Abstract:
A winch attachment for a backhoe replaces a bucket normally carried on the backhoe boom to allow the backhoe to engage in winching operations. The winch attachment includes a winch bracket which is detachably secured to the mounting bracket on the end of the boom where the bucket is normally mounted. The winch bracket includes a pivotally mounted frame carrying the winch drum and cable so that the winch can be pivoted to the side when necessary. Quick connect hydraulic couplings are applied to the hydraulic winch motor to allow the backhoe hydraulic system to control the operation of the winch.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to construction equipment and more particularly to a winch attachment that can be mounted on the boom of a backhoe in order to facilitate various jobs such as pulling pipes beneath roadways. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Backhoe machines have long been used in a variety of earth moving operations such as excavating and trenching. Backhoes are widely used in the laying of pipelines because they are well suited to forming trenches and then filling the trenches after the pipes have been placed in them. In many pipeline projects, there is a need to route the pipes under roadways and other crossings, and these types of operations complicate the pipeline laying process. 
     Although backhoes can easily form trenches and other excavations, they are not well suited for placing pipes beneath roadways, and they are not able to pull pipes through other pipes in a procedure that is commonly referred to as “pipe bursting”. Consequently, when the need arises for these types of operations, it is necessary to bring in special equipment or to set up a system of lines and pulleys. Both of these options are undesirable because of the costs that are involved and the delays that are often encountered. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, there is a need for equipment that can be used in conjunction with a backhoe to pull pipes under roadways and other excavations as well as through other pipes. The primary goal of the present invention is to provide such equipment so that the costs of specialized machinery or complicated pulley systems can be avoided. 
     In accordance with the invention, a winch is provided with a special frame that allows it to be applied to a backhoe. The bucket that is normally carried on the end of the boom of the backhoe can be detached and disconnected from the hydraulic lines that control its operation. In place of the bucket, the winch is mounted on the backhoe boom and is connected to the hydraulic lines so that the hydraulic system of the backhoe can be used for operation of the winch. Alternatively, the winch can be mounted to the bucket and connected with auxiliary hydraulics that are typically present on the backhoe machine. 
     In either case, the winch is mounted on the backhoe at the end portion of the boom where it can be positioned properly for jobs such as pulling pipes through tunnels and trenches as necessitated by the presence of roadways or other pipeline crossings or obstacles. The winch can also be used in pipe bursting to pull pipes through other pipes. It is a particular feature of the invention that the existing backhoe hydraulics are used to advantage for operation of the winch, thus avoiding the need to equip the winch with a separate power system. 
     It is preferable for the winch to be able to pivot through a significant arc that may be as great as a full revolution. The advantage of this construction is that the winch line can be angled as necessary relative to the boom so that it can pull from the side or in other directions in a situation where space is limited or there are obstacles in the work area. The pivotal mounting of the winch is preferably accomplished by providing a special winch bracket. The bracket may include sturdy plates that are mounted to the backhoe mounting bracket and have rigid arms extending from them. A winch frame which carries the winch may be pivotally mounted on the ends of the arms. By virtue of this arrangement, the winch can pivot in a manner allowing the winch cable to be extended to the side or at virtually any other desired angle. At the same time, the mounting system has a sturdy construction which exhibits the strength necessary to withstand the considerable forces that may be encountered when the winch is in operation. Alternatively, the winch can be mounted with the winch axis in a vertical orientation so that the winch cable can be angled to the side as necessary. 
     Other and further objects of the invention, together with the features of novelty appurtenant thereto, will appear in the course of the following description. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the accompanying drawings which form a part of the specification and are to be read in conjunction therewith and in which like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts in the various views: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a winch attachment mounted on the end of the boom of a backhoe in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, with the winch being used for the handling of a pipe section; 
     FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view on an enlarged scale of the end portion of the backhoe boom showing the winch attachment mounted on the boom; and 
     FIG. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the end of the boom and the winch attachment, with the broken lines indicating pivoting of the boom from the position shown in solid lines in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the drawings in more detail and initially to FIG. 1, numeral  10  generally designates a conventional backhoe which includes a tractor  12  having wheels  14  and an operator&#39;s cab  16 . The backhoe  10  is equipped on the front side of the cab with a scoop or shovel  18  that is carried on the ends of arms  20  and controlled by hydraulic cylinders  22 . The tractor  12  is driven by a conventional engine (not shown) and is equipped with a hydraulic system of the type normally provided on backhoes. 
