CONSTRUCTION MACHINE AND CONTROLS THEREFOR

• US 3,710,695 A
• Filed: 01/04/1971
• Issued: 01/16/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Allen R. Miller, Charles R. Miller, David Miller
• Original Assignee: Allen R. Miller, Charles R. Miller, David Miller
• Inventors: Miller, Allen R., Miller, David J., Miller, Charles R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Byers, Jr., Nile C.
• Application Number:
  US05/103,423
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• Field of Search: 94/46,46AC 180/79.2B,9.46
• US Class Current: 404/98
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/4893 Apparatus designed for railless operation

Abstract

The main frame of the construction machine disclosed is supported upon two pairs of crawler tractors through a five point suspension using four hydraulic rams, two of which cooperate with one pair of tractors and two of which cooperate with the other pair of tractors through a walking beam. Each tractor is individually driven and pivotally mounted from a saddle on a vertical axis. Opposite fore and aft pairs of tractors are connected by a double steering linkage, the geometry of which is modified to increase the steering sensitivity and provide for automatic simultaneous extension and retraction of the dual linkages to accommodate maximum grade and slope deviations without affecting the level of the main frame or working tool. Cross or parallel connected extensible members are also used in the sensor linkages controlling the steering to compensate for and reduce both over-and under correction. The walking beam can be located on a side of the machine longitudinally oriented with the direction of travel or at the front or rear of the machine transverse the direction of travel. The working tool, such as a slip form or mule shoe for curbings, has automatically adjustable skirts to prevent edge slump as it traverses the grade deviations and can be extended or retracted from the side of the main frame to different work locations or relocated at the back of the machine for highway travel and trailering of the machine. The hopper and screw conveyor cooperate in pivoting to and from the work position.

Claims

1. A material handling machine comprising:

a main frame supported through adjustable suspension means upon front and rear ground engaging means to accommodate transportation thereof;

a pair of said ground engaging means being on opposite sides of said main frame and each being pivotally mounted on a vertical axis;

spaced substantially parallel transverse steering linkage means pivotally connected fore and aft of the respective pivotal axes of said opposite pair of said ground engaging means;

a linkage member operatively connected to one of said transverse steering linkage means to turn said ground engaging means about their respective vertical axes in unison; and

said spaced steering linkage means including extensible members operative to extend and retract in unison to compensate for changes in slope between said pair of ground engaging means.

2. A material handling machine in accordance with claim 1 in which said machine includes;

front and rear opposite pairs of said ground engaging means connected to each other by said spaced steering linkage means;

a linkage member pivotally connected between transversely spaced points of the respective transverse steering linkage means for each pair of said ground engaging means; and

actuating means for said respective linkage members operative to independently turn said pairs of ground engaging means about their respective vertical axes in unison and in either direction.

3. A material handling machine in accordance with claim 2 including:

sensor means for said respective front and rear pairs of ground engaging means adapted for operative engagement with a guide reference controlling the direction of steer of said machine along a path of travel;

said sensor means for said front pair of ground engaging means being disposed substantially opposite the fore pivot connecting of its steering linkage means; and

said sensor means for said rear pair of ground engaging means being disposed substantially opposite the rear pivot connection of its steering linkage.

4. A material handling machine in accordance with claim 1 including:

actuating means for said adjustable suspension means operative to maintain said main frame in a predetermined plane; and

actuating means for said linkage member controlling said transverse steering linkage means to turn said pair of ground engaging means about their respective pivotal axes in unison.

5. A material handling machine in accordance with claim 1 in which:

said extensible members for each of said spaced steering linkage means comprise balanced fluid-operated cylinders connected so as to extend and retract in unison.

6. A material handling machine in accordance with claim 1 including:

sensor means for said pair of ground engaging means operative to engage a grade reference controlling the direction of steer of said machine along a path of travel;

said sensor means being disposed substantially opposite the fore pivot connection of one of said steering linkage means.

7. A material handling machine in accordance with claim 2 in which:

one of the front ground engaging means and one of the rear ground engaging means on the same side of said main frame are provided with individual suspension means;

the other side of said main frame is provided with a walking beam extending longitudinally thereof;

said walking beam is pivotally mounted on a transverse axis to an adjustable suspension means;

the remaining front and rear ground engaging means on said other side of said main frame being pivotally mounted at the ends of said walking beam.

