Milling machine with re-entering back wheels
CAFCFirst Claim
1. A work machine comprising:
- a frame supported by a pair of front wheels or tracks and a pair of rear wheels or tracks, at least one of the wheels or tracks being associated with a respective lifting column adapted to raise and lower said frame relative to the respective wheel or track;
a work tool supported by said frame;
a drive mechanism adapted to rotate said work tool and at least one of said wheels or tracks;
an articulation apparatus adapted to pivotally move said one of said wheels or tracks associated with said lifting column between a projecting position and a retracted position relative to said frame, said articulation apparatus including;
a support arm pivotally connecting said frame to the lifting column associated with said one wheel or track;
a first actuator connected to said support arm and operable to pivot said support arm relative to said frame;
a second actuator adapted to rotate said at least one wheel or track about a vertical axis.
4 Assignments
Litigations
2 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A work machine includes a frame (2) supported by a plurality of wheels or tracks (5), at least some of which are associated with respective lifting columns (32) adapted to raise and lower the frame (2) relative to the respective wheels or track (5). A work tool is supported by the frame (2), and a drive mechanism is adapted to rotate the work tool and at least one of or tracks (5). An articulation apparatus (10) uses a first actuator (20) and a pivoting support arm (11) to move one of the wheels or tracks (5) between a projecting position and a retracted position relative to the frame (2). The articulation apparatus (10) includes a second actuator (21) adaped to rotate the wheel or track (5) about a vertical axis (Z).
42 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A work machine comprising:
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a frame supported by a pair of front wheels or tracks and a pair of rear wheels or tracks, at least one of the wheels or tracks being associated with a respective lifting column adapted to raise and lower said frame relative to the respective wheel or track; a work tool supported by said frame; a drive mechanism adapted to rotate said work tool and at least one of said wheels or tracks; an articulation apparatus adapted to pivotally move said one of said wheels or tracks associated with said lifting column between a projecting position and a retracted position relative to said frame, said articulation apparatus including; a support arm pivotally connecting said frame to the lifting column associated with said one wheel or track; a first actuator connected to said support arm and operable to pivot said support arm relative to said frame; a second actuator adapted to rotate said at least one wheel or track about a vertical axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of controlling the position of at least one wheel or track of a plurality of wheels or tracks supporting a frame of a work machine, said at least one wheel or track being connected to a respective lifting column connected to said frame by a support arm, said lifting column being adapted to raise and lower said frame relative to the respective wheel or track, said method comprising the steps of:
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controllably actuating a first actuator to pivot said support arm relative to said frame to position said wheel or track between a projecting or retracted position relative to said frame, the projecting and retracted position forming an arc of at least 90°
, andcontrollably actuating a second actuator to position said wheel or track in a selected rotational direction about a vertical axis of said wheel or track. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A work machine, comprising:
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a frame supported by a plurality of wheels or tracks, at least one of which is associated with a rotatable sleeve of a respective lifting column adapted to raise and lower said frame relative to the respective wheel or track; a work tool supported by said frame; a drive mechanism adapted to rotate said work tool and at least one of said wheels or tracks; a fixed-length articulation apparatus adapted to pivotally move said one of said wheels or tracks associated with said lifting column between a projecting position and a retracted position relative to said frame; a first actuator connected between said articulation apparatus and said frame and adapted to pivot said one of said wheels or tracks relative to said frame; and a second actuator connected between said articulation apparatus and said rotatable sleeve of said respective lifting column and adapted to rotate said at least one wheel or track about a vertical axis. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A work machine comprising:
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a frame supported by a plurality of wheels or tracks, at least one of which is associated with a respective lifting column adapted to raise and lower the frame relative to the respective wheel or track; a work tool supported by the frame; a drive mechanism adapted to rotate the work tool and at least one of the wheels or tracks; an articulation apparatus adapted to pivotally move the one of the wheels or tracks associated with the lifting column between a projecting position and a retracted position relative to the frame, the articulation apparatus including; a support arm pivotally connecting the frame to the lifting column associated with the one wheel or track; a first actuator connected to the support arm and operable to pivot the support arm relative to the frame; a second actuator adapted to rotate the at least one wheel or track about a vertical axis, the second actuator including a first rigid link member pivotably connected to the coupling member and a second rigid link member pivotably connected to the support arm, both the first and second link members being also pivotably connected to each other, the second actuator further including an extendable actuation member pivotably connected on one end to the support arm and on the other end to the second rigid link member.
