Automotive Construction Engine and Lifting Column for a Contruction Engine

• US 20100109422A1
• Filed: 09/12/2006
• Published: 05/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wirtgen America Incorporated (Deere & Company)
• Original Assignee: Wirtgen GmbH (Deere & Company)
• Inventors: Tewes, Günter, Busley, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,113,592 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 299/39.600
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/015 the regulating means comprising electric or electronic elements B60G17/002, B60G17/005 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/019 characterised by the type of sensor or the arrangement thereof B60G17/01941 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/421 Pivoted lever mechanisms for mounting suspension elements, e.g. Watt linkage
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/09 Construction vehicles, e.g. graders, excavators
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 3/01 the wheel being mounted for sliding movement, e.g. in or on a vertical guide camber maintaining means B60G3/26
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 21/00 Apparatus or processes for surface soil stabilisation for road building or like purposes, e.g. mixing local aggregate with binder recycling in place or on the road involving soil stabilisation E01C23/065 ; stabilising soil under existing surfacing E01C23/10; soil-conditioning or soil-stabilising materials C09K17/00; soil consolidation in general E02D3/12
• 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 23/127 rotary, e.g. rotary hammers

Abstract

Disclosed is an automotive road construction engine (1), particularly a recycler or a cold stripping machine, comprising an engine frame (4) that is supported by a chassis (2), a working roller (6) which is stationarily or pivotally mounted on the engine frame (4) and is used for machining a ground surface or road surface (24). The chassis (2) is provided with wheels (10) or tracked running gears which are connected to the engine frame (4) via lifting column (14) and are vertically adjustable relative to the engine frame (4). The lifting columns (14) are composed of two hollow cylinders (13, 15) that can be inserted into each other, are used as a guiding unit, and preferably coaxially accommodate at least one piston-cylinder unit (16) therein for vertical adjustment purposes. Each individually vertically adjustable lifting column (14) is equipped with a device (18) for measuring the actual vertical state of the lifting column (14). Said measuring device (18) is coupled to lifting column (14) elements that can be adjusted relative to each other according to the vertical position in such a way that the measuring device (18) can continuously detect a path signal regarding the vertical position of each lifting column (14). A controller (23) which receives the measured path signals of the measuring devices (18) of all lifting columns (14) regulates the vertical state of the lifting columns (14) in accordance with the measured path signals of the measuring devices (18) and/or the changes thereof over time.

Claims

1. Automotive road construction machine (1), in particular recycler or cold milling machine, with

a machine frame (4) supported by a chassis (2),

a working drum (6) mounted at the machine frame (4) in an immovable and/or pivotable manner, and used for working a ground surface or traffic surface (24), where

the chassis (2) is provided with wheels (10) or crawler track units that are connected to the machine frame (4) via lifting columns (14) and are individually adjustable in height relative to the machine frame (4),

characterIzed In that

the lifting columns (14) comprise two hollow cylinders (13, 15) capable of telescoping that serve as guiding unit and accommodate at least one piston cylinder unit (16) for height adjustment, preferably in a coaxial manner, on their inside,

each individually height-adjustable lifting column (14) is provided with a measuring device (18) for measuring the current lifting state of the lifting column (14),

the measuring device (18) is coupled with elements of the lifting column (14), which are capable of being displaced relative to one another in accordance with the lifting position, in such a manner that a path signal pertaining to the lifting position of each lifting column (14) is continuously detectable by the measuring device (18), and

a controller (23), which receives the measured path signals from the measuring devices (18) of all the lifting columns (14), regulates the lifting state of the lifting columns (14) in accordance with the measured path signals of the measuring devices (18) and/or their alterations over time.

2. Construction machine in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the measuring devices (18) consist of path measuring devices.

3. Construction machine in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the measured signals from the measuring devices (18) of all the lifting columns (14) are suitable for supplying to an indicator device (20) for the lifting position of the lifting columns (14).

4. Construction machine in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the measuring devices (18) are provided with wire-ropes (22), which are coupled with the lifting columns (14), and wire-rope sensors (21) as path measuring devices.

5. Construction machine in accordance with claim 4, characterized in that a wire-rope (22) that is under tension and capable of being rolled up is coupled with elements of the lifting column (14), which are capable of being displaced relative to one another in accordance with the lifting position, in such a manner that a path signal pertaining to the lifting position of each lifting column (14) is detectable continuously.

