US 5,470,131 A · Methods and apparatus for cutting circular slots in pavement extending about manhole castings

Abstract

A self-propelled core-cutting apparatus is used to cut circular slots in pavement extending about manhole castings and the like to permit castings and surrounding cores of pavement to be removed quickly and easily for such purposes as elevating the level of manhole castings to align with new pavement. The apparatus has a transport carriage to which are connected 1) a large diameter, generally cylindrical core-cutting bit, 2) power-operated support and drive systems mounting the bit for vertical and rotary movement relative to the carriage along and about a vertically extending center axis, and 3) a power-operated stabilization system that makes use of the weight of the apparatus in maintaining desired positioning of the apparatus during cutting operations. Support for the core cutting bit is provided by a telescopically extensible array of cage-like structures that extend substantially concentrically about the center axis, including an outer cage that is rigidly connected to the carriage, and an inner cage that is movable vertically relative to both the outer cage and the bit. Job site positioning of the apparatus is effected by using lever or joystick controls to operate a fluid-motor-driven power-steerable wheel that also serves as one of three vertically movable components of the power-operated stabilization system. Preferred practice of the invention also makes use of other disclosed features.

Claims70

Dependent claims

A machine for cutting circular slots in traffic surface pavement extending about pavement-embedded castings and the like, comprising:

a) a transport carriage including a frame having a front part, a rear part, a left part and a right part that all are rigidly connected;
b) rotary cutter means for being rotated about a substantially vertically extending center axis to cut a circular slot at a desired location in pavement of a substantially horizontally extending traffic surface;
c) cutter operating means connected to the frame and to the rotary cutter means for mounting the rotary cutter means on the frame, for raising the rotary cutter means relative to the transport carriage to a transport position wherein the rotary cutter means does not interfere with movement of the machine across the traffic surface, and for operating the rotary cutter means by rotating the rotary cutter means about the substantially vertically extending center axis while lowering the rotary cutter means relative to the transport carriage to bring the rotary cutter means into engagement with traffic surface pavement for cutting a circular slot therein;
and,
d) carriage support means, including:
i) at least five support members connected to the frame at spaced locations for supporting the frame above a traffic surface;
ii) transport support means for causing a selected set of three of the five support members to cooperate to movably support the frame atop the traffic surface so that the machine can move from place to place;
and,
iii) operation support means for causing a different set of three of the five support members to cooperate to immovably support the frame atop the traffic surface at a desired location so that the machine is held in place at said desired location when the rotary cutter means is being operated to cut a circular slot.

6 more elements

A machine for cutting circular slots in traffic surface pavement extending about pavement-embedded castings and the like, comprising:

a) a transport carriage including a substantially rigid frame;
b) rotary cutter means for being rotated about a substantially vertically extending center axis to cut a circular slot at a desired location in pavement of a substantially horizontally extending traffic surface;
c) cutter operating means connected to the frame and to the rotary cutter means for mounting the rotary cutter means on the frame, for rotating the rotary cutter means about the substantially vertically extending center axis, for raising the rotary cutter means relative to the transport carriage to a transport position wherein the rotary cutter means is held out of engagement with traffic surface pavement that extends beneath the frame, and for lowering the rotary cutter means relative to the transport carriage while the rotary cutter means is being rotated about the center axis so that the rotary cutter means can engage pavement of the traffic surface at said desired location to cut a circular slot therein;
and,
d) carriage support means connected to the frame including first, second and third wheels that depend from the frame to engage the traffic surface at first, second and third spaced locations, respectively, to suitably support the machine for movement across the traffic surface so that the frame can be moved as needed to position the rotary cutter means overlying said desired location, and including frame stabilization means for depending beneath the frame toward the traffic surface for supporting the machine during operation of the rotary cutter means by engaging the traffic surface at first, second and third spaced positions that define an imaginary acute triangle that extends about the center axis.

2 more elements

A machine for cutting circular slots in traffic surface pavement extending about pavement-embedded castings and the like, comprising:

a) a transport carriage including a frame having a front part, a rear part, a left part and a right part that all are rigidly connected;
b) carriage support means including:
i) hitch means connected to the front part of the carriage for enabling the machine to be connected to a motor vehicle for towing the machine during over-the-road travel, and for enabling a motor vehicle that is connected to the hitch means to support a part of the weight of the machine during towing of the machine;
ii) transport wheel means including at least one left wheel connected to the left part of the carriage and at least one right wheel connected to the right part of the carriage for supporting a majority of the weight of the machine when the hitch means is connected to and being towed by a motor vehicle;
iii) retractable front wheel means movably connected to the front part of the carriage for being extended to depend from the frame to support a part of the weight of the machine when the hitch means is not connected to a motor vehicle, and for being retracted to not support part of the weight of the machine when the machine is being towed;
iv) retractable stand means including a left retractable stand connected to at least one of the left and rear parts of the frame, and a right retractable stand connected to at least one of the right and rear parts of the frame for being retracted with respect to the frame to not interfere with movement of the machine, and for being extended to depend from the frame when the retractable front wheel means also is extended for cooperating with the front wheel means to elevate the frame sufficiently to relieve the left and right wheels from supporting machine weight, and to thereby provide substantially a three-point fixed-position support for the machine;
and,
c) rotary cutter means for being rotated about a substantially vertically extending center axis to cut a circular slot at a desired location in pavement of a substantially horizontally extending traffic surface;
and,
d) cutter operating means connected to the frame and to the rotary cutter means for mounting the rotary cutter means on the frame such that the vertically extending center axis is located rearwardly with respect to the left and right wheels and rearwardly with respect to the front wheel, for raising the rotary cutter means relative to the transport carriage to an elevated position wherein the rotary cutter means does not interfere with movement from place to place of the machine, and for concurrently 1) rotating the rotary cutter means about the substantially vertically extending center axis and 2) lowering the rotary cutter means relative to the transport carriage 3) while the machine is being supported by said three-point support to bring the rotary cutter means into engagement with said pavement for cutting a circular slot therein.

