U.S. patent application number 12/771975 was filed with the patent office on 2011-11-03 for mechanism that continuously adjusts a drum position.
Invention is credited to Joe Fox, David R. Hall, Ashok Tamang, Tyson J. Wilde.
Application Number | 20110268503 12/771975 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44858361 |
Filed Date | 2011-11-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110268503 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hall; David R. ; et
al. |
November 3, 2011 |
Mechanism that Continuously Adjusts a Drum Position
Abstract
In one aspect of the invention, a degradation machine comprises
motorized vehicle supported by a plurality of translation elements.
A rotary degradation drum is attached to the vehicle. At least one
device provides a subsurface boundary profile. An adjustment
mechanism continuously adjusts a drum position to maintain a
distance of the drum from the subsurface boundary profile.
Inventors: |
Hall; David R.; (Provo,
UT) ; Fox; Joe; (Spanish Fork, UT) ; Wilde;
Tyson J.; (Aurora, CO) ; Tamang; Ashok;
(Provo, UT) |
Family ID: |
44858361 |
Appl. No.: |
12/771975 |
Filed: |
April 30, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
404/90 ;
404/75 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E02F 3/085 20130101;
E02F 3/086 20130101; E02F 3/183 20130101; E01C 23/088 20130101;
E21C 35/08 20130101; E01C 23/01 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
404/90 ;
404/75 |
International
Class: |
E01C 19/05 20060101
E01C019/05; E01C 7/04 20060101 E01C007/04 |
Claims
1. A degradation machine, comprising: a motorized vehicle supported
by a plurality of translation elements; a rotary degradation drum
attached to the vehicle; at least one device that provides a
subsurface boundary profile, and an adjustment mechanism that
continuously adjusts a drum position to maintain a distance of the
drum from the subsurface boundary profile.
2. The machine of claim 1, wherein the adjustment mechanism
comprises an adjustment arm that is in communication with an axle
of the drum.
3. The machine of claim 2, wherein the adjustment arm comprises
multiple layers of piezoelectric material.
4. The machine of claim 2, wherein the adjustment arm comprises
multiple layers of magnetostrictive material.
5. The machine of claim 2, wherein the adjustment arm comprises
multiple layers of electrostrictive material, conducting polymers,
dielectric elastomers, or combinations thereof.
6. The machine of claim 2, wherein the adjustment arm comprises a
linear screw actuator.
7. The machine of claim 2, wherein the adjustment arm comprises a
hydraulic system comprising a piston connected to the axle of the
drum.
8. The machine of claim 1, wherein the machine is a road milling
machine.
9. The machine of claim 1, wherein the machine is mining
machine.
10. The machine of claim 1, wherein an axle of the drum is
substantially normal to an underside of the machine.
11. The machine of claim 1, wherein an axle of the drum is
substantially parallel to an underside of the machine.
12. The machine of claim 1, wherein the at least one device is a
ground penetrating radar.
13. The machine of claim 1, wherein the at least one device is a
GPS mounted on the machine.
14. The machine of claim 1, wherein the at least one device is a
remote database with the subsurface boundary knowledge.
15. The machine of claim 1, wherein the at least one device is an
acoustic sensor mounted in front of the machine.
16. A method of continuously adjusting a rotary degradation drum
position of a motorized vehicle comprising the steps of: providing
a degradation drum attached to a degradation machine; determining a
subsurface boundary profile; and continuously adjusting the depth
of cut to maintain a distance of the drum from the subsurface
boundary profile by an adjustment mechanism.
17. The machine of claim 16, wherein the subsurface boundary is a
boundary of a coal or mineral seam.
18. The machine of claim 16, wherein the subsurface boundary is a
boundary between layers of pavement.
19. The machine of claim 16, wherein torque applied to the drum
continuously changes with respect to the depth of cut.
20. The machine of claim 16, wherein the adjustment mechanism
adjusts the position of the drum to maintain a distance above the
reference, below the reference or combinations thereof.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to an adjustment mechanism for
adjusting the position of an adjustable machining tool, such as a
drum, in a degradation machine.
