Ejector mechanism for an excavating wheel used in a dredging operation and associated method

An ejector mechanism adapted for use on a dredging apparatus (10) to remove silt from under the surface of a body of water, the dredging apparatus being operative in a forward and reverse direction and including first (32) and second (34) excavating wheel assemblies each having a plurality of silt retaining chambers (40) associated respectively therewith, the first and second excavating wheel assemblies being rotatably mounted to a wheel frame assembly (24) for movement in both a clockwise and a counterclockwise direction based upon the direction of movement of the dredging apparatus, the ejector mechanism comprising:

• a crankshaft member (56) rotatably mounted to the wheel frame assembly (24, 62, 64) and having first (58) and second (60) eccentric arm portions associated therewith, said crankshaft member (56) being operatively coupled to the first and second excavating wheel assemblies and being operative to rotate in proportion to the rotation of the excavating wheel assemblies (32, 34), said crankshaft member (56) being rotatable in both a clockwise and a counterclockwise direction based upon the direction of movement of the dredging apparatus (10);
• and
• first (70) and second (72) ejector members coupled to said first (58) and second (60) eccentric arm portions, said first and second eccentric arm portions being oriented such that the first ejector member (70) is moved into each of the silt retaining chambers (40) associated with the first excavating wheel assembly (32) during one revolution of the first wheel assembly (32) and the second ejector member (72) is moved into each of the silt retaining chambers (40) associated with the second excavating wheel assembly (34) during one revolution of the second wheel assembly (34).

A method for removing material from a plurality of chambers (40) defined within a pair of first (32) and second (34) wheel assemblies associated with a dredging apparatus (10), the dredging apparatus being operative in both a forward and reverse direction, the first and second wheel assemblies being rotatably mounted to a wheel frame assembly (24) for movement in both a clockwise and a counterclockwise direction based upon the direction of movement of the dredging apparatus, the method comprising the following steps:

• rotatably mounting a crankshaft member (56) to the wheel frame assembly (24, 62, 64), said crankshaft member having first (58) and second (60) eccentric arm portions associated therewith;
• operatively coupling said crankshaft member (56) to the first (32) and second (34) excavating wheel assemblies such that said crankshaft member (56) rotates in proportion to the rotation of the first (32) and second (34) wheel assemblies and in both a clockwise and a counterclockwise direction based upon the direction of movement of the dredging apparatus;
• providing first (70) and second (72) ejector members for coupling respectively to the first (58) and second (60) eccentric arm portions of said crankshaft member;
• and
• orienting said eccentric arm portions (58, 60) relative to each other such that the first ejector member (70) is moved into each of the chambers (40) associated with the first excavating wheel assembly (32) during one revolution of said first wheel assembly (32) and the second ejector member (72) is moved into each of the chambers (40) associated with the second excavating wheel assembly (34) during one revolution of said second wheel assembly (34).