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US 8,205,361 B2Granted
Walk-behind trenching machine
AssigneeThe Toro Company
InventorsJohn P. Azure, Tanner L. Erickson, Glenn D. Liubakka
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A walk-behind trenching vehicle incorporating a trenching boom with an endless trenching chain. The trenching boom may be connected to a forward end of the vehicle via a dual pivot mechanism. The boom may be movable between an operating position and a transport position via a single actuator, e.g., hydraulic cylinder.
Claims20
A walk-behind steerable trencher, comprising:
- a frame defining a stationary pivot joint located near a forward end of the frame;
- two independently powered ground-contacting tracks, one located on each of a first and a second side of the frame;
- and
- a trenching boom comprising:
- an elongate boom guide;
- an endless cutting element movable along the boom guide;
- and
- an attachment arm comprising a forward end attached to the boom guide and an aft end pivotally attached to the frame at the pivot joint, wherein the attachment arm is configured to offset the boom guide relative to the frame,
- the trenching boom operable to pivot, relative to the frame and about the pivot joint, between:
- an operating position, wherein at least a portion of the cutting element is positioned below a ground surface upon which the tracks rest;
- and an elevated transport position, wherein the boom is suspended forward of the forward end of the frame and above the ground surface at an elevation adequate to prevent contact of the boom with the ground surface during trencher transport over the ground surface, and wherein the two tracks alone are configured to contact the ground surface when the trenching boom is in the transport position.
8 more elements
A walk-behind steerable trencher, comprising:
- a frame comprising a forward end and left and right sides, the frame defining a pivot joint located near the forward end;
- two independently powered ground-contacting tracks, one located on each of the left and right sides of the frame;
- and
- a trenching boom comprising:
- an elongate boom guide;
- an endless cutting element movable along the boom guide;
- and
- an attachment arm extending from the boom guide, the attachment arm pivotally attached to the frame at the pivot joint such that movement of the boom guide relative to the frame is limited to pivotal movement of the trenching boom about the pivot joint, wherein the attachment arm is configured to offset the boom guide relative to the frame;
- the trenching boom operable to pivot, relative to the frame and about the pivot joint, between:
- an operating position, wherein at least a portion of the cutting element is positioned below a ground surface upon which the tracks rest;
- and an elevated transport position, wherein the boom is suspended forward of the forward end of the frame and above the ground surface at an elevation adequate to prevent contact of the boom with the ground surface during trencher transport over the ground surface, and wherein the two tracks alone are configured to support the trencher upon the ground surface when the trenching boom is in the transport position.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.