Removing earth working method with a removing tool offset obliquely with respect to the propulsion direction, and earth working machine embodied to execute the method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12264443-B2
Application number	US-202318492857-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 24, 2023
Priority date	Dec 30, 2019
Publication date	Apr 1, 2025
Grant date	Apr 1, 2025

Abstract

The present invention relates to an earth working method for removing earth material by means of a tool ( 14 ) rotating around a working axis (R); the rotating tool ( 14 ) being carried by a machine frame ( 20 ) of an earth working machine ( 10 ); the machine frame ( 20 ) standing on a substrate (U) by way of a rollable propelling unit ( 13 ) and being driven by a propulsion drive apparatus ( 25 , HM) to perform a propelled motion relative to the substrate (U) in a propulsion direction (VR); the propulsion direction (VR) enclosing with the working axis (R) an angle (β) different from 90°; and the present invention further relates to an earth working machine embodied to execute the earth working method.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A mobile earth-removing earth working machine, comprising:
a machine frame having a roll axis extending parallel to a longitudinal machine frame direction and a yaw axis extending parallel to a vertical machine direction, the roll axis and the yaw axis defining a reference plane;
a propelling unit configured to support the machine frame from a substrate, the propelling unit including a plurality of steerable drive units rollable on the substrate;
a working apparatus carried by the machine frame and including an earth-removing tool rotatable around a working axis, the working axis being arranged with a constant angular orientation relative to the reference plane;
a working drive apparatus configured to drive the earth-removing tool to rotate around the working axis;
a propulsion drive apparatus configured to drive the earth working machine to perform a propelled motion in a propulsion direction relative to the substrate;
a steering apparatus configured to modify steering angles of the plurality of steerable drive units relative to the reference plane; and
a controller configured to receive and store in a data memory of the controller a predetermined value of a setting angle between the propulsion direction and the reference plane, the setting angle being different from zero, and the controller being configured to output control instructions to the steering apparatus to automatically maintain the setting angle at the predetermined value during an earth-removing operation; and
wherein the working axis is arranged orthogonally to the reference plane.

2. The mobile earth-removing earth working machine of claim 1 , wherein:
the steering apparatus is configured to orient the plurality of steerable drive units with respective steering angles equal to the setting angle such that the propulsion direction of the earth working machine when traveling straight ahead encloses the setting angle with the roll axis.

3. The mobile earth-removing earth working machine of claim 1 , wherein:
the steering apparatus includes a tie rod connecting together at least two of the steerable drive units, the at least two of the steerable drive units defining a shared propelling-unit axis, the tie rod being adjustable in length.

4. The mobile earth-removing earth working machine of claim 1 , wherein:
at least two of the steerable drive units define a shared propelling-unit axis; and
the steering apparatus further comprises:
two steering arms, each of the steering arms being attached to one of the at least two of the steerable drive units defining the shared propelling-unit axis, each steering arm being rotatable with the respective steerable drive unit around a correction axis parallel to the yaw axis of the machine frame; and
a tie rod having two longitudinal ends connected respectively to the two steering arms.

5. The mobile earth-removing earth working machine of claim 1 , wherein:
the machine frame is carried vertically adjustably on the propelling unit.

6. The mobile earth-removing earth working machine of claim 1 , wherein:
the earth-removing tool is a milling drum carrying a plurality of milling bits defining an enveloping surface radially spaced around the working axis.

7. The mobile earth-removing earth working machine of claim 6 , wherein:
at least a plurality of the milling bits are arranged helically on the enveloping surface.

8. The mobile earth-removing earth working machine of claim 1 , wherein:
the steering apparatus is configured to orient the plurality of steerable drive units with respective steering angles such that the earth working machine can also travel during an earth-removing working operation of the working apparatus straight ahead in the propulsion direction parallel to the roll axis and oriented orthogonally to a working plane extending parallel to the yaw axis and containing the working axis.

9. The mobile earth-removing earth working machine of claim 1 , wherein:
the earth working machine is a road milling machine, a recycler, a stabilizer or a surface miner.

10. The mobile earth-removing earth working machine of claim 1 , wherein:
the controller is configured to maintain the setting angle by automatically controlling steering angles of the plurality of steerable drive units of the propelling unit.

11. The mobile earth-removing earth working machine of claim 1 , wherein:
the steering apparatus includes a tie rod connecting together at least two of the steerable drive units, the at least two of the steerable drive units defining a shared propelling-unit axis, the tie rod being adjustable in length; and
the controller is configured to store in a memory of the controller data for modifying the length of the adjustable tie rod so that the at least two of the steerable drive units are oriented parallel to one another, and the controller is configured to automatically control the length of the adjustable tie rod so that the at least two of the steerable drive units are oriented parallel to one another in response to a steering input.

Assignees

• Wirtgen Gmbh

Inventors

• Winkels Sebastian

Classifications

• E01C23/127 Primary

  rotary, e.g. rotary hammers · CPC title

• E01C19/004

  Devices for guiding or controlling the machines along a predetermined path (for graders or bulldozers E02F3/841; for other soil-shifting machines E02F9/2045) · CPC title

• E21C47/00

  Machines for obtaining or the removal of materials in open-pit mines (obtaining peat E21C49/00) · CPC title

• E01C23/065

  Recycling in place or on the road, i.e. hot or cold reprocessing of paving in situ or on the traffic surface, with or without adding virgin material or lifting of salvaged material; Repairs or resurfacing involving at least partial reprocessing of the existing paving (in situ mixing of hydraulic cement concrete E01C19/025; apparatus for in-plant recycling E01C19/1004, E01C19/1036) · CPC title

• E01C23/088 Primary

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