Portable modular earth boring machine

Abstract

A portable modular horizontal earth boring machine includes three main components: a digging mechanism, a discharge mechanism and a driving mechanism. The digging mechanism includes an auger and a rigid sleeve positioned around the auger. The driving mechanism and the discharge mechanism are positioned within an outer housing. The driving mechanism spins the drive shaft and the auger, and the discharge mechanism includes discharge paddles that rotate, causing dirt and debris that is generated during a boring operation to be expelled from the discharge mechanism through a discharge port. The auger and sleeve are removably connected to the machine, so that it may be disassembled for transport and storage.

Claims

1. A portable modular earth boring machine comprising: an outer housing member having an internal frame with supports carried by a skid plate, said supports being used to support a drive member and a discharge hopper; said outer housing member further including a discharge port for removing dirt and debris from said discharge hopper, and an opening adjacent said discharge hopper; a drive shaft operatively connected to said drive member, wherein said drive shaft passes through said discharge hopper in an axial orientation; an auger operatively and removably connected to said drive shaft, whereby said auger is rotatably fixed longitudinally with respect to said skid plate; a rigid sleeve adapted to be removably received by a fitting around said opening, so that said sleeve is disposed around said auger when said auger is operatively connected to said drive shaft, said sleeve having a diameter that is larger than the diameter of said auger, wherein said skid plate and a bottom portion of said sleeve are in a single linear plane; discharge paddles operatively connected to said drive shaft within said discharge hopper; wherein said drive member rotates said drive shaft and said auger; and wherein said auger rotation causes dirt and debris to flow from a distal end of said sleeve into said discharge hopper, where said discharge paddles rotate and eject said dirt and debris through outwardly through said discharge port.

2. The portable modular earth boring machine set forth in claim 1, wherein said outer housing member includes an extraction ring attached to an outer portion thereof.

3. The portable modular earth boring machine set forth in claim 1, wherein said outer housing member includes a detachable hopper cover positioned adjacent said discharge hopper, in order to provide access to said discharge hopper for cleaning, maintenance and repair.

4. The portable modular earth boring machine set forth in claim 1, wherein said auger includes a boring head, said boring head being positioned at a distal end of said auger beyond a distal end of said sleeve during operation, and wherein said boring head has a diameter that is larger than the diameter of said sleeve.

5. The portable modular earth boring machine set forth in claim 1, wherein said outer housing member includes a debris shield positioned between said discharge hopper and said drive member.

6. The portable modular earth boring machine set forth in claim 1, further including a coupling for connecting said drive member to said drive shaft.

7. The portable modular earth boring machine set forth in claim 1, further including a discharge ramp positioned between said discharge hopper and said discharge port for channeling said dirt and debris out of said discharge hopper and outwardly through said discharge port.

8. The portable modular earth boring machine set forth in claim 1, wherein said drive member is a hydraulic drive.

9. The portable modular earth boring machine set forth in claim 1, wherein said drive member is selected from the group consisting of an electric motor, a diesel motor, a gasoline motor, and a pneumatic drive.

10. The portable modular earth boring machine set forth in claim 1, further including a shift tab attached to an upper portion of said skid plate, and further connected to a rear portion of said outer housing member.

11. A portable modular earth boring machine comprising: an outer housing member having an internal frame with supports carried by a skid plate, said supports being used to support a drive member and a discharge hopper; said outer housing member further including a discharge port for removing dirt and debris from said discharge hopper, and an opening adjacent said discharge hopper; a drive shaft operatively connected to said drive member; an auger operatively and removably connected to said drive shaft; wherein said drive member rotates said drive shaft and said auger; an excavating machine with at least one hydraulic port; hydraulic hoses operatively connected to said hydraulic port, said hydraulic hoses being operatively connected to said drive member so that said excavating machine operates as a power source for said earth boring machine; a removable rigid sleeve disposed around said auger when said auger is operatively connected to said drive shaft, said sleeve having a diameter that is larger than the diameter of said auger; and wherein said skid plate and a bottom portion of said sleeve are in a single linear plane.

12. The portable modular earth boring machine set forth in claim 11, further including discharge paddles operatively connected to said drive shaft within said discharge hopper.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:

(2) FIG. 1 is a cut-away side view of one embodiment of a portable modular earth boring machine in accordance with the present invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is a cut-away top view of one embodiment of a portable modular earth boring machine in accordance with the present invention;

(4) FIG. 3 is a cut-away side view of one embodiment of the drive mechanism and discharge mechanism of a portable modular earth boring machine in accordance with the present invention;

(5) FIG. 4 is a cut-away top view of one embodiment of the driving mechanism and discharge mechanism of a portable modular earth boring machine in accordance with the present invention; and

(6) FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional front view of one embodiment of discharge mechanism of a portable modular earth boring machine in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(7) The present invention includes, in a first embodiment, a portable modular horizontal earth boring machine 10 having a driving mechanism 12, a discharge mechanism 14 and a digging mechanism 16. The discharge mechanism 14 and digging mechanism 16 are housed within an drive housing 18. The drive housing 18 includes a frame 20 on the inside thereof, and the frame 20 includes supports 22 that hold the driving mechanism 12, which is preferably in the form of a hydraulic drive 24, as well as the discharge hopper 26, in place. An extraction ring 28 is positioned on the outside of the drive housing 18, which can be used for attachment to a cable or other equipment to pull the machine 10 back out of the hole after a boring operation. The drive housing 18 may also include a skid plate 30 on an underside thereof, and the skid plate 30 may have front and/or back edges that are turned upwardly, for sliding across the ground while the boring operation is underway.

