Transport conversion mode

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9969427-B1
Application number	US-201615352718-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Nov 16, 2016
Priority date	Nov 16, 2016
Publication date	May 15, 2018
Grant date	May 15, 2018

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 orientation to a transport orientation via a transport conversion mode of an automatic controller configured to spin the paving in place on the ground through a re-orientation angle, then rotate each of the crawler tracks relative to its respective swing leg until each crawler track is primarily oriented in a transport direction generally perpendicular to the paving direction, and then while moving the paving machine in the transport direction pivoting each of the swing legs relative to the frame until each swing leg is oriented primarily in the transport direction. The paving machine may then be driven onto a transport vehicle.

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, and the frame defining a transport direction perpendicular to the paving direction;
a plurality of swing legs pivotally connected to the frame; and
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 may be driven across the ground;
the method comprising the steps of:
(a) spinning the frame in place on the ground through a re-orientation angle;
(b) after step (a), rotating each of the ground engaging units relative to its respective swing leg until each ground engaging unit is oriented primarily in the transport direction; and
(c) while moving the paving machine in the transport direction, pivoting each of the swing legs relative to the frame until each swing leg is oriented primarily in the transport direction.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
in step (a) the re-orientation angle is substantially 90 degrees.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein;
step (a) is performed without pivoting any of the swing legs relative to the frame during the spinning.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (a) further comprises:
beginning with the frame in a paving orientation with the swing legs and the ground engaging units oriented primarily in the paving direction;
rotating each of the ground engaging units relative to its respective swing leg until each of the ground engaging units is in a spinning orientation transverse to its respective swing leg; and
synchronously driving at least two of the ground engaging units and thereby spinning the frame on the ground through the re-orientation angle without pivoting any of the swing legs relative to the frame during the spinning.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
prior to step (a) the paving machine is located in a roadway, with the paving machine in a paving orientation facing forward along a length of the roadway, and with a transport vehicle located in the roadway ahead of the paving machine, the transport vehicle being aligned with the length of the roadway; and
the frame has a left side and a right side defining a frame width between the left side and the right side; and
in step (a) the re-orientation angle is about 90 degrees so that at the end of step (a) the frame width is generally aligned with the length of the roadway.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
after step (c), advancing one or more of the ground engaging units so that the frame advances in the transport direction onto the transport vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
after step (c), advancing one or more of the ground engaging units so that the frame advances in the transport direction onto a transport vehicle;
transporting the paving machine to a new location;
driving the paving machine in a reverse transport direction off of the transport vehicle at the new location onto a roadway;
moving the paving machine along the roadway and while moving the paving machine along the roadway pivoting each of the swing legs relative to the frame until each swing leg is oriented primarily in the paving direction relative to the frame; and
spinning the frame in place on the ground through a second re-orientation angle of about 90 degrees until the frame extends across a width of the roadway.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
at least step (c) is performed under control of an automatic controller.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein:
step (b) is also performed under control of the automatic controller.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein:
step (a) is also performed under control of the automatic controller.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein for each associated swing leg and ground engaging unit, step (b) is performed before step (c).

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
step (c) includes steering at least one ground engaging unit while moving the paving machine in the transport direction and with the respective swing leg associated with the at least one ground engaging unit being unlocked relative to the frame so that the respective swing leg pivots relative to the frame in response to the steering of the at least one ground engaging unit.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein:
step (c) includes moving the paving machine to and fro in opposite transport directions.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
step (b) further comprises maintaining the swing legs fixed relative to the frame while rotating each of the ground engaging units relative to its respective swing leg until all of the ground engaging units are oriented primarily in the transport direction.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
step (c) includes retarding at least one ground engaging unit while moving the paving machine in the transport direction and with the respective swing leg associated with the at least one ground engaging unit being unlocked relative to the frame so that the respective swing leg pivots relative to the frame in response to the retarding of the at least one ground engaging unit.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein for each associated swing leg and ground engaging unit, during step (c) the respective ground engaging unit is always oriented in the transport direction.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein:
step (c) is performed under the control of an automatic controller, the automatic controller monitors a pivot angle of each swing leg relative to the frame, and the automatic controller controls a steering angle of each ground engaging unit relative to its respective swing leg to maintain the ground engaging units always oriented in the transport direction during pivoting of the swing legs.

18. A paving machine, comprising:
a frame including a rear and a front, the frame defining a paving direction extending from the rear to the front and a transport direction perpendicular to the paving direction;
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 may be driven across the ground; and
an automatic controller having a transport conversion mode in which the controller is configured to:
(a) cause the frame to spin in place on the ground through a re-orientation angle;
(b) then rotate each of the ground engaging units relative to its respective swing leg until each ground engaging unit is primarily oriented in the transport direction; and
(c) move the paving machine in the transport direction, and while moving in the transport direction pivot each of the swing legs relative to the frame until each swing leg is oriented primarily in the transport direction.

19. The paving machine of claim 18 , wherein the re-orientation angle is substantially 90 degrees.

20. The paving machine of claim 18 , wherein the automatic controller is further configured such that the spin of element (a) is performed without pivoting any of the swing legs relative to the frame during the spin.

21. The paving machine of claim 18 , wherein the automatic controller is further configured such that the spin of element (a) includes:
beginning with the frame in a paving orientation with the s

Assignees

• Wirtgen Gmbh

Inventors

• Engels Michael
• Liss Christian
• Barimani Cyrus

Classifications

• E01C19/4886 Primary

  for forming in a continuous operation kerbs, gutters, berms, safety kerbs, median barriers or like structures in situ, e.g. by slip-forming, by extrusion (removable forms for kerbs, gutters or similar structures E01C19/506; making conduits in situ E02D29/10) · 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

• E01C19/187

  solely for spreading-out or striking-off deposited mixtures, e.g. spread-out screws, strike-off boards · CPC title

• E01C2301/00

  Machine characteristics, parts or accessories not otherwise provided for · CPC title