VIBRATION ENHANCED ROLLING TAMPER AND METHODS OF USE
A trench compactor assembly for use with a piece of equipment, the trench compactor assembly comprises: a compactor wheel, a frame assembly, a compactor mount, and an exciter. The frame assembly comprises one or more primary frame members and one or more extension members. The one or more primary frame members have a first end disposed adjacent the rotational axis of the compactor wheel, a second end spaced apart from the peripheral compaction surface of the compactor wheel, and a length greater than the radius of the compactor wheel extending between the first end and the second end. The exciter is disposed adjacent the second end of the one or more primary frame members such that the exciter is substantially aligned with the first and second ends of the primary frame members and the rotational axis of the compactor wheel. The exciter is selectively connected to a hydraulic system of the piece of equipment such that the exciter is further selectively actuated to generate vibrations.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to apparatus and methods for compacting or tamping soil, sand, and the like. More specifically, but not by way of limitation, the present invention relates to apparatus and methods for compacting soil, and the like with a rolling compactor member having vibration enhanced capabilities.
2. Brief Description of Related Art
Compaction of soil, sand, or the like is desirable in a number of circumstances and situations. For example, when installing underground utilities such as electric, telephone, or cable lines, a trench is generally formed in the ground by removing soil and the like. Once the utility line is installed in the trench, it is desirable to fully compact the removed soil back into the trench so as to fully fill the trench and prevent unsightly settling. Due to expansion or de-compaction of the soil as it is removed to form a trench, it is extremely difficult to fully compact the soil when filling the trench. As a result, soil must be mounded over the top of the trench and often overlaps the sides of the filled trench. As traffic, rainwater, runoff, and the like pass over the trench, the soil eventually settles and re-compacts within the trench. Often this settling takes place unevenly, causing an unsightly and sometimes dangerous condition in which the trench is unevenly filled and may include mounds and divots or holes within the trench that may make it easier for an individual to trip or fall in or about the trench. These conditions often require further trips and further manpower to rearrange the soil in the trench as settling occurs to ensure even compaction and filling of the trench overtime. Such additional trips and manpower are time consuming and may not generate independent revenue, thereby detracting from separate revenue generating activities and making such trips and manpower even less desirable. As such, a need exists for devices and methods of filling and compacting trenches to improve effectiveness of such backfilling and reduce return trips needed to properly backfill.
A number of attempts have been made at creating devices to improve compaction of soil during backfill of a trench. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,737,244 discloses a rolling soil compactor attached to a vehicle by way of a three-point hitch and towed behind a drawing vehicle. The soil compactor has an adjustable eccentric within a hollow circular member. The eccentric is coupled to a hydraulic motor that drives the eccentric to create vibrations.
By way of another example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,913,581 discloses a self-propelled trench soil compactor including a vibratory frame pivotally connected to a mobile frame such that the vibratory frame can be moved up or down relative thereto. A soil compaction wheel is rotatably supported at an end of the vibratory frame. The soil compaction wheel is power driven to function as the propulsion means for the machine.
By way of yet another example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,479,728 discloses a self-contained backfill and tamper unit. The unit includes a tractor having a mast secured thereto. A vibrating and tamping wheel assembly is mounted on the mast which is pivotally secured to the tractor for limited arcuate motion from vertical. The vibrator and tamping wheel assembly is free-floating on the mast to isolate the tractor from vibration.
By way of yet another example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,526,590 discloses a vibratory compactor that mounts onto the loader arms of a skid steer. The compactor includes a freely turning compactor wheel that is vibrated at a desired frequency and intensity. The vibrator and the packing wheel are mounted onto a subframe which in turn is mounted through isolation mounts back to a main frame that attached to the skid steer loader so that vibrations generated are not transferred at substantial levels back to the skid steer loader. The compactor includes a blade member that will move loose dirt into a trench that is being compacted by the packing wheel. The mounting for the packing wheel also can be adjusted to tilt the plane of the wheel, and the wheel can be moved laterally as well, to position the packing wheel close to fences or walls.
Each of the foregoing examples suffers certain shortcomings. With respect to the self-contained devices, the size of the devices makes their cost and transportation impractical. With respect to the last example designed to be mounted to a skid steer, the complexity of the frames may increase the weight of the device, and the inclusion of isolation members may provide a weaker point that may be relatively more susceptible to wear, tear, and breakage and may increase maintenance costs. As such, a continuing need exists for improved devices and methods for compacting soil, for example within a trench as or after the trench is backfilled.
Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to
Each primary frame member 22 is provided with an upper end 38, a lower end 42, and an offset portion 46 (
Each extension member 30 preferably extends between a first end 46 and a second end 50. The first end 50 of each extension member 30 preferably engages or is otherwise connected or cooperatively associated with the upper end 38 of the corresponding primary frame member 22, such that the extension members 30 and primary frame members 22 are angularly disposed from one another, and preferably substantially perpendicular to one another. In other embodiments, the extension members 30 and the primary frame members 22 may alternatively be disposed at a relative angle of between about 45 degrees and about 135 degrees, between about 30 degrees and about 120 degrees, or between about 15 degrees and about 105 degrees. The second end 54 of each extension member 30 preferably engages or is otherwise connected or cooperatively associated with the mount plate 32 such that the mount plate 32 is spaced apart from the primary frame members 22 as shown. More specifically, the extension members 30 are preferably provided with a length that is greater than the radius of the compactor wheel 18, or a length such that the mount plate 32 is mounted far enough forward of the primary frame members 22 that the compactor wheel 18 is permitted to rotate within the assembled frame 14. The compactor mount 34 preferably engages a forward portion of the mount plate 32 such that the compactor mount 34 is the foremost portion of the assembled frame 14, as will be described in more detail below.
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The primary frame members 22 preferably support the exciter base 26 at or near the upper ends 38 of the primary frame members 22. More specifically, the exciter base 26 is preferably disposed relative to the primary frame members 22 such that the exciter 20 may be mounted on the exciter base 26 in substantial alignment with the upper and lower ends 38 and 42 of the primary frame members 22 and the central or rotational axis of the compactor wheel 18. In other embodiments in which the primary frame members 22 are given a different shape, the exciter base 26 is preferably such that the exciter 20 may be mounted so as to be substantially vertically aligned over the central or rotational axis of the compactor wheel 18. For example, the exciter 20 may be mounted such that its center of mass, center of gravity, center of volume, or the like is substantially aligned as described above. In this way, the vibration created by the exciter 20 is preferably primary transferred to the wheel 18, and the vibration created by the exciter 20 is preferably transferred less-effectively to a skid steer or other piece of equipment with which the compactor assembly 10 is used. As such, wear and fatigue caused to the skid steer or other piece of equipment is preferably minimized, without elastomeric, hydraulic, or other shock- and vibration-reducing members or systems which are susceptible to failure.
The exciter base 26 is preferably durable enough to support the exciter 20 that provides vibration to assist in the compaction of soil or the like, as will be described in more detail below. Additionally, the exciter 20 may be of considerable weight. To support the weight of the exciter 20 and to resist deformations or wear induced by the vibrations of the exciter 20, the exciter base 26 is preferably disposed above the upper ends 38 of the primary frame members 22, and formed of a durable material that, in some embodiments, may be harder, more rigid, thicker, or the like, than one or more other portions of the frame 14. The frame 14 also preferably includes exciter supports 66 at the intersection of the primary frame members 22 and the exciter support 26. The exciter supports 66 are preferably affixed to both the primary frame members 22 and the exciter base 26 so as to provide additional support to help both the primary frame members 22 and the exciter support 26 resist deformation and wear.
The primary frame members 22, exciter base 26, angle members 58, stiffener plates 62, and exciter supports 66 are preferably connected, interlocked, or engaged by any suitable means, such as, for example, with welds, bolts, screws, rivets, mechanical interlock such as tabs and/or slots, or any other suitable means for cooperatively associating the primary frame members 22, exciter base 26, angle members 58, stiffener plates 62, and exciter supports 66. In other embodiments, the primary frame members 22, exciter base 26, angle members 58, stiffener plates 62, and exciter supports 66 may be formed in any suitable shape, size, or the like, and may be modified, supplemented, or omitted in any suitable fashion to permit the compactor assembly 10 to function as described herein.
The frame 14 preferably further includes one or more support legs 70. As shown, the frame includes two support legs 70, with one support leg 70 disposed on each side of the compactor wheel 18 to support the compactor assembly 10 in an upright position, as shown, when the compactor assembly 10 is not in use. Each support leg 70 preferably extends between an upper end 74 and a lower end 78, and includes a foot 82 affixed to the lower end 78. Each foot 82 is preferably a flattened plate or the like extending laterally from the support leg 70 and angled relative to the support leg 70 such that at least a portion of the foot 82 engages a support surface, such as the ground, when the compactor assembly 10 is in an upright position, as shown.
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In the embodiment shown, the central and radial bolts 150 and 154 are preferably held in substantially fixed positions relative to the compactor mount 34, such that the compactor mount 34 is permitted to rotate about the central bolt 150 relative to the mount plate 32 (
Referring now to
The central hub 162 preferably includes a plurality of equally-spaced holes 202 to permit attachment of the central hub 162 to the primary frame members 22 by way of bolts 206 or the like (
Referring now to
Additionally, the compactor assembly 10 depicted in
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In one exemplary method of use, a compactor assembly 10 and skid steer 250 are provided, either separately or together. When they are provided separately, the compactor assembly 10 is attached or connected to the skid steer 250. As necessary or desirable, the support legs 70 (
Changes may be made in the construction and the operation of the various components, elements and assemblies described herein or in the steps or the sequence of steps of the methods described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.
Claims
1. A trench compactor assembly for use with a piece of equipment, comprising:
- a compactor wheel having a rotational axis, a radius, and a peripheral compaction surface;
- a frame assembly comprising: one or more primary frame members having a first end disposed adjacent the rotational axis of the compactor wheel, a second end spaced apart from the peripheral compaction surface of the compactor wheel, and a length greater than the radius of the compactor wheel extending between the first end and the second end; one or more extension members having a first end, a second end, and a length extending therebetween, the first end engaging at least one of the one or more primary frame members, the second end extending from the at least one primary frame member in substantially fixed angular relation;
- a compactor mount engaging the second end of at least one of the one or more extension members, the compactor mount adapted to be selectively mounted to a piece of equipment, and
- an exciter disposed adjacent the second end of the one or more primary frame members such that the exciter is substantially aligned with the first and second ends of the primary frame members and the rotational axis of the compactor wheel, the exciter selectively actuated to generate vibrations.
2. The trench compactor assembly of claim 1, wherein the center of mass of the exciter is substantially aligned with the first and second ends of the primary frame members and the rotational axis of the compactor wheel.
3. The trench compactor assembly of claim 1, wherein the one or more primary frame members comprise two primary frame members, and wherein the one or more extension members comprise two extension members.
4. The trench compactor assembly of claim 1, wherein the angle between the one or more primary frame members and the one or more extension members is between about 45 degrees and about 135 degrees.
5. The trench compactor assembly of claim 4, wherein the angle between the one or more primary frame members and the one or more extension members is between about 30 degrees and about 120 degrees.
6. The trench compactor assembly of claim 5, wherein the angle between the one or more primary frame members and the one or more extension members is between about 15 degrees and about 105 degrees.
7. The trench compactor assembly of claim 6, wherein the angle between the one or more primary frame members and the one or more extension members is about 90 degrees.
8. The trench compactor assembly of claim 1, wherein the exciter is selectively connected to a hydraulic system of the piece of equipment such that hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic system causes the exciter to generate vibrations.
9. The trench compactor assembly of claim 1, wherein the compactor mount is pivotally connected to the frame assembly such that the angle between the frame assembly and the compactor mount is selectively adjusted.
10. The trench compactor assembly of claim 9, wherein the frame assembly further comprises:
- one or more support arms extending downward from the frame assembly such that the one or more support arms cooperate with the compactor wheel to selectively support the trench compactor assembly in an upright position.
11. The trench compactor assembly of claim 10, wherein the one or more support arms are selectively removed from the frame assembly.
12. The trench compactor assembly of claim 10, wherein the one or more support arms comprise two support arms that angle away from the compactor wheel as they extend downward from the frame assembly.
13. The trench compactor assembly of claim 11, wherein the two support arms are selectively removed from the frame assembly.
14. A method of compacting backfill in a trench, comprising the steps of: providing a skid steer;
- providing a trench compactor assembly selectively supported by the skid steer, the trench compactor assembly comprising:
- a compactor wheel having a rotational axis, a radius, and a peripheral compaction surface;
- a frame assembly comprising: one or more primary frame members having a first end disposed adjacent the rotational axis of the compactor wheel, a second end spaced apart from the peripheral compaction surface of the compactor wheel, and a length greater than the radius of the compactor wheel extending between the first end and the second end; one or more extension members having a first end, a second end, and a length extending therebetween, the first end engaging at least one of the one or more primary frame members, the second end extending from the at least one primary frame member in substantially-fixed angular relation; a compactor mount engaging the second end of at least one of the one or more extension members, the compactor mount selectively engaging the skid steer; and an exciter disposed adjacent the second end of the one or more primary frame members such that the exciter is substantially aligned with the first and second ends of the primary frame members and the rotational axis of the compactor wheel, the exciter selectively connected to a hydraulic system of the skid steer and further selectively actuated to cause the compactor wheel to vibrate; positioning the skid steer relative to a trench such that the compactor wheel of the trench compactor assembly is at least partially disposed within the trench; placing backfill within the trench; actuating the exciter of the trench compactor assembly to cause the compactor wheel to vibrate; propelling the trench compactor assembly with the skid steer such that the compactor wheel travels along at least a portion of the trench to compact at least a portion of the backfill within the trench.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein the steps of providing a skid steer and providing a trench compactor assembly are performed together.
16. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of: connecting the trench compactor assembly to the skid steer.
17. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of placing backfill is performed before the step of positioning the skid steer.
18. The method of claim 14, wherein the steps of placing backfill and propelling the compactor assembly are performed simultaneously.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the trench compactor assembly further comprises two support arms extending downward from the frame assembly such that the two support arms cooperate with the compactor wheel to selectively support the trench compactor assembly in an upright position, the method further comprising the step of:
- removing the support arms from the frame assembly prior to the step of positioning the skid steer.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 30, 2008
Publication Date: Feb 4, 2010
Inventor: Marvin A. Wallace (Wynne, AR)
Application Number: 12/182,610
International Classification: E01C 19/38 (20060101);