Plow or digging machine automatic blade adjusting and locking system

Claim 2

A plow apparatus for laying cable, pipe, tile, tubing and the like under ground comprising a blade mechanism having an upwardly extending support portion, a blade holder for connecting said support portion to a plow-pulling vehicle, said holder having an opening therein to receive said support portion, means for pressing said support portion against an interior surface of said holder in said opening, and means for locking said support portion in said holder at a selected height wherein the cutting depth of said blade mechanism can be adjusted, said locking means including a blade dog movably mounted on said blade holder and recesses formed on said support portion at various heights, one of said recesses being engaged by said dog in the locked position, wherein said pressing means includes an arm pivotally mounted on said blade holder at one end of said arm and means for pivoting said arm so that the other end of the arm is pressed against or moved away from said support portion as desired.

Claim 3

A plow apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said pivoting means is also adapted to pivot said blade dog, said pivoting means being connected at one end thereof to an end of said blade dog.

Claim 4

A plow apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said pivoting means is a single hydraulic cylinder and a cooperating piston arranged in a vertical plane extending parallel to said blade mechanism, a bottom end of said pivoting means being connected to said arm and the upper end thereof being pivotally connected to said end of said blade dog.

Claim 5

A plow apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said blade dog is pivotable about a horizontal axis at a pivot pin located rearwardly from said support portion when said support portion is locked in said holder.

Claim 6

A plow apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said blade dog is adapted to press said support portion against a support member of said blade holder.

Claim 7

A plow apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said support member is an adjustment pin extending through a first hole formed in said blade holder, said first hole and further holes in said blade holder being provided to permit adjustment of the pitch of the blade mechanism by moving said adjustment pin from one hole to another.

Claim 8

A plow apparatus according to claim 1 including further means for pivoting said blade dog, said further pivot means being connected at one end thereof to an end of said blade dog.

Claim 9

A plow apparatus according to claim 7 wherein each pivoting means comprises a hydraulic cylinder and a cooperating piston, the further pivoting means lying in a horizontal plane above said arm and connected at the other end to said blade holder.

Claim 10

A plow apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said blade dog is adapted to press said support portion against a support member of said blade holder.

Claim 11

A plow apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said support member is an adjustment pin extending through a first hole formed in said blade holder, said first hole and further holes in said blade holder being provided to permit adjustment of the pitch of the blade mechanism by moving said adjustment pin from one hole to another.

Claim 12

A plow apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said pivoting means for said arm is located generally above said arm and said arm is pivotally mounted on said blade holder by means of a horizontal pivot pin located above a horizontal plane extending through the point of contact between said arm and said support portion when said pressing means is pressing against said support portion and said blade holder includes stop means for preventing further downward movement of said arm when pressing against said support portion, whereby the blade mechanism is pressed more firmly by said pressing means when said plow apparatus is in use and forces on the blade mechanism are tending to push the support portion forward.

Claim 13

A plow apparatus for laying cable, pipe, tile, tubing and the like under ground comprising a blade mechanism having an upwardly extending support portion, a blade holder for connecting said support portion to a plow-pulling vehicle, said holder having an opening therein to receive said support portion, means for pressing said support portion against an interior surface of said holder in said opening, and means for locking said support portion in said holder at a selected height wherein the cutting depth of said blade mechanism can be adjusted, said locking means including a blade dog movably mounted on said blade holder and recesses formed on said support portion at various heights, one of said recesses being engaged by said dog in the locked position, wherein said locking means is adapted to press said support portion against an adjustable support member in said blade holder, said support member comprising a pin mounted in one of several holes formed in said blade holder whereby the pitch of the blade mechanism can be adjusted by moving said pin from one hole to another.

Claim 14

A plow apparatus for laying cable, pipe, tile, tubing and the like under ground comprising a blade mechanism having an upwardly extending support portion, a blade holder for connecting said support portion to a plow-pulling vehicle, said holder having an opening therein to receive said support portion, means for pressing said support portion against an interior surface of said holder in said opening, and means for locking said support portion in said holder at a selected height wherein the cutting depth of said blade mechanism can be adjusted, said locking means including a blade dog movably mounted on said blade holder and recesses formed on said support portion at various heights, one of said recesses being engaged by said dog in the locked position, wherein said locking means is adapted to press said support portion against an adjustable support member in said blade holder, said support member comprising a pin mounted in one of several holes formed in said blade holder whereby the pitch of the blade mechanism can be adjusted by moving said pin from one hole to another.

Claim 15

A plow apparatus according to claim 1 or 12, wherein said blade holder includes a vertically extending front portion, a first horizontal portion extending rearwardly from the bottom end of said front portion and containing said opening, and a second horizontal portion extending rearwardly from said front portion and spaced above said first horizontal portion, said locking means being pivotally connected to said second horizontal portion.

Claim 16

A plow apparatus according to claim 1 or 12 wherein said blade dog is a generally L-shaped member having two arms extending from a central pivot portion pivotally connected to said blade holder, the outer end of one arm being connected to a piston of a hydraulic cylinder means for pivoting said L-shaped member, the outer end of the other arm holding a dog pin for engaging a selected one of said recesses formed on said support portion.