7 more elements

A machine for cutting circular slots in traffic surface pavement extending about pavement-embedded castings and the like, comprising:

a) a transport carriage including a frame having a front part, a rear part, a left part and a right part that all are rigidly connected;
b) carriage support means connected to the carriage for supporting the machine for movement across a substantially horizontally extending traffic surface, and for supporting the machine atop the traffic surface at a desired location where a circular slot is to be cut in traffic surface pavement portions that underlie the machine;
c) rotary cutter means for being rotated about a substantially vertically extending center axis to cut a circular slot in said pavement portions at said desired location;
d) cutter operating means connected to the frame and to the rotary cutter means for mounting the rotary cutter means on the frame, for raising the rotary cutter means relative to the carriage support means to an elevated position wherein the rotary cutter means does not interfere with movement of the machine across the traffic surface, and for rotating the rotary cutter means about said substantially vertically extending center axis while lowering the rotary cutter means relative to the transport carriage to bring the rotary cutter means into engagement with said pavement portions for cutting a circular slot therein;
e) with the cutter operating means including:
i) first track-defining means connected rigidly to the frame including at least three elongate members for extending substantially vertically at locations spaced about the periphery of the rotary cutter means for defining a first set of substantially vertically extending tracks;
ii) first track-engaging means including a plurality of first track-engaging members for engaging the first set of tracks for being moved vertically along the lengths of the first set of tracks;
iii) cutter mounting means connected to the first track-engaging means for interconnecting the first track-engaging means for concurrent movement along the first set of tracks and for being connected to the rotary cutter means for raising and lowering the rotary cutter means as the cutter mounting means is moved upwardly and downwardly along the first track-defining means;
and,
f) with the cutter operating means also including power operated means connected to the cutter mounting means and to the rotary cutter means for rotating the rotary cutter means about said center axis relative to the cutter mounting means.

7 more elements

A method of cutting at least one circular slot in traffic surface pavement extending about at least one pavement-embedded casting and the like, comprising the steps of:

a) providing core-cutting apparatus having:
i) a transport carriage including a frame having a front part, a rear part, a left part and a right part that all are rigidly connected;
ii) rotary cutter means for being rotated about a substantially vertically extending center axis to cut a circular slot at a desired location in pavement of a substantially horizontally extending traffic surface;
iii) cutter operating means connected to the frame and to the rotary cutter means for mounting the rotary cutter means on the frame, for raising the rotary cutter means relative to the transport carriage to a transport position wherein the rotary cutter means does not interfere with movement of the machine across the traffic surface, and for operating the rotary cutter means by rotating the rotary cutter means about the substantially vertically extending center axis while lowering the rotary cutter means relative to the transport carriage to bring the rotary cutter means into engagement with traffic surface pavement for cutting a circular slot therein;
and,
iv) carriage support means, including:
A) at least five support members connected to the frame at spaced locations for supporting the frame above a traffic surface;
B) transport support means for causing a selected set of three of the five support members to cooperate to movably support the frame atop the traffic surface so that the machine can move from place to place;
and,
C) operation support means for causing a different set of three of the five support members to cooperate to immovably support the frame atop the traffic surface at a desired location so that the machine is held in place at said desired location when the rotary cutter means is being operated to cut a circular slot;
and,
b) moving the apparatus across a traffic surface while the carriage is supported by the transport support means to position the rotary cutter means for cutting a circular slot at a desired location in pavement that defines the traffic surface;
c) transferring the support of the carriage of the apparatus from the transport support means to the operation support means to immovably support the frame of the apparatus atop the traffic surface at the desired location where a circular slot is to be cut in pavement that underlies the rotary cutter means;
and,
d) operating the rotary cutter means while the operation support means immovably supports the frame of the apparatus to cut a circular slot by lowering the rotary cutter means along the center axis to bring the rotary cutter means into engagement with the traffic surface while rotating the rotary cutter means about the center axis.

12 more elements

A method for cutting circular slots in traffic surface pavement extending about pavement-embedded castings and the like, comprising the steps of:

a) providing a core-cutting apparatus that includes:
i) a transport carriage including a substantially rigid frame;
ii) rotary cutter means for being rotated about a substantially vertically extending center axis to cut a circular slot at a desired location in pavement of a substantially horizontally extending traffic surface;
iii) cutter operating means connected to the frame and to the rotary cutter means for mounting the rotary cutter means on the frame, for rotating the rotary cutter means about the substantially vertically extending center axis, for raising the rotary cutter means relative to the transport carriage to a transport position wherein the rotary cutter means is held out of engagement with traffic surface pavement that extends beneath the frame, and for lowering the rotary cutter means relative to the transport carriage while the rotary cutter means is being rotated about the center axis so that the rotary cutter means can engage pavement of the traffic surface at said desired location to cut a circular slot therein;
and,
iv) carriage support means connected to the frame including first, second and third wheels that depend from the frame to engage the traffic surface at first, second and third spaced locations, respectively, to suitably support the machine for movement across the traffic surface so that the frame can be moved as needed to position the rotary cutter means overlying said desired location, and including frame stabilization means for depending beneath the frame toward the traffic surface for supporting the machine during operation of the rotary cutter means by engaging the traffic surface at first, second and third spaced positions that define an imaginary acute triangle that extends about the center axis;
and,
b) moving the apparatus across a traffic surface while the carriage is supported by the first, second and third wheels to position the rotary cutter means for cutting a circular slot at a desired location in pavement that defines the traffic surface;
c) transferring the support of the carriage of the apparatus from the first, second and third wheels to the frame stabilization means to immovably support the frame of the apparatus atop the traffic surface at the desired location where a circular slot is to be cut in pavement that underlies the rotary cutter means;
and,
d) operating the rotary cutter means while the frame stabilization means immovably supports the frame of the apparatus to cut a circular slot by lowering the rotary cutter means along the center axis to bring the rotary cutter means into engagement with the traffic surface while rotating the rotary cutter means about the center axis.

8 more elements

A method for cutting circular slots in traffic surface pavement extending about pavement-embedded castings and the like, comprising the steps of:

a) providing cutting apparatus that includes:
i) a transport carriage including a frame having a front part, a rear part, a left part and a right part that all are rigidly connected;
ii) carriage support means including:
A) hitch means connected to the front part of the carriage for enabling the machine to be connected to a motor vehicle for towing the machine during over-the-road travel, and for enabling a motor vehicle that is connected to the hitch means to support a part of the weight of the machine during towing of the machine;
B) transport wheel means including at least one left wheel connected to the left part of the carriage and at least one right wheel connected to the right part of the carriage for supporting a majority of the weight of the machine when the hitch means is connected to and being towed by a motor vehicle;
C) retractable front wheel means movably connected to the front part of the carriage for being extended to depend from the frame to support a part of the weight of the machine when the hitch means is not connected to a motor vehicle, and for being retracted to not support part of the weight of the machine when the machine is being towed;
D) retractable stand means including a left retractable stand connected to at least one of the left and rear parts of the frame, and a right retractable stand connected to at least one of the right and rear parts of the frame for being retracted with respect to the frame to not interfere with movement of the machine, and for being extended to depend from the frame when the retractable front wheel means also is extended for cooperating with the front wheel means to elevate the frame sufficiently to relieve the left and right wheels from supporting machine weight, and to thereby provide substantially a three-point fixed-position support for the machine;
and,
iii) rotary cutter means for being rotated about a substantially vertically extending center axis to cut a circular slot at a desired location in pavement of a substantially horizontally extending traffic surface;
and,
iv) cutter operating means connected to the frame and to the rotary cutter means for mounting the rotary cutter means on the frame such that the vertically extending center axis is located rearwardly with respect to the left and right wheels and rearwardly with respect to the front wheel, for raising the rotary cutter means relative to the transport carriage to an elevated position wherein the rotary cutter means does not interfere with movement from place to place of the machine, and for concurrently A) rotating the rotary cutter means about the substantially vertically extending center axis and B) lowering the rotary cutter means relative to the transport carriage C) while the machine is being supported by said three-point support to bring the rotary cutter means into engagement with said pavement for cutting a circular slot therein;
and,
b) moving the apparatus across a traffic surface while the carriage is supported by the transport support wheel means and by the retractable front wheel means to position the rotary cutter means for cutting a circular slot at a desired location in pavement that defines the traffic surface;
c) transferring the support of the carriage of the apparatus from being supported by a combination of the transport support means and the retractable front wheel means to being supported by a combination of the retractable stand means and the retractable front wheel means to immovably support the frame of the apparatus atop the traffic surface at the desired location where a circular slot is to be cut in pavement that underlies the rotary cutter means;
and,
d) operating the rotary cutter means while the operation support means immovably supports the frame of the apparatus to cut a circular slot by lowering the rotary cutter means along the center axis to bring the rotary cutter means into engagement with the traffic surface while rotating the rotary cutter means about the center axis.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Methods and apparatus for cutting circular slots in pavement extending about manhole castings

Life of this patent

Methods and apparatus for cutting circular slots in pavement extending about manhole castings

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims70