Improvements in Excavating Apparatus.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Dec., 1899-Accepted, 19th May, 1900
Improvements in Excavating Apparatus.
We, JOHN TITUS, of Oyster Bay, in the County of Nassau and State of New
York, United States of America, Machinist, and WILLIAM TITUS, of Old Westbury,
in the Town of North Hempstead, in the County of Nassau and State of New
York, United States of America, Contractor, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly de-
scribed and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings making a part of this
specification and in which:-
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an apparatus made according to our invention.
Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view of a part of the same taken in the
line of Fig. 3.
Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the said apparatus.
Fig. 4 is a detail plan view of a portion thereof.
Fig. 5 is a plan view, on a larger scale, illustrating the relative positions of
certain parts comprised in combinations included in our said invention but not
clearly illustrated in the preceding.
Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken in the line y-y of Fig. 5.
Fig. 7 is a similar view taken in the line of said Fig. 5.
Fig. 8 is a side view of a sprocket wheel such as is used in our excavating
apparatus and included in our invention.
Fig. 9 is a sectional view of the same, and
Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view of the same taken in a plane at right angles
to Figs. 8 and 9.
This invention is intended for use in excavating and removing sand, earth,
etc. from banks, bluffs, and the like. Its object is to provide apparatus which
is simple and strong in construction, easily operated, and as an excavator capable
of working along the face or front of a bank or bluff in lateral directions as well
as in a forward direction so that the whole or any part of said face may be worked
off or excavated along greater widths than that of the excavator portion of the
machine. The invention comprises certain novel and useful combinations of
parts hereinafter fully set forth and explained.
For the use of the apparatus a track, composed of two or more rails, A, (four
are shown in the drawings) is laid at right angles or practically so to the face
of the bank or bluff from which the earth, sand, or like material is to be exca-
vated and removed. On this track are placed the wheels, a, of a wheeled plat-
form, B. The effect of the track, A, is to enable the apparatus to be advanced
toward the bank or bluff on which the excavation is to be made as the bank
recedes by reason of the removal of material therefrom. Upon the platform, B,
in the direction of its length, that is to say, in a direction, transverse to its line
of travel on the track, A, is a track, C, upon which run the wheels, b, of a
wheeled framework, D), which carries the excavator or excavating mechanism
and also certain other parts of the apparatus.
The excavator, as shown more clearly in Fig. 3, comprises a frame, E, which is
D

page_text: ->>
pivotted at a¹ to the upper part of the framework, D, and which has at top and
bottom drums A and B, which carry an endless apron C, which is provided in
the usual or in any suitable manner with excavating and lifting buckets. c.
This system of buckets receives its motion by means of pulley, d, on the axle of
its upper drum, A¹.
Carried upon the bed, D', of the framework, D, is a motor of any suitable kind,
or for example, a steam engine, E', the connecting rod of which drives the crank
of a driving shaft F, on which is a pulley, f. A crossed belt, g, shown in
dotted outline in Fig. 3, transmits motion from the motor shaft, F, to the
pulley, d, of the driving drum, A', and thereby gives the requisite movement to
the endless system of excavating buckets, in the operation of excavating, as
from a bank, G, as indicated in Fig. 1, the material excavated passing into the
buckets as the system revolves and being carried upward by the buckets as
they pass in succession along the upper side of their supporting frame, E. To
enable the lower end of the system of buckets to be lifted to any required height
along the face of the bank, G, there is provided a rope or line, i, which passes
around a pulley, d, at the upper end of the framework, D. and thence to a wind-
lass, el, also carried by said framework. The windlass being provided with a
crank, f, or other suitable means for rotating it, the lower end of the system
of excavating buckets may be raised or lowered as occasion demands.
At the front of the platform, B, and carried thereby are pulleys, i', and j,
upon which is an endless conveyor apron, H, the upper part of this apron being
supported by rolls, k, the standards, , of which, like those, 2, of the pulleys,
and jare fast to the platform, B. Leading from the upper or delivery end of
the system of buckets, e, to a point over the conveyor apron, H, is a chute, I. As
the buckets, c, turn over in passing the top of their supporting frame, E, they
deposit their contents in the upper end of the chute which conducts the material
to the conveyor belt, which in its revolutions throws off said material at its
end, all When desired this deposit of the material may be upon the surface
below or into any suitable receptacle placed to receive it, but in the full practice
of our invention it falls upon an endless carrier belt A+, which is hereinafter
fully described.