Claim 17

A plow apparatus for laying cable, pipe, tile, tubing and the like under ground comprising a blade mechanism having an upwardly extending support portion, a blade holder for connecting said support portion to a plow-pulling vehicle, said holder having an opening therein to receive said support portion, means for pressing said support portion against an interior surface of said holder in said opening, and means for locking said support portion in said holder at a selected height wherein the cutting depth of said blade mechanism can be adjusted, said locking means including a blade dog movably mounted on said blade holder and recesses formed on said support portion at various heights, one of said recesses being engaged by said dog in the locked position, and including a supporting linkage mechanism for connecting said blade holder to a plow-pulling vehicle, said linkage mechanism being pivotally connected at two locations to said blade holder and comprising a vertical support member for connecting the linkage mechanism to said vehicle, front top link means pivotally connected to the upper end of said vertical support member, rear top link means pivotally connected to said front top link means and said blade holder, front bottom link means pivotally connected to the lower end of said vertical support member, rear bottom link means pivotally connected to said front bottom link means and said blade holder, and means for controlling the position of the link means relative to one another.

Claim 18

A plow apparatus for laying cable, pipe, tile, tubing and the like under ground comprising a blade mechanism having an upwardly extending support portion, a blade holder for connecting said support portion to a plow-pulling vehicle, said holder having an opening therein to receive said support portion, means for pressing said support portion against an interior surface of said holder in said opening, and means for locking said support portion in said holder at a selected height wherein the cutting depth of said blade mechanism can be adjusted, said locking means including a blade dog movably mounted on said blade holder and recesses formed on said support portion at various heights, one of said recesses being engaged by said dog in the locked position, and including a supporting linkage mechanism for connecting said blade holder to a plow-pulling vehicle, said linkage mechanism being pivotally connected at two locations to said blade holder and comprising a vertical support member for connecting the linkage mechanism to said vehicle, front top link means pivotally connected to the upper end of said vertical support member, rear top link means pivotally connected to said front top link means and said blade holder, front bottom link means pivotally connected to the lower end of said vertical support member, rear bottom link means pivotally connected to said front bottom link means and said blade holder, and means for controlling the position of the link means relative to one another.

Claim 19

A plowing machine for laying cable, pipe, tile, tubing and the like comprising a tractor and a plow apparatus mounted on the rear end of said tractor, said apparatus comprising a blade mechanism having an upwardly extending support portion, a blade holder for mounting said support portion to the plow-pulling tractor, said holder having an opening therein to receive said support portion, means for pressing said support portion against an interior surface of said holder in said opening, and means for locking said support portion in said holder at a selected height whereby the cutting depth of said blade mechanism can be adjusted, said locking means including a blade dog movably mounted on said blade holder and recesses formed on said support portion at various heights, one of said recesses being engaged by said dog in the locked position, wherein said pressing means includes an arm pivotally mounted on said blade holder at one end of said arm and means for pivoting said arm so that the other end of the arm is pressed against or moved away from said support portion as desired.

Claim 20

A plowing machine for laying cable, pipe, tile, tubing and the like comprising a tractor and a plow apparatus mounted on the rear end of said tractor, said apparatus comprising a blade mechanism having an upwardly extending support portion, a blade holder for mounting said support portion to the plow-pulling tractor, said holder having an opening therein to receive said support portion, means for pressing said support portion against an interior surface of said holder in said opening, and means for locking said support portion in said holder at a selected height whereby the cutting depth of said blade mechanism can be adjusted, said locking means including a blade dog movably mounted on said blade holder and recesses formed on said support portion at various heights, one of said recesses being engaged by said dog in the locked position, wherein said pressing means includes an arm pivotally mounted on said blade holder at one end of said arm and means for pivoting said arm so that the other end of the arm is pressed against or moved away from said support portion as desired.

Claim 21

A plow apparatus for laying cable, pipe, tile, tubing and the like underground comprising a blade mechanism having an upwardly extending support portion, a blade holder for connecting said support portion to a plow-pulling vehicle, said holder having an opening therein to receive said support portion, power actuated pressing means for pressing said support portion against an interior surface of said holder to grip said support portion in said opening, and power actuated locking means for locking said support portion in said holder, said locking means including a blade dog movably mounted on said blade holder adapted to engage in a selected one of a plurality of recesses formed on said support portion at various heights, said pressing means and said locking means being remotely operable and when released enabling said support portion to be moved upwardly or downwardly with respect to said opening to register a selected recess with said blade dog, whereby upon engagement of said pressing means and said locking means said blade mechanism is automatically secured to said blade holder at a desired cutting depth.

Claim 22

A plow apparatus for laying cable, pipe, tile, tubing and the like underground comprising a blade mechanism having an upwardly extending support portion, a blade holder for connecting said support portion to a plow-pulling vehicle, said holder having an opening therein to receive said support portion, power actuated pressing means for pressing said support portion against an interior surface of said holder to grip said support portion in said opening, and power actuated locking means for locking said support portion in said holder, said locking means including a blade dog movably mounted on said blade holder adapted to engage in a selected one of a plurality of recesses formed on said support portion at various heights, said pressing means and said locking means being remotely operable and when released enabling said support portion to be moved upwardly or downwardly with respect to said opening to register a selected recess with said blade dog, whereby upon engagement of said pressing means and said locking means said blade mechanism is automatically secured to said blade holder at a desired cutting depth.