(8) As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the digging mechanism 16 includes an auger 32 disposed within a rigid sleeve 34 so that the auger 32 may spin within the sleeve 34 during a boring operation. The diameter of the sleeve 34 is slightly larger than the diameter of the auger 32, allowing the auger 32 to spin therein and to pull dirt, rock and debris through the sleeve 34 toward the discharge mechanism 14. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the distal end of the auger 32 includes a boring head 36 having a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the sleeve 34, so that when the boring head 36 creates the initial hole for the bore, the sleeve 34 may fit into the hole and penetrate further into the bore during the boring operation. In a preferred embodiment, the sleeve 34 has a diameter of approximately 12 inches, although it is contemplated that other sizes may be used. The auger 32 includes an auger shaft 38 having spiraling auger vanes 40 disposed along the shaft 38, as shown. A casing relief band 42 may be positioned around the outside of the sleeve 34 at a distal end thereof, adjacent the boring head 36, in order to provide additional strength and rigidity, as well as providing relief for the remainder of the sleeve to travel through.

(9) The auger 32 is rotated by the driving mechanism 12, which, in a preferred embodiment, includes a hydraulic drive 24. Although a hydraulic drive 24 is the preferred embodiment, it is contemplated that other types of drives may be used, including electric, gas, diesel, pneumatic, or any other type of drive that provides enough power to run the auger 32 during a boring operation. The hydraulic drive 24 is positioned in a rear portion of the drive housing 18 within a drive chamber 52, and includes a pair of hydraulic hoses 44, that may be attached to an external hydraulic power source or pump, which are commonly found on most types of tractors having a hydraulic hook-up mechanism. Alternatively, a hydraulic power pack or any other type of suitable hydraulic power source may be used to power the hydraulic drive, as well. The drive 24 is operatively connected to a coupling 46, which receives a drive shaft 48 that extends away from the drive 24 and through the discharge hopper 26. The auger 32 is removably attached to the end of the drive shaft 48, preferably by a bolt that extends through holes in the drive shaft 48 and one end of the auger 32, which fit together in a male/female or telescopic relation, in a preferred embodiment. Other attachment means may be employed to facilitate removable attachment of the auger 32 to the drive shaft 48, if desired. Additionally, the sleeve 34 is removably attached to the drive housing 18, and remains in a fixed position. The sleeve 34 fits over an opening in the drive housing 18, and the opening provides access to the discharge hopper 26, so that the dirt and debris that flows through the sleeve 34 passes through the opening and into the discharge hopper 26.

(10) The discharge hopper 26 includes a tubular shaped housing 50, as shown in FIG. 5, and the drive shaft 48 passes through the center of the discharge hopper 26 in an axial orientation, as shown. The discharge hopper 26 is substantially sealed off from the hydraulic drive 24 and the chamber 52 housing the hydraulic drive 24 by a debris shield 54, in order to prevent dirt and debris from entering into the hydraulic drive chamber 52. Discharge paddles 56 are attached to the drive shaft 48 by paddle supports 58, so that the discharge paddles 56 rotate together with the drive shaft 48 during a boring operation. A discharge ramp 60 is positioned adjacent the discharge paddles 56 within the discharge hopper 26, and the discharge ramp 60 extends outwardly toward one side of the drive housing 18, where an open discharge port 62 is located. The drive housing 18 also includes a detachable hopper cover (not shown) adjacent the discharge hopper 26, in order to provide access to the discharge hopper 26 for cleaning and maintenance purposes. The detachable hopper cover may be totally detachable, or may include a hinge and operate like a door.

(11) Additionally, a shift tab 64 is positioned adjacent a rear portion of the drive housing, running angularly down from the rear wall of the drive housing 18 to the skid plate 30. The shift tab 64 provides additional reinforcement and strength between the skid plate 30 and the drive housing 18, and provides a point of attachment, so that the teeth of a backhoe bucket may be placed on either side of the shift tab 64 in order to shift the boring machine, either in a lateral direction or in a longitudinal direction. This arrangement allows an operator (running a backhoe, for instance) to quickly and easily adjust or reposition the boring machine during a boring operation, as necessary.

(12) During operation, the auger 32 spins, boring a horizontal hole in the ground, and pulls the dirt, rocks and rubble toward the discharge hopper 26 through the sleeve 34. When the dirt and rocks enter the drive housing 18 into the discharge hopper 26, the discharge paddles 56 rotate, thereby forcing the dirt and rocks out of the discharge hopper 26 via the discharge ramp 60, which directs the dirt and rock outwardly through a discharge port 62. As the boring operation is underway, any suitable means may be used to push the boring machine 10 inwardly toward the hole that is being bored. For instance, the bucket of a backhoe, or any other type of excavator bucket may be used to push the machine 10. Other means for pushing the machine 10 may include bulldozers, Bobcats or other heavy equipment. One advantage to this arrangement is that it does not require a human worker to be in the hole with the boring machine 10 during the boring operation, which reduces the chances of an accident or injury to the worker. Additionally, because the machine 10 is not physically attached or connected to an excavator or backhoe, the excavator or backhoe need not be tied up for extended periods of time before and after the boring operation for attachment and detachment thereof, thereby making the operation more efficient and less costly.

(13) For purposes of storage and transport, the auger 32 and the sleeve 34 may be removed from the machine 10, and the auger 32 may be stored and transported within the sleeve 34. In this way, it is possible to disassemble the machine 10 so that the component parts may fit on a small trailer, for instance. Any suitable means for removably attaching the auger 32 and sleeve 34 may be employed, particularly if such means provide a quick and easy method for attaching and removing those components from the machine 10.

(14) Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein. All features disclosed in this specification may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.