Rotor position indicator system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10633806-B2
Application number	US-201815995960-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 1, 2018
Priority date	Jun 1, 2018
Publication date	Apr 28, 2020
Grant date	Apr 28, 2020

Abstract

A rotor position indicator system may include a side plate and a first rotor width indicator plate. The side plate may be positioned on a side of an earth moving milling machine, and the first rotor width indicator plate may be inset on an external face of the side plate. The first rotor width indicator plate may include a plurality of markings, with each marking corresponding to a rotor position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rotor position indicator system comprising:
a side plate positioned on a first side of an earth moving milling machine; and
a rotor width indicator to indicate a total width of the rotor, the rotor width indicator including:
a first rotor width indicator plate inset on an external face of the first side plate, the first rotor width indicator plate including a plurality of markings, each marking of the plurality of markings corresponding to a fore position of the rotor; and
a second rotor width indicator plate inset on the external face of the first side plate, the second width indicator plate including a plurality of markings, each marking of the plurality of markings corresponding to an aft position of the rotor.

2. The rotor position indicator system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a third rotor width indicator plate inset on an external face of a second side plate, the third rotor width indicator plate including a plurality of markings, each marking of the plurality of markings corresponding to a fore position of the rotor.

3. The rotor position indicator system of claim 2 , further comprising:
a fourth rotor width indicator plate inset on the external face of the second side plate, the fourth rotor width indicator plate including a plurality of markings, each marking of the plurality of markings corresponding to an aft position of the rotor.

4. The rotor position indicator system of claim 1 , wherein the fore and aft positions of the rotor correspond to a depth of the rotor.

5. The rotor position indicator system of claim 1 , wherein the total width of the rotor is a width of the rotor where the rotor intersects a ground surface.

6. The rotor position indicator system of claim 1 , wherein the first side plate includes a machined feature to receive the first rotor width indicator plate within the first side plate, such that an external surface of the first rotor width indicator plate is inset relative to the external surface of the first side plate.

7. The rotor position indicator system claim 1 , wherein:
the first side plate includes a first color;
the first rotor width indicator plate includes a second color; and
the first color is different from the second color, such that the first rotor width indicator plate is visibly distinct from the first side plate.

8. The rotor position indicator system of claim 1 , wherein the first rotor width indicator plate is solid, such that debris cannot pass through the first rotor width indicator plate.

9. A rotor position indicator system comprising:
a depth indicator positioned at a first side of an earth moving milling machine, the depth indicator configured to indicate a depth of the rotor relative to the earth moving milling machine;
a rotor width indicator positioned on a side plate at the first side of the earth moving milling machine, the rotor width indicator configured to indicate a position of a width of the rotor including a fore position of the rotor and an aft position of the rotor; and
a machine height indicator positioned at the first side of the earth moving milling machine, the machine height indicator configured to indicate a raised height of the earth moving milling machine;
wherein the rotor width indicator corresponds to the depth indicator, such that the rotor width indicator is configured to identify a position of the width of the rotor for a given depth indicated by the depth indicator.

10. The rotor position indicator system of claim 9 , wherein the depth indicator and the machine height indicator are configured to together indicate an actual depth of the rotor relative to a ground surface.

11. The rotor position indicator system of claim 10 , wherein a height measurement of the machine height indicator is configured to be subtracted from a depth measurement of the depth indicator to identify the actual depth of the rotor relative to the ground surface.

12. The rotor position indicator system of claim 9 , wherein the rotor width indicator includes first and second rotor width indicator plates, each of the first and second rotor width indicator plates including a plurality of markings, each marking of the plurality of markings corresponding to a depth marking on the depth indicator.

13. The rotor position indicator system of claim 12 , wherein the first rotor width indicator plate identifies the fore position of the rotor, and the second rotor width indicator plate identifies the aft position of the rotor.

14. The rotor position indicator system of claim 13 , wherein the fore and aft position of the rotor corresponds to a position of the maximum width of the rotor parallel to a ground surface.

15. The rotor position indicator system of claim 9 , wherein the rotor width indicator is inset on a surface of the side plate at the first side of the earth moving milling machine.

16. The rotor position indicator system of claim 15 , further comprising:
the side plate, wherein the side plate includes at least one machined pocket for receiving the rotor width indicator such that the rotor width indicator is inset relative to the surface of the side plate.

17. The rotor position indicator system of claim 15 , wherein:
the side plate includes a first color;
the rotor width indicator includes a second color; and
the first color is different from the second color, such that the rotor width indicator is visibly distinct from the side plate.

18. The rotor position indicator system of claim 15 , wherein the rotor width indicator is bolted to the side plate.

19. A method of manufacturing a rotor depth indicator system, the method comprising:
providing a depth indicator at a first side of an earth moving milling machine, the depth indicator configured to indicate a depth of a rotor of the earth moving milling machine;
providing a rotor width indicator inset on a side plate at the first side of the earth moving milling machine, the rotor width indicator configured to indicate a fore and aft position corresponding to a width of the rotor where the rotor meets a ground surface; and
providing a machine height indicator at the first side of the earth moving milling machine, the machine height indicator configured to indicate a raised height of the earth moving milling machine;
wherein the rotor width indicator corresponds to the depth indicator, such that the first rotor width indicator is configured to identify a position of the width of the rotor for a given depth indicated by the depth indicator;
wherein the depth indicator and the machine height indicator are configured to together indicate an actual depth of the rotor relative to the ground surface.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
providing the side plate at the first side of the earth moving milling machine; and
coupling the rotor width indicator to the side plate such that the rotor width indicator is inset relative to an external surface of the side plate.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Paving Products Inc

Inventors

• Sondreal Dustin W
• Hedlund Roger A
• Muir Jason W
• Hutar Ryan
• Johnson Nicholas B

Classifications

• G01B5/02 Primary

  for measuring length, width or thickness (G01B5/004, G01B5/08 take precedence) · CPC title

• E01C23/127

  rotary, e.g. rotary hammers · CPC title

• G01B3/004

  Scales; Graduations · CPC title

• E01C23/088 Primary

  Rotary tools, e.g. milling drums {(for forming recesses to receive marking materials E01C23/0946)} · CPC title

• G01B5/0007

  Surface plates · CPC title