Patent ID: 7024805

Claim:
An excavating machine comprising: a bucket coupled to a hoist rope and to a drag rope; a machinery housing, the machinery housing including: a hoist drum coupled to the hoist rope; a drag drum coupled to the drag rope; a ring hoist motor coupled to the hoist drum to drive the hoist drum; and a ring drag motor coupled to the drag drum to drive the drag drum, the drag drum and the hoist drum working together to extend or retract the bucket; and a drag variable speed AC drive system electrically connected to the ring drag motor; and a hoist variable speed AC drive system electrically connected to the ring hoist motor, wherein the drag and hoist variable speed drives selectively rotate the hoist and drag drums, respectively, to effect a digging operation; wherein at least one of the hoist drum and the drag drum is coupled to a rotor of the corresponding gearless ring hoist motor or gearless ring drag motor.