US3777375A

US3777375A - Suction dredge with brush cutting attachment

Info

Publication number: US3777375A
Application number: US00221538A
Authority: US
Inventors: L Smith
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-01-28
Filing date: 1972-01-28
Publication date: 1973-12-11
Anticipated expiration: 1990-12-11
Also published as: JPS4883639A; JPS5017774B2; NL153963B; BR7300620D0; NL7301071A

Abstract

Apparatus for excavating material such as earth, trees, brush, roots and the like, and removing it as a slurry, to make a lake or enlarge existing waterways, comprising: an underwater dredge having a material-removing cutterhead for digging and collecting material to be dredged which is movable in a to-and-fro, lateral path of travel, suction apparatus for removing the material from the cutterhead in slurry form and transferring it to a remote location, and a chipping wheel assembly movable with said cutterhead for removing an upper layer of earth, reducing the trees, roots, and brush to chips or pieces, and directing the reduced or comminuted material into the path of the cutterhead to be removed thereby to the remote location.

Description

Unite States Patent Smith [76] Inventor: Leward N. Smith, Millbrook Rd.,

Rt. 1, Remus, Mich.

[22] Filed: Jan. 28, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 221,538

[52] US. Cl 37/67, 144/176, 241/92, 241/296 [51] Int. Cl E02i 3/90 [58] Field of Search ..37/64-57, 37/70, 2, 94, 91; 56/8, 9; 144/176; 241/277, 296, 297, 298, 300, 92

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 660,956 10/1900 Henderson 37/66 3,542,302 11/1970 Salzmann, Jr 241/298 3,661,331 5/1972 Ballew 241/92 867,788 10/1907 Brown 37/70 3,297,067 1/1967 Zaichkowsky 144/176 3,011,535 12/1961 Andrus et al. 144/176 X Dec. 11, 1973 238,420 10/1968 U.S.S.R ..37/66 Primary ExaminerRobert E. Pulfrey Assistant ExaminerClifford D. Crowder AttorneyLearman & McCulloch [57] ABSTRACT Apparatus for excavating material such as earth, trees, brush, roots and the like, and removing it as a slurry, to make a lake or enlarge existing waterways, comprising: an underwater dredge having a material-removing cutterhead for digging and collecting material to be dredged which is movable in a to-and-fro, lateral path of travel, suction apparatus for removing the material from the cutterhead in slurry form and transferring it to a remote location, and a chipping wheel assembly movable with said cutterhead for removing an upper layer of earth, reducing the trees, roots, and brush to chips or pieces, and directing the reduced or comminuted material into the path of the cutterhead to be removed thereby to the remote location.

20 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTED DEC 1 1 I975 SHEET 1B? 4 PAIENTED DEC H I975 F IGA saw u 0;

MTENTEUDEC 1 1 I975 FIG? FIGB.

SUCTION DREDGE WITH BRUSH CUTTING ATTACHMENT FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to dredging apparatus which is employed to excavate and remove earth from below the surface of the water in a lake, stream, or the like to be dug or enlarged, and more particularly to dredging apparatus which includes mechanism for removing an upper layer of earth and cutting trees, brush and root systems at the banks of the waterway into small chips so that they can be excavated with the earth in the form of a slurry.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Underwater dredges have been provided in the past, as exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 3,094,795 granted June 25, I963 to F. J. Schmidt and U.S. Pat. No. 3,005,273 granted to J. H. Milne on Oct. 24, I961. These prior art dredges are particularly well-suited to deepening existing lakes or digging waterways on lands which are not covered with growing trees and brush.

Today, there are many bogs or swamps which heretofore were generally considered to be substantially useless land masses. Beautiful tree bordered lakes, centuries ago, occupied many areas which today are swamps or swales. Over hundreds of years, such lakes, through atrophy, have ceased to exist and become overgrown with brush, trees and the like. A

With ever-increasing land values, it has become increasingly important to develop waterfront property at a reasonable price. Such water-front propertylcan be provided at low prices, if such bogs or swamps can be economically cleaned out to previous depths to again provide lakes similar to those which existed hundreds of years ago. v

