Vermeer Manufacturing Company, Inc.

Louis Carl Hartke

Brad Thomas

Greg Langenfeld

Matt Hutchinson

Clint A Weinberg

David Joseph Hackman

Daniel L Gustafson

Chad A Bartels

Orin L Miller

John W Philbrook

Eric Steinhart

John Wesley Philbrook

Mainframes for a self-propelled machine are disclosed. The mainframe includes first and second pockets that extend from the front end to the rear end of the mainframe. A hydraulic reservoir housing extends from the first side to the second side of the mainframe. The hydraulic reservoir housing is disposed between the front end of the mainframe and first and second drive openings.

Compact tool carrier and mainframes for a self-propelled machine

Loader apparatus configured for standing operator control are disclosed. The loader apparatus may include a loader adapted to carry a tool that is moveable between a down position and a vertically raised position. One or more linkages are connected to the first side of the loader support and connected to the loader. The apparatus includes a control station having operator controls for propelling the loader apparatus forward and for raising and lowering the loader. The apparatus includes an operator platform for standing operation of the operator controls of the control station.

Loader apparatus configured for standing operator control

Compact tool carriers having a loader mounted to a low-profile mainframe are disclosed. In some embodiments, the pivot points of the mainframe about which the loader is pivoted are low relative to the mainframe to reduce the mainframe size and to lower the center of gravity to improve the stability of the compact tool carrier during use.

Low profile compact tool carriers

The present disclosure provides a machine capable of drilling into the ground at a wide range of angles relative to the ground surface. The present disclosure also provides novel drilling methods.

Drilling machine and method

One stump cutter cutting wheel disclosed herein includes a wheel structure having left and right sides and being rotatable about a central axis extending between the left and right sides. The left and right sides define receptacles having depths measured in an orientation extending along the axis. Cutter assemblies are mounted to the wheel structure and include cutters mounted to cutter holders. The cutter holders include base portions that fit within the receptacles, and the base portions each define at least one fastener opening. The base portions further define base thicknesses measured in the orientation extending along the axis. The receptacle depths are at least 0.25 times as large as the base thicknesses such that no more than 75 percent of the base thicknesses extend laterally outside the receptacles. Fasteners secure the cutter holders to the wheel structure and extend through the fastener openings defined by the base portions.

Stump cutter disc with recessed tooth pockets

A biased door member is provided in an external wall of a drill rod supply magazine mounted on a horizontal directional drilling (HDD) machine. The door member swings inwardly from a first position parallel to the external wall to a second position within the distal column. At least one cut-out is formed in the external wall at the bottom of the retaining guides located at the longitudinal ends of the magazine. The cut-out creates a window through which the added drill rod is inserted. In operation, a drill rod is moved through the biased door member and window cut-outs into the distal column. The pocket of a rod transfer mechanism is positioned below the last column, and a rod lifter lowers the added drill rod into the pocket. The rod transfer mechanism then moves the added drill rod into alignment with the drill string.

Apparatus and method of loading a rod box for a horizontal directional drill

Mechanical stops are utilized on a rod transfer mechanism, with the stops being offset vertically from one another, to index the rod transfer mechanism of an HDD machine under the appropriate column of a drill rod storage magazine. The stops engage a moveable block which is moved by the operator using a block position selector device. The stops are arranged such that each stop corresponds to a respective column of the magazine. Accordingly, the rod transfer mechanism moves transversely away from the longitudinal axis of the drill string until the selected stop engages the block. The block position selector device is preferably located at the HDD machine operator's station. A cable slidably received within a jacket is employed between the position selector and the block to raise and lower the block.

Growing community of inventors

Otley, IA, United States of America

Louis Carl Hartke