Patent ID: 8555530

Claim:
A pipe padding apparatus comprising a box-like frame adapted to be moved through at least a portion of a row of material along a side of a ditch in which a pipeline has been laid, the box-like frame comprising: (a) side walls with openings therein; (b) an open front adapted to receive at least a portion of the material as the box-like frame moves along the side of the ditch; (c) an open ended, hollow drum rotatably mounted between the side walls comprising: a plurality of scoop members adapted to lift at least a portion of the material received through the open front as the frame is moved through the row of material and the drum is rotated; a screen having an outer surface upon which the lifted material passes from the scoop members as the drum is rotated, the screen for screening course particles from fines within the lifted material wherein the scoop members are positioned radially outwardly from the screen outer surface a predetermined distance sufficient to allow at least a portion of the lifted material to pass between the scoop members and the screen outer surface whereby that portion of the lifted material moves relative to the screen outer surface as the drum is further rotated; (d) a mechanism adapted to support the drum between the side walls of the box-like frame and to rotate the drum about an axis transverse to the row of material; and (e) a conveyor mechanism mounted within the drum and extending in a direction generally parallel to the axis of rotation of the drum, the conveyor mechanism extending through an open end of the drum, thereby receiving the fines as the fines pass through the screen and conveying the fines into the ditch about the pipeline.