The root system associated with trees and brush, growing in such swamp or bog, is generallyrelatively shallow. It is not possible to economically dredge an area which is overgrown with such a root mass, utilizing the apparatus disclosed in the Schmidt and Milne patents, because the root masses continually wrap around the rotary cutterhead to prevent further removal of earth and plug the suction material removing system. Thus, it is necessary to repeatedly stop the machine and clear the cutterhead and suction system. In addition to being time-consuming, the physical removal of the roots from the cutterhead is particularly difficult to manually accomplish since the machine is operating in water or a relatively soft bog where there is no footing. Moreover, pieces of the roots frequently become wedged in the suction pipe which removes the material from the cutterhead and prevent further dredging.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus for reducing partially submerged roots, treesand brush to chips while simultaneously excavating earth and removing the earth and chipped material to a remote location in the form of a slurry..

It is another object of the present invention to provide dredging apparatus with a rotary chipping wheel which will reduce swale covering brush, trees and the like, and direct it to a cutterhead which excavates and removes earth and the reduced material to a remote location.

It is yet another object of the present invention'to provide a machine for economically reclaiming atrophied lakes and making new shoreline available at reasonable prices.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art as the description thereof proceeds.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Apparatus for excavating earth, trees, brush, roots and the like, and removing them as a slurry to a remote location comprising: an underwater dredge including a material removing cutterhead for digging and collecting the material to be dredged, means mounting the cutterhead for movement in a to-and-fro horizontal path of travel, additional means mounting the cutterhead for movement in a vertical path of travel to control the depth of the cut taken by the cutterhead, suction means for removing the material from the cutterhead in slurry form and tranferring it to a removed lo cation; and chipping mechanism movable with the cutterhead in the to-and-fro path of travel for removing an upper layer of earth and reducing growing trees, root systems, brush and the like, and directing the particulate material into the path of the cutterhead to be removed thereby in slurry form to the remote location.

The present invention may more readily be described by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view illustrating apparatus constructed according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, front perspective view illustrating the chipping assembly only;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the chipping disc only;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, sectional plan view taken on about the line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a front end elevational view of a chipping knife only;

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view thereof;

FIG. 8 is an opposite end elevational view thereof;

and v FIG. 9 isaperspective' view of one of the cutting knives.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Apparatus constructed according to the present invention is particularly well adapted for clearing a bog or swamp which is overgrown with brush and trees 10, having a shallow root system 12 in earth E which is under or adjacent water having a level 14. Apparatus constructed according to the present invention includes a floatable hull 16, such as that described in U.S. Pats. Nos. 2,731,741 and 2,944,352, which are incorporated herein by reference. An operators cab, generally designated ll, having an elevated Operators compartment 13 is supported on the hull 16. The hull 16 in.- cludes a forwardly opening well 18 receiving a forwardlydisposed dredge ladder, generally designated 20, pivotally mounted on pivot pins 20a fixed to the hull 16.

For supporting the dredge ladder 20, an A-frame assembly, generally designated 22, is swingably mounted on pivot pins 24 at the front of the hull 16 and is vertically supported by a cable 19 which is fixed to the on the front of the hull 16. The A-frame assembly 22 mounts a pulley 26 at its upper end and supports the dredge latter 20 by means of a cable 28 trained around the pulley 26 and another pulley 30 mounted on a pulley supporting member 32 fixed to the front end of the dredge ladder 20. As the hydraulic drive unit 21 is alternately rotated in opposite directions, the cable 19 is alternately wound and unwound thereon to respectively raise and lower the A-frame assembly 22 and the dredge ladder 20. At least one support cable 34 is also attached to the apex of the A-frame 22 and extends rearwardly to a spud support frame s at the stern of the hull 16.

Apparatus for selectively advancing the hull 16 forwardly toward the brush and roots 12 to be removed comprises hinged pairs of spud wells or guides 38, on the stern of the hull 16 for receiving a pair of hydraulically vertically reciprocable spuds 40 and 41, respectively, one of which is releasably anchored in the firm bottom earth E, as illustrated at 50.

A winch 25 is provided on the dredge ladder and includes a pair of drums 46 on which a pair of cables are wound. The cables 44 are trained around idler pulleys 47, fixed to the dredge ladder 20, and are fixed to a pair of laterally spaced apart trees or anchors 49 firmly anchored in firm earth E on opposite sides of the bog. The cables 44 are oppositely wound on the drums 46 such that when one of the cables 44 is wound on one of the drums 46, the other is unwound from the other drum 46. Only one of the spuds 40 and 41 is anchored in the earth E at any one time so that as the cables 44 are alternately wound and unwound on the drums 46, the hull 16, carrying the dredge ladder 20, will swing about the anchored spud in alternate directions represented by the arrows a and b (FIG. 2)

Rotatably mounted on the front of the dredge ladder 20 is a rotatable, generally hollo'w, excavating cutterhead, generally designated 52, including a plurality of digging teeth 53 for digging and collecting dirt. A rotatable cutterhead drive shaft 54 is connected with the rotary cutterhead 52 and is driven by a suitable hydraulic motor 56 supported on the ladder 20. A material removing suction pipe 58, having its forward end communicating with the cutterhead 52, is supported on the dredge ladder 20 and is connected at its rearward end to a long, flexible suction sleeve or pipe 60 connected with the inlet side of a primable, dredge suction pump 62 supported on the hull 16. The pump 62 is driven by a suitable Diesel or electric motor 64. An outlet pipe or sleeve 65 is connected to the output side of the pump 62 and delivers the slurry sucked up by the pump 62 to a remote location. The dredge ladder 20 can be lowered sufficiently so that the cutterhead 52 typically lowers to a 20-foot depth below the surface 14 of the water. The apparatus which has been described heretofore is fairly representative of prior art constructions and reference may be had to the Schmidt and Milne patents for more information of these constructions.

The dredging apparatus constructed according to the invention includes a chipping disc assembly, generally designated 66 and mounted on'the front end of a boom 68 which is pivotally mounted aside the dredge ladder 20 on the front of the hull 16 by a pair of pivot pins 69. A pair of double acting, hydraulic cylinders 70 are pivotally mounted on the front of the hull 16 by pivot pins 72 and include piston rods 74 pivotally connected,'b y

pivot pins 76, to the boom 68 rearwardly to the pivot pins 24 so as to vertically swing the boom 68 and chipping wheel assembly 66 between the inoperative positions, illustrated in solid lines in FIG. 1, and the lowered, operative, brush chipping position also illustrated in chain lines in FIG. 1.

The chipping disc assembly 66 includes a shield or shroud 78, fixed to the forward end of the boom 68 and surrounding the upper rear section of a rotary chipping disc 80, which is fixed to a shaft 82 (FIG. 3) pivotally mounted in bearings 84 supported on the shield 78. A plurality of circumferentially and radially spaced wood and brush cutting or chipping knives, generally designated 86, arranged in spiral formation on one face of the disc for cutting the wood, brush and trees 10 into small chip fragments. The knives 86 are mounted in axial slots or openings 86a provided in the disc and discharge the chips or fragments in a generally axial direction through the openings 86a in the disc at an angle in the neighborhood of 90 to the extent of the knives 86 (see FIG. 5). As FIGS. 5 8 indicate, each knife 86 comprises a generally U-shaped plate P having its front end relieved or beveled to provide an axially inclined face 86b terminating at its forward end in a generally radially disposed cutting edge C. Each knife plate P also includes radially spaced apart, oppositely inclined surface 860 which radially and axially diverge and terminate in forward cutting edges C bounding the cutting edge C. The edges C and C together define a continuous, U-shaped cutting edge. The cutting edges C radially diverge in an axial direction toward the disc 80 and lie in the same generally radial plane as the cutting edge C. Bolts 86d secure the knives 86 to holders 86e fixed in each opening 86a. The disc 80 is recessed at 86f adjacent each axial opening 86a to receive a portion 862' of the knife holders 86e fixed to the disc 80 by bolts 86g.'

Apparatus for driving the chipping disc 80 includes a boom supported fluid operated motor 88, driving a sprocket wheel 90, having a drive chain 92 trained therearound and a sprocket wheel 94 fixed to the chipping disc drive shaft 82. The shield 78 includes a rearwardly flaring deflector shield portion 93 for deflecting the chipped material, sped rearwardly and radially by the chipping wheel 80, in a downward path of travel. The side 93a of the shield 93 remote from the chipping knives 86 is flared laterally outwardly (see FIG. 3) to enhance the lateral deflection of the chipped material toward the cutterhead 52. It should be noted that the planar chipping wheel 80 is inclined relative to a vertical plane at an angle typically about 15 to facilitate the chipping of vertical trees, and longitudinally inclined, also typically about 15, relative to the longitudinal extent of

booms

20 and 68. This enhances bunching of the material to hold it for chipping.

