Dredger with adjustable endless digger and rotary mud slinger
United States atet 11 1 1111 3,874,101 Cummins Apr. 1, 1975 [54] DREDGER WITH ADJUSTABLE ENDLESS 688,912 12/1901 Watts 198/44 DIGGER AND ROTARY MUD SLINGER 2383957 4/1959 3,003,454 10/1961 Shatoska 37/73 X Inventor: Oliver rank Cummins, 1208 3,372,818 3/1968 Seymour et a1 198/128 x Kiplino Ave., lslington, Ontario, 3,596,384 8/1971 Neujahr 198/128 X Canada 3,618,236 11/1971 Pipkin 37/65 X [22] Flled: 1974 Primary Examiner-Clifford D. Crowder [21] Appl. No.1 438,367  
  [57] ABSTRACT 52 us. c1 37/69, 37/73, 198/44, Self-Contained mud excavating apparatus Compris- 198/64, 198/128 ing a floatable hull having an endless scoop type 51 1111.121. E021 3/14, E021&#34; 9/04 dredging Conveyor adiustably mounted upon its [58] Field of Search, 37/69, 73, 62, 63, 64, A hopper is mounted on the deck of the hull for 37/65, 198/44 47, 64, 114/42 ceiving the dredged material. A mud slinger is located in the hopper and picks up the dredged material and 5 References Cited throws it sidewise away from the hull. Rails mounted UNITED STATES PATENTS on the sides of the hull carry roller-mounted frames equipped with spuds for use in anchoring and maneu- 104,980 7/1870 M1tchel1 37/69 vering the hull. 261,587 7/1882 Cram 37/73 498,143 5/1893 Urie 37/69 6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures ATENTEB APR SHEET 2 OF 2 DREDGER WITH ADJUSTABLE ENDLESS DIGGER AND ROTARY MUD SLINGER This invention relates generally to apparatus adapted to dredge channels in marshy areas, or to clear and/or deepen existing channels or canals in marshy or watercovered areas where travel by wheeled or track vehicles is not possible.  
  Most conventional apparatus intended to clear existing channels or dig *new&#34; irrigation canals suffers from one or more of the following disadvantages. Some conventional procedures, such as hydraulic dredging, require the building of dikes for the purpose of disposing of the excavated material. The building of such dikes is rather costly, and is particularly unsuitable in marshy areas. Machines which require firm ground support, for example the dragline, become simply bogged down in marshy or watercovered areas. The apparatus known as a dipper dredge requires a bulldozer to assist in the levelling of excavated material, and in marshy areas this is impossible. The machine known as a ditching machine, due to its great weight, cannot be supported by the land in a marshy area, and generally the excavated material cannot be disposed of without additional expensive equipment.  
  In view of the disadvantages of the abovementioned conventional apparatus for digging irrigation cannels or clearing existing cannels, it is an object of this invention to provide a floatable channeldredging, self-powered apparatus which does not require the building of dikes to dispose of excavated material, which does not require firm ground support for proper operation, and which does not require any bulldozer assistance.  
 Essentially, the foregoing objects are attained by the provision ofa floatable channel dredger which includes endless-conveyor scoop means to raise excavated material above the water level, a mud slinger&#34; component which is capable of receiving the excavated material l&#39;rom the scoop means and throwing it from 60 to 90 feet laterally away from the channel being dredged, a power source, and a propelling mechanism by which the apparatus may be manoeuvred, controlled and operated.  
  One embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals denote like parts throughout the several views, and in which:  
  FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a channel dredger constructed in accordance with this invention;  
 FIG. 2 is an elevational view of an optional steadying and drive mechanism which may be provided on the apparatus shown in FIG. 1; and  
  FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken at the line 33 in FIG. 2.  
  Turning first to FIG. I, the apparatus shown generally at is seen to include a scow or barge l2 consisting ofa hull 14 having a how 15 and a stem 16. On the hull 14 are mounted the following major components: and endless conveyor scoop means 18, a mudslinger 20, a control cab 22, an engine 24, a hydraulic pump 25, and a directional propeller means 26 powered from the hydraulic pump 25.  
