Method of installing respective depressions utilizing cooperation between milling actions of multiple cutting tools and machine to perform same

• US 5,957,620 A
• Filed: 12/08/1997
• Issued: 09/28/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dickson Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Amona D. Thomas, Glen Edward Thomas
• Inventors: Thomas, Amona Dianne, Thomas, Glen Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): LISEHORA, JAMES
• Application Number:
  US08/986,475
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 404/72, 404/90, 404/93, 404/94, 404/75
• US Class Current: 404/72
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 23/088 Rotary tools, e.g. milling drums for forming recesses to receive marking materials E01C23/0946
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 23/0993 for forming or installing surface markings or signals in the paving, e.g. grooving for striping or for producing rumble strips, forming marker-receiving recesses E01C23/0946 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 23/121 with non-powered tools, e.g. rippers rollers with ripping attachments E01C19/264, E01C19/27, E01C19/285; roughening or patterning using non powered tools E01C23/082
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 23/124 moved rectilinearly, e.g. road-breaker apparatus with reciprocating tools, with drop-hammers
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 9/535 Kerbs or road edgings specially adapted for alerting road users

Abstract

A method of milling is disclosed wherein mill actions from at least two cutting tools cooperate to form each respective depression in a surface of a road. These depression are generally utilized in series to inform an operator of a motor vehicle, using the produced vibration and/or noise, that the motor vehicle has left a normal driving area of the road. Variations of the invention include different methods of regulating elevational movement of each respective cutting tool. These methods include use of eccentric wheels, cam members and electronic control. Stationary positioning of each respective cutting tool on the depression installation machine is explained as is displaceable positioning wherein each respective cutting tool may be moved in a reciprocating manner to decrease operating time where the cutting tool is not capable of performing a milling action. Use of multiple cutting tool sets provide for each respective set to cooperate to form select depressions within a series of depressions. The different methods of determining milling depth of each respective cutting tool is explained with examples given.

Claims

1. A method of milling to form a finished depression into a surface of a road at a select positional placement location using a sequential cooperation between respective milling actions of at least two cutting tools, the method of milling comprising the steps of:

a) providing a depression installation machine comprising;

1) a first cutting tool to provide for a first milling action to mill the surface of the road to remove a first amount of a road material at the select positional placement location;

2) at least one additional cutting tool, each additional cutting tool to provide for a subsequent milling action to mill the road to remove a subsequent amount of the road material at the select positional placement location;

b) providing cutting tool elevational height adjustment means to provide for an altering of an elevational height of each respective cutting tool relative to the surface of the road, the respective cutting tools being the first cutting tool and any additional cutting tools, the altering of the elevational height providing for a respective milling action of the respective cutting tools;

c) providing positional control means to provide for a sequential positioning of the respective cutting tools where the respective milling actions occur at the select positional placement location to provide for the sequential cooperation to form the finished depression at the select positional placement location;

whereby the depression milling machine forms the finished depression at the select positional placement location utilizing the sequential cooperation between the respective milling actions of the respective cutting tools.

2. The method of milling defined in claim 1 further comprising the step of repetitively forming finished depressions in a series of depressions, the series of depressions having a multiplicity of finished depressions generally aligned along a path.

3. The method of milling defined in claim 2:

a) wherein the first cutting tool has a series of lowered periods and a series of elevated periods, the lowered periods of the first cutting tool comprising periods of time while at least a portion of the first cutting tool is below a grade of the surface of the road, the elevated periods of the first cutting tool comprising periods of time while all of the first cutting tool is above the grade of the surface of the road;

b) wherein each additional cutting tool has a respective series of lowered periods and a respective series of elevated periods, the respective lowered periods of each additional cutting tool comprising periods of time while at least a portion of the respective additional cutting tool is below the grade of the surface of the road, the respective elevated periods of each additional cutting tool comprising periods of time while all of the respective additional cutting tool is above the grade of the surface of the road;

c) wherein the lowered periods of the first cutting tool and the respective lowered periods of each respective additional cutting tool occur on a differing schedule;

whereby the differing schedule of the lowered periods of the first cutting tool and the respective lowered periods of each respective additional cutting tool provide for optimization of efficiency of the method of milling.

4. The method of milling defined in claim 1 wherein the first amount of the road material removed by the first milling action of the first cutting tool and the subsequent amounts of the road material removed by any subsequent milling actions of any additional cutting tools are generally equal in quantity, whereby all respective milling actions mill the generally equal quantities of the road material to form the finished depression.

5. The method of milling defined in claim 1 wherein the respective cutting tools each have a cutting tool number in sequential order based on performance of the respective milling action and wherein the cutting tools have a cutting tool count equal to the number of cutting tools and wherein the finished depression further comprises a lateral maximum depth having a measurement from a plane formed by the surface of the road and wherein the sequential respective milling actions of the respective cutting tools each have a penetration depth below the plane formed by the surface of the road which is relatively equal to the lateral maximum depth divided by the cutting tool count multiplied by the cutting tool number whereby each respective milling action mill a generally equal depth sequentially to form the finished depression.

6. A method of milling to form a finished depression into a surface of a road at a select positional placement location using a cooperation between respective milling actions of at least two cutting tools, the method of milling comprising the steps of:

a) providing a depression installation machine comprising;

1) motion means to provide for moving the depression installation machine relative to the surface of the road;

2) a first cutting tool to provide for a first milling action to mill the surface of the road to remove a first amount of a road material at the select positional placement location;

3) at least one additional cutting tool, each additional cutting tool to provide for a subsequent milling action to mill the road to remove a subsequent amount of the road material at the select positional placement location, wherein a final milling action is produced by a final cutting tool, the final cutting tool being one of the additional cutting tools, the final milling action completing production of the finished depression;

b) providing elevational height adjustment means to provide for altering an elevational height of each respective cutting tool relative to the surface of the road, the respective cutting tools being the first cutting tool and any additional cutting tools, the elevational height adjustment means controlled by passage of at least a portion of the depression installation machine relative to the road;

c) providing penetration control means to provide for controlling a respective milling action of each respective cutting tool to mill a quantity of the road material of the road at the select positional placement location of the depression, the respective milling actions being the first milling action and any subsequent milling actions;

d) providing positional control means to provide for positioning the respective milling actions of the respective cutting tools at the select positional placement location to provide for the cooperation to form the finished depression at the select positional placement location of the depression;

wherein the depression milling machine moves relative to the surface of the road and forms the finished depression at the select positional placement location utilizing the cooperation between the respective milling actions of the respective cutting tools.

7. The method of milling defined in claim 6 further comprising the step of repetitively forming finished depressions in a series of depressions, the series of depressions having a multiplicity of finished depressions generally aligned along a path;

and wherein the first cutting tool has a series of lowered periods and a series of elevated periods, the lowered periods of the first cutting tool comprising periods of time while at least a portion of the first cutting tool is below a grade of the surface of the road, the elevated periods of the first cutting tool comprising periods of time while all of the first cutting tool is above the grade of the surface of the road; and

wherein each additional cutting tool has a respective series of lowered periods and a respective series of elevated periods, the respective lowered periods of each additional cutting tool comprising periods of time while at least a portion of the respective additional cutting tool is below the grade of the surface of the road, the respective elevated periods of each additional cutting tool comprising periods of time while all of the respective additional cutting tool is above the grade of the surface of the road; and

wherein the lowered periods of the first cutting tool and the respective lowered periods of each respective additional cutting tool occur on a differing schedule, whereby the differing schedule of the lowered periods of the first cutting tool and the respective lowered periods of each respective additional cutting tool provide for optimization of efficiency of the method of milling.

8. The method of milling defined in claim 6 wherein the first amount of the road material removed by the first milling action of the first cutting tool and the subsequent amounts of the road material removed by any subsequent milling actions of any additional cutting tools are generally equal in quantity, whereby all respective milling actions mill the generally equal quantities of the road material to form the finished depression.

9. The method of milling defined in claim 6 wherein the respective cutting tools each have a cutting tool number in sequential order based on performance of the respective milling action and wherein the cutting tools have a cutting tool count equal to the number of cutting tools and wherein the finished depression further comprises a lateral maximum depth having a measurement from a plane formed by the surface of the road and wherein the sequential respective milling actions of the respective cutting tools each have a penetration depth below the plane formed by the surface of the road which is relatively equal to the lateral maximum depth divided by the cutting tool count multiplied by the cutting tool number whereby each respective milling action mill a generally equal depth sequentially to form the finished depression.

10. The method of milling defined in claim 6 wherein the depression installation machine further comprises cutting tool displacement means to provide for a movement of each respective cutting tool along the depression installation machine, the movement comprising a rearward transfer and a forward transfer, the movement to provide for each respective cutting tool to be displaced during a respective milling cycle of the respective cutting tool, the respective milling action of the respective cutting tool occurring during the rearward transfer of the respective cutting tool.

11. A depression installation machine to provide for forming a finished depression in a road wherein a plurality of cutting tools sequentially mill respective portions of a road material from the road to form the finished depression, the depression installation machine comprising:

a) motion means to provide for moving the depression installation machine relative to the road;

b) a first cutting tool to provide for a first milling action to mill the road at a select positional placement location to remove a first amount of the road material;

c) at least one additional cutting tool, each additional cutting tool to provide for a subsequent milling action to mill the road to remove a subsequent amount of the road material at the select positional placement location, wherein a final milling action is produced by a final cutting tool, the final cutting tool being one of the additional cutting tools, the final milling action completing production of the finished depression;

d) elevational height adjustment means to provide for altering an elevational height of each respective cutting tool relative to the surface of the road, the respective cutting tools being the first cutting tool and any additional cutting tools, the elevational height adjustment means controlled by passage of at least a portion of the depression installation machine relative to the road, the elevational height adjustment means to further provide for controlling a respective milling action of each respective cutting tool to mill a select quantity of the road material of the road at the select positional placement location of the depression, the respective milling actions being the first milling action and any subsequent milling actions;

e) positional control means to provide for positioning the respective milling actions of the respective cutting tools at the select positional placement location to provide for a cooperation of the milling actions of the cutting tools to form the finished depression at the select positional placement location of the depression;

wherein the depression milling machine moves relative to the surface of the road and forms the finished depression at the select positional placement location utilizing the cooperation between the respective milling actions of the respective cutting tools.

12. The depression installation machine defined in claim 11 further comprising the step of repetitively forming finished depressions in a series of depressions, the series of depressions having a multiplicity of finished depressions generally aligned along a path;

and wherein the first cutting tool has a series of lowered periods and a series of elevated periods, the lowered periods of the first cutting tool comprising periods of time while at least a portion of the first cutting tool is below a grade of the surface of the road, the elevated periods of the first cutting tool comprising periods of time while all of the first cutting tool is above the grade of the surface of the road; and

wherein each additional cutting tool has a respective series of lowered periods and a respective series of elevated periods, the respective lowered periods of each additional cutting tool comprising periods of time while at least a portion of the respective additional cutting tool is below the grade of the surface of the road, the respective elevated periods of each additional cutting tool comprising periods of time while all of the respective additional cutting tool is above the grade of the surface of the road; and

wherein the lowered periods of the first cutting tool and the respective lowered periods of each respective additional cutting tool occur on a differing schedule, whereby the differing schedule of the lowered periods of the first cutting tool and the respective lowered periods of each respective additional cutting tool provide for optimization of efficiency of the method of milling.

13. The depression installation machine defined in claim 11 wherein the elevational height adjustment means further comprises an eccentric wheel, the eccentric wheel in contact with the road during forming of the depression, the eccentric wheel having at least one camming group thereon and a support axle, each camming group to provide for an altering of an elevational height of the support axle during rotation of the eccentric wheel along the road, the support axle at least partially supporting a respective cutting tool.

14. The depression installation machine defined in claim 11 wherein the elevational height adjustment means further comprises:

a) a ground engaging wheel in contact with the road;

b) a cam member powered to rotate based on a linkage to the ground engaging wheel, the cam member having at least one camming group thereon, each camming group having a profile;

c) a rider in contact with the cam member to move along each camming group during rotation of the cam member;

d) transfer means to provide for a transfer of the profile of each camming group to a respective cutting tool.

15. The depression installation machine defined in claim 11 wherein the elevational height adjustment means further comprises:

a) a ground engaging wheel in contact with the road;

b) an electronic control member receiving an input from a rotation of the ground engaging wheel;

c) transfer means to provide for the altering of the elevational height of each of the respective cutting tool based upon an electronic signal sent by the electronic control member.

16. The depression installation machine defined in claim 11 further comprises cutting tool displacement means to provide for a movement of each respective cutting tool along the depression installation machine, the movement comprising a rearward transfer and a forward transfer, the movement to provide for each respective cutting tool to be displaced during a respective milling cycle of the respective cutting tool, the respective milling action of the respective cutting tool occurring during the rearward transfer of the respective cutting tool.