US3327598A - Compacting machine - Google Patents

Description

4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 23, 1965 INVENTOR.

HENRY WAYER BY MAHONEY, MILLER 8 RAMBO ATTORNEYS June 27, H WAYER COMPACTING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 25, 1965 5 v 5 g M; 0 3 WM A w y y my WM ooooo M 3, 5 Ma 0n 3: E w H H L W .a I W L g i:

W ma F m u .H u w- -3 J I L 3 A P 5 4 w 2 BY MAHONEY, MILLER 8 RAMBO June 27, 1967 H. WAYER 3,327,598

COMPACTING MACHINE Filed March 23, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 2/ Q4 7/ t m /Z5 54 Fife laA ";5 5; V/ m j 52 31 2' 57 INVENTOR HENRY WAYER BY 2 5 MAHONEY, MILLER a RAMBO ATTORNEYS June 27, 1967 WAYER 3,327,598

COMPACTING MACHINE Filed March 23, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. HENRY WA YE R BY MAHONEY, MILLER 8 RAMBO MI I ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,327,598 COMPACTING MACIHNE Henry Wayer, 960 S. Champion Ave, Columbus, Ohio 43206 Filed li Iar. 23, 1965, Ser. No. 442,124 17 Claims. (Cl. 94--48) My invention relates to a compacting machine. It has to do, more particularly, with a wheeled vehicle which is adapted to move over relatively loose-material, usually in the form of a layer covering a particular area, and to compact that material into a more dense mass or body. The machine is capable of effectively compressing various materials, such as fill dirt or other fill materials, paving materials, such as various bituminous mixes, and many other materials.

Many material compacting machines have been provided in the past. One general type of machine has comprised a supporting vehicle frame mounted on wheels for movement over the surface to be compact-ed. Such a machine usually has an impactor or compactor blade mounted on the frame for vertical movement with a tamping action into the relatively loose material over which the vehicle moves. The compacting movement of the blade is accomplished by a drive motor on the frame, usually of the internal combustion type, which is connected by a driving connection to the blade. The most serious defect of prior art machines is that they have not been dynamically balanced which results in excessive vibration and shock. Also, they have not been designed to provide adequate protection of the driving motor from the serious shocks created by the repeated blows of the compacting blade with the surface which it is compressing. The shocks created by these blows in prior art machines and the shocks and vibrations due to the imbalances therein are transmitted back to the frame and the driving motor which it carries causing quick failure or maladjustment of the motor and especially of its more sensitive parts such as the carburetor, timer and ignition systems, etc.

My invention provides a machine which is carried on a wheeled vehicle for movement over the surface to be compacted in which the impactor or compactor blade is driven by an internal combustion engine but in which the impactor blade is so supported on the frame and driven by the engine that the engine is protected from shock developed by the impacting contact of the blade with the material being compacted. Furthermore, the machine of my invention is so designed that it is dynamically balanced to reduce shock and vibration to the very minimum.

Various other objects and advantages will be apparent as this description progresses.

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my material compacting machine and in these drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view, partly cut away, illustrating the entire machine, including a riding sulky. FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the main part of the machine taken from the position indicated at line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view taken along line 33 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a front elevational view of the machine, partly cut away, taken from the position indicated at line 4-4 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along line 55 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIGURE 1.

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FIGURE 8 is a schematic side elevational view illustrating the movement of the compactor blade through several successive positions.

FIGURE 9 is a similar view illustrating movement of the compactor blade through other successive positions.

With particular reference to the drawings, the vehicle of this invention is shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 as comprising a main frame 10 which is preferably in the form of a heavy casting but which could be fabricated from various steel members. The frame is carried by means of two support and traction wheels 11, preferably of the pneumatically tired type, which are disposed at opposite sides of the frame in vertical planes parallel to the upright sides of the frame. These wheels 11 are carried on the opposite ends of an axle 12 which project in opposite directions out through the sides of the frame 10 from a differential unit 13 supported centrally of the frame at the lower side thereof. Located behind the differential unit and, in fact, combined therewith is the multispecd reversible transmission 14. This transmission is controlled by an upstanding shaft which has a single control handle 15 keyed on its upper end and swingable in either direction to set the transmission for forward or reverse drive at a selected speed. To facilitate steering of the machine, each Wheel has a brake unit 16 associated therewith and each brake unit is controlled by means of a control handle 17 located at the rear of the frame and connected to an associated push-pull flexible control shaft at the respective side of the machine.

Mounted on the forward portion of the frame It) at the upper side thereof is the drive motor 20 Which is preferably an internal combustion engine which has the gas tank at it upper side indicated at 21.. The engine drives a generator 22 which is mounted thereon, the drive being by means of a belt drive 23. The engine 24 also drives the transmission 14 through a belt drive 24 (FIGURE 2) and a clutch 25 carried by a transversely disposed clutch shaft 26 which is located behind the engine 20 on the upper portion of the frame 10. A chain and sprocket drive 27 runs from the clutch 25 downwardly and rearwardly to the input shaft of the transmission 14. The clutch shaft 26 also has mounted thereon a second clutch 28 which, through a sprocket and chain drive 29, drives an eccentric shaft 30 to be described in detail later. The clutches 25 and 28 are controlled by laterally extending links 31 and 32, respectively, which are, in turn, controlled by the respective clutch levers 33 and 34 which extend upwardly and rearwardly over a main handle structure. This handle structure is rigidly secured at its lower and inner or forward end to the frame 12 and is used in steering and handling the machine. If desired, a suitable sulky 36 (FIGURE 1) may be hitched to the rear end of the frame It at 37 and may carry a seat 38 which will position the operator properly relative to the various control handles at the rear of the frame It The eccentric shaft 30, previously referred to, is part of what might be termed the impacting unit as distinguished from the vehicle so far described. This impacting unit may be designated generally by the numeral 40 and is so supported at the forward end of the frame 19 that it will prevent the transmission of most of the shocks from the impacting or compacting operation to the frame Ill and the engine 20 and associated parts carried thereby. Also, it is substantially dynamically balanced in itself so as to prevent the development of excessive vibrations and resulting shock.

The unit 40 comprises the compacting shoe or blade 41 which is preferably formed of steel and extends transversely completely across the machine in front of the frame 10 and laterally beyond the wheels 11. It is formed to provide a flat, final impacting surface 42 of substantial extent, in a forward and rearward direction, together with a joining forward beveled surface 43 and a rearward beveled suface 44. Thus, regardless of the direction of movement of the machine, a beveled surface 43 or 44, will gradually compress the material until it is finally compacted by the surface 4-2 which follows the respective beveled surface as it advances into the material to be compacted.

The blade 41 is rigidly carried on the lower ends of a pair of laterally spaced, parallel, heavy rigid arms 45 which depend from the shaft 30. The upper end of each arm 45 rotatably receive the associated outer reduced eccentric end or stub shaft 46( FIGURE 3) of the shaft 36. This connection includes a self-aligning ball-bearing 47. Thus, the eccentrics 46 of the shaft are journaled for rotation in the upper ends of the arms 45 and on an axis that is at a higher level than the blade 42 and parallel thereto. The shaft is driven by means of the flexible chain drive 29, previously described, which permits bodily vertical movement of the shaft. Towards its outer ends, the shaft 30 carries the weights 56 which are unbalanced and are preferably in the form of. eccentric flywheels which are flattened or have a segment removed to provide a flat peripheral edge portion 51. Each weight 50 is keyed on the shaft 30 with its heavier portion diametrically opposite the associated eccentric 46 and with its flat edge 51 at the same side of the axis of the shaft as the eccentric 46. The eccentric weights 50 are designed to dynamically balance the effect of the eccentrics and associated parts.

The unit 49 i supported for vertical movement in a substantially upright plane transversely across the frame and spaced forwardly slightly thereof. This plane will be substantially perpendicular to the surface S over which the wheels 11 roll it the frame is held in a normal horizontal position by the handle 35 by pivoting it about the wheel axle 12. This plane will be substantially parallel to the plane of the forward edge of the frame It) and it will be prevented from tilting substantially from this plane by means of a linkage system which is a substantially parallel linkage system but permits a slight rocking action of the blade 41 due to the eccentric connections 46 of the shaft 30 and the arms 45.

The parallel linkage for connecting the compacting unit 46 to the main vehicle frame 10 comprises a pair of lower tie-links 52 and a pair of upper supporting arms or links 53. The links of each pair extend longitudinally, rearwardly and forwardly, in laterally spaced, parallel relationship at the outer sides of the frame 10. The links 52 and 53 at the respective sides are located at different levels. All the links are pivotally connected at their rear ends to the frame 10 and at their forward ends to the unit 40. All the rear pivots are in a common vertical plane transversely of the frame It and all the forward pivots are in common vertical plane transversely and forward of the frame 10. Thus, the forward end of each tie-link 52 is pivoted on an axis 54, transversely parallel and slightly above the blade 41, adjacent an associated arm 45. It will be noted that the lower end of each arm 45 is rigidly connected to the blade 41 by a pair of bolts 55 (FIGURE 1) to prevent tilting of the blade relative to the arm. Above this connection is the pivot axis 54 which includes a rod 56 (FIGURE 4) extending transversely between the arms 45 and having reduced ends extending through aligning openings in the arms. The forward ends of the links 52 carry spacer collars 57 which engage at their inner edges shoulders on the 7 rod 56 and at their outer edges spacer collars 58 provided on the rod 56 between the respective arms 45 and the link collars 57. The rear ends of the links 52 are pivoted on an axis 59 (FIGURE 1), transversely of the frame 10 at its lower side. The pivot structure at this axis is illustrated best in FIGURE 7 and comprises a pivot bolt 60 carried by each side wall of the frame and projecting laterally outwardly therefrom. The adjacent forward end of the link 52 is provided with a collar or socket portion 61 in which a pivot bearing and cushioning collar unit is disposed. This collar unit comprises a heavy collar 62 of compressible resilient rubber or other cushioning material fitted into the socket 61 and an inner metal sleeeve 63 rotatably receiving the bolt 60, the sleeve having flanged ends to keep the collar 62 axially in position. Thus, I not only provide a pivot structure at this axis 59 but also a cushioning structure substantially to prevent transmission of shock through the links 52 to the frame it).

As shown best in FIGURES 3 and 4, the forward end of each arm 5'3 is rotatably connected to the shaft 30 and is located axially between the weight 50 at that end and the eccentric 46. Thus, the outer or forward end of each arm 43 is provided with a socket 66 in which a self-aligning ball-bearing 65 is disposed. This bearing 65 is provided with a peripheral flange 67 which may be bolted by bolts 68 to the arm 53 around the socket 66. Thus, the main part of the shaft 30 is rotatably mounted. in the bearings 65 carried by the respective arms 53.

The rear ends of the arms 53 are pivoted for swinging movement about an axis 70 (FIGURE 1) at the upper side of the frame 10. Each arm 53 is connected to the frame it} by a pivot and cushion structure of the type shown in FIGURE 6. The pivot includes a pivot and clam bolt 71 extending laterally outwardly from the frame 10 and which carries a relatively heavy resilently compressible collar 72 of rubber or the like. This collar is clamped in position by a clamping nut and collar 73 as indicated so that there is no metal-to-metal contact and the arm 53 is cushioned from the frame 10 by the compressible member 72. Thus, cushioning pivots are provided at the rearward ends of the respective arms 53 to permit vertical swinging thereof but to prevent transmission of shocks through the arms to the frame It To limit vertical swinging movement of the arms 53 as a reaction to the impacting action of the blade 41, piston type shock absorbers 86 are provided below the front end of each arm 53. It will be noted best in FIG- URE 1 that each shock absorber 86 is pivoted at 81 at its upper end to the arm 53 just behind the shaft 30 and is rigidly connected at its lower end as at 82 to the frame 10. The details of each of these shock absorbers is illustrated best in FIGURE 5 where it will be noted that the pivot 81 is provided by a pin which passes through a U-shape clevis that slips upwardly over the lower edge of the arm 53 and is formed on the upper end of a cylindrical housing of the shock absorber. Within this housing is a sleeve 90 of compressible resilient material having inner and outer metal sleeves 83 and 84, re-

spectively. The outer sleeve 84 is fixed axially in the housing, for example, by press-fitting. A rod 85 passes downwardly through the inner sleeve 83 and its lower threaded end is adjustably anchored to a lug 86 extending outwardly from the side of the frame 10 by means of the nuts 87 above and below the lug. The sleeve 83 and associated parts are fixed axially on the rod 85 by the fixed head 88 on the upper end of the rod and the adjustable nut 89 threaded on the rod below the sleeve and in clamping engagement therewith. The shock absorber units 8% may be adjusted to vary the vertical position of the blade 41 relative to the frame 10. This is accomplished by adjusting the nuts 82 on the threaded portions of the respective rods 65 and thereby varying the vertical distance between the pivots 81 and the lugs 86.

In the operation of this machine, the engine 20 may be started by a suitable starter unit (not shown). This will cause the drive 23 to drive the generator 22 and the drive 24 to drive the clutch shaft 26. The clutches 25 and 28 may be selectively operated. If the clutch 25 is actuated by means of the handle 33, the transmission 14 will be driven along with the differential unit 13 which it drives. This, in turn, will drive the wheels ill. The brakes 16 may be selectively actuated to retard either of the wheels 11 to aid in steering the machine. The transmission 14 may be set by operation of the handle 15 for forward or reverse drive at a selected speed. At this time, the machine will move in the desired direction at the selected speed and the weight shaft 30 will not be driven. Therefore, the shoe or blade 41 will not be exerting its impacting action. However, by actuating the clutch 28, the shaft 30 may be caused to rotate. This then will produce vertical impacting or compacting movement of the blade 41. It is possible to release the clutch and actuate only the clutch 28 to drive the shaft 30 while the machine is stationary since the drive to the wheels 11 is interrupted.

When the shaft 30 is driven by means of the chain drive 36}, it rotates in the bearings 65 in the arms 53. This causes the opposed eccentrics 46 to revolve about the axis of the shaft 30 and, thus, produces movement of the arms 45 and the blade 41 carried thereby. The movement of the blade 41 is mainly vertical, to obtain a pounding or impacting action, due to the provision of the linkage which is provided by the lower links 52 and the upper links 53. This linkage is substantially parallel linkage but is moved out of parallel at times to the extent of the eccentrics 46 being offset from the axis of the shaft 30. Also, because of these eccentrics there is a rocking movement of the arms 45 about the pivot axis 54 which provides a slight forward and rearward component of movement to the blade during its vertical movement. This is apparent from schematic FIGURES 8 and 9 where the blade 41 is shown moving from its lower position D, through the successive positions A, B and C, brought about by the eccentrics 46 revolving about the axis of the shaft to successive 90 angular positions indicated by corresponding letters A, B, C and D. When the im pacting surface 42 of the blade 41 is moved into contact with the surface to be compacted, a reaction is set up which tends to move the entire unit vertically. However, this reactive movement is limited by the shock absorbers 80 which tie the arms 53 flexibly to the frame 10. Vertical movement of the arms 53 is permitted but only to a limited extent by the shock absorbers 80. This movement is produced by vertical flexing of the resilient sleeve 90. Thus, the blade will produce successive impacting blows on the surface to be compacted and resulting vertical reactive movement of the arms 53 will be limited by the shock absorbers 8%. These shock absorbers, as indicated, may be adjusted to locate the blade 41 at an initial predetermined level relative to the frame It As the arms are moved vertically by the eccentrics 46 to move the blade 41 vertically, the arms are also rocked by the eccentrics forwardly and rearwardly about the axis 54 which results also in a forward and rearward movement of the blade during its vertical pounding movement. This produces a wiping or agitating action on the material as it is being compacted which aids in the compaction. The blade will, therefore, as indicated in FIG- URES 8 and 9, advance into the loose material, gradually wedge it under the surface 43 and compact it under the flat surface 42 which will be rocked about the axis 54.

