US 5,315,770 A · Roadway trenching apparatus

Abstract

A self propelled apparatus for digging a shallow trench along one side of a roadway is disclosed, and which is useful as part of a roadway widening operation. The apparatus comprises a cutter drum mounted to one side of the chassis of the apparatus, and a conveyor belt is mounted to the same side of the chassis with an inlet end positioned immediately adjacent the cutter drum and an elevated outlet end positioned beyond the forward end of the chassis. An enclosure surrounds the cutter drum so that the drum may be rotated in a downwardly cutting direction, and the loosened soil or other material may be lifted and guided around the drum and deposited onto the conveyor. The cutter drum includes one or more extensions which may be coaxially mounted thereto, so as to permit the width of the cutter drum and thus the width of the resulting trench to be selectively varied.

Claims29

Dependent claims

A self propelled apparatus for digging a shallow trench and removing the soil therefrom during movement of the apparatus along the ground surface, and comprising

a chassis defining front and rear ends, and opposite sides, and further defining a longitudinal centerline extending between said front and rear ends,
a plurality of wheel assemblies mounted to said chassis for permitting movement along the ground surface,
a cutter drum mounted to said chassis for rotation about a generally horizontal axis and so as to be adapted to engage and dig into the ground surface and form a trench as the apparatus moves forwardly along the ground surface,
prime mover means mounted to said chassis for advancing the apparatus in a forward direction and for rotating said cutter drum so that the lowermost portion thereof moves in a rearward direction,
conveyor means having an inlet end positioned immediately forwardly of said cutter drum and an elevated outlet end positioned beyond the said front end of the chassis, and
enclosure means enclosing said cutter drum so that the soil which is loosened and removed by the rotating cutter drum is guided about said cutter drum and deposited onto said inlet end of said conveyor means and discharged at said outlet end thereof.

3 more elements

A self propelled apparatus for digging a shallow trench and removing the soil therefrom along one side of a roadway during forward movement of said apparatus and as part of a roadway widening operation, and comprising

a chassis defining a perimeter which includes front and rear ends, and opposite sides, and further defining a longitudinal centerline extending between said front and rear ends,
a plurality of wheel assemblies mounted to said chassis for permitting movement along the ground surface,
a cutter drum mounted to said chassis so as to be positioned adjacent one of said opposite sides thereof and at least essentially outside of said perimeter of said chassis, and for rotation about a generally horizontal axis which extends between said opposite sides of said chassis and so as to be adapted to engage and dig into the ground surface and form a trench as the apparatus moves forwardly along the ground surface,
prime mover means mounted to said chassis for advancing the apparatus in a forward direction and for rotating said cutter drum about said horizontal axis,
conveyor means mounted along said one of said opposite sides of said chassis and having an inlet end positioned immediately adjacent said cutter drum and an elevated outlet end positioned beyond one of said ends of the apparatus, and
enclosure means enclosing said cutter drum so that the soil which is loosened and removed by the rotating cutter drum is deposited onto said inlet end of said conveyor means.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Roadway trenching apparatus

Life of this patent

Roadway trenching apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims29