Trench profiling device and profiling cutter thereby applied

Abstract: Trench profiling device, comprising a movable support construction (1), a profiling cutter (2) carried thereby, and means (5) for driving this profiling cutter, characterized in that the profiling cutter (2) comprises a container (3) which is open at one extremity, having a bottom (21), standing side walls (23) and a standing rear wall (22), and comprises two rotating cutting elements (4), connected to it, which are arranged rotatably next to each other, in front of the open extremity of the container (3), with their lower side almost at the height of the bottom (21) of the container (3), and means (5) for driving these cutting elements (4) in such a manner that their lower side moves into the direction of the container (3).

Description: This invention relates to a trench profiling device comprising a movable support construction, a profiling cutter carried thereby, and means for driving this profiling cutter. As is known, trenches have to be re-profiled after a certain period of time in order to remain able to guarantee a good water discharge. Up to now, such profiling very often will be carried out with a spade, because this renders a good profile. It is, however, evident that this manner of profiling is very time-consuming and, consequently, expensive. Furthermore, not always the necessary manpower is found to carry out these works. Finally, the dug-out soil or other matter which is disposed next to the trench, most often will remain there because the removal thereof is very time-consuming, as a result of which the escarps at opposite sides of the trench become higher and higher. Therefore, sometimes ditching machines are used. These ditching machines, anyhow, can only deepen but not profile. They are also not able to make inclined flanks, as a result of which these flanks crumble away afterwards. Finally, it is also very difficult to obtain a flat bottom with a ditching machine. Profiling devices of the aforementioned type, whereby a profiling cutter is suspended at a movable support construction, are already known. In these known devices, the cutter consists of a rotor with knives. An adjustment to the width of the trench is not possible, and for another width, another cutter has to be used. Besides, when profiling, the cut-out material, mainly mud, is flung away and spread at opposite sides of the trench. It is obvious that these devices are only usable for profiling trenches between fields and not for trenches alongside of roads which would be covered with mud. The invention aims at a trench profiling device which does not show the aforementioned and other disadvantages and which, in a fast and clean manner, allows for profiling a trench with the desired profile. This aim is achieved, according to the invention, in that the profiling cutter comprises a container which is open at one extremity, having a bottom, standing side walls and a standing rear wall, and comprises two rotating cutting elements, connected to it, which are arranged rotatably next to each other, in front of the open extremity of the container, with their lower side almost at the height of the bottom of the container, and means for driving these cutting elements in such a manner that their lower side moves into the direction of the container. Advantageously, the cutting elements are disc-shaped knives which are provided with teeth at their sides which are turned to each other. Advantageously, the standing side walls of the container diverge from the bottom upward. Then, the cutting elements can also be arranged diverging so that a profile in the shape of an inverted trapezoid can be cut. In order to simplify the emptying of the container, the latter can be mounted pivotable in respect to an auxiliary frame carrying the cutting elements. At least one of the cutting elements can be pivotable around a standing axis so that the distance between the front side of the cutting elements is adjustable and, thus, the width of the profile can be adapted. The invention also relates to the profiling cutter from the trench profiling device according to one of the previous forms of embodiment. These profiling cutters can be brought onto the market as such. With the intention to show better the characteristics of the invention, hereafter, as an example without any limitative character, a preferred form of embodiment of a trench profiling device and a profiling cutter used thereby according to the invention is described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: figure 1 schematically shows a side elevational view of a trench profiling device according to the invention; figure 2 schematically shows a top view of the trench profiling device of figure 1; figure 3 schematically shows a rear elevational view of the trench profiling device of the figures 1 and 2; figure 4, on a larger scale, shows a part of the side elevational view of figure 1; figure 5 shows a cross-section according to line V-V in figure 4. The trench profiling device according to the figures 1 to 3 comprises a movable support construction 1 and a profiling cutter 2 suspended thereon, which mainly consists of a container 3 which, seen in the driving direction, is open at its front, two rotating cutting elements, formed by disc-shaped knives 4, which cutting elements are mounted next to each other in front of the foremost extremity of the container 3, and means, formed by hydraulic motors 5, for rotating these disc-shaped knives 4. The driving direction is indicated by arrow 6. The support construction 1 consists of a movable, more particularly automotive, car 7, in the example shown in the figures 1 to 3 a tractor, and of a hydraulic lifting device 8 with which the profiling cutter 2 can be brought to the desired place and depth. This