Automotive machine for producing carriageways

A soil stabilizer apparatus, comprising:

• a chassis having a direction of travel from a rearward end toward a forward end;
• a forward running gear supporting the forward end of the chassis;
• a rear running gear supporting the rearward end of the chassis, at least one of the running gears being driven so that the apparatus is self-propelled;
• first and second pivot arms having upper and lower ends, the upper ends being pivotally connected to first and second sides, respectively, of the chassis and defining a pivotal axis transverse to the direction of travel, the second pivot arm extending laterally outward from the chassis a shorter distance than does the first pivot arm, so that the apparatus can operate closer to an obstacle on the second side of the chassis than it can on the first side of the chassis;
• a working drum located between the forward running gear and the rear running gear and mounted on the lower ends of the first and second pivot arms, the working drum including a drum axis extending transversely to the direction of travel;
• a combustion engine arranged between the pivot arms and behind the forward running gear and in front of the rear running gear, the engine having an output axis co-axial with the pivotal axis so that the pivot arms and the working drum pivot about the output axis;
• one and only one mechanical power transmission device, the power transmission device being received by the first pivot arm to transfer drive power from the engine to the working drum, the power transmission device including a belt drive including a first pulley driven by the engine, a second pulley for driving the working drum, and at least one drive belt connecting the pulleys, the belt drive pivoting with the working drum and the pivot arms about the pivotal axis;
• and
• a clutch operably connected between the engine and the power transmission device.

A soil stabilizer apparatus, comprising:

• a chassis having a direction of travel from a rearward end toward a forward end;
• a forward running gear supporting the forward end of the chassis;
• a rear running gear supporting the rearward end of the chassis, at least one of the running gears being driven so that the apparatus is self-propelled;
• first and second pivot arms having upper and lower ends, the upper ends being pivotally connected to first and second sides, respectively, of the chassis and defining a pivotal axis transverse to the direction of travel, the second pivot arm extending laterally outward from the chassis a shorter distance than does the first pivot arm, so that the apparatus can operate closer to an obstacle on the second side of the chassis than it can on the first side of the chassis;
• a working drum located between the front running gear and the rear running gear and mounted on the lower ends of the first and second pivot arms, the working drum including a drum axis extending transversely to the direction of travel;
• a combustion engine arranged between the pivot arms and behind the forward running gear and in front of the rear running gear, the engine having an output axis co-axial with the pivotal axis so that the pivot arms and the working drum pivot about the output axis;
• one and only one mechanical power transmission device, the power transmission device being received by the first pivot arm to transfer drive power from the engine to the working drum, the power transmission device including a belt drive including a first pulley coupled to the engine, a second pulley coupled to the working drum, and at least one drive belt connecting the pulleys, the belt drive pivoting with the working drum and the pivot arms about the pivotal axis;
• and
• a clutch operably connected between the engine and the power transmission device.

A method of manufacturing a soil stabilizer apparatus, the method comprising:

• (a) providing a chassis having forward and rearward running gear supporting the chassis;
• (b) pivotally connecting a working drum to the chassis with first and second pivot arms having upper ends connected to the chassis and with the working drum located between the forward running gear and the rearward running gear;
• (c) transversely mounting an engine on the chassis, so that when both the pivot arms and the engine are in place on the chassis the engine is located between the upper ends of the pivot arms, so that the pivot arms pivot about an output axis of the engine;
• (d) mounting a mechanical drive within the first pivot arm, so that the mechanical drive is operable to drive the working drum;
• (e) connecting the engine to the mechanical drive with a clutch so that the engine may be selectively engaged with the mechanical drive;
• and
• (f) connecting a linkage mechanism between the chassis and the pivot arms so that the linkage mechanism is operable to lift and lower the working drum relative to the chassis.