As shown in the drawings the platform, B, is supported on four wheels of
which the two outmost are drums and are fast upon short axles, a², which work
in suitable bearings, 2, provided to the platform. On each of the axles, a², is
a worm wheel, e, which gears with a worm 2, on the adjacent end of a shaft, e²,
which is shown more fully in Fig. 3. This shaft has a band wheel, f, the
position of which is shown in said fig., the shaft 2, being carried by suitable
bearings provided to the platform. On the travelling framework are two de-
pressed sprocket wheels, m, and n, which run as idlers. Above the space between
them is a third sprocket wheel, p, on the shaft m', of which is a pulley, s. A
belt, »¹, runs from the pulley, s, to a pulley s¹, on a shaft, t, and from a like
pulley A on said shaft to a pulley, B', on the crank-shaft of the motor runs a
helt u¹. A sprocket chain or strap J, passes over the two pulleys, f2, at the end
of the platform, and is looped upward between the idler sprocket wheels, m,
and n, and over the sprocket wheel, as shown more fully in Fig. 2, and also
in dotted lines in Fig. 1. In the transmission of power by the sprocket chain
and sprocket wheels the teeth of the latter tend to gradually wear away interior
of the links of the chain thereby practically lengthening the links
to prevent this we provide in our invention the structures shown in
Figs. 8 and 10, inclusive and hereinafter fully described. The motion
transmitted from the engine shaft, F, to the sprocket chain, J, is
in time communicated by the latter through the pulleys, f, worms,
and worm wheels, to the axle of the adjacent pair of platform wheels, a. As
these wheels and their immediate driving mechanisms are duplicated at the
opposite ends of the platform the latter is moved along the track, A. toward the
face of the bank to be excavated as occasion may require. It will be observed

page_text: that each of the outer wheels, a, is provided with a driving mechanism such as
described; the two wheels at each end of the platform being driven by the same
shaft, c³.
Upon the axle, a, of one of the pairs of wheels, b, of the framework, D, which
run on the track C, of the platform, D', is a spur wheel, m, with which gears a
pinion, n, on a shaft, p, which also carries a pulley, , from which extends a
belt, u, to a pulley on the shaft, t. The rotation of this pulley transmits motion
through the belt, ut, pulley, st, shaft, p, pinion, n, spur wheel, m³, and axle a',
to the wheels, b, and thereby causes the framework with the mechanisms carried
thereby to traverse along the platform so that the excavator as it operates is
brought along the face of the bank to be excavated thereby enabling the
comparatively narrow excavator to operate along the front of a bank many
times its own width, in other words, along a distance proportioned to the length
of the platform. To enable the platform to be reversed or retired from the face
of the bank when desired the shaft t, which carries the pulley, s', carries two
other pulleys, &, and e, correspondingly, on the shaft, m', which has the
pulleys is a second pulley, . The pulleys, , and w+, are provided with a clutch
mechanism as at, b, by means of which the one or the other of said pulleys may
be made fast or loose on their shaft as occasion may require. From the pulley, w¹,
to the pulley, a, runs a crossed belt, . When the pulley, to, is made fast to the
shaft, the pulley, w, runs loose and vice versa. When the pulley, w, is fast to
the shaft the belt, , being crossed of course reverses the direction of motion of
the pulley, a, and consequently of the shaft, m³, and the parts driven thereby
and therefore of the platform, B, on its track, A. In like manner there is provided
to the shaft, s, in due relation with the pulley, t, a second pulley, The
pulleys, t, and, g, are clutched to the shaft, s¹, in such a manner that either of
them may be made fast or run loose upon the shaft, s. Upon the shaft, 2*, of
the spur pinion, t, is ટી second pulley, From the pulley,
to the pulley, d, runs a crossed belt, e, so that when the pulley, ³,
is fast on the shaft with the pulley, s, running loose thereon the crossed belt, e,
reverses the direction of rotation of the pinion, nt, and consequently that of the
movement of the framework and the excavator, upon the platform and with
reference to the front or face of the bank to be excavated. As the arrangement
of crossed belts with pulleys and clutches for changing the direction of rotary
motion are means the construction of which is well known to mechanics a more
specific description thereof in this specification is deemed unnecessary.
