Construction Apparatus With Earth Trimmer

This invention relates to a trimmer apparatus for grading the round surface in preparation for forming paving material on the ground surface. More particularly, this invention is directed to a trimmer apparatus that is carried by a construction apparatus, preferably of the self-propelled type, wherein the trimmer is mounted by a three-point suspension and each of the three points is individually adjustable. With this improvement, the operator can easily raise, lower, and adjust the angle of the trimmer in accordance with the slope or grade of the ground surface.

A further aspect of the invention is directed to a carriage for supportingly suspending the trimmer from a main frame of a construction apparatus with the carriage being arranged for movement of the trimmer laterally outwardly to one side of the construction apparatus. This permits readily grading the ground surface underneath and alongside of the construction apparatus.

A further feature of the present invention is directed to a trimmer and carriage as described carried by a construction apparatus, and wherein the construction apparatus also carries a mold for forming a strip of paving material and the trimmer is arranged for grading the ground surface ahead of or in front of the mold so the construction apparatus concurrently grades the ground and forms the paving material on the graded ground surface. This allows the operator to do the entire operation in one pass.

Some of the features of the invention having been stated, others will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which--

FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view looking at the rear and left-hand side of the construction apparatus showing the trimmer apparatus extending outwardly to the left-hand side of the construction apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view looking at the front and right-hand side of the construction apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a left-hand side elevation of the construction apparatus with the trimmer apparatus attached to its main frame, and with a mold attached to the main frame behind the trimmer apparatus for concurrently grading and molding a paving material on the graded ground surface;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the apparatus as shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the trimmer apparatus looking in the direction of arrow 5 in FIG. 4, with portions broken away for clarity, and showing the earth grading means of the trimmer apparatus partially moved outwardly to one side of the main frame of the construction apparatus;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the trimmer apparatus shown in the retracted position relative to the main frame of the construction apparatus;

FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view of the trimmer apparatus, with parts broken away for clarity, and showing the earth grading means of the apparatus trimmer in its fully extended position;

FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view similar to FIG. 7 showing the earth grading means partially extended;

FIG. 9 is another schematic perspective view of the trimmer apparatus wherein the earth grading means is in its fully retracted position; and

FIG. 10 is a schematical vertical sectional view through one of the three fluid actuated cylinder connectors that serve to connect the carriage to the main frame of the construction apparatus and showing a depth limiting means attached thereto.

Referring to the drawings, particularly FIGS. 1 and 2, the preferred embodiment of the construction apparatus is indicated generally at 10. The construction apparatus comprises a main frame 11 supported by ground engaging members 12, 13 and 14, which are preferably tracks as shown. A conventional prime mover 15 and a hydraulic pump (not shown) are carried by the main frame to operate the various systems and attachments to the apparatus. Hydraulic motors 12a, and 13a (FIG. 2) and 14a (FIG. 1) are connected to the hydraulic pump to propel the construction apparatus along the ground surface.

A trimmer apparatus generally indicated at 30 is shown attached to the main frame 11 for grading the ground surface in preparation for forming a paving material on the ground surface. The trimmer apparatus comprises two basic operating components. The first component is the rotating digger 31a (FIG. 2) which digs into the earth to loosen and redistribute the soil. The digger 31a is followed by an elongate scraper blade B (FIG. 1) which levels the loosened earth to the desired angle and level. The trimmer apparatus has certain common features with the apparatus described in commonly owned U.S. patent to Miller, U.S. Pat. No. 4,197,032, which is incorporated by reference herein.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the construction apparatus 10 is shown with a mold 20 located rearwardly of the trimmer apparatus generally indicated at 30 for concurrent trimming and molding. However, the mold may be selectively removed in some instances for certain operations. The mold 20 is shown mounted on the left-hand side of the main frame 11 for offset molding, although it is to be understood that it could be mounted on either side. In operation, concrete preferably from a concrete mixing truck (not shown) delivers concrete to the bottom portion of an inclined conveyor 22. The conveyor 22 moves the concrete into the hopper 21 and then into the mold 20. As the machine progresses along a predetermined path, the molded concrete C is extruded out the back portion of the mold 20.

The trimmer apparatus comprises an earth grading means 31 and a carriage which comprises a main carriage 36 and an auxiliary carriage 37 (FIGS. 5-9). Fluid actuated cylinder connectors 40, 41 and 42, which are preferably of the fluid pressure type, connect the carriage, as at 43, to the main frame 11 of the construction apparatus 10 and serves as a three-point suspension for the trimmer apparatus. The fluid actuated cylinder connectors 40, 41 and 42 may be constructed in the same manner substantially as shown more in detail in FIG. 10. Front left-hand fluid actuated cylinder connector 40 is illustrated by way of example although it is understood that fluid actuated cylinder connectors 41 and 42 may be constructed similarly. Accordingly, it will be observed that fluid actuated cylinder connector 40 is formed of concentrically engaged telescoping tubes 40a and 40b. A fluid cylinder and piston assembly 40c is provided internal of the concentric tubes and connected to the outside tube 40a. A piston rod 40d is connected to the other concentric tube 40b.

The fluid actuated cylinder connectors are preferably bolted to the main frame 11 by bolts 43b (FIG. 6); but it is understood that the fluid actuated cylinder connectors may be attached by any conventional means. Each fluid actuated cylinder connector is independently operable to provide the operator with a substantial range of adjustment of the trimmer apparatus, so that the ground can be graded to any desirable angle and level. The fluid actuated cylinder connectors can further adjust the angle of attack of the trimmer, or more precisely, the depth of the rotating digger 31a relative to the elongate scraper blade B. This controls the thickness of the loosened earth upon which the paving material is molded.

