U.S. patent number 3,595,411 [Application Number 04/835,642] was granted by the patent office on 1971-07-27 for roller attachments to hydraulic backhoe.
Invention is credited to Eugene O. Ables.
United States Patent |
3,595,411 |
Ables |
July 27, 1971 |
ROLLER ATTACHMENTS TO HYDRAULIC BACKHOE
Abstract
Roller means removably attachable to the back side of the
digging bucket of hydraulic backhoes operable, when the open face
of the bucket is facing at least to some degree upwardly, to roll
and compact earth; the effective rolling width of the roller means
being substantially equal to the width of the digging bucket; a
sheep's foot roller useable as such roller means with cleaning
plates provided in association therewith; alternate roller means
provided of substantially continuous available rolling surface to
handle silt-rolling operations.
Inventors: |
Ables; Eugene O. (Topeka,
KS) |
Family
ID: |
25270066 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/835,642 |
Filed: |
June 23, 1969 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
414/697; 404/121;
414/724; 37/403 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A01B
29/045 (20130101); E02D 3/032 (20130101); E02F
3/962 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A01B
29/04 (20060101); A01B 29/00 (20060101); E02D
3/00 (20060101); E02F 3/04 (20060101); E02F
3/96 (20060101); E02D 3/032 (20060101); A01b
029/04 (); E02f 003/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;94/50 ;214/138,145,146
;37/117.5,142.5 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Makay; Albert J.
Claims
Having thus described my invention, I claim:
1. In a backhoe construction in which a digging bucket is supported
from a vehicle by at least a pair of linked arm members,
with at least a pair of power pistons associated with said vehicle
and arms whereby to manipulate the latter and the bucket for
digging and filling purposes,
the improvements which comprise:
mounting means positioned on the back side of the digging bucket to
removably receive and removably attach roller means, said mounting
means positioned within the lateral extension of said digging
bucket so as to not extend outwardly laterally thereof,
roller means removably attached to said mounting means on the back
side of said digging bucket so that, when the open face of the
bucket is facing to some degree upwardly, the roller means may be
employed to roll and compact earth,
the effective rolling width of the roller means no greater than the
digging bucket width, whereby the roller and the means for mounting
and attaching same to the back side of the digging bucket are
positioned inside of the lateral extension of the digging bucket,
thereby to be usable in rolling dirt within a trench dug by said
bucket.
2. A device as in claim 1 wherein the roller is of the sheep's foot
type and sheep's foot-roller-cleaning means, comprising a plurality
of plates fixed to the back side of said digging bucket, extend
between the rows of sheep's foot members on rotation of said
sheep's foot roller.
3. A device as in claim 1 wherein the roller means is of the
silt-rolling type with substantially continuous rolling surfaces
across the width of the rolling means.
Description
Numerous types of backhoe devices have been developed and
commercialized, ranging from relatively small devices attached to a
standard tractor (which may also carry on its front end a loader)
to very large commercial units utilizing buckets ranging typically
from 18 to 36 inches in width and having up to a 2 1/2 -yard bucket
capacity.
The U.S. Pat. to Linneman, No. 2,891,335, issued June 23, 1959,
"Road Repair Equipment Roller Attachment for Graders," shows a
sheep's foot roller attached to a motor grader. The U.S. Pat. to
Gilreath, No. 2,657,619, issued Nov. 3, 1953, "Clod Breaker," shows
a roller device associated with a scraper blade. The U.S. Pat. to
Armington, No. 2,495,310, "Compaction Grader," issued Jan. 24,
1950, shows a vehicle provided with forward and rear tamping
rollers to grade loose material.
Armington shows the use of large-scale sheep's foot rollers on a
driven machine associated with a blade for spreading or grading
loose earth material, the sheep's foot rollers mounted on axles as
wheels and covering the width of the machine and blade. Gilreath
shows a clodbreaker comprising a plurality of notched or serrated
wheels mounted on the same axle and extending essentially the width
of the carrying vehicle's wheels, or greater, means being provided
to raise and lower same. A scraper may be associated with the
clodbreaker wheels. Linneman shows a frame (FIG. 4) which is too
large to fit in the trench and thus one cannot roll to the sides of
the trench.