[0002] Examples of prior art height adjustment mechanism for
milling drums are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,767,264 to Eckey,
U.S. Pat. No. 4,103,973 to Cutler, U.S. Pat. No. 4,961,173 to Sehr
which are all herein incorporated by reference for all that they
contain.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] In one aspect of the invention, a degradation machine
comprises motorized vehicle supported by a plurality of translation
elements. A rotary degradation drum is attached to the vehicle. At
least one device provides a subsurface boundary profile. An
adjustment mechanism continuously adjusts a drum position to
maintain a distance of the drum from the subsurface boundary
profile.
[0004] The adjustment mechanism may comprise an adjustment arm that
is in mechanical communication with an axle of the drum. The
adjustment arm may comprise multiple layers of piezoelectric
material. The adjustment arm may comprise multiple layers of
magnetostrictive material. The adjustment arm may comprise multiple
layers of electrostrictive material, conducting polymers,
dielectric elastomers, or combinations thereof. The adjustment arm
may comprise a linear screw actuator. The adjustment arm may
comprise a hydraulic system comprising a piston connected to the
axle of the drum.
[0005] The machine may be a mining machine or a road milling
machine. The axle of the drum may be substantially normal to an
underside of the machine. The axle of the drum may be substantially
perpendicular to an underside of the machine. The at least one
device may be a ground penetrating radar. The at least one device
may be a GPS mounted on the machine. The at least one device may be
a remote database with the subsurface boundary knowledge. The at
least one device may be an acoustic sensor mounted in front of the
machine.
[0006] In another aspect of the invention, a method of continuously
adjusting a rotary degradation drum position of a motorized vehicle
comprises the steps of providing a degradation drum attached to a
degradation machine, determining a subsurface boundary profile and
continuously adjusting the depth of cut to maintain a distance of
the drum from the subsurface boundary profile by adjusting
mechanism.
[0007] The subsurface boundary may be a boundary of a coal or
mineral seam. The subsurface boundary may be a boundary between
layers of pavement. Torque applied to the drum may continuously
change with respect to the depth of cut. The adjustment mechanism
may adjust the position of the drum to maintain a distance above
the reference, below the reference or combinations thereof. The
adjustment mechanism may adjust the position of the drum
horizontally, vertically, or combinations thereof. The subsurface
boundary profile collected by the at least one device may be
communicated to the adjustment mechanism via a control unit. The
adjustment mechanism may comprise a hydraulic accumulator
controlled by the control unit.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1a is a diagram of an embodiment of a degradation
machine.
[0009] FIG. 1b is a prior art diagram of a milling procedure.
[0010] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional diagram of another embodiment of
a degradation drum engaged with a road surface.
[0011] FIG. 3 is a perspective diagram of an embodiment of an
adjustment mechanism.
[0012] FIG. 4 is a perspective diagram of another embodiment of an
adjustment mechanism.
[0013] FIG. 5 is a perspective diagram of another embodiment of an
adjustment mechanism.
[0014] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional diagram of another embodiment of
an adjustment mechanism.
[0015] FIG. 7 is a perspective diagram of another embodiment of an
adjustment mechanism.
[0016] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of an
adjustment mechanism.
[0017] FIG. 9 is an orthogonal diagram of an embodiment of a coal
excavator.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION AND THE PREFERRED
EMBODIMENT
[0018] FIG. 1a is a cross-sectional diagram that shows a plurality
of degradation assemblies 101 attached to a driving mechanism 102,
such as a rotatable drum attached to the underside of a pavement
milling machine 103. The milling machine 103 may be a planer used
to degrade man-made formations 104 such as pavement prior to
placement of a new layer of pavement. The degradation assemblies
101 may be attached to the drum 102, bringing the degradation
assemblies 101 into engagement with the formation 104. A holder,
such as a block welded or bolted to the drum, is attached to the
driving mechanism 102 and the degradation assembly is inserted into
the holder. The holder may hold the degradation assembly 101 at an
angle offset from the direction of rotation, such that the
degradation assembly engages the formation 104 at a preferential
angle. The arrow 105 shows the machine's direction of travel.
[0019] FIG. 1b discloses a prior art milling procedure of a road
surface structure. In the prior art, the depth of cut is controlled
by using the top surface layer 120 as a reference layer. For
example, a contractor will is hired to take an inch off the top of
a paved surface. However, as shown in FIG. 1b, the target layers
may have a uniform thickness. Often, the contractor is unaware that
the target layers are not uniform, and risks cutting into
undesirable sublayers. Unintentionally, milling into sublayers may
be damaging when the milling drum is not perfected to drilling into
a layer of those characteristics.
