Abstract: A door interlock for a door of a work vehicle is provided, the door interlock including a switch, wherein the door interlock is movable between (a) an operating position in which the switch alternately indicates (1) that the door is open and (2) that the door is closed, and (b) an override position in which the switch indicates the door is closed regardless of the presence or absence of the door.

Abstract: A stakedown assembly for a horizontal directional drill that multiplies the travel of a hydraulic cylinder so that the drive head travels twice the distance of the hydraulic cylinder travel. A gear pinion is pivotally attached to a top end of the hydraulic cylinder. A first gear rack is fixedly attached to a tower, and a second gear rack is fixedly attached to a drive head. The gear pinion floats between the two gear racks, thus, producing multiplication when the hydraulic cylinder is actuated. This allows the use of a shorter hydraulic cylinder and results in a smaller overall stakedown assembly height.

Abstract: A coupler for a horizontal directional drill for quickly and easily attaching and detaching a stakedown assembly from the drill. The coupler includes a first coupler member and a second coupler member with matching angular front and Fear ends so that the first member fits within the second member. A lever operated locking mechanism releasably locks the two coupler members together in attached relationship.

Abstract: A coupling for quickly and easily attaching and detaching stakes from the drive head of a horizontal directional drill. The coupling includes an upper coupler member and a lower coupler member. The lower coupler member slides into the upper coupler member, and a pin in the upper coupler member rotates into opposed, horizontal slots in the lower coupler member.

Abstract: A multiple position stakedown assembly for a horizontal directional drill machine which installs stakes into the ground in a variety of different locations with a single drive head. The stakedown assembly includes a vertical tower that is rotatably mounted on a base plate. Locator ports for the stakes are provided in the base plate in a segmentally circular pattern around the tower. A drive head cantilevered from the top of the tower rotates with the tower to positions where it can install stakes through any of the ports.

Abstract: A cartridge for storing pipe lengths on a horizontal directional drill that allows easy loading and unloading of pipes from the cartridge while it is attached to the drill. Longitudinal support members and towers at each end of the cartridge provide structural support to the cartridge and maintain the pipe lengths within the cartridge. The sides of the cartridge are open and unobstructed. Loading and unloading of pipes can, therefore, be done through the sides of the cartridge.

Abstract: A thrust system for a horizontal directional drill is provided. The thrust system includes a drill boom having a drive sprocket positioned at the first end thereof and a driven sprocket positioned at the second end thereof. A carriage for supporting the horizontal drill is slidably received on the drill boom. The carriage includes idler sprockets positioned between the drive sprocket and driven sprocket in the drill boom. A serpentine chain extends about the drive sprocket, the driven sprocket and the idler sprockets in order to provide greater thrust and pullback of the drill at given torques. Rotation of the drive sprocket in a first direction draws the carriage towards the first end of the drill boom, and rotation of the drive sprocket in a second direction draws the carriage towards the second end of the drill boom.

Abstract: A coupling assembly for releasably securing an implement to a work vehicle. The coupling system includes top wedges which are engaged in wedge-shaped sockets, and tapered lower hooks that apply a continuous force to a pin or cylindrical rod which operates to tightly engage the wedges in the wedge-shaped sockets, thereby preventing movement and resultant wear between the engaging portions of the coupling assembly and having the capability of handling heavy, high load inducing attachments as well as existing attachments.

Abstract: A vibratory cable plow assembly including a frame assembly for connecting a plow blade to a frame of a prime mover. The frame assembly supports a vibrating mechanism or shaker that is adapted to impart vibratory movements to the plow blade. The frame assembly includes a lower support that extends rearwardly from its pivotal connection to the frame of the prime mover. The lower support mounts a blade supporting frame for rocking movement about a generally horizontal pivot mechanism. The blade supporting frame is mounted toward a distal end of the lower support intermediate its free ends and has the plow blade attached to a free end thereof. The vibratory mechanism is mounted on the blade supporting frame. An extendable/retractable driver extends about the lower support and is pivotally connected between the frame of the prime mover and the other free end of the blade supporting frame. An elastomeric bearing assembly isolates the blade supporting frame from transferring vibrations to the prime mover.

Abstract: A boom assembly including a boom with laterally spaced side walls and adapted to have a digging chain and tooth assembly rotatable thereabout. A boom end idler assembly is arranged between the side walls at the free end of the boom for rotatably supporting the digging chain and tooth assembly. The boom end idler assembly includes a boom end idler rotationally supported by an anti-friction bearing. Axially aligned members pass through aligned apertures in the side walls of the boom and at least partially within the inner race of the bearing for defining the rotational axis of the boom end idler and for clamping the side walls of the boom to each other to minimize clearances between the boom and the boom end idler. Seals are provided to close the clearances proximate the bearing and inhibit foreign debris from contaminating the anti-friction bearing.

Abstract: A control system for regulating starting and various operations of a walk behind and self-propelled trencher. The control system conditions the trencher for forward, neutral, and reverse operation through use of a single control lever mounted for sliding movement in a common plane extending between a neutral/start position and a drive position and thence in another plane to forward or reverse positions to control the direction of the trencher. When the control lever is in a neutral/start position, a power assembly on the trencher is ineffective to drive wheels used to propel the trencher across a field. When the control lever is shifted to a drive position, a drive path is established between the power assembly and at least one of the wheels on the trencher. The control system is configured to allow the power assembly to be started only when the control lever is in a neutral/start position and prevents starting of the power assembly when the control lever is in other than a neutral/start position.

Abstract: A cable guiding chute assembly suitable for attachment to a vibratory plow blade to dispense a cable at a selected drop radius. The cable chute assembly includes a pair of generally vertical side wall members joined by a forward wall to define a cable passageway and interchangeable gate members extending the length of the passageway to define cable guiding conduits having different radii. Each gate member is releasably secured to the side walls of the chute to permit expeditious removal and replacement. Further, the chute assembly is constructed with minimal surface area to reduce drag and a leading edge to reduce the build-up of material between the chute and plow blade. Moreoever, the chute assembly includes a downwardly directed bottom opening which permits pulling of the cable when the plow blade is removed from the ground without damaging the cable exterior.

Abstract: An improved high-speed cable-laying apparatus of the type which digs a kerf, lays a cable at the kerf bottom, and refills the kerf with spoil in one pass. The kerf digger is a chainline loop having ground-cutting teeth spaced along its length and restricting elements between the teeth. The chainline is preferably in the form of a narrow upright loop. Rearwardly of the chainline loop are an upright chute for directing cable to the bottom of the kerf and a trailing structure supporting a reel, cable guide means, and angled plow blades for directing spoil back into the kerf on top of the cable. The arrangement of elements is compact and maneuverable and avoids damage to fragile cable even while the device operates at high ground speed.

Abstract: A vibratory plow blade which increases the efficiency of the plowing action. The tapered leading edge of the plow blade includes a plurality of saw-like teeth or serrations. The uppermost serration acts as a soil cutter as the plow blade moves along the ground slot formed by the blade during vibration, thereby relieving surface tension created by packed soil or sod. The intermediate serration provides an upward fracturing of the subsoil with each successive up stroke from the vibratory action. This fracturing reduces the amount of work required to move the plow blade through the soil in the direction of plowing. The lower serration also provides an upward fracturing of the deep subsoil directly above the serration. Further, the upper leading edge of the lower serration is sloped to a greater extent than the upper leading edges of the other serrations to provide blade pull for maintaining the proper plowing depth during the plowing operation.

Abstract: An improved control assembly is disclosed which is particularly suited for embodiment as a so-called mono stick control for a material handling implement. The control assembly includes a lever support member adapted to be pivotally mounted on an associated implement, and which carries a first control lever adapted to pivot with respect to the support member about a first pivot axis. The support member further carries a second control lever which is adapted for pivotal movement about a second axis parallel to and spaced from the first axis. Notably, the second control lever is operatively interconnected with the first control lever such that relatively large angular movement of the second lever results in a relatively lesser angular movement of the first control lever, with the second lever then acting to prevent movement of the first lever back into its neutral position.

Abstract: A vertical lift and blade control mechanism for a plow blade which is particularly suitable for a vibratory plow assembly used for laying cable, pipe, and the like underground. The blade control mechanism is generally in the form of a parallelogram frame assembly including substantially equal length vertical frame members which are parallel and interconnected by links to form a four bar linkage arrangement that is collapsible for adjustable movement of the plow blade. The frame assembly is pivotally connected at one corner to a rigid mast assembly, and a first piston cylinder is connected between the mast assembly and frame assembly for raising and lowering the plow blade between a generally vertical plowing position and a transport position. The vertical frame members are shifted relative to each other by a second piston cylinder to provide variable digging depths for the plow blade.

Abstract: The disclosed cable plow assembly is adapted to reduce the power requirements of cable and line laying plows. The plow blade is suspended on the rear of a resilient frame assembly having two pair of vertically spaced links. Each link is pivotally supported on forward and rear frame members by resilient torsional bushings. The links of each pair preferably converge toward the direction of movement of the plow or the supporting vehicle at an angle of about fifteen to twenty degrees or about three to four horizontal units to one vertical. This arrangement generates a unique forward elliptical cleaving action in the plow blade, reducing the force required to cut the earth and pull the blade through the ground. In the most preferred embodiment, the forward ends of the lower links of each pair are adjustable vertically to adjust the angle between the links and thereby adjust the elliptical motion of the plow blade to accommodate various soil conditions.