Ditch digger with adjustable side wings

A ditch digger adapted to dig ditches of different cross-sections; such as of different depths and, in particular, with sides at any selected transverse slope within a predetermined range. The ditch digger is characterized by angularly adjustable side wings to define the selected transverse slope and by a digging rotor unit which is pivoted to the supporting frame with an actuation linkage to adjust the depth of digging and to hold the unit in relatively the same upright attitude irrespective of the depth of digging. This ditch digger is adapted to be hitched to a tractor and powered by the latter. The frame is constituted of a boom which connects at the front end to the five-point hitch of the tractor with the digging rotor unit pivotally suspended at the rear end of the boom.

The present invention relates to a ditch digger of the tractor implement 
type. 
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,624,826, there is defined a machine of comparable 
construction. However, this patented machine is strictly intended to clean 
ditches, not to dig them. This distinctive character and function is 
produced by skids 49 which support the rotor assembly on the surface of 
the ground. Obviously, such previous machine is not meant nor constructed 
to dig ditches, nor, of course, to dig ditches in a particular manner, 
such as with sides of any desired transverse slope. 
It is a general object of the present invention to provide a ditch digger 
of the above type, which is adapted to dig ditches of different 
cross-sections. 
It is a more specific object of the present invention to provide a ditch 
digger of the above type, which is adapted to dig ditches of different 
depths, and in particular, with sides formed with any transverse slope 
selected within a predetermined range. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a ditch digger of 
the above type, which includes a digging rotor unit articulated and 
actuated relative to the supporting frame to vary the depth of digging and 
to hold the unit in relatively the same upright attitude irrespective of 
the depth of digging.

