Grading system
DCFirst Claim
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1. An earth grading system for grading a tract of land, comprising, in combination:
- (a) a power driven earth grading machine which comprises a frame, an earth grading too, and means for adjusting the earth grading tool relative to the frame;
(b) a laser beam generator remote from said earth grading machine for projecting a laser beam in a predetermined pattern relative to the earth to be graded;
(c) a laser detector carried on the grading machine for receiving the laser beam;
(d) distance scaling means for accurately scaling the distance of the grading tool from a predetermined northing and easting point on the tract to be graded;
(e) data storage means defining a multiplicity of predetermined points on the tract of land to be graded by the northing and easting of the point and by the target elevation of such point;
(f) reference data signal generating means for deriving a data signal from the data storage means which defines the desired final graded configuration of a continuous portion of the tract by a continuum computed with reference to at least two of the aforesiad predetermined points, all locations on the continuum being defined as to target elevation;
(g) elevation data signal generating means for deriving a data signal from the laser detector which defines the actual elevation of the grading tool;
(h) location data signal generating means for deriving a data signal from the scaling means which defines the actual location of the grading tool relative to the continuum computed by the reference data signal generating means; and
(i) comparator means for receiving the aforesaid data signals and for deriving at least one output signal which defines the elevational relationship of the grading tool relative to target elevation at the actual location of the grading tool on the continuum.
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Abstract
A fully automated earthgrading machine and system is disclosed.
192 Citations
40 Claims
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1. An earth grading system for grading a tract of land, comprising, in combination:
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(a) a power driven earth grading machine which comprises a frame, an earth grading too, and means for adjusting the earth grading tool relative to the frame; (b) a laser beam generator remote from said earth grading machine for projecting a laser beam in a predetermined pattern relative to the earth to be graded; (c) a laser detector carried on the grading machine for receiving the laser beam; (d) distance scaling means for accurately scaling the distance of the grading tool from a predetermined northing and easting point on the tract to be graded; (e) data storage means defining a multiplicity of predetermined points on the tract of land to be graded by the northing and easting of the point and by the target elevation of such point; (f) reference data signal generating means for deriving a data signal from the data storage means which defines the desired final graded configuration of a continuous portion of the tract by a continuum computed with reference to at least two of the aforesiad predetermined points, all locations on the continuum being defined as to target elevation; (g) elevation data signal generating means for deriving a data signal from the laser detector which defines the actual elevation of the grading tool; (h) location data signal generating means for deriving a data signal from the scaling means which defines the actual location of the grading tool relative to the continuum computed by the reference data signal generating means; and (i) comparator means for receiving the aforesaid data signals and for deriving at least one output signal which defines the elevational relationship of the grading tool relative to target elevation at the actual location of the grading tool on the continuum. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An earth grading system for grading a tract of land, comprising in combination:
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(a) a power driven earth grading machine which comprises a frame, an earth grading tool, and means for adjusting the earth grading tool relative to the frame; (b) a laser beam generator remote from said earth grading machine for projecting a laser beam in a predetermined pattern relative to the earth to be graded; (c) a laser detector carried on the grading machine for receiving the laser beam; (d) distance scaling means comprising a pair of tandems scaling wheels mounted to the frame for tracking on the graded earth behind the grading tool for accurately scaling the distance of the grading tool from a predetermined northing and easting point on the tract of land to be graded; (e) data storage means defining a multiplicity of predetermined points on the tract of land to be graded by the northing and easting of the point and by the target elevation of such point and further defining the elevational tolerance at such point; (f) reference data signal generating means for deriving a data signal from the data storage means which defines the desired final graded configuration and the elevational tolerance of a continuous portion of the tract by a continuum computed with reference to at least two of the aforesaid predetermined points, all locations on the continuum being defined as to target elevation; (g) elevation data signal generating means for deriving a data signal from the laser detector which defines the actual elevation of the grading tool; (h) cross slope angle signal generating means for deriving a signal which defines the angle of cut of the grader blade; (h) location data signal generating means for deriving a data signal from the scaling means which defines the actual location of the grading tool relative to the continuum computed by the reference data signal generating means; (i) comparator means for receiving the aforesaid data signals and for deriving a first comparator output signal which defines the elevational relationship of the grading tool relative to the target elevation and elevational tolerance at the actual location of the grading tool on the continuum and a second comparator output signal which compares the actual cross slope angle with the target cross slope angle, and optionally including means for enabling an operator to enter data defining the actual location of the grading tool on said continuum and means for deriving in the first output a signal relating the elevational tolerance to the actual elevation of the grading tool; and (j) display means for receiving the first and second comparator output signals and displaying visual indicia on a scaled display depicted according to a predetermined ratio the target elevation, allowable elevations which are within tolerance, and the actual elevation of the grading tool at the location of the grading tool along the continuum. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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10. An earth grading system for grading a tract of land, comprising in combination:
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(a) a power driven earth grading machine which comprises a frame, an earth grading tool, and means for adjusting the earth grading tool relative to the frame; (b) a laser beam generator remote from said earth grading machine for projecting a laser beam in a predetermined pattern relative to the tract of land to be graded; (c) a laser detector carried on the grading machine for receiving the laser beam; (d) distance scaling means for accurately scaling the distance of the grading tool from a predetermined northing and easting point on the tract of land to be graded; (e) data storage means defining a multiplicity of predetermined points on the tract to be graded by the northing and easting of the point and by the target elevation of such point; (f) reference data signal generating means for deriving a data signal from the data storage means which defines the desired final graded configuration of a continuous portion of the tract by a continuum computed with reference to at least two of the aforesaid predetermined points, all locations on the continuum being defined as to target elevations; (g) elevation data signal generating means for deriving a data signal from the laser detector which defines the actual elevation of the grading tool; (h) location data signal generating means for deriving a data signal from the scaling means which defines the actual location of the grading tool relative to the continuum computed by the reference data signal generating means; (i) comparator means for receiving the aforesaid data signals and for deriving at least one comparator output signal which defines the elevational relationship of the grading tool relative to the target elevation at the actual location of the grading tool on the continuum; (j) display means for receiving said comparator output signal and displaying visual indicia on a scaled display depicted according to a predetermined ratio the target elevation and the actual elevation of the grading tool at the location of the grading tool along the grading continuum to thereby enable an operator to view the display and adjust the elevation of the grading tool. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 25)
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20. The method of grading earth with a power grading machine which includes a grading tool comprising the steps of
(a) entering into a digital electronic computing comparator the location and direction of travel of the grading tool relative to a first predetermined point on the tract of earth to be graded; -
(b) scaling the distance traveled by the grading tool relative to said predetermined point; (c) deriving from the scaling step a distance signal which defines the distance traveled by the grading tool relative to said predetermined point; (d) receiving a laser signal which defines a predetermined elevation and deriving from said predetermined elevation an actual elevation signal which defines the actual elevation of the grading tool; (e) introducing the distance signal and the actual elevation signal into the comparator; (f) deriving in the comparator from data storage means containing a multiplicity of definitions of predetermined points on said tract of earth, the definition of at least one additional predetermined point adjacent the first predetermined point sufficient to define the target configuration of the tract contiguous to the first predetermined point in the direction of travel of the grading tool, each of such predetermined points being defined at least by the coordinate location and elevation of such point on a tract of earth to be graded; (g) deriving in the comparator a reference elevation signal which defines the target elevation of the tract at the actual location of the grading tool; and (h) displaying on visual display means reference elevation indicia and actual elevation indicia derived from the actual elevation signal and the reference elevation signal, said indicia visually and quantitatively relating the actual elevation of the grading tool with the target elevation at the location of the grading tool, whereby the operator of the grading machine can visually determine said relationship and the adjustment necessary to position the grading tool at the target elevation. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. The method of grading a tract of earth with a power grading machine which includes a grading tool to achieve a predetermined target configuration for said tract, comprising the steps of:
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(a) entering into a digital electronic computing comparator the location of the grading tool relative to a first predetermined point on the tract of earth to be graded; (b) scaling the distance traveled by the grading tool relative to said predetermined point; (c) deriving from the scaling step a distance signal which defines the distance traveled by the grading tool relative to said predetermined point; (d) deriving from elevation defining means an actual elevation signal which defines the actual elevation of the grading tool. (e) deriving a position signal defining the position of the grading machine relative to said first predetermined point; (f) deriving a cross slope angle signal defining the angle of the grader blade; (f) introducing the distance signal, the direction signal, the cross slop angle signal and the actual elevation signal into the comparator; (g) deriving, in the comparator from data storage means containing a multiplicity of definitions of predetermined points on said tract of earth, the definition of at least one additional predetermined point adjacent the first predetermined point sufficient to define the target configuration of the tract contiguous to the first predetermined point in the direction of travel of the grading tool, each of such predetermined points being defined at least by the coordinate location and elevation of such point on a tract of earth to be graded; (h) deriving in the comparator a reference elevation signal which defines the target elevation of the tract at the actual location of the grading tool; and (i) displaying on visual display means reference elevation indicia and actual elevation indicia derived from the actual elevation signal and the reference elevation signal, and actual and target cross slope angle indicia, said indicia visually, quantititatively relating the actual elevation and cross slope angle of the grading tool with the target elevation and cross slope angle at the location of the grading tool, whereby the operator of the grading machine can visually determine said relationships and the adjustment necessary to position the grading tool at the target elevation. - View Dependent Claims (37)
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38. The method of grading a tract of earth with a power grading machine which includes a grading tool to achieve a predetermined target configuration for said tract, comprising the steps of
(a) entering into a digital electronic computing comparator the location of the grading tool relative to a first predetermined point on the tract of earth to be graded; -
(b) scaling the distance traveled by the grading tool relative to said predetermined point; (c) deriving from the scaling step a distance signal which defines the distance traveled by the grading tool relative to said predetermined point; (d) deriving from elevation defining means an actual elevation signal which defines the actual elevation of the grading tool; (e) deriving from direction signal defining means an actual direction of travel signal which defines the direction of travel of the grading machine relative to aids first predetermined point; (f) introducing the distance signal, the direction signal and the actual elevation signal into the comparator; (g) deriving, the comparator from data storage means containing a multiplicity of definitions of predetermined points on said tract of earth, the definition of at least one additional predetermined point adjacent the first predetermined point sufficient to define the target configuration of the tract contiguous to the first predetermined point in the direction of travel of the grading tool, each of such predetermined points being defined at least by the coordinate location and elevation of such point on a tract of earth to be graded; (h) deriving in the comparator a reference curve signal which defines a predetermined target curve of a portion of the tract at the actual location of the grading tool; and (i) displaying on visual display means reference location indicia and actual location indicia derived from the actual direction signal and the reference curve signal, said indicia visually, quantitatively relating the actual location of the grading tool with the target curve at the location of the grading tool, whereby the operator of the grading machine can visually determine said relationship and the adjustment necessary to position the grading tool at the target curve. - View Dependent Claims (39)
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40. An earth grading system for grading a tract of land, comprising, in combination:
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(a) a power driven earth grading machine which comprises a frame, an earth grading tool, and means for adjusting the earth grading tool relative to the frame; (b) an elevation signal generator remote from said earth grading machine for projecting a laser beam in a predetermined pattern relative to the elevation of earth to be graded; (c) an elevation signal detector carried on the grading machine for receiving the laser beam; (d) distance scaling means for accurately scaling the distance of the grading tool from a predetermined northing and easting point on the tract of land to be graded; (e) direction signal generator means for projecting a beam across the tract to be graded; (f) direction signal detecting means for generating a signal defining the direction of travel of the grading machine; (g) position signal generator means for projecting a beam across the tract to be graded; (h) position signal detecting means for generating a signal defining the position on the tract of the grading machine; (f) data storage means defining a multiplicity of predetermined points on the tract to be graded by the northing and easting of the point and by the target elevation of such point; (g) reference data signal generating means for deriving a data signal form the data storage means which defines the desired final graded configuration of a continuous portion of the tract by a continuum computed with reference to at least two of the aforesaid predetermined points, all locations on the continuum being defined as to target elevations; (h) elevation data signal generating means for deriving a data signal from the laser detector which defines the actual elevation of the grading tool; (i) location data signal generating means for deriving a data signal from the scaling means which defines the actual location of the grading tool relative to the continuum computed by the reference data signal generating means; (j) comparator means for receiving the aforesaid data signals and for deriving at least one output signal which defines the elevational relationship of the grading tool relative to the target elevation at the actual location of the grading tool on the continuum; (k) display means for receiving the output signal and displaying visual indicia on a scaled display depicting according to a predetermined ratio the target elevation and the actual elevation of the grading tool at the location of the grading tool along the grading continuum to thereby enable an operator to view the display and adjust the elevation of the grading tool.
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Specification