Earth surfacing apparatus

Claim 1

An earth surfacing apparatus capable of excavating a flat longitudinally extending swath in the earth or a swath that includes a flat section that has at least one side section extending upwardly at an angle from one end of said flat section, said apparatus including: a. a platform having a forward and rearward end; b. first means on said platform that is power opeRated for supplying hydraulic fluid under pressure; c. control means for supplying said hydraulic fluid from said first means; d. first and second laterally spaced parallel crawler track assemblies disposed on opposite sides of said platform that are actuated by said hydraulic fluid supplied thereto from said control means; e. first and second pairs of parallel, longitudinally spaced arms that are pivotally connected to said first and second crawler track assemblies and to said platform; f. second means operated by said hydraulic fluid from said control means for pivoting said first and second pairs of arms relative to said platform; g. third means operated by said hydraulic fluid from said control means for pivoting said first and second crawler track assemblies relative to said first and second pairs of arms to permit lower reaches of said crawler track assemblies to fully engage the earth surface on which they are supported; h. a transverse frame assembly that depends from said platform intermediate said forward and rearward ends thereof; i. a plurality of struts that are longitudinally adjustable as to length, said struts having first and second ends; j. fourth means for removably connecting said first ends of said struts in desired transverse spacing to said frame assembly; k. first and second frames supported from said second ends of said strut, said first frame being disposed under said platform in a substantially horizontal position, and said second frame disposed outwardly from said first frame and extending upwardly at an angle relative thereto; a. first rotary earth cutting and lateral earth cutting moving means rotatably supported from said first frame, said first rotary cutting and lateral earth moving means when rotated delivering said cutting rearwardly substantially the center thereof; m. second rotary earth cutting and lateral earth cutting moving means rotatably supported from said second frame and when rotated delivering cuttings cut thereby to a first end of said first rotary earth cutting and lateral earth cutting moving means to be moved by the latter rearwardly from substantially the center thereof; n. fifth means actuated by said hydraulic fluid from said control means for rotating said first and second rotary earth cutting and lateral earth cutting moving means; o. a longitudinally disposed upwardly and rearwardly extending first conveyor for receiving said cutting from said first rotary earth cutting and lateral earth cutting moving means on a first end thereof and discharging said cutting from a second end thereof; p. sixth means for supporting said first conveyor from said frame assembly; q. a transversely positioned angularly disposed second conveyor having first and second ends, said cuttings being delivered from said second end of said first conveyor onto said first end of said second conveyor, and said cuttings when said second conveyor is operating being conveyed thereon to said second end thereof from which they drop by gravity; r. swivel means for movably supporting said second conveyor adjacent said first end thereof from said platform; s. movable cable means supported from said platform and secured to said second conveyor adjacent said second end thereof for angularly adjusting said second conveyor relative to said platform; and t. seventh means for driving said first and second conveyors, with said device as it moves forwardly on said first and second crawler track assemblies cutting said swath in the earth and delivering said cuttings to one side thereof from said second end of said second conveyor.