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35. A work machine comprising:
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a frame supported by a plurality of wheels or tracks, at least one of which is associated with a respective lifting column adapted to raise and lower the frame relative to the respective wheel or track; a work tool supported by the frame; a drive mechanism adapted to rotate the work tool and at least one of the wheels or tracks; an articulation apparatus adapted to pivotally move the one of the wheels or tracks associated with the lifting column between a projecting position and a retracted position relative to the frame, the articulation apparatus including; a support arm pivotally connecting the frame to the lifting column associated with the one wheel or track; a first actuator connected to the support arm and operable to pivot the support arm relative to the frame; a second actuator adapted to rotate the at least one wheel or track about a vertical axis, the second actuator connected between the support arm and the lifting column and adapted to controllably cause relative rotation between the lifting column and the support arm, the second actuator further connected to a coupling member which is in rotary engagement with the lifting column; a control device adapted to independently control the first and second actuators, the control device further adapted to coordinate the first and second actuators so as to maintain the orientation of a vertical rotation plane of the one wheel or track relative to the frame during pivoting movement of the support arm, the control device including at least one movement detector associated with the articulation apparatus, the movement detector adapted to detect relative movement between the coupling member and the support arm, the support arm comprising a seat formed adjacent the coupling member and receiving the movement detector, and wherein the detector received in the seat has a sensor element in contact with the coupling member.
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36. A work machine comprising:
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a frame supported by a plurality of wheels or tracks, at least one of which is associated with a respective lifting column adapted to raise and lower the frame relative to the respective wheel or track; a work tool supported by the frame; a drive mechanism adapted to rotate the work tool and at least one of the wheels or tracks; an articulation apparatus adapted to pivotally move the one of the wheels or tracks associated with the lifting column between a projecting position and a retracted position relative to the frame, the articulation apparatus including; a support arm pivotally connecting the frame to the lifting column associated with the one wheel or track; a first actuator connected to the support arm and operable to pivot the support arm relative to the frame, the support arm including an actuator adapted to lock the support arm in its projecting position and retracted position, respectively, the actuator including a stem adapted to come into engagement with a first hole in the frame when the support arm is in its projecting position and with a second hole in the frame when the support arm is in its retracted position; a second actuator adapted to rotate the at least one wheel or track about a vertical axis.
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37. A method of controlling the position of at least one wheel or track of a plurality of wheels or tracks supporting a frame of a work machine, the at least one wheel or track being connected to a respective lifting column connected to the frame by a support arm, the lifting column being adapted to raise and lower the frame relative to the respective wheel or track, the method comprising the steps of:
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controllably actuating a first actuator to pivot the support arm relative to the frame to position the wheel or track between a projecting or retracted position relative to the frame; controllably actuating a second actuator to position the wheel or track in a selected rotational direction about a vertical axis of the wheel or track; positioning the wheel or track in the rotational direction including rotating the lifting column; and positioning of the wheel or track in the rotational direction being determined by detecting a rotational position of the lifting column about the vertical axis of the wheel or track relative to the support arm.
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38. A method of controlling the position of at least one wheel or track of a plurality of wheels or tracks supporting a frame of a work machine, the at least one wheel or track being connected to a respective lifting column connected to the frame by a support arm, the lifting column being adapted to raise and lower the frame relative to the respective wheel or track, the method comprising the steps of:
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controllably actuating a first actuator to pivot the support arm relative to the frame to position the wheel or track between a projecting or retracted position relative to the frame; controllably actuating a second actuator to position the wheel or track in a selected rotational direction about a vertical axis of the wheel or track; and locking the support arm in its projecting position and retracted position, respectively, by means of an actuator, the locking including engaging an actuatable stem provided on the support arm with a first hole in the frame when the support arm is in its projecting position and with a second hole in the frame when the support arm is in its retracted position.
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Specification