Earth compacting machine

Road structure – process – or apparatus – Apparatus – Means to agitate material

Reexamination Certificate

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Details

C404S118000, C172S245000, C037S403000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06179520

ABSTRACT:

RELATED U.S. PATENT APPLICATION
This patent application relates to a patent application entitled, Vibrating Mechanism, said patent application being filed by the applicant herein contemporaneously herewith with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to earth compacting machines which are attachable as auxiliary hydraulically powered implements to heavy earth working equipment.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Earth working implements which are attached to the lift arms of a common skid steer loader may be conveniently rotated about a lateral axis through extension or retraction of the skid steer's bucket rams. Similarly, such an implement may be conveniently rotated about a vertical axis through counter-rotation of the left and right wheels of the skid steer. Since the lift arms of a common skid steer loader move in unison, such an implement may not be conveniently rotated about a longitudinal axis. Similarly, implements attached to the boom arm of a common excavator or tractor backhoe may be rotated about a vertical axis through actuation of boom side swing rams; and such implements may be rotated about a lateral axis through actuation of the bucket ram of the boom arm. As with implements attached to the lift arms of a loader tractor or skid steer loader, implements attached to the boom arm of an excavator or backhoe tractors may not be conveniently rotated about a longitudinal axis.
Thus, where an hydraulic motor driven earth compacting machine is attached as an auxiliary implement to the boom arm of an excavator or backhoe tractor, or to the lift arms of a front loader tractor or skid steer, such implement may not be conveniently rotated about its longitudinal axis.
Circumstances commonly arise where it is desireable to rotate such an earth compacting implement, so attached to a boom arm or lift arms, about its longitudinal axis. For example, where the ground surface to be compacted laterally slopes with respect to the position of the excavator, loader tractor or skid steer, rotation of the earth compacting implement about a longitudinal axis is desirable. In absence of a capability of rotating the compactor implement about its longitudinal axis, such laterally sloped ground surfaces may be compacted only by repositioning the excavator, loader tractor or skid steer, as the case may be, so that manipulation of bucket rams may orient the compaction plate of the compactor with the slope of the ground to be compacted. Such repositioning of the excavator, loader tractor, or skid steer is undesirable because repositioning wastes valuable time, and maneuvering room allowing machinery repositioning is not always available.
The instant inventive earth compacting machine solves the above noted drawbacks and deficiencies by providing an hydraulic motor driven earth compacting machine attachable as an auxiliary implement to the boom arm of an excavator or backhoe tractor, or to the lift arms of a front loader tractor or skid steer tractor, such compactor having means for selective rotating of its compactor plate about a longitudinal axis.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The instant inventive earth compacting machine preferably comprises a rectangular earth compacting plate having a vibration inducing mechanism fixedly attached to its upper surface. Preferably, the vibration inducing mechanism comprises a pair of off balanced in line gears which are counter-rotated by an hydraulic motor. Such counter-rotating gears are preferably synchronized to cancel lateral vibratory motion and to enhance vertical vibratory motion.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the compaction plate/vibrator assembly is pivotally mounted upon an attachment plate so that the compaction plate extends forwardly from the attachment plate, and so the compaction plate may move pivotally about a longitudinal axis extending forwardly from the attachment plate. Preferably, the rearwardly facing surface of the attachment plate has couplings which are adapted for fixed attachment to the lift arms of a skid steer loader or a front loader tractor, or which are adapted for fixed attachment to the boom arm of an excavator or backhoe tractor.
Pivoting means interconnecting the attachment plate and the compaction plate preferably comprises a pair of brackets, four shock absorbing mounts, a pair of support arms, a swivel plate, a pair of “ears”, and a two way hydraulic ram. Preferably, the pair of brackets are configured as a pair of vertically extending walls fixedly attached to the upper surface of the compaction plate, such walls extending longitudinally along the length of the compaction plate, and such walls being laterally spaced apart along the width of the compaction plate. The four shock absorbing mounts preferably are solid rubber cylinders having steel attachment plates imbedded in their ends. The rubber shock absorbing mounts are preferably respectively fixed attached to the forward and rearward ends of the brackets, and oriented so that they extend inwardly. The pair of support arms preferably are fixedly attached to and span between the inwardly facing surfaces of the shock absorbing mounts, each support arm extending longitudinally between a pair of shock absorbing mounts. The rearward end of each support arm preferably extends rearwardly from the rear most shock absorbing mounts, the rearward surfaces of the support arm providing surfaces for fixed attachment of a rectangular swivel plate, which plate spans between and supports the support arms. Preferably, the swivel plate has a swivel pin receiving aperture therethrough, the swivel pin receiving aperture being pivotally mounted over a swivel pin which is fixedly mounted upon and extends forwardly from the forwardly facing surface of the attachment plate. The ears are preferably fixedly attached to and extend upwardly from the upper edges of the attachment plate and the swivel plate. Preferably, the upper end of each ear has a bolt receiving aperture therethrough. The hydraulic ram preferably spans between and interconnects the upper ends of the ears.
Upon actuation of the hydraulic ram, the ears may be selectively driven apart or pulled together, selectively pivoting the compaction plate about a longitudinal axis extending forwardly from the swivel pin. Such selective rotation of the compaction plate allows ground surfaces which slope laterally with respect to the orientation of, for example, a skid steer loader to which the earth compacting machine is attached, to be efficiently compacted without repositioning the skid steer loader.
Preferably, the forward edge of the compaction plate is straight and extends forwardly from the forward ends of the brackets and support arms. Upon raising the lift arms of, for example, a skid steer to which the earth compacting machine is attached, and upon extending the bucket rams of such skid steer loader, the forward edge of the compaction plate drops downward, orienting the compaction plate vertically with respect to the ground. With the compaction plate so oriented, it may be utilized as a back dragging dirt grader. Pivoting motion, as described above, allows the compaction plate so oriented to selectively move earth rightwardly or leftwardly in a fashion similar to the action of the blade of a common road grader. Preferably, the compaction plate has an inset forward end for enhancing its earth moving capabilities when vertically oriented.
Preferably, a hydraulic selector valve box is fixedly attached to the forwardly facing surface of the attachment plate, and positioned so that it will not interfere with pivotal motion of the swivel plate. Hydraulic pressure input and output lines from the hydraulic system of, for example, a skid steer loader to which the compactor is attached, supplies hydraulic pressure to hydraulic lines extending from the selector box the hydraulic ram, and to the hydraulic motor driven vibrator.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an earth compacting machine which is attachable as an auxiliary implement

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