Apparatus for cleaning irrigation ditch

Apparatus for removing debris from an irrigation ditch bounded by a bottom surface with side members extending upwardly therefrom said apparatus comprising:

• (a) a frame including a drive wheel for movably contacting the bottom surface of an irrigation ditch;
• (b) drive means mounted on said frame and coupled to said drive wheel for propelling said frame along the ditch;
• (c) control means affixed to said frame for permitting operator control of said drive means;
• (d) a forwardly-extending base member affixed to said frame, said base member having first and second opposing side edges and forward and rear edges;
• (e) first and second upwardly-extending side members affixed to said first and second side edges respectively, said base and side members being dimensioned to fit within said ditch;
• (f) a frame extension extending laterally from said frame in the direction of said second side member;
• (g) transport means for moving the debris, said transport means being mounted on said frame and frame extension spaced adjacent to said second side member and including:
• i. first and second sprockets affixed to said frame and said frame extension respectively, said first sprocket being located on said frame proximate to the base member, and
• ii. a chain containing spaced flights and encircling said first and second sprockets;
• and
• (h) coupling means connected to said drive means and including clutch means for controlling movement of said chain for imparting movement to the transport means whereby debris located on said base member is urged by the flights of said transport means upwardly along said second side member for removal from the ditch.