Referring now to the structure and supporting mechanism of the carrier
belt, A shown in Fig. 6, the receiving end of which is arranged coincident with
the discharge end of the conveyor apron, H, to receive the excavated material
therefrom. In Figs. 5 to 7 inclusive, B is a central roll horizontal or practically
So.
At the ends of this central roll but at a proper distance therefrom are
inclined rolls. C, C+, coincident with the spaces, a, a, between the ends of the
horizontal roll and the adjacent inner ends of the inclined rolls, C, C, are other
inclined rolls 1 D. The longitudinal central part, 66, of the carrier belt, A4,
rests upon the roll, B. Its lateral edge portions, c, c, run along the inclined
rolls, C, C, while the intermediate portions, 7, 6, between the part, 66, and
the edge portions, 6, 6, are supported by the rolls, D, D, the position of the
latter with reference to the belt and the rolls, C, C, being shown in dotted
outline in Fig. 6. It is of course to be understood that mechanisms comprising
the rolls, B, C4, C4, and D, D, arranged as described are placed at proper
intervals below the endless belt in the manner well known in the art, with
regard to endless belt supporting mechanisms.
The central roll, 13, is provided at its ends with projecting gudgeons or
axles, . These fit into suitable shaped and proportioned journal boxes or
bearings, f, f, which are provided with adjacent shoulders g, g, in standards, E,
which extend upwards and have at their upper parts journals, h³, h, which are
inclined as shown in Fig. 6, to provide the herein before described inclination

page_text: to the rolls, C, C, which are placed upon said journals. Formed longitudinally
in each standard, E, is a lubricator bore or channel, +, the lower end of which
communicates with the inner end of the adjacent journal box, f*, while the
elevated upper end, a³, of said passage is open, or capable of being opened for
the admission of oil or any other sufficiently liquid lubricating material. The
lubricant is thus provided with a head of sufficient pressure to insure its proper
feed to the journal box and the lubricant being brought against the end of the
gudgeon of the roller, B4, as well as upon and around the entire circumference of
the latter, said gudgeon is protected against the excessive wear and friction both
at its ends and its circumferential surface to which the bearings of belt-carrying
rolls are particularly exposed. As the journal box, f, the bore or lubricator
channel, , and journal ' may all be united in one and the same casting, the
expense of construction is very greatly minimised, and very great strength in
the parts is secured by reason of the simplicity of the structure, while the move-
ment of the endless carrier belt and its burden or contents is very greatly
facilitated by the comparative absence of frictional resistance to the rotation of the
several rolls by which said belt is carried and supported during its operation.
It is to be observed that the standards, E, E, are to be bolted or otherwise
fixed upon a support, F4, so constructed as to provide for the proper revolution
of the endless carrier belt, in other words, so arranged that the under part of the
belt may, in the running of the latter, pass below the standards as illustrated in
Fig. 6. By this means the journal boxes, ft, f, may be brought close to the
ends of the roll B, thereby providing a firm and solid support to the roll without
liability of springing or yielding of the boxes under the severe strains to which
they are necessarily subjected when the apparatus is in use. The rolls, 14, 14,
are placed upon journals, m, ms, provided upon the inclined arms, 6, 6, which
are integral with a supporting base, 76. Each journal, m, is bored out centrally
as shown at, 69, and in the upperside of said journal thus bored, is a hole or
opening, which extends to the exterior of the journal so that a sufficiently
fluid lubricant passed into the bore through the open upper end thereby passes
to the upper side of the journal and thereby lubricates its entire circumference,
in other words, the entire bearing of its roll, D', thereon. The arms, n6, being
cast integral with their base, , and the latter bolted or secured firmly to the same
support, F, as the standards, E, of the rolls d, e, an especially rigid and
unyielding support for the several rolls is secured and their permanent retention
in position with reference to each other and to the carrier belt is provided for.
