Hydraulic control system

• US 10,114,404 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2016
• Issued: 10/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Charles Machine Works Incorporated The
• Original Assignee: Charles Machine Works Incorporated The
• Inventors: Kukuk, Brant Douglas, Sewell, Cody L.
• Primary Examiner(s): PEZZUTO, ROBERT ERIC
• Application Number:
  US15/341,298
• Publication Number:
  US 20170123447A1
• Time in Patent Office: 727 Days
• Field of Search: 56 147, 56 149, 56 154, 56 167, 56 159, 172257, 172329, 172433, 180 191- 193, 180 62, 180 63, 180 632, 180 658, 280 327, 280 325, 280 355, 280163, 414523, 414528, 37347, 37348
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/64 mounted on a vehicle, e.g. a tractor, or drawn by an animal or a vehicle A01D34/695 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/82 Other details
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 5/06 with digging elements mounted on an endless chain E02F5/109 takes precedence; with digging elements mounted on an endless chain per se E02F3/08
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/166 movable, tiltable or pivoting, e.g. movable seats, dampening arrangements of cabins seats for vehicles in general B60N2/00
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2004 Control mechanisms, e.g. control levers control levers per se G05G
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2012 Setting the functions of the control levers, e.g. changing assigned functions among operations levers, setting functions dependent on the operator or seat orientation
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/226 Safety arrangements, e.g. hydraulic driven fans, preventing cavitation, leakage, overheating
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 13/06 for use with two or more servomotors
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/30565 having multiple valves for a single output member, e.g. for creating higher valve function by use of multiple valves like two 2/2-valves replacing a 5/3-valve
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/324 manually, e.g. by using a lever or pedal
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/8643 the abnormal condition being a human failure
• CPC Class Codes: F16P 3/00 Safety devices acting in conjunction with the control or operation of a machine; Control arrangements requiring the simultaneous use of two or more parts of the body F16P5/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/04 Controlling members for hand actuation by pivoting movement, e.g. levers
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2505/00 Means for preventing, limiting or returning the movements of parts of a control mechanism, e.g. locking controlling member

Abstract

A hydraulic control for an attachment on a work vehicle. Power is provided to the attachment by manually actuating a control lever that is biased toward a first position. This first position corresponds to a deactuated mode of the attachment. By unlocking a lock mechanism, the lever may be maintained in a second position under hand pressure. This second position corresponds to an actuated mode of the attachment. The lock mechanism may be actuated by an operator platform-actuated release mechanism. While an operator is on a platform on the vehicle, the loch mechanism remains unlocked, and the lever may be maintained, without hand pressure, in its second position. The release mechanism actuates the lock mechanism when an operator is not on the platform. As a result, the bias of the control lever returns it to its first position, and the attachment is deactuated. A filter may be utilized to prevent premature actuation of the release mechanism.

Claims

1. A work machine comprising:

a chassis;

a work attachment disposed on a first end of the chassis; and

a work machine control system comprising;

a lever movable from a first lever position to a second lever position such that the work attachment is operable when the lever is in the first lever position and the work attachment is not operable when the lever is in the second lever position;

a lock configured to hold the lever in the first lever position;

a release mechanism configured to release the lock; and

a platform disposed on a second end of the chassis movable from a first platform position to a second platform position, wherein the platform contacts the release mechanism in the first platform position and does not contact the release mechanism in the second platform position; and

wherein the release mechanism releases the lock when the platform is in the first platform position.

2. The work machine of claim 1 wherein the work attachment comprises a trencher boom.

3. The work machine of claim 1 wherein the platform comprises a spring to bias the platform in the first platform position.

4. The work machine of claim 1 wherein the lever is biased to the second lever position.

5. The work machine of claim 1 further comprising:

a power source;

a power regulator operable in a first mode wherein power from the power source is provided to the work attachment and in a second mode wherein power is not provided to the work attachment; and

in which the power regulator is in the first mode when the lever is in the first lever position and the power regulator is in the second mode when the lever is in the second lever position.

6. The work machine of claim 5 in which the power source comprises a hydraulic power source and the power regulator comprises a valve.

7. The work machine of claim 5 in which the power source comprises an electric motor and the power regulator comprises an electric bypass.

8. A work machine comprising:

a chassis;

a work attachment disposed on a first end of the chassis; and

a work machine control system comprising;

a lever movable from a first lever position to a second lever position;

a lock configured to hold the lever in the first lever position;

a release mechanism configured to release the lock; and

a platform disposed on a second end of the chassis movable from a first platform position to a second platform position, wherein the platform contacts the release mechanism in the first platform position and does not contact the release mechanism in the second platform position; and

wherein the release mechanism generates a signal when the platform is in the first platform position such that the signal causes the release mechanism to release the lock.

9. The work machine of claim 8 further comprising a filter configured to cancel transmission of the signal unless the platform has been in the first platform position for a predetermined time.

10. The work machine of claim 9 wherein the predetermined time is two seconds.

11. The work machine of claim 8 wherein the work attachment comprises a trencher boom.

12. The work machine of claim 8 wherein the platform comprises a spring to bias the platform in the first platform position.

13. The work machine of claim 8 wherein the lever is biased to the second lever position.

14. A work machine comprising:

a chassis;

a work attachment disposed on a first end of the chassis;

a platform disposed on a second end of the chassis movable from a second position to a first position;

a hydraulic power source;

a valve operable in a first mode wherein hydraulic power from the hydraulic power source is provided to the work attachment and in a second mode wherein hydraulic power is not provided to the work attachment;

a lever for toggling the valve from the first mode to the second mode wherein the lever is biased to maintain the valve in the second mode;

a lock that holds the lever such that the valve is in the first mode; and

a release mechanism that releases the lock when the platform is in the first position.

15. The work machine of claim 14 further comprising a filter for cancelling the release of the lock unless the platform has been in the first position for a predetermined time.

16. The work machine of claim 14 wherein the hydraulic power source comprises:

a first hydraulic pump having a first power level; and

a second hydraulic pump having a second power level;

wherein the second power level is different than the first power level.

17. The work machine of claim 16 further comprising a three way valve operable in three modes, wherein the first mode provides only power from the first hydraulic pump to the attachment, the second mode provides only power from the second hydraulic pump to the attachment, and the third mode provides power from both the first hydraulic pump and second hydraulic pump to the attachment.

18. The work machine of claim 14 wherein the platform is biased to the first position by a spring disposed between the platform and the chassis.

19. The work machine of claim 14 in which the work attachment is a trencher boom.

20. The work machine of claim 14 in which the platform contacts the release mechanism when the platform is in the first position.