The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 26, 1989
Filed:
Nov. 14, 1988
Robert H Studebaker, Huber Heights, OH (US);
Ted L Teach, Huber Heights, OH (US);
Michael H Kidwell, Huber Heights, OH (US);
Spectra-Physics, Inc., San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus are provided for controlling the working depth of a bucket for an excavating machine having an outreach boom which is pivotally attached at one end to the machine, a downreach boom pivotally attached to the opposite end of the outreach boom, a digging bucket pivotally attached to the end of the downreach boom opposite to that to which the outreach boom is attached, and hydraulic power cylinders for moving the pivotally interconnected elements. A laser beam is projected at a reference height and a beam sensor mounted on the outreach boom of the machine detects the beam by means of a plurality of individual sensor locations. The angular orientation of the downreach boom relative to vertical is detected and a microprocessor controller connected to the beam sensor and the angle sensor repetitively defines, as a function of the angular orientation of the downreach boom, one of the plurality of individual sensor locations as an on-grade sensor location. The microprocessor controller compares the defined on-grade sensor location to the sensor location having detected the laser beam to generate an outreach boom adjustment signal representative of the movement of the outreach boom which is required to maintain the bucket on-grade as the downreach boom is pivoted with respect to the outreach boom.