8. A material handling machine in accordance with claim 2 in which:

one of the rear ground engaging means on one side of said main frame and one of the rear ground engaging means on the other side of the main frame are provided with individual suspension means;

an adjustable suspension means is provided for said main frame forward of said rear pair of ground engaging means;

a walking beam pivotally mounted on a longitudinal axis from said adjustable suspension means; and

the remaining front ground engaging means being pivotally mounted at the ends of said walking beam.

9. A material handling machine in accordance with claim 3 in which:

said sensor means for said front and rear pair of ground engaging means are disposed on the same side of said main frame for operative engagement with the inside of a guide reference controlling the direction of steer of said machine along a path of travel;

a first hydraulic means having an extensible member and a fixed cylinder member is provided for said front ground engaging means on the side opposite the front sensor means;

said extensible member of said first hydraulic means being connected to and responsive to the pivotal turning of said front ground engaging means; and

a second hydraulic extensible means parallel connected to said first hydraulic extensible means and supporting said front sensor means, whereby actuation of said first hydraulic extensible means in a steering correction causes said second hydraulic extensible means to move in the same direction and an incremental amount of said steering correction of the front pair of ground engaging means;

a third hydraulic extensible means having a fixed extensible member and a movable cylinder is provided for said rear ground engaging means on the side opposite the rear sensor means;

said movable cylinder of said third hydraulic means being connected to and responsive to the pivotal turning of said rear ground engaging means;

a fourth hydraulic extensible means parallel connected to said third hydraulic extensible means and supporting said rear sensor means, whereby actuation of said third hydraulic extensible means in a steering connection causes said fourth hydraulic extensible means to move in the same direction and an incremental amount of said steering connection of the rear pair of ground engaging means while maintaining said front and rear steering sensors in substantial contact with The inside of said grade reference.

10. A material handling machine in accordance with claim 1 in which:

said extensible members comprise hydraulically-operated dual-action cylinders having a closed circuit hydraulic system wherein the opposite sides of said cylinders are connected so that the exhaust from one becomes the intake of the other and the intake of said one becomes the exhaust of the other.

11. A material handling machine in accordance with claim 1 adapted to follow an external guide reference disposed along the path of travel including:

a first hydraulic extensible member responsive to the pivotal turning of one of said ground engaging means in said pair;

a second hydraulic extensible member connected to said first hydraulic extensible member;

said second extensible member carrying a direction sensor adapted to follow said guide reference, whereby actuation of said first extensible member in a steering correction causes said second extensible member to move in the same direction and in an incremental amount of said steering correction.

12. A material handling machine in accordance with claim 11 in which:

said direction sensor is adapted to contact the inside of said grade reference in relation to said machine and said first and second extensible members are parallel connected.

13. A material handling machine comprising:

a main frame;

a working tool supported by said main frame for ground engagement;

a pair of extensible suspension members disposed in spaced substantially vertical relationship from one side of said main frame front and rear of said machine;

said extensible suspension members respectively supporting said frame upon front and rear pivotally mounted ground engaging means;

a pair of extensible suspension members disposed in adjacent substantially vertical relationship from the other side of said main frame;

a walking beam pivotally disposed from an axis under the adjacent extensible members and extending along the other side of said machine;

a pair of pivotally mounted front and rear ground engaging means disposed from said walking beam and supporting said main frame thereon;

means to individually drive each of said ground engaging means on the same side of said main frame at the same speeds;

a pair of spaced substantially parallel transverse steering linkage means pivotally connected fore and aft of the respective pivotal axes of the front ground engaging means on opposite sides of said main frame;

a pair of spaced substantially parallel transverse steering linkage means pivotally connected fore and aft of the respective pivotal axes of the rear ground engaging means on opposite sides of said main frame;

each of said steering linkage means in a pair for the front and rear opposite pairs of ground engaging means including a compensating cylinder operative to extend and retract the effective length thereof, said compensating cylinders for each pair of steering linkage means being connected so as to extend and retract in unison to compensate for changes in slope between said pairs of ground engaging means;

extensible linkage members pivotally connected to each pair of said steering linkage means; and

actuating means for each of said extensible linkage members to independently turn said ground engaging means about their respective pivotal axes in unison.

14. A material handling machine in accordance with claim 13 in which:

the compensating cylinder for one of said steering linkage means in a pair of connected at one end thereof; and

the compensating cylinder for the other of said steering linkage means is connected at the opposite end thereof.

