Trenching machine with longitudinally stabilized main frame for stabilizing digging implement
OwnerJerry F. Gilbertinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An excavating machine has a track mounted main frame with a digging implement mounted to one end of the main frame for vertical adjustment in the usual manner. A stabilizer apparatus is pivotally mounted to the other end of the main frame. The stabilizer apparatus has a wheel that is forced against the ground to tilt the main frame longitudinally about the support track in order to dampen oscillations induced into the machine by the digging implement and to force the digging implement to engage the ground with a constant force which enables the excavating machine to excavate material in an improved manner.
Claims20
A ground supported excavating machine having a main frame, said main frame has opposed ends;
- support and propelling means attached to said main frame for supporting and propelling the machine along the ground;
- means supporting a digging implement at one end of said main frame for excavating longitudinally of said main frame as the machine travels along the ground, and a stabilizer apparatus supported at the other end of said main frame in opposition to the digging implement;
- said stabilizer apparatus includes a knuckle to which there is pivotally attached a yoke for pivoting about a vertical axis;
- a horizontally mounted wheel axle attached to the lower end of said yoke, a wheel rotatably supported in journaled relationship on said axle;
- said yoke and knuckle cooperate together to allow said wheel to caster as it makes rolling contact with the ground;
- said stabilizer apparatus further includes elevator means to which said knuckle is attached;
- said stabilizer apparatus is attached for movement to said main frame for elevating and for lowering said knuckle and thereby place the wheel in rolling contact with the ground and thereby elevate the end of the frame to which the stabilizer apparatus is attached while selectively forcing said digging implement against the ground;
- and, means for controlling the force with which the elevator means elevates and lowers said knuckle respective to the frame.
An excavating machine having a main frame with opposed ends, means supporting and propelling said main frame along the ground;
- a digging implement;
- a mount means for supporting said digging implement from one end of said main frame;
- the improvement comprising:
- a stabilizer means for reducing rocking motion of said main frame about said main frame support while said digging implement is forced into engagement with the ground with a selected magnitude of force;
- said stabilizer means includes a support structure affixed to the end of said main frame that is opposed to said digging implement;
- said stabilizer means includes an elevator means that is supported respective to said support structure;
- a wheel, said elevator means having opposed ends with one end being journaled to said support structure and connected for low friction pivotal movement respective to said main frame and the other end thereof being connected to support said wheel;
- said elevator means includes hydraulic cylinder means connected to pivot said elevator means to thereby engage the ground with said wheel and force the end of the main frame to move vertically in one direction while the other end thereof moves vertically in the opposite direction;
- whereby;
- the constant force with which the wheel makes rolling contact with the ground is selected and thereby elevate the end of the frame to which the stabilizer apparatus is attached while selectively forcing said digging implement against the ground with a selected constant force.
An excavating machine having a main frame with opposed ends, said main frame is track mounted for propelling the machine longitudinally along the ground;
- a digging implement;
- a mount means for supporting said digging implement from one end of said main frame;
- a counterweight attached to the other end of said main frame;
- a stabilizer means attached to said counterweight for reducing rocking motion of said excavating machine;
- means for moving said counterweight longitudinally of said excavating machine;
- a support structure by which said counterweight is affixed to said main frame;
- said stabilizer means includes an elevator means that is supported respective to said support structure;
- said elevator means includes a wheel, said elevator means having opposed ends with one end being journaled to said support structure and connected for low friction pivotal movement respective to said main frame and the other end thereof being connected to support said wheel;
- said elevator means includes hydraulic cylinder means connected to pivot said elevator means to thereby engage the ground with said wheel and force the end of the main frame to move vertically;
- whereby;
- a constant force with which the wheel makes rolling contact with the ground can be selected and thereby elevate the end of the frame to which the stabilizer apparatus is attached while selectively forcing said digging implement against the ground with a selected constant force.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.