US1006139A - Road-machine. - Google Patents

Description

. M. M. SIOKLER.

ROAD MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED DEC. 30, 1910.

Patented Oct. 17,1911.

6 SHEE HEET 1.

INVENTOR Marion Marcellus Sick ler WITNESSES ATTORNEYS COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH c0.,wAsmNo'roN, p c.

M. M. SIGKLER.

ROAD MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 30, 1910.

1,006,139. Patented 001. 17,1911.

ATTORNEYS M. M. SIGKLER.

ROAD MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 30, 1910.

1,006, 1 39, Patented 001. 17,1911.

6 SHEBTSSHEET 3.

WITNESSES INVENTOR Z Nan'arz/furaellws'z'a/vler By ATTORNEYS COL MBIA PLANobRAPM C0,,WASNINOTON. I). c.

M. M. SICKLER.

ROAD MAUHINE.

APPLICATION FILED D110. 30, 1910.

1,006, 1 39. Patented 06b. 17, 1911.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

% Marion Marcellus Sickler By M momvs s COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0., WASHINGTON. D. c.

M. M. SIOKLBR.

ROAD MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 30, 1910.

Patented Oct. 17, 1911.

6 SHEETSSHEET 5.

WITNESSES Q IIVVENTOR Marion Marcellus Sickler W ATTORNEYS COLUMBIA PLANOEiR/wli CU.,WASHINGTON. I) c.

M. M. SIGKLBR.

ROAD MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED D110. 30, 1910.

1,006, 1 39. Patented 001. 17, 1911.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

38 5 3s 1 3 37 l '1 22 34 j 5e v I I x 1 WITNESSES INVENTOR- NanonNarcellusSnckler BY M moan/us COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 20., WASHINGTON D c MARION MARCELLUS SICKLER, OF PALA, CALIFORNIA.

ROAD-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 17, 1911.

Application filed December 30, 1910. Serial No. 600,146.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARION MARCELLUS Sherman, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Pala, in the county of San Diego and State of California, have invented a new and Improved Road-Machine, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Among the principal objects which the present invention has in View are: to provide a scraping blade and supporting frame therefor directly connected with the draft team or mechanism; to provide a machine of the character mentioned with carrying wheels and means for varying the angle of operation thereof; to provide for said carrying wheels a supporting table the operation whereof serves to vary the lift of the body of the machine by the adjustment of said wheels; to provide for a machine of the character mentioned carrying wheels and mechanism therefor whereby the same may be turned to vary the operative angle of a scraping blade with which the machine is provided; and to provide for a machine of the character mentioned carrying wheels and body structure adapting the machine to be turned upon a self-contained center.

The present invention relates more particularly to a class of machinery, certain forms whereof are disclosed in Letters Patent of the United States granted to me as follows: No. 915,492, issued March 16, 1909; No. 927 ,887, issued July 13, 1909; and No. 975,295, issued November 8, 1910; to which patents reference is here made that the reader may obtain a fuller understanding of the purpose and scope of the present invention.

One embodiment of the present invention is disclosed in the structure illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which like characters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the views, and in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of a machine constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the machine; Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the machine; Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the me dian line of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a detail view in plan of the draft frame, draft attachment, and scraper blade, all disclosed as separated from the carrying frame; Ffg. 6

is a detail view, on an enlarged scale, and shown in top plan, of one of the turn tables for supporting the wheel carrying frame; and Fig. 7 is a detail view, in side elevation, and partly in section, the section being taken on the line 77 in Fig. 6.

The present invention differs from the construction disclosed in the patents above referred to in several particulars, the differentiation occurring in the employment, in the present invention, of groups of instrumentalities, which may be defined as follows: a carrying frame for supporting the scraper blade and parts connected therewith and a frame rigidly connected with said scraper blade: a mechanism for elevating the scraper blade and frame for mounting the same within the said carrying frame, and for regulating and controlling said elevation to present the scraper blade in operative position at a variety of angles: a mounting for the wheels whereby the operative position of the same may be changed ably from angle iron constructed and arranged as shown. The side bars 12, 12 are bowed to a shape substantially as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, and are bent vertically as shown best in Figs. 2 and 4. The said side bars are connected by cross braces 13 and 14 near the transverse median section of the frame, and are connected at the front of the machine by a bowed framing member 15. The framing member 15 is rigidly connected with the cross brace 13 by truss braces 16, 16. The truss braces 16, 16 reinforce the front structure of the carrying frame, while the bowed braces 17 l7 reinforce the rear structure. The braces 17 17 rigidly unite the cross brace 14; and the circular framing member 18 at the rear of the machine. The framing member 18 forms a support for the bearings 19, 19 in which the ring 20 of the rearmost carrying Wheel is mounted. The framing member 18 is held 24. A wheel supports the rear of the machine and tracks behind the scraper blade 26. Wheels 27, 27 support the front of the machine, and are mounted in bearings formed in stilts 28, 28 fixedly connected with the turn tables 22, 22. The turn table 23 at the rear of the machine is likewise provided with stilts 28, as shown in the drawings. Each of the turn tables, as seen best in Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawings, is provided with a bed plate 29 and a body casting 30. The

body casting 30, as shown, is provided with a recessed center 31 and adjacent the outer edge thereof an upturned ball race 32, in which are mounted suitable friction balls 33. The complementary member of the ball race" is formed by the rings 24, 24 and 20 respectively. The said rings are held in place upon the body casting 30 by means of brackets 34, 34 which are secured fixedly in the casting 30 by means of set screws 35, 35, and by nuts 36, 36. The brackets 34, are each provided with a reduced bearing extension 37 to receive in holding relation the rollers 38, 38. The rollers 38, 38 form an anti-friction bearing for maintaining the platforms and rings in operative position. The bed plate 29 is secured to the casting 30 after the brackets 34 are placed in position, the casting screws 39, 39 being driven after the plate 29 is positioned, which'is subsequent to the tightening of the nuts 36, 36.

The rings 24, 24 and 20 are each provided with gudgeons 40, 40. The gudgeons 40, 40, as shown best in Fig. 6 of the drawings, are disposed on the same diameter as each of the said rings. The said gudgeons are mounted in bearings 41, 41 formed in a drop frame 42 and in the raised frames 43. The drop frame 42 is formed by 'a cross bar 44 and hangers 45, 45. The cross bar 44, conjointly with a cross bar 46, constitutes a transverse reinforcement for the skeleton frame.

The rings 20 and 24, 24 are disposed as shown best in Fig. 4 of the drawings, inclined upwardly toward the rear of the machine. The gudgeons 40, 40 are disposed on the diameters of the rings, which are parallel with the longitudinal center of the machine. FiXedly attached to the gudgeons 40 at the upper and rear end of each of the rings 24, 24 and 20, are gear toothed segments 47, 47. The segments 47 are provided with worm gear teeth to register with worms 48, 48 mounted at both ends of the shaft 49.

The shaft 49 is mounted in bearings 50, 50, and is provided with a hand wheel 51 fixedly attached to the said shaft. The engagement of the segments 47, 47 with the worms 48, 48 and the shaft 49 is such that the turn tables 22, 22 are maintained at all times in their parallelity. In this manner, and by manipulating the wheel 51, the turn tables may be inclined to the lateral plane, carrying the stilts 28, 28 and wheels 27, 27 connected therewith to either side of the vertical center of the saidturn tables or the gudgeons 40, 40 thereof.

The turn table 23 is provided with an independent mechanism for tilting the same laterally, which mechanism consists of a lever 52 which is fixedly connected to the gudgeon 40 at the rear of the turntable. The lever 52 is provided with a hand grip lever 53 connected with a detent bolt 54 and an operating rod 55 for manipulating the said bolt. F iXedly mounted on the framing member 18, and concentric with the gudgeons 40, 40, is a quadrant 56 whereby the lever 52 and turn table 23 connected therewith are held in locked and adjusted position. This means of adjusting the wheel 25 in independent position is exceedingly advantageous in the operation of a machine of the type to which this relates, as thereby the wheel 25, tracking as it does in the path of the blade 26, may be run on a flat tire, while the wheels 27, 27 are cut or inclined outwardly against the drift of the blade when the same is inclined to the line of travel. Also, by means of this arrangement, should the drift of the machine, caused by the inclination of the blade, be greater at the rear than midships, the wheel 25 and turntable connected therewith may be tilted to an extreme degree to fill an interval counteracting the lateral drag of the blade 26.

The machine is guided by the manipula tion of all of the carrying wheels, conjointly or singly. The tripod arrangement of the wheels, as shown best in Fig. 3 of the drawings, coincidently with the fact that the turn table on which the wheel 25 is mounted is revoluble independent of the others, forms a mechanism whereby the wheels can be adjusted so that the machine can be turned on a self-contained center. In the usual course of operation, and when the machine is being conveyed to or from the place of operation, the steering is controlled by manipulating a hand wheel 57, to turn the wheel 25, which operates to turn the machine in its course. The wheel 57 is fixedly mounted on a post 58. The post 58 is secured in suitable bearings 59, and is united to a connecting rod 60 by means of a knuckle oint 61. The connecting rod 60 is united to a pivot post 62 by a knuckle joint 63. \Vfien the machine is operating, and the blade 26 is engaged in scraping, the steering is preferably accomplished by means of the three wheels operating in the same direction simultaneously, as will be hereinafter set forth. When the steering is accomplished by the wheels 27, 27 the turn tables 22, 22 are rotated on their vertical axis by manipulating a hand wheel 61. The hand wheel 64; is fixedly mounted on a shaft 65, upon which also is fixedly mounted a worm 66, the thread whereof is registered with a worm gear wheel 67. The worm gear wheel 67 is fixedly mounted on a transverse shaft 68. The shaft 68 is mounted in bearings in the hangers 45 and is united at each end thereof by means of knuckle joints 69, 69 with short connecting rods 70, 70. The rods 70, 70 are provided at the lower end with knuckle joints 71 whereby they are connected with the operating post 72 of each of the turn tables 22. By this means the rotation of the shaft 68 is transmitted equally and in the same manner to the two turn tables 22, 22, turning the said turn tables on their vertical axes and cutting the wheels 27, 27 to the right or left of the path of travel, as the case may be. As the wheels 27, 27 are thus turned from the path of travel, it is evident the machine is turned correspondingly, the pivot of rotation being the wheel 25. Such an action will guide the machine around a corner or other obstruction. There arises, however, in the operation of the machine, need for moving the same laterally without changing the angle of the machine to the general direction of the road. When this is accomplished the wheel 25 is shifted or cut to a direction parallel with that assumed by the wheels 27, 27. It is obvious that if the three wheels are thus slanted to the original line of travel, say to the right, the machine will be shifted bodily to the right, the angle of the blade 26 to the road bed being constant and maintained. Again, it is evident that when the machine, having traveled to the end of the course over which it is working, and particularly in a narrow road, desires to return to the initial point of starting, the blade 26 being lifted from contact with the road bed, if the wheels 27 be turned sharply in one direction or angle to the longitudinal center of the machine, while the wheel 25 is turned to the opposite angle to the longitudinal center, the machine will turn on a self-contained center, completely reversing the position thereof, ready to return on its backward course.

It will be understood that under certain conditions of the road bed it is desired that the blade 26 shall be presented at an acute machine is particularly valuable where, in

road building, grading is also a part of the operation. When such action is desired inv the present machine the three wheels 27, 27 and 25 are disposed in positions parallel each to the other but angular to the blade 26.

