Hole digger

Claim 2

A hole digger comprising: A turntable base; a fixed length boom having a first end, a second end, an underside, first and second longitudinally extending spaced side walls and at least one bridging member connecting said first and second side walls, said first and second side walls and said bridging member having an inverted U-shaped cross section defining an elongated recess along said underside of said boom; link means having a lower end pivotally mounted to said turntable base for movement about a horizontal axis and an upper end pivotally mounted to said first end of said boom for movement about a horizontal axis; a first adjustment means for varying the orientation of the boom relative to the link means; a second adjustment means for varying the orientation of the link means relative to the turntable base; hole digging means pivotally mounted to said second end of said boom for limited pivotal movement about a horizontal axis relative to said second end of said boom; and wherein said hole digging means between a storage position wherein said hole digging means is at least partially contained within said elongated recess of said boom and a ground engaging operative position wherein said hole digging means is pivoted away from said elongated recess.

Claim 3

The hole digger of claim 1, wherein said side walls of said boom are each constructed of hollow sections.

Claim 4

The hole digger of claim 2, wherein service lines for said hole digging means are located in at least one of said hollow sections.

Claim 5

The hole digger of claim 1, wherein said hole digging means comprises a drill head which is suspended from the second end of said boom and is rotatable by means of a prime mover, and a feed device for applying thrust to a drill, engaged with the drill head, during a drilling operation.

Claim 6

The hole digger of claim 1, wherein said turntable base is adapted to be attached to a vehicle.

Claim 7

The hole digger of claim 1, wherein said link means further comprises at least two links which are spaced apart with lower ends of the links being pivotally mounted to the turntable base and with upper ends of the links being pivotally mounted to the first end of said boom.

Claim 8

The hole digger of claim 1, wherein said first adjustment means includes two hydraulic cylinders with lower ends pivotally mounted to the turntable base and upper ends pivotally attached to said boom.

Claim 9

The hole digger of claim 1, wherein the second adjustment means includes at least one hydraulic cylinder having a first end pivotally connected to said turntable base and a second end pivotally connected to said link means.

Claim 10

The hole digger of claim 1, further including a telescopically extensible and retractable retaining device attached to said hole digging means for anchoring the hole digging means to the ground when the hole digging means is in a ground engaging operative position.

Claim 11

A hole digger assembly comprising: a road vehicle; a turntable base mounted to said road vehicle; a fixed length boom having a first end, a second end, an underside, first and second longitudinally extending spaced side walls and at least one bridging member connecting said first and second side walls, said first and second side walls and said bridging member having an inverted U-shaped cross section defining an elongated recess along said underside of said boom; link means having a lower end pivotally mounted to said turntable base for movement about a horizontal axis and an upper end pivotally mounted to said first end of said boom for movement about a horizontal axis; first cylinder means engaged with said boom for adjusting the orientation of the boom relative to the link means; second cylinder means engaged with the link means for adjusting the orientation of the link means relative to the turntable base; a drilling mechanism pivotally mounted to said second end of said boom for limited pivotable movement about a horizontal axis relative to said second end of said boom; and means for moving the drilling mechanism between a storage position wherein said drilling mechanism is at least partially contained within said elongated recess of said boom and a ground engaging operative position wherein said drilling mechanism is pivoted away from said elongated recess.

Claim 12

A hole digger assembly comprising: a road vehicle; a turntable base mounted to said road vehicle; a fixed length boom having a first end, a second end, an underside, first and second longitudinally extending spaced side walls and at least one bridging member connecting said first and second side walls, said first and second side walls and said bridging member having an inverted U-shaped cross section defining an elongated recess along said underside of said boom; link means having a lower end pivotally mounted to said turntable base for movement about a horizontal axis and an upper end pivotally mounted to said first end of said boom for movement about a horizontal axis; first cylinder means engaged with said boom for adjusting the orientation of the boom relative to the link means; second cylinder means engaged with the link means for adjusting the orientation of the link means relative to the turntable base; a drilling mechanism pivotally mounted to said second end of said boom for limited pivotable movement about a horizontal axis relative to said second end of said boom; and means for moving the drilling mechanism between a storage position wherein said drilling mechanism is at least partially contained within said elongated recess of said boom and a ground engaging operative position wherein said drilling mechanism is pivoted away from said elongated recess.

Claim 13

The hole digger assembly of claim 10, wherein said boom is movable to a transport position in which the drilling mechanism is in said storage position and said boom is substantially horizontal and overlies at least a portion of the vehicle and the drilling mechanism.

Claim 14

The hole digger assembly of claim 11, further including a telescopically extensible and retractable retaining device attached to said drilling mechanism for engaging the vehicle to secure the drilling mechanism to the vehicle when the drilling mechanism is in the storage position and said boom is in the transport position, and for anchoring the drilling mechanism when the drilling mechanism is in a ground engaging operative position.

Claim 15

The hole digger assembly of claim 10, wherein said side walls of said boom are each constructed of hollow sections.

Claim 16

The hole digger assembly of claim 13, wherein service lines for hole digging means are located in at least one of said hollow sections.