U.S. patent application number 11/220009 was filed with the patent office on 2007-04-26 for walk behind trencher for limited depth installations.
Invention is credited to Richard Walter SR. Sigmund.
Application Number | 20070089329 11/220009 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37983993 |
Filed Date | 2007-04-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070089329 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sigmund; Richard Walter
SR. |
April 26, 2007 |
Walk behind trencher for limited depth installations
Abstract
This invention relates to mechanized drive units and a trenching
attachment thereto for installing low-voltage wire, cable or fiber
optic media. It is specifically an improved mechanized drive unit
and attachment that can vary its driving speed and trenching speed
independently, and have an extremely narrow width of cut so as to
vastly improve the cutting operation. Additionally, it improves the
operation in existing residential or light commercial installations
by being small and having an improved turning radius as to better
negotiate and maneuver. Lastly, it improves the consistency of wire
and cable installation by forcing the installed media to the
maximum depth tightly in proximity to the cutting operation
itself.
Inventors: |
Sigmund; Richard Walter SR.;
(Medford, WI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Richard S. Missimer
PO Box 486
Butler
WI
53007-0486
US
|
Family ID: |
37983993 |
Appl. No.: |
11/220009 |
Filed: |
October 22, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
37/370 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E02F 5/08 20130101; E02F
5/101 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
037/370 |
International
Class: |
E02D 17/06 20060101
E02D017/06 |
Claims
1. An apparatus for installing small wires and cables underground
that comprises: A. handlebars placed in a manner that allows the
operator to safely push and guide said apparatus; B. a driving
mechanism; C. a hydraulic pump installed so that said driving
mechanism's motorization causes the oil of the pump to flow; D. a
trenching mechanism; E. a hydraulic motor installed in said
trenching mechanism in such a manner that its speed is controlled
separately from the speed of said driving mechanism; F. a trenching
blade that is made from the abrasion-resistant group of metals or
some similar material; that has carbide, or some other type of
teeth that are machined, cast, molded, welded or otherwise
incorporated into said trenching blade; and that is connected to
said trenching mechanism; G a wire feeder that is connected to said
trenching mechanism in a manner that allows the wire to be fed into
the trench after said trenching blade has cut the trench; H. one or
more spool-holders that are connected to said apparatus in a manner
that allows the wire, cable, or similar material to flow from its
source to said wire feeder and from said wire feeder into the
trench; I. a pivoting device that connects said driving mechanism
to said trenching mechanism and allows for the oil from the pump in
said driving mechanism to flow to the hydraulic motor in said
trenching mechanism; J. a gauge wheel connected to said apparatus
in such a manner that allows for said gauge wheel to adjust the
height of said trenching blade and said wire feeder whereby the
wire, cable, or similar material can be placed at the bottom of the
trench, and easily inserted and/or removed without cutting or
damaging the said wire, cable, or similar material; and whereby
said gauge wheel can be dropped into a caster position allowing
said trenching blade to be free of the ground while walking to or
from the work site; Whereby said apparatus in claim 1 can vary its
driving speed and trenching speed independently, vary its trenching
depth and width, and easily negotiate turns.
2. Said trenching blade in claim 1 that cuts a trench from 5/16''
to 3/8'' wide.
3. Said trenching blade in claim 1 that cuts a trench from 9/16''
to 5/8'' wide.
4. Said trenching blade in claim 1 that cuts a trench from 1'' to
11/4'' wide.
5. Said trenching blade in claim 1 controlled by a lever that
allows the blade to rotate either forward (in the same direction as
the wheels) or backward (in the opposite direction of the wheels);
whereby said trenching blade can easily cut under normal trenching
conditions such as lawn, gravel driveways, hard packed clay, etc.
when said trenching blade is required to turn backward; and
whereby, under other trenching conditions, such as swampy lake
shore areas or soggy fresh fill, said trenching blade may be
required to turn forward.
6. Said handlebars in claim 1 designed to be folded down; whereby
said apparatus in claim 1 can be stored and shipped with ease.
7. Said handlebars in claim 1 designed to pivot; whereby the
operator may trench under low hanging branches or along wire or
wooden fences while the operators is in the clear.
