| 摘要 |
A self-propelled pipeline padding machine (20) and a method for padding pipelines (351) in ditches (348) without damaging the pipeline (351) prior to backfilling the ditch (348). A spoils pile (360) comprising dirt, vaious size rocks, and sand taken from the ditch (348) during the digging thereof lie in a generally continuous pile along side the ditch (348) from the excavation thereof. The machine (20) includes an excavator (23) having an arm (32) with end bucket (44) for scooping up material from the spoils pile (360) on the opposite side of the ditch (348) and placing it into frame mounted padding material sorter (66) mounted on the front of the excavator (23). The separated padding material falls onto a laterally disposed retractable conveyor (67) below the sorter (66) which moves the padding material onto the pipeline (351) in the ditch (348) ahead of the excavator (23).
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