[0020] For example, roads originally made of cement slabs are often
covered with a layer of asphalt after the cement slabs have shifted
over time. The shifted slabs cause the asphalt layer 130 to have a
non-uniform thickness that is unknown to the contractor. Cement is
much harder than asphalt. Often, if a contractor mills into the
cement slabs at the same speed and toque as the when milling the
asphalt, the contractor's milling equipment may risk serious
damage. The cement slabs 140 may shift from their original position
horizontally, vertically, angularly, or combinations thereof. The
degradation assemblies 101 may follow at a uniform depth of cut as
it proceeds forward as illustrated by the dashed lines 150 in the
figure.
[0021] FIG. 2 discloses detailed views of degrading a road surface
and sensing a location of a subsurface boundary. A sensing device
210 may comprise a sensor such as acoustic, sound, vibration,
laser, position sensor, subatomic particles, GPR or GPS. The sensor
210 may transmit the impulse 200 vertically or at an angle. The
reflected impulse 200 is collected by a receiver in the sensor. The
GPR system may comprise an antenna unit, signal control console,
display monitor and/or graphic recorder. The antenna unit may be in
electrical communication with vehicle-mounted equipment.
[0022] In some embodiments, electromagnetic impulses of UHF and/or
VHF frequency may be emitted from the moving antenna and propagated
into the ground. Impulses 200 may be reflected at subsurface
boundaries 160 where density changes. Reflected impulses may be
detected by the antenna receiver and digitally stored for data
processing and interpretation. The GPR method may be
non-destructive, revealing subsurface detail without requiring
coring, breaking out or other destructive actions. The information
collected by the device 210 may be fed to an adjustment mechanism
via a control unit.
[0023] In other embodiments, the road may be scanned before milling
and a subsurface boundary location along the road may be stored off
site. The milling machine may be in wireless/remote communication
with a database containing information about the subsurface
boundary as the machine mills. In such embodiments, the machine may
be equipped with a location device, such as a global positioning
system unit that is adapted to communicate with satellites to
identify its location. Thus, the machines may integrate its
knowledge of changing location and the databases subsurface
boundary profile as the machine moves. In some embodiments, the
database may be stored directly on the machine.
[0024] The adjustment mechanism may continuously adjust the
position of the drum 102 to maintain a distance of the drum 102
from the subsurface boundary profile. As opposed to the prior art,
where the depth of cut is maintained from the top surface, the
present invention uses the subsurface boundary as the reference for
positioning the drum. The drum may be positioned at a uniform
distance above or below the subsurface boundary profile, or in some
embodiments, the contractor may desire to cut along the
boundary.
[0025] The adjustment mechanism may raise the position of the drum
102 to maintain its distance from the subsurface boundary between
the asphalt 130 and cement slabs 140 as illustrated in FIG. 2.
However, the boundary could be between layers of asphalt, layers of
cement, road bases, buried objects, or combinations thereof.
[0026] The degradation assemblies 101 may penetrate deeper into the
formation while adjusting its distance from the subsurface boundary
160. In some embodiments, the degradation assemblies 101 may
experience more resistance as it goes deeper into the formation.
High resistive forces may cause failure of the degradation
assemblies 101. To avoid such failure, the adjustment mechanism
continuously changes torque applied to the degradation assemblies
101 with respect to the depth of cut.
[0027] In the prior art, the milling drum's height, which
determines the depth of cut, is generally adjusted periodically by
adjusting hydraulic cylinders position above the tracks of the
machine.
[0028] FIG. 3 is a perspective diagram of an embodiment of an
adjustment mechanism adapted to adjust the milling drums height
while milling. The adjustment mechanism may comprise a rotary
degradation drum 102 and an adjustment arm 300 on each side of the
degradation drum 102. The adjustment arm 300 may be connected to an
axle of the degradation drum 102. The axle of the drum 102 may be
substantially parallel to the underside of the machine 103. The
adjustment arm 300 may further comprise multiple layers of
piezoelectric material 310. The piezoelectric material 310 may
comprise lead zirconate titanate crystals, quartz, berlinite,
topaz, gallium orthophosphate, polyvinylidine fluoride, or
combinations thereof. Current may be supplied through wires 320 to
the layers of piezoelectric material 310 via a control unit 330
that regulates the amount of current supply. The expansion and
contraction of the piezoelectric material 310 may result in the
expansion and contraction of the adjustment arm 300. The expansion
and contraction of the adjustment arm 300 may move the axle of the
degradation drum 102, thereby moving the degradation assemblies 101
vertically up and down. The extent of the movement of the
degradation assemblies 101 may depend on the amount of current
supplied, the type of piezoelectric material 310, or combinations
thereof.
