# US 12,179,535 B2 · Automotive construction machine, as well as lifting column for a construction machine > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,179,535 B2 - Document ID: US12179535B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/388,253 - Filed: 2021-07-29 - Published: 2022-02-17 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2005-09-12 - Assignees: Wirtgen America, Inc. - Applicants: Wirtgen America, Inc. - Inventors: Peter Busley; Gunter Tewes - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12179535B2 ## CPC - B60G 17/015: the regulating means comprising electric or electronic elements ({B60G17/002}, B60G17/005 take precedence) - B60G 3/01: the wheel being mounted for sliding movement, e.g. in or on a vertical guide (camber maintaining means B60G3/26) - B60G 17/019: characterised by the type of sensor or the arrangement thereof {(B60G17/01941 takes precedence)} - E01C 21/00: Apparatus or processes for surface {soil} stabilisation for road building or like purposes, e.g. mixing local aggregate with binder ({recycling in place or on the road involving soil stabilisation E01C23/065} ; stabilising soil under existing surfacing E01C23/10; soil-conditioning or soil-stabilising materials C09K17/00; soil consolidation in general E02D3/12) - E01C 23/088: Rotary tools, e.g. milling drums {(for forming recesses to receive marking materials E01C23/0946)} - E01C 23/127: {rotary, e.g. rotary hammers} - B60G 2204/421: Pivoted lever mechanisms for mounting suspension elements, e.g. Watt linkage - B60G 2300/09: Construction vehicles, e.g. graders, excavators - B60G: VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS (air-cushion vehicles B60V; {cycle suspensions B62K25/00}) - E01C: CONSTRUCTION OF, OR SURFACES FOR, ROADS, SPORTS GROUNDS, OR THE LIKE; MACHINES OR AUXILIARY TOOLS FOR CONSTRUCTION OR REPAIR (forming roads or like surfaces by compacting or grading snow or ice E01H) ## Abstract Disclosed is an automotive road construction machine, particularly a recycler or a cold stripping machine, comprising an engine frame that is supported by a chassis, a working roller which is stationarily or pivotally mounted on the engine frame and is used for machining a ground surface or road surface. The chassis is provided with wheels or tracked running gears which are connected to the engine frame via lifting column and are vertically adjustable relative to the engine frame. Each individually vertically adjustable lifting column is equipped with a device for measuring the actual vertical state of the lifting column. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A road construction machine, comprising: a machine frame; a plurality of inflatable ground engaging wheels for supporting the construction machine on a ground surface or traffic surface; a plurality of lifting columns, each of the lifting columns including a lifting column support at a lower end of the lifting column, each lifting column support being attached to one of the ground engaging wheels; and at least one distance sensor attached to at least one of the lifting column supports and arranged to detect a change in distance of the at least one of the lifting column supports from the ground surface or traffic surface due to filling pressure, temperature or interaction with the ground surface or traffic surface of the wheel associated with the at least one of the lifting column supports. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The road construction machine of claim 1, wherein: the at least one distance sensor is located relative to its associated lifting column support, so that the distance is measured at a pre-determined horizontal position relative to its associated ground engaging wheel. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The road construction machine of claim 1, wherein: the at least one distance sensor is a contactless sensor that does not contact the ground surface or traffic surface. ### Claim 4 A method of operating a road construction machine, the road construction machine including a machine frame, a plurality of inflatable ground engaging wheels for supporting the construction machine on a ground surface or traffic surface, and a plurality of lifting columns, each one of the lifting columns being connected between the machine frame and one of the ground engaging wheels, and at least one lifting column support connected to a lower end of at least one of the lifting columns, the at least one lifting column support being attached to at least one of the ground engaging wheels, the method comprising: automatically detecting a change in distance of the at least one lifting column support from the ground surface or traffic surface due to filling pressure, temperature or interaction with the ground surface or traffic surface of the inflatable wheel associated with the at least one of the lifting column supports. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein: the automatically measuring step includes measuring the distance with a sensor attached to the at least one lifting column support. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein: the automatically measuring step includes measuring the distance with a sensor mounted on the at least one lifting column support at a pre-determined horizontal position relative to its associated ground engaging wheel. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein: the automatically measuring step includes measuring the distance with a sensor attached to the at least one lifting column support and not contacting the ground surface or traffic surface. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising: transmitting a signal corresponding to the distance to a controller. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising: transmitting a signal corresponding to the distance to an indicator device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein: the automatically measuring step includes generating a signal corresponding to the distance with a sensor attached to the at least one lifting column support. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: transmitting the signal to a controller. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: transmitting the signal to an indicator device.