It is of course to be understood that the receiving end of the endless carrier
belt, A, being placed in suitable juxtaposition with the discharge end of the
conveyor apron, H, to receive the material therefrom the carrier belt may be
extended in any desired direction and be of any desired length to finally deposit
the material at any desired distance from the point a".
To permit the teeth of the sprocket wheels to be adjusted to compensate for
wear of the links of the sprocket chain we have devised and include in our
invention the combinations of parts shown in Figs. 8 to 10. In these A7, is a
view of a sprocket wheel carried by a spider, B, composed of radial spokes or
equivalent means for connecting the rim with hub, C7, which, in its turn, is fast
upon the usual or any suitable sprocket shaft, I). The spider is concave
at one side as shown in Fig. 9. Formed radially in the rim, A7, are sockets, a³,
each of these sockets has one of its lateral walls recessed inwards, or of semi dove-
tail shape as shown at a8, in Fig. 10. Its opposite side may be at right angles
to its bottom as shown at 68 in said fig; E are the sprocket teeth.
These are
detachable and are placed in the sockets, a³, each tooth is made sloping at its
sides or lateral edges so that one, 8, of said edges may fit the semi dovetail
lateral wall, as, of the socket in which it is placed, while the opposite of said
edges, 68, operates in conjunction with a wedge or key, G7 presently. herein
described. Each socket is somewhat wider at its bottom than is the tooth which
is placed therein. At the space, F', thus afforded at one edge of the tooth is

page_text: Placed
provided a hole or bore, e³, which is transverse to the face of the rim.
in the said space, 17, is the wedge or tapering key, G7 which has a screw
shank, g, which passes through the hole or bore and projects from the opposite
side of the rim. Upon this screw shank is placed a nut, . The key, G has at
its sloping or wedge-like surface in contact with the adjacent sloping surface of
the tooth, while its back rests against the right angled side, 68, of the socket. As
the sides of the socket are parallel the tooth may be moved radially inward or
outward provided the key is loosened to permit such movement. When the tooth
is thus adjusted to the required position the wedge is tightened against the tooth,
the sloping edge of the latter is crowded into the semi-dovetail side of the socket
while the wedge of the key not only crowds the tooth as described and by its
strong frictional hold upon the tooth prevents it longitudinal movement but,
being itself of semi-dovetail form, operates in conjunction with the further side
of the socket to prevent the tooth from getting out of its place, the tooth, being,
so to speak, tightly dovetailed in position and gripped against displacement by
any of the ordinary vicissitudes of use.
To enable the sprocket teeth to be readily adjusted through the circumference
of the rim, there is provided an adjustable circular guide, 1, which is arranged
concentric with the rim and in such relation with the inner ends of the adjustable
sprocket teeth that by first adjusting the guide to a proper position, the said
teeth may be brought in contact with the guide in such a manner that their
distances from the axis of rotation of the wheel shall be practically uniform.