  As can be seen, the hull 14 has attached to its bow l5 structural support means 27 including two arms 28 which support a scoop frame 29 for longitudinal sliding motion in the direction of the two-headed arrow 30. Preferably, the scoop frame 29 is substantially the same width as the hull l4 and carries two endless chains 32 (only one visible) to which a plurality of scoops 34 are attached. The scoops 34 are elongated in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper, and extend between the two chains 32 which are separated in the direction normal to the plane of the paper. The chains 32 are preferably located substantially at either side of the hull 14. The chains 32 are entrained about suitable sprockets 36 at the upper and lower ends of the scoop frame 29. with the upper sprockets being driven by a hydraulic motor 38.  
  The scoop frame 29 is mounted for sliding motion as described above by means of suitable slideway components (which are conventional and need not be shown), and the position of the scoop frame 29 with respect to the hull 14 is controlled by a hydraulic cylinder 40 of which one upper end 41 is secured to the upper arm 28, and of which the lower end 42 is secured to the scoop frame 29. In FIG. 1, the solid line position of the scoop means 18 is its highest, uppermost or withdrawn position. The dredging position for the scoop means 18 is shown in broken lines 44.  
  The mudslinger 20 includes a hopper 46 having an internal auger 47 which gradually moves the mud, etc. in the hopper 46 to a location where it can enter a centrifugal blower 48, both the auger 47 and the blower 48 being located within the hopper 46. The tangential outlet for the centrigual blower 48 is extended by a vertical pipe 50 which is curved at the upper end as shown at 52 so that the mud and other debris blown up the pipe 50 is thrown away from the dredge at an upward angle of about 45.  
  The centrifugal blower 48 is powered directly by a drive shaft 52 which in turn is rotated by the engine 24. The auger 47 can be rotated at a slower speed through conventional reduction gear mechanisms (not shown).  
  The engine 24 also powers a hydraulic pump 25 which maintains fluid pressure in a conventional pressure tank (not shown) from which hydraulic lines pass through the usual manual and/or automatic controls, whence further lines pass to the several hydraulic motors utilized in this apparatus. One such hydraulic motor is located at 54 in the propeller means 26, and further control devices (conventional and not illustrated) can be operated hydraulically to control the direction of the propeller means 26 and thereby steer and propel the hull 14.  
  A platform 55 is provided on which the control cab 22 is built. The control cab 22 has a protective roof 56, window area 58, and a control panel from which the gasoline engine 24, the hydraulic motors, and the hydraulic cylinder 40 are controlled. A flight of steps 62 leads from the deck 64 to the cab 22. A fuel storage tank 65 for the engine 24 can be located as shown in dotted lines within the hull 14.  
  At bottom right in FIG. I. the bottom of the ditch being cleared or dug by the apparatus is shown before excavation at 68 and after excavation at 70. The water line is shown at 72a.  
  Turning now to FIGS. 2 and 3, a portion of the hull 14 is shown in each figure, and it can be seen that there has been affixed to the hull at the side thereof an upper horizontal rail 71, a lower horizontal rail 72, and an intermediate rail 74. The intermediate rail 74 is located in approximately the same plane as the upper edge of the side of the hull 14. A frame 76 includes a hollow upright pipe 77. a horizontal arm 78, a vertical arm 80 and an oblique arm 82. Three track-following wheels 83, 84 and 85 are secured for free rotation to the frame 76, the upper wheels 83 and 84 being captive between the upper and intermediate horizontal rails 71 and 74, while the lower wheel 85 rides upon the lower horizontal rail 72. Since the pipe 77 is fixedly secured to the frame 76, it will be understood that the pipe 77 is capable of horizontal motion in the upright position, longitudinally of the sides of the hull l4.  
  Mounted for vertical reciprocation within the pipe 77 is an elongated metal spud 86, which is shown in solid lines in its uppermost position, but which is capable of descending to the broken line position when extended.  
  To permit the extension and retraction of the spud 86 a hydraulic cylinder 88 is provided, having one end fixed with respect to the spud 86 through a bracket 90, and having its other end secured with respect to the frame 76 and the pipe 77. As can be seen, actuation of the cylinder 88 to extend it will lift the bracket 90 upwardly with respect to the frame 76, and will cause upward movement of the spud 86. Conversely, retraction of the cylinder 88 will cause the spud to descend to the broken line position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.  
  Naturally, it is understood that another identical spud 86 will be mounted by similar means on the other side of the hull 14.  
  The spuds are utilized to secure the hull 14 in a fixed position with respect to the bottom of the ditch being dredged, and can also be used to move the dredge forward in a walking&#34; operation. It will be understood that a cable and winch may be supplied to move the frame 76 positively in the longitudinal direction with respect to the hull 14. The cable and winch component being conventional, have not been shown.  
  To move the dredge forwardly by means of the spuds involves a very simple sequence. Firstly, the spuds are withdrawn upwardly and are moved by means of the winch to the furthest forward position, following which the spuds are extended downwardly by utilizing the cylinder(s) 88. The downward extension of the spuds will drive the spuds into the ground at the bottom of the channel, and give them purchase. Then the winch is utilized to move the hull forwardly with respect to the spuds, until the spuds are located at the furthest rearward position. The spuds are then withdrawn and move .forwardly again to the furthest forward position. The  
 cycle is then repeated.  
  It will be appreciated that the hopper 46 should extend over a reasonable area beneath the dumping bucket 34, so that it is enabled to catch the mud, silt, etc. from the bucket regardless of the adjusted position of the frame 29.  
  If desired, a shredder could be mounted above the hopper to eliminate any clogging of the blower 48 by weeds, roots, etc. No shredder provision has been shown in FIG. 1.  
  In place of the spuds shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, it would also be possible to provide traction units on either side of the hull, which units would be particularly useful in bog-type marsh areas where the hull 14 could not float and manoeuvre. Preferably, the traction units at either side of the hull 14 have provisions for raising and lowering by means of hydraulic cylinders, and ideally the gripping portion of each track would extend substantially the entire length of the hull 14.  
 I claim:  
  1. A mud excavator, comprising: a floatable hull; a conveyor frame; an arm mounted on each side of said hull inclined upwardly and rearwardly, each of said arms including a portion at each end thereof projecting to a point clear of said hull and supporting said conveyor frame for lengthwise adjustment thereof relative to said arms and hull; a cylinder pivotally mounted upon one projecting portion of each of said arms; a piston rod extending from each cylinder; means pivotally connecting one end of each piston rod to said conveyor frame for effecting said lengthwise adjustment thereof; an endless conveyor on said frame having scoops for excavating purposes; means connected with said endless conveyor for driving the same; a hopper mounted upon said hull in a position to receive material discharged from said conveyor scoops; a rotary mud slinger communicating with the lower portion of said hopper and having a discharge pipe; and drive means connected with said mud slinger.  
  2. A mud excavator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the discharge pipe is inclined and curved to direct the material laterally for deposit a substantial distance from the hull.  
  3. A mud excavator as claimed in claim 1, including an auger in the lower portion of said hopper for feeding material to the mud slinger.  
  4. A mud excavator as claimed in claim 3, including means connected to drive said mud slinger and auger, respectively.  
  5. A mud excavator as claimed in claim 1, including means mounted upon the opposite sides of the hull for maneuvering the hull into any desired position relative to the area to be excavated.  
  6. A mud excavator as claimed in claim 5, wherein the means for maneuvering the hull comprises rails extending lengthwise on the sides of the hull; a movable frame having rollers mounted upon said rails and including an upright hollow member; a spud slidably mounted in said hollow member; and means between said spud and said hollow member for raising and lowering the spud relative to the hull.