In this position the draft attachment is Again, when the return of the machine over the course is effected, if it be desired, the slant of the blade 26 may be such as to deliver the dirt to that side of the road opposite to which it was delivered on the outward travel of the machine, or, if it be so desired, the slant of the blade may be such as to deliver the dirt on its return trip on the same side as that on which it was delivered on the outward trip. The disposition of the blade 26 in its slant to the center of the road bed is a matter of arrangement of the wheels 27, 27 and 25.

As an assistant to the action above described, the hitching ring 73 is moved tov the one or other side of the longitudinal center of the machine. The ring 7 3 is attached to an endless chain 74:, which chain is guided between horizontal flanges 75, 75 of the scraper frame 76. Pivotally mounted between the flanges 75 are rollers 77. The rollers 77 are arranged substantially as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, to support the chain 74 out of contact with the flanges 75 and frame 7 6. Near the rear of the side extensions of the frame 76 the chain is passed over rollers 78, 78 through perforations 79, 79, to a hollow drum 80 and wound thereon. The chain 7 4 is completely wound upon the said drum 80 to be driven by the rotation of the said drum.

The drum 80 is fixedly mounted on a shaft 81. The shaft 81 is mounted in bearings 82 and 88, said bearings being disposed at the rear and forward end of the scraper frame 76, and parallel with the longitudinal axis of the frame of the machine. To support the bearings 82 the curved portion of the frame 76 is united by a cross bar 84:. To support the bearing 83 there is provided a bracket casting 85, said casting being hollowed at the center to free the roller 77 pivoted at the front end of the machine.

When the shaft 81 is rotated the chain 74 is wound upon the drum 80 from the one side and paid out therefrom on the opposite side, thereby shifting the hitching ring 73 from side to side of the longitudinal center of the machine or scraper frame. As the hitching ring is thus shifted the pull of the team or motor, if such be used, is exerted to one side of the machine to aid in correcting any drifting tendency of the machine caused by the pull of the scraper blade. Also, by thus shifting the hitching ring there is pro- 89 is a gear wheel 92.

vided for turning the carrying wheels to accommodate the slant of the cut of the scraper blade as above set forth.

The shaft 81 is rotated by manipulating a hand wheel 86 which is fixedly attached to a connecting rod 87. The rod 87 is operatively connected with a short shaft 88 by means of a knuckle joint 89. The shaft 88 is horizontally disposed, being mounted in bearings 90, 90 formed at the upper end of standards 91, 91. At the end of the shaft 88 opposite that carrying the knuckle joint The gear wheel 92 is meshed with a gear wheel 93 fixedly mounted on the shaft 81. By means of this construction and arrangement of the transmission mechanism connecting the shaft 81 and the wheel 86, when the latter is rotated the shaft 81, carrying the drum 80 is likewise rotated, resulting in the lateral shift of the hitching ring 73.

The scraper frame 76 is rigidly connected with the blade 26 by means of bill hook brackets 94, 9 1. The blade 26 is fixedly attached to the said brackets, as shown best in Figs. 2 and 4 of the drawings. Any adjustment of the blade 26 to change the vertical angle or path of operation must, therefore, be accomplished by adjusting the frame 76. The adjustment of the frame 76 is three-fold, to elevate and lower the frame out of contact with the earth or to deepen the cut therein; to change the vertical angle of the blade 26 to the earth; and to vary the horizontal angle of the blade 26 to deepen the out at one side of the machine.

