# US 2014/0191560 A1 · Method For Optimizing A Cutting Process In Road Milling Machines, As Well As Milling Machine For Machining Road Coverings > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0191560 A1 - Document ID: US20140191560A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/173,872 - Filed: 2014-02-06 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2002-03-22 - Assignees: Wirtgen GmbH - Applicants: Wirtgen GmbH - Inventors: Olaf Gaertner; Dieter Simons - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140191560A1 ## CPC - 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} - 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 In a method for optimizing a cutting process in milling machines which are used to machine road coverings, which comprise a milling device fitted with milling tools which is sprayed with liquid in order to cool the milling tools, in addition to a drive motor, the following steps are provided: detection of the at least one parameter which is representative of the instantaneous power output of the milling device and controlling the amount of cooling liquid supplied according to the at least one parameter which is representative of the instantaneous power output of the milling device. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1: A milling machine for machining road coverings, comprising: a machine frame; one or more front ground engaging traveling mechanisms supporting the machine frame; one or more rear ground engaging traveling mechanisms supporting the machine frame, at least one of the front or rear ground engaging traveling mechanisms including a hydraulic drive; a milling device fitted with milling tools and including a milling device drive; an on board cooling liquid storage tank supported by the machine frame; a spray system arranged to spray the cooling liquid from the tank onto the milling tools; an internal combustion drive motor powering the traveling mechanisms and the milling device, the drive motor including an electronic motor control configured to detect a characteristic of the drive motor related to an instantaneous power output of the milling device; and a controller operably associated with the electronic motor control and the spray system, the controller configured to control a flow rate of cooling liquid to the spray system in dependence at least in part upon the characteristic of the drive motor detected by the electronic motor control. ### Claim at position 2 (depends on 1) 2: The milling machine of claim 1, wherein: the spray system includes a series of spray nozzles arranged across a milling width of the milling device, the nozzles being selectively operable to correspond to a current milling width of the milling device. ### Claim at position 3 (depends on 2) 3: The milling machine of claim 2, wherein: the controller is configured to control the flow rate of cooling liquid to the spray system also in dependence upon the current milling width. ### Claim at position 4 (depends on 1) 4: The milling machine of claim 1, wherein: the characteristic of the drive motor detected by the electronic motor control comprises a torque output of the drive motor. ### Claim at position 5 (depends on 1) 5: The milling machine of claim 1, wherein: the characteristic of the drive motor detected by the electronic motor control comprises an accelerator pedal position for the drive motor. ### Claim at position 6 (depends on 1) 6: The milling machine of claim 1, wherein: the characteristic of the drive motor detected by the electronic motor control comprises an engine speed of the drive motor. ### Claim at position 7 (depends on 1) 7: The milling machine of claim 1, wherein: the controller is configured to control the flow rate of cooling liquid to the spray system also in dependence upon a milling depth. ### Claim at position 8 (depends on 1) 8: The milling machine of claim 1, wherein: the controller is configured to control the flow rate of cooling liquid to the spray system also in dependence upon an advance speed of the milling machine. ### Claim at position 9 (depends on 1) 9: The milling machine of claim 1, wherein: the controller is configured to control the flow rate of cooling liquid to the spray system also in dependence upon a milling width. ### Claim at position 10 (depends on 1) 10: The milling machine of claim 1, wherein: the controller is configured to control the flow rate of cooling liquid to the spray system also in dependence upon a milling device speed. ### Claim at position 11 (depends on 1) 11: The milling machine of claim 1, wherein: the controller is configured to control the flow rate of cooling liquid to the spray system also in dependence upon a material constant. ### Claim at position 12 (depends on 1) 12: The milling machine of claim 1, wherein: the controller is configured to control the flow rate of cooling liquid to the spray system also in dependence upon a tool constant. ### Claim at position 13 (depends on 1) 13: The milling machine of claim 1, wherein: the spray system includes a pump for pumping the cooling liquid from the tank to the spray system; and the controller varies an output pressure of the pump to adjust the amount of cooling liquid provided to the spray system. ### Claim at position 14 14: A method for optimizing a cutting process M a milling machine for machining road coverings, the milling machine including a machine frame, one or more front ground engaging traveling mechanisms supporting the machine frame, one or more rear ground engaging traveling mechanisms supporting the machine frame, a milling device fitted with milling tools, a spray system arranged to spray cooling liquid on the milling tools, an on board tank supported by the machine frame, and an internal combustion drive motor powering the traveling mechanisms and the milling device, the drive motor including an electronic motor control, the method comprising: (a) providing an on board supply of cooling liquid in the on board tank, the on board supply being carried by the machine frame; (b) machining a road covering with the milling device; (c) during step (b), spraying cooling liquid from the on board tank onto the milling device and thereby cooling the milling tools on the milling device; (d) during step (b), detecting from the electronic motor control of the drive motor a characteristic of the drive motor; (e) during step (b), measuring at least one additional parameter; and (f) controlling an instantaneous flow rate of cooling liquid in step (c), in dependence upon the characteristic of the drive motor detected in step (d) and in dependence upon the at least one additional parameter measured in step (e), in order to adapt cooling liquid usage in step (c) to a variable cooling liquid amount actually necessary to cool the milling tools of the milling device. ### Claim at position 15 (depends on 14) 15: The method of claim 14, wherein: in step (e) the at least one additional parameter includes a milling depth. ### Claim at position 16 (depends on 14) 16: The method of claim 14, wherein: in step (e) the at least one additional parameter includes an advance speed of the milling device. ### Claim at position 17 (depends on 14) 17: The method of claim 14, wherein: in step (e) the at least one additional parameter includes a milling width. ### Claim at position 18 (depends on 14) 18: The method of claim 14, wherein: in step (e) the at least one additional parameter includes a milling device speed. ### Claim at position 19 (depends on 14) 19: The method of claim 14, wherein: in step (f) the instantaneous flow rate is controlled also in dependence upon a material constant. ### Claim at position 20 (depends on 14) 20: The method of claim 14, wherein: in step (f) the instantaneous flow rate is controlled also in dependence upon a tool constant. ### Claim at position 21 (depends on 14) 21: The method of claim 14, wherein: in step (d) the characteristic of the drive motor detected by the electronic motor control comprises a torque output of the drive motor. ### Claim at position 22 (depends on 14) 22: The method of claim 14, wherein: in step (d) the characteristic of the drive motor detected by the electronic motor control comprises an accelerator pedal position for the drive motor. ### Claim at position 23 (depends on 14) 23: The method of claim 14, wherein: in step (d) the characteristic of the drive motor detected by the electronic motor control comprises an engine speed of the drive motor. ### Claim at position 24 (depends on 14) 24: The method of claim 14, wherein: step (f) includes controlling a variable pump pressure of a pressure pump supplying the cooling liquid from the tank to the spray system to thereby control the instantaneous flow rate of cooling liquid. ### Claim at position 25 (depends on 14) 25: The method of claim 14, the spray system including a series of spray nozzles arranged across a milling width of the milling device, the method further comprising: selectively operating selected ones of the series of spray nozzles to correspond to a current milling width of the milling device; and wherein in step (e) the at least one additional parameter includes a current milling width. ### Claim at position 26 26: A milling machine for machining road coverings, comprising: a machine frame; one or more front ground engaging traveling mechanisms supporting the machine frame; one or more rear ground engaging traveling mechanisms supporting the machine frame, at least one of the front or rear ground engaging traveling mechanisms including a hydraulic drive; a milling device fitted with milling tools and including a milling device drive; an on board cooling liquid storage tank supported by the machine frame, the tank having a capacity for holding a cooling liquid; a spray system arranged to spray the cooling liquid from the tank onto the milling tools, the spray system including a series of spray nozzles arranged across a milling width of the milling device, the nozzles being selectively operable to correspond to a current milling width of the milling device; and a controller operably associated with the spray system, the controller being configured to selectively operate selected ones of the series of spray nozzles corresponding to a current milling width of the milling device, and the controller being configured to control a flow rate of cooling liquid to the spray system in dependence upon at least one parameter representative of an instantaneous power output of the milling device and in dependence upon the current milling width, to provide a variable cooling liquid amount corresponding to the instantaneous power output of the milling device.