Top Loading Wedge with Adjustably Engageable Bottom Apparatus and Method

Abstract

A non-hydraulic dredge comprised of a vaned conveyor/traction/drive assembly. A bi-directional embodiment is disclosed. An elevation adjustment and obstruction override embodiment as disclosed.

1 . A dredge for lifting said segments of sediment comprising:
 a mounting assembly;   a conveyor assembly, said conveyor assembly being mounted on said mounting assembly;   a drive wheel, said drive wheel being drivingly engaged with said conveyor assembly;   a drive generator, said drive generator being drivingly engaged with said drive wheel;   a plurality of vanes, said plurality of vanes being attached to said conveyor assembly;   a cutter bar, said cutter bar being disposed in working relation to said plurality of vanes, such that segments of sediment are cut as said conveyor assembly moves, the cutter bar cutting a bottom of each segment, a first vane cutting a first side of each segment and a next vane cutting an opposing side of each segment;   said conveyor assembly being further disposed to lift each segment after said cutter bar has completed cutting each segment; and   said conveyor assembly being flexible and mounted on at least two spaced apart wheels.   
   
   
       2 . The dredge of  claim 1  wherein said mounting assembly is a buoyant hull. 
   
   
       3 . The dredge of  claim 1  wherein said conveyor assembly is further comprised of a drive chain. 
   
   
       4 . The dredge of  claim 1  wherein said conveyor assembly is further comprised of a belt. 
   
   
       5 . The dredge of  claim 1  wherein said conveyor assembly is held substantially flat against a top surface of sediment by at least two wheels. 
   
   
       6 . The dredge of  claim 1  wherein said drive generator is selected from the group comprising: a gasoline engine, a diesel engine, an electric motor and a hydrostatic drive. 
   
   
       7 . The dredge of  claim 1  wherein at least three of said plurality of vanes are engaged with sediment as said dredge moves over the sediment. 
   
   
       8 . The dredge of  claim 1  further comprising a throat, said throat being disposed to guide each segment of sediment onto an upwards moving aspect of said conveyor assembly. 
   
   
       9 . The dredge of  claim 8  wherein said throat is comprised of a plurality of transverse plates. 
   
   
       10 . The dredge of  claim 9  wherein said plurality of transverse plates are disposed to slide along a guide, said guide being mounted on at least one side plate. 
   
   
       11 . The dredge of  claim 9  wherein said cutter bar is also a first of said plurality of transverse plates. 
   
   
       12 . The dredge of  claim 9  wherein said plurality of transverse plates is held in a first position by a throat position maintenance device. 
   
   
       13 . The dredge of  claim 12  wherein said throat position maintenance device is an hydraulic cylinder and piston. 
   
   
       14 . The dredge of  claim 9  wherein said transverse plates are maintained in a first position and disposed to retract from said first position to a retracted position in response to contact with a submerged object. 
   
   
       15 . The dredge of  claim 1  wherein said conveyor assembly is disposed to deposit segments of sediment in a receiving assembly. 
   
   
       16 . The dredge of  claim 15  wherein said deposition of said segments of sediment is by gravity. 
   
   
       17 . The dredge of  claim 1  further comprising at least one side plate. 
   
   
       18 . The dredge of  claim 12  wherein said side plate is disposed to cut a third side of each segment of sediment. 
   
   
       19 . The dredge of  claim 18  further comprising a second side plate, said second side plate being disposed to cut a fourth side of each segment of sediment. 
   
   
       20 . The dredge of  claim 1  wherein at least two adjacent ones of said plurality of vanes are maintained substantially parallel to one another while engaged with sediment. 
   
   
       21 . The dredge of  claim 1  further comprising containment skirts around said conveyor assembly. 
   
   
       22 . A method of dredging segments of sediment comprising:
 deploying a mounting assembly;   said mounting assembly having a conveyor assembly being mounted thereon;   driving said conveyor assembly with a drive wheel, said drive wheel being drivingly engaged with said conveyor assembly;   powering said drive wheel with a drive generator, said drive generator being drivingly engaged with said drive wheel;   sectioning sediment with a plurality of vanes, said plurality of vanes being attached to said conveyor assembly;   cutting said sections with a cutter bar, said cutter bar being disposed in working relation to said plurality of vanes, such that segments of sediment are cut as said conveyor assembly moves, the cutter bar cutting a bottom of each segment, a first vane cutting a first side of each segment and a next vane cutting an opposing side of each segment; and   lifting said segments with said conveyor assembly, said conveyor assembly being further disposed to lift each segment after said cutter bar has completed cutting each segment;   wherein, said conveyor assembly is flexible and is mounted on at least two spaced apart wheels.   
   
   
       23 . A method of building a dredge for lifting segments of sediment comprising:
 providing a mounting assembly;   mounting a conveyor assembly on said mounting assembly;   engaging a drive wheel with said conveyor assembly;   engaging a drive generator with said drive wheel;   attaching a plurality of vanes to said conveyor assembly;   disposing a cutter bar in working relation to said plurality of vanes, such that segments of sediment are cut as said conveyor assembly moves, the cutter bar cutting a bottom of each segment, a first vane cutting a first side of each segment and a next vane cutting an opposing side of each segment; and   deploying said conveyor assembly to lift each segment after said cutter bar has completed cutting each segment;   wherein, said conveyor assembly being flexible and mounted on at least two spaced apart wheels.   
   
   
       24 . The dredge of  claim 1  further comprising a guard rail. 
   
   
       25 . The dredge of  claim 24  wherein said guard rail is disposed to be the deepest penetrating component of the dredge. 
   
   
       26 . The dredge of  claim 1  further comprising tracks mounted on said overall dredge assembly, said tracks being disposed to selectively engage a bottom surface of a body of water. 
   
   
       27 . The dredge of  claim 1  further comprising pontoons. 
   
   
       28 . The dredge of  claim 1  further comprising pontoons having buoyancy control ballast tanks. 
   
   
       29 . The dredge of  claim 1  further comprising pontoons and rotating tracks mounted on said pontoons, said rotating tracks being disposed to selectively engage a bottom surface of a body of water.