US3785071A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Multi-bucket excavating machine
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1972-03-02
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Granted: 1974-01-15
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Expires: 1992-03-02
Abstract
Abstract A trench-digging machine for attachment to a general-purpose carrier vehicle, the vertically moveable frame of the machine enclosing an upright bucket conveyor whose elements are carried by two separate endless chain pairs which move upwardly in a parallel path and separate on their upper reversal, the outer chain pair carrying cutting yokes, while the inner one carries buckets. The buckets may move independently at a higher speed than the cutting yokes, or they may be synchronized at the same pitch, so that the cutting yokes and the partial buckets on the inner chain pair form composite buckets which open conveniently for emptying, as the chain paths separate. The machine may further include a drag support with a hydraulically controlled glide shoe pressing against the bottom of the trench to stabilize the carrier vehicle.
Inventors
- 👤 H Schaeff
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 18:13
CPC Classifications
E; E02; E02F; E02F3/00; E02F3/04; E02F3/08; E02F3/12; E02F3/14; E02F3/147; E02F3/082; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S37/00; Y10S37/901
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
183 words
A multi-bucket excavating machine comprising: a. a main frame adapted to be carried by a vehicle, and a bucket conveyor and a drive for said bucket conveyor in said frame; b. an endless inner chain pair carrying bucket elements guided over first upper and lower sprockets of said bucket conveyor; c. an endless outer chain pair carrying a plurality of cutting elements guided over second upper and lower sprockets of said bucket conveyor; d. said sprockets and chain pairs being so arranged that both chain pairs move upwardly in parallel relationship on one side of said bucket conveyor; e. said bucket elements having a shallow configuration and said cutting elements having earth retaining frames of such size as to enclose three sides of said bucket elements to retain material in said buckets; f. said sprockets and chain pairs being so arranged that, at one point in the paths of said chains, said outer chain pair moves away from said inner chain pair thereby interrupting the material retaining action of the cutting elements and permitting rapid and complete discharge of material from said buckets.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
183 words
A multi-bucket excavating machine comprising: a. a main frame adapted to be carried by a vehicle, and a bucket conveyor and a drive for said bucket conveyor in said frame; b. an endless inner chain pair carrying bucket elements guided over first upper and lower sprockets of said bucket conveyor; c. an endless outer chain pair carrying a plurality of cutting elements guided over second upper and lower sprockets of said bucket conveyor; d. said sprockets and chain pairs being so arranged that both chain pairs move upwardly in parallel relationship on one side of said bucket conveyor; e. said bucket elements having a shallow configuration and said cutting elements having earth retaining frames of such size as to enclose three sides of said bucket elements to retain material in said buckets; f. said sprockets and chain pairs being so arranged that, at one point in the paths of said chains, said outer chain pair moves away from said inner chain pair thereby interrupting the material retaining action of the cutting elements and permitting rapid and complete discharge of material from said buckets.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
68 words
A multi-bucket excavating machine as defined in claim 1, including attachment means for the main frame, said attachment means including: an upwardly extendimg guide profile attachable to the carrier vehicle; rollers on the main frame which engage the guide profile so as to permit upward and downward movement of the main frame relative to the carrier vehicle; and drive means capable of raising and lowering the main frame.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
80 words
A multi-bucket excavating machine as defined in claim 1, including attachment means for the main frame, said attachment means including: a double linkage for the attachment of the main frame to the carrier vehicle in such a way that the upward and downward adjustment of the main frame follows an arcuate path, the orientation of the main frame remaining substantially unchanged in all positions; and drive means capable of moving the double linkage to raise and lower the main frame.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
113 words
A multi-bucket excavating machine as defined in claim 1, wherein the inner chain pair runs over a lower double sprocket and an upper double sprocket in a flat, generally upright loop, while the outer chain pair runs over a lower double sprocket and over two upper double sprockets, whose axes are spaced a horizontal distance from one another, the outer chain pair thus running in a triangular loop, with a rearwardly running upper chain strand between the front and rear upper sprockets; the machine further comprising a transversely oriented takeoff conveyor arranged behind the upper double sprocket for the inner chain pair and below the rearwardly running strand of the outer chain pair.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
65 words
A multi-bucket excavating machine as defined in claim 4, wherein the outer chain pair receives its drive from the rear upper sprocket, thereby maintaining tension on the rearwardly running chain strand; the takeoff conveyor including an upwardly extending wiper plate which extends into the vicinity of the path of the cutting elements on the rearwardly running chain strand so as to remove residual material therefrom.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
A multi-bucket excavating machine as defined in claim 4, wherein the lower double sprockets of the inner and outer chain pairs have a common axis.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