8. Said driving mechanism in claim 1 controlled by a lever that
allows said driving mechanism to operate at a variable speed;
whereby the operator may select a speed from 0 to a comfortable
walking speed without gear shifting.
9. A unit for installing small wires and cables underground that
attaches to an apparatus comprising of: A. a trenching mechanism;
B. a hydraulic motor installed in said trenching mechanism in such
a manner that its speed is controlled separately from the speed of
the driving mechanism; C. a trenching blade that is made from the
abrasion-resistant group of metals or some similar material; that
has carbide, or some other type of teeth that are machined, cast,
molded, welded or otherwise incorporated into said trenching blade;
and that is connected to said trenching mechanism; D a wire feeder
that is connected to said trenching mechanism in a manner that
allows the wire to be fed into the trench after said trenching
blade has cut the trench; E. one or more spool-holders that are
connected to said unit in a manner that allows the wire, cable, or
similar material to flow from its source to said wire feeder and
from said wire feeder into the trench; F. a pivoting device that
connects said unit to said trenching apparatus; G. a gauge wheel
connected to said unit in such a manner that allows for said gauge
wheel to adjust the height of said trenching blade and said wire
feeder whereby the wire, cable, or similar material can be placed
at the bottom of the trench, and easily inserted and/or removed
without cutting or damaging the said wire, cable, or similar
material; and whereby said gauge wheel can be dropped into a caster
position allowing said trenching blade to be free of the ground
while walking to or from the work site; Whereby said unit in claim
9 can vary its driving speed and independently from the trenching
apparatus's speed, vary its trenching depth and width, and easily
negotiate turns.
10. Said trenching blade in claim 9 that cuts a trench from 5/16''
to 3/8'' wide.
11. Said trenching blade in claim 9 that cuts a trench from 9/16''
to 5/8'' wide.
12. Said trenching blade in claim 9 that cuts a trench from 1'' to
11/4'' wide.
13. Said trenching blade in claim 9 controlled by a lever that
allows the blade to rotate either forward (in the same direction as
the wheels) or backward (in the opposite direction of the wheels);
whereby said trenching blade can easily cut under normal trenching
conditions such as lawn, gravel driveways, hard packed clay, etc.
when said trenching blade is required to turn backward; and
whereby, under other trenching conditions, such as swampy lake
shore areas or soggy fresh fill, said trenching blade may be
required to turn forward.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to and is used for installing low
voltage circuits (i.e. wire or small cable) or for the installation
of fiber optic media in existing residential or light commercial
locations. It is an improvement of existing trenchers in that the
installer would walk behind, and control similarly to motor powered
lawn or garden devices such as tractors, tillers, movers or
edgers.
DISCUSSION OF PRIOR ART
[0002] Although most prior trenchers and trench digging units--such
as U.S. Pat. No. 4,812,078 to Rivard (1989)--are good for
installing pipe and digging deep trenches, they can be overkill for
wire and cable installations, where a smaller trench is needed.
Utility installation contractors have used disc trenchers for years
to cut through rock and other debris that other trenchers simply
could not penetrate. Utility disc trenchers, however, are useless
for shallow wire installations, which include, but are not limited
to, underground fences and television cable.
[0003] Previous designs for wire and cable trenchers connected the
driving mechanism to the trenching mechanism. Thus, the only speed
at which the trenching mechanism could operate was the driving
mechanism's speed. Such trenchers were unable to cut straight,
dependable trenches through underground materials other than soil,
such as gravel, hard-packed clay, granite, shale, sandstone, lime
stone, concrete, and tree/bush/plant roots. U.S. Pat. No. 5,320,451
to Garvey, et al. (1994), for example, is a tiller attachment for
laying cables that connects the "cutting wheel" to the "drive
shaft." So, when the "cutting wheel" encounters an underground
material that is harder than the soil, the speed of the driving
mechanism and the trenching mechanism stay the same. Hence, the
"cutting wheel" would be forced over the harder material rather
than through it, and the resulting trench would vary in both depth
and direction.
[0004] Moreover, other wire and cable trenchers, such as U.S. Pat.
No. 5,320,451 to Garvey, et al. (1994), have rigidly mounted
trenching blades. Rigidly mounted trenching blades cause the wheels
of the trencher to skid sideways when negotiating a turn because
the blade is buried in the ground and cannot pivot to facilitate
steering of the machine.
