Trenching apparatus and methods of forming inground retaining walls
AssigneeFoundation Technology Limited
InventorPaul A. Camilleri
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A trenching apparatus (10) is for excavating deep trenches in which inground concrete retaining or foundation walls may be formed. The trenching apparatus (10) has a crawler base (11) on which a carrier assembly (14) is pivotally supported by pivots (16) whereby it may be tilted by rams (17) to maintain the platform horizontal. An automatic control device (64) is provided for this purpose. The carrier assembly (14) has a pair of rails (18/19) along which a carriage (21) may move. The carriage (21) supports a sleeve (24) through which a trenching arm (25) may be lowered to excavate a trench section as the carriage (21) is driven along the rails (18/19).
Claims14
Trenching apparatus comprising:
- a supporting base supported for longitudinal movement along an excavation line;
- a carriage;
- mounting means for mounting said carriage on said supporting base, said carriage being restrained by said mounting means for longitudinal movement along said supporting base;
- and
- a trenching arm assembly supported by said carriage and operable to excavate a section of trench along said excavation line as said carriage moves longitudinally along said supporting base, said trenching arm assembly including a trenching arm frame, said trenching arm frame supporting opposed trench-engaging members which may be forced outwardly into engagement with the opposed side walls of a trench, and advancing means associated with said members for advancing said trenching arm frame.
A trenching apparatus, comprising:
- a trenching arm assembly having an upper end and a lower end;
- an above ground propulsion unit connected to said upper end of said trenching arm assembly for advancing said upper end of said trenching arm assembly along an excavation line;
- digger means associated with said trenching arm assembly for initially digging said trenching arm assembly substantially vertically downwardly from ground level to a position wherein said lower end of said trenching arm assembly is located below ground;
- and
- a below ground propulsion unit carried by said lower end of said trenching arm assembly for advancing said lower end of said trenching arm assembly, as said above ground propulsion unit advances said upper end thereof, along said excavation line.
A trenching method, comprising:
- digging substantially vertically downwardly from ground level to a desired trench depth using a trenching arm assembly so that a below ground propulsion unit mounted to a lower end of said trenching arm assembly is located below ground level;
- excavating a trench by propelling an upper end of said trenching arm assembly along an excavation line with an above ground propulsion unit, and by propelling said lower end of said trenching arm assembly along said excavation line with said below ground propulsion unit.
A trenching method, comprising:
- digging substantially vertically downwardly from ground level to a desired trench depth using a digger mechanism associated with a trenching arm assembly so that a lower end of said trenching arm assembly is located below ground;
- excavating a trench by propelling an upper end of said trenching arm assembly along a desired trench line with an above ground propulsion unit, and by propelling said lower end of said trenching arm assembly along said desired trench line with a below ground propulsion unit which is separate from said digger mechanism.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.