lifting device 8 comprises a frame 9 which, for example, is attached to the three-point suspension of the aforementioned tractor, and a standing support 10 which is pivotable round its axis by means of a hydraulic motor. A first, relatively short arm 11 is attached hingeably around a horizontal axis 12 at the upmost extremity of the support 10 and is pivotable in respect to the support 10 by means of a cylinder-piston mechanism 13 mounted between both elements. Furthermore, the lifting device comprises a second, longer arm 14 which is arranged hingeably around an axis 15 and which is parallel to the aforementioned axis 12, whereby this arm 14 is fixed at the first arm 11. Between both arms 11 and 14, a cylinder-piston mechanism 16 is mounted. The profiling cutter 2 also comprises an auxiliary frame 17 which is attached hingeably at the extremity of the arm 14, around a horizontal axis 18, which is parallel to the aforementioned axes 12 and 15. A cylinder-piston mechanism 19 is mounted between the arm 14 and the auxiliary frame 17. The motor which turns the support 10 and the cylinder-piston mechanisms 13, 16 and 19, is controlled by means of a control device 20 and supplied by a supply of oil under pressure which usually is incorporated in a tractor. It is obvious that, by means of this construction, the lifting device 8 can place the profiling cutter 2 as well next to as behind and as well with little distance or with a greater distance to the car 7 into the ground in order to profile a trench. Thereby, the soil cutter 2 can always be placed vertically, in operation position, by means of the cylinder-piston mechanism 19. In figure 2 and 3, the lifting device 8, in full lines, is represented in the condition whereby the trench profile cutter 2, next to the car 7, is in operation position, this is during profiling of a trench. In dashed line, a number of other positions of the lifting device 8 are shown. A shown in detail in figures 4 and 5, the container 3 of the profiling cutter 2 shows an inverted trapezoid-shaped cross-section and has this container, thus, a longitudinal bottom 21, a standing rear wall 22 and two inclined, standing side walls 23 diverging to the top. Next to the foremost open extremity, the container 3 is suspended hingeably at the auxiliary frame 17. At the place of the hinge axis 24 which is directed perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the container 3 and perpendicularly to the hinge axis 18, the upper side of the container 3 which, for example, is open, is provided with a reinforcement 25. For hingeing, a cylinder-piston mechanism 26 is mounted between the auxiliary frame 17 and the rear extremity of the container 3 which is attached hingeably at the auxiliary frame 17 and, also at the place of a reinforcement 25, hingeably at the upper side of the container 3. The two knives 4 are provided with teeth 27 on their sides turned towards each other. They are each driven separately by means of a hydraulic motor 5 which is suspended at the auxiliary frame 17 by means of an arm 28 and a support 29 and which drives the knife in such a manner that its lower side moves backwards. The sense of rotation of the knives 4 is indicated by arrow 34 in figure 4. The two knives 4 are arranged next to each other, in the same height, with the lower side a little under the lower side of the bottom 21 and the upper side a little above the upper side of the container 3, and such, that they are situated with their rear side a little above this bottom 21. These knives diverge as well to the front as well as upward. They extend under almost the same angle in reference to the vertical as the side walls 23, so that their rear side at the interior is situated practically against the side walls 23. Due to the necessary space for the motors 5, the one knife 4 is arranged a little more towards the front than the other. Accordingly, the front edge of the bottom 21 of the container is inclined in respect to the driving direction which is indicated by the arrow 6, so that both knives 4 are situated with their lower side against the front edge of the bottom 21. Furthermore, the foremost knife 4 is adjustable in angle in respect to the driving direction. To this aim, the support 29 for the driving motor of the knife 4 is pivotable around an, in respect to the auxiliary frame 17, upwardly inclined axis 30. This axis 30, which is directed parallel to the knife 4, is situated next to the foremost edge of the container 3. Between the last-mentioned support 29 and the auxiliary frame 17, a cylinder-piston mechanism 31 is mounted in order to turn this support 29 and, as a result of this, the last-mentioned knife 4 around axis 30. By turning the last-mentioned knife 4, the distance between the front sides of the two knifes 4 can be adjusted in function of the width of the profile that is desired. Along the rear side of the container 3, a scraper 32 is mounted which can be moved up and down by means of a cylinder-piston mechanism 33 which is attached at the reinforcement 25. This scraper 32 has almost the same shape as the downmost part of the rear wall 22. In its highest position, this scraper 32 is situated higher than the bottom 21, in its downmost position, however, this scraper 32 protrudes under this bottom. The functioning of the device is as follows. Previously, the flanks of the trench to be profiled are mowed. Subsequently, the tractor 7 is driven next to the trench to be profiled, with the lifting device 8 above the ground. By operating of one or more of the cylinder-piston mechanisms 13, 16 and 19, the profiling cutter 2 is brought into the trench. The two knives 4 are put into movement, and the tractor 7 is slowly driven forward. By means of these knives 4, the soil is cut off alongside the flanks, inasmuch as necessary in order