Patent ID: 8205361

Claim:
A walk-behind steerable trencher, comprising: a frame defining a stationary pivot joint located near a forward end of the frame; two independently powered ground-contacting tracks, one located on each of a first and a second side of the frame; and a trenching boom comprising: an elongate boom guide; an endless cutting element movable along the boom guide; and an attachment arm comprising a forward end attached to the boom guide and an aft end pivotally attached to the frame at the pivot joint, wherein the attachment arm is configured to offset the boom guide relative to the frame, the trenching boom operable to pivot, relative to the frame and about the pivot joint, between: an operating position, wherein at least a portion of the cutting element is positioned below a ground surface upon which the tracks rest; and an elevated transport position, wherein the boom is suspended forward of the forward end of the frame and above the ground surface at an elevation adequate to prevent contact of the boom with the ground surface during trencher transport over the ground surface, and wherein the two tracks alone are configured to contact the ground surface when the trenching boom is in the transport position.