Laser beam control system for road paving machines

• US 3,873,226 A
• Filed: 07/11/1973
• Issued: 03/25/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Spectra-Physics Lasers, Inc. (Perspecta, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ted L. Teach
• Inventors: Teach, Ted L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Byers, Jr., Nile C.
• Application Number:
  US05/378,171
• Time in Patent Office: 622 Days
• Field of Search: 404/84,83 325/320 178/66 73/510
• US Class Current: 404/84.5
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/006 by laser or ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/008 by reference lines placed along the road, e.g. wires co-operating with feeler elements E01C19/006 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/4873 Apparatus designed for railless operation

Abstract

Apparatus for controlling the elevation of the pavement distributor head of a mobile road paving machine in predetermined relationship to a fixed horizontal plane, as set by a laser beam which is periodically swept across such plane, such apparatus comprising a tape dispensing device carried by the machine to dispense a tape of indefinite length therefrom at zero velocity relative to the surface being paved, and a tape reader for detecting indicia on the tape at predetermined intervals to increase or decrease the predetermined relationship between the pavement dispensing head and the fixed plane, to thereby increase or decrease the elevation of the paved surface at predetermined intervals.

Claims

1. Apparatus for controlling the vertical height of a vertically adjustable working tool of a mobile earth-working machine, said apparatus comprising, in combination:

means for sensing the elevation of a laser beam periodically moving in a pre-determined substantially horizontal plane;

control means responsive to said laser beam for maintaining a pre-determined vertical relationship between said plane and the vertical height of said tool; and

adjustment means for changing said pre-determined relationship at pre-determined locations along the intended path of travel of the said machine, said adjustment means comprising;

1. means on the machine for dispensing an indicia bearing tape measuring the distance traveled by said machine as said machine moves along its path of travel, and 2. reader meaNs responsive to said indicia and operatively associated with said control means for changing said predetermined relationship as a function of the distance traveled by said machine.

2. controlling the height of the adjustable tool in a pre-determined relationship to said substantially horizontal plane;

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said indicia on said tape comprises binary coded punched holes and wherein said reader means comprises a reader for reading binary coded information.

4. means for controlling said power means in response to the reading of said indicia, thereby adjusting the working height of said earth-working tool as the vehicle moves from said reference point.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein the tape is dispensed at zero velocity relative to the ground traversed by said machine.

6. The method according to claim 4 wherein said mobile earth working machine is a road paving machine and wherein said working tool is the pavement distributor portion thereof.

7. The method of controlling the effective height of an earth-working tool carried by a mobile vehicle and vertically adjustable relative thereto comprising:

8. Apparatus for controlling the working height of an earth-working tool carried by a mobile vehicle and vertically adjustable relative thereto by power means comprising: