Milling machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11660604-B2
Application number	US-202016750107-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 23, 2020
Priority date	Jan 23, 2020
Publication date	May 30, 2023
Grant date	May 30, 2023

Abstract

A milling machine includes a scraper door and a control system adapted to control a movement of the scraper door. The control system includes at least one actuator coupled with the scraper door. An extension of the at least one actuator allows lowering of the scraper door and a retraction of the at least one actuator allows raising of the scraper door. The control system also includes a first valve. The control system further includes a second valve. The control module is configured to receive an input signal for raising the scraper door. The control module is also configured to transmit a first signal for operating the first valve in the second position and a second signal for controlling an amount of opening of the second valve for the retraction of the at least one actuator in order to raise the scraper door.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A milling machine for providing a milled surface, the milling machine comprising:
a scraper door disposed on the milling machine, the scraper door configured to clean off the milled surface; and
a control system adapted to control a movement of the scraper door, wherein the control system includes:
at least one actuator coupled with the scraper door, wherein an extension of the at least one actuator allows lowering of the scraper door and a retraction of the at least one actuator allows raising of the scraper door;
a first valve in fluid communication with the at least one actuator, wherein the first valve is operable in a first position for the extension of the at least one actuator and a second position for the retraction of the at least one actuator;
a second valve in fluid communication with the first valve, wherein the second valve is adapted to control an amount of fluid pressure being directed towards the at least one actuator via the first valve; and
a control module communicably coupled with the first valve and the second valve, wherein the control module is configured to:
receive an input signal for raising the scraper door off the milled surface or for reducing a weight of the scraper door acting on the milled surface or for lowering the scraper door;
transmit a first signal for operating the first valve in the second position for raising the scraper door or for operating the first valve in the first position for lowering the scraper door;
transmit a second signal for controlling an amount of opening of the second valve for the retraction of the at least one actuator in order to: (a) when the input signal corresponds to raising the scraper door, raise the scraper door and (b) when the input signal corresponds to reducing the weight of the scraper door acting on the milled surface, lift the scraper door to reduce the weight of the scraper door acting on the milled surface without creating a clearance between the scraper door and the milled surface; and
transmit the second signal for controlling the amount of opening of the second valve for the extension of the at least one actuator in order to lower the scraper door,
wherein the amount of opening of the second valve is based on a desired fluid pressure selected by an operator, the desired fluid pressure a portion of a maximum allowable fluid pressure.

2. The milling machine of claim 1 , wherein the input signal is provided by the operator of the milling machine.

3. The milling machine of claim 1 , wherein the second valve includes a proportional pressure reducing valve.

4. The milling machine of claim 1 , wherein the at least one actuator includes a pair of actuators.

5. The milling machine of claim 1 , wherein the at least one actuator includes a hydraulic actuator.

6. The milling machine of claim 1 , wherein the at least one actuator includes a head end coupled with a frame of the milling machine and a rod end coupled with the scraper door.

7. A milling machine for providing a milled surface, the milling machine comprising:
a scraper door disposed on the milling machine, the scraper door configured to clean off the milled surface; and
a control system adapted to control a movement of the scraper door, wherein the control system includes:
a pair of actuators coupled with the scraper door, wherein an extension of each of the pair of actuators allows lowering of the scraper door and a retraction of each of the pair of actuators allows raising of the scraper door;
a first valve in fluid communication with the pair of actuators, wherein the first valve is operable in a first position for the extension of the pair of actuators and a second position for the retraction of the pair of actuators;
a second valve in fluid communication with the first valve, wherein the second valve is adapted to control an amount of fluid pressure being directed towards the pair of actuators via the first valve; and
a control module communicably coupled with the first valve and the second valve, wherein the control module is configured to:
receive an input signal for raising the scraper door off the milled surface or for reducing a weight of the scraper door acting on the milled surface or for lowering the scraper door;
transmit a first signal for operating the first valve in the second position for raising the scraper door or for operating the first valve in the first position for lowering the scraper door;
transmit a second signal for controlling an amount of opening of the second valve for the retraction of the pair of actuators in order to: (a) when the input signal corresponds to raising the scraper door, raise the scraper door; and (b) when the input signal corresponds to reducing the weight of the scraper door acting on the milled surface, lift the scraper door to reduce the weight of the scraper door acting on the milled surface without creating a clearance between the scraper door and the milled surface; and
transmit the second signal for controlling the amount of opening of the second valve for the extension of the pair of actuators in order to lower the scraper door,
wherein the amount of opening of the second valve is based on a desired fluid pressure selected by an operator, the desired fluid pressure a portion of a maximum allowable fluid pressure.

8. The milling machine of claim 7 , wherein the input signal is provided by the operator of the milling machine.

9. The milling machine of claim 7 , wherein the second valve includes a proportional pressure reducing valve.

10. The milling machine of claim 7 , wherein each of the pair of actuators includes a hydraulic actuator.

11. The milling machine of claim 7 , wherein each of the pair of actuators includes a head end coupled with a frame of the milling machine and a rod end coupled with the scraper door.

12. A control system adapted to control a movement of a scraper door disposed on a machine for providing a milled surface, the scraper door configured to clean off the milled surface, the control system comprising:
at least one actuator coupled with the scraper door disposed on the machine, wherein an extension of the at least one actuator allows lowering of the scraper door and a retraction of the at least one actuator allows raising of the scraper door;
a first valve in fluid communication with the at least one actuator, wherein the first valve is operable in a first position for the extension of the at least one actuator and a second position for the retraction of the at least one actuator;
a second valve in fluid communication with the first valve, wherein the second valve is adapted to control an amount of fluid pressure being directed towards the at least one actuator via the first valve; and
a control module communicably coupled with the first valve and the second valve, wherein the control module is configured to:
receive an input signal for raising the scraper door off the milled surface or for reducing a weight of the scraper door acting on the milled surface or for lowering the scraper door;
transmit a first signal for operating the first valve in the second position for raising the scraper door or for operating the first valve in the first position for lowering the scraper door;
transmit a second signal for controlling an amount of opening of the second valve for the retraction of the at least one actuator in order to: (a) when the input signal corresponds to raising the scraper door, raise the scraper door; and (b) when the input signal corresponds to reducing the weight of the scraper door acting on the milled surface, lift the scraper door to reduce the weight of the scraper door acting on the milled surface without c

Assignees

• Caterpillar Paving Products Inc

Inventors

• Argenziano Nicholas James

Classifications

• B02C4/40 Primary

  Detachers, e.g. scrapers · CPC title

• B02C25/00

  Control arrangements specially adapted for crushing or disintegrating · CPC title

• E01C23/088 Primary

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