[1]HEN:P@-Z L. DEVER,, OF OWEI@TSBORO, KEI\TTUCI,--Y. GRADITTG !VIACI-IINE. 1,422,753. Specificatioil of Letters Patent. Palueiited Jtily 11, 1922@ Application filed Decem@.er 9,1920. Serial No. 429,405. To allzvhom it inctyj co@ice@,n: Be it kno-wn that I, HiiNry L. DEVER. a citizen o-j' the Uni-tecl States, residing at Owensboro, in th-. colinty of Daviess and State of !Centucky, have i-@ivented certaiii ne-@v and useftil Improvements i-n Grading T,,Iachines, of which the folloivii-ig is ,t sl)eclficati-on. This iiiventioii relates to gradinal-id 10 ditching iiiaciiines ancl lias for its objec,-, t!--ie provision of a siniple, strong, cltirable and inexpensive machilie i-vhieli. iiill be efficient in tise and which n-iay be readily m,iniptilated to set the blade at any clesired 'k5 angle or to calise either end of tl-ie blade L'o run at a desired lieight r-,Iati-@-e to the opposite end of the bltde. The ina,entioii also seeks to provide novel means foi, LLpplyii-ig dr,,t-'t to the macliine @ind also to pro20 vide efficient meins for holdiii(,@- uhe iiltchine +.o the desired line of travel ivithout imposing excessive strain upon draft aiiimals or upon a tractoi,. The invei-itioji also seeks'to provide novel mealis for cori25 necting the blacle to the f-r,,tme, novel iiieai)s -l'or mouiitliig one of the coltei@s eml)lo37ecl to liold the i-iiachine to ,t desire@t li,.ie of travel, to provide ,,. novel pivolal n-iottiat for t'tie blade aiid to improve genei@al'iy tlie coii@'oii. aiicl arraiigemeiit of the I)ai-ts ol' 30 strucui a ci,actilio,- ii-iacliine @uo the ciid tliit the elheieiicy thereof iiiiy be inei:e-,is(-,d tiid the life o-i'@ the ii-i,,ichine pi-oloiiged. Ttie ijiveiitloji is illtistratcd iii the ,icconi35 paiiy,ino,l CIPl-v@Iiii.ol-s' iii ivliiehFigure , is a side elevg-tioji of ,t gr,,tdc,,r einbodyiiio- Diy improven-ients; Fig. 2 is ,t plan view of tlae same; Fig. 3 is a front elevation; -10 F I ol-. 4 is a rear elevation; F, i .5is tli enlar(red side vieav of a colter 9 ai-id its mount; Fio-- 6 is -. detail sectioii of @t portion of the c I oltersupporting -means shown iii Fig. 5; 'I vie 45 Fig. '@ is a cletal -", of a portioii oi' oiie o-l-' 'Ulie blade-,,tdjusting levers; l@io, . is aii eiil,,irged det,,iil section sl-iowing the iileans for securing the bltde in any (lesire(I angtilar adjustment; Fig. 9 is a cletail showing the manner of 5o pivotin g the blade; 11 Inlar-@ed end vieii, o-P a i is blacle havin@),, a slight!3r di:ffereiit constrliction from that illustratecl in the other figure s. 55 In carrying out my present invention, 'L emplo y t inaiii frame bar 1 Nihich is lorme(I from a leiigtl-i of channeled jiletal havin(y @in upturn ed tongtie 2 at its front end ftncl provicled iiitermediate its ei-ids v@ith I doiin- 60 wardly extended portioit 3. A C-'ti-ii-ei"s seat 4 is carried by ,t standard 5 -",'iieh is secure d rigidly tipoii the iii,,tin bar 1, iiear the rear encl thereof, iii ,tclvaiiee of tlio seat standard 5, the bar is provided @vitli ',Ill. 65 opeiiin g to receive the pli,ot of tlle blade, AAlll be presentl37 fully described. iv b-,@acket 6 is secured upon the upper side of tl-@e bar 1, betiveen the front end tliereo-l' Illd th(-, doiiii,,i ardly ,ind re@qr)Narc-Ily exteiidiii(y por- 70 tioi-i 3, a-,id this bracket 6 lias aD ov-,Pll,-Ln,@@- iiig dependiilg head 7 lvhich is spaced from 'Lhe ii-iain poition of the bracket anc-I cooperat es Avitli the tranSATerse iveb 8 of tli(, bi'acl @@et, to provicle ,t giiicle for the upstaiid- 75 iii,(,y iaeb 9 of a bl,,lde idjListii-ig ,tnd lockincr frame. The SDid blade adjustiii- -L'i,, me is ol' the arcita'ue foriii sliowii most cleai@ly iii Fig 2, aiid ii-icl-Lides a horizoiitallv dis])osecl i-veb 10 i,)rojectiiig reftrwli'dly froi-it ttie lov,-er 50 ed(,e ol-.' the i-ei@tle,,tl -web 9 aiicl restino, Lipoi. ,t7, zn tile, ]'- c,,ilyie bar 1. The i-e@ir ai-eua,to edce of tl)e Ayeb 10 is provided ii,itt) s]),,teed i)ot-,clie.