Paving machine having adjustable ballast system and method
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A paving machine comprising:
- a frame having a hopper, a screed and a conveyor configured to transfer a paving material from said hopper to said screed;
ground engaging elements mounted to said frame; and
a ballast system having a first ballast state for operating said paving machine in a first operating configuration and at least one other ballast state for operating said paving machine in a second operating configuration, said ballast system including a first ballast support element, a second ballast support element and a ballast transfer element coupled between the first ballast support element and the second ballast support element, each of the first ballast support element, the second ballast support element and the ballast transfer element being resident on the paving machine, and the ballast system further including an actuator configured to adjust a movable ballast within the paving machine by way of the ballast transfer element between the first ballast support element and the second ballast support element to switch between said ballast states whereby the location of the center of gravity of the paving machine is controlled in the fore and aft direction of the paving machine.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A paving machine includes a frame having a hopper, a screed and a conveyor to transfer paving material between the hopper and the screed. A ballast system of the paving machine includes an actuator configured to adjust a movable ballast such as a liquid ballast to switch the paving machine between ballast states corresponding to different operating configurations thereof.
29 Citations
19 Claims
-
1. A paving machine comprising:
-
a frame having a hopper, a screed and a conveyor configured to transfer a paving material from said hopper to said screed; ground engaging elements mounted to said frame; and a ballast system having a first ballast state for operating said paving machine in a first operating configuration and at least one other ballast state for operating said paving machine in a second operating configuration, said ballast system including a first ballast support element, a second ballast support element and a ballast transfer element coupled between the first ballast support element and the second ballast support element, each of the first ballast support element, the second ballast support element and the ballast transfer element being resident on the paving machine, and the ballast system further including an actuator configured to adjust a movable ballast within the paving machine by way of the ballast transfer element between the first ballast support element and the second ballast support element to switch between said ballast states whereby the location of the center of gravity of the paving machine is controlled in the fore and aft direction of the paving machine. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A method of operating a paving machine having a frame with a hopper, a screed and a conveyor configured to transfer a paving material from the hopper to the screed, the method comprising the steps of:
-
adjusting the paving machine between a first operating configuration and a second operating configuration; commanding switching the paving machine between a first ballast state corresponding to the first operating configuration, and a second ballast state corresponding to the second operating configuration; wherein the step of commanding further includes a step of commanding adjusting a movable ballast between a first ballast support element and a second ballast support element within the paving machine by way of a ballast transfer element coupled between the first ballast support element and the second ballast support element, the first ballast support element, the second ballast support element and the ballast transfer element each being resident on the paving machine whereby the location of the center of gravity of the paving machine is controlled in the fore and aft direction of the paving machine. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A ballast system for a paving machine having a frame with a hopper, a screed and a conveyor configured to transfer a paving material from the hopper to the screed, said ballast system comprising:
-
a first ballast support element configured to mount to the frame of the paving machine at a first location; a second ballast support element configured to mount to the frame of the paving machine at a second location; a ballast transfer element configured to couple between the first ballast support element and the second ballast support element when mounted to the frame and having a first end connecting with the first ballast support element and a second end connecting with the second ballast support element; and an actuator configured to adjust a movable ballast between the ballast support elements within the paving machine by way of the ballast transfer element to switch the paving machine between a first ballast state for operating the paving machine in a first operating configuration and a second ballast state for operating the paving machine in a second operating configuration whereby the location of the center of gravity of the paving machine is controlled in the fore and aft direction of the paving machine. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
-
Specification