Each of the disc supported cutting knives 86 will always take a cross grain out whether the tree or the like is vertically disposed of has been cut and is lying on the earth and thus breaks the material being cut into small chips When the trees or brush are vertical, edges 86bparticularly take the cross grain cut, and when lying horizontally on the ground, edges 0 particularly take the cross grain cut. The spiral arrangement of the knives 86 also reduces the horsepower required to drive chipping disc 80 since only a small radial portion of the total available cutting length of all knives'86 is .in position'to cut at any one time. Also, when the chipthe knife segments 86 tend to pump the water in which the wood is submerged rearwardly toward the shield 93. The individual knife segments 86 pump substantially less water than would a knife blade having a radial length equal to the length of the individual knife seg ments 86 and this, of course, also reduces the power requirements of the chipping disc driving motor 88. It should also be noted that the chipping disc 80 is spaced forwardly of the rotary excavating cutterhead 52 so as to reduce all of the brush, trees, and roots 12 to chips prior to the cutterhead 52 removing the earth therearound. As FIG. 1 indicates at x, the disc 80 removes the upper layer of earth to a place below the water line so that cutterhead 52 is always operating under water.v

The cutting and chipping disc 80 is of such a diameter that when the chipping assembly is in the operative position illustrated in chain lines in FIG. 1, the bottom of the chipping disc 80 will be below the root system 12 and the disc 80 will not have to be lowered below the position shown in chain lines in FIG. 1 to remove the root system.

THE OPERATION One of the spuds 40 and 41, for example spud 40, on which the stern of the hull 16 is pivoted, is driven into the earth E while the other is removed from the earth. The winch 25 is then initially operated to swing the hull 16, the cutterhead supporting dredge ladder 20, and the chipping wheel support boom 68, in the lateral direction represented by the arrow a. As the chipping assembly 66 is swung laterally in the direction of the arrow a, the trees and brush l0 and roots 12 will be forced toward the brush therebehind, which provides backing therefor, permitting the trees and brush to be bunched so that the knives 86 can chip the trees, brush and roots in the path of the chipping disc 80, into small chips or fragments, and direct them axially through the slots 86a and rearwardly to be laterally and downwardly deflected by the shield 93 toward the rearwardly disposed cutterhead 52.

The dredge ladder 20 and rotary excavating cutterhead 52 are at this time-typically initially near the surface of the water, rather than in the position shown in FIG. 1, for example, in the positions illustrated in chain lines at 52' in FIG. 1, to remove-earthadjacent the surface of the water. The trees and'roots which may have been present in the area being dredged by the cutterhead 52 have been previously cut into small chips by the chipper wheel 80 and the top layer of earth has been also removed by disc 80, as the chipping wheel 80 always precedes the cutterhead 53 to cut any wood trees, brush or the like into small chips which can be easily removed by the dredge cutterhead 52 and suction mechanism 60. The cutterhead 52 will remove a swath of earth as it swings in its path of travel represented by the arrow a. When the hull reaches the furthermost lateral position, illustrated in chain lines at 16, the winch is reversed and the hull 16 is swung in the opposite direction represented by the arrow b.

Prior to swinging the hull l6 ina return path, the dredge ladder 20 is lowered so that the cutterhead 52 is in the lowered position illustrated at 52". The'chipping assembly 66 is, however, raised from the lowered cutting position, illustrated in chain lines (FIG. 1), to the inoperative position, illustrated in solid lines (FIG. 1), as the cutterhead 52 is swung in the return path of travel represented by the arrow b. When the hull 16 reaches the position illustrated at 16" (FIG. 2) the winch 25 is again reversed to swing the hull in the lateral direction a. Prior to the hull l6 commencing its return in the swinging path of travel a, the dredge ladder 20 is again lowered to move the cutterhead 52 to the position illustrated in solid lines (FIG. 1) to cut another deeper swath of earth which is removed as a slurry through the

suction pipes

58, 60 and 65. During the second swinging path a, however, the cutting wheel remains in the raised position illustrated in solid lines (FIG. 1). The dredge ladder 20 can be repeatedly lowered as the winch 25 alternately swings the hull 16 in the to-and-fro path of travel until the earth has been excavated to the proper depth. Alternatively, it would be possible in some instances to start at the bottom and move upwardly with cutterhead 52.

