Abstract: An earthen material excavator includes, a) a base undercarriage comprising running gear to move the excavator over the ground; b) a slewing platform; c) a plurality of booms operatively connected to one another, one of the booms being operatively connected with the slewing platform; and d) a digging bucket apparatus mounted to another of the booms, the bucket apparatus including, i) a rigid digging assembly having a fore earth working end and an aft non-earth-working end, the digging assembly comprising an internal throat positioned between the assembly fore and aft ends; and ii) a substantially rigid earthen material container removably mounted relative to the aft end of the rigid digging assembly, the rigid earthen container being mounted in communication with the throat to receive earthen material transferred from the rigid digging assembly through the throat.

Abstract: A mechanism (22) for supporting an earthworking tool from a vehicle such as a front end-loader (21) includes: (i) a primary support structure (23) adapted to be pivotally attached, in a readily releasable manner, about a generally upright, slewing axis (24), to a conventionally-provided elevating linkage mechanism (25) of a vehicle; (ii) power driver (26,27) to effect controlled slewing of the primary support structure (23) about its slewing axis (24); (iii) a secondary support structure (28) rotatably mounted about a generally forwardly directed axis (29) on the primary support structure (23); (iv) power driver (30) to effect controlled rotation of the secondary support structure with respect to the primary support structure; (v) tool support (32) pivotally mounted on the secondary support structure (28); and (vi) driver (33) to pivot the tool support with respect to the secondary support structure.

Abstract: A bucket for digging a ditch by moving the bucket longitudinally of the proposed ditch, rather than in the usual transverse direction, includes a top wall, a bottom wall, a rear wall and a pair of side walls diverging forwardly from the rear wall to an open front end of the bucket, one of the side walls being planar and defining a sharp corner with the bottom wall, the other side wall having a curved bottom end whereby a round bottom ditch can be formed by dragging the sharp corner through the soil longitudinally of the proposed ditch in a first pass, and then making a second pass through the soil using the curved end of the bucket.

Abstract: An implement is coupled to the forward ends of a pair of loader lift arms through the medium of an attachment assembly comprising a pair of implement carriers respectively vertically pivotally mounted to the pair of loader lift arms by a connector rod that extends through aligned holes provided in lower locations of the carriers, the connector rod being releasably fastened to each of the carriers so that the latter are pivoted in unison by hydraulic cylinders connected between the lift arms and upper locations of the carriers. The attachment assembly further includes a pair of downwardly opening hooks welded to upper locations of the back side of the implement and including arcuate portions respectively receiving cylindrical bars defining upper ends of the pair of carriers. Also fixed to the back side of the implement are a pair of rearwardly projecting, tapered connecting pins that are respectively received in holes provided in mounting plates forming lower forward portions of the carriers.