초록 ▼

A continuous ditch excavator includes an excavating auger rotatably mounted on a chassis in a centrally-disposed excavation work area defined by forward and rear portions. Two driving elements are rotatably-mounted in laterally spaced-apart relation to each other on the chassis. The auger is moved l

A continuous ditch excavator includes an excavating auger rotatably mounted on a chassis in a centrally-disposed excavation work area defined by forward and rear portions. Two driving elements are rotatably-mounted in laterally spaced-apart relation to each other on the chassis. The auger is moved laterally between the first and second driving elements to permit adjustment of the position of the auger in relation to the first and second driving elements. In another embodiment, the auger is carried by an arm rotatably mounted to the chassis. In yet another embodiment, the excavator includes a plurality of excavating augers independently raised and lowered to vary the width of the ditch.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A continuous ditch excavator, comprising:(a) a chassis having a forward portion and a rear portion;(b) first and second rotatably-mounted driving elements having treads thereon, said driving elements carried by the chassis in laterally spaced-apart relation to each other for driving and steering

1. A continuous ditch excavator, comprising:(a) a chassis having a forward portion and a rear portion;(b) first and second rotatably-mounted driving elements having treads thereon, said driving elements carried by the chassis in laterally spaced-apart relation to each other for driving and steering the chassis along a ground surface, said first and second driving elements defining a centrally-disposed excavation work area therebetween;(c) an excavating auger rotatably-mounted on the chassis in the excavation work area forwardly of the rear portion of the chassis, rearwardly of the forward portion of the chassis and intermediate the first and second driving elements for penetrating the ground surface and excavating a ditch therein; and(d) auger positioning means carried by the chassis and connected to said auger for moving said auger laterally in a continuous path between said first and second driving elements to permit adjustment of the position of the auger in relation to the first and second driving elements. 2. A continuous ditch excavator according to claim 1, wherein said auger defines a pivot point about which the chassis is adapted to pivot to control the direction of ditch excavation. 3. A continuous ditch excavator according to claim 1, wherein a containment bin is mounted on the chassis in proximity to the auger for receiving soil removed from the ground by the auger. 4. A continuous ditch excavator according to claim 3, wherein emptying means are provided adjacent to the containment bin for emptying the soil in the containment bin. 5. A continuous ditch excavator according to claim 4, wherein said emptying means comprise a transport auger positioned in communication with the containment bin for moving soil out of the containment bin and depositing the soil at a soil deposit location adjacent to the ditch. 6. A continuous ditch excavator according to claim 5, wherein the transport auger extends diagonally from a location proximate the excavating auger to the soil deposit location adjacent to the ditch. 7. A continuous ditch excavator according to claim 1 or 3, and further comprising a containment shield disposed in a first plane and adjacent to the auger for preventing the soil removed by the auger from falling back into the ditch as the auger is raised out of the ditch. 8. A continuous ditch excavator according to claim 7, and further comprising a second containment shield disposed in a second plane, said first and second containment shields independently rotatable about said auger and cooperatively positioned to expose a desired area of said auger to the soil to be excavated. 9. A continuous ditch excavator according to claim 8, wherein said containment shields cooperate with each other to enclose two-thirds of the circumference of the auger. 10. A continuous ditch excavator according to claim 7, and further comprising a stabilizing bar connected at opposing ends to said containment shield and said auger to stabilize the auger and prevent contact between the auger and the containment shield. 11. A continuous ditch excavator according to claim 7, wherein said containment shield includes a first shield component proximate a ground penetrating portion of the auger and the rear portion of the chassis, said first shield component comprising an arcuate plate partially surrounding the auger and rotatable about the auger. 12. A continuous ditch excavator according to claim 11, wherein said first shield component is positioned opposite to a direction of travel of the auger defined by lateral movement of the auger between the first and second driving elements and movement of the chassis. 13. A continuous ditch excavator according to claim 11, wherein said first shield component is semi-circular. 14. A continuous ditch excavator according to claim 11, wherein the containment shield includes a second shield component proximal to the portion of the auger that remains above ground and the forward portion of the chassis, said se cond shield component comprising an arcuate plate partially surrounding the auger and preventing soil from entering the forward portion of the chassis. 15. A continuous ditch excavator according to claim 11, wherein the containment shield includes a middle shield component disposed between the upper and lower shield components and completely surrounding the auger. 16. A continuous ditch excavator according to claim 1, wherein said auger positioning means permit adjustment of the position of the auger in relation to the first and second driving elements while said auger is penetrating the ground surface and excavating a ditch therein. 17. A continuous ditch excavator according to claim 1, wherein said auger positioning means comprises at least one rail and a chain assembly, wherein said auger is sildably engaged to said at least one rail and attached to the chain assembly. 18. A continuous ditch excavator, comprising:(a) a chassis having a forward portion and a rear portion;(b) rotatably-mounted driving elements having treads thereon, said driving elements carried by the chassis in laterally spaced-apart relation to each other for driving and steering the chassis along a ground surface, said first and second driving elements defining a centrally-disposed excavation work area therebetween;(c) a rotatably-mounted excavating auger mounted on the chassis in the excavation work area forwardly of the rear portion of the chassis, rearwardly of the forward portion of the chassis and intermediate the first and second driving elements for penetrating and excavating a ditch in the ground as the chassis is driven along the ground, said auger defining a pivot point about which the chassis is adapted to pivot to control the direction of ditch excavation;(d) a containment shield adjacent to the auger for preventing the soil removed by the auger from falling back into the ditch as the auger is raised out of the ditch; and(e) a stabilizing bar connected at opposing ends to the containment shield and the auger to stabilize the auger and prevent contact between the auger and the containment shield. 19. A continuous ditch excavator according to claim 18, and further comprising:(a) a containment bin mounted on the chassis in proximity to the excavating auger for receiving soil removed from the ground by the excavating auger; and(b) a transport auger positioned in communication with the containment bin for moving soil out of the containment bin and depositing the soil at a soil deposit location adjacent to the ditch. 20. A continuous ditch excavator according to claim 19, wherein said transport auger extends diagonally from a location proximate the excavating auger to the soil deposit location adjacent to the ditch. 21. A continuous ditch excavator comprising:(a) a chassis having a forward portion and a rear portion;(b) rotatably-mounted driving elements having treads thereon, said driving elements carried by the chassis in laterally spaced-apart relation to each other for driving and steering the chassis along a ground surface, said first and second driving elements defining a centrally-disposed excavation work area therebetween;(c) a first auger rotatably mounted on the chassis in the excavation work area forwardly of the rear portion of the chassis, rearwardly of the forward portion of the chassis and intermediate the first and second driving elements for penetrating a ground surface and excavating a ditch in the ground as the chassis is driven along the ground surface, said first auger defining a pivot point about which the chassis is adapted to pivot to control the direction of ditch excavation;(d) a second auger positioned on the chassis proximate the first auger for moving soil removed from the ground by the first auger to a point outside of the excavator. 22. A continuous ditch excavator according to claim 21, wherein said first auger is positioned vertically, and said second auger is positioned horizontally. 23. A continuous ditch excavator according to claim 21, and further comprising a containment bin mounted on the chassis in proximity to the first auger for receiving soil removed from the ground by the first auger, and wherein said second auger is positioned in communication with the containment bin for moving soil out of the containment bin and depositing the soil at a soil deposit location adjacent to the ditch.