6. Construction machine in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the chassis (2) with the machine frame (4) can be adjusted to a reference plane, and that a desired spatial position like, for instance, a parallel position of the machine frame (4) to the reference plane can be adjusted as a reference lifting position of the chassis on the reference plane by storing the measured signals of the measuring devices (18) in accordance with the current lifting position of the lifting columns (14).

7. Construction machine in accordance with claim 3, characterized in that at least one limiting value for the height adjustment monitored by the measuring device (18) can be adjusted for each lifting column (14), the said limiting value limiting the lowest and/or highest lifting position of a lifting column (14) to a pre-determined value.

8. Construction machine in accordance with claim 7, characterized in that the lowest or highest lifting position in the direction of movement is positioned in front of the mechanical limit stop of the piston against the cylinder of the piston cylinder unit (16).

9. Construction machine in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the controller (23), which receives the measured path signals from the measuring devices (18) of all the lifting columns (14), regulates the lifting state of the lifting columns (14) in such a manner that the machine frame (4) shows a pre-determined transverse inclination or a pre-determined path-dependent transverse inclination sequence transverse to the direction of travel.

10. Construction machine in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that, with the alteration of the lifting state of one wheel (10) or crawler track unit, a neighbouring wheel (10) or crawler track unit in transverse direction or longitudinal direction of the machine frame (4) is adjustable in height in an opposite manner.

11. Construction machine in accordance with claim 10, characterized in that the neighbouring wheels (10) or crawler track units are height-adjustable by the same amount in an opposite manner.

12. Construction machine in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the neighbouring wheels (10) or crawler track units in transverse direction of the machine frame (4), which are the front wheels (10) or crawler track units when seen in the direction of travel, are height-adjustable in the manner of a full-floating axle.

13. Construction machine in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the controller (23) receiving the measured signals from the measuring devices (18) of all the lifting columns (14) adjusts a desired lifting position of the lifting column (14) without overshooting or with as little overshooting as possible in accordance with the measured path signals of the measuring devices (18) and/or their alterations over time.

14. Construction machine in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the measured signals of the measuring device (18) are suitable for calibrating to a unit of length.

15. Construction machine in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that a controller (23) regulates the working depth of the working drum (6), and that the controller (23) receives the measured path signals from the measuring device (18) and includes them into the regulation of the working depth of the working drum (6).

16. Construction machine in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that each lifting column (14) is provided at the lower end with a support (11) for the wheel (10) or crawler track unit, and that a distance sensor (30) measures the distance of the support (11) to the ground surface and traffic surface (24) and transmits a measured signal to a controller (23) for the lifting position of the lifting columns (14), and/or to a controller (23) for the working depth of the working drum (6), and/or to the indicator device (20).

17. Construction machine in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that each lifting column (14) is provided at the lower end with a support (11) for the wheel (10) or crawler track unit, and that a distance sensor (30) measures the distance of the support (11) to the ground surface and traffic surface (24) in a pre-determined distance in front of or next to the wheel (10) or crawler track unit and transmits the measured signal to a controller (23) for the lifting position of the lifting columns (24), and/or to a controller (23) for the working depth of the working drum (6), and/or to the indicator device (20).

18. Lifting column (14) for a road construction machine (1) in accordance with claim 1, with two hollow cylinders (13, 15) capable of telescoping, which accommodate at least one piston cylinder unit (16) for height adjustment,

characterized in that

the hollow cylinders (13, 15) are provided with a measuring device (18) for measuring the current lifting state of the lifting column (14),

the measuring device (18) is coupled with elements of the lifting column (14), which are capable of being displaced relative to one another in accordance with the lifting position, in such a manner that a path signal pertaining to the lifting position of each lifting column (14) is detectable continuously, and

a controller (23) receiving the measured path signals from the measuring devices (18) of all the lifting columns (14) regulates the lifting state of the lifting columns (14) in accordance with the measured path signals of the measuring devices (18) and/or their alteration over time.

19. Construction machine in accordance with claim 2, characterized in that the measured signals from the measuring devices (18) of all the lifting columns (14) are suitable for supplying to an indicator device (20) for the lifting position of the lifting columns (14).