Caterpillar Inc.

William C Evans

Everett Gene Brandt

Robert J Price

Daniel E Henderson

Michael L Knussman

Noel J Rytter

Hans P Dietz

Robert A Herold

David R Meinhold

Brad L Holsapple

Stephen T Tady

Katherine C Glee

A paving system includes a machine having a plurality of ground-engaging elements and a frame. The machine may be a paving machine having a receiver configured to receive electronic data indicative of a non-uniformity in a substrate within a region to be paved with a mat of paving material. The paving system further includes an electronic control unit configured to control compactor interaction with the mat of material according to a mat smoothness criterion, including controlling compactor interaction with the mat of material in response to data, such as screed control data, indicative of the non-uniformity in the substrate.

Paving system and method for controlling compactor interaction with paving material mat

A track belt tensioning management system is provided for actively adjusting the tension on a track belt in response to the difference in linear output speed between a drive wheel and the track belt. This is accomplished by sensing the speeds of the drive wheel and the track belt and delivering the sensed signals to a controller which processes the signals and determines the difference in their respective linear output speeds. If the difference varies from a predetermined value, the controller directs appropriate signals to a hydraulic valve arrangement which controllably directs pressurized fluid to and from a hydraulic actuator arrangement to adjust the tension between the drive wheel and the track belt. The subject arrangement maintains sufficient frictional force between the drive wheel and the belt to control the slip therebetween as required while at the same time limiting the forces in order to reduce premature failures and/or wear on the track belt and other associated components.

Track belt tension management system

Method and Apparatus are disclosed for dynamically determining the efficiency of blast design parameters at a mine site from measured machine loader characteristics whereby a microprocessor system receives signals indicative of power train and work implement linkage measurements and develops diggability ratio indices therefrom to ascertain the blast design efficiency.

Shot-rock diggability monitor

An electrohydraulic control device for a drive train of a machine is disclosed. The drive train includes an engine, a transmission, and a torque converter having a rotating housing. The torque converter is drivingly connected between the engine and the transmission. The torque converter also includes an impeller element. An impeller clutch connects the impeller element to the rotating housing. An impeller clutch electrohydraulic valve produces fluid flow to the impeller clutch to controllably engage and disengage the impeller clutch. A torque converter speed sensor senses the output speed of the torque converter and responsively produces a torque converter speed signal. A electronic device receives the measured torque converter speed signal, determines a desired torque convertor speed signal, produces an error speed signal in response to a difference between the measured and desired torque converter speed signals, and controllably actuates the electrohydraulic valve to cause the speed error signal to approach zero.

Electrohydraulic control device for a drive train of a machine

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Metamora, IL, United States of America

William C Evans