The adjustment of the frame 76 vertically is accomplished by manipulating the hand wheels 95, and 96, 96. When the wheel 95 is revolved the shaft 97 is rotated. The shaft 97 is mounted in a loose rocking bear ing 98, and is united by means of a knuckle joint 99 with the hub of an internal gear wheel 100. The teeth of the gear wheel 100 are meshed with the teeth of small pinions 101, 101 which are mounted at the upper ends of fiat threaded feed screws 102, 102. The screws 102, 102 are mounted in suit-able bearings 103 set out from the framing member 15, and are provided with supporting collars 104 extended above the same. The screws 102, 102 are extended through threaded perforations in a carrying block 105 in which is formed a socket for the reception "of a ball 106 fixedly mounted on the shaft 81. The ball and socket joint thus constructed permits a variation in the angle between the screws 102, 102 and the shaft 81, the shaft 81 being, by this construction, maintained in straight line arrangement parallel with the horizontal extension of the frame 76.

It will be seen that when the shaft 97 is .rotated the screws 102, 102 are turned, liftcarrying block 105 and the front end of the frame 76, the rear end thereof hanging on the chains 107, 107. In this manner the operative angle of the blade 26 is varied without changing the depth of operation of the said blade 26. Thus, by lowering the carrying block 105 and front end of the frame 76, the operative angle of the blade 26 is made more obtuse, while by raising the front end of the frame 76 the said operative angle for the blade 26 is made more acute.

lVhen it is desired to elevate the blade 26 from contact with the earth, or to change the depth of the operation thereof, the chains 107, 107 are wound upon or paid out from the drums 108, 108. The drums 108, 108 are provided with shafts 109, 109 mounted in bearings 110, 110. On the shafts 109 are fixedly mounted worm gear wheels 111, 111. The wheels 111, 111 are engaged by worms 112, 112 fixedly mounted on posts 113, 113 of the wheels 96, 96. The weight of the frame 76 and parts connected therewith, together with the blade 26, lowers the blade and frame. It will be understood without illustration in the present drawings, that added auxiliary weights may be carried on the frame 76 to force the blade 26 into the ground. It will be further understood that these weights may be auxiliary or temporary, and may consist of such expedients as sand loaded in sacks or boulders of rock loaded directly upon the frame 76, which expedients may be disposed of after having served their purpose. It is evident that when desired only one of the wheels 96 may be manipulated to raise or lower the side of the frame 76 with which it is directly connected, and in this manner the horizontal extension of the blade 26 and frame 76 connected therewith is altered, the ball 106 and socket therefor formed in the carrying block 105 permitting such an adjustment of the frame 76. In the elevation of the frame 76 the parallelity of the longitudinal centers of the carrying frame and scraper frame is maintained by means of a roller 118 which is freely mounted on the end of the shaft 81 and between the guide stanchions 21, 21. The roller 118 is elongated to accommodate the various angles which the frame 76 assumes to the said carrying frame.

For the convenience of the operator the machine is provided with mounting steps 114 and a seat 115. It will be noted that the seat 115 is disposed near the center of the machine, and is mounted on a pivot block 116 disposed at near the center of a spring wrench 117. In the operation of the machine'it is convenient at times to shift the seat in accordance with the shaft of the hitching ring 73, as when-the machine is disposed in position as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 5 of the drawings, and when the scraper blade is turned at an angle to the road being graded.

It will be observed that in the operation of the machine the scraper frame is attached directly to the prime mover whether the same be a team or motor driven tractor, and that the adjustment of the scraper frame is independent of the carrying frame, thus removing from the carrying frame and parts connected therewith the direct draft strains, shocks and jolts.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A road machine, comprising a wheel mounted carrying frame; a blade supporting frame flexibly connected with said can rying frame; means directly connected with said blade supporting frame for the attachment of the draft team or mechanism; a flexible draft member mounted on said supporting frame and encircling same, said draft member having a hitching attachment; and means embodying a manually operated device conveniently located with reference to the driver of the machine for shifting the said flexible member.