The ditch digger illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 6 inclusive comprises an 
elongated frame 1 constituted of a boom having a Y-shape planar 
configuration and including a pair of forwardly diverging front branches 2 
and a rear projection 3 defining the longitudinal axis of the boom. The 
branches 2 and the rear projection 3 are of box-shaped construction. The 
front end of each branch 2 forms a bracket including a pair of laterally 
spaced-apart flanges 4 with vertical adjustment holes 5 transversely 
therethrough. A pair of arms 6 are pivotally connected at one end to the 
branches 2 respectively and are rigidly interconnected at the other end by 
a plate 7 to form a single connection having adjustment holes 8 for 
connection to the conventional upper hitch point of a farm tractor. An 
ear, or lug 9, is rigidly fixed on the rear projection 3 of the boom 1 and 
a chain 10 is fixed at one end to the lug 9 and selectively engageable in 
a notch formed in the plate 7. Thus, the effective length of the chain 10 
between the lug 9 and the plate 7 may be set by locking engagement of an 
appropriate link of the chain in the notch of this plate. 
The ditch digger further comprises a digging rotor unit 11 including a 
stator structure and a digging rotor. The stator structure includes a 
housing 12, the bottom portion of which is transversely shaped to form a 
shroud 13 for the digging rotor. The latter transversely extends in 
relatively upright operative attitude. The digging rotor includes a 
mounting plate 14 having a hub portion fixedly secured to a shaft for 
rotation therewith about a longitudinal axis longitudinally aligned with 
the rear projection 3. This shaft, not shown, is rotatably carried by the 
housing 12 in any appropriate manner. The digging rotor includes radial 
plates 15 rigidly secured against the front face of the mounting plate 14 
for bodily rotation therewith. A cutting or digging blade 16, of L-shape 
cross-section, is bolted to each radial plate and radially projects 
coextensive with the shroud 13 and forward of the latter to dig a 
sufficient cross-section for the passage of the shroud. The digging rotor 
is adapted to be driven by the power take-off of the pulling tractor 
through a telescopic shaft 17. The latter includes a male section 18, of 
square cross-section, and a tubular female section 19 having a 
longitudinal chamber of square cross-section in which the male section is 
telescopically engaged. A universal joint 20 is connected at each end of 
the shaft 17 to connect the latter to the shaft of the digging rotor and 
to the power take-off of the pulling tractor. 
A trough 21 is connected to the housing 12 and communicates with the latter 
to outwardly expel the earth dug by the digging rotor, upon the 
centrifugal action produced by the cutting blades 16. A deflector 22 is 
hinged to the outer end of the trough 21 and is angularly adjustable to 
adjust the throwing distance of the earth by the digging rotor. For this 
purpose, the deflector 22 includes a lug 23 rearwardly projecting 
therefrom and selectively pinned in one of the adjustment holes 24 of an 
arm 25, as shown in details in FIG. 4. 
A pair of grading side wings 26 are adjustably fixed to the housing 12 on 
opposite sides thereof respectively. Each side wing 26 is provided with a 
plurality of holes along the inner edge thereof to selectively install the 
same at a preferred height relative to the digging rotor. Each grading 
wing 26 is upwardly widening and forwardly curves outward such that the 
outer straight edge thereof scrapes the corresponding side of the ditch to 
downwardly feed the loosened material axially forward of the digging 
rotor. Thus, the loosened material is outwardly expelled by the digging 
rotor. A tie rod 27, of adjustable length, is connected between the top 
outer edge of each wing 26 and the boom 1 to angularly set the 
corresponding wing transversely relative to the digger. Thus, the outer 
side of each wing will produce the desired transverse slope on the 
corresponding side of the ditch. As may be seen from FIG. 1, the 
longitudinal adjustment of the tie rod 27 is obtained by screwing or 
unscrewing the stem 28 in the internally threaded sleeve 29 of the tie 
rod. 
FIG. 3a illustrates a different type of longitudinally adjustable tie rod, 
the tie rod 30, which is adapted to be used in replacement of the tie rod 
27. The tie rod 30 includes a stem 31 having adjustment holes 32 
therethrough, and slidably adjustable endwise in the tubular sleeve 
portion 33, by a pin 34. Either tie rod 27 or 30 is connected to one 
grading wing 26 by a pin removably engaged in a sleeve 35 welded against 
the rear side of the wing. 
The ditch digger also includes a linkage and actuator assembly connected to 
the boom 1 and to the digging rotor unit 11 to hold the unit in relatively 
upright attitude irrespective of the depth of digging. A pair of laterally 
spaced-apart L-shape arms 36 are fixedly secured to the housing 12, or 
stator structure, and upwardly project in straddling relationship with the 
rear projection 3. The digging rotor unit 11 is pivotally suspended to the 
outer end of the rear projection 3 by a transverse pin at 37. A pair of 
arms 38 are pivotally connected at one end to the rear projection 3 and 
another pair of arms 39 are pivotally connected to the front end of the 
L-shaped arms 37. These arms 38 and 39 are pivotally connected to each 
other by a transverse pin 40. A hydraulic cylinder 41 is connected at its 
opposite ends to the fixed ear or lug 9 on the boom 1 and to the 
transverse pin 40 to selectively pivot the arms 36, 38, and 39. 
From FIG. 3 it may be understood that the hydraulic cylinder or actuator 41 
serves to maintain the housing 12 in upright attitude irrespective of the 
inclination of boom 1. Adjustable legs 42 are provided to hold the digger 
in unhitched rest position. 
As shown in FIG. 2, the ditch digger is operatively connected or hitched to 
a tractor vehicle or farm tractor by connection to the five-point hitch of 
the tractor and to the power take-off thereof. The five-point hitch 
includes the pulling lower arms 43 and the elevating upper arms 44 which 
serve to adjust the depth of digging by lowering arms 43. The depth of 
digging is also adjustable by proper selection of the adjustment holes 5 
in the brackets 4 and by adjusting link 10. 
In the second embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the ditch digger comprises mostly 
the same elements than in the previously described embodiment of FIGS. 1 
to 6 inclusive. The elements which are common to both embodiments, are 
identified by the same reference numerals in all the Figures of the 
drawings. 
The ditch digger of FIG. 7 distinctively comprises a distinct drive 
replacing the drive elements 17 to 20 of the first embodiment and it also 
distinctively comprises connection of the tie rods 27 or 30 at the rear of 
the side wings 26, between the latter and the housing 12. 
The drive elements in the second embodiment distinctively includes a shaft 
45, which longitudinally extends, and is rotatively carried, in the rear 
projection 3. The rear of the shaft 45 is connected by a universal joint 
46 to a shaft 47. The shaft of the digging rotor rearwardly projects 
parallel to the shaft 47 and underlies the latter. A chain 48 and a pair 
of sprocket wheels, not shown, transfer the rotation of the shaft 47 to 
the shaft of the digging rotor. 
It should be understood that many changes in the details of construction 
are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present 
invention, and fall within the scope of protection defined by the appended 
claims. 
Effectively, a ditch digger made according to the present invention had its 
digging rotor radially sinkable to axially dig any ditch from 12 inches to 
36 inches deep and with sides having a transverse slope up to 35.degree.. 
This ditch digger was effective in hard and even frozen ground.