US 4,391,154 AGranted

Variable speed digging machine provided with a gearbox having an orientable drive

OwnerMichele Tortellainventor

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Abstract

An improved digging machine for operation with the power takeoff of a tractor wherein the digging machine includes a gearbox that permits the machine to operate at different speeds independent of the tractor speed in order to accommodate varying ground conditions while maintaining constant sod width. The gearbox includes first and second gear shafts, with the first gear shaft being driven by the power takeoff and transmitting its motion to the second gear shaft through respective first and second gear sets, with the second gear shaft driving at least one hoe-driving shaft. The corresponding gears of the first and second gear sets are selectively engageable to provide plural speed settings, thereby permitting variation of the frequency of the hoe strokes within a wide range. The gearbox is movably orientable on the frame of the digging machine in a vertical plane about the longitudinal axis of the frame in order to accommodate tractors having power takeoffs disposed at different heights.

Claims12

Dependent claims

In a digging machine including a longitudinal frame supporting at least one hoe-driving shaft driven by a main drive shaft for coupling to the power takeoff of a tractor operating the digging machine, the improvement comprising:

(a) an elongate gearbox carried by the machine;
(b) means for supporting the elongate gearbox for movable orientation in a vertical plane about the longitudinal axis of the machine;
(c) the gearbox supporting the main drive shaft of the machine and interposed between the main drive shaft and the hoe-driving shaft;
(d) a first gear shaft connected to and driven by the main drive shaft;
(e) a second gear shaft for driving the hoe-driving shaft;
(f) the first and second gear shafts being journaled through the gearbox;
(g) a first gear set including three gears mounted on the first gear shaft;
(h) a second gear set including three gears mounted on the second gear shaft;
and
(i) each gear of the second gear set being engageable with and selectively driven by a corresponding gear of the first gear set, with the diameters of the corresponding gears being such that the second gear shaft may be driven by the first gear shaft at any one of three different speeds depending upon which corresponding gears of the first and second gear shafts are in selected driving engagement with each other for transmitting the motion of the first gear shaft to the second gear shaft.

7 more elements

(a) an elongate gearbox carried by the machine and movably orientable in a vertical plane about the longitudinal axis of the machine;
(b) the gearbox supporting the main drive shaft of the machine and interposed between the main drive shaft and the hoe-driving shaft;
(c) a first gear shaft connected to and driven by the main drive shaft;
(d) a second gear shaft for driving the hoe-driving shaft;
(e) the first and second gear shafts being journaled through the gearbox;
(f) a first gear set including plural gears mounted on the first gear shaft;
(g) a second gear set including plural gears mounted on the second gear shaft;
(h) each gear of the second gear set being engageable with and selectively driven by a corresponding gear of the first gear set, with the diameters of the corresponding gears being such that the second gear shaft may be driven by the first gear shaft at any one of three different speeds depending upon which corresponding gears of the first and second gear shafts are in selected driving engagement with each other for transmitting the motion of the first gear shaft to the second gear shaft;
(i) a bevel gear carried by the hoe-driving shaft;
and
(j) a pinion gear carried by the second gear shaft and in engagement with the bevel gear for transmitting the motion of the second gear shaft to the hoe-driving shaft.

8 more elements

(a) an elongate gearbox carried by the machine and movably orientable in a vertical plane about the longitudinal axis of the machine;
(b) the gearbox supporting the main drive shaft of the machine and interposed between the main drive shaft and the hoe-driving shaft;
(c) a first gear shaft connected to and driven by the main drive shaft;
(d) a second gear shaft for driving the hoe-driving shaft;
(e) the first and second gear shafts being journaled through the gearbox;
(f) a first gear set including two end gears and a central gear splined to the first gear shaft in a first linear array wherein the central gear of the linear array is slidable along a first gear shaft between the two end gears, with each face of the central gear being provided with a plurality of angularly spaced teeth, and the end gears of the first linear array being freely rotatable with respect to but secured against sliding movement along the first gear shaft, with an inner face of each end gear being provided with a plurality of angularly spaced teeth engageable with the angularly spaced teeth on a corresponding face of the central gear;
(g) a second gear set including three gears mounted on the second gear shaft;
and
(h) each gear of the second gear set being engageable with and selectively driven by a corresponding gear of the first gear set, with the diameters of the corresponding gears being such that the second gear shaft may be driven by the first gear shaft at any one of three different speeds depending upon which corresponding gears of the first and second gear shafts are in selected driving engagement with each other for transmitting the motion of the first gear shaft to the second gear shaft.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.