slit trench-forming apparatus recited in claim 9 wherein said chute member is not attached to said blade.

Claim 14

In a slit trench-forming apparatus adapted to be transported over the ground and having a vertically disposed elongated trench-forming blade adapted to extend down into the earth mounted for lateral oscillation about a generally vertical axis within the blade and said apparatus having a rotatable input drive shaft, the improvement comprising means between said input drive shaft and blade which includes scotch yoke mechanism for causing said lateral oscillatory movement of the blade in a manner minimizing vibration, there being a stem projecting upwardly from the blade having vertically spaced horizontally-disposed arms rigidly connected thereto, and the scotch yoke mechanism including a yoke pivotally mounted on an upright pivot axis between outer portions of said arms, said scotch yoke mechanism also including a slot in said yoke and a block slideably mounted in said slot, and there being means between the input drive shaft and block for causing orbital movement of the block in a generally upright plane.

Claim 15

In a slit trench-forming apparatus adapted to be transported over the ground and having a vertically disposed elongated trench-forming blade adapted to extend down into the earth mounted for lateral oscillation about a generally vertical axis within the blade and said apparatus having a rotatable input drive shaft, the improvement comprising means between said input drive shaft and blade which includes scotch yoke mechanism for causing said lateral oscillatory movement of the blade in a manner minimizing vibration, there being a stem projecting upwardly from the blade having vertically spaced horizontally-disposed arms rigidly connected thereto, and the scotch yoke mechanism including a yoke pivotally mounted on an upright pivot axis between outer portions of said arms, said scotch yoke mechanism also including a slot in said yoke and a block slideably mounted in said slot, and there being means between the input drive shaft and block for causing orbital movement of the block in a generally upright plane.

Claim 16

A slit trench-forming apparatus as defined in claim 12 in which there is an eccentric pin on the input drive shaft rotatably engaged with said block for causing said orbital movement of the block.

Claim 17

The slit trench-forming appratus as defined in claim 13 in which said pin projects from an end of the input drive shaft and is eccentric with respect to the axis of rotation of the shaft.