[0005] Finally, prior wire and cable trenchers, like U.S. Pat. No.
6,189,244 to Johnson (2001), use trenching blades that cut trenches
so wide that the path must be backfilled. In other words, the path
that the blade cut would need to be refilled over the cable or
wire.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0006] This mechanized unit or mechanized unit attachment
("unit/attachment") is designed for installing underground pet
fence wiring. Variations on this unit/attachment would allow it to
be used for installing other low-voltage outdoor wiring, such as
television cable, dog fencing, low voltage landscape lighting, and
fiber optic media.
[0007] This unit/attachment features a mechanized driving unit and
a mechanized trenching unit that operate independently of each
other. Hence, the unit/attachment can be driven at a drive speed
that is other than the rotation speed of the cutting blade. This
allows the unit/attachment to cut easily through hard underground
materials such as gravel, hard-packed clay, granite, shale,
sandstone, limestone, concrete, and tree/bush/plant roots. By
increasing the blade rotation speed and decreasing the drive speed
this unit can virtually cut through any obstacle.
[0008] The unit/attachment also features a pivoting blade assembly,
and pivoting wire shoe, also referred to as a wire feeder, that
follows the blade. Thus, the unit/attachment can easily negotiate
turns; and, using this trencher, the operator may easily and
rapidly trench for miles without having to completely stop or
struggle in order to make a turn.
[0009] This unit/attachment's traction and stability are superior
to that of earlier models. Hence, it is unparalleled for trenching
unstable terrain, and can stand up to rugged use while retaining
its maneuverability and ease of operation. In fact, this trencher
reduces the need for side-to-side movement, allowing for a
straighter, more stable trench.
[0010] Further, this trencher features either one (1), or two (2)
spool-holder(s). Each spool-holder has a capacity of up to 3,000
feet of 18 ga wire, allowing enough wire to cover up to forty (40)
acres, which is substantially more than previous trenchers have
allowed.
[0011] This trencher uses high-speed, motor-driven,
uniquely-designed, abrasion-resistant steel blades of varying size,
width, and teeth-type (including, but not limited to, carbide and
shark teeth). These blades dig up to a maximum depth of 5.5 inches,
allow trenching through all soil types, and can cut through various
types of solid materials, including, but not limited to, gravel,
hard-packed clay, granite, shale, sandstone, lime stone, concrete,
and tree/bush/plant roots. These blades create shallow, narrow
trenches so small that they eliminate the need for back-filling,
and prevent turf disruption, as well as over-excavation. The
dependable depth, at which these blades trench combined with the
wire fence that insures wire placement to the bottom of that
trench, ensures superior circuit performance of animal fences and
the like.
[0012] The specially designed wire shoe or wire feeder allows for
the replacement insertion and removal of wire without cutting or
damaging it.
[0013] The handlebars and controls pivot to the side, and fold down
for ease of storage and transportation. The mechanical connection
between the drive mechanism and the trenching attachment is done
via side-to-side pivot. This allows the system to tightly maneuver
and reduces the turning radius of the overall system.
[0014] The driving mechanism has variable speed and is controlled
by a hand lever, that does not require gear-shifting of any kind.
The handles fold-down to allow the trencher to be easily stored,
transported or shipped. It also allows the operator to trench
around low-ceiling areas, under tree branches, or next to low walls
and fences while the operator maneuvers the trencher from the other
side, in the clear.
[0015] Further objects and advantages of the invention will become
apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing
description.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0016] The subject of this invention are improvements to trenchers
that install low voltage wires, cables, and fiber optic media.
These improvements have to do with ease of use, quality of the
installation, and ultimately the safety of the user. When the drive
speed and the cutting speed are independently controlled ability to
cut through obstacles increases and with it the depth of cut is
more dependable. Combining these features with forcing the wire,
cable or media to the cut depth ensures consistent results. The
inventor has taken great strides to increase quality of the end
product while keeping costs reasonable. This invention is truly the
new state of the art in walk behind trenchers.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] The object and improvement of this invention is best
understood from the wording of the detailed description when taken
in context with the drawings supplied here within. These drawings
are detailed to be informative and may not reflect the actual item,
scale, or proportions. They are not intended to be the complete
representation of the invention, and should not be interpreted in a
way that limits the scope of the invention otherwise detailed in
other parts of this document.