Referring for example to devices of the character of Linneman, for
effective use the road must be smooth. Additionally, a roller such
as shown will not be able to pack the edges of the trench because
it would be wider than the narrow roller shown. Yet further such a
device would not handle tapered (with respect to depth cross
section) ditches, as the blade would go over them.
The basic purposes of backhoes are to dig trenches and holes.
Typical excavation purposes would include construction of septic
tanks, manholes, gasoline tank implacements, basements and garage
footings.
The analogy of use of a backhoe is to the human arm with a
17--18-foot reach. Not only does the backhoe pull the digging
bucket thereof toward the tractor or vehicle, but it also curls the
bucket under and up thereby to pick up the dirt. Then it swings to
the side and straightens the "hand" (bucket) out to dump the dirt
where desired.
In digging a trench, particularly for pipe implacement (typically
sewage or water pipes) one typically will put a lift of sand or
gravel in the bottom of the trench, which is considered bedding
rock or sand under the pipe.
In a sewer job, there are stakes set up to indicate requirements to
excavate to a certain depth. A manhole is typically positioned in
the street and then one goes across the curb to another manhole.
Grade stakes are employed for the purpose of making trenches to a
depth whereby water may be flowed on gravity around the town. There
are curb and gutter grades in the street.
Pressure piping, on the other hand, follows the contours of the
land and the digger grades to an equal depth.
A large backhoe can typically work from ground level to 20-foot
depth. A smaller backhoe can work to a depth of 12 feet.
The average width of trenches is 2 feet.
With respect to filling in trenches, city specifications usually
provide that the trenches be compacted back, even on parkings. The
only places that the trenches would not be compacted back would be
on rights-of-way or easements, which permit settling. All driveways
are packed. 95 percent of the filled trenches are tested. If the
company reputation is reliable, only one or two tests on a job may
be made.
Each plan specifies that fills go back in in 6--12 to 18-inch-thick
lifts.
The city specifications provide that the operation is not to
overdig the trench bottom with respect to the pipe width. The
standard bucket is 24 inches wide; any size of machine.
It is quite common for operators of hydraulic backhoes to use the
rear face of the backhoe in pounding dirt and gravel back into a
trench. However, this is very hard on the mechanism, attachments,
etc. and the manufacturing company will remove the warranty if it
finds out that such is being done.
The old cable backhoe machines had insufficient versatility of the
bucket to be able to tamp. However, this is not true of the
presently available hydraulic machines.
A main typically includes utilities, telephone cables and sewer or
water pipes. Sewer pipes are typically machine laid and pushed
together and have slip joints. Water pipes nowadays have slip
joints with gaskets.
An object of the instant invention is to provide a useful
attachment to a backhoe.
Another object of the invention is to provide a roller attachment
adaptable to be removably fixed to the backhoe to enable filling
operations to be completed with proper compaction of the
backfill.
Another object of the invention is to provide sheep's foot roller
and silt-type roller attachments for backhoes both of which greatly
improve the scope and usefulness of the backhoe for a minimum cost,
said devices removable and also usable with the backhoe in such
manner as to not impede the normal operation of the backhoe.
Another object of the invention is to provide a roller attachment
for a backhoe which obviates the necessity or temptation of using
the rear face of the backhoe itself as a tamping or ramming device
in the backfilling operation.
Another object of the invention is to provide a device usable in
conjunction with a backhoe which greatly improves the capacity for
filling and tamping trench works and excavations initially effected
by the backhoe.
An object of the invention is to provide a tamping device for use
in association with a backhoe which is usable in either dry soil or
silty soil conditions. In the former case, a sheep's foot
configuration is employed with cleaning means associated with the
sheep's foot projections. In the latter instance, the cleaning
attachment may be removed for use of a rolling means which is more
continuous in its application to the surface to be rolled.
Another object of the invention is to provide a rolling device
adapted to be used in conjunction with backhoes of sizes ranging
from the smallest to the largest, that is, a smaller width rolling
device would not be used with larger width backhoe device, but the
same style or construction of rolling device may be used with
greater or lesser width backhoes.
Another object of the invention is to provide rolling means and
compacting devices for use in association with backhoes which will
operate to pack the edges of trenches and excavations to be filled
and, additionally, will handle tapered cross section ditches.
Another object of the invention is to provide means and devices
which may be used in association particularly with hydraulic
backhoes which may cure some of the objectionable uses to which the
said hydraulic backhoes have been applied. That is, since operators
of the conventional backhoes have been prone to use same in
compacting operations in digging and refilling, the means provided
permit the carrying out of such desired additional actions and
activities without damage to the backhoe or the fittings
thereof.
Another object of the invention is to provide rolling means and
devices for compacting soil in excavations made by backhoe devices
including holes, trenches and excavations of all types.
Another object of the invention is a device which is readily and
removably attachable to a backhoe which will operate to completely
and fully tamp the backfill into a trench or excavation in
successive stages as the filling operation proceeds, the device
working across the entire width of a conventionally sized
trench.
Another object of the invention is to provide attachable means to a
hydraulic backhoe whereby the backhoe will not only dig the trench
and backfill same, but also roll in such manner that one machine
accomplishes the results of a digging machine, a backfilling
machine, air tamps and vibrators.
Another object of the invention is to provide means attachable to a
backhoe construction which can adequately tamp overdug trenches
because the backhoe-carrying vehicle may be tilted and the
attachment will reach wherever the backhoe would reach, indeed
further.
An object of the invention is to provide a device to be used in the
backfilling of excavation and trenches which adds versatility to
the backhoe itself, because, as an attachment thereto, it comprises
a considerable extension of length thereto and thus gives greater
versatility in handling the backfilled and filling soil to compact
same.
Other and further objects of the invention will appear in the
course of the following description thereof.
In the drawing, which form a part of the instant specification and
are to be read in conjunction therewith, embodiments of the
invention are shown and, in the various view, like numerals are
employed to indicate like parts.
FIG. 1 is a side view of a part of the mechanism of a backhoe with
the improvement or attachment mounted thereon.
FIG. 2 is an end view of the roller attachment for the backhoe of
FIG. 1 looking upwardly in the view of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a view of the other end of the roller for the backhoes,
that is looking downwardly in the views of FIGS. 1 and 2.
FIG. 4 is a view taken along the lines 4-4 of FIG. 2 in the
direction of the arrows.
FIG. 5 is a view taken along the lines 5-5 of FIG. 2 in the
direction of the arrows.
FIG. 6 is a view taken along the lines 6-6 of FIG. 2 in the
direction of the arrows.
FIG. 7 is a fragmentary side view of a silt-type roller mounted on
the frame of the sheep's foot roller shown.
FIG. 8 is a detail of one of the feet of the sheep's foot
roller.
Referring first to FIG. 1, in the upper portion of this view is
shown a portion of a typical and conventional backhoe. Thus, first
bucket-supporting arm 10 is pivotally attached at one end 10a
thereof to a vehicle or a portion of a vehicle such as the rear end
of a tractor. A hydraulic or a pneumatic cylinder 11 is attached at
its inner end 11a to the frame of a tractor or vehicle and operates
so as to extend and retract piston rod 12. A second
bucket-supporting arm 13 is pivotally attached at one end thereof
to arm 10 within bracket or frame 14 and is pivotally attached at
its other end to bucket 15 at 13a. Bucket 15 opens upwardly in the
view of FIG. 1. A second hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder 16 is
attached at 17 to bracket or frame 14 and operates to extend and
withdraw piston rod 18. Piston rods 12 and 18, in the view of FIG.
1, are both shown in fully extended position. This puts the bucket
15 in the raised, curled position typical after a full digging
stroke. At this position, typically, the bucket would be full of
dirt immediately prior to being dumped before scooping another
load.
Frame members or arms 19 and 20 are each attached at one end to the
end of piston rod 18 at 18a. Arm 19 connects at 19a to arm 13,
while arm 20 connects at 20a to one side or the top side (in
digging position) of bucket 15. The cutting edge or digging edge of
bucket 15 is seen at 15a. The attachments of arm 13 at 13a and arm
20 at 20a to bucket 15 is between a pair of spaced parallel flanges
21.
All of the previously described structure is that of a conventional
backhoe. The structure of the arms, the relative relationships of
the arms to one another, the connections of the hydraulic or
pneumatic pistons to the vehicle and to the frame and to the
various arms may be varied in numerous manners, but that shown is
very typical for a relatively smaller backhoe device. In a larger
backhoe, there would be a larger and more complexly shaped
carrying-arm attachment to the tractor or vehicle with an
additional set of hydraulic pistons provided for manipulating such
carrying arm.
It is understood that it is known to the art that numerous
attachments may be made to the backhoe frame other than the bucket,
such as compacting or impacting devices of the character of
spring-mounted plates, hydraulically operated hammers of the like.
The instant invention could be employed in connection with another
attachment to the backhoe arms other than a digging bucket, but the
use in conjunction therewith is by far the most practical.
Turning, then, to the improvement, there is attached to the lower
side of bucket 15, side 15b in FIG. 1, spaced from flanges 21, a
pair of plates 22 and 23, which are mounted by suitable bolts to
said wall 15b. These latter bolts are indicated at 22a and 23a.
Attached to plates 22 and 23 are a pair of hooklike members 24 and
25. Plates 22 and 23 and and hook arms or plates 24 and 25 are not
normally carried with the operating bucket of the backhoe and are
only applied immediately prior to attachment of the roller of the
instant invention to the bucket.
Turning to the roller itself, a baseplate 26 having end flanges 26a
and 26b has attached to the upward side thereof in the end thereof
(view of FIG. 1) shaft 28, the latter being internally threaded at
each end thereof to receive bolt 29 therein thereby to engage shaft
or bar 28 between paired flanges 21.
Two pairs of ears 30 and 31 are connected to the upper side (FIG. 1
view) of plate 26, each pair carrying pins or shafts 32 and 33
therein whereby to be engaged by hook members 24 and 25 in the
manner seen in FIG. 6 when the device is to be attached to the
bucket of the backhoe.
A pair of main mounting plates 35 and 36 are connected at their
upper ends (FIG. 1 view) to plate 26 and flanges 26a and b in rigid
manner. Also attached to plate 26, on the downward side thereof
(FIG. 1 view) is baseplate 37 carrying a plurality of cleaning
blades or flanges 38 thereon, the latter extending outwardly in
spaced relationship to one another at right angles to plate 37. The
latter is removable fastened by bolts 39 to plate 26.
Referring to FIGS. 2, 4, and 5, a pair of collars 39a and 39b are
fixedly received in sideplates 35 and 36, respectively. An elongate
shaft 40 is removably fixed by pins 41a and 41b into said collars
37 and 38. Bearings 42 and 43 are positioned inwardly of collars 37
and 38 on said shaft 39. A barrel is mounted on said shaft 39. A
barrel is mounted on said shaft and comprises a cylindrical wall 44
having end members 45 and 46 fixed inwardly of the ends thereof.
Bearings 42 and 43 are fixed to barrel flanges 45 and 46 and the
bearings and barrel rotate on shaft 39. Collars 37 and 38 are
welded to sideplates 36 and 37. Alternatively, bearings may be
removably bolted on plates 35 and 36 and extending inwardly thereof
toward flanges 45 and 46 to ease removal of the roller barrel. End
members 45 and 46 have openings 47 and 48 centrally therethrough.
Fixed on the outer surface of the wall 44 are a plurality of
regularly arranged and spaced sheep's foot or legs 49. These are so
spaced and arranged on the drum or wall 44 that plates 38 pass
therebetween to clean same as the drum rotates on the shaft 39.
FIG. 8 shows a preferred form detail of the sheep's foot 49 or legs
of the roller with a thickened base portion 49a and a lesser
diameter bearing portion 49b.
The structure of FIG. 7 shows the use of a shaft construction which
mounts a plurality of rubber-tired wheels 55 mounted centrally on
rims 56. The wheels are crowded next to one another on the shaft
39' with only such bearings therebetween as to give some spacing of
a minimum friction-reducing character between the individual rubber
tires 55 whereby a silt-rolling means is achieved without
substantial gaps between the surfaces contacting the dirt either
longitudinally of the shaft or radially around the axle. In order
to use this type of a dirt-rolling device, the cleaning plates 38
must be removed from the baseplate 26.
In use of the device, shafts 32 and 33 are set into the hooked
members 23 and 25 for engagement as is seen in FIG. 2. Beam 27 is
positioned so that bar member 28 is positioned between flanges 21
and bolts 29 are threaded through flanges 21 (the openings 29
thereof) whereby to make a complete engagement. The rigid beam
27--bolt 29 engagement holds the shafts 32 and 33 in the hook
members 24 and 25. It should be noted that flanges 21
conventionally have a pair of openings adjacent the end thereof
shown for alternate mounting of arm 20. The utilization of the
front or down openings in the view of FIG. 1 permits attachment of
the device without changing of the commercially provided
backhoe.
Once the device is attached, as seen, it is assumed that the
backfilling and compacting job is to be commenced. The dirt may be
moved back into the excavation by a front blade, a bucket or other
means on the other end of the tractor, if the vehicle involved is a
tractor, or a separate vehicle with separate means. However, it
well may be more convenient and quicker to drag the piled dirt back
into the trench by the backhoe with roller attached and roll
simultaneously with dirt return. On the back-roll stroke the bucket
opens up for another grab of dirt from adjacent the trench.
Thereafter, with the arms 10 and 13 starting essentially from the
position seen in FIG. 1, the roller device may be used to compact
the soil down into a trench or other excavation to the degree
desired, then another load of dirt put into the excavation, the
same rolled, etc. In the event there is a silt base involved, the
roller of FIG. 7 is employed, but attached in the same way as seen
in FIG. 1. Plates 38 are removed with their baseplate 37 by
removing bolts 39. When the backfilling job is completed, the
roller may be detached by first removing bolts 29 and then
disengaging the shafts 32 and 33 from the hook members 24 and
25.
One of the purposes of the instant device is that, if the operator
puts the fill back into the hole, he may compact the fill. The fill
may be pushed in by other vehicles or the front loader if the hoe
is attached to the rear end of a vehicle carrying such a
loader.
With the present attachment, one can roll with the backhoe at a
maximum depth.
If the trench is not too sloped, the vehicle may straddle the
trench in order to permit rolling straight down the line of the
bottom of the trench.
The operator of the instant device may use such with the bucket
reversed, but it is not as good. That is, the operator can tamp
with the bucket reversed or not.
In backfilling, one typically starts at the end of the trench that
the pipe layers start laying pipe. One builds one's own road on
which to work as the trench is filled in if the vehicle can't
straddle the trench because of excessive width.
In the case one digs with trencher across a drive to produce a
trench only 10 inches wide, then, one may take the backhoe to trim
the trench to a sufficient size so one can use the roller to tamp
the backfill.
The device will be detached while digging so as not to carry the
weight. It is easy to remove as there is only one pin to be
removed.
In digging in soil around rock or concrete the operator may remove
the attachment ears.
The operator may carry the device in the front bucket to the job
site or attach it to the backhoe, (rotate bucket 90.degree.
clockwise in FIG. 1) or carry it in the backhoe bucket in the
position of FIG. 1.
The cleaners are on a plate which is boltable to the inside face of
the frontplate so same are removable for application of a silt-type
roller.
To remove the barrel from the side mountings, pull the pins 41 and
42, drive out the shaft and the notches in each side of the barrel
rim the size of the collar permits removal.
FIG. 7 shows a device which will permit rolling silt without
tearing the top of the silt up. The other device (the sheep's foot
roller) would do this, but the top would be torn up, that is, would
compress the lower portion of the silt but tear up the top. In the
slit roller, the wheel diameter would range from 18 inches to 10
inches and the wheels would be considered to have a bearing inside
themselves.
Referring to the sheep's foot roller of the other figures, in a dry
condition of the soil, one can employ more teeth. On the other
hand, in wet-soil conditions, an excess of teeth will plug the
roller despite the presence of the cleaning devices.
In use of a back drophammer, there is a limited stroke (must fill
ditch to tamp) and in a slope trench it is almost impossible to
use.
90 percent of what has been dug must be returned to the
excavation.
From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention is one well
adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth
together with other advantages which are obvious and which are
inherent to the structure.
It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are
of utility and may be employed without reference to other features
and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the
scope of the claims.
As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without
departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all
matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to
be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
* * * * *