A hand-held pavement breaker is a frequently used device in construction. A pavement breaker, also known as a jack hammer, can weigh between 60 and 90 pounds. The operator is required to lift the pavement breaker each time it needs to be moved. The operator is also subjected to significant vibration and noise from the operation of the pavement breaker. Back injuries and repetitive motion injuries, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, are common among operators. Additionally, a pavement breaker by its nature throws up small particles which can get in the eyes, nose or mouth of the operator. Attempts have been made to solve these problems by attaching pavement breakers and similar devices to a backhoe. Some of the relevant patents are listed below.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,596,996 (1971) to Carter discloses a ground ripper mounted on the back of a back hoe bucket. The ripper is mounted with a pin lock system on the mounting holes of the bucket.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,627,064 (1971) to Sjoberg et al. discloses a wheeled mount for a jack hammer which is designed so that the operator does not have to hold the weight of the jack hammer or have the vibration transmit to the operator. The trigger of the jack hammer is depressed by the operator pressing a lever on the mount, which in turn depresses the trigger.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,864,793 (1973) to Guest discloses a device to allow different tools to be attached to a backhoe bucket.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,922,745 (1975) to Lehman discloses a rotating broom that is attached to a backhoe bucket.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,087,010 (1978) to Stormon discloses a backhoe mount for a jack hammer. The mount attaches to the back of the bucket at the mounting joints of the bucket. The trigger is automatically depressed by a spring lever above the handle when the jack hammer is pressed against the ground. The jack hammer is not easily visible by the operator when the jack hammer is being used directly in front of the backhoe.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,100,688 (1976) to Grist discloses a compacting roller mounted on the back of a hydraulic shovel.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,417,628 (1981) to Gessner discloses an earth borer which is mounted to the front of a backhoe bucket. The earth borer is mounted with a pin lock system to the front of the backhoe bucket.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,234,282 (1993) to Osborn discloses a gravity drop hammer mounted on a skid loader.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,423,137 (1995) to Cochran discloses a combination pavement cutting and excavating tool.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,689,905 (1997) to Ibusuki discloses a combination chisel and shovel arm.
All of the devices listed above that allow a pavement breaker or similar device to be attached a backhoe are not ideal for most applications. The devices are not easily or quickly attached to the backhoe. They require that the pavement breaker be lifted to be attached to the backhoe bucket. This is time consuming and hazardous.
Many of the devices attach the pavement breaker to the back of the bucket. This means that the pavement breaker is not in easy view of the operator of the backhoe. The operator must lean to one side or the other in order to see the actual point of contact with the ground. This is tiring for the operator and can cause back problems. A clear field of vision for the operator of the pavement breaker is also very important to prevent accidents.
Some of the above listed patents provide for attaching a pavement breaker or similar device to the front of the backhoe bucket. This means that the backhoe bucket cannot be used at all without dismounting the device. This is very time consuming and requires repeated lifting of the device.