The impacting unit 40 is dynamically balanced to reduce to a minimum the vibrational effect of the vertical movement of the blade 41 by the eccentrics 46. This is accomplished by means of the pair of eccentric weights previously described. Each of the weights is fixed on the shaft 39 to place its center of gravity diametrically opposite the associated eccentric 46. Thus, during the impacting movements of the blade 41 created by the eccentrics 46, the weights 50, being of appropriate design and arranged as indicated, cancels out or substantially eliminates vibration and shock which would otherwise be created by the vertical reciprocating movement of the blade 41 and arms 45. In effect, the shaft 36 is maintained in a position as a freely suspended body and the eccentrics 46 impart the necessary displacement to the blade 41 because of the shock-absorber connection to the main frame. Any shock which does result from the impacting action will not be transmitted readily to the frame 10 and the engine and associated parts carried thereby due to the provision of the cushioning units at the pivot axes 58 and 70.

It will be apparent that this invention provides a machine which comprises mainly a wheeled frame that moves along the surface to be compacted and carries the driving motor or power unit of the machine. At the forward end of this vehicle unit there is suspended the impacting unit in such a manner that it is substantially balanced and is so connected to the vehicle frame that any excessive shocks produced during the impacting action will not be transmitted to the vehicle frame and thereby damage the the driving engine and associated parts.

It will be apparent that many of the advantages of this machine have been discussed above and others will be readily apparent.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, the principles of this invention have been explained and have been illustrated and described in what is now considered to represent the best embodiment. However, it is to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A compacting machine comprising a vehicle movable over the material to be compacted, a compacting unit supported from the vehicle and including a material-contacting blade, means for suspending said unit from the vehicle for vertical movement to cause said blade to move vertically with a compacting action, means for producing such movement, said means comprising a shaft having eccentric ends disposed in bearings in support arms upstanding from said blade and forming part of said suspending means, means for driving said shaft, said shaft carrying weight means for substantially dynamically balancing the forces resulting from vertical movement of said blade and arms created by said eccentric shaft ends.

2. A compacting machine according to claim 1 in which said suspending means includes suspending arms pivotally connected to said vehicle for vertical swinging movement, said suspending arms carrying bearings in which said shaft is supported for rotative movement, and yieldable means connecting said arms and said vehicle for permitting limited vertical swinging movement under control.

3. A compacting machine according to claim 2 in which said shaft driving means comprises a power source on the vehicle; and a flexible drive between said power source and said shaft for permitting the vertical movement of the unit relative to the vehicle.

4. A compacting machine according to claim 3 in which said yieldable means comprises shock-absorbing members.

5. A compacting machine according to claim 4 in which each of said shock-absorbing members comprises a flexible sleeve connected between each of said suspending arms and said vehicle frame at vertically spaced connecting points.

6. A compacting machine according to claim 5 in which the distance between said connecting points is vertically adjustable.

7. A compacting machine according to claim 2 in which said suspending arms are pivotally connected to said vehicle by pivots including yieldable cushioning means for reducing transmission of shock from the arms to the vehicle.

8. A compacting machine according to claim 7 including means for limiting tilting of said blade, said means comprising links pivotally connected to said blade support arms at a level between said blade and said shaft, said links being also connected to said vehicle by a pivotal connection at a level below the pivotal connection of said suspending arms to the vehicle to permit vertical swinging of the links.

9. A compacting machine according to claim 8 in which the pivotal connection of each of the links to the vehicle includes a yieldable cushioning means for reducing transmission of shock from the links to the vehicle.

10. A compacting machine comprising a vehicle movable over the material t-o be compacted and comprising a frame supported on wheels, a power unit supported on the frame for driving elements of the machine, a compacting unit supported from the vehicle and including a material-contacting and compacting blade extending transversely of the vehicle in front of said Wheels, means for suspending said unit from the vehicle frame in front of the frame for vertical movement to permit said blade to move vertically with a compacting action, said means including laterally spaced support arms, substantially parallel linkage pivotally connected between said support arms and said vehicle frame for preventing substantial tilting of said blade during its vertical movement including upper support links and lower tie links, flexible driving means connected between said power unit and said compacting unit to cause vertical movement of the latter, said parallel linkage also including cushioning means for substantially preventing transmisison of excessive shock from the compacting blade to said vehicle frame and the power unit carried thereby, a shaft rotatably supported by said upper support links and provided with axially spaced eccentrics rotatably supporting said support arms, said shaft carrying weight means for substantially dynamically balancing the forces resulting from vertical movement of said blade and associated linkage and flexible driving means connected between said power unit and said shaft to cause vertical movement of said blade.

11. A compacting machine according to claim 10 in which said eccentrics on the shaft comprise stub-shaft ends displaced from the axis of the shaft, said weight means comprising weights fixed to the shaft and having heavier portions diametrically opposed to said stub-shaft ends.

12. A compacting machine according to claim 11 in which a pair of said arms are provided and are disposed in laterally spaced relationship and rigidly secured to said blade in upright position, said eccentric weight shaft 8 being mounted in said upright arms in substantially parallel relationship to said blade by said stub-shaft ends.

13. A compacting machine according to claim 12 in which said upper and lower links are pivoted respectively at their forward ends to said upright arms and at their rear ends to said vehicle frame by pivot structures which permit verical swinging movement of said links, said pivot structures on each of said links including said cushioning means in the form of cushioning collars coopearting with a pivot pin.

14. A compacting machine according to claim 13 including shock absorbers connected between each of the upper links and said vehicle frame, said shock absorbers comprising a yieldable sleeve connected respectively to said upper links and said vehicle frame.

15. A compacting machine according to claim 10 including a combined differential and transmission mounted on said vehicle frame, said wheels being carried by axles extending from said differential, a clutch shaft driven by said engine, and a drive from said clutch shaft to said transmission and including a selectively operable clutch.

15. A compacting machine according to claim 15 in which said flexible driving means includes a drive chain between said clutch shaft and said eccentric shaft carried by said compacting unit, and including a clutch selectively operable to drive said weight shaft from said clutch shaft.

17, A compacting machine according to claim 16 including brakes associated with each of said wheels and selectively operable.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,009,542 7/1935 Day 94-48 X 2,333,041 10/ 1943 Poulter.

2,453,510 11/1948 Jackson 94-48 2,633,781 4/1953 Day 94-48 2,644,379 7/1953 Lowe 94-48 2,687,071 8/1954 Day 94-48 2,884,842 5/1959 Schmitz 94--49 JACOB L. NACKENOFF, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A COMPACTING MACHINE COMPRISING A VEHICLE MOVABLE OVER THE MATERIAL TO BE COMPACTED, A COMPACTING UNIT SUPPORTED FROM THE VEHICLE AND INCLUDING A MATERIAL-CONTACTING BLADE, MEANS FOR SUSPENDING SAID UNIT FROM THE VEHICLE FOR VERTICAL MOVEMENT TO CAUSE SAID BLADE TO MOVE VERTICALLY WITH A COMPACTING ACTION, MEANS FOR PRODUCING SUCH MOVEMENT, SAID MEANS COMPRISING A SHAFT HAVING ECCENTRIC ENDS DISPOSED IN BEARINGS IN SUPPORT ARMS UPSTANDING FROM SAID BLADE AND FORMING PART OF SAID SUSPENDING MEANS, MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID SHAFT, SAID SHAFT CARRYING WEIGHT MEANS FOR SUBSTANTIALLY DYNAMICALLY BALANCING THE FORCES RESULTING FROM VERTICAL MOVEMENT OF SAID BLADE AND ARMS CREATED BY SAID ECCENTRIC SHAFT ENDS.

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