Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.

Nicholas James Argenziano

Eric Steven Engelmann

Colton J Hirman

John Lee Marsolek

Timothy Michael O'Donnell

Jason William Muir

Dario Sansone

James Alvin Aardema

Derek Peter Nieuwsma

Timothy Jay Lindholm

Jacob M Saari

Todd Michael Jennings

Nick Johnson

Nicholas Aaron Greene

Austin Robert Bies

Terry Wills

A machine comprises a frame, a plurality of ground engaging units, a plurality of moveable legs, and a hydraulic system. A first ground engaging unit and a second ground engaging unit connect a first leg and a second leg, respectively, with the frame. The hydraulic system controls heights of the plurality of moveable legs. The hydraulic system comprises a fluid circuit to control fluid between the first and second legs, a load holding valve to control fluid flow into the fluid circuit, and first and second relief valves to control flow of fluid between the first and second legs in opposite directions. A method for controlling slope of a construction machine comprises activating a relief valve connecting right and left lifting cylinders to control flow of hydraulic fluid between the lifting cylinders to control retraction of one of the lifting cylinders from retracting.

Four-legged construction machine having slope stability system with relief valves

A machine comprises a first ground engaging unit connected to a first leg, a second ground engaging unit connected to a second leg, and a hydraulic system to control heights of the legs, the hydraulic system comprises a fluid circuit to control fluid between the first and second legs, a load holding valve to allow fluid into the fluid circuit, a control valve system to let fluid into the load holding valve, the control valve connected to a hydraulic fluid source and a reservoir, a first lock valve to control flow of fluid between the first and second legs in a first direction, a second lock valve to control flow of fluid between the second and first legs in a second direction, and first and float valves configured to connect the first and second legs to the control valve system, respectively.

Four-legged construction machine having slope stability system with locking valves

In one aspect, a method for monitoring a milling machine having a milling rotor and a rotor chamber surrounding the milling rotor includes propelling the milling machine in a direction of travel, positioning a door of the rotor chamber at a first position with an actuator, and receiving a signal indicative of a condition of the actuator for positioning the door of the rotor chamber. The method further includes determining that the door has encountered material based on the signal and opening the door of the chamber in response to determining that the door has encountered material.

Systems and methods for surface milling

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.

Milling machine

A road milling machine includes a milling drum, an enclosure assembly, an actuator, and a controller. The milling drum may modify surface. The enclosure assembly includes a member moveable between a closed state and an open state. In the closed state, the member at least partially encloses the milling drum to direct materials milled by the milling drum to a conveyor. The actuator is adapted to be actuated between a first state and a second state to correspondingly move the member between the closed state and the open state. Further, the controller is configured to detect the closed state of the member; determine a lowering of the milling drum with respect to the surface; and reverse an actuation of the actuator towards the second state to offset and balance out a weight of the member based on the lowering of the milling drum.

Method to prevent binding in road milling machines

A milling machine may have a frame, first and second ground engagement members connected through respective, vertically adjustable leg columns to a front end of the frame, and third and fourth ground engagement members connected through respective, vertically adjustable leg columns to a rear end of the frame. Each vertically adjustable leg column includes a hydraulic cylinder connecting the frame and the associated ground engagement member. A milling drum is attached to the frame between the front and rear ends. At least one pair of the leg columns connected to the front end of the frame or the leg columns connected to the rear end of the frame includes an accumulator associated with each of the at least one pair of leg columns, a fluid conduit fluidly connecting a bore end of each of the hydraulic cylinders to the associated accumulator, and a control valve disposed in the fluid conduit and configured to control a flow of fluid between the hydraulic cylinders and the associated accumulators.

Milling machine having a hydraulic dampening system

A milling machine can include a frame; at least two tracks coupled to the frame for propelling the milling machine; first and second hydraulic cylinders configured to steer each of the at least two tracks, respectively; an adjustable hydraulic tie rod extending between the at least two tracks; first and second steering collars coupled to the each of the tracks to move the tracks, wherein the first hydraulic cylinder is coupled to the first steering collar and the second hydraulic cylinder is coupled to the second steering collar, and wherein the adjustable hydraulic tie rod is coupled to both of the steering collars; one or more sensors to determine the positions of the at least two tracks; and a hydraulic steering control system coupled to the first and second hydraulic cylinders and the adjustable hydraulic tie rod and configured to vary a steering mode of the at least two tracks between a parallel steering mode and an Ackerman steering mode, wherein if one of the one or more sensors fails, the hydraulic steering control system defaults to move the at least two tracks into the Ackerman steering mode.

Cold planer multi cylinder adjustable steering

A hydraulic tank protection system is disclosed. The hydraulic tank protection system may include a sensor to detect a characteristic of a fluid, a fluid control device to control a flow of the fluid into or out of a reservoir of a hydraulic tank, and an electronic control module to: receive, from the sensor, information indicating the characteristic of the fluid, determine, based on the characteristic of the fluid, whether the fluid comprises a first type of fluid, and selectively provide a control signal to actuate the fluid control device to control the flow of the fluid into or out of the reservoir based on whether the fluid comprises the first type of fluid.

Hydraulic tank protection system

A cold planer including a conveyor system coupled to a frame. The conveyor system includes a conveyor with a conveyor belt that rotates about a conveyor roller. A belt tensioning system is coupled to the conveyor roller and includes an actuator for moving the conveyor roller to place tension on the conveyor belt. One or more processors are configured to receive information related to the conveyor belt and adjust the actuator on the conveyor belt based on the information related to the conveyor belt to provide a constant operating tension on the conveyor belt.

Cold planer with self-adjusting conveyor system

A milling machine includes a frame, a ground engaging rotor assembly, a moldboard, and a hydraulic cylinder including a piston rod and a piston barrel. The ground engaging rotor assembly is at least partially enclosed by the moldboard. The moldboard is vertically movable via the hydraulic cylinder, and the hydraulic cylinder is coupled to the frame via a dual-trunnion assembly.

Moldboard support structure for a milling machine

An example cold planer system includes a machine frame, a milling drum, a first conveyor, a second conveyor, a swivel sensor and a control module. The milling drum is rotatably coupled to the machine frame. The first conveyor is configured to convey a milled material away from the milling drum. The second conveyor is configured to convey the milled material from the first conveyor to a discharge location and the second conveyor is pivotably connected to the machine frame. The swivel sensor is configured to generate swivel data corresponding to a swivel position of the second conveyor. The control module is in electrical communication with the swivel sensor, and the control module is configured to receive the swivel data and to control motion of the second conveyor based on the swivel data.

Systems and methods for controlling cold planer material flow

A yield measurement system for a cold planer having a conveyor is disclosed. The yield measurement system may include a hydraulic motor configured to propel the conveyor, a first sensor configured to generate a first signal indicative of a force acting on the conveyor by material being moved by the conveyor, and a second sensor configured to generate a second signal indicative of a pressure differential across the hydraulic motor. The yield measurement system may also include a controller in communication with the first and second sensors. The controller may be configured to determine when the conveyor is not transferring material based on the second signal, and automatically recalibrate the yield measurement system based on the first signal when the conveyor is not transferring material.

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Otsego, MN, United States of America

Nicholas James Argenziano