-, 11 to I)e enga--ed bv t lai.eli oi- locl@- iiifbolt 12 mo-Liiited upon the fi-aii-io bar 85 ivhere by the blacle-adjustin(,r frame inay be seeiii.@ed in a set positioia. It iiiay be notec.1 at this time th,,Lt the formation of the dowiiiv@ird ly ancl rearavardly incli-,qed portioii 3 ill the main frame bar 1 sets the b'lide-adjllst- go iiig and locking fi@ai-iie @t a heio-lit a@u -wliieli it m,,Ly be easil@ reaehed for ad usti-ncitt, tii(I also briiigs the rear portiol-i of tli(- inaiii I)ar close to the I)Iade so tlat t short 1)ivot n-ieii-iber ivill s-Liffice to sust,,tlli the blide ,iiid re- 95 sist the torsional strain piit 'Lliereon by the blade iilien the maeliine is lisecl. The latch 19, consists of a pin slidibly fit'Led
[2]1,422,753 throuali the tipstandiny elids 13 of aii iiiverted U-sli,,iped fi-anie @Ah;.(-h is secured rigidly to the main bai- I by rin,ets inserte(i thi-otigh the base pltte 14 of the bi-acl@et into the said bar I and the froiil- end of the saict pin is bent do-"Tn",ardly, ,is shoivi-i iii Fl,,-,. 85 so thtt it will ride upon the upp-.r side of the main bar and readily eiio@ao-e one of tl-ie notel-ies 11 in the blade a ncy ,Liil locli@ii-ig frame. The i,e,,tr e-xt of the latch pin is tlireaded to be eiigaged by a handle 15 to -",Iiieh a iiitlidrtiiiin(y c,,tble niav be attached, s,,tid cable beiiig extended froiii the latch to the drivel-'s seat. This ai@raii<)-c1.5 ment is ail obvious expedielit, lioiN,ei-ei,, alil I have, therefore, omitted the releisin(- cable from the drawiiio-s foi- the sake@ of clearness iii the slioAiTino- of the parts illtistr-,ited@ The latch is liormllilly lield proje,,ted so is 20 to eno,age a i-iotch 11 bv a spriiig 16 coilec . 1 arou[iicl the pin lietw-.en.the rear lug or membel- 13 ancl an abutment 17 tipon the liteli, pin. It will be readily uiiderstood that i-f the pin be witlidr@twi-i agaiiist the teiision of 25 the spi-ilig the blade i-iiay be slii-i'ted to ,tny desired ano,-Ie ,tiid ii,lien the holclinofoi'ee, is removed from the 1)ill, the spring Avill a7Litomatically rettirn the lateli iiito eilgagement with ,t noteli iii the web 10 of the 30 blacle-adj Listing frame. The extremities of the lockiiio, frame ,tre turned doAA,iiwardly to form lian(yers 18 which ai@e securecl to the re,,Lr side of the blade 1-9 adj,,teent the encls tllereof ai-id the 36 upp,er edo-e of the saiiie. The bl,,tcle will thus be directly slipportecl by the adjustiiig f l@ame, aiid ivill follow the iiioveiiients of the same. TI-ie blade may be a sino-le ijitegral plate of temi)ered steel littvin,y its loAA,eied(-e sliai@p40 ened ,tiid li,,tving the iisual cone,@tve front f ace I ma3, 1-io@veA,ei-, pi-ovide the blade I with a remov,,tble ctittino; ed(,Ye and to this end will eniploy the constru(,,tion ii.lustr,.tted in Fio-. 10 in iA-Iiieh I-,lie tipl)er member 20 of 45 the blade is offset at its I.oiier ed(ye to pi-oi,icle a flan,,)-e 21 i(,ainst ivliicli the tipl)er ed(,e of the cutt-,ino- ii-ieiiibei- 22 ma r seit, tl)e f ont faces of-' the 'iio, ii:ie,.iiiber 20 aii(,l of [,lie clittiii(- iiiciiil)ei- 2@@ I)elii,- fitisli, as cleaily, 5o slioavn. 'I'lie etittitio- iiiciiit)er is removably sectired iii its seat and -,io-ainst the ilan 21 by bolts or cal) sci@eivs, as -v,,ill be reqclily understood. Sliould the ciittin- i-nem),)er beconie dull so that it does not ivork -with 55 the desired efficieiicy it may be removed and resl-iai-I)eiied @,ind if it be desired to avoid the loss of tijne required to resl-iirpeii the blade. a neii, or different bl;,ide iiiay be fitted in place. 60 Immediately adj,,tcent the hanger ineii-ibers 18, I secure to the rear side of the bl,,ide @bracl@ets 23 lialting i,ertical sleeves or bearin(y members 24,lii iibieli are fitt d s anl@s 2 r), the loiver extreiiiities of the sa d shatiks bei.ii@l,- i,eclticed qnd clven t cii@ctilar otitliiie 65 ivliei,eb,), they ma3T I-ot',Itably i,eceive the yoll@-es 26 in the rear ei-ids of ivlhich -roundeno-agino@ i@ollers 9@7 are mouiited. ts 28 Lil@'oii tile loiier encls of the reduced eire-Lilar extremities of the shalil@s support the YOI@es 70 26 tliei-coii ind allow ielative pivotal movenient thereof. To the upper elid of each shank 25, I pli,-ot u Iiiik '@)9 ivhlcli bas its tipper oncl piioted to the rearivardly extending ai-m 30 of t liancl le@,ei- 31 ivhich is 75 iiiotinted at the encl of the locl@@ing frame ancl iriay be COIJITeTlientl37 manipulated by tl-ie drivei- upon the seat 4. It will be understoocl that tlic@ slianlc 25 iiith tlie roller carriecl tliei,eby aiid the hand lever 31 with its con- 80 iiec@'ion to the sliajilc ire duplicated at the two sicies of- the machiiie ancl elch leier is -l'ulerumecl ul)oil L bracket 6r fiilerum plate 'D2 ivh;-cli is sectired to the extremit3, of tht@ iveb 9 of the adjtistiiio, fraii-ie, the upper ecige s5 of the s,@iid fiilcrum pltte beiiig provided -with iiotelles 3E3 aiid the liand lever beiiig prolicled i-vi.tl-i tl-ic tistial lttcli, iiidicated at to eno-,t(,-e i,,i-ly oiie of saicl iiotelies wliei@e1).), the leiei@ m,,iy be helcl in a set position. 9 , o li lie iiiiderstood th,,Lt the niay iiil)iilatioll of the lelters 31 Avill ealise the rollers '-)-i to ritii at a Iiio'liei- or loa-ver point qiid tlius reol,tiliite the @Tepth to -",hich 'Lhe ciitt;ii(- edo, e of the bliade m,,ty peiietrate @Lhe 9 9:r6und. TJie rollers iiia-%, obi7ioi-,Lsly be set at (,Iiffereiit elevations so tl@at the blacle N-ill be tilted more oi, less traiisaersely of 'Lhe, line of tri ITel, aii(I the ii-laeliine thereby set to prodtice the cl(,sii-ed traiisverse -rade o@ arch to loo a road or to .1@oriii -t tel,i,ace or oiie sicle of a diteli. Wbile the blacle will be acljusted pivotallby the adjustmeiit of the lockin(y and adjlistiii- fraii-ie, I pi-efer to employ a pivo'ULl con- lo zn 5 iiectioi-i between the center of 'U-he blade aiicl the i-ii,-tin fr,,tme bar I as steadiness is thereb@ attai.necl and the draft rnay be al)plieci to th . e blade at its (,eiiter Is well as at ])oil-its near its ojid.-,. To obtiin the desiiied I)i.i-otal coi-i- 110 neetioii between the blade atid the frame. I ciiiploy a post 35 I)rovidecl at its lo-wer end ia,itli inings ol- flaiio@es 36 -"-Ilich ai-e i@io-idl@, seciii-ecl to t'i)o rear si(le of the blade a@b the top e(Ige tliei,eof aiid this pos,u 35 ex'Lends 116 iij) to ,tnd -within the channel of the, main bar 1, tlic upper extremity of the post being i,educed, as shoiin at 37, to form a st-Lid -",Iiieh I)rojects througli the ",eb of the b'.Ir 1, as cleqrl slioivn in Fi(Y. 9. TI-iis St-,lid is, of 120 y course, cylindrical in form and is adapted to receive ,t ret,,tinino- dei-ice, stich:,,is a pin 38, tliroiigli its upl)er end -wliei-eby accidental detachment of the stiid from the bar will be preitented. 125 Betiveen the flaiiges of the bar 11 at the rear e-@ti-emity tliereof, I fit the upper end of ,t i-esilient lianger plate 39 and against the