Parallel to the concentric tubes 40a and 40b are a pair of depth limiting means 44 (FIG. 10). The limiting means is preferably comprised of a chain 45 attached to the respective upper tube 40a by an adjustment bolt 46. The adjustment bolt 46 is held to a top flange of the outer concentric tube 40a by a pair of nuts 47. The limiting means limits the extension of the fluid pressure actuating means relative to the main frame 11 so that, in operation, the operator preadjusts the limiting means to allow the trimmer to be operated at a selected depth and angle. The operator is then able to simply direct the fluid actuated cylinders to force the trimmer down until the chains pull taut. The trimmer is then in its selected operating position. If a manhole or other obstruction were to lie in the path of the trimmer, the operator would simply raise the trimmer to pass over the obstruction and lower the trimmer back down until the chains pull taut again. The operator does not have to slow down the machine or spend a lot of time adjusting the trimmer into the proper position. This improves the quality of the final product because the rate of movement of the apparatus remains constant and the trimmer depth is correct for the maximum portion of the path.

Turning now to the carriage, it is seen that in the preferred construction, as shown particularly in FIG. 5, the carriage is comprised of a main carriage 36 and an auxiliary carriage 37. The carriage is fastened to the fluid actuated cylinder connectors 40, 41 and 42 as by fasteners 43. In this regard, a link 43a located near the bottom portion of fluid actuated cylinder connector 42 and a slide 43s located at the lower portion of fluid actuated cylinder connector 41 provide the necessary flexibility to allow the carriage to be moved into the various angles and attitudes while being held firmly beneath the main frame 11. The main carriage is comprised of a front rail 36a, a back rail 36b, an inside rail 36c and an outside rail 36d, which are all rigidly attached together as shown, such as by welding. Attached to the outside rail 36d is a pair of standards 36e and 36f each having a collar 36g at the lower end thereof for slidingly receiving a pair of parallel auxiliary slide bars 37 a and 37b, respectively. To stabilize the back ends of the auxiliary slide bars 37a and 37b, a beam 36h which has collars 36i formed thereon is attached to the front and back rails 36a and 36b. The auxiliary bars 37a and 37b are slidably received in the collars 36i as shown. The auxiliary carriage is comprised of the auxiliary slide bars 37a and 37b, an inside plate 37c attached to the ends of the slide bars 37a and 37b, and an outside plate 37d is attached to the auxiliary slide bars 37a and 37b at an intermediate position thereof. Attachment of the plates 37c and 37d can be by any conventional means, such as by bolts. The auxiliary bar 37b is provided with flats 37x to slide in clamping block 37g, so that the alignment of auxiliary bar 37b may be adjusted. The auxiliary carriage 34 slides as a unit relative to the main carriage 36 by virtue of the parallel auxiliary slide bars 37a and 37b sliding in the collars 36g and 36i and action of the fluid pressure actuator 36j.

The earth grading means 31 is mounted to the auxiliary carriage to move outwardly much like the auxiliary carriage is mounted to the main carriage. Incorporated into the inside plate 37c and outside plate 37d are collars 37e which slidingly receive the trimmer slide bars 31a and 31b. The trimmer slide bars 31a and 31b are attached to the earth grading means 31 by suitable means such as brackets 31c, 31d, and clamping block 31e. The trimmer slide bar 31b is provided with flats 31x to slide in the clamping block 31e, so that the alignment of auxiliary bar 31b may be adjusted. The earth grading means 31 is moved outwardly by a fluid pressure actuator 37f which is attached to the auxiliary carriage between the inside plate 37c and the outside plate 37d.

As shown schematically in FIG. 7, 8 and 9, the earth grading means is arranged to extend laterally. In FIG. 7, both the fluid pressure actuators 36j and 37f are fully extended causing the earth grading means to be fully extended. In FIG. 8, the earth grading means 31 is retracted to the auxiliary carriage by retracting the actuator 36j. However, the auxiliary carriage 37 is still fully extended from the main carriage. The fluid actuators 36j and 37f are envisioned to be separately controlled by the operator so that lateral movement of the earth grading means is accomplished by operation of actuators 36j and 37f individually or at the same time. In FIG. 9, the earth grading means is in its fully retracted position wherein the earth grading means 31 and auxiliary carriage 37 would underlie the main carriage 36. In these figures it can be easily seen that outside rail 36d is positioned higher relative to the front and back rails 36a and 36b to form an archway. The archway allows for a more compact carriage where, as can be seen in the figures, the auxiliary carriage 37 is received between the front and back rails 36a and 36b.

In some instances, it may be desirable to concurrently mold and grade off the right side of the machine. To mount the trimmer to extend from the other side of the machine will require some reassembly of the trimmer apparatus. The fluid actuated cylinder connectors 40, 41 and 42 which are attached to the main frame by bolts 43b (FIG. 6), are repositioned to the opposite sides of the machine. The carriage 35 is reattached to extend from the other side. The earth grading means 31 is disconnected from the auxiliary carriage 37 at brackets 31c and 31d, turned around and reattached. The trimmer is therefore able to extend from each side of the construction apparatus as the job requires.

In the drawings and specification, a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense and not for purposes of limitation.