US3327484A - Tape laying plow - Google Patents

Description

June 27, 1967 R LAUNDER ET AL 3,327,484

TAPE LAYING PLOW Filed Jan. 14, 1965 8/0/4219 L14 (/A/DEQ EEN/E ALMA/p52. PM 4/65 D PEI/EL 5Q.

725000255 va/v ZELL IN V EN TORS Afro/42m 5 United States Patent 3,327,484 TAPE LAYING PLOW Richard L. Launder and Ernie L. Launder, Whittier,

Calif. (both H & L Tooth Co., P.O. Box 330, Montebello, Calif. 90640), and France D. Peveler, Downey, and Theodore E. von Zell, Whittier, Califi; said Peveler and Von Zell assignors to said Richard L. Launder and Ernie L. Launder Filed Jan. 14, 1965, Ser. No. 425,394 2 Claims. (Cl. 61-72.6)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A slit cutting plow on which is hinged a narrow housing providing a passageway in the form of an inverted T through which is threaded and guided a plastic web, the web passing around rollers in the casing, whereby the tape moves downwardly, then forwardly and finally emerges from a discharge slot into the slit cut by the plow.

This invention relates to tape laying plows. Utility companies, such as telephone, gas, electric and water companies are confronted with the problem of damage to their buried lines resulting from excavating and grading operations.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a plow which forms an opening in the ground into which a plastic strip is fed bearing indicia to warn those who might later dig in the area; the plastic strip being deposited along the course of the cable or pipe line after the line has been laid and the trench has been backfilled.

A further object is to provide a tape laying plow which may be readily mounted on a conventional tractor, and which cuts a narrow slit, 'olfers minimum resistance to movement, and because the plastic tape is deposited in a narrow slit, requires no further refilling operation.

A further object is to provide a rneans which expeditiously and inexpensively deposits a plastic tape in a vertical position whereby the cost of installation is minimal.

A further object is to provide a tape laying plow which, although particularly adapted for use in conjunction with a cable or pipe laying operation, may also be employed to mark or locate existing lines.

With the above and other objects in view, as may appear hereinafter, reference is directed to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of the tape laying plow.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken through 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a further enlarged sectional view taken through 33 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken within circle 4 of FIGURE 1 with the cover plate removed to show the manner in which the tape is deflected from a vertical travelling condition to a horizontally travelling condition.

The tape laying plow includes a plow beam 1 which is in the form of a relatively narrow vertically disposed bar provided with suitable attachment means 2 so that the plow beam may be mounted in a vertical position at the rear end of a tractor. The lower portion of the beam is provided with a pointed forward edge 4 and its lower extremity extends forwardly and downwardly and receives a replaceable tooth 5. Along its rear edge the plow beam is provided with several pairs of hinge lugs 6.

Disposed rearwardly of the plow beam 1 is a tape guiding means 7 which includes a vertical guide structure 8 having a forward reinforcing flange 9 provided with forwardly directed hinge lugs 10 for connection to the hinge lugs 6 by pins 11. The lower end of the vertical guide structure 8 is joined to a horizontal guide structure 12. The tape guiding means 7 comprising *both structures has a thickness corresponding to the plow beam 1 so that it may be drawn through the ground in the slit cut by the plow beam.

The vertical guide structure is essentially a flat tube forming a vertically extending slot or guideway 13. The horizontal guide structure is also essentially a fiat tube having a horizontal extending slot or guideway 14 intersected by the guideway 13. One side of the horizontal guide structure may be provided with a cover plate 15.

Extending diagonally across the horizontal guideway 14 and in alignment with the vertical guideway 13 is an angular sheeve bar 16. The horizontal guideway 14 extends forwardly of the vertical guideway 13 and its forwardly extending portion is provided with a vertical sheeve bar 17.

The upper end of the vertical guide structure 8 is provided with a pair of upwardly extending brackets 18 which support a horizontal reel shaft 19 which supports a tape reel 20. One of the brackets 18 is provided with an adjustment screw having a friction pad at its inner end so as to engage the tape reel and form a brake 21.

The rearward or exit end of the guideway 14 is reduced in Width to form a narrow slit 22 which supports the tape in a vertical edgewise position. To minimize entrance of dirt into the slit 22, a pair of flexible wiper plates 23 may be mounted at the rear end of the horizontal guide structure.

The tape reel receives a plastic tape 24 which may be several inches Wide. Imprinted on the tape repeatedly is an appropriate warning notice, such as WARNING, CABLE BELOW. The tape is preferably conspicuously colored.

Operation of the tape laying plow is as follows:

After a cable of pipe line has been laid in a trench and the trench has been backfilled, the tape laying plow is drawn by tractor in such a manner as to cut a narrow slit in the ground. This slit may have a depth of a foot or so. Initially, an end of the tape is pulled from the tape guiding means and anchored in the ground.

Thereafter as the plow and tape guiding means move forwardly, the earth or ground closes the slit behind the tape guiding means so that the extended end of the tape is held and as the plow moves forward, is drawn from the tape reel 20. The tape, in moving from the reel to the exit end of the tape guiding means, passes around the angular sheeve bar 16 so as to change its course from a vertical to a horizontal direction and then passes around the vertical sheeve bar to change its course from a forward to a rearward direction.

While a particular embodiment of this invention has been shown and described, it is not intended to limit the same to the details of the construction set forth, but instead, the invention embraces such changes, modifications and equivalents of the various parts and their relationships as come within the purview of the appended claims,

We claim:

1. A tape laying plow, comprising:

(a) a narrow, vertical plow beam adapted for attachment to a tractor and having a forwardly directed point at its lower end, thereby to form a narrow, vertical slit when drawn through the ground;

(b) hinge means defining a vertical axis and disposed behind said plow beam;

(c) a narrow, vertical housing essentially the same width as said plow beam and connected thereto by said hinge means, said housing defining a narrow, vertical cavity, enlarged forwardly and rearwardly at its lower portion to form an inverted T, said cavity 3 having an entrance opening at its upper end and a rearwardly directed vertical discharge slit adjacent its lower end;

(d) a first tape guide disposed at a 45 angle in the lower portion of said cavity and in registry with the upper portion thereof;

(e) a second tape guide disposed vertically in the forward end of the lower portion of said cavity;

(f) and a tape reel at the top of said housing;

(g) said cavity dimensioned to guide a tape to said first tape guide, said first tape guide directing said tape forwardly to said second tape guide, and said second tape directing said tape rearwardly through said discharge slit.

2. A tape laying plow, as defined in claim 1, wherein: (a) flexible wiper blades are disposed at the exit end of said discharge slit.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,750,054 3/1930 Rosso 6172.6 X

2,314,045 3/1943 Johnson 6l72.6

3,140,745 7/ 1964 Hinkle et a1.

3,182,459 5/1965 Grether et a1 6172.6 X

3,193,432 7/1965 Baines.

3,250,077 5/1966 Ede 61-72.6

ERNEST R. PURSER, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A TAPER LAYING PLOW, COMPRISING: (A) A NARROW, VERTICAL PLOW BEAM ADAPTED FOR ATTACHMENT TO A TRACTOR AND HAVING A FORWARDLY DIRECTED POINT AT ITS LOWER END, THEREBY TO FORM A NARROW, VERTICAL SLIT WHEN DRAWN THROUGH THE GROUND; (B) HINGE MEANS DEFINING A VERTICAL AXIS AND DISPOSED BEHIND SAID PLOW BEAM; (C) A NARROW, VERTICAL HOUSING ESSENTIALLY THE SAME WIDTH AS SAID PLOW BEAM AND CONNECTED THERETO BY SAID HINGE MEANS, SAID HOUSING DEFINING A NARROW, VERTICAL CAVITY, ENLARGED FORWARDLY AND REARWARDLY AT ITS LOWER PORTION TO FORM AN INVERTED T, SAID CAVITY HAVING AN ENTRANCE OPENING AT ITS UPPER END AND A REARWARDLY DIRECTED VERTICAL DISCHARGE SLIT ADJACENT ITS LOWER END;

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