Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.

Caterpillar Sarl

Caterpillar Inc.

Chad M Thiesse

Toby Andrew Frelich

Rick L Mings

Anthony P Steinhagen

Ryan Todd Thiesse

Mathew James Hedrington

Bryan Joseph Downing

Bradley D Anderson

Ronald D Wilson

Andrea Fontana

Ricky Leon Mings

Jameson Michael Smieja

Jason William Kopacz

Luke Edward Graham

Igor S Ramos

Aaron Matthew Case

Dustin W Bryan

Daniel D Podany

Reece Andrew Berns

Kea V Chin

A paving machine can include a frame; a screed coupled to the frame, the screed including one or more screed plates; one or more movable extender mechanisms located at a back end of each screed plate and configured to extend and retract up and down beneath the screed plate; and a controller configured to extend the one or more extender mechanisms a pre-determined distance before the screed begins a paving operation and to retract the one or more extender mechanisms after the screed has begun the paving operation.

Automated mechanical system to position screed at starting paving depth

A paving machine includes a tractor portion, a screed assembly, a lifting assembly configured to move the screed assembly from a raised position to a lowered position, an operator interface configured to receive input from an operator, and a control module. The tractor portion includes a plurality of tractor sensors configured to detect the presence of an object in a detection zone. The screed assembly is configured to be towed behind the tractor portion, and includes a plurality of screed sensors configured to detect the presence of an object in a detection zone. The control module is configured to receive a 'lower screed' input from the operator interface, receive a plurality of signals from the plurality of tractor sensors and the plurality of screed sensors, determine if an object is present in the detection zone based on the plurality of signals, automatically prevent or halt lowering of the screed assembly and direct the operator interface to display a warning if an object is detected, and direct the lift assembly to lower the screed assembly to the lowered position if no object is detected.

System and method for automatic lowering of a paving machine screed assembly

A screed assembly is disclosed. The screed assembly has a screed frame that includes a main screed. Attached to the main screed is a drop arm that is used to attach the screed assembly to a work machine. An actuator device of the screed assembly adjust the main screed from a neutral position to a nulled position by rotating the main screed around an axis of the pivot pin. The screed assembly may further include a controller that determines whether the main screed is in the neutral position and adjust the main screed to the nulled position by sending a null adjustment signal to the actuator device, and the actuator device moving the main screed from the neutral position to the nulled position in response to the null adjustment signal.

Automated nulling screed assembly

An auger segment can comprise a base having a first end, a second end opposite the first end in a length direction of the base, a first side, and a second side opposite the first side; a first receptacle projecting from the first side of the base; a second receptacle projecting from the first side of the base; and a flight projecting from the first side of the base between the first receptacle and the second receptacle. A first recess of the first receptacle can be defined by a first sidewall thereof and a second recess of the second receptacle can be defined by a second sidewall thereof. A first through hole can extend through the base in the first recess of the first receptacle and a second through hole can extend through the base in the second recess of the second receptacle.

Auger segment and systems, assemblies, and methods thereof

A wear plate for the conveyor of a paving machine has a bend at one axial end, an oblique flat surface at another axial end, a tab with an aperture extending from a side surface, or a tab extending from a side surface with a tapered configuration.

Paver conveyor wear plates

A spraying system for a road construction machine includes an emulsion fluid delivery system including an emulsion fluid supply, an emulsion pump, at least one spray bar with one or more nozzles, and flow conduits arranged to convey emulsion through the emulsion fluid delivery system. The spraying system may include a cleaning fluid tank containing a cleaning fluid, where the cleaning fluid tank is fluidly coupled to the emulsion fluid delivery system during a cleaning process. The spraying system may also include a flow monitoring system configured to monitor the amount of cleaning fluid delivered from the cleaning fluid tank to the emulsion fluid delivery system, where the flow monitoring system is configured to provide an indication regarding the amount of cleaning fluid delivered to the emulsion fluid delivery system during the cleaning process.