to obtain the desirable profile, and, by means of the teeth 27, too, the loosened soil is thrown into the container 3. Thereby, these teeth 27, in their lowest position, become situated just above the bottom 21 of the container 3. The foremost edge of the bottom of container 3 also functions as a knife, scooping away the soil from the bottom of the trench between the knives 4. When the container 3 is full, the profiling cutter 2, by means of the lifting device 8, is taken out of the trench and brought above a cart or a loading container and, by means of the cylinder-piston mechanism 26, the container 3 is turned up to the position which is represented in figure 1 in dashed lines. The soil then drops along the open extremity of the container 3 behind the knives 4 into the cart or the loading container. Subsequently, the profiling cutter 2 is placed back into the trench, and profiling can go on. At the beginning of the profiling or behind a bridge or another obstacle, first of all soil can be scraped away from the bottom of the trench by means of moving the profiling cutter 2 with the container 3 forward in the trench, while the scraper 32, by means of the cylinder-piston mechanism 33, has been placed into its lowest position. Afterwards, the container 3 can be put down onto the scraped-away part of the trench. The knives 4 shall, during the forward movement, throw the soil which is scraped away onto a heap, into the container 3. By the inclined position of the knives 4 and the bottom of the container 3, not only a perfect profile is obtained, but also all of the loosened soil will be collected. The profiling can, however, take place rather fast. The present invention is in no way limited to the forms of embodiment described before and represented in the figures, such trench profiling device and profiling cutter thereby applied, however, can be realized in various variants without leaving the scope of the invention. In particular does the lifting device with the profiling cutter not necessarily have to be mounted on a tractor. The lifting device itself can be automotive.

Claims: Trench profiling device, comprising a movable support construction (1), a profiling cutter (2) carried thereby, and means (5) for driving this profiling cutter, characterized in that the profiling cutter (2) comprises a container (3) which is open at one extremity, having a bottom (21), standing side walls (23) and a standing rear wall (22), and comprises two rotating cutting elements (4), connected to it, which are arranged rotatably next to each other, in front of the open extremity of the container (3), with their lower side almost at the height of the bottom (21) of the container (3), and means (5) for driving these cutting elements (4) in such a manner that their lower side moves into the direction of the container (3). Trench profiling device according to claim 1, characterized in that the cutting elements (4) are disc-shaped knives. Trench profiling device according to claim 2, characterized in that the disc-shaped knives (4), at their sides turned towards each other, are provided with teeth (27). Trench profiling device according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that the cutting elements (4) are situated with their rear side at the interior side of the standing walls (23) of the container (3). Trench profiling device according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that the standing side walls (23) of the container (3) are diverging away from the bottom (21). Trench profiling device according to claim 5, characterized in that the cutting elements (4) are also arranged diverging in upward direction, so that a profile in the shape of an inverted trapezoid can be cut. Trench profiling device according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that the container (3) is mounted pivotable in respect to an auxiliary frame (17) carrying the cutting elements (4). Trench profiling device according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that at least one of the cutting elements (4) is pivotable around a standing axis (30) such, that the distance between the front side of the cutting elements (4) is adjustable and, thus, the width of the profile can be adapted. Trench profiling device according to one of the previous claims, characterized in that the profiling cutter (2) comprises a scraper (32) which is mounted at the rear side of the container (3), and means (33) to move this scraper up and down in respect to the container (3), such, that it, in a downmost position, protrudes from under the bottom (21) of the container (3). Trench profiling device according to one of the previous claims, characterized in that the movable support construction (1) comprises a cart (7) and a lifting device (8), mounted thereupon, with a pivotable support (10) and at least two arms (11 and 14) which are pivotable in respect to the support (10), respectively in respect to each other, by means of cylinder-piston mechanisms (13 and 16). Profiling cutter (2) for the trench profiling device according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that it comprises a container (3) which is open at one extremity, having a bottom (21), standing side walls (23) and a standing rear wall (22), and comprises two rotating cutting elements (4), connected to it, which are arranged rotatably next to each other, in front of the open extremity of the container (3), with their lower side almost at the height of the bottom (21) of the container (3), and means (5) for driving these cutting elements (4) in such a manner that their lower side moves into the direction of the container (3).

Inventors: SANTERMANS RENE, SANTERMANS, RENE, Santermans, René
Applicants: NV, N.V.
Application year: 1996
Main classification: E02F5
IPC codes: E02F3, E02F5, E01H1