Patent Application
20190145080
The present disclosure relates to a cold planer machine, and more specifically, to a system and method for controlling movement of a moldboard of the cold planer machine.
A cold planer machine includes a moldboard. The moldboard is capable of vertical movement between an open and a closed position. During operation, the moldboard needs to be able to move from side to side to a small degree when in a working position. However, this side to side movement of the moldboard is undesired when the moldboard is in the completely lowered or closed position, for example, during travel or when the machine is parked.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,438,364 describes a scraper device for a milling drum mounted in a construction machine. The scraper device includes a scraper blade arranged in a height-adjustable manner behind the milling drum when seen in the direction of travel, which can glide on the surface milled or to be milled by the milling drum, where the scraper blade is guided in lateral guides in a height-adjustable manner relative to the milling drum, and where first centering devices are provided which center the scraper blade between the guides with small lateral play of movement when in a raised position, and which allow a greater lateral play of movement of the scraper blade when the scraper blade is in a lowered working position, it is provided that the second centering devices act upon the upper end of the scraper blade, restricting the lateral displacement of the scraper blade at the upper end in case of a lateral movement of the scraper blade in the guides.
In one aspect of the present disclosure, a cold planer is provided. The cold planer includes an engine and an enclosure compartment for a milling rotor. The enclosure compartment includes a frame defining an opening of the enclosure compartment. The enclosure compartment also includes a moldboard connected to the frame. The moldboard is configured to move vertically between an first position and a second position with respect to the frame. An interfacing arrangement includes a first pair of components carried by the frame and a second pair of components carried by the moldboard. The components of one of the first pair of components and the second pair of components have slanted edges. The first and second pairs of components are configured to allow a lateral movement of the moldboard when the moldboard is in the first position and to engage one another to prevent the lateral movement of the moldboard when the moldboard is in the second position.
In another aspect of the present disclosure, an enclosure compartment for a cold planer machine is provided. The enclosure compartment includes a frame defining an opening of the enclosure compartment. The enclosure compartment also includes a moldboard connected to the frame. The moldboard is configured to move vertically between an first position and a second position with respect to the frame. The enclosure compartment also includes an interfacing arrangement including a first pair of components carried by the frame and a second pair of components carried by the moldboard. The components of one of the first pair of components and the second pair of components have slanted edges. The first and second pairs of components are configured to allow a lateral movement of the moldboard when the moldboard is in the first position and to engage one another to prevent the lateral movement of the moldboard when the moldboard is in the second position.
In yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a method for controlling a movement of a moldboard with respect to a frame of a cold planer machine is provided. The method includes providing an interfacing arrangement including a first pair of components carried by the frame and a second pair of components carried by the moldboard. The components of one of the first pair of components and the second pair of components have slanted edges. The method includes operating the moldboard between an first position and a second position. The first and second pairs of components are configured to allow a lateral movement of the moldboard when the moldboard is in the first position. The first and second pairs of components are configured to engage one another to prevent the lateral movement of the moldboard when the moldboard is in the second position.
Other features and aspects of this disclosure will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings.
Referring to
The machine also includes an enclosure compartment 122 for a milling rotor (not shown). The enclosure compartment 122 includes a moldboard 124. The enclosure compartment 124 includes a frame 202 (see
The present disclosure relates to an interfacing arrangement 200 for the moldboard 124. Referring to
Each of the first and second pair of components 204, 206 have a slanted edge 214, 216 respectively. Each of the first and second pair of components 204, 206 have a substantially triangular shape. Referring to
Referring to
The shape of the first pair of components 204, 404, 604 and the second pair of components 206, 406, 606 provided in the accompanying drawings are exemplary and do not limit the scope of the present disclosure. The first pair of components 204, 404, 604 and the second pair of components 206, 406, 606 may be made of any suitable metal and attached to the frame 202 and the moldboard 124 using known methods. Further, two or more interfacing arrangements 200, 400, 600 may be provided at different locations on the moldboard 124 and the frame 202.
As described above, the first pair of components 404, 604 may include the slanted edge 414, 614. Alternatively, the second pair of components 406, 606 may include the slanted edge. In one example, both the first and second pair of the components 204, 206 include slanted edges 214, 216. The slanted edge of any one or both the first pair of components 204, 404, 604 and the second pair of components 206, 406, 606 selectively interact with one another, such that the lateral movement of the moldboard 124 is allowed when the moldboard 124 is in the first position and is prevented when the moldboard 124 is in the second position. The first pair of components 204, 404, 604 and the second pair of components 206, 406, 606 are shaped and arranged such that the first pair of components 204, 404, 604 and the second pair of components 206, 406, 606 mate with one another for locking the moldboard 124 when in the second position. Also, first pair of components 204, 404, 604 and the second pair of components 206, 406, 606 are disengaged from one another and allow the lateral movement of the moldboard 124 when the moldboard 124 is in the first position.
The present disclosure relates to the interfacing arrangement 200, 400, 600 for the moldboard 124 of the machine 100. Referring to
At step 804, the method includes operating the moldboard 124 between the first position and the second position. At step 806, the first pair of components 204, 404, 604 and the second pair of components 206, 406, 606 are configured to allow a lateral movement of the moldboard 124 when the moldboard 124 is in the first position. At step 808, the first pair of components 204, 404, 604 and the second pair of components 206, 406, 606 are configured to engage one another to prevent the lateral movement of the moldboard 124 when the moldboard 124 is in the second position.
The interfacing components 200, 400, 600 provide a simple, cost-effective, robust and easy to install solution for controlling the lateral movement of the moldboard 124. The interfacing components 200, 400, 600 allow the lateral movement of the moldboard 124 when the moldboard 124 is in the first position and prevent the lateral movement of the moldboard 124 when the moldboard 124 is in the second position.
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.