Cleaning system and method for a spraying system

A paving machine includes an engine, a material conveying system, a screed system including a plurality of screed heaters, and an emulsion sprayer system. The emulsion sprayer system includes an emulsion tank and one or more emulsion heaters. The machine further includes an engine load sensing system and a control system. The control system being configured to receive information from the engine load sensing system indicative of a load on the engine, and limit the operation of the one or more emulsion heaters when the received information indicates the load on the engine is above a value.

Emulsion heating control for a paving machine

A paving system may include a paving machine, including a paving material delivery assembly, including a hopper, a conveyor assembly, an auger, and a screed. The paving machine may also include an emulsion fluid delivery assembly including a plurality of spray bars, wherein each spray bar includes one or more nozzles. The paving system may also include a controller and a display interface. The controller may be configured to receive inputs from the display interface indicative of a mass and an area of emulsion fluid delivered from one active nozzle in order to calibrate the emulsion fluid delivery assembly.

Calibration system and method for a spraying machine

A paver material feed sensing system for a paving machine can comprise a sensor, sensor bracket, swivel assembly and mounting post. The sensor bracket can comprise an adjustable socket for receiving the sensor. The mounting post can comprise a first end coupled to the swivel assembly and a mounting slot located in a second end. The mounting slot can comprise a multi-faceted seat for engaging an edge of a plate of the paving machine. A method of positioning a paver material flow sensor can comprise tilting the mounting post on the plate of the paving machine.

Paver material feed system sensor mounting

A system for controlling heating of a screed plate includes screed plate disposed along the paving material delivery path. A first temperature sensor is operative to monitor a screed plate temperature and a second temperature sensor along the paving material delivery path is operative to monitor an actual paving material temperature of a paving material being applied to a work surface. A controller is configured to determine an estimated paving material temperature adjacent the screed plate based upon the actual paving material temperature and operate a heater to maintain the screed plate temperature within a temperature variation range relative to the estimated paving material temperature.

System for heating a paving screed

Systems and methods for spraying control in a paving machine comprise a screed system having an adjustable width, a position sensor configured to sense widths of the screed system, a spray bar having adjustable positions, a spray bar actuator to adjust positions of the spray bar, a spray bar sensor to sense positions of the spray bar, and a controller coupled to the position sensor, spray bar actuator and spray bar sensor that is configured to adjust the spray bar actuator depending on the sensed width. The spray bar sensor and actuator can be integrated together.

Systems and methods for spray bar control in paving machine

A paving machine includes an operator station including an operator display, a hopper to store paving material, a conveyor system to transfer the paving material to a dispersion system, and an emulsion system. The emulsion system includes an emulsion tank to store and dispense emulsion fluid, a sensor to measure a level of emulsion fluid, and a light indicator located in a forward line of sight from the operator station and including a first light portion signaling a tank full condition, and second light portion signaling an tank low condition.

Paving machine with an emulsion tank level sensor

A paving machine including a right hopper, a left hopper, an apron and an automated hopper and apron control system is provided. The right hopper, the left hopper and the apron are configured to move in a vertically upward and downward direction. The automated hopper and apron control system is configured to control the movement of one or more of the right hopper, the left hopper, and the apron. The automated hopper and apron control system may include a controller. The controller is configured to operate the automated hopper and apron control system in a manual mode and an auto mode as desired by an operator. In the auto mode, the controller actuates one or more of the right hopper, the left hopper, and the apron from a first position to one of a fully raised position and a fully lowered position.

Automated hopper and apron control system on a paving machine

A paving machine including an adjustable screed assembly is provided. Actuators adjust the screed assembly into the plurality of different configurations. Sensors sense a respective configuration parameter indicative of the configuration of the screed assembly. A controller is configured to save a first set of parameters including the configuration parameters and save a second set of parameters including the configuration parameters in response. The controller is configured to recall one of the first set or second set of parameters, and adjust automatically the configuration of the screed assembly to correspond to the configuration parameters included in the recalled first set or second set of parameters.

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Brooklyn Park, MN, United States of America

Chad M Thiesse