Sensor positioning apparatus for trench excavator
First Claim
1. Excavating apparatus comprising:
- a prime mover having excavating means for excavating a trench with a floor which is to be substantially parallel to a reference signal, said excavating means defining an end thereof remote from said prime mover, said excavating means having a rotatable member having an axis of rotation, and a plurality of cutting tools which travel around said rotatable member at said end of said excavating means remote from said prime mover, and said excavating means being pivotable relative to said prime mover to vary the depth of said trench, said cutting tools defining a lowest excavating surface of said excavating means;
sensor means for detecting said reference signal;
detector means for detecting if said sensor means moves out of a required angular position relative to the reference signal;
means for moving said sensor means relative to said excavating means along a first path to return the sensor means to said required angular position; and
guide means for defining said first path of movement of said sensor means relative to said excavating means to be an arcuate first path, said arcuate first path having a center of curvature generally at said axis of rotation of said rotatable member of said excavating means, said arcuate first path being such that, as said excavating means pivots, said sensor means moves relative to said prime mover along a second path, and said lowest excavating surface moves relative to said prime mover along a third path, said second path of movement of said sensor relative to said prime mover being substantially the same in direction and distance as said third path of movement relative to said prime mover of said lowest excavating surface of said excavating means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Excavating apparatus includes a vehicle having excavator in the form of a pivotal cutting boom pivotably mounted on the vehicle. The cutting boom has an endless cutting clain drivingly mounted thereon and the boom is pivoted relative to the vehicle so as to vary the depth to which a trench is current. In seeking to cut a trench having a level floor irrespective of any undulations in the surface upon which the vehicle travels, a sensor is associated with the apparatus and is arranged to receive a reference signal. Any variation in the location at which the reference signal impinges on the sensor, for instance due to the passage of the vehicle up an incline, serves to determine the angle at which the cutting boom extends from the vehicle and so varies the depth to which the trench is cut. In order to achieve an accurate relationship between the movement of the position at which the signal impinges on the sensor, and the corresponding movement of the boom, the sensor is mounted in such a way that it can move relative to the cutting boom along an arcuate path defined by an arcuate guide having a center of curvature that corresponds to the axis of rotation of an idler about which the cutting clain travels.
28 Citations
32 Claims
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1. Excavating apparatus comprising:
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a prime mover having excavating means for excavating a trench with a floor which is to be substantially parallel to a reference signal, said excavating means defining an end thereof remote from said prime mover, said excavating means having a rotatable member having an axis of rotation, and a plurality of cutting tools which travel around said rotatable member at said end of said excavating means remote from said prime mover, and said excavating means being pivotable relative to said prime mover to vary the depth of said trench, said cutting tools defining a lowest excavating surface of said excavating means; sensor means for detecting said reference signal; detector means for detecting if said sensor means moves out of a required angular position relative to the reference signal; means for moving said sensor means relative to said excavating means along a first path to return the sensor means to said required angular position; and guide means for defining said first path of movement of said sensor means relative to said excavating means to be an arcuate first path, said arcuate first path having a center of curvature generally at said axis of rotation of said rotatable member of said excavating means, said arcuate first path being such that, as said excavating means pivots, said sensor means moves relative to said prime mover along a second path, and said lowest excavating surface moves relative to said prime mover along a third path, said second path of movement of said sensor relative to said prime mover being substantially the same in direction and distance as said third path of movement relative to said prime mover of said lowest excavating surface of said excavating means. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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2. Excavating apparatus for use with a prime mover, the apparatus comprising:
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excavating means for excavating a trench with a floor which is to be substantially parallel to a reference signal; mounting means for mounting the excavating means on the prime mover in operation, said excavating means defining an end thereof remote from said prime mover, said excavating means having a rotatable member having an axis of rotation, and a plurality of cutting tools which travel around said rotatable member at said end of said excavating means remote from said mounting means, and said excavating means being pivotable relative to said mounting means to vary the depth of said trench, said cutting tools defining a lowest excavating surface of said excavating means; sensor means for detecting said reference signal; detector means for detecting if said sensor means moves out of a required angular position relative to the reference signal; means for moving said sensor means relative to said excavating means along a first path to return the sensor means to said required angular position; and guide means for defining said first path of movement of said sensor means relative to said excavating means to be an arcuate first path, said arcuate first path having a center of curvature generally at said axis of rotation of said rotatable member of said excavating means, said arcuate first path being such that, as said excavating means pivots, said sensor means moves relative to said prime mover along a second path, and said lowest excavating surface moves relative to said mounting means along a third path, said second path of movement of said sensor relative to said mounting means being substantially the same in direction and distance as said third path of movement relative to said mounting means of said lowest excavating surface of said excavating means.
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17. Excavating apparatus comprising:
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a prime mover having an excavating assembly for excavating a trench with a floor which is to be substantially parallel to a reference signal, said excavating assembly defining an end thereof remote from said prime mover, said excavating assembly having a rotatable member having an axis of rotation, and a plurality of cutting tools which travel around said rotatable member at said end of said excavating assembly remote from said prime mover, and said excavating assembly being pivotable relative to said prime mover to vary the depth of said trench, said cutting tools defining a lowest excavating surface of said excavating assembly; a sensor device constructed and arranged to sense said reference signal; a detector device constructed and arranged to detect if said sensor device moves out of a required angular position relative to the reference signal; a movement device constructed and arranged to move said sensor device relative to said excavating assembly along a first path to return the sensor device to said required angular position; and guide structure constructed and arranged to define said first path of movement of said sensor device relative to said excavating assembly to be an arcuate first path, said arcuate first path having a center of curvature generally at said axis of rotation of said rotatable member of said excavating assembly, said arcuate first path being such that, as said excavating assembly pivots, said sensor device moves relative to said prime mover along a second path, and said lowest excavating surface moves relative to said prime mover along a third path, said second path of movement of said sensor relative to said prime mover being substantially the same in direction and distance as said third path of movement relative to said prime mover of said lowest excavating surface of said excavating assembly. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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18. Excavating apparatus for use with a prime mover, the apparatus comprising:
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an excavating assembly for excavating a trench with a floor which is to be substantially parallel to a reference signal; mounting structure constructed and arranged to mount the excavating assembly on the prime mover in operation, said excavating assembly defining an end thereof remote from said prime mover, said excavating assembly having a rotatable member having an axis of rotation, and a plurality of cutting tools which travel around said rotatable member at said end of said excavating assembly remote from said mounting structure, and said excavating assembly being pivotable relative to said mounting structure to vary the depth of said trench, said cutting tools defining a lowest excavating surface of said excavating assembly; a sensor device constructed and arranged to sense said reference signal; a detector device constructed and arranged to detect if said sensor device moves out of a required angular position relative to the reference signal; a movement device constructed and arranged to move said sensor device relative to said excavating assembly along a first path to return the sensor device to said required angular position; and guide structure constructed and arranged to define said first path of movement of said sensor device relative to said excavating assembly to be an arcuate first path, said arcuate first path having a center of curvature generally at said axis of rotation of said rotatable member of said excavating assembly, said arcuate first path being such that, as said excavating assembly pivots, said sensor device moves relative to said prime mover along a second path, and said lowest excavating surface moves relative to said mounting structure along a third path, said second path of movement of said sensor relative to said mounting structure being substantially the same in direction and distance as said third path of movement relative to said mounting structure of said lowest excavating surface of said excavating assembly.
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Specification