Device for digging a trench
An excavator ( 1 ) includes a frame ( 2 ) provided with suspension elements ( 3 ) for connecting to a mobile carrier, such as a tracked vehicle, as well as cutting members ( 8 ) supported on the frame ( 2 ) for digging a trench in the ground. The cutting members ( 8 ) have at least two endless series ( 9, 10 ) of cutting elements; at the same time, the cutting elements ( 9, 10 ) define a front side ( 11 ) to be turned towards a digging front and a return side ( 12 ) turned away from the digging front. Lateral guides ( 14 ) are provided on either side of the cutting members ( 8 ) for supporting the side walls of the trench.
1. An excavator, comprising:
a frame provided with suspension means for connecting to a mobile carrier;
cutting means supported on the frame, the cutting means configured to form a trench in the ground, the cutting means including
at least two series of cutting elements extending next to one another,
a front side facing a digging front, and
a return side configured to face away from the digging front, a maximum width of the front side of the cutting means being wider than a maximum width of the return side of the cutting means; and
lateral guides on the front side and the return side of the cutting means to support side walls of the trench.
2. The excavator according to claim 1 , wherein the at least two series of cutting elements are oriented obliquely with respect to each other.
3. The excavator according to claim 1 , wherein the cutting elements of one of the at least two series mesh with the cutting elements of another of the at least two series.
4. The excavator according to claim 1 , wherein the cutting elements of the front side each enclose an opening.
5. The excavator according to claim 1 , wherein the front side of the series of cutting elements has the maximum width which is equal to or greater than the external width defined by the distance of the surfaces of the lateral guides facing away from each other.
6. The excavator according to claim 5 , wherein the side walls are parallel with respect to each other, or the mutual distance between the side walls at an edge thereof facing the front side of the cutting means is greater than at an opposite edge thereof.
7. The excavator according to claim 1 , wherein the lateral guides are connected to each other by a rear wall which is situated opposite the return side of the cutting means so as to form a U-shaped cross section, an opening of the U-shaped cross section facing the direction of the front side.
8. The excavator according to claim 7 , wherein the lateral guides extend with respect to the rear wall in a direction away from the front side so as to form a U-shaped cross section having an opening, the opening of the U-shaped cross-section being disposed away from the front side.
9. The excavator according to claim 8 , wherein the lateral guides extend with respect to the rear wall in the direction away from the front side in the form of a flexible flap or in the form of a flap which is rotatable about a vertical pivot pin.
10. The excavator according to claim 1 , wherein the maximum width of the return side is smaller than the width of the space enclosed by the lateral guides, the return side being situated in the intermediate space between the lateral guides and overlapping the lateral guides.
11. The excavator according to claim 1 , further comprising a flap provided on or near the bottom side of the lateral guides, the flap being rotatable about a rotary shaft at right angles to the lateral guides.
12. The excavator according to claim 1 , further comprising an auxiliary cutter provided on or near the bottom side of the lateral guides, the rotary shaft of the rotary cutter being oriented at right angles to the lateral guides.
13. The excavator according to claim 1 , wherein the series are guided over roller means, the roller means each comprising two rollers arranged next to one another, the axes of which are oriented obliquely with respect to one another.
14. The excavator according to claim 1 , wherein the mutual distance of the series is adjustable.
15. A system, comprising:
an excavator according to claim 1 ; and
a mobile carrier provided with carrier means to which the suspension means of the excavator is attached.
16. The system according to claim 15 , wherein the mobile carrier is a tracked vehicle.
17. The excavator according to claim 1 , wherein the mobile carrier is a tracked vehicle.
18. The excavator according to claim 5 , wherein the lateral guides are side walls which are attached to the frame.
19. The excavator according to claim 1 , wherein the at least two series are rotatable with respect to each other about an axis which runs parallel to the at least two series.
20. The excavator according to claim 1 , wherein the cutting elements of the same series have different widths, a cutting element of one of the series and having relatively large width being situated next to a cutting element of the other series and having a relatively small width.