A multi-bucket excavating machine as defined in claim 6, wherein the upper double sprocket of the inner chain pair and the upper forward double sprocket of the outer chain pair have a common axis.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
38 words
A multi-bucket excavating machine as defined in claim 7, wherein the inner and outer chain pairs have the same chain pitch, running side-by-side over upper and lower double twin sprockets, whereby one chain pair drives the other synchronously.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
110 words
A multi-bucket excavating machine as defined in claim 8, wherein the cutting elements attached to the outer chaIn pair and the bucket elements attached to the synchronously moving inner chain pair have the same spacing on their chains, the respective upward paths of the cutting elements and of the bucket elements being so arranged that each cutting element also forms a retaining wall portion cooperating with an adjacent bucket element to form a composite bucket, these composite buckets being opened when the cutting elements are separated from the bucket elements, as the outer chain pair moves away from the inner chain pair during their movement around the upper double sprockets.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
83 words
A multi-bucket excavating machine as defined in claim 9, wherein each bucket element includes a generally perpendicularly extending plate to form the bottom of a composite bucket, the space between the parallel strands of the inner chain pair being closed by articulated plates which also form rear retaining walls for the composite buckets; and wherein each cutting element surrounds its adjacent bucket element on three sides in the form of a yoke, thereby forming a three-sided removable retaining wall of the composite bucket.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
90 words
A multi-bucket excavating machine as defined in claim 6, wherein the main frame includes a rigid caisson profile extending inside the bucket conveyor between the lower and upper double sprockets of the two chain pairs, the caisson profile including at its forward side guide profiles against which the upwardly moving strands of the inner and outer chain pairs are movably supported so that the cutting elements are pressed forward against the material to be excavated, while the bucket elements are maintained at a fixed horizontal distance behind the cutting elements.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
52 words
A multi-bucket excavating machine as defined in claim 4, wherein the inner and outer chain pairs of the bucket conveyor are arranged to be driven independently from one another; the bucket conveyor drive further inclduing means for independently adjusting the speed of the inner chain pair and of the outer chain pair.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
62 words
A multi-bucket excavating machine as defined in claim 12, wherein the outer chain pair runs at a faster speed than the inner chain pair, the cutting elements attached to the outer chain pair being spaced further from one another than the bucket elements attached to the inner chain pair; and wherein the bucket elements extend approximately perpendicularly from the inner chain strand.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
85 words
A multi-bucket excavating machine as defined in claim 1, further comprising a drag support pivotably attached to the rear portion of the main frame, with a glide shoe mounted to the lower end of the drag support, the glide shoe supporting the main frame against the bottom of the trench, the drag support being pivotable around its attachment point on the main frame between a downward working position behind the descending strands of the bucket conveyor and a retracted rearward position above the trench level.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
79 words
The machine as defined in claim 14, wherein the glide shoe is upwardly and downwardly movable relative to the drag support, the latter further including means for controlling the position of the glide shoe relative to the drag support and for applying downward pressure to the glide shoe, the controlling means including means for exerting downward pressure on the glide shoe proportional to the drive torque created on the outer chain pair of the bucket conveyor under working conditions.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
97 words
A multi-bucket excavating machine comprising: a. a frame adapted to be carried by a vehicle; b. a plurality of buckets and cutting elements guided about said frame, said cutting elements being powered by a hydraulic drive; c. a drag support pivotally attached to said frame for movement about a horizontal axis; d. a glide shoe pivotally mounted to said drag support and movable by a hydraulic cylinder; e. said hydraulic cylinder being connected in parallel with said hydraulic drive to thereby exert on the glide shoe a force proportional tO the digging forces on said cutting elements.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
97 words
A multi-bucket excavating machine comprising: a. a frame adapted to be carried by a vehicle; b. a plurality of buckets and cutting elements guided about said frame, said cutting elements being powered by a hydraulic drive; c. a drag support pivotally attached to said frame for movement about a horizontal axis; d. a glide shoe pivotally mounted to said drag support and movable by a hydraulic cylinder; e. said hydraulic cylinder being connected in parallel with said hydraulic drive to thereby exert on the glide shoe a force proportional tO the digging forces on said cutting elements.
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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) | 1977-01-14 | 1977-07-16 | 1978-01-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-01-14 | 1981-07-16 | 1982-01-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-01-14 | 1985-07-16 | 1986-01-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |