U.S. patent number 3,871,538 [Application Number 05/211,879] was granted by the patent office on 1975-03-18 for rotary extendable dipperstick.
Invention is credited to James D. Crook, Laurence B. Miller.
United States Patent |
3,871,538 |
Miller , et al. |
March 18, 1975 |
ROTARY EXTENDABLE DIPPERSTICK
Abstract
An earth excavating device commonly known as a backhoe, said
backhoe having an extendable dipper-stick thereon which is also
adapted to rotate in a substantial manner about its longitudinal
axis.
Inventors: |
Miller; Laurence B. (Redlands,
CA), Crook; James D. (Redlands, CA) |
Family
ID: |
22788655 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/211,879 |
Filed: |
December 27, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
414/718; 414/694;
414/705; 414/728 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16C
17/02 (20130101); E02F 3/306 (20130101); E02F
3/303 (20130101); F16C 2350/26 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
E02F
3/30 (20060101); E02F 3/28 (20060101); E02f
003/28 () |
Field of
Search: |
;214/141,146.5,138R,138C |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Makay; Albert J.
Assistant Examiner: Abraham; George F.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Smukler; Bernard M.
Claims
We claim:
1. An excavating device adapted to be attached to transport means,
said device comprising: a boom member attached at one of its ends
to transport means; a support frame connected to the other end of
said boom member; motor means attached to said support frame; a
non-extendable shaft connected at one of its ends to said motor
means; said motor means being adapted to revolve said shaft about
its longitudinal axis; a hollow member having one of its ends
adapted to slideably and telescopically receive therein the other
end of said shaft; said hollow member being entirely supported by
said shaft; means comprising a piston and cylinder assembly which
is attached at one end to said shaft and at the other end to said
hollow member so as to be able to extend or retract the effective
combined length of said hollow member and shaft by causing movement
of said member along its longitudinal axis relative to said shaft;
an excavating tool such as a backhoe bucket connected to the other
end of said hollow member; said hollow member and shaft being
adapted to cooperate with each other so that when said shaft
revolves about its axis, as aforesaid, the said hollow member and
tool will likewise revolve about the longitudinal axis of said
hollow member; and means carried by said hollow member and adapted
to actuate said tool.
2. An excavating device as described in claim 1 above, whereby
means are provided on the receiving end of said hollow member and
the said other end of said shaft, which means cooperate with each
other so as to prevent disengagement of said shaft and member.
3. An excavating device adapted to be attached to transport means,
said device comprising: a boom member attached at one of its ends
to transport means; a support frame pivotly connected to the other
end of said boom member; motor means attached to said support
frame; a non-extendable shaft connected at one of its ends to said
motor means; said motor means being adapted to revolve said shaft
about its longitudinal axis upon actuation thereof; bearing members
provided on said support frame and adapted to revolveably support
said shaft; a hollow member having one of its ends adapted to
slideably and telescopically receive therein the other end of said
shaft; said hollow member being entirely supported by said shaft;
means comprising a piston and cylinder assembly which is attached
at one end to said shaft and at the other end to said hollow member
so as to be able to extend or reduce the effective combined length
of said hollow member and shaft by causing movement of said member
along its longitudinal axis relative to said shaft; an excavating
tool such as a backhoe bucket connected to the other end of said
hollow member; said hollow member and shaft being adapted to
cooperate with each other so that when said shaft revolves about
its axis, as aforesaid, the said hollow member and tool will
likewise revolve about the longitudinal axis of said hollow member;
and means carried by said hollow member and adapted to actuate said
tool.
4. An excavating device as described in claim 3 above, whereby said
bearing members comprise: first and second outer races attached to
said support frame; each of said outer races having centrally
disposed hollow portions; first and second inner races adapted to
be revolvably supported within said hollow portions by said first
and second outer races, respectively; rectangularly shaped and
centrally disposed hollow portions provided within said inner races
and adapted to accommodate therein said nonextendable shaft; and
the adjacent surfaces of said outer races and inner races sloping
in such a manner that movement of the said shaft is prevented along
its longitudinal axis.
5. An excavating device adapted to be attached to transport means,
said device comprising: a boom member pivotally attached one end
thereof to said transport means; a support frame pivotally
connected to the other end of said boom member; motor means rigidly
attached to, and supported by, said support frame; a hollow
non-extendable shaft connected at one of its ends to said motor
means; said motor means being adapted to revolve said shaft about
its longitudinal axis upon actuation thereof; bearing members
rigidly provided on said support frame and adapted to revolveably
support said shaft; a hollow extension member having one of its
ends adapted to telescopically and slideably receive therein the
other end of said shaft so that the longitudinal axes of said shaft
and extension member are essentially coincident; said hollow member
being entirely supported by said shaft; means comprising a piston
and cylinder assembly which is attached at one end to said shaft
and at the other end to said hollow member so as to be able to
extend or reduce the effective combined length of said extension
member and shaft by causing movement of said extension member along
its longitudinal axis relative to the said shaft; means provided on
the receiving end of said extension member and the said other end
of said shaft, which means cooperate with each other so as to
prevent disengagement of said shaft and member; an excavating tool
such as a backhoe bucket connected to the other end of said
extension member; and means carried by said extension member and
adapted to actuate said tool.
6. An excavating device as described in claim 5 above, whereby said
bearing members comprise: first and second outer races attached to
said support frame; each of said outer races having centrally
disposed hollow portions; first and second inner races adapted to
be revolvably supported within said hollow portions by said first
and second outer races, respectively; rectangularly shaped and
centrally disposed hollow portions provided within said inner races
and adapted to accommodate therein said non-extendable shaft; and
the adjacent surfaces of said outer races and inner races sloping
in such a manner that movement of the said shaft is prevented along
its longitudinal axis.
7. An excavating device adapted to be attached to transport means,
said device comprising: a boom member pivotally attached at one end
thereof to said transport means; a support frame pivotally
connected to the other end of said boom member; motor means rigidly
attached to, and supported by, said support frame; a hollow
non-extendable shaft; bearing means provided on said support frame
and adapted to revolvably support said shaft; means connecting one
end of said shaft to said motor means so that upon actuation
thereof, said shaft may revolve about its longitudinal axis; a
hollow extension member having one of its ends adapted to
telescopically and slideably receive therein the other end of said
shaft so that said extension member is supported thereby; said
hollow member being entirely supported by said shaft; means
comprising a piston and cylinder assembly which is attached at one
end to said shaft and at the other end to said hollow member so as
to be able to extend or reduce the effective combined length of
said extension member and shaft by causing movement of said
extension member along its longitudinal axis relative to said
shaft; an excavating tool such as a backhoe bucket connected to the
other end of said extension member; said extension member and shaft
being adapted to cooperate with each other so that when said shaft
revolves about its axis, as aforesaid, the said extension member
and tool will likewise revolve about the longitudinal axis of said
extension member; and means carried by said extension member and
adapted to actuate said tool.
8. An excavating device as described in claim 7 above, whereby
means are carried by said boom member and adapted to actuate said
support frame.
9. An excavating device as described in claim 7 above, whereby said
bearing members comprise: first and second outer races attached to
said support frame; each of said outer races having centrally
disposed hollow portions; first and second inner races adapted to
be revolvably supported within said hollow portions by said first
and second outer races, respectively; rectangularly shaped and
centrally disposed hollow portions provided within said inner races
and adapted to accommodate therein said non-extendable shaft; and
the adjacent surfaces of said outer races and inner races sloping
in such a manner that movement of the said shaft is prevented along
its longitudinal axis.
10. An excavating device as described in claim 8 above, whereby
said bearing members comprise: first and second outer races
attached to said support frame; each of said outer races having
centrally disposed hollow portions; first and second inner races
adapted to be revolvably supported within said hollow portions by
said first and second outer races, respectively; rectangularly
shaped and centrally disposed hollow portions provided within said
inner races and adapted to accommodate therein said non-extendable
shaft; and the adjacent surfaces of said outer races and inner
races sloping in such a manner that movement of the said shaft is
prevented along its longitudinal axis.
Description
This invention relates in general to earth excavating devices and
more particularly to hydraulically maneuverable and operable
backhoe equipment having an extendable and rotable dipper-stick
thereon, for use in conjunction with conventional mechanized
transport means. In operation, the said equipment, among other
things, excavates or scoops up in a conventional type bucket
various earth materials, removes same from the trench created
thereby, and discharges or dumps said materials from said bucket
into a selected area or container.
In the rapidly expanding land development and construction
industries of today, it is often required to quickly and easily
excavate various materials from the earth or form tunnels in the
earth so that utility pipes or other such improvements may be
placed therein. Further, there are many times when it is desired or
considered better engineering practice to form a tunnel or trench
in the earth having sides or walls which are not perpendicular to
the surface plane of the earth. Of course, various excavating
devices, including both manual skills and various attachments to
vehicular or transport means, have been employed in the past for
digging, lifting, swinging and dumping work. However, utilization
of manual devices has resulted in a poor quality of trenching, in
addition to being a slow and tedious work. Apparently, this follows
from the general physical limitations inherent in a human being
whenever required to directly perform heavy construction work.
When excavating devices have been attached to various vehicular or
transport means, including conventional construction tractors, a
good quality of trenching results with a considerable saving of
time and human energy. The devices include a maneuverable boom
member which is ordinarily attached to the transport means and
carries a dipper-stick (digging device) that supports at one end an
open-mouth backhoe digging bucket. However, several disadvantages
are apparent from such use which limit greater utilization of the
equipment as well as its depth capabilities. A short time prior to
the present invention, the length of the combined dipper-stick and
bucket was restricted so as not to exceed the length of the boom
member. Otherwise, a portion of the combination of dipper-stick and
bucket would of necessity trail upon the ground causing severe
damage to the equipment. If greater digging depth was required, the
length of the dipper-stick could be increased provided the length
of the boom member was correspondingly increased. As is obvious,
this physical limitation resulted in extremely cumbersome
equipment. Several attempts have now been made to increase the
length of the dipper-stick without increasing the standard length
of the boom member, but such efforts have resulted in an extendable
dipper-stick member which can excavate in a vertical plane only.
Further, several attempts have been made to cause the dipper-stick
to excavate at a non-perpendicular angle relative to the plane of
the earth, but such efforts have resulted in a device which is not
extendable at all and which has less than adequate torque
capability thereto so that the attendant digging bucket cannot be
filled to its maximum volume. Such prior devices have therefore
caused substantial damage to the dipper-stick and boom member
without accomplishing the primary purpose of substantially
increasing the depth capacity of mechanized backhoe equipment, with
the same being adapted to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the
dipper-stick so as to excavate materials in either a perpendicular
plane or a non-perpendicular plane relative to the surface of the
earth.
It is therefore the primary purpose and object of this invention to
provide a continuous action hydraulically operated backhoe, for use
with conventional vehicular or transport means, which is capable of
digging at greater depths than heretofore accomplished while the
same is adapted to rotate about the longitudinal axis of its
dipper-stick so as to excavate materials in either a perpendicular
plane or a non-perpendicular plane relative to the surface of the
earth.
A further object of this invention is to provide an extendable and
rotable dipper-stick adapted for use with and attached to all
conventional backhoe equipment without the necessity of increasing
the length of the boom member, without causing any portion of the
extendable dipper-stick or bucket to trail upon the ground and
without causing any structural defect in the device.
Another object of this invention is to provide a backhoe adapted
for attachment to conventional vehicular or transport means which
can be easily moved into the desired position and speedily excavate
either vertically or at various angles relative to the plane of the
earth's surface.
A further object of this invention is to provide a backhoe adapted
for attachment to conventional vehicular or transport means which
can be easily moved into the desired position and speedily excavate
more feet of trench than heretofore known and efficiently swing and
dump earth material from the trench or excavation created
thereby.
An additional object of this invention is to provide backhoe
equipment which can be easily placed within or withdrawn from
narrowly dimensioned trenches or excavations.
Other and additional objectives and advantages of this present
invention are to provide a durable extendable and rotable
dipper-stick of maximum simplicity and efficiency combined with
safety, economy of manufacture and ease of operation; to provide
such a device which is adapted to excavate a tunnel or trench with
the angles of the walls thereof relative to the plane of the earth
being varied according to the desires of the operator of such
equipment; and such objectives, advantages and capabilities will be
readily apparent and better understood by referring to the
following description and claims, taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawing, in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a backhoe device including the
present invention, together with an ordinary backhoe bucket,
secured to conventional tractor means (not fully shown);
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the dipper-stick means of the
present invention;
FIG. 3 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken along line 3--3
of FIG. 2 of the dipper-stick means;
FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of another portion of the
said dipper-stick means of the invention, which view is taken along
line 4--4 of FIG. 2; and
FIG. 5 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken along line 5--5
of FIG. 2 of the drawing.
Referring to the drawing in detail, a maneuverable steel boom
member 11 is shown in FIG. 1 pivotly connected at one end thereof
to mechanized transport means 13, which usually is a tracked or a
rubber tire vehicle of a type conventionally used in the
construction industry. Maneuverable and extendable dipper-stick
means 10 are pivotly connected at one of its ends to the other end
of boom member 11 by means of a conventional shaft 15, as more
fully described hereinbelow. An excavating tool such as a
conventional steel backhoe bucket 29 is pivotly connected by
linkage means 29c to the other end of the said dipper-stick means
10. The said shaft 15 connecting boom 11 to dipper-stick means 10
permits said dipper-stick means 10 to rotate in a plane
substantially perpendicular to the surface of the earth. Further,
the pivot connection (not shown) between boom member 11 and the
transport means 13 permits movement in both horizontal and vertical
planes relative to the surface of the earth.
As may be seen by viewing FIG. 2 of the drawing, the said
dipper-stick means 10 is fixedly attached to a support frame shown
as 16, which frame 16 consists of two irregularly shaped metal side
plates, 16b and 16c, weldably affixed to the undersurface of a
horizonal base plate 16a. Said support frame 16, is adapted to
support thereon a hydraulic rotory motor 17 and various bearing
members (hereinafter described) adapted to hold and retain the said
dipper-stick means 10 in position relative to said support frame
16. Of course, said horizontal base plate 16a may consist of
several of such plates stacked in a vertical manner so as to
provide additional support for the dipper-stick means 10 or for the
mounting brackets (hereinafter described) depending on the
particular model and type of backhoe machine. In any event, a
plurality of hole means 14 are provided on said side plates, 16b
and 16c, and are adapted to retain therein a plurality of pin means
or shafts 14a or 15 for purposes hereinafter discussed.
As is now evident, the shaft 15 connects the support frame 16 to
the bottom member 11, and said dipper-stick means 10 are supported
on said frame 16. Further, said dipper-stick means 10 are
maneuverable in a vertical plane relative to the surface of the
earth by means of a hydraulically operated cylinder and its
associated dipper-stick actuating rod 12 which are mounted and
pivotly connected at one end to boom member 11 and pivotly attached
at its other end to shaft 14a fixedly engaged between said side
plates 16b and 16c. The said boom member 11 is maneuverable in its
vertical plane relative to the surface of the earth by means of a
hydraulically operated cylinder (not shown) and its associated boom
actuating rod (also not shown).
The said dipper-stick means 10 comprise a hollow steel shaft 20 and
a hollow steel extension member 23 adapted to partially and
slideably fit without said shaft 20. The shapes of said shaft 20
and extension member 23 are not particularly important, except that
they should be similar in design so as to insure a tight fit
between the same particularly when they are in slideable engagement
with each other. Two relatively thin metal bracket members 27 are
weldably attached to opposite vertical faces of said extension
member 23 as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawing, and are disposed to
accommodate therebetween pin means 27a for purposes hereinafter
discussed.
A hydraulically operated cylinder 28 and its associated bucket
actuating rod 28a are pivotly connected at one end by said pin
means 27a to said bracket members 27, and pivotly attached at their
other end to said bucket 29 by means of connecting the end of said
actuating rod 28a to horizontal pin 29a which in turn is connected
to links 29b. As may seen in FIG. 1 of the drawing, two of said
links 29b are fixedly attached to said bucket 29. Further, the said
extension member 23 is likewise attached to said bucket 29 by means
of said linkage 29c. In any event, a hydraulically operated
cylinder 30 and its associated extension member actuating rod 30a
are pivotly connected to one end of the said dipper-stick shaft 20
by means of a pin 31 rigidly supported within the inner vertical
sides of the said shaft 20 as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawing. The
other end of the said cylinder 30 and rod 30a is supportably
attached to a clevis 32, which in turn is fixedly attached to the
corresponding vertical inner sides of the said extension member 23
by the associated trunnion supports 32a.
The rotary motor or actuating device 17 is well known to those
skilled in the art and is capable of rotating shaft members 20 and
23, respectively, about their coincident longitudinal axes up to a
maximum of approximately 90.degree. in either a clockwise or
counter-clockwise direction, all as hereinafter disclosed. A
cylindrically shaped power shaft member 22 is adapted to cooperate
at one end thereof with the said rotary motor or actuator 17, and
is axially and fixedly mounted at its other end to a metal plug 21.
Said plug 21 is adapted to fit partially, by means of a standard
slip fitting operation, within one end of said shaft 20, which
shaft 20 in turn is supported at such end thereof by bearings 18
and 19, respectively. As a result, the end of said shaft 20
adjacent to motor 17 is essentially closed. Further, and as
hereinafter discussed, when said motor 17 causes shaft member 22 to
rotate about its longitudinal axis, thus causing the said plug 21
to likewise rotate, the force thereof will cause a portion of said
bearings 18 and 19 and the shaft 20 to similarly rotate about their
longitudinal axes.
Said bearings 18 and 19 are mounted on said support plate 16a, and
they are set so that their longitudinal axes are coincident with
each other and form a line parallel to the plane of said plate 16a.
Said bearings 18 and 19 consist of substantially rigid inner races,
35 and 36, respectively, and substantially rigid outer races, 33
and 34 respectively, which are adapted to fit together by means of
appropriate pressure being applied thereto. Said inner races, 35
and 36, are adapted to revolve within outer races, 33 and 34,
respectively. As may be seen in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 of the drawing,
said bearings 18 and 19 are similar in size and construction and
are adapted to eliminate longitudinal or torque movement of said
shaft 20 interposed between said bearings 18 and 19. Thus, the said
inner races, 35 and 36, are hollowed at their respective axes, with
the shape thereof conforming to that of the said dipper-stick shaft
20. From a review of FIG. 5 of the drawing, it is noted that the
end of said shaft 20 is inserted by appropriate pressure means into
the hollow portion of said inner race 35 of bearing 18, and the
plug 21 is snugly inserted into the said end of shaft 20. In any
event, between said outer race and inner race of each of said
bearings 18 and 19, are interposed nylon or other type of bearing
material 37 which is adapted to substantially reduce friction
between said inner races, 35 and 36, and outer races, 33 and 34,
respectively, when same revolve relative to each other. Further,
and as may be appreciated, the design of said outer races, 33 and
34, and the placement therein of said inner races, 35 and 36,
respectively, prevents longitudinal displacement of said shaft 20.
In other words, regardless of the load on, or position of the
dipper-stick means 10, said shaft 20 remains stationary along its
longitudinal axis. Of course, the design of said outer races, 33
and 34, and said inner races, 35 and 36, may vary without departing
from the spirit or scope of the present invention. For example, the
circumferential surface between outer and inner races, 33 and 35,
may slope downwardly towards the said closed end of said shaft 20
and the circumferential surface between outer and inner races, 34
and 36, may slope upwardly towards the said closed end of said
shaft 20 so as to similarly prevent longitudinal movement of said
shaft 20 relative to plate 16a.
At one end of the said extension member 23, where it is adapted to
receive the non-closed end of said shaft 20, are four flat wear or
bearing plates 24a, 24b, 24c and 24d, rigidly attached to the inner
sides of said extension member 23 by screw means, and said plates
24a, 24b, 24c, and 24d, are in slideable engagement with the outer
surfaces of the said shaft 20. At the non-closed end of said shaft
20 are four flat wear or bearing plates 25a, 25b, 25c (not shown)
and 25d (not shown), rigidly attached to the outer surfaces of the
said shaft 20 by screw means, and said plates 25a, 25b, 25c and
25d, are in slideable engagement with the inner sides of said
extension member 23.
As a result, the combination of said shaft 20 and extension member
23 forms a telescopable arm capable of being extended and retracted
along their longitudinal axes. Of course, only the extension member
23 extends or retracts along its axis. Further, if the said inner
races, 35 and 36, are circular in shape so as to permit rotable
motion within the outer races, 33 and 34 respectively, as
aforesaid, then upon actuation of the power shaft 22 causing
rotation in the plug 21, the said combination will likewise rotate
about its longitudinal axis. As may also be appreciated, the
combination of said wear plates 24a, 24b, 24c and 24d with the said
wear plates 25a, 25b, 25c and 25d prevents disengagement between
said extension member 23 and said hollow shaft 20. In other words,
when the said extension member 23 is fully extended relative to
said shaft 20, contact between the edges of said plates 24a, 24b,
24c and 24d and the edges of said plates 25a, 25b, 25c and 25d
keeps said member 23 and shaft 20 in slideable engagement. Finally,
as seen in FIG. 2 of the drawing, a reinforcing collar 26 is
mounted about bearing plates 24a, 24b, 24c, and 24d outside of said
member 23. The construction of the dipper-stick means 10 as
hereinabove described permits the bucket 29 to articulate in a
normal fashion and also permits the rotation of said bucket 29
about the longitudinal axis of said dipper-stick means 10 without
using mechanisms other than those found to be an integral part of
said dipper-stick means 10.
Once the backhoe equipment, including the present invention, is
maneuvered into working position by the operator of the mechanized
transport means 13, the necessary hydraulic power to operate the
various components and elements of the said backhoe as aforesaid is
provided by oil pressure from an external source through various
input and output oil lines, some of which 38 are completely or
partially shown in the drawing.
In operation, the transport means 13 is moved to and positioned
over the region to be excavated or tunneled, and the operator
thereof then approximately sets the boom member 11 over the
designated area. If the required depth is within the capability of
the dipper-stick means 10 alone, without any extension of same, the
operator simply excavates or tunnels the earth by means of
manipulating the boom member 11 by its actuating hydraulic cylinder
and associated rod (not shown), the dipper-stick means 10 by its
hydraulic cylinder and associated rod 12 and the bucket 29 by its
hydraulic cylinder and associated rod, 28 and 28a respectively. If
a greater depth to the excavation or tunnel is necessary, or if the
same must be extended in length without moving the transport means
13 to the new location, the operator would utilize the extension
member 23 as hereinabove described. Thus, the dipper-stick means
10, together with the extension member 23, provide a source of
substantial additional length for ordinary backhoe equipment, and
they are capable of replacing existing dipper-sticks on such
equipment. Further, if the excavation or tunnel must have walls
thereto which are not 90.degree. to the surface of the earth, the
operator would utilize the rotary motor 17 of the invention so as
to cause the said dipper-stick means 10 to rotate about its axis
until a proper degree of angle is obtained. As indicated above, the
bucket 29 is likewise rotated so that its angle of "scoop" will
conform with the angle of rotation of said dipper-stick means 10.
Its use results in a substantial increase of the effective
excavating depth of such equipment and in the ability to trench out
from a tunnel by means of excavating the sides thereof. Of course,
the bucket 29 is operable by the hydraulic cylinder and actuating
rod regardless of whether or not the extension member 23 or rotary
motor 17 is being utilized.
Although the present invention has been described and illustrated
with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be expressly
understood that the present disclosure was made by way of example
only and that many variations are possible. In any event, the said
present invention is not intended to be restricted to any
particular construction or arrangement, or to any specific
embodiment disclosed herein, or any specific method of operation or
use, since the same may be modified in various particulars or
relations without departing from the spirit or scope of the claimed
invention hereinabove shown and described of which the embodiments
are intended only for illustration and for disclosure of at least
one operative embodiment, and not to show all of the various forms
and modifications in which the invention might be embodied.
* * * * *