US1750680A - Ditching machine - Google Patents

Description

Mach 18, 1930.

DITCHING MACHINE Filed April 9, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l A. MONTANQ lnmmao-- March 18, 1930. A. MONTANO DITCHING MACHINE Filed April 9, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheat 2 Patented Mar. 18, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ANTONIO MONTANO, OF LA JARA, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO BELARMINO GONZALES, OF LA TARA, COLORADO, AND ONE-SIXTH TO EUGENIO B. ROMERO, OF

ANTONITO, COLORADO DITCHING MACHINE Application filed April 9,

This invention relates to improvements in ditching machines of the type employed in connection with the irrigation of land, but

which can also be employed as road graders or for smoothening land surfaces and for many other particular uses.

It is the object of this invention to produce a ditching machine of a simple and substantial construction that can be manufactured at a reasonable price and which shall be especially adapted for irrigation work and by means of which ditches of any desired depth and width can readily be formed.

This invention, briefly described, consists of a frame member of substantially L-shape having a ditching blade or share connected thereto. The rear end of the blade is attached to the free end of the shorter arm of the frame member, while the front end of the blade is attached to the longer arm of the frame memher by means of an adjustable bar, which serves to hold the blade in a predetermined angular position with respect to the frame member and by means of which the blade can also be adjusted about its longitudinal axis. Wheels are secured to the front and to the rear of the frame member and another wheel is secured to the blade near the front end of the latter and means is provided for raising or lowering the frame with respect to the axes of the wheels.

Having thus briefly described the invention the same will now be described in detail and for this purpose reference will be had to the accompanying drawings, in which the preferred embodiment thereof has been illustrated, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the machine which forms the subject of this invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation taken along plane 2, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 33, Fig. 1; Fig. 4: is a side elevation of the rear supportingwheel looking in the direction of arrow 4, Fig. 1;

Fig- 5 is a side elevation of the adjusting wheel attached to the front of the blade; Fig. G is a section taken on line 6-6, Fig.

5; and v j 7 is a section taken on line 77, Fig. 1.

1929. Serial No. 353,863.

In the drawing reference numeral 1 represents the longer arm of an L-shaped frame member whose shorter arm has been designated by reference numeral 2. This frame has been illustrated as being formed from an angle iron of standard shape, but may be made from T iron or of any other suitable commercial steel form. The outer end of the shorter arm 2 is bent downwardly at right angles so as to form a downwardly extending portion 3 whose lower end is bent outwardly as indicated by reference numeral 4. Secured to this frame member is a ditching blade or share which is formed from a sheet of steel 5 to the outer side of which an angle iron 6..is attached. This angle iron has an outwardly extending flange 7 and is secured to the share by means of bolts or rivets 8. The rear end of flange 7 is connected with the outwardly extending portion d of the frame by means of a bolt 9 in the manner shown in Fig. 6. Interposed between the upper surface of the flange 7 and the lower surface of part 4 is a double convex washer 10, While the surface of the head of the bolt and the surface of the nut 11 which come in contact respectively with the flange 7 and the flange 4, are slightly convex. This construction permits a slight universal movement between the flange 7 and the part 4 so that the blade can be adjusted in any direction without producing undue strains at this point. Secured to the frame member are two caster wheels 12 and 13. Wheel 12 is attached to the frame by means of a casting 14 that is secured to the arm 1 in any suitable manner and has an upwardly extending portion 1.5 that terminates in an overhanging lug 16 which is perforated for the reception of a screw 17 that can be rotated by means of a hand wheel 18. Member 14 is provided with a rectangular notch 19 in which the rectangularly shaped bar 20 is slidably mounted. A plate 21 that is held in place by means of bolts 22 holds the bar 20 in place. The low- 95 or end of bar 20 is bent outwardly at right angles in the manner indicated at 23 and this outwardly bent portion is provided with an opening for the reception of the shaft 2 1- which extends upwardly from: the fork 25.

The wheel 12 is rotatably secured between the two arms of the fork by means of a pin 26. A collar 27 is nonrotatably secured to shaft 24 and is provided at one place with a notch into which the pawl 28 may drop for the purpose of holding the parts against rotation. WVhen the pawl 28 is in place in the notch, the wheel 12 is held in position for making a straight ditch. By means of the hand wheel and the screw 18, the front end of arm 1 can be raised and lowered for the purpose of adjustment as will be hereinafter more fully explained. The wheel 13 is secured to the frame by means which have been illustrated in Fig. 4, from which it will be seen that a casting 29 is secured to the frame member by means of bolts or rivets 30 and which casting has an upwardly extending portion 31 that terminates in a lateral lug 32 which is perforated and threaded for the reception of a screw 33 provided with a hand wheel 34. A bar 35 of rectangular cross section is slidably mounted in an opening in this casting and is held in place by a plate 36 that is secured to the casting by means of bolts 37. Bar 35 has its lower end bent rearwardly so as to form a horizontal arm 38 whose outer end is perforated so as to form a bearing for the circular shaft portion 39 that extends upwardly from the wheel fork 40. A collar 41 is secured to the fork 40 and engages the under side of part 38. A disk 42 is nonrotatably secured to the shaft portion 39 and this disk is provided with a notch 43 into which the lug 44 projects when the wheel is in one position. l Vhen the lug 44 is in place in the manner shown in Fig. 4, it holds wheel 13 so that it will rotate in a plane parallel to the plane in which wheel 12 rotates, and therefore the ditcher will travel in a straight line. WVhen the ditcher is to be turned lugs 44 and 28 must be moved to inoperative position and when this is done, the wheels are free to move about the vertical axes about which the forks can rotate and therefore turns of any curvature can be made.

The front end of the blade is supported by means of a wheel 45 which is attached to the blade by means which has been shown in detail in Figs. 5 and 6. A channel shaped bracket 46 is secured to the upper side of flange 7 by means of bolts or rivets 47 and is also secured to the blade 5 of the cutter. Secured to the upper flange of member 46 is a bearing 48 that is provided with a quadrant at one end. An L-shaped bar having a horizontal portion 49 and a vertical portion 50 is mounted for rotation in the bearing 48 and is provided at its inner end with a handle 51, which serves as a means for rotating the member about the axis of the horizontal portion 49. Handle 51 is provided with a detent 52 and means for operating it so that the parts can be held in adjusted position. The lower end of member 50 is provided with a wheel fork 53 between the two arms of which the wheel 45 is mounted. The bearing 48 is secured to the upper flange of member 46 by means of a bolt 54 so that it may rotate about the axis of this bolt. WVhen the wheel 45 is in the position shown in Fig. 5, it holds the front end of the blade above the surface of the ground, but when the ditcher is in operation, the wheel can be rotated about the axis of part 49 so as to permit the front end of the ditching blade to extend into the surface of the ground to any extent desired.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 3, it will be seen that a channel shaped bracket 55 has been secured to the upper edge of plate 5 and to the flange 7 by means of bolts or rivets. A bar 56 extends through openings in the flanges of the brackets 55 and through an opening in the flange 7 is a ferrule 57 surrounds the shaft 56 and is located between the flanges of mem- 3er 55. This sleeve or ferrule is held in place by means of a pin 58. A nut serves to clamp the rod 56 and to hold it in adjusted position. A brace comprising two parts 59 and 60 extends between the front end of the ditching blade and the corresponding end of the frame member. Member 59 is provided with a perforated hub portion 61, through which the bar 56 extends. The free end of member 60 is connected by means of a link 62 and a clevice 63 with one of several openings in flange 64. By moving the clevice upwardly or downwardly along flange 64, the blade 5 can be tilted about its longitudinal axis so as to alter its angular relation with respect to the surface of the ground and thereby getthe best adjustment for satisfactory operation. The two parts 59 and 60 overlap each other and are connected by means of bolts 65 which can be removed so that this brace may be shortened or lengthened as may be desired.

The tractor or the horses, whichever is used for pulling the ditching machine, is attached by means of chains or cables to link 66 and to the movable plate 67. A seat 68 is provided for the operator.

When the machine above described is to be transported from place to place, handle 51 is moved into vertical position so as to raise the front end of the ditching blade from the surface of the ground. The pawls 28 and 44 are moved to inoperative position so as to permit the wheels to turn about the vertical axes in the manner above described and when thus adjusted the machine can be transported to any place desired. WVhen the machine is to be used for cutting a ditch, handle 51 is rotated so as to raise the wheel 58 from the ground, thereby permitting the front end of the blade to penetrate the surface of the ground. By adjusting the height of the frame above the axis of wheel 13, the width of the ditch can be regulated and this is also influenced by the distance between the front end of the blade and the front end of the frame member. By

the construction of ditches.

properly regulating the position of wheel 45 and wheel 13, this machine can be used for scraping dust and dirt from the side of the road towards the center and for leveling ground for irrigation purposes and for many other uses.

I want to call particular attention to the fact that with this device ditching can be accomplished without first plowing and by this means a lot of labor and expense is saved in The device can also be used to fill old ditches and to clean old ditches and in fact can be employed for performing almost any operation in connection with irrigation ditches. Only one man is needed to operate this machine as the Wheels can be so set that the machine will travel in a straight line and on account of the manner in which the blade is supported an opertor is not needed for controlling the ditcher as is often necessary with ditchers constructed in other ways.

From the above description it will be apparent that I have produced a very simple and substantial ditching machine that is capable of a variety of uses and which can be readily adjusted so as to form ditches of any desired width and depth and which can also be readily transported from place to place.

In the above description and in the embodiment of the invention illustrated, wheels 12, 13 and 45 have been shown as secured in place by specific attaching devices that have means for adjusting the vertical position of the frame and blade. The means illustrated and described are merely intended to illustrate one method of accomplishing this result and is not to be construed as limiting the invention to the specific construction shown to any greater extent than made necessary by the state of the prior art.

Having described the invention what is claimed as new is:

1. In a device of the class described, in combination, a frame comprising an L-shaped member, a ditching blade, means for attaching one end of the blade directly to the outer end of the short leg of the frame member, means for adjustably connecting the blade to the other end of the frame and means for independently raising and lowering both ends of the blade with respect to the supporting surface on which the device rests.

2. In a device of the class described, in combination, a frame having a long side and a short side angularly related to each other, a ditching blade having one end connected directly with the free end of the shorter side and the other end connected with the free end of the longer arm by means of a. brace member of adjustable length, three wheels secured to the adjustable ,ditcher assembly and means for adjusting the position of the wheels with respect to the assembly.

3. A ditching and grading machine comprising, in combination, a frame composed of a long side member and a short side member angularly related to each other, a ditching blade having one end connected to the free end of the shorter member by means that permits the blade to move with respect thereto, the other end of the blade being connected with the free end of the longer side member by an extensible brace, and adjustable supports secured respectively to the front end of the blade, the front end of the longer side of the frame and to the shorter side of the frame.

4. A ditching and grading machine comprising, in combination, a frame composed of a long side member and a short side member angularly related to each other, a ditching blade having one end connected to the free end of the shorter member by means that permits the blade to move with respect thereto, the other end of the blade being connected with the free end of the longer side member by an extensible brace, means for adjusting the end of the brace vertically with respect to the frame whereby the blade can be rotated about its longitudinal axis and adjustable supports secured respectively to the front end of the blade, the front end of the longer side of the frame and to the shorter side of the frame.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ANTONIO MONTANO.

Images