Crumber for trencher

Abstract

A crumber for a trencher machine is provided, the crumber including a crumber mount for mounting to a crumber boom, and a crumber arm, the crumber arm being mounted to the crumber mount by a linkage, the linkage having a first linkage arm and a second linkage arm, the linkage being arranged to allow rotation of at least one of the linkage arms of at least 75°. The crumber mount has at least one edge or surface of the crumber arm, wherein the least one edge or surface of the crumber mount and the complementary edge or surface of the crumber arm abut on each other when the crumber arm is in a lowermost position. In this manner, the crumber arm is supported along an extended length when in the lowermost position.

1 . A crumber for a trencher machine, the crumber comprising: a crumber mount for mounting to a crumber boom, and a crumber arm; the crumber aim being mounted to the crumber mount by a linkage the linkage comprising a first linkage arm and a second linkage arm, the linkage being arranged to allow rotation of at least one of the linkage arms of at least 75°. 
     
     
         2 . The crumber for a trencher according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the linkage arms is rotatable by between 75 to 120°, more preferably from 80 to 110°, even more preferably from 85 to 100°, even more preferably about 90°. 
     
     
         3 . The crumber for a trencher according to  claim 1 , wherein the linkage comprises a first linkage arm pivotally connected to the crumber mount and pivotally connected to the crumber arm, and a second linkage arm pivotally connected to the crumber mount and pivotally connected to the crumber arm. 
     
     
         4 . The crumber for a trencher according to  claim 1  wherein the linkage comprises a pair of first linkage arms each pivotally connected to the crumber mount and pivotally connected to the crumber arm, and a pair of second linkage arms each pivotally connected to the crumber mount and pivotally connected to the crumber arm. 
     
     
         5 . The crumber for a trencher according to  claim 1  wherein the crumber arm comprises a first crumber arm side plate and a second crumber arm side plate, the first and second crumber arm side plates being connected to each other. 
     
     
         6 . The crumber for a trencher according to  claim 5  wherein the two side plates are connected to each other by one or more intermediate connectors. 
     
     
         7 . The crumber for a trencher  claim 5  wherein the linkage comprises a first proximal linkage arm and a second distal linkage arm, with the second distal linkage arm having a distal end pivotally connected to one of the crumber side plates, the distal end of the second linkage arm being located between the first crumber arm side plate and the second crumber arm side plate. 
     
     
         8 . The crumber for a trencher according to  claim 5 , wherein the crumber arm is movable from a first lowermost position to a second uppermost position, the second distal linkage arm lying approximately parallel to the crumber boom when the crumber arm is in a first lowermost most position. 
     
     
         9 . The crumber for a trencher according to  claim 5 , wherein the first proximal arm is rotatable by at least 75° when the crumber arm is moving from a first lowermost position to a second uppermost position. 
     
     
         10 . The crumber for a trencher according to  claim 9 , wherein the first proximal arm is rotatable by between 75 to 120°, or from 80 to 110°, or from 85 to 100°, or about 90°, 0 when the crumber arm is moving from the first lowermost position to the second uppermost position. 
     
     
         11 . The crumber for a trencher according to  claim 5 , wherein the first proximal linkage arm is shorter than the second distal linkage arm. 
     
     
         12 . The crumber for a trencher according to  claim 1 , wherein the crumber mount has at least one edge or surface that is of complementary shape to an edge or surface of the crumber arm, wherein the least one edge or surface of the crumber mount and the complementary edge or surface of the crumber arm abut on each other when the crumber arm is in a lowermost position. 
     
     
         13 . A crumber for a trencher, the crumber comprising: a crumber mount for mounting to a crumber boom and a crumber the crumber arm being mounted to the crumber mount by a linkage; the crumber mount having at least one edge or surface that is of complementary shape to an edge or surface of the crumber arm; and wherein the least one edge or surface of the crumber mount and the complementary edge or surface of the crumber arm abut on each other when the crumber arm is in a lowermost position. 
     
     
         14 . The crumber for a trencher according to  claim 13 , wherein the at least one edge or surface of the crumber arm comes into contact with and is supported by the complementary edge or surface of the crumber mount when the crumber arm is in the lowermost position and the crumber arm is supported by the crumber mount along the length of the complementary edge or surface of the crumber mount when the crumber arm is in the lowermost position. 
     
     
         15 . The crumber for a trencher according to  claim 13 , wherein the crumber mount comprises two spaced mount side plates for mounting to the crumber boom, the two spaced side plates being connected together. 
     
     
         16 . The crumber for a trencher according to  claim 13 , wherein the crumber further comprises a biasing means to bias the crumber arm to a lowermost position. 
     
     
         17 . The crumber for a trencher according to  claim 7  wherein, the second distal linkage arm has a proximal end located between the two spaced crumber mount side plates and a distal end located between the two spaced crumber arm side plates. 
     
     
         18 . The crumber for a trencher according to  claim 5 , wherein the first proximal crumber arm extends at an angle of about 20 to 30°, preferably about 25°, to the crumber boom when the crumber arm is in a lower most position, and extends at an angle of about 95° to 145°, more preferably from 105° to 135°, even more preferably from 110° to 125°, even more preferably about 115° to the crumber boom, when the crumber arm is an uppermost position.