Articulated vehicle for use in confining trench work

A powered vehicle for preparing a trough in crushed stone of similar material layed in a trench, and for covering over a drain pipe positioned in the trough with the material previously displaced therefrom, said vehicle comprising

• (a) body means having a rear section and a front section,
• (b) swivel means connecting said sections together and providing a swivel axis on which pivoting of said sections relative to each other in a substantially horizontal plan occurs,
• (c) wheel means on each of said sections,
• (d) motor means on said body means and transmission means connected to said motor means and to said wheel means for driving said wheel means selectively in a forward or rearward direction,
• (e) implement means supporting means comprising stanchion means having a vertical position axis and a longitudinal axis,
• (f) cooperating pivot means on said stanchion means and on an outer end portion of said front section, said pivot means allowing said stanchion means to be maintained in a generally upright posture on said front section while providing angular adjustability to said stanchion means, said adjustability comprising individual rotational and tilting paths of motion with respect to said vertical position axis,
• (g) said stanchion means further comprising work shaft means to which an implement means can be affixed, and cooperating elements of first bearing means on said work shaft means and on said stanchion means for allowing said work shaft means to move substantially longitudinally of said stanchion means in a generally up or down direction to provide a parallel path of motion with respect to said longitudinal axis for an implement means affixed to said work shaft means, said first bearing means being adapted to direct said shaft means and an implement means affixed thereto to move coincidentally with said stanchion means through each of said rotational and tilting paths of motion,
• (h) said pivot means comprising stationary race means on said outer end portion of said rear or front section, and armature means on said stanchion means and rotationally retained by said race means for allowing said rotational path of motion, said pivot means further comprising cooperating elements of second bearing means on said stanchion means and on said armature means and providing to said second bearing means a pivot axis oriented substantially normal to said vertical position axis for allowing said tilting path of motion,
• (i) first power means engaging said work shaft means for selectively moving the same in said generally up or down direction for providing said parallel path of motion, second power means engaging said stanchion means for selectively rotating the same in either direction about said vertical position axis to provide said rotational path of motion, and third power means engaging said stanchion means for selectively rotating the same in either direction about said pivot axis of said second bearing means to provide said tilting path of motion,
• (j) coupling means on said work shaft means for removably affixing an implement means thereto, and
• (k) individual control means on said vehicle for selectively actuating each of said first, second and third power means.