IP Library Granted Patent US 10,041,215
Granted Patent B2
US 10,041,215 · App. 15/723,253 · Granted Aug 7, 2018

Milling machine

Inventors: Jason William Muir (Andover, MN); Brian Joe Schlenker (Shoreview, MN); Matthew-David S. Frantz (Shakopee, MN); Derek Peter Nieuwsma (Maple Grove, MN)
Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.
E01C23/065E01C21/00E01C23/088E01C23/127E02D3/005
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,041,215
App. No.
15/723,253
Granted
Aug 7, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A milling machine has a frame, a rotor, a mixing chamber with a front door and a rear door, and a controller. The controller is in communication with the frame, the rotor, the front door, and the rear door, and configured to operate the milling machine in a travel mode and a work mode. When the travel mode is actuated, the controller raises the rotor to a predetermined position, closes the front door and the rear door, and raises the frame to a predetermined height. When the work mode is actuated, the controller lowers the frame to a predetermined height, lowers the rotor to a predetermined position, and opens the front door and the rear door to predetermined positions.

Claims (47)

1. A milling machine, comprising:

a frame;

a rotor;

a mixing chamber having a front door and a rear door; and

a controller in communication with the frame, the rotor, the front door, and the rear door, and configured to operate the milling machine in a travel mode, wherein upon actuation of the travel mode, the controller is configured to actuate at least two of the following:

a raising of the rotor to a first predetermined position;

a closing of the front door and the rear door; or

a raising of the frame to a first predetermined height.

2. The milling machine of claim 1 , wherein upon actuation of the travel mode, the controller is configured to actuate all three of the following:

the raising of the rotor to the first predetermined position;

the closing of the front door and the rear door; and

the raising of the frame to the first predetermined height.

3. The milling machine of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to operate the milling machine in a work mode, wherein upon actuation of the work mode, the controller is configured to actuate at least two of the following:

a lowering of the rotor to a second predetermined position;

a lowering of the frame to a second predetermined height; and

an opening of the front door to a third predetermined position and the rear door to a fourth predetermined position.

4. The milling machine of claim 3 , wherein upon actuation of the work mode, the controller is configured to actuate all three of the following:

the lowering of the rotor to the second predetermined position;

the lowering of the frame to the second predetermined height; and

the opening of the front door to the third predetermined position and the rear door to the fourth predetermined position.

5. The milling machine of claim 3 , further comprising an operator input to switch between the travel mode and the work mode.

6. The milling machine of claim 3 , further comprising a location sensor and a map of a jobsite on which the milling machine is operating, wherein the map includes a plurality of locations to be processed by the milling machine.

7. The milling machine of claim 6 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine a travel path for the milling machine to process the plurality of locations.

8. The milling machine of claim 7 , wherein the controller is further configured to switch between the travel mode and the work mode automatically without operator input and based on the travel path, the map, and the location sensor.

9. The milling machine of claim 3 , further comprising a spray system to deliver an application, wherein the controller is configured to activate the spray system in the work mode and deactivate the spray system in the travel mode.

10. The milling machine of claim 3 , further comprising a steering system, wherein the controller is configured to limit the steering system in the work mode.

11. A milling machine, comprising:

a frame;

a rotor;

a mixing chamber having a front door and a rear door; and

a controller in communication with the frame, the rotor, the front door, and the rear door, and configured to operate the milling machine in a travel mode and a work mode, wherein

upon actuation of the travel mode, the controller automatically adjusts a first plurality of machine actuators for machine travel, and

upon actuation of the work mode, the controller automatically adjusts a second plurality of machine actuators for milling.

12. The milling machine of claim 11 , wherein the first plurality of actuators includes at least one of a mixing chamber front door actuator, a mixing chamber rear door actuator, a rotor height adjustment actuator, or a lifting column actuator of the frame.

13. The milling machine of claim 11 , wherein the first plurality of actuators includes a mixing chamber front door actuator, a mixing chamber rear door actuator, a rotor height adjustment actuator, and a lifting column actuator of the frame.

14. The milling machine of claim 12 , wherein the second plurality of actuators includes at least one of the mixing chamber front door actuator, the mixing chamber rear door actuator, the rotor height adjustment actuator, or the lifting column actuator of the frame.

15. The milling machine of claim 14 , further comprising a location sensor configured to indicate a machine position on a jobsite, wherein the controller receives the machine position and activates the travel mode based on the machine position.

16. The milling machine of claim 15 , wherein upon actuation of the work mode, the controller limits the functionality of a steering system of the milling machine.

17. A method for operating a milling machine having a frame, a rotor, and a mixing chamber having a front door and a rear door, the method comprising:

activating a travel mode including automatically adjusting a first plurality of machine actuators for machine travel, and

activating a work mode including automatically adjusting a second plurality of machine actuators for milling.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the activating of the travel mode further includes adjusting the first plurality of machine actuators to actuate at least two of the following:

a raising of the rotor to a first predetermined position;

a closing of the front door and the rear door; or

a raising of the frame to a first predetermined height.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein a shifting between travel mode and work modes occurs automatically without operator input.

20. The method of claim 17 , further comprising activating the travel mode or the work mode based on a machine location.

Continuity (2)
Continuation 15161415 · May 23, 2016
Related Publication 20180023260A1 · Jan 25, 2018
Cited By (1)
US 12,410,567