As shown in Fig. 8 this guide is, so to speak, dish-shaped with a central hub
which encircles the sprocket shaft, ]). The flaring circumference, m7, of this
guide projects into the circular space within the rim into the space afforded by
the concave side of the spider herein previously described. The inner ends of
the sprocket teeth are concentric with this flaring circumference of the guide, I,
as indicated in the Figs. 8 and 9. The web, n, which connects the hub of the
guide with its circumferential part, m7, has bales, , in it which are coincident
with the circular holes, 78, in the spider, B7, of the sprocket wheel. Bolts, R7, are
pushed through these holes and are provided with heads, a³, and nuts, 69. These
hold the guide firmly in its required position with reference to the sprocket wheel,
and enable it to be adjusted at will to a greater or less distance within the
circular space, 138. When the guide is moved inward it crowds the teeth radially
outward, the teeth being of course loosened to permit such movement. When the
guide has been brought to the position which thus adjusts the teeth to the desired
position, the inner ends of the teeth resting against the circumference of the
guide, the teeth are tightened in their places by means of the keys or wedges as
hereinbefore explained. By the means described, therefore, a sprocket wheel
which, by the wear of the links of its chain, has become relatively too small in
circumference to co-operate properly with the chain, may be brought to an actual
working circumference which fits it perfectly for co-operation with the elongated
links of the chain. It may also be mentioned that as the guide may be retained
in the position at which it regulates the adjustment of the teeth as described, it
provided an additional support to said teeth to assist in retaining them in position
against the stress exerted upon them when the sprocket wheel and its chain are
in operation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1st. The combination with a wheeled platform having thereon a track in a
direction at right angles or practically so to its line of travel on said wheels,
and a wheeled framework adapted to run on said track, of a motor on the
framework, an endless chain excavator mounted on said framework, mechanism
for transmitting power from the motor to the excavator, mechanism for trans-
mitting motion from the framework to the platform to operate the wheels

page_text: thereof, and mechanism for transmitting motion to the framework to move the
same upon the platform, substantially as herein set forth.
2nd. The combination with a wheeled platform having thereon a track in a
direction at right angles or practically so to that of the movement of the platform,
a framework arranged to travel on said track, an endless chain excavator carried
by the framework, a motor carried by the latter for operating the excavator and
pulleys provided to the platform, of an endless belt passed over said pulleys,
mechanism for driving said belt from the motor, and mechanism for transmitting
motion from the pulleys to the wheels of the platform, substantially as herein
set forth.
Brd. The combination with a wheeled platform having a track thereon in a
direction at right angles or practically so to that of the movement of the
platform, a framework arranged to travel on said track, an endless chain
excavator carried by the framework, a motor carried by the framework for
operating the excavator, a sprocket wheel and idlers carried by the framework,
pulleys provided to the platform, mechanism for transmitting motion from said
pulleys to the wheels of the platform, an endless belt upon the said pulleys
looped over the sprocket wheel between the idler wheels and means for trans-
mitting motion to the sprocket from the motor, whereby the excavator may be
adjusted to or withdrawn from its work, substantially as herein set forth."
4th. The combination with a wheeled platform having a track thereon in a
direction at right angles or practically so to that of the movement of the plat-
form, a framework arranged to travel on said track, an endless chain excavator
mounted on said framework and a motor on the framework for operating the
excavator, of a spur wheel fast on the axle of the framework, a spur pinion
carried by the framework and gearing with the spur wheel and means for trans-
mitting motion to the pinion from the motor whereby the excavator may be
carried laterally along the face of the bank to be excavated, substantially as
herein set forth.
5th. The combination with a wheeled platform having a track thereon in a
direction at right angles or practically so to that of the platform, a-framework
arranged to travel on said track, an endless chain excavator mounted on the
framework, and a motor on the framework, for operating the excavator, of worm
wheels on the axles of the platform wheels worms for alternating the worm wheels,
pulleys for rotating the worm shafts, a sprocket wheel and idlers carried by the
framework, an endless belt running upon the work shafts and looped over the
sprocket wheel between the idlers, and means for transmitting motion from the
motor to the shaft of the sprocket wheels, substantially as herein set forth.
6th. The combination with a wheeled platform having a track thereon in a
direction at right angles or practically so to that of the movement of the
platform, a framework arranged to travel on said track, an endless chain excavator
mounted on the framework, a motor on the framework for operating the excavator
of a spur wheel fast on an axle of the framework, a spur pinion carried by the
framework and gearing with the spur wheel, a pulley for rotating the pinion,
a shafts, a pulley on said shaft a belt connecting said pulley with the pinion
pulley, worm wheels on the axles of the platform wheels, worms for actuating the
worm wheels, pulleys for rotating the worm shafts, a sprocket wheel and idlers
carried by the framework, a pulley on the shaft of the sprocket wheel, a pulley
on the shaft, t, connected by a belt with the pulley of the sprocket wheel, an
endless belt running on pulleys upon the worm shafts and looped over the
sprocket wheel between the idlers and a belt extended from the pulley of the
sprocket wheel to a pulley on the shaft, s', the whole organised and arranged to
provide for the movement of the excavator toward and from its work and also
laterally along the face thereof, substantially as and for the purpose herein set
forth.
th. In excavating apparatus the combination with an endless belt or carrier,
of a central horizontal roll. having axial gudgeons projecting from its ends,

page_text: inclined lateral rolls at the opposite ends of the said central roll, with standards
constructed with journal boxes which receive the gudgeons, and formed with
inclined journals for the lateral rolls and lubricator channels in the standards
above the gudgeons and with their lower ends terminating at the ends of the
gudgeons, substantially as herein set forth.
