Charles machine works C-3 trencher

[novabeau]

hello, Trying to help out a neighbor with a old charles machine works aka ditch witch i believe. it is a model c-3 and we are trying to figure out why the drive wheels are rotating opposite direction of digging chain?
i cant seem to locate any info on this model trencher, its a walk behind model. does it have a forward and reverse gear box or is it just a in/out type box? any help that can be offered would be appreciated

haven't seen another to be able to look at things, the original Wisconsin engine blew up and its been repowered with a Wisconsin aen series engine so its quite a bit larger . thanks for any insight, Beau

 

[RandyT]

So are you saying that if you are standing on the left side the chain is turning counterclockwise and the tires are turning clockwise. If so that would be normal direction for the tires to pull the chain into the trench being cut. Couldn't find other information about this model to be more help.

This may help explain the operation

 

[novabeau]

Tires are going in the same direction as digger chain. He says its just an in and out on the gear box to drive the wheels.

So not sure as to what is going on , i would have thought the wheels would turn the same direction the chain is digging. Im not familliar with trenchers and this one being quite an antique with no info out there makes it hard to figure some things out.

Ill have to see if i can get over and get a video of it running if that would help.