Accessory for excavation of a ditch and related methods

Abstract

Implementations of the accessory and associated methods allow for excavation of a ditch, wherein rotating grating means are used for expelling rubble and form a ditch. The accessory includes grating means which are moved with respect to the ditch to ensure contacting of the grating means with the road and alignment of a rotation axis of the grating means with the ditch axis. The ditch is progressively excavated when the grating means are rotated and displaced along the ditch axis. The grating means may be connectable to a mobile device through an arm assembly configured to controllably move the grating means from the mobile device. The accessory may be used for connection to a mining device for excavating the ditch along the road of an underground mining tunnel.

1 . An accessory for excavation of a ditch along a road, the accessory being mountable on a mobile device and comprising:
 a grating assembly comprising:
 a rotor having a rotation axis; and 
 a plurality of grating members projecting outwardly from an external surface of the rotor and configured for expelling rubble from the ditch; and 
   an arm assembly connected to the grating assembly, the arm assembly comprising:
 a base movably connectable to the mobile device, movement of the base with respect to the mobile device allowing the connected grating assembly to contact the road; 
 an elongated arm having a proximal end and a distal end; 
 an arm pivot assembly, the proximal end of the arm being connected to the base by the arm pivot assembly for enabling pivoting of the arm with respect to the base, so as to align the rotation axis of the rotor of the grating assembly with a ditch axis; and 
 rotating means cooperating with the distal end of the arm and further engaging the rotor of the grating assembly to enable rotation thereof with respect to the arm assembly, so as to excavate the ditch upon displacement of the mobile device along the ditch axis. 
   
     
     
         2 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the arm pivot assembly comprises an arm pivot member and a hydraulic cylinder, the arm being pivoted with respect to the base about the pivot member upon actuation of the hydraulic cylinder from the mobile device. 
     
     
         3 . The accessory of  claim 2 , wherein the hydraulic cylinder has a distal end being secured to the proximal end of the arm, and a proximal end being secured to the base. 
     
     
         4 . The accessory of  claim 2 , wherein the arm pivot member comprises a pin which is pivotally secured in corresponding holes of the base. 
     
     
         5 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the rotating means comprises a hydraulic motor whose rotation is controllable from the mobile device. 
     
     
         6 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein each grating member is directly secured to the external surface of the rotor using at least one of mechanical bonding and chemical bonding. 
     
     
         7 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein each grating member is secured to the external surface of the rotor with an adaptor receiving a base portion of the grating member. 
     
     
         8 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of grating members comprises protrusions, blades, hooks, spikes or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The accessory of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of grating members is arranged in a staggered or offset relationship so as to provide an even grating of the ditch. 
     
     
         10 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the rotor has an average diameter which is selected in accordance with a ditch width. 
     
     
         11 . The accessory of  claim 10 , wherein the size, number and configuration of the grating members are selected in accordance with the average diameter of the rotor and road soil type. 
     
     
         12 . The accessory of  claim 1 , further comprising a base pivot assembly for allowing deviation of the base from the mobile device, the base pivot assembly comprising a base pivot member and a base fastener secured to the mobile device, the base being pivoted with respect to the mobile device about the base pivot member. 
     
     
         13 . The accessory of  claim 12 , wherein the base pivot member comprises a pin and hinge system, the hinge connecting an edge of the base to the base fastener, and the pin being pivotally secured into the hinge. 
     
     
         14 . A method for excavating a ditch along a road, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing rotatable grating assembly configured for expelling rubble from the ditch, the grating assembly having a rotation axis;   moving the grating assembly with respect to the ditch to ensure contacting of the grating assembly with the road;   aligning the rotation axis of the grating assembly with a ditch axis;   rotating the grating assembly about the rotation axis; and   displacing the rotating grating assembly along the ditch axis to expel rubble upon rotation of the grating assembly so as to excavate the ditch.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the step of moving the grating assembly comprises translating the grating assembly in a plane perpendicular to the ditch axis. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the step of moving the grating assembly comprises reversibly pivoting the grating assembly to allow the grating assembly to follow a ditch surface. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising controlling at least one of the steps of moving, aligning and rotating the grating assembly from an interconnected controller. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the alignment of the rotation axis of the grating assembly is actuated by a first hydraulic system interconnected with the controller. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the rotation of the grating assembly is actuated by a second hydraulic system interconnected with the controller. 
     
     
         20 . Use of an accessory as defined in  claim 1  for connection with a loader, a front-loader, a track-loader, a skid-steer loader, a grader or a scoop.