To advance the dredge forwardly toward the unexcavated bank of earth E, the spud 41 is driven into the bottom 50 when the hull 16 is in the position 16" and the other spud 40 is removed from the earth. The hull 16 will then swing about the spud 41, which is now in the forwardly advanced position illustrated at 41', and the entire apparatus will be moved forwardly a distance equal to the distance between the spud positions 41 and 41'.

The dredge ladder 20 is raised to a position such that the rotary cutterhead 52 is again in the position illus trated at 52' and the chipping assembly 66 is lowered so that the chipping wheel 80 is in the operative brushcutting position illustrated in chain lines in FIG. 1 and the operation is repeated. The sequence is repeated until a basin, lake, or the like has been fully formed.

It is to be understood that the drawings and descriptive matter are in all cases to be interpreted as merely illustrative of' the principles of the invention, rather than as limiting the same in any way, since it is contemplated that various changes may be made in various elements to achieve like results without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims. I

I claim:

1. Apparatus for excavating material such as earth from an underwater basin and reducing trees, brush, roots, and the like growing at the bank of the basin to chips'which are removed as excavated material, to enlarge the basin, comprising: 7

a dredge frame;

a material removing cutterhead thereon for digging and collecting material to be dredged;

means for removing the cutterhead in a to-and-fro,

generally horizontal, path of travel;

additional means on the dredge frame for moving the cutterhead in a vertical path of travel to position the cutterhead at various depths;

suction means associated with the dredge means for removing said material from said cutterhead in a slurry form and tranferring it to a remote location; and

chipping means on said dredge frame, horizontally movable in a horizontal path of travel, for reducing trees, roots, brush, and the like growingon the bank to chips and fragments and directing the chipped material to a location for removal by said cutterhead and said suction means to said remote location;

said chipping means including a rotary chipping member having at least one chipping knife for reducing said trees, roots, brush and the like to chips;

means on said dredge frame mounting said chipping member for rotation about an axis inclined to the horizontal; and

drive motor means for rotating said chipping memher.

2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said chipping knife includes a composite cutting edge comprising a first generally radially disposed cutting edge portion and additional radially spaced cutting edge portions oppositely inclined to said first cutting edge portion at opposite ends thereof for cutting chips.

3. The apparatus set forth in claim 2 wherein said radially spaced cutting edge portions are oppositely inclined to said disc.

4. The apparatus set forth in claim 3 wherein said radially spaced cutting edge portions lie in planes which converge in a direction away from the disc.

5. The apparatus set forth in claim 2 wherein said first cutting edge portion and said radially spaced cutting edge portions lie in a common plane.

6. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said rotary chipping member comprises a rotatable disc having a plurality of spirally arranged, axial slots therethrough; and

a plurality of chipping knives are provided on said disc including generally U-shaped cutting edges for cutting chips on one side of said disc and propelling them through said slots to the other side of said disc.

7. The apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said knives each include an axially inclined firstsurface terminating in a generally radially disposed forward cutting edge and radially spaced surfaces which diverge from said first surface and terminate in radially spaced cutting edges inclined to said forward cutting edge.

8. The apparatus sa set forth in claim 1 wherein said rotary chipping member is vertically inclined and inclined less than 90 relative to said horizontal path of travel. I

9. The combination of claiml wherein said chipping means is disposed forwardly of said cutterhead and said chipping means directs the chipped material rearwardly toward said cutterhead.

10. The combination of claim 1 including means mounting said chipping means for individual vertical movement to control the depth of cut of said chipping means relative to said cutterhead.

11. The combination of claim 1 wherein said chipping means includes a plurality of spirally arranged chipping knives.

12. The combination of claim 11 wherein said chipping means includes a rotatable chipping disc mounting a plurality of circumferentially and radially spaced chipping knives.

13. The combination of claim 11 wherein said disc is vertically inclined and positioned in such a manner relative to said cutterhead as to direct the chipped material laterally toward the cutterhead.

14. The combination of claim 13 wherein said chipping means comprises deflector means for receiving the chipped material from the chipping disc and deflecting it downwardly toward the cutterhead.

