Transport mode conversion

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10496106-B2
Application number	US-201715621289-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 13, 2017
Priority date	Nov 13, 2014
Publication date	Dec 3, 2019
Grant date	Dec 3, 2019

Abstract

A self-propelled paving machine includes a plurality of swing legs, each swing leg being supported from a ground surface by an associated crawler track steerably connected to an outer end of its associated swing leg. The machine may be re-oriented from a paving mode to a transport mode by driving the ground engaging units to rotate the frame substantially in place on the ground through a re-orientation angle of the frame relative to the ground, and as the frame is rotating, pivoting one or more of the swing legs from a paving position relative to the frame, to a transport position relative to the frame.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of preparing a paving machine for transport, the paving machine including:
a frame including a rear and a front, the frame defining a paving direction extending from the rear to the front;
a plurality of swing legs pivotally connected to the frame;
a plurality of ground engaging units, one ground engaging unit being steerably connected to each one of the swing legs, each of the ground engaging units including a drive such that the ground engaging unit is driven across the ground;
the method comprising the steps of:
(a) driving the ground engaging units to rotate the frame substantially in place on the ground through a re-orientation angle of the frame relative to the ground; and;
(b) as the frame is rotating, pivoting one or more of the swing legs from a paving position relative to the frame, to a transport position relative to the frame.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
in step (b), in the transport position the swing leg is positioned at a pivot angle of at least 80 degrees relative to the paving direction.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
in step (b), the swing legs pivot one at a time.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
in step (b), the swing legs pivot two at a time.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
in step (b), all of the swing legs pivot at the same time.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
in step (a), the re-orientation angle of the frame is in a range of plus or minus 30° about an odd multiple of 90°.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
in step (a), the re-orientation angle of the frame is in a range of plus or minus 10° about an odd multiple of 90°.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
in step (a), the re-orientation angle of the frame is substantially an odd multiple of 90°.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
in step (a), the frame rotates in only one rotational direction.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
in step (a), the frame rotates first in one rotational direction and then in an opposite rotational direction.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
prior to step (a), steering each of the ground engaging units such that a drive axis of each of the ground engaging units intersects substantially at a common point defining a center of rotation of the frame.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
the frame includes a left side and a right side; and
the center of rotation of the frame lies substantially on a centerline of the frame mid-way between the left side and the right side.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
the frame includes a front and a rear; and
the center of rotation of the frame lies substantially on a lateral centerline of the frame, the lateral centerline being substantially mid-way between the front and the rear.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
the frame includes a front and a rear; and
the center of rotation of the frame lies substantially offset from a lateral centerline of the frame, the lateral centerline being substantially mid-way between the front and the rear.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
in step (b), the pivoting of the one or more swing legs relative to the frame is performed at least in part by controlling a differential speed of the ground engaging units relative to each other.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
in step (b), the pivoting of the one or more swing legs relative to the frame is performed at least in part by steering the ground engaging units at different steering angles relative to their respective swing legs.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
in step (b), the pivoting of the one or more swing legs relative to the frame is performed at least in part by controlling a pivotal connection between each swing leg and the frame.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the frame includes a left side and a right side; and
the frame includes a frame length between the front and the rear, and the frame includes a frame width between the left side and the right side, the frame width being greater than the frame length;
the plurality of swing legs includes a left front swing leg, a right front swing leg, a left rear swing leg and a right rear swing leg; and
the plurality of ground engaging units includes a left front crawler track, a right front crawler track, a left rear crawler track and a right rear crawler track;
wherein in step (a) all of the crawler tracks are driven; and
in step (b), by a time when step (a) is completed, all of the swing legs have pivoted to their transport positions.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein steps (a) and (b) are performed under control of an automatic controller in accordance with a set of pre-programmed operating instructions.

20. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
after step (b), driving the machine onto a transport vehicle under power of the ground engaging units.

21. The method of claim 1 , the machine further including a plurality of locks, each lock being configured to selectively lock a respective one of the swing legs in a pivotal position relative to the frame, the method further comprising:
prior to pivoting each swing leg in step (b), unlocking the lock associated with the respective swing leg.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein each lock comprises a linear actuator configured to hold its respective swing leg in a selected pivotal position relative to the frame; and
wherein the unlocking step comprises de-activating the linear actuator so that the linear actuator does not resist the pivotal motion of the respective swing leg relative to the frame during step (b).

23. The method of claim 21 , wherein each lock comprises a linear actuator configured to hold its respective swing leg in position relative to the frame, further comprising:
during step (b), actively facilitating the pivotal motion of the each swing leg relative to the frame with its respective linear actuator.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein:
during step (b), the linear actuator causes an absolute quantity of pivotal motion of its respective swing leg as determined by a controller according to an algorithm.

25. The method of claim 21 , wherein each lock comprises a hydraulic ram configured to hold its respective swing leg in position relative to the frame, a hydraulic supply line connected to the hydraulic ram, and a pressure control valve located in the supply line, the method further comprising:
during step (b), actively facilitating the pivoting of the respective swing leg with the hydraulic ram, and limiting the actively facilitating by providing a hydraulic pressure to the hydraulic ram controlled by the pressure control valve.

26. The method of claim 21 , further comprising:
prior to step (a), steering each of the ground engaging units to a steering angle of no greater than 45° relative to its respective swing leg; and
wherein the unlocking step occurs prior to the steering step.

27. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
prior to step (a), steering each of the ground engaging units to a steering angle of no greater than 45° relative to its respective swing leg.

28. The method of claim 27 , further comprising:
during step (b), as each swing leg is pivoted toward its transport position relative to the frame, increasing the steering angle of its respective ground engaging unit relative to its respective swing leg.

Assignees

• Wirtgen Gmbh

Inventors

• Dahm Martin
• Liss Christian
• Lenz Martin
• Pock Benjamin

Classifications

• B62D11/20

  Endless-track steering having pivoted bogie carrying track (B62D11/02 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B62D55/084

  Endless-track units or carriages mounted separably, adjustably or extensibly on vehicles, e.g. portable track units (B62D55/07 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B62D7/1509

  with different steering modes, e.g. crab-steering, or steering specially adapted for reversing of the vehicle · CPC title

• E01C19/48 Primary

  for laying-down the materials and consolidating them, or finishing the surface {, e.g. slip forms therefor, forming kerbs or gutters in a continuous operation in situ (E01C19/002, E01C23/065 take precedence; devices for guiding or controlling the machines along a predetermined path E01C19/004)} · CPC title

• B62D55/065

  Multi-track vehicles, i.e. more than two tracks {(soil-shifting machines E02F; mining machines E21C)} · CPC title