Patent ID: 6502333
Filing Date: 2003-01-07
Classification: B07B,E02F

Abstract:
A self-propelled pipeline padding machine for travelling alongside an elongate ditch containing a pipeline to be padded, spoils material which was removed from the ditch during digging thereof being in an elongate spoils pile on an opposite side of the ditch, the pipeline padding machine which scoops up and separates padding material from the spoils material, leaving coarser residual material including rocks, and which conveys the padding material into the ditch on top of the pipeline, comprising:a motorized vehicle which includes a pair of continuous, ground contacting tracks on which said vehicle travels, which tracks are movably mounted to an undercarriage of said vehicle; a frame connected to an end of said vehicle; a sorter supported at said end of said vehicle by said frame means which separates padding material from the spoils material leaving courser residual material including rocks, which residual material exits said sorter means at a residual material outlet, and a padding outlet from which the padding material exits said sorter; a loading device attached to said vehicle of such configuration as to allow scooping up spoils material from the spoils pile on an opposite side of the ditch from the vehicle and dumping spoils material into said sorter; a conveyor supported by said frame means which receives said padding material from said sorter means and which transports the padding material into the ditch to a side generally ahead of said motorized vehicle; and wherein the undercarriage and the tracks are extended longitudinally toward the sorter for increased stability of the vehicle.