Excavator for anchor holes

Claim 1

In a machine for digging holes in the ground in which to bury anchors having a rod along a longitudinal anchor axis and an anchor plate projecting outwardly from the anchor rod for impeding longitudinal movement of said anchor when buried, a. said machine including a frame on a mobile platform carrying a digger, b. said digger including an endless chain-driven bucket rotary trencher; the improved structure comprising in combination with the above: c. an intermediate member pivoted to the frame about a frame pivot axis, d. said digger pivoted to the intermediate member about a digger pivot axis which is transverse to said frame pivot axis, e. digger pivot means interconnecting the digger and the intermediate member for pivoting said digger about said digger pivot axis, f. frame pivot means interconnecting the intermediate member with said frame for pivoting the intermediate member about said frame pivot axis, g. said frame having (i) a front bearing mounted thereon, and (ii) a rear bearing mounted thereon, h. said digger including (i) a digger housing, (ii) said trencher being mounted therein, (iii) a housing support arm having upper and lower ends and being connected to said digger housing, j. said intermediate member including (i) a shaft pivot arm, (ii) a hydraulic arm, (iii) a support pivot arm, (iv) a pivot shaft, and (v) said pivot shaft extending through and rigidly connected to said shaft pivot arm, said hydraulic arm, and said support pivot arm, k. said pivot shaft being journalled within said front and rear bearings thus defining the frame pivot axis, m. said digger being pivoted to said intermediate member as defined above by a pivot pin extending through the lower end of said housing support arm and through said support pivot arm with said pivot pin defining the digger pivot axis, n. said digger pivot means interconnecting said hydraulic arm and the upper end of said housing arm, o. said frame pivot means interconnecting said frame with said shaft pivot arm, and p. said digger providing means for digging an anchor hole whereby (i) said anchor may be slidably placed within the anchor hole, with (ii) the anchor plate bearing against undisturbed earth.