2. A road machine, comprising a wheel mounted carrying frame; a blade supporting frame flexibly connected with said carrying frame; means directly connected with said blade supporting frame for the attachment of the draft team or mechanism; an endless belt flexible draft member disposed in guided and encircling relation upon said supporting frame; friction relieving devices mounted on said frame to guide said flexible draft member; a hitching device permanently attached to said flexible member; and means embodying rotary engaging devices and operative mechanism therefor conveniently disposed with reference to the driver of the machine for shifting the said flexible member to vary the posit-ion of the draft attachment.

3. In a road machine embodying a carrying frame and supporting wheels for said frame, a plurality of mountings for said wheels each comprising a pivot; laterally extended brace members, said members being disposed in a plane inclined from the axis of said pivot at an angle of less than 90, and said brace members being structurally connected with said wheels; a guiding frame for said brace members formed on said carrying frame; a steering mechanism for said wheels embodying a transmission shaft disposed between said wheels; flexible shafts connecting both ends of said transmission shaft and said pivots and embodying universal connections at the junction with said shaft and said pivots; and means for rotating said transmission shaft whereby said wheels are similarly rotated on their respective axes.

4. In a road machine embodying a carrying frame and supporting wheels for said frame, a plurality of mountings for said wheels each comprising a pivot; laterally extended brace members, said members being disposed in a plane inclined from the axis of said pivot at an angle of less than 90, and said brace members being structurally connected with said wheels; a guiding frame for said brace members formed on said carrying frame; a steering mechanism for said wheels embodying a transmission shaft disposed between said wheels; flexible shafts connecting both ends of said transmission shaft and said pivots and embodying universal connections at the junction with said shaft and said pivots; and a mechanism for rotating said shaft embodying a tiller wheel disposed convenient to the driver of the machine, a tiller post fixedly connected with said wheel and extended to said transmission shaft, and a rotary gear transmission connect-ion between said tiller post and transmission shaft.

5. In a road machine embodying a carrying frame and supporting wheels for said frame, a mounting for each of said wheels comprising a pivot; laterally extended brace members, said members being disposed in a plane inclined from the axis of said pivot at an angle of less than 90, and said brace members being structurally connected with said wheels; a guiding frame for said brace members formed on said carrying frame; supporting trunnions for said frame disposed in parallel relation to the longitudinal center of said machine; and manually operated means connected with said frame for rocking the same on said trunnions.

6. In a road machine embodying a carrying frame and supporting wheels for said frame, a mounting for-each of said wheels comprising a pivot; laterally extended brace members, said members being disposed in a plane inclined from the axis of said pivot at an angle of less than 90, and said brace members being structurally connected with said wheels; a guiding frame for said brace members formed on said carrying frame; supporting trunnions for said frame disposed in parallel relation to the longitudinal center of said machine; manually operated means connected with said frame for rocking the same on said trunnions; and means connecting said mountings and said frames thereof for rocking the said frames similarly.

7 In a road machine embodying a carrying frame and supporting wheels for said frame, a plurality of mountings for said wheels each comprising a pivot; laterally ext-ended brace members, said members being disposed in a plane inclined from the axis of said pivot at an angle of less than 90, and said brace members being structurally axis of said pivot at an angle of less than and said brace members being structurally connected with said wheels; a guiding frame for said brace members formed on said carrying frame; supportmg trunnions for said frame disposed in parallel relation to the longitudinal center of said machine; a plurality of gear toothed members fixedly attached to said trunnions; a transmission shaft extended between said gear toothed members being tooth engaged therewith; and an operating wheel fixedly mounted on said transmission shaft to rock the said trunnions similarly.

9. In a road machine embodying a carrying frame and supporting wheels for said frame, a mounting for each of said wheels comprising a pivot; laterally extended brace members, said members being disposed in a plane inclined from the axis of said pivot at an angle of less than 90, and said brace members being structurally connected with said wheels; a guiding frame for said brace members formed on said carrying frame, said guiding frame being provided with trunnions integrally formed thereon; bear ings for said trunnions mounted in said carrying frame parallel with the longitudinal center of said frame; a gear segment rigidly connected with one of said trunnions; and an operating shaft provided with a rotary gear member tooth engaged with said segment.

