Patent ID: 6467200
Filing Date: 2002-10-22
Classification: E02F

Abstract:
A shoe mechanism adapted for use on a dredging apparatus (10) to remove silt from under the surface of a body of water, the dredging apparatus being operative in a forward and reverse direction and including an excavating wheel assembly (16), the excavating wheel assembly having an innermost (30) and an outermost (28) circumference, top and bottom portions, and a plurality of silt retaining chambers (40), the excavating wheel assembly being rotatably mounted on a wheel frame assembly (24) to define a leading side and a trailing side of the wheel assembly when the apparatus is operative in its forward or reverse direction, the shoe mechanism comprising:a pair of outer shoe assemblies (18) pivotally connected to the wheel frame assembly (24), one of said shoe assemblies being located adjacent a portion of the excavating wheel assembly (16) on the leading side thereof and one of said shoe assemblies being located adjacent a portion of the excavating wheel assembly (16) on the trailing side thereof; each of said outer shoe assemblies (18) being pivotally movable between an operative position wherein said shoe assembly is positioned adjacent the outermost circumference (28) of the wheel assembly between the silt under the body of water and a point above the water level, and a retracted position wherein said shoe assembly is positioned in spaced apart relationship from the outermost circumference (28) of the wheel assembly; one of said outer shoe assemblies (18) being positioned in its operative position and the other of said outer shoe assemblies (18) being positioned in its retracted position when the dredging apparatus is removing silt from under the surface of a body of water.