Abstract: An excavating and loading system is disclosed which includes a vehicle with an excavating wheel assembly at the front and a plurality of conveyors toward the rear. The conveyors of the excavating and loading system include cross conveyors and a main conveyor for receiving material from the excavating wheels. The main conveyor transports the material rearwardly from the excavating wheel assembly and delivers the material to the opposite end of the vehicle. An auxiliary conveyor assembly is detachably supported at the opposite end of the vehicle to receive material from the main conveyor and to transport the material either laterally or rearwardly. The rear portion of the main conveyor is adapted to fold under the auxiliary conveyor assembly to reduce the overall height of the excavating and loading system during travel. The auxiliary conveyor assembly has a pair of conveyors mounted with the discharge end of one conveyor adjacent the receiving end of the other conveyor.

Abstract: An excavating and loading system includes an excavating and wheel assembly at the front thereof and a plurality of conveyors for conveying the material from the excavating wheel assembly upward and rearwardly. The excavating wheel assembly includes a pair of excavating wheels with a total width wider than the overall width of the following portions of the system. A supporting and housing apparatus extends between the excavating wheels and rotatably supports the same from the front of the vehicle. A power plant is provided and a drive shaft extends down along the supporting and housing means between the two excavating wheels. Gearing is provided in the interior of the wheels and is connected to the drive shaft for powering the excavating wheels. Apparatus is provided for raising and lowering excavation height of the excavation wheel assembly to thereby vary the grade of the excavation.

Abstract: Apparatus for dampening the closing of a heavy door of the type mounted along a hinge axis on a heavy movable member such as a digging bucket for a shovel, said dampening apparatus comprises a crank pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on said movable member adjacent said hinge axis, linkage means pivotally mounted adjacent one end thereof on said door and pivotally connected adjacent an opposite end to one end of the crank, a cushioning device having a lower pivotal connection pivotally connected to the crank at the end thereof opposite from the first-mentioned end and an upper pivotal connection pivotally connecting the cushioning device to the movable member, and the cushioning device comprises a telescopic rubber snubber.

Abstract: An excavating and loading system includes an excavating wheel assembly at the front thereof and a plurality of conveyors for conveying the material from the excavating wheel assembly upwardly and rearwardly. The excavating wheel assembly includes at least one excavating wheel which is positioned on the front of the vehicle with respect to the direction of travel to form an excavation. The wheel has side mounted cutting teeth which pivot outwardly to form an excavation wider than the following portion of the system. A supporting and housing apparatus rotatably supports the excavating wheel means from the vehicle and engages the wheel means on the ends thereof. Apparatus is provided for raising and lowering the excavation wheel assembly to raise and lower the excavation height and thereby vary the grade of the excavation. The excavation wheel is provided with means for positively moving the walls of a plurality of buckets between material receiving and material discharging positions.

Abstract: An excavating and loading system includes an excavating wheel assembly at the front thereof and a plurality of conveyors for conveying the material from the excavating wheel assembly upward and rearwardly. The excavating wheel assembly includes at least one excavating wheel which is angularly disposed with respect to the direction of travel to form an excavation and has digging surfaces on the forward extending end of the excavating wheel. The wheel forms an excavation wider than the following portion of the system. A supporting and housing apparatus rotatably supports the excavating wheel means from the vehicle. Apparatus is provided for raising, lowering and/or tilting the supporting and housing apparatus to position the excavation wheel assembly to thereby vary the excavation. The excavation wheel is provided with means for positively moving the walls of a plurality of buckets between material receiving and material discharging positions.

Abstract: An excavating and loading system includes an excavating wheel assembly at the front thereof and a plurality of conveyors for conveying material from the excavating wheel assembly upwardly and rearwardly. The excavating wheel assembly includes at least one excavating wheel which is wider than the overall width of the following portion of the system. A supporting and housing apparatus rotatably supports the excavating wheel and includes portions which engage the ends of the excavating wheel. Apparatus is provided for raising and lowering the supporting and housing apparatus to raise and lower the excavating height of the excavating wheel assembly and thereby vary the grade of the excavation. The excavation wheel is provided with means for positively moving the walls of a plurality of buckets between digging and dumping positions.

Abstract: An excavating and loading system includes an excavating and wheel assembly at the front thereof and a plurality of conveyors for conveying the material from the excavating wheel assembly upward and rearwardly. The excavating wheel assembly includes a pair of excavating wheels with a total width wider than the overall width of the following portions of the system. A supporting and housing apparatus extends between the excavating wheels and rotatably supports the same from the front of the vehicle. A power plant is provided and a drive shaft extends down along the supporting and housing means between the two excavating wheels. Gearing is provided in the interior of the wheels and is connected to the drive shaft for powering the excavating wheels. Apparatus is provided for raising and lowering excavation height of the excavation wheel assembly to thereby vary the grade of the excavation.

Abstract: An excavating and loading system including an excavating wheel assembly at the front thereof and a plurality of conveyors for conveying material from the excavating wheel assembly to the rear of the vehicle. The excavating wheel assembly has an excavating wheel which is narrower than the overall width of the following portion of the system. A yoke engages the ends of the excavating wheel and supports the wheel in a horizontal position. The yoke is pivotally attached to the vehicle and hydraulic cylinders are provided to oscillate the excavating wheel assembly from side-to-side transverse to the direction of movement of the vehicle to form a trench wider than the excavating wheel assembly itself. Means are provided on the vehicle for raising and lowering the excavating height and can be provided to adjust the roll attitude of the excavation wheel assembly. The excavation wheel is provided with means for positively moving walls of a plurality of buckets between digging and dumping positions.

Abstract: An excavating and loading system including an excavating wheel assembly at the front thereof and a plurality of conveyors for conveying material from the excavating wheel assembly upwardly and rearwardly. The excavating wheel assembly includes a plurality of excavating wheels having an overall width in excess of that of the following portion of the system. A supporting and housing apparatus rotatably supports the excavating wheel assembly and includes portions which extend between adjacent excavating wheels. Electric motors are connected to drive shafts which extend to the excavating wheel assembly through the portions of the supporting and housing apparatus that extend between adjacent excavating wheels. A right angle gearbox is connected to each drive shaft and powers the excavating wheel through a planetary speed reducer. Apparatus is provided for raising and lowering the excavating height of the excavating wheel assembly to thereby vary the grade of the excavation.