8th. In excavating apparatus the combination with an endless belt or carrier
of inclined rolls, a base provided with inclined arms which are formed at their
upper parts with journals for said rolls, and with lubricator channels within the
journals and communicating by openings with the exterior of said journals,
substantially as herein set forth.
9th. In excavating apparatus the combination with an endless belt or carrier of
a central horizontal roll having axial gudgeons projecting from its ends, inclined
lateral rolls at opposite ends of said central roll standards constructed with
journal boxes which receive the gudgeons of the central roll,-inclined journals
for the inclined lateral rolls and lubricator channels in the standards above the
gudgeons and terminating at the ends of the latter in combination with a base
and inclined standards which are provided with lubricator bores within their
upper ends, and outlet openings provided to said bores, and inclined rolls placed
on the inclined journals and arranged opposite the spaces between the central and
the lateral rolls, substantially as herein set forth.
10th. In excavating apparatus the combination with the rim of a sprocket
wheel constructed with radial sockets, and a circular adjustable guide concentric
with the axes of the sprocket wheel of radially adjustable sprocket teeth placed
in the sockets with their inner ends coincident with the guide, and means for
retaining the sprocket teeth in the positions to which they may be brought by
the guide, substantially as herein set forth.
11th. In excavating apparatus the combination with the rim of a sprocket
wheel constructed with radial sockets, a dish-shaped guide concentric with the
axes of the sprocket wheel, and bolts for adjusting the guide, of adjustable
sprocket teeth placed in the sockets coincident with the flaring circumference
of the said guide, and means for retaining the teeth in the positions to which
they may be adjusted by the guide, substantially as herein set forth.
12th. In excavating apparatus the combination with the rim of a sprocket
wheel constructed with radial semi-dovetail sockets, of adjustable sprocket teeth
placed in said sockets, and keys or wedges placed in the opposite sides of the
sockets and arranged to crowd the teeth into the said semi-dovetail sides of the
socket, and to retain said teeth in position, substantially as herein set forth.
13th. In excavating apparatus the combination with the rim of a sprocket
wheel constructed with radial semi-dovetail sockets, adjustable sprocket teeth
placed in said sockets, and keys or wedges arranged to crowd the teeth against
the dovetail sides of the sockets, of an adjustable dish-shaped guide concentric
with the axes of the sprocket wheel, bolts for adjusting said guide with reference
to the ends of the sprocket teeth extended outward from the rim, substantially
as herein set forth.
14th. In excavating apparatus the combination with a rim of a sprocket wheel
with semi-dovetail radial sockets, and with holes or bores extended transversely
from said sockets, of adjustable dove-tail radial sprocket teeth placed in the
sockets and narrower than the said sockets, with wedges constructed with screw
shanks passed through the bores or holes, and nuts on said shanks for tightening
the wedges to grip and retain in place the teeth in the sockets, substantially as
herein set forth.
15th. In excavating apparatus the combination with the rim of a sprocket wheel
constructed with semi-dovetail radial sockets and with holes or hores extended
transversely from said sockets, adjustable dovetail radial sprocket teeth placed
in the sockets, wedges constructed with screw-shanks passed through the trans-
verse holes, and nuts on said screw-shanks for tightening the wedges upon the

page_text: teeth, of a circular dish-shaped guide concentric with the axes of the sprocket
wheel, and extended within the rim, and bolts for adjusting the flaring circum-
ference of said guide against the inner ends of the teeth and to connect said
guide with the rim, substantially as herein set forth.
Dated this 12th day of December 1899.
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicants.