Improved means for the elevation and disposal of spoil

摘要

408,402. Loading vehicles; elevators. HAMILTON, C. W. F., Irishman Creek Station, Fairlie, New Zealand. Dec. 21, 1932, No. 36211. Convention date, Jan. 6. [Classes 78 (i) and 78 (iv).] A machine for excavating or collecting, and transporting, and dumping soil &c. comprises a rotatable container mounted on wheels, at least one wheel being provided with an annular trough to raise the soil &c. which is fed into it by a scoop as the machine moves over the ground. The soil is raised in the trough as a continuous column and then deflected from the trough into the container. A container 1 having one part 5 of its periphery flattened and having a longitudinal opening 6 approximately opposite the part 5 is rotatably mounted on an axle 2. The machine has two wheels 3, 4, the wheel 3 keyed to the axle 2 and the wheel 4 carried by a boss 33 rotatably mounted on the axle 2 but having a pawl 35 spring pressed against a ratchet 34 keyed on the axle so that the wheel 4 can, if the wheel 3 tends to slip along the ground, transmit its rotation to the axle 2 and wheel 3. Wheel 3 is formed with an annular trough 18 open on the inner side and soil is pressed into this trough by a scoop 25 fixed to the container 1 and having horizontal and vertical cutting edges 26, 27 which may be removable and which excavate or collect the soil as the machine moves over the ground. As the machine moves the soil is raised in a continuous column in the trough 18 and is kept from spilling from the open inner side of the trough by the end wall 7 of the container 1 and concentric outstanding flanges 29, 30 attached to the wall 7. An arcuate opening 13 is formed in the end wall 7 and the soil when raised is deflected through this opening into the container 1 by a member 16 attached to the wall 7 and extending into the trough 18. The machine is drawn by a tractor or the like coupled to the jointure of bars 37, 37a pivotally mounted on the ends of the axle 2, the bars being connected by a cross-bar 39 to which is secured a longitudinal bar 40. By the engagement of latch means 64 on the bar 40 with stops 61, 62, 63 on the periphery of the container the container can be secured in three positions, the filling position in which the scoop digs into the soil, the transporting position with the flattened portion 5 lowermost and the scoop raised from the ground, and the emptying position with the opening 6 lowermost. The latch means comprises a latch 77 with flattened end 78 to engage the stops 61 &c. working between plates 65 one on each side of the bar 40 and pivoted thereto at their forward ends. The latch is guided by rollers 79, 80 and is operated by a lever 82 pivoted to the latch at 83 and having a hooked end 84 which is normally kept in engagement with a pin 85 by the action of a tension spring 88. The lever 82 is operated by a cord or the like 90 which extends so that it can be operated by the driver of the tractor and the latch is returned by the action of a tension spring 89, its return motion being limited by engagement of a stop 81 on the latch with the guide roller 79. Means are provided for raising or lowering the end 78 of the latch so that the depth to which the scoop enters the ground can be adjusted, the means comprising a hand-wheel 72 rotating in a framework 75 pivoted at its lower end to the bar 40 and actuating a threaded rod 70 pivotally connected to the rear ends of the plates 65. It is stated that normally when the latch is withdrawn the container will rotate until the latch engages the next stop, but positive means for rotating the container 1 from the idle wheel 4 are provided. These means comprise a member 41 pivoted on a rod 42 attached to the wheel 4, the member 41 having a shaped end 43 which can engage with lugs 45 on the end face 8 of the container. A rope 47 attached to the other end of the member 41 passes over a sheave 48 rotatably mounted on a support 49 secured to the wheel 4 and has its other end secured to a disc 50 rotatably mounted on an extension 51 of the wheel boss 33. A control rope 60 which may be independent of or combined with the latch-control 90 acts through a bar 57 to turn a pivoted lever 54 having a bent end 56 which presses the disc 50 against a brake block 53. The slowing down of the disc 50 relative to the wheel 4 exerts a pull on the rope 47 which turns the member 41 so that the end 43 engages with one of the lugs 45 to rotate the container.