SLIP FORM CURB AND GUTTER MACHINE
First Claim
1. In a curb and gutter forming apparatus, the combination comprising, a main frame, a pair of laterally spaced continuous traction tread devices, a mold form, a suspension draft connection between said main frame and said mold form, accommodating said mold form to conform to the line of the roadway upon movement of the apparatus from straight line movement, comprising a drawbar at the front of said main frame, and a vertical pivotal connection suspending the front end of said mold frame from said drawbar, grade and slope conforming connections between said continuous traction tread devices and said main frame supporting said main frame on said traction tread devices and conforming said main frame and Mold form to various grades and lateral sloping conditions of the roadway.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Self-propelled curb and gutter forming machine mounted on continuous traction tread devices. A curb mold form is suspended from the main frame of the machine and extends between the continuous traction tread devices. The main frame of the machine is suspended from the tread devices on three jacks, two of which are provided on one side of the machine and control the grade and a third of which is provided on the opposite side of the machine and controls the slope of the main frame and curb mold form. The curb mold form is vertically pivoted at its front end to a drawbar at the front of the main frame and is suspended from the main frame at its rear end to move laterally about the axis of the vertical pivot. The continuous traction tread devices are driven by independent hydraulic motors, controlled by a variable flow divider valve either manually operated or automatically operated under the control of a sensor biased into engagement with a line extending along the side of the roadway. The three jacks are in the form of self-locking screw jacks driven by individual hydraulic motors. The two jacks on one side of the machine conform the machine to the grade of the roadway and are controlled by grade sensors. The hydraulic jack on the opposite side of the machine conforms the machine to the slope of the roadway and is controlled by a pendulum control.
12 Citations
22 Claims
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1. In a curb and gutter forming apparatus, the combination comprising, a main frame, a pair of laterally spaced continuous traction tread devices, a mold form, a suspension draft connection between said main frame and said mold form, accommodating said mold form to conform to the line of the roadway upon movement of the apparatus from straight line movement, comprising a drawbar at the front of said main frame, and a vertical pivotal connection suspending the front end of said mold frame from said drawbar, grade and slope conforming connections between said continuous traction tread devices and said main frame supporting said main frame on said traction tread devices and conforming said main frame and Mold form to various grades and lateral sloping conditions of the roadway.
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2. The curb and gutter forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein a laterally slidable suspending connection is provided between said main frame and the rear end portion of said mold form accommodating limited lateral movement of the rear end portion of said mold form relative to the said main frame about said vertical pivotal connection.
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3. The curb and gear forming apparatus of claim 2, wherein the suspension connection between the rear end of said main frame and said mold form adjacent the rear end thereof, a transverse bar forming a support for said rollers and accommodating said rollers to move therealong, and means limiting movement of said rollers along said bar.
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4. The curb and gutter forming apparatus of claim 2, wherein a hopper extends upwardly of said mold form at the front end thereof and opens to the top of said main frame to supply concrete to said mold form, and wherein means are provided for varying the discharge of concrete from said hopper to said mold form.
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5. The curb an gutter forming apparatus of claim 4, wherein said mold form has a front wall having an open portion at the bottom thereof, accommodating excess concrete to flow through said open portion, to be formed by said mold form upon advance of said main frame, and wherein means extend in advance of said front wall forwardly along opposite sides of said open portion, to confine excess concrete to said open portion upon advance of said mold form.
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6. The curb ad gutter forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein a three-point suspension is provided between said main frame and said continuous traction tread devices, to conform to said main frame, continuous traction tread devices and mold form, to varying slopes and grades of the roadway.
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7. The curb and gutter forming apparatus of claim 6, wherein the three-point suspension includes two fluid pressure operated jacks on one side of said main frame, and suspending a first continuous traction tread device from one side of said main frame, and a single fluid pressure operated jack on the opposite side of said main frame suspending the other continuous traction tread device from the other side of said main frame, and wherein means are provided to control the supply of fluid under pressure to said jacks in accordance with the slope and grade of the roadway.
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8. The curb and gutter forming apparatus of claim 7, wherein said fluid pressure operated jacks each include a hydraulic motor, and a self-locking screw and nut operated thereby.
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9. The curb and gutter forming apparatus of claim 7, wherein the two jacks on one side of said main frame are grade controlling jacks and each include a self-locking screw and nut, wherein an individual fluid pressure operated motor is provided for operating each of said jacks in accordance with the grade of the roadway, wherein the single jack on the opposite side of said main frame includes a self-locking screw and nut, wherein an independent fluid pressure operated motor is provided for operating said screw and nut, and wherein a vertical stabilizer guide is provided on the side of the main frame in association with said one jack, and is pivotally connected to the associated traction tread device and rigidly secured to said main frame to guide the associated traction tread device and accommodate the single jack to tilt said main frame laterally to conform to the transverse slope of the roadway.
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10. The curb and gutter apparatus of claim 9 wherein a grade sensor is provided for each grade control jack to individually control operation of said grade controlling jacks, wherein said grade sensors are located adjacent the front and rear ends of said main frame, and wherein fluid pressure control means operated by signals generated by sad grade sensors are provided to independently supply fluid under pressure to said grade control jacks in accordance wIth the grade sensed by said grade sensors.