15. A material handling machine in accordance with claim 13 including:

sensor means for said respective front and rear ground engaging means adapted for operative engagement with a guide reference controlling the direction of steer of said machine along a path of travel and being operative to aCtuate said respective pivotally mounted linkage members;

a compensating cylinder reciprocatably supporting each of said sensor means;

a second compensating cylinder pivotally connected to and actuated by one of said pairs of ground engaging means; and

said compensating cylinders for each pair of ground engaging means being connected so as to extend and retract in a direction and linear amount equal to an increment of a steering connection.

16. A material handling machine in accordance with claim 15 including:

a bracket member reciprocatably supporting said sensor means and said compensating cylinder for transverse adjustment in relation to said main frame.

17. A material handling machine in accordance with claim 13 in which:

said working tool is adapted for support longitudinally of a side of said main frame;

support means for said working tool adapted to extend and retract said working tool in relation to said main frame; and

a second support means on an adjacent side of said main frame whereby said working tool is adapted to be relocated for highway travel.

18. A material handling machine in accordance with claim 17 including:

a material handling system comprising a receiving hopper for said material and a conveyor for elevating said material;

a second hopper to receive said material from said conveyor for deposit and compaction by said working tool;

said receiving hopper and said conveyor being pivotally mounted from a common axis from said main frame whereby with said working tool attached to said second support means said receiving hopper and conveyor are pivotable to a position no wider than said main frame for highway travel.

19. A material handling machine in accordance with claim 13 in which:

the extensible compensating members are hydraulic cylinders having a closed circuit hydraulic system wherein the opposite sides of said cylinders are connected so that the exhaust from one becomes the intake of the other and the intake of said one becomes the exhaust of the other.

20. A material handling machine in accordance with claim 18 in which:

said conveyor comprises an elongated helical member having weirs rotatably mounted within an open-sided housing;

means to drive said helical member; and

cable means are provided for attachment between said machine and said helical weir to wind thereon whereby said material handling system is pivotable to travel position.

21. A material handling machine in accordance with claim 13 in which:

said working tool comprises a slip form for laying a continuous concrete layer;

said slip form includes a frame having spaced bracket members along one side; and

said main frame includes spaced telescoping side members adapted for attachment to said bracket members whereby said slip form is positionable in extended relationship from the side of said main frame.

22. A material handling machine in accordance with claim 13 in which:

said extensible linkage members are connected obliquely between transversely spaced points of said steering linkage means of each pair thereof.

23. A material handling machine comprising:

a main frame;

a working tool supported by said main frame for ground engagement;

a pair of extensible suspension members disposed in spaced substantial vertical relationship on opposite sides of said main frame;

said extensible suspension members respectively supporting one end of said frame upon pivotally mounted ground engagement means;

a second pair of extensible suspension members disposed in adjacent substantially vertical relationship at another end of said main frame;

a walking beam pivotally disposed from an axis between said second pair of extensible members and extending transverse said other end of said main frame;

a pair of pivotally mounted ground engaging means disposed in spaced relationship from said walking beam;

means to individually drive each of said ground eNgaging means;

steering linkage means connected fore and aft of the respective pivotal axes and transversely of the ground engagement means at both ends of said main frame;

extensible linkage members pivotally connected obliquely between each of said fore and aft steering linkage means on opposite sides of said pivotal axes;

actuating means for said oblique extensible members to turn said ground engaging means about their pivotal axes in unison; and

one pair of said steering linkage means each including an extensible compensating member;

said compensating members being connected so as to extend and retract in unison;

actuating means connected to said pair of extensible suspension members for operative engagement to control the transverse slope of said main frame; and

actuating means for said second pair of extensible suspension members for operative engagement with a grade reference to extend and retract same in unison to control the grade of said main frame.

24. A material handling machine adapted to deposit formable material along a path of travel comprising, a main frame supported through adjustable suspension means upon ground engaging means to accommodate transportation thereof, a pair of said ground engaging means being on opposite sides of said main frame and each being pivotally mounted on a vertical axis, a slip form attached to one side of said main frame and extending therealong, hopper means carried by said main frame between said pair of ground engaging means to supply said slip form with formable material, steering linkage means extending transverse said main frame and pivotally connected to said pair of ground engaging means forward of said vertical pivotal axes, sensor means for said pair of ground engaging means operative to engage a grade reference controlling the direction of steer of said machine along said path of travel said sensor means being disposed on said one side of said main frame ahead of said slip form, forward of said vertical axes of said pair of ground engaging means and substantially opposite the pivotal connection of said steering linkage means and means supporting said sensor means operative to move said sensor means in the same direction and in a linear incremental amount of a steering correction.