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US 9,540,779 B2Granted
Road milling machine for the treatment of road pavements, as well as method for pivoting a travelling drive unit of a road milling machine
AssigneeWirtgen GmbH
InventorsChristian Berning, Tobias Stinner, Andreas Vogt, Cyrus Barimani, Günter Hähn
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A road milling machine includes a rear wheel or track mounted on a pivot arm such that the wheel or track is movable between a first outer end position projecting laterally relative to the machine frame, and a second inner end position which permits milling close to an edge. A travel drive of the rear wheel or track provides a driving force to move the wheel or track between the end positions.
Claims34
A road milling machine for the treatment of a ground surface, comprising:
- a machine frame;
- a plurality of lifting columns configured to adjust a height of the machine frame, including at least first and second rear lifting columns, the first rear lifting column having a longitudinal axis;
- a plurality of ground engaging units, including first and second rear ground engaging units, the first and second rear ground engaging units arranged at lower ends of the first and second rear lifting columns, respectively, at least the first rear ground engaging unit including a travel drive;
- a working drum connected to the machine frame and rotatable about a drum axis of the working drum;
- a pivot arm connected to the first rear lifting column and pivotally connected to the machine frame to pivot about a pivotal axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the first rear lifting column, such that the pivot arm transfers the first rear ground engaging unit between a first outer end position projecting laterally relative to the machine frame and a second inner end position;
- a steering assembly configured to adjust a steering angle of the first rear ground engaging unit;
- a controller configured to control operation of the travel drive and the steering assembly;
- and
- the first rear ground engaging unit and the pivot arm being configured such that there is no separate driving device for the pivot arm, and the travel drive of the first rear ground engaging unit provides a driving force for pivoting of the pivot arm and the first rear ground engaging unit between the first outer end position and the second inner end position with the first rear ground engaging unit being in permanent contact with the ground surface during pivoting.
6 more elements
A road milling machine for the treatment of a ground surface, comprising:
- a machine frame;
- a plurality of lifting columns configured to adjust a height of the machine frame, including at least first and second rear lifting columns, the first rear lifting column having a longitudinal axis;
- a plurality of ground engaging units, including first and second rear ground engaging units, the first and second rear ground engaging units arranged at lower ends of the first and second rear lifting columns, respectively, at least the first rear ground engaging unit including a travel drive;
- a working drum connected to the machine frame and rotatable about a drum axis of the working drum;
- a pivot arm connected to the first rear lifting column and pivotally connected to the machine frame to pivot about a pivotal axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the first rear lifting column, such that the pivot arm transfers the first rear ground engaging unit between a first outer end position projecting laterally relative to the machine frame and a second inner end position;
- a steering assembly configured to adjust a steering angle of the first rear ground engaging unit;
- and
- a controller configured to control operation of the travel drive such that the travel drive of the first rear ground engaging unit provides a driving force for pivoting of the pivot arm and the first rear ground engaging unit with the first rear ground engaging unit being in permanent contact with the ground surface during pivoting.
5 more elements
A method of operating a milling machine, the milling machine including:
- a machine frame;
- first and second rear ground engaging units, at least the first rear ground engaging unit including a travel drive;
- first and second rear lifting columns supporting the machine frame from the first and second rear ground engaging units, respectively;
- a working drum connected to the machine frame and rotatable about a drum axis;
- a pivot arm connected to the first rear lifting column and pivotally connected to the machine frame at a pivot axis, the pivot arm being pivotable to move the first rear lifting column and the first rear ground engaging unit between a first outer end position projecting laterally relative to the machine frame and a second inner end position for close-to-edge milling;
- and
- a steering assembly configured to adjust a steering angle of the first rear ground engaging unit at least in the inner end position;
- and
- the method comprising:
- pivoting the pivot arm and the first rear ground engaging unit by driving the travel drive while the first rear ground engaging unit is in contact with the ground surface.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.