Von Schrader Company

Quentin H Rench

Stephen Jacobs

Steven Jacobs

The disclosure involves a method for guiding a machine within an area. Such method includes the steps of triggering an acoustic locating signal from a stationary 'beacon-type' base module to a receiver on the machine. The method is applicable for one-beacon, two-receiver and two-beacon, one-receiver applications. A related apparatus also includes a device for emitting a trigger signal and a device for determining the time elapsed between transmission and reception of the locating signal. An operating principle involves computing the module-to-machine distance by determining the 'time of flight' of such signal. The machine is steered along a path, the locus of which is defined by an equation.

Method and apparatus for guiding a machine

An apparatus for determining an area of a surface which is traversed and treated by an object during a unit of time is configured for use with a moveable object that has a first axis of a known length. The object is capable of movement along a second axis and the first and second axes define an angle between them which is other than 0.degree.. A signalling means includes a sensor which may be mounted in a motion-sensing relationship to the object for providing a motion signal when the object moves a distance along the second axis. The motion signal has a predetermined relationship to that distance. A timing means repetitively provides a plurality of timing signals, each sequential pair of which defines an interval of time of known duration. A computing means is coupled to the timing means and to the signalling means for receiving at least one sequential pair of timing signals and at least one motion signal. The computing means thereby initiate a display of the area of the surface which is traversed by the first axis per unit of time and therefore treated as the object moves along the second axis.

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Racine, WI, United States of America

Quentin H Rench