[0018] FIG. 1 drawing of the complete drive and trencher
attachment.
[0019] FIG. 2 drawing of the pivot connection between the drive and
trenching attachment
[0020] FIG. 3 drawing of the trenching attachment
[0021] FIG. 4 drawing of the blade quick-change mechanism
DRAWINGS--Reference Numerals
[0022] 100--drive mechanism [0023] 101--trenching attachment [0024]
102--pivot between drive and trenching attachment [0025] 103--wire
spool holder [0026] 200--hinge assembly [0027] 201--bushing arm
[0028] 202--hinge pin [0029] 203--retaining clip [0030]
300--trenching assembly frame [0031] 301--hydraulic motor [0032]
302--wire guides [0033] 303--wire placement shoe [0034] 304--wire
placement shoe pivot [0035] 305--height adjustment wheel [0036]
306--quick connect hydraulic hoses [0037] 400--quick-change blade
assembly [0038] 401--carbide blade [0039] 402--quick-change hub
[0040] 403--hub shaft [0041] 404--removable blade hub [0042]
405--hardened dowel pin [0043] 406--retaining ring (o-ring) [0044]
407--hub hole
DETAILED DESCRIPTION AND PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0045] FIG. 1 shows a complete trenching system that includes the
drive mechanism 100, and the trenching attachment 101. These two
portions of the system can be used separately with various other
drive devices or attachments as would be appropriate. The two are
connected by a pivot 102, which is a key feature of this invention
for it allows the unit to tightly turn and to allow the user to
maneuver where attachments or blades that are rigidly attached
cannot.
[0046] FIG. 2 shows how the drive unit 100 and the trenching
attachment 101 combine to form the system herein described. This
attachment via pivot 102 is important because it suspends the
trenching attachment 101 vertically while allowing that trenching
attachment 101 to move horizontally. The vertical stability is
gained by use of a hinge 200 like mechanism with the attachment
held by a bushing 201 and a hinge pin 202 with retainer 203 to
prevent the hinge pin from working free. The horizontal motion is
free and the blade is allowed to arc to the extent necessary by the
maneuver. This substantially improves the turning radius while
reducing the stress on the blade itself. Such stress often is shown
by chipping and/or loss of the carbide teeth braised to the
blade.
[0047] FIG. 3 the trenching attachment consists of a frame 300,
hydraulic motor 301, a quick-change blade assembly 400, wire guides
302, wire placement shoe 303, wire placement shoe pivot 304, and
trench height adjustment wheel 305. This combination allows for
variable depth wire or cable installation by having the depth of
the trench set by the height-adjusting wheel 305 adjusted to the
required depth. It allows for separately adjustable cutting blade
speed by means of hydraulic motor 301, which is connected by
flexible hydraulic hoses 306 to the drive unit, which incorporates
a hydraulic pump attached to the gasoline motor drive. The result
is that this hydraulic motor 301 is hydraulically controlled and
inasmuch has fully independent speed control from the speed of the
drive wheels. Such control allows this system to cut through
obstacles where other systems raise up and glaze over these
obstacles.
[0048] FIG. 4 the quick-change blade assembly 400 has a custom
carbide tooth blade 401 of various tooth counts and profiles
attached to a quick-change hub 402. This hub is made up of four (4)
key components hub shaft 403, removable blade hub 404, hardened
dowel pin 405, and retaining ring 406. The combination of these
allows the user to quickly remove the blade by moving the retaining
clip out and away from the dowel pin 405 that holds the hub shaft
403 and blade hub 404 together. Once the retaining ring 406 is
moved the dowel pin 405 is easily removable by hand or with a small
rod or screwdriver. The dowel pin's removal allows the user to
easily pull the blade hub 404 from the hub shaft 403 even if the
blade 401 is trapped in rock or other solid material. Once the
blade 401 is freed reattachment to the hub shaft 403 is simple by
placing the blade hub 404 on the hub shaft 403, and returning the
dowel pin 405 to the hub hole 407 and returning the retaining ring
406 (or in our case the o-ring) to surround the pin 405 itself.
* * * * *