Excavating machine for rocky and other soils

Abstract

A trench excavating machine includes an excavating wheel on which are mounted spaced apart peripheral plates equipped with ripping teeth and spades. The ripping teeth are angled outward from the plates at an acute angle directed in the direction of rotation of the cutting wheel to attack the leading edge of a trench being excavated. Ripping teeth and spades are arranged at varying spacing on succeeding plates about the centerline of the cutting wheel. A transverse conveyor located within the circumference of the cutting wheel transports spoil to the side of the cutting wheel. A spoil deflector removes spoil adhered to the inside of the cutting wheel.

1 . An excavating machine comprising: 
 a power unit,    a supporting frame assembly operably attached to the power unit,    a digging wheel assembly operably attached to supporting frame assembly,    the digging wheel assembly having a rim structure with a periphery,    a multiplicity of spaced apart plates fixed to the periphery,    at least one of the plates including at least one ripping tooth extending therefrom.    
   
   
       2 . The excavating machine of  claim 1  wherein 
 the rim structure and the plates in combination define at least one interior profile,    a deflecting member attached to the supporting frame assembly,    the deflecting member having a deflecting face located within the at least one interior profile,    the deflecting face contacting and removing spoil which has accumulated in the at least one interior profile.    
   
   
       3 . The excavating machine of  claim 1  wherein 
 the power unit drives the wheel assembly such that the at least one ripping tooth moves at an angular velocity of not less than fifteen feet per second.    
   
   
       4 . The excavating machine of  claim 1  wherein 
 the plates are arranged in at least one series,    each plate in the at least one series of plates includes at least a different number of ripping teeth than the plates adjacent thereto in the series.    
   
   
       5 . The excavating machine of  claim 1  wherein 
 the at least one ripping tooth is a carbide tip.    
   
   
       6 . The excavating machine of  claim 2  wherein 
 a conveyor is disposed below the deflecting face,    the conveyor moving spoil deflected by the deflecting member.    
   
   
       7 . The excavating machine of  claim 1  wherein 
 at least one spade member is fixed to at least one of the plates.    
   
   
       8 . The excavating machine of  claim 7  wherein 
 the at least one spade member extends forward of a leading edge of the plate to which the at least one spade member is fixed.    
   
   
       9 . The excavating machine of  claim 1  wherein 
 the plates are arranged in at least one series,    each plate in the at least one series having one or more ripping teeth fixed thereto,    each plate spaced apart from adjacent plates in the at least one series,    the one or more ripping teeth of a first plate in the at least one series spaced relative to a centerline of the digging wheel assembly different from the spacing of the one or more ripping teeth of plates adjacent the first plate.