Patent Application
20170073906
The present disclosure relates to a compactor machine, and more particularly relates to a cleaning device for a drum of the compactor machine.
Compactors are extensively used in the road construction industry for construction and repair of the road surfaces. For example, vibratory compactors are used to compact the soil or hot mix asphalt or the cold mix asphalt for a purpose of patching and repairing of roads, highways, sidewalks, parking lots, and the like. A typical vibratory compactor includes at least one drum for compacting a surface. Compactors for either soil or asphalt tend to collect residue on the drum's surface, due to adhesion. Drum cleaning devices, such as scrapers and/or absorbent mats are provided to remove the collected residue from and lubricate the surface of the drum. Typically, the cleaning device is rigidly attached to a frame of the compactor and positioned to contact the drum's surface. Sometimes, a biasing member, such as a spring, may be used to bias the cleaning device against the drum's surface.
PCT Application No. 2015034502 discloses a device for cleaning a drum surface of an asphalt compactor. The device has a first bracket and a second bracket fixed to a frame of the compactor, a first supporting arm pivotably connected to the first bracket, a second supporting arm pivotably connected to the second bracket, a roller shaft supported by the supporting arms and is parallel to the rotation axis of the drum, a roller wiper mounted to the roller shaft and is extending along the width of the drum, contacting the surface of the drum.
In one aspect of the present disclosure, a cleaning device assembly for a drum of a compactor machine is provided. The cleaning device assembly includes a support member connected to a frame of the compactor machine. The cleaning device assembly further includes a linkage member having a first end and a second end. The linkage member is pivotally connected to the support member at the first end. The cleaning device assembly further includes a mounting plate pivotally connected to the linkage member at the second end thereof. The cleaning device assembly further includes a cleaning device mounted to the mounting plate. The cleaning device extending along a length of the drum.
In another aspect of the present disclosure, a machine is provided. The machine includes a frame, a compacting member supported by the frame and a cleaning device assembly for the compacting member. The cleaning device assembly includes a support member connected to a frame of the compactor machine. The cleaning device assembly further includes a linkage member having a first end and a second end. The linkage member is pivotally connected to the support member at the first end. The cleaning device assembly further includes a mounting plate pivotally connected to the linkage member at the second end thereof. The cleaning device assembly further includes a cleaning device mounted to the mounting plate. The cleaning device extending along a length of the compacting member.
In yet another aspect of the present disclosure, the cleaning device assembly further includes an absorbent mat mounted to the mounting plate. The absorbent mat extending along a length of the compacting member and contacting a surface of the compacting member. The cleaning device assembly further includes a spray assembly configured to spray a liquid onto the surface of the compacting member.
Other features and aspects of this disclosure will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings.
The compactor machine 100 may further include a power source 108 for driving the various components. The power source 108 may include an internal combustion engine. The internal combustion engine may be, without any limitation, a gasoline or diesel engine, a natural gas engine, and the like. The machine 100 may further include an operator station 110 having one or more control means, such as, levers, pedals or user interface devices, to control the various operations of the compactor machine 100. The frame 106 may include a front section 112 and a rear section 114. Further, the frame 106 may include a pair of opposite side members 116 extending downwardly from the front and rear sections 112, 114 such that the compacting drums 102, 104 are rotatably supported by the side members 116. The compacting drums 102, 104 may include respective vibratory mechanism (not shown) that may be operatively connected to motors (not shown), and the motors are operatively connected to the power source 108. During the operation, the compactor machine 100 for either soil or asphalt may have a tendency to collect residue on compacting surfaces 118 of the respective compacting drums 102, 104 due to adhesion. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the compacting drums 102, 104 may be provided with a cleaning device assembly 120, to remove the collected residue and lubricate the compacting surface 118 of the compacting drums 102, 104. The cleaning device assembly 120 may be connected to the frame 106 of the compactor machine 100.
Each of the linkage members 204, 205 may be pivotally connected to the support member 202 at the respective first spherical rod ends 206. The cleaning device assembly 120 further includes mounting plates 210 pivotally connected to the linkage members 204, 205 at the respective second spherical rod ends 208. The first spherical rod ends 206 of the linkage members 204, 205 may include a bearing support 212 such that a first bolt 214 may be used to pivotally connect the linkage members 204, 205 with the support members 202. It will be apparent to a person haying ordinary skill in the art, the support members 202 may also include an aligned hole (not shown) with the bearing support 212 of the first spherical rod ends 206 and configured to receive the first bolt 214. This pivotal connection may enable a uni-axial rotation of the linkage members 204, 205 about an axis parallel to a longitudinal axis AA′ of the first compacting drum 102.
As illustrated, each of the mounting plate 210 may be an L-shaped bracket and has an upstanding attachment portion 220 and a base portion 222. The upstanding attachment portion 220 may include hole (not shown) to receive a second bolt 22,4 for pivotally connecting the second spherical ends 208 of the respective linkage members 204, 205. Further, the cleaning device assembly 120 includes a cleaning device 218 mounted to the mounting plates 210. The cleaning device 218 may extend along a length of the first compacting drum 102 and rigidly fastened with the base portion 222 of the mounting plate 210. The cleaning device 218 further includes an absorbent mat 226 contacting the compacting surface 118 of the first compacting drum 102. The cleaning device assembly 120 further includes a spray assembly 228 configured to spray a liquid onto the compacting surface 118 of the first compacting drum 102. The pivotal connection, between the mounting plates 210 and the linkage members 204, 205, may help to maintain the cleaning device 218 in contact with the compacting drum 102 even in case of a protuberance on the road or paving surface.
The absorbent mat 226 may absorb the liquid sprayed by the spray assembly 228. The spray assembly 228 may include a plurality of nozzles 230 disposed on a supply pipe 232. The nozzles 230 may spray the liquid on to the compacting surface 118. The spray assembly 228 may evenly distribute the liquid through the plurality of nozzles 230 across the compacting surface 118 of the first compacting drum 102. The supply pipe 232 may be connected with a fluid supply system including hydraulic lines and fluid pump powered by the power source 108 of the machine 100. The supply pipe 232 is also mounted to the frame 106 at auxiliary support extending from the frame 106. In an embodiment, the liquid may include, but not limited to water and lubricant.
The cleaning device assembly 120 further includes a scraper blade 234 extending along the longitudinal axis AA′ of the first compacting drum 102. The scraper blade 234 may remove the residual material, such as soil or hot mix asphalt or the cold mix asphalt from the compacting surface 118. The scraper blade 234 may be a rubber blade that may be attached with nuts and bolts 236 to the frame 106 of the machine 100.
According to the present disclosure, the disclosed cleaning device assembly 120, by virtue of having two pivot connections, one at the interface where it is attached with the frame 106 and another at the cleaning device 218, allows the cleaning device 218 to effectively follow the compacting surface 118 of the compacting drums 102,104 during the operation. The vibration from the compacting drums 102,104 or bounces caused by any protuberance on the road may not get transmitted through the pivoting connection between the cleaning device 218 and the linkage members 204, 205. Also due to the weight of the cleaning device 218, the pivot connection may allow the linkage members 204, 205 to adjust the inclination along the XX′ (see
While aspects of the present disclosure have been particularly shown and described with reference to the embodiments above, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various additional embodiments may be contemplated by the modification of the disclosed machines, systems and methods without departing from the spirit and scope of what is disclosed. Such embodiments should be understood to fall within the scope of the present disclosure as determined based upon the claims and any equivalents thereof.
