초록 ▼

Apparatus for laying underground cable or conduit (such as innerduct) includes a vertical cable plow connected to the boom of an excavator, the excavator being mounted on a first flat-bed rail car, and a second flat-bed rail car following the first for carrying supply reels of cable or conduit fed f

Apparatus for laying underground cable or conduit (such as innerduct) includes a vertical cable plow connected to the boom of an excavator, the excavator being mounted on a first flat-bed rail car, and a second flat-bed rail car following the first for carrying supply reels of cable or conduit fed from the second car to the first. Cable guides guide the cable or conduit from the supply reels to the plowshare and through the plow assembly to the desired subterranean level in a ditch made by the plow. The first and second flat-bed cars are preferably pulled by a pair of conventional diesel-electric locomotives. A rigid element mountable to the first flat-bed rail car and extending outward from either side of the first flat-bed rail car transfers torque on the plowing assembly to the rail car. The rigid element ("boot") is preferably removable to temporarily narrow the apparatus for travel mode. The apparatus may be installed on a flat-bed truck or a canal barge instead of a rail car. The plow blade is readily equipped with a vibratory attachment and/or replaced for specific purposes with a soil trencher, rock chainsaw, wheel rocksaw, or other type of end-effector. A second plow, mounted on a third flat-bed car disposed ahead of the main plow, can be employed to pre-rip the ground ahead of the main plow.

대표청구항 ▼

[What is claimed is:] [1.]a) a flat-bed first vehicle having lateral edges,b) a second vehicle secured to said flat-bed first vehicle, said second vehicle including a hydraulic boom capable of extending beyond at least one of said lateral edges of said flat-bed first vehicle,c) a plowshare connected

[What is claimed is:] [1.]a) a flat-bed first vehicle having lateral edges,b) a second vehicle secured to said flat-bed first vehicle, said second vehicle including a hydraulic boom capable of extending beyond at least one of said lateral edges of said flat-bed first vehicle,c) a plowshare connected to said hydraulic boom for digging a trench, andd) means for feeding said cable, conduit, or innerduct to said plowshare, said flat-bed first vehicle being equipped with a rigid element disposed to extend laterally from said flat-bed first vehicle to maintain said plowshare at a distance from said at least one lateral edge of said first vehicle to guide said plowshare for installing said cable, conduit, or innerduct, and to transfer torque from said plowshare to said first vehicle.