10. In a road machine embodying a car rying frame and supporting wheels for said frame, a mounting for each of said wheels comprising a horizontally disposed turn table; a track frame for said turn table, said frame being pivotally mounted in inclined position; a skeleton frame for mounting said wheels the members whereof are rigidly secured to said turn table; a driven gear toothe'd memberfixedly mounted on said frame concentric with the pivotal axis thereof; and a rotary operating member embodying a driving gear member tooth engaged with said driven gear toothed member.

11. In a road machine embodying a wheel supported carrying frame and a scraper blade supporting frame having a scraper blade rigidly connected therewith, a draft mechanism comprising an endless flexible hitching member surrounding said supporting frame and extended'laterally thereon to near the extremes of said scraper blade; a draft connecting attachment mounted on said hitching member; rotary friction reducing devices mounted on said supporting frame to guide and support said hitching member; and a manually operated winding mechanism operativelyvconnected with sai flexible hitching member and embodying an operated device disposed in convenient relation to the driver of the machine.

12. In a road machine embodying a wheel supported carrying frame and a scraper blade supporting frame having rigidly connected thereto a scraper blade, an elevating mechanism for said supporting frame comprising an elevating screw rotatively mounted in said carrying frame; a universal pivot block thread engaged with said screw and supportingly connected with said supporting frame; and means for rotating said screw.

13. In a road machine embodying a wheel supported carrying frame and a scraper blade supporting frame having rigidly connected thereto a scraper blade, an elevating mechanism for said supporting frame comprising a plurality of lifting screws rotatively mounted in said carrying frame; a carrying block thread engaged with said screws; a ball and socket connection between said block and said supporting frame; and means for rotating said screws simultaneously.

14:. In a road machine embodying a wheel supported carrying frame and a scraper blade supporting frame having rigidly connected thereto a scraper blade, an elevating mechanism for said supporting frame comprising a plurality of lifting screws rotatively mounted in said carrying frame; a carrying block thread engaged with said screws; a ball and socket connection between said block and said supporting frame; a plurality of driven gear wheels, one mounted on each of said screws; adriving gear wheel tooth engaged with both of said driven gear wheels; and means for rotating said driving gear wheel.

15. In a road machine embodying a wheel supported carrying frame and a scraper blade supported frame having rigidly connected thereto a scraper blade, an elevating mechanism for said supporting frame com prising a plurality of lifting screws rotatively mounted in said carrying frame; a carrying block thread engaged with said screws; a ball and socket connection between said block and said supporting frame; a plurality of driven gear wheels, one mounted on each of said screws; a driving gear wheel having internally formed gear teeth engaged with the teeth of said driven gear wheels and surrounding the same to rotate said driven gear wheels and screws connected therewith simultaneously; and means for rotating said driving gear wheel.

16. A road machine, comprising a carrying frame; a scraper blade supporting frame; suitable connections between said carrying frame and blade supporting frame; a plurality of carrying wheels for supporting said carrying frame mounted on rocking frames pivoted in said carrying frame; and a mechanism for rocking two of said rocking frames simultaneously and the other of said rocking frames independently.

17. A road machine, comprising a wheel supported carrying frame; a blade supporting frame having a scraper blade rigidly connected therewith; means for pivoting said frames at the forward section thereof; an elevating mechanism mounted on said carrying frame and connected with said blade supporting frame; and guide members operatively connecting said carrying and supporting frames to maintain the mutual alinement thereof.

18. A road machine, comprising a wheel supported carrying frame; a blade supporting frame having a scraper blade rigidly connected therewith; means for pivoting alinem-ent of said carrying and supporting frames.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MARION MAROELLUS SIOKLER.

Witnesses EDGAR A. WHITE, E. C. BATCI-IELDER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

said carrying 3

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