     The rear end of the cab  12  is provided with a boom which is generally identified by numeral  24  and which includes a front section  26  and a back section  28  connected to pivot relative to the front section  26 . Hydraulic cylinders  30  are provided to control the boom  24 . The backhoe  10  has suitable outriggers  32  which provide stability when the boom  24  is being used. 
     The back end of the rear boom section  28  carries a mounting bracket  34  having a pair of rigid side plates  36  which are spaced apart and parallel. A bucket  38  (shown in broken lines in FIG. 1) is normally mounted on the mounting bracket  34  and is controlled in its operation by hydraulic fluid lines  40  which are controlled by the hydraulic system of the backhoe  10 . The rear boom section  28  is equipped with a plurality of control links  42  and a hydraulic cylinder  44  which operates the links  42  for manipulation of the bucket  38  when it is in place. The fluid lines  40  are provided on their ends with quick disconnect couplings  45  (see FIG. 2) which allow them to be quickly connected to and disconnected from the bucket  38 . 
     In accordance with the present invention, the bucket  38  is detached from the mounting bracket  34  and is replaced by a winch attachment which is generally identified by numeral  46 . 
     With additional reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, the winch attachment  46  includes a winch bracket which is generally identified by numeral  48  and which is mounted to the mounting bracket  34  on the end of the backhoe boom  24 . The winch bracket  48  includes a pair of rigid side plates  50  which are mounted adjacent to the side plates  36  of the mounting bracket  34  when the winch attachment  46  is in place on the backhoe. The side plates  50  are spaced apart and parallel to one another and fit against the plates  36  generally edge to edge, as best shown in FIG. 2. A rigid crossbar  52  extends between plates  50  and their upper edges. Another crossbar  54  extends between the lower edges of the plates  50  to provide the mounting plate structure with a strong and rigid construction. An additional crossbar  56  extends between the rear edges of the plates  50  and is provided on its upper end with a projecting tongue  58  having an opening  60  (FIG.  3 ). 
     With reference to FIG. 3 in particular, bracket  34  is provided with a crossbar  62  which extends between the upper edges of the bracket plates  36 . The crossbar  62  is provided with an opening that registers with the opening  60  when the winch bracket  48  is applied to the backhoe mounting bracket  34 . A curved collar  62   a  is provided on bar  62  and mates with the edge of tongue  58  to provide guidance for alignment of the openings in tongue  58  and bar  62 . A detachable pin  63  may be applied through the aligned openings in tongue  58  and crossbar  62  to secure the winch bracket  48  to the backhoe mounting bracket  34 . The pin  63  may be provided with a tee handle  64  to facilitate its application and removal. The pin  63  rigidly locks brackets  48  and  34  together. Pin  63  is also used for the mounting of the bucket  38  on bracket  34  in a similar manner. The pin  63  may be withdrawn in order to release bucket  38  and allow it to be detached so that the winch attachment  46  can be installed on bracket  36 . 
     A pair of rigid upper arms  66  and a pair of rigid lower arms  68  are welded or otherwise rigidly secured to extend generally rearwardly from the side plates  50 . As best shown in FIG. 3, the arms  66  and  68  converge as they extend rearwardly. The back ends of the upper arms  66  are rigidly connected with an upper hinge barrel  70 , and the lower arms  68  similarly carry on their back ends a lower hinge barrel  72  (FIG. 2) which is spaced below and aligned with the upper hinge barrel  70 . 
