Slipform paver with suspended adjustable width mold
An adjustable width mold apparatus for a slipform paver includes a center portion and left and right sideform assemblies. The left and right sideform assemblies are movably mounted on a machine frame. Left and right actuators can independently move the left and right sideform assemblies relative to the machine frame. A mold width of the mold is adjustable without adjusting a width of the machine frame. The mold can be laterally shifted in position relative to the machine frame.
1 . An inset slipform paver, comprising:
a machine frame;
at least one left ground-engaging unit and at least one right ground engaging unit configured to support the machine frame from a ground surface along left and right support paths such that a forward operating direction of the machine frame is defined and such that the machine frame has a frame width transverse to the forward operating direction; and
an adjustable width mold suspended from the machine frame between the left and right support paths such that a mold width of the adjustable width mold is adjustable without adjusting the frame width of the machine frame, the adjustable width mold including:
a center portion;
a left sideform assembly;
a right sideform assembly;
one or more left spacers configured to be received between the left sideform assembly and the center portion; and
one or more right spacers configured to be received between the right sideform assembly and the center portion.
2 . The slipform paver of claim 1 , wherein the adjustable width mold further comprises:
a left side mold actuator connected between the left sideform assembly and the center portion to move the left sideform assembly relative to the center portion; and
a right side mold actuator connected between the right sideform assembly and the center portion to move the right sideform assembly relative to the center portion.
3 . The slipform paver of claim 1 , further comprising:
a left suspension assembly suspending the left sideform assembly from the machine frame such that the left sideform assembly is movable relative to the machine frame; and
a right suspension assembly suspending the right sideform assembly from the machine frame such that the right sideform assembly is movable relative to the machine frame.
4 . An inset slipform paver, comprising:
a machine frame;
at least one left ground-engaging unit and at least one right ground engaging unit configured to support the machine frame from a ground surface along left and right support paths such that a forward operating direction of the machine frame is defined and such that the machine frame has a frame width transverse to the forward operating direction;
an adjustable width mold suspended from the machine frame between the left and right support paths such that a mold width of the adjustable width mold is adjustable without adjusting the frame width of the machine frame, the adjustable width mold including a center portion, a left sideform assembly and a right sideform assembly;
a left suspension assembly suspending the left sideform assembly from the machine frame such that the left sideform assembly is movable relative to the machine frame; and
a right suspension assembly suspending the right sideform assembly from the machine frame such that the right sideform assembly is movable relative to the machine frame;
wherein the left suspension assembly includes:
a left suspension frame fixedly attached to the machine frame and including a guide;
a left carriage movably engaged with the guide so that the left carriage is movable relative to the left suspension frame along the guide, the left carriage being connected to the left sideform assembly; and
a left suspension actuator configured to move the left carriage and the left sideform assembly relative to the machine frame.
5 . The slipform paver of claim 4 , wherein:
the center portion is configured to provide an adjustable crown angle to the mold; and
the left carriage is pivotably connected to the left suspension assembly.
6 . The slipform paver of claim 4 , wherein the left suspension assembly further comprises:
a clamping cylinder configured to lock the left carriage in place relative to the left suspension frame.
7 . The slipform paver of claim 4 , wherein the right suspension assembly further comprises:
a right suspension frame fixedly attached to the machine frame and including a guide;
a right carriage movably engaged with the guide so that the right carriage is movable relative to the right suspension frame along the guide, the right carriage being connected to the right sideform assembly; and
a right suspension actuator configured to move the right carriage and the right sideform assembly relative to the machine frame.
8 . The slipform paver of claim 7 , further comprising:
a controller operably associated with the left and right suspension actuators, the controller being configured such that a human operator can select between:
a left side operational mode in which the left suspension actuator is operable to move the left carriage and the left sideform assembly relative to the machine frame while the right carriage and right sideform assembly remain fixed relative to the machine frame;
a right side operational mode in which the right suspension actuator is operable to move the right carriage and the right sideform assembly relative to the machine frame while the left carriage and left sideform assembly remain fixed relative to the machine frame; and
a mold shifting operational mode in which one of the left and right suspension actuators extends while the other of the left and right suspension actuators retracts to transversely shift a position of the mold relative to the machine frame without adjusting the mold width.
9 . The slipform paver of claim 8 , wherein:
the left suspension assembly further includes a left clamping cylinder configured to have a locked position locking the left carriage in place relative to the left suspension frame;
the right suspension assembly further includes a right clamping cylinder configured to have a locked position locking the right carriage in place relative to the right suspension frame; and
the controller is configured such that:
during the left side operational mode the left clamping cylinder is released to unlock the left carriage and the right clamping cylinder is in the locked position;
during the right side operational mode the right clamping cylinder is released to unlock the right carriage and the left clamping cylinder is in the locked position; and
during the mold shifting mode both the left and right clamping cylinders are released to unlock the left and right carriages.
10 . The slipform paver of claim 7 , wherein:
the left and right suspension actuators are left and right hydraulic smart cylinders.
11 . An inset slipform paver, comprising:
a machine frame;
at least one left ground-engaging unit and at least one right ground engaging unit configured to support the machine frame from a ground surface;
an adjustable width mold including a left sideform assembly, a center portion and a right sideform assembly; and
a first suspension assembly including:
a first carriage movably mounted on the machine frame such that the first carriage is laterally movable relative to the machine frame, the first carriage being connected to one of the left and right sideform assemblies; and
a first suspension actuator configured to move the first carriage and the one of the left and right sideform assemblies relative to the machine frame.
12 . The slipform paver of claim 11 , further comprising:
a second suspension assembly including:
a second carriage movably mounted on the machine frame such that the second carriage is laterally movable relative to the machine frame, the second carriage being connected to the other of the left and right sideform assemblies; and
a second suspension actuator configured to move the second carriage and the other of the left and right sideform assemblies relative to the machine frame.
13 . The slipform paver of claim 12 , further comprising:
a controller operably associated with the first and second suspension actuators, the controller being configured such that each of the first and second suspension actuators are independently operable to move the associated one of the left and right sideform assemblies relative to the machine frame to adjust a width of the mold.
14 . The slipform paver of claim 12 , wherein:
the controller is further configured such that both of the first and second suspension actuators are simultaneously operable to laterally shift the mold relative to the machine frame without adjusting the width of the mold.
15 . The slipform paver of claim 11 , wherein the adjustable width mold further comprises:
a first mold actuator connected between the center portion and one of the left and right sideform assemblies to move the one of the left and right sideform assemblies relative to the center portion; and
a controller operably associated with the first mold actuator and with the first suspension actuator, the controller being configured to coordinate operation of the first mold actuator with the first suspension actuator so that the first mold actuator and the first suspension actuator operate together to move the first carriage and the one of the left left and right sideform assemblies relative to the machine frame.