Track trencher propulsion system and process
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system for operating a track trencher including an engine coupled to left and right track drives, the system comprising:
- means for producing a travel mode signal indicative of one of a plurality of track trencher travel modes;
a propulsion control, operative in one of a plurality of distinct operating modes in response to the travel mode signal, for producing a propel signal associated with one of the plurality of track trencher travel modes; and
computer control means for controlling propulsion of the left and right track drives in one of the plurality of track trencher travel modes to effect propulsion changes in response to the propel signal.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and process for controlling propulsion of a track trencher excavation machine includes a multiple mode propulsion control that performs a plurality of functions depending on a selection of one of a plurality of operational modes. A computer modifies the functions of the multiple mode propulsion control depending on a selected operational mode, and coordinates propulsion of the engine and track drives of a track trencher in response to signals produced by the propulsion control.
-
Citations
22 Claims
-
1. A system for operating a track trencher including an engine coupled to left and right track drives, the system comprising:
-
means for producing a travel mode signal indicative of one of a plurality of track trencher travel modes; a propulsion control, operative in one of a plurality of distinct operating modes in response to the travel mode signal, for producing a propel signal associated with one of the plurality of track trencher travel modes; and computer control means for controlling propulsion of the left and right track drives in one of the plurality of track trencher travel modes to effect propulsion changes in response to the propel signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A track trencher propulsion system, comprising:
-
a track trencher including a left track drive, a right track drive, and an engine coupled to the left and right track drives; a computer; a travel mode selection control coupled to the computer and selectable between a transport mode setting and a trench mode setting, the travel mode selection control producing a transport mode signal when the transport mode setting is selected and a trench mode signal when the trench mode setting is selected; and a propel control coupled to the computer and operable in a transport propulsion mode and in a trench propulsion mode, the propel control comprising means for producing a transport propel signal representative of a left and right track drive target velocity when the transport mode setting is selected, and for producing a trench propel signal representative of a target engine output level when the trench mode setting is selected;
wherein the computer, coupled to the propulsion control means, moderates propulsion of the left and right track drives in response to the propel signal associated with one of the plurality of propel modes. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. A method for operating a track trencher having an engine coupled to a left and a right track drive including the steps of:
-
producing one each of a transport travel mode signal and a trench travel mode signal indicative of a respective one of a transport and trench mode of track trencher travel; producing a transport propel signal in response to the transport travel mode signal and a trench propel signal in response to the trench travel mode signal; maintaining the left and right track drives at a target velocity in response to the transport propel signal; and maintaining the engine at a target engine output level in response to the trench propel signal. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
-
Specification