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11. The curb and gutter forming apparatus of claim 9 wherein control means sensing tilting of said main frame about an axis extending longitudinally of said main frame, are provided to control the supply of fluid under pressure to said third jack in accordance with the slope of the roadway.
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12. The curb and gutter forming apparatus of claim 10 wherein individual electrically energizable valve means are provided for each of said grade sensor jacks, and wherein an electrical energizing connection is provided between each of said grade sensors and an associated electrically energizable valve means, to effect the supply of fluid under pressure to said fluid pressure operated motors in accordance with the grade sensed, to rotate said motors in one direction or another or to hold said motors from rotation.
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13. The curb and gutter forming apparatus of claim 12, wherein individual electrically energizable valve means are provided to control the supply of fluid under pressure to said third fluid pressure operated motor, and wherein a slope sensing control, sensing tilting of the apparatus about an axis extending longitudinally of said main frame is provided to control energization of said valve means, and the supply of fluid under pressure to said third fluid pressure operated motor, to effect rotation of said third fluid pressure operated motor in one direction or another, or to hold said motor from rotation in accordance with the slope of the roadway.
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14. The curb and gutter forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein individual fluid pressure operated motors are provided to drive said traction tread devices, and wherein a variable flow divider vale is provided to supply fluid under pressure to said motors to effect steering by supplying a greater volume of fluid to one motor than to the other, and to supply an equal volume of fluid to each of said motors.
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15. The curb and gutter forming apparatus of claim 14, wherein a reversible electric motor is provided to operate said flow divider valve and effect steering the vehicle, and wherein manually operable means are provided to control energization of said motor.
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16. The curb and gutter forming apparatus of claim 14, wherein a reversible electric motor is provided to operate said variable flow divider valve, and wherein automatic means are provided to control energization of said motor in accordance with the line of the roadway.
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17. The curb and gutter forming apparatus of claim 16, wherein the automatic means comprises a line extending along the line of the roadway, a sensor engaging said line, and electrical circuitry and control means between said line sensor and said electric motor and actuated by signals generated by said line sensor to energize said motor to operate said variable flow divider vale in accordance with deviation of the machine from said line and the line of the roadway.
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18. The curb and gutter forming apparatus of claim 17, wherein manual means are also provided to energize said electrical circuitry and control means to operable said motor, and vary the flow to said hydraulic motors in accordance with deviations from said line.
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19. The curb and gutter forming apparatus of claim 9, wherein individual fluid pressure operated motors are provided to drive said continuous traction tread devices, wherein a variable flow divider valve is provided to divide the flow to said motors in accordance with the line of the roadway, wherein a line sensor is provided to effect operation of said flow divider valve to supply a uniform volume of fluid to each motor and to supply a greater volume of fluid to one motor than the other in accordance with the required line of travel of the apparatus
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20. The curb and gutter forming apparatus of claim 19, wherein a reversible motor is provided to operate said flow divider valve, wherein said line sensor controls operation of said motoR to vary the flow of fluid to said two motors, and wherein a manually operated switch is provided and electrical control connections are provided between said switch and said reversible motor for effecting variation of said flow divider valve and manual steering of the machine.
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21. In a steering assembly and in combination with a paving machine and the like, a main frame, laterally spaced continuous traction tread devices propelling said main frame, an individual fluid pressure operated motor for driving each of said continuous traction tread devices, a source of fluid under pressure, a flow divider valve, a fluid pressure connection from said source of fluid under pressure to said flow divider valve, separate fluid pressure connections from said flow divider valve to each of said motors, a reversible electric motor having operative connection with said flow divider valve, operating said valve to supply equal volumes to fluid to each hydraulic motor and to supply a greater volume of fluid to one motor than the other in accordance with the line of the roadway, a sensor and signal generating device operated thereby in accordance with a line extending along the roadway, for controlling operation of said motor and the line of travel of the machine, a manually operable switch effective to connect said signal generating device in the operating circuit for said motor to effect automatic steering of the machine and to disconnect said signal generating device from said circuit to accommodate manual steering of the machine, and a second manually operable switch effective to manually control said motor and effect manual steering of the machine.
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22. In paving machine, a main frame, a pair of laterally spaced continuous traction devices, a three-point suspension between said continuous traction devices and said main frame, for tilting and moving said main frame up and down to conform to the grade and contour of a roadway comprising, two fluid pressure operated self-locking screw jacks suspending one side of said main frame from one continuous traction tread device, a third fluid pressure operated self-locking screw jack suspending the opposite side of said frame from a second of said continuous traction tread devices, individual rotary fluid pressure operated motors having direct driving connection with each of said screw jacks, valve means supplying fluid under pressure to two of said motors on one side of said main frame to conform to the grade of the roadway, and valve means supplying fluid under pressure to the third of said fluid pressure operated motors independently of said first mentioned valve means, to conform said main frame and traction tread devices to the transverse tilt of the roadway, and stabilizing guide means connected between said main frame and the second of said continuous traction tread devices comprising, a vertically extending hollow post mounted on said main frame, cooperating with and extending parallel to said third self-locking screw jack and spaced therefrom, a yoke transversely pivoted to said tread frame in spaced relation with respect to said screw jack, and a guide member telescopically mounted in said post, and secured to and extending upwardly of said yoke, and guiding said main frame for up and down movement relative to said third self-locking screw jack.
Specification