[0029] In some embodiments, the adjustments in the drum's position
may only need to span within a few inches. Thus, the adjustment
mechanism may be designed for small, but precise, adjustments.
Preferably, the adjustments mechanism responds instantaneously to
follow the subsurface boundary's profile precisely.
[0030] FIG. 4 discloses an adjustment arm 300 on each side of the
degradation drum 102 that comprises multiple layers of
magnetostrictive material 400. The magnetostrictive material 400
may comprise cobalt, terfenol-D, ferromagnetic materials, or
combinations. The adjustment arm 300 may further comprise coil of
wire 320 wrapped around these layers. A magnetic field is produced
when current is supplied through the coil of wire 320 to may expand
the layers. The movement of the degradation assemblies 101 may
depend on the strength of the magnetic field produced, the type of
magnetostrictive material 400, or combinations thereof. The
adjustment arm 300 may further comprise multiple layers of
electrostrictive material, conducting polymers, dielectric
elastomers, or combinations thereof.
[0031] Referring now to FIG. 5, the adjustment mechanism comprises
adjustment arms 500 with linear screw translators 510 that are
actuated by a motor 520. The motor 520 may be connected to a
control unit 330 that regulates its rotation. The rotation of the
screw may move the adjustment arm 300 vertically up or down. The
movement of the degradation assemblies 101 may depend on the
rotation of the motor 520, pitch of the threads on the screw,
diameter of the screw, amount of current supplied, or combination
thereof.
[0032] FIG. 6 discloses the drum in an angled position which may be
accomplished when one of the adjustment arms 300 is extended a
greater distance than the other one. Any one of the above described
methods may be used to activate the adjusting arm 300. Angling the
drum may aid in following various subsurface boundary profiles,
especially in embodiments where cement slabs have shifted
diagonally with respect to the drum's length.
[0033] FIG. 7 discloses a hydraulic system 700 comprising a piston
710 connected to the axle 720 of the drum 102. The hydraulic system
700 may comprise a reservoir 730, a plurality of pistons 710, a
plurality of pumps 740 and valves 750. The opening and closing of
valves 750 is controlled by a control unit 760. The movement of the
drum 102 may be controlled by the combination of movement of
pistons 710 in the cylinders 770, 780. The vertical downward
movement of the drum 102 may be controlled by the downward movement
of the piston 710 in cylinder 770. The vertical upward movement of
the drum 102 may be controlled by the upward movement of the piston
710 in cylinder 780. The hydraulic system 700 may allow the drum
102 to move freely in any direction by properly coordinating the
pistons' movement.
[0034] FIG. 8 discloses a schematic diagram of a hydraulic system
800 for adjusting the drum's position with the hydraulic cylinders
associated with the tracks. The system 880 comprises pumps 880 and
hydraulic accumulators 810. The hydraulic accumulators 810 may be
connected to the main flow of the hydraulic system 800 instead of
large hydraulic pumps, so that a supply circuit may respond more
quickly to any temporary demand and to smooth pulsations. The
hydraulic accumulator 810 may be controlled through valves 820
controlled via a control unit 830. The hydraulic system 800 may
comprise cylinder 850 associated with the tracks. The hydraulic
accumulators 810 are adapted to continuously make adjustments.
[0035] FIG. 9 is an diagram of an embodiment of a mining machine
900 which may incorporate the features of the present invention.
The rotating drum 910 may be connected to an arms 950 that position
the drum 910 in any orientation to follow a profile of a coal 920
or mineral vane . The adjustment arm 950 may incorporated in a
hydraulic arm 980. The coal excavator 900 may move about by tracks,
wheels, or a combination thereof.
[0036] Whereas the present invention has been described in
particular relation to the drawings attached hereto, it should be
understood that other and further modifications apart from those
shown or suggested herein, may be made within the scope and spirit
of the present invention.
* * * * *