     The winch bracket  48  further includes a C-shaped winch frame  74  to which a winch drum  76  is mounted. The drum  76  is mounted for rotation on the frame  74  about a winch axis defined by an axle  78  about which the winch drum  76  turns. The frame  74  includes a back plate  80  and a pair of side plates  82  connected with the back plate. The winch drum  76  is mounted between the side plates  82  and is driven by a conventional hydraulic motor  84  mounted to one of the side plates  82 . The motor  84  is connected with the hydraulic lines  40  by means of the quick disconnect couplings  44 . The application of fluid to the motor  84  is controlled by the existing hydraulic system of the backhoe  10 , and the motor may be operated to rotate the winch drum  76  in opposite directions about the axle  78 . A winch cable  86  is wound around the winch drum  76  and is wound in and out on the drum as the drum is rotated in opposite directions by the motor  84 . 
     The winch frame  74  and drum  76  are mounted on the back ends of the arms  66  and  68  for pivotal movement. As best shown in FIG. 2, the back plate  80  of the frame  74  is provided with a hinge barrel  88  which fits closely between the hinge barrels  70  and  72 . A hinge pin  90  (FIG. 3) is applied through the hinge barrels  70 ,  72  and  88  such that the barrel  88  can turn about the pivot axis provided by the pin  90 . In this fashion, the winch drum  76  and frame  74  can be pivoted about the pivot axis of pin  90  between the positions shown in solid lines and broken lines in FIG.  3 . It should be understood, however, that the winch drum may be mounted in a manner allowing it to pivot through virtually any desired arc, including a full 360° rotation. The pivot axis provided by pin  90  is perpendicular to the winch axis provided by axle  78 . 
     The winch frame  74  may be provided with a pair of stakes  92 . The stakes  92  have pointed lower ends  94  allowing them to be impaled into the ground in order to stabilize the winch during operation. The stakes  92  may be welded or otherwise suitably secured to suitable portions of frame  74  such as the side plates  82 . 
     The winch attachment  46  may be installed on the backhoe  10  in the manner indicated in place of the bucket  38  when there is a need for use of the winch in various types of operations. For example, if an object such as the pipe  96  shown in FIG. 1 needs to be pulled through an excavation such as a tunnel  98 , the bucket  38  can be detached from the backhoe and the winch attachment  46  can be installed. The end of the winch cable  86  can be suitably attached to the pipe  96 , and the backhoe boom  24  can be manipulated to move the winch into position to manipulate the pipe  96  as desired. 
     Typically, the winch attachment  46  can be used to pull pipes through tunnels  98  that extend under roadways or other crossings, or through other pipes. In this type of application, the boom  24  of the backhoe is manipulated to locate the winch in line with the tunnel  98  through which the pipe is to be pulled. The cable  86  can be unwound by rotating the winch drum  76  in the proper direction, and the end of the cable can then be secured to one end of the pipe. The motor  84  can then be operated in a mode to wind up the cable  86  on the winch drum  76 , thereby pulling the pipe through the tunnel  98 . Usually, in this type of application, the pipe is used as a conduit that is left in place in extension through the tunnel  98  underneath the roadway or other crossing for purposes such as drainage or to allow cables or other underground devices to be placed beneath the roadway at a subterranean location. 
     In many applications, obstacles in the area of the job site may prevent the boom  24  from being aligned with the tunnel  98  or other excavation that is the subject of the work. In the event that this type of situation arises, the boom can be placed at an angle to the tunnel  98 , and the winch frame  74  can be pivoted to one side or the other about the pivot axis of the pin  90 , thus allowing the cable  86  to be positioned in line with the tunnel  98  to facilitate pulling of the pipe  96  or other structure through the tunnel. The pivotal mounting of the winch thus enhances the versatility of the equipment and increases its ability to operate in the presence of obstacles of the type that are often encountered in excavating work and pipeline work. 
     When the winch attachment  46  is no longer needed, it can be detached from the backhoe  10  by removing the pin  63  and releasing the quick disconnect couplings  44 . The bucket  36  can then be installed on the mounting bracket  34  and connected physically by means of the pin  63  and hydraulically by means of the couplings  44 . 
     An alternative arrangement involves mounting the winch on the back end of the boom with the winch axle  78  in a vertical orientation. Then, the winch cable  86  can be angled to either side directly from the winch drum. This arrangement avoids the need to provide a swivel mount for the winch and is preferred in some applications. 
     From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all ends and objects hereinabove set forth together with the other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the structure. 
     It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims. 
     Since many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.