Abstract: A method for pipeline padding for reducing the size of spoil disposed in a pile utilizes a vehicle having first and second sides adapted for movement on the surface of the spoil pile. The vehicle includes first and second surface engaging devices disposed on each side of the vehicle. The spoil is crushed using a crushing assembly connected to the vehicle for movement with the vehicle. Spoil is transferred using a transferring assembly connected to the vehicle for movement with the vehicle for transferring spoil from the pile to the crushing assembly. Disposed between the vehicle sides, adjacent the transferring assembly and connected to the vehicle for movement with the vehicle is a control structure for controlling passage of spoil from the spoil pile forward of the surface engaging devices to a position under the surface engaging devices.

Abstract: A self-loading mobile crusher system for reducing the size of debris disposed in a pile includes a vehicle having first and second sides adapted for movement on the surface of the debris pile. The vehicle includes first and second surface engaging devices disposed on each side of the vehicle. A debris crushing assembly is connected to the vehicle for movement with the vehicle. A debris transferring assembly is connected to the vehicle for movement with the vehicle for transferring debris from the pile to the crushing assembly. Disposed between the vehicle sides, adjacent the transferring assembly and connected to the vehicle for movement with the vehicle is a control structure for controlling passage of debris from the debris pile forward of the surface engaging devices to a position under the surface engaging devices.

Abstract: A ground supported vehicle for excavating the ground is extremely large and must be dismantled into several sections in order to transport it down a roadway or a railway. The vehicle has a mid-section that is located between opposed ends. A digging apparatus wider than the vehicle is attached within a lower part of the vehicle mid-section, and can bear the entire weight of the vehicle in order to apply an unusually heavy load onto the digging apparatus. The digging apparatus is rotatable mounted on a massive shaft that is anchored at the center of gravity of the vehicle. Digging teeth are arranged on the outside surface of the digging apparatus so that the teeth dig into and excavates the ground when moved against the ground while rotating.

Abstract: A rock saw has a cutting wheel and a conveyor assembly capable of retrieving automatically essentially all materials excavated by the cutting wheel and of discharging the retrieved materials into an adjacent truck or the like. The conveyor assembly includes a loading conveyor which is movable from a raised transport position to a lowered operative position. When in its operative position, an inlet end of the loading conveyor is positioned on the ground in a discharge region of the cutting wheel and is biased into engagement with the ground so as not to bounce up and down in operation but so as to ride over rocks and other obstructions without damaging the conveyor. The cutting wheel is both pivotable and slidable with respect to the vehicle mainframe so as to be capable of cutting trenches of radically different depths while still assuring retrieval of essentially all excavated materials by the loading conveyor.

Abstract: An improved excavating machine for digging an unusually wide ditch having a boom that supports a plurality of chain type digging apparatus. There is a head shaft at one end of the boom and a tail shaft at the opposed end of the boom. An intermediate shaft is supported on the boom at a location between the tail and head shaft. Spaced endless digging chains are meshed with sprockets on the head shaft and selected ones of the tailwheel shaft sprockets to provide an upper run and a lower run of endless digging chain which forms an endless central digging and conveying member by which excavated material is translocated from the ground to a lateral conveyor on the machine. Spaced endless intermediate digging chains are meshed with the outermost of sprockets on the tail and intermediate shafts to form opposed, endless, outer digging and conveying members.

Abstract: A ground supported excavating machine of the type having a main frame and a prime mover for propelling the machine along the ground, and a boom supported from the frame that has an endless chain type digging member rotated by sprockets on a head shaft that is mounted at one end of the boom, and on a tail wheel shaft mounted at the opposed end thereof, to provide a lower run that engages the lower surface of the boom. The interior of the boom is made into a liquid container that communicates with the bottom surface of the boom, which is filled with sufficient liquid to transfer heat from the relatively hot boom lower surface to a relatively cold boom surface.

Abstract: An excavating machine has a track mounted main frame with a digging implement mounted to one end of the main frame for vertical adjustment in the usual manner. A stabilizer apparatus is pivotally mounted to the other end of the main frame. The stabilizer apparatus has a wheel that is forced against the ground to tilt the main frame longitudinally about the support track in order to dampen oscillations induced into the machine by the digging implement and to force the digging implement to engage the ground with a constant force which enables the excavating machine to excavate material in an improved manner.

Abstract: A trenching machine has an elongated chain type digging implement that is pivotally mounted for vertical adjustment and movably mounted to a main frame thereof for lateral adjustment. The pivot coincides with the power shaft, and the elongated chain type digging implement is supported so it can be moved laterally in order to position the digging implement adjacent either side of the digging machine main frame and anywhere therebetween to excavate closely adjacent to buildings and other structures. The mechanism for moving the digging implement can be manually actuated by a hand crank arrangement. The main frame of the machine can be tilted laterally to either side to align the digging implement to excavate a vertical ditch. The tilting of the machine also makes it easier to manually move the digging implement laterally.

Abstract: A digging machine for planing a road. The machine has a massive main frame supported by large endless tracks. An elongated digging member has spaced shafts located at the opposed ends thereof. One of the shafts pivotally supports the digging member from the rear end of the main frame, while the other shaft rotatably supports a digging head. The digging head is rotated by spaced, endless chains that are driven by sprockets located on the pivot shaft and thereby rotates sprockets located on the other shaft. Cutter plates are supported by the spaced chains and form an endless cutter member. Opposed drums are mounted on opposed marginal ends of the driven shaft and are rotated by the driven sprockets. The drum surface has flights formed thereon. Digging teeth are mounted on the outer periphery of the flights and cutter plates. The digging head can be made as wide as the vehicle and thereby excavates adjacent to a vertical wall.

Abstract: A non-rotatable digging tooth has a forward working portion designed to excavate dirt, with a rearward cylindrical shank portion of a configuration to be removably received within the circular bore of a support block. The block includes a forward projection which forms a shoulder having a face positioned substantially parallel to the axial centerline of the bore. The juncture between the shank and digging part of the tooth is provided with a shoulder made complementary respective to the shoulder on the support block so that the two shoulders confront one another. The confronting shoulders abuttingly engage one another and provide a resisting force which prevents rotation of the tooth respective to the block. The block can be attached to various different trenching and digging apparatus.

Abstract: A trenching machine has an elongated chain type digging implement that is pivotally mounted for vertical adjustment and movably mounted to a main frame thereof for lateral adjustment. The pivot coincides with the power shaft, and the elongated chain type digging implement is supported so it can be moved laterally in order to position the digging implement adjacent either side of the digging machine main frame and anywhere therebetween to excavate closely adjacent to buildings and other structures. The mechanism for moving the digging implement can be manually actuated by a hand crank arrangement. The main frame of the machine can be tilted laterally to either side to align the digging implement to excavate a vertical ditch. The tilting of the machine also makes it easier to manually move the digging implement laterally.