[3]1,422,753 under side of the end of said hanger I fit a plate 40 froin -which hanger brackets or arms 41 depencl. The hanger plate 39 is bifurcated at its loiver end, as sho-wn at 42, and the extremities of the htinger are formecl into or provided with eyes 43 rec eiiing the axle 44 of the i-ear colter 45. The colter 45 is of the Lisual rolling disl@ type having a sharpenecl circumference and the axle 44 10 may be of any convenient or preferred form. Upon the axle, at the opposite sides of the colter disk, I provicle rollers 46 -which have smooth periplieries and are adapted by conLact -with the ground to limit the extent to 15 -whiel-i the colter may peiietrate the same. The colter is thus prevented from cutting into the ground so as to cause the n-iachine to clrag unduly while at the same time it is permitted to obtain a sufficient hold in the 20 ground to maintain the machine in tl-ie line of draft. The resiliency of the hanger 39 liolds the colter to its work, -while at the same time it permits it to yielcl to obstructions iA,Iiieh it cannot push aside or etit throuo-li. 25 To reinforce the resilient hanger, I provide the draft linli@s 47 which are pivoted at their lower eiids to lugs 48 on the under side of the lianger 39 and have their upper ends sliclably fitted in betrings 49 formed in tl-ie bracket so arms 41. Springs 50 are coiled around the upper ends of the respective linl@s 47 bet-ween the front sides of the bearings 49 and ab-Litments 51 on the linli:s. Shoulcl tl-ie colter sti-il,:e an obstrtictiod -which does not yield to 3 5 t@e colte-, the described mounting -will permit the colter to ride up and over the obstr-Liction ancl the spritig action obtaining in the support -will retlirn tl-ie colter to its former relative position as soon as the ob40 struction has been cleared. When the colter is lield bacl@ by the obstrtiction, the springs 50 -kvill be cot@pressed inasmlich as tl-ie linli:s 47 -will be dra-wn re,,trwardly tlii-ough the bearings 49 and as soon as the colter clears 45 the obstruction the sprino,s will expand aiid return the pai-ts to the forii-ier position relatilte to the main clraft bai- 1. To ftirtl-ier ,iid in holdino- the maciiine to @ (jrqft a,1-1'- 5o iiials of tlle -weio;lit of the i-n.acliiiie, T provide .t colter 52 to stipport the fi,ont eiid of the bar I and this colter 52 is siinila,.- i@,l co,-istruction to the colter 45. The s,@tid col'er is fitted rotatably -Lipon an ,Lxle 53 i-vhiell is 55 carried by tl-ie lower rear encls of a yoke 54 ,ind rollers 55 are provided at 'uhe sides oi@ Llie colter to ride Lipon the oroun(I iii the s,,ime r-qanner that the rollers 46 ride thereor@ aiid for the s,,Lme piirpose. The tipl)er (,,nd of co the volce 54 is se.eiired to a brteket 56 h,,ivino, up,@,ardly extending arms 57 at its ends which fit bet\veen tl-ie flqno-es of the channelecl bar 1 ai-id are firiiily secui-ecl to tb(, A,veb of said bar. The i-e,,tr membei- 5@ may 65 be secured to the b,,tr I by tlie s,,iiiie bolts or tl-ie Iiiie of cli@aft aiicl to relie-ITe tll(l rivets that secure the bracl@et 6 tlieroto @vliile the front member 57 mt), be conveniently secured to th(@, bar I by the same rivel@-s ol- bolts that seelire a draft bracket 58 tlieieto. Tli(,, said draft br,,icket 58 eomprises ,t irei-tic@il 70 plate 59 bearing Lgainst aiid seciire(I t(,, the riied tongtie 9- of the bar 1. Projectiii(y "Iltil t@ for-wardly from the plate 59 on the ceii'ui-al vertical line, of the saiiie is a clevis plate 60 liaving a vertical series of opeiiings 61 tliere- 75 througl-i so th,,tt the draft-applyir I ig elemeiits may be attached ,Lt any desired height ,tii(i the draft thereby regtilatecl accorcliiio- to the worli: the machine is called upon to do aild determinec l by the natilre of the soil in whicli 80 it is to operate. I-laving thus described tl-io invention, -\vhat is
