[0001] The present invention relates to a ground-levelling unit. Such a unit can be used
when the ground surface or a pit is filled with filling material or weathering and
the surface is to be flattened out. This can be performed with a roller or hand tools.
It must be performed particularly carefully if a post or pillar is placed in a pit
and the remaining space in the pit is filled with filling material. The filler must
be compressed extremely well if the post or pillar is to remain in the desired position.
[0002] In order to effect efficient levelling, according to the present invention use is
made of the movable arm system of a ground-preparing machine such as an excavator.
The arm system is pivotably journalled about a substantially vertical axis at its
attachment end in the ground-preparing machine. The free end of the arm system is
provided with an attachment means, movable about a axis perpendicular to the plane
in which the arms of the arm system are movable. A unit is attached to said attachment
means, said unit having a part which is movable about an axis perpendicular to the
pivot axis of the attachment means. The latter part includes an elongate body arranged
transversely in relation to the last-mentioned axis and movable between a retracted
position and an extended position. The free end of the elongate body is shaped to
enable it to be used for flattening. Flattening is performed by said arm system moving
the flattening end of the elongate body up and down on the surface of the ground.
[0003] The elongate body can be used to flatten the ground around an upright post or pillar.
In this case the elongate body must be moved around the erected post or pillar. It
is thus suitable to provide the part provided with said elongate body with a guide
means ensuring that, at the upward and downward movement of the elongate body, the
body remains parallel to the upright object.
[0004] The guide means is preferably designed as one or two sets of hinged jaws, said jaws
being movable along the upright object when in closed position. If a single set of
jaws is used, it should be wide enough to prevent the object forming an angle to the
elongate body.
[0005] If such a wide jaw is undesirable, two sets of jaws must be used instead, spaced
from each other.
[0006] Said jaws are also designed to clamp an object. They thus have two features: the
first being that they can clamp an object and the second that they can slide along
an object. The jaws are thus used both for erecting an object such as a post or pillar,
and for guiding the flattening process performed by the elongate body.
[0007] Additional features of the present invention are revealed in the following claims.
[0008] The present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying
two sheets of drawings, in which
Figure 1 shows the front part of the arm system of a ground-preparing machine, to
which a unit is attached comprising an elongate body for flattening and guide means
for the flattening movement of the elongate body, the elongate body being shown in
retracted position,
Figure 2 shows the same arrangement as Figure 1, but with the difference that the
elongate body is in extended position, and
Figures 3 and 4 show the arrangement in accordance with Figure 2 in use for flattening
the ground surface around a post in two different positions around the post.
[0009] The figures show the front end of the arm system 4 of a ground-preparing machine,
the rear end of the arm system being journalled in the ground-preparing machine in
such a way that the arm system 4 is movably journalled about a vertical axis. The
arm system as such is also movable in a plane parallel to said axis. At the front
end of the arm system an attachment means 5 is pivotably journalled about an axis
perpendicular to the plane in which the arm syster is movable. The attachment means
5 is influenced by a link system 6 by means of a hydraulic piston, not shown. A disc-shaped
unit 7 is secured to the attachment member 5. A part 8 is pivotably journalled to
the unit 7 and moves about an axis which is perpendicular to the pivot axis of the
attachment means. A sleeve 9 is arranged on the part 8, perpendicular to the pivot
axis of the part 8. The sleeve 9 contains an elongate body 10 in the form of a rod
with rectangular cross-section. With the help of a pin 11 the rod can be retracted
so that it is located inside the sleeve 9. The rod can also be brought into extended
position with the aid of the pin 11, i.e. the position shown in Figure 2. At each
end of the sleeve 9 is a jaw member 12 and 13, each member cooperating with a hinged
jaw section 14 and 15, respectively. The two sets of jaws can be caused to surround
a post or pillar 1 so that the unit 7 with jaws can move along a post or pillar 1.
The unit 7 with jaws is also designed to permit firm clamping of the post or pillar
1. All movable parts in the described arrangement are presumed to be hydraulically
controlled in known manner.
[0010] The arrangement described above permits a post 1 to be placed upright in a pit 2
in a manner ensuring that the post will remain upright, this being done by a ground-preparing
machine being guided towards a lying post. The arm system with the jaws 12 and 15
is positioned so that the jaws 12-15 can grip the post 1 somewhere along its length.
During this operation the elongate body 10 is in retracted position. The ground-preparing
machine is now manoeuvered to place the post in the pit 2. The pit is then filled
with material 3. This filler 3 can be applied so that the post 1 stands more or less
steadily. The jaws 12-15 can now release their grip on the post 1, sliding along the
post 1 with minimum clearance. At the same time the elongate body 10 is brought to
the position shown in Figures 3 and 4. The ground-preparing machine is now caused
to perform a movement forcing the elongate body straight up and down parallel to the
post 1. While executing this movement the ground-preparing machine is also caused
to perform such a movement that the elongate body 10 also moves around the post 1
while moving up and down. The elongate body 10 will thus move around the post 1.
[0011] The present invention thus enables a ground-preparing machine, such as a conventional
excavator, to be used to erect a post and also flatten the filling applied around
the post, without the tool located at the front end of the arm system having to be
complicated.
1. Ground-levelling unit for machines such as excavators, having an adjustable arm
system (4) with at least two arms movable in relation to each other in the same plane,
said arm system (4) being movable about a axis parallel to said plane and said arm
system (4) being provided at its free end with an attachment means (5) for application
of various tools such as a bucket, said attachment means (5) being movably adjustable
about a axis perpendicular to said plane, characterised by a unit (7) attachable to
said attachment means (6), said unit (7) having a part (8) pivotable about a axis
parallel to said plane, said part (8) including an axially movable elongate body (10),
in which the direction of movement is perpendicular to the pivot axis, in which the
elongate body (10) can assume a retracted position and an extended position, and in
which the free end of the elongate body (10) is suitably shaped for flattening the
ground surface.
2. Ground-levelling unit for flattening the ground surface around an upright post
or pillar (1), characterised by guide means (12-15) arranged on said pivotable part
(8) and designed so that upon movement of said part (8) along said post or pillar
(1), the elongate body (10) remains parallel to the post or pillar (1).
3. Ground-levelling unit according to claim 2, characterised in that the guide means
(12-15) consists of hinged jaws, one or both jaws being movable and the jaws having
such width as to maintain paral- lelity.
4. Ground-levelling unit according to claim 3, characterised in that said jaws (12-15)
constitute two parts (12,14 and 13,15), spaced from each other.