15. Apparatus for excavating material such as earth from an underwater basin and reducing trees, brush, roots, and the like growing on the bank of the basin to chips which are removed as excavated material to enlarge the basin comprising:

a fioatable hull;

a material moving cutterhead for digging and collecting material to be dredged mounted on said hull; means for moving said cutterhead in a to-and-fro,

generally horizontal, path of travel;

suction means associated with said hull for removing said material from said cutterhead in slurry form and transferring it to a remote location;

chipping means on said hull movable in a horizontal path with said cutterhead for reducing trees, roots, brush and the like growing on the bank to chips and fragments and directing the chipped material to a location for removal by said cutterhead and said suction means to said remote location;

means mounting said cutterhead for vertical movement independently of said chipping means; and means for vertically moving said cutterhead independently of said chipping means.

16. The apparatus set forth in claim 15 wherein said chipping means includes an upstanding, rotary chipping disc, rotatable about an axis and having at least one axial chip slot therethrough, and at least one chip ping knife adjacent said slot for chipping said material into chips and hurling them through said slot.

17. The apparatus as set forth in claim 15 wherein means mounts said chipping means on said hull for vertical movement independent of said cutterhead and means is provided for vertically moving said chipping means on said hull independently of said cutterhead.

18. Apparatus for excavating material such as earth from an underwater basin and reducing trees, brush, roots, and the like, growing on the bank of the basin, to chips which are removed as excavated material, to enlarge said basin comprising:

a dredge frame;

a material removing cutterhead thereon for digging and collecting material to be dredged; means for moving the cutterhead in a to-and-fro horizontal path of travel;

additional means on the dredge frame for moving the cutterhead in a vertical path of travel to position the cutterhead at various depths; suction means associated with the dredge means for removing said material from said cutterhead in slurry form and transferring it to a remote location;

chipping means on said dredge frame, disposed forwardly of and at a higher level than said cutterhead, movable in a horizontal path of travel for reducing trees, roots, brush, and the like to be dredged to chips and fragments; and

deflector means carried for movement with the chipping means for receiving the chipped material from said chipping means and deflecting'it laterally and downwardly to a location for removal by said cutterhead and said suction means to said remote location.

19. Apparatus for excavating material such as earth from an underwater basin and reducing vertically growing brush, roots, and trees and the like growing at the bank of the basin to chips which are removed as excavated material, to enlarge the basin, comprising:

a dredge frame;

means for moving the cutterhead in a to-and-fro, genments; and

r ly hOriZOIltal P Of travel; means presenting said knife to vertically growing additional means on the dredge frame for moving the trees Such that Said trees are Cut by Said edge cutterhead in Veflkal path of travel to position means angularly to the vertical plane in which said the cutterhead at vanous depths; 5 trees lie when said chipping knife is rotated and suction means associated with the dredge means for removing said material from said cutterhead in I slurry form and transferring it to a remote location; The apparatus as forth m clalm 19 wherefn a rotary chipping k if including edge means said said edge means moves in an annular path of travel in dredge frame for reducing trees, roots, brush, and 0 a vertically inclined P the like growing on the bank to chips and fragmoves in said horizontal path.

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION 3,777,375 I December'll, .1973 Patent No. v Dated Inventor(s) Leward th It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 2, line 56, change "Operator's" to operator's Column 3, line 3, change "latter" to ladder line 5, change "supporting" to support line 58, change "of" to on line 67, change "to" (secondoccurrence) to of Column 4,' line 26, change "surface" to surfaces line 57, changef'o f" to or line-60, change "86b" to C' line 6l, change "c" to C Y Column 6, line 50, change "removing" to moving Signed and'sealed this 9th day of fJuly 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

MCCOY M. GIBSON, JR. g C. MARSHALL DANN I Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents

Claims

1. Apparatus for excavating material such as earth from an underwater basin and reducing trees, brush, roots, and the like growing at the bank of the basin to chips which are removed as excavated material, to enlarge the basin, comprising: a dredge frame; a material removing cutterhead thereon for digging and collecting material to be dredged; means for removing the cutterhead in a to-and-fro, generally horizontal, path of travel; additional means on the dredge frame for moving the cutterhead in a vertical path of travel to position the cutterhead at various depths; suction means associated with the dredge means for removing said material from said cutterhead in a slurry form and tranferring it to a remote location; and chipping means on said dredge frame, horizontally movable in a horizontal path of travel, for reducing trees, roots, brush, and the like growing on the bank to chips and fragments and directing the chipped material to a location for removal by said cutterhead and said suction means to said remote location; said chipping means including a rotary chipping member having at least one chipping knife for reducing said trees, roots, brush and the like to chips; means on said dredge frame mounting said chipping member for rotation about an axis inclined to the horizontal; and drive motor means for rotating said chipping member.

6. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said rotary chipping member comprises a rotatable disc having a plurality of spirally arranged, axial slots therethrough; and a plurality of chipping knives are provided on said disc including generally U-shaped cutting edges for cutting chips on one side of said disc and propelling them through said slots to the other side of said disc.

7. The apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said knives each include an axially inclined first surface terminating in a generally radially disposed forward cutting edge and radially spaced surfaces which diverge from said first surface and terminate in radially spaced cutting edges inclined to said forward cutting edge.

8. The apparatus sa set forth in claim 1 wherein said rotary chipping member is vertically inclined and inclined less than 90* relative to said horizontal path of travel.

9. The combination of claim 1 wherein said chipping means is disposed forwardly of said cutterhead and said chipping means directs the chipped material rearwardly toward said cutterhead.

15. Apparatus for excavating material such as earth from an underwater basin and reducing trees, brush, roots, and the like growing on the bank of the basin to chips which are removed as excavated material to enlarge the basin comprising: a floatable hull; a material moving cutterhead for digging and collecting material to be dredged mounted on said hull; means for moving said cutterhead in a to-and-fro, generally horizontal, path of travel; suction means associated with said hull for removing said material from said cutterhead in slurry form and transferring it to a remote location; chipping means on said hull movable in a horizontal path with said cutterhead for reducing trees, roots, brush and the like growing on the bank to chips and fragments and directing the chipped material to a location for removal by said cutterhead and said suction means to said remote location; means mounting said cutterhead for vertical movement independently of said chipping means; and means for vertically moving said cutterhead independently of said chipping means.

16. The apparatus set forth in claim 15 wherein said chipping means includes an upstanding, rotary chipping disc, rotatable about an axis and having at least one axial chip slot therethrough, and at least one chipping knife adjacent said slot for chipping said material into chips and hurling them through said slot.

18. Apparatus for excavating material such as earth from an underwater basin and reducing trees, brush, roots, and the like, growing on the bank of the basin, to chips which are removed as excavated material, to enlarge said basin comprising: a dredge frame; a material removing cutterhead thereon for digging and collecting material to be dredged; means for moving the cutterhead in a to-and-fro horizontal path of travel; additional means on the dredge frame for moving the cutterhead in a vertical path of travel to position the cutterhead at various depths; suction means associated with the dredge means for removing said material from said cutterhead in slurry form and transferring it to a remote location; chipping means on said dredge frame, disposed forwardly of and at a higher level than said cutterhead, movable in a horizontal path of travel for reducing trees, roots, brush, and the like to be dredged to chips and fragments; and deflector means carried for movement with the chipping means for receiving the chipped material from said chipping means and deflecting it laterally and downwardly to a location for removal by said cutterhead and said suction means to said remote location.

19. Apparatus for excavating material such as earth from an underwater basin and reducing vertically growing brush, roots, and trees and the like growing at the bank of the basin to chips which are removed as excavated material, to enlarge the basin, comprising: a dredge frame; a material removing cutterhead thereon for digging and collecting material to be dredged; means for moving the cutterhead in a to-and-fro, generally horizontal path of travel; additional means on the dredge frame for moving the cutterhead in a vertical path of travel to position the cutterhead at various depths; suction means associated with the dredge means for removing said material from said cutterhead in slurry form and transferring it to a remote location; a rotary chipping knife including edge means on said dredge frame for reducing trees, roots, brush, and the like growing on the bank to chips and fragments; and means presenting said knife to vertically growing trees such that said trees are cut by said edge means angularly to the vertical plane in which said trees lie when said chipping knife is rotated and moves in said horizontal path.

20. The apparatus as set forth in claim 19 wherein said edge means moves in an annular path of travel in a vertically inclined plane.