Apparatus for controlling initial engagement of cutters with concrete pavement surfaces

Claim 2

In a machine for performing a cutting action on a roadway: a support movable generally vertically toward and from the roadway; cutter means carried by the support for cutting the roadway; means for moving said support and cutter means towards and from the roadway; and shock absorber means mounted on and carried by said support and movable vertically with respect thereto and engageable with the roadway prior to engagement of said cutter means with the roadway, said shock absorber means embodying means for retarding descent of said support toward the roadway and of said cutter means into engagement with the roadway after engagement of said shock absorber means with the roadway.

Claim 3

In a machine as defined in claim 1; and means responsive to operation of said moving means in elevating said support and cutter means for lowering said shock absorber means relative to said support and cutter means.

Claim 4

In a machine as defined in claim 1; and means responsive to operation of said moving means in lowering said support and cutter means for elevating said shock absorber means relative to said cutter means and support after engagement of said shock absorber means with the roadway.

Claim 5

In a machine as defined in claim 1; and instrumentalities responsive to operation of said moving means in elevating said support and cutter means for lowering said shock absorber means relative to said support and cutter means, said instrumentalities being responsive to operation of said moving means in lowering said support and cutter means for elevating said shock absorber means relative to said cutter means and support after engagemenT of said shock absorber means with the roadway.

Claim 6

In a machine as defined in claim 1; said cutter means comprising a gang of rotatable parallel saw blades for cutting a plurality of parallel grooves simultaneously in the roadway.

Claim 7

In a machine for performing a cutting action on a roadway: a support movable generally vertically toward and from the roadway; cutter means carried by said support for cutting the roadway; fluid operated means for moving said support and cutter means toward and from the roadway; fluid operated shock absorber means carried by said support and engageable with the roadway prior to engagement of said cutter means with the roadway for retarding descent of said cutter means into engagement with the roadway.

Claim 8

In a machine for performing a cutting action on a roadway: a support movable generally vertically toward and from the roadway; cutter means carried by said support for cutting the roadway; fluid operated means for moving said support and cutter means toward and from the roadway; fluid operated shock absorber means carried by said support and engageable with the roadway prior to engagement of said cutter means with the roadway for retarding descent of said cutter means into engagement with the roadway.

Claim 9

In a machine as defined in claim 6; and means for directing fluid under pressure simultaneously to said fluid operated means and fluid operated shock absorber means for elevating said support and cutter means and for lowering said shock absorber means relative to said cutter means.

Claim 10

In a machine as defined in claim 6; and means for directing fluid under pressure simultaneously to said fluid operated means fluid operated shock absorber means for lowering said support and cutter means and for elevating said shock absorber means relative to said cutter means after engagement of said shock absorber means with the roadway.

Claim 11

In a machine as defined in claim 6; and means for directing fluid under pressure simultaneously to said fluid operated means and fluid operated shock absorber means for elevating said support and cutter means and for lowering said shock absorber means relative to said cutter means; and means for directing fluid under pressure simultaneously to said fluid operated means and fluid operated shock absorber means for lowering said support and cutter means and for elevating said shock absorber means relative to said cutter means after engagement of said shock absorber means with the roadway.

Claim 12

In a machine as defined in claim 6; and means for directing fluid under pressure simultaneously to said fluid operated means and fluid operated shock absorber means for lowering said support and cutter means and for elevating said shock absorber means relative to said cutter means after engagement of said shock absorber means with the roadway; and flow restricting means in said fluid directing means for retarding elevation of said shock absorber means relative to said cutter means after engagement of said shock absorber means with the roadway.

Claim 13

In a machine as defined in claim 6; said cutter means comprising a gang of rotatable parallel saw blades for cutting a plurality of parallel grooves simultaneously in the roadway.

Claim 14

In a machine for performing a cutting action on a roadway: a vehicle adapted to traverse the roadway and having a first frame; a second frame movable generally vertically toward and from the roadway; cutter means carried by said second frame for cutting the roadway; first cylinder means connected to one of said frames; first piston means slidable in said cylinder means and connected to the other of said frames; fluid operated shock absorber means carried by said second frame and comprising a roadway contacting member, second cylinder means, and second piston means slidable in said second cylinder means; one of said second cylinder means and second piston means being connected to said second frame, the other of said second cylinder means and second piston means being connected to said roadway contacting member; said second cylinder means having fluid therein acting upon said second cylinder means and second piston means whereby said roadway contacting member engages the roadway prior to engagement of said cutter means with the roadway for retarding descent of said cutter means into engagement with the roadway.

Claim 15

In a machine for performing a cutting action on a roadway: a vehicle adapted to traverse the roadway and having a first frame; a second frame movable generally vertically toward and from the roadway; cutter means carried by said second frame for cutting the roadway; first cylinder means connected to one of said frames; first piston means slidable in said cylinder means and connected to the other of said frames; fluid operated shock absorber means carried by said second frame and comprising a roadway contacting member, second cylinder means, and second piston means slidable in said second cylinder means; one of said second cylinder means and second piston means being connected to said second frame, the other of said second cylinder means and second piston means being connected to said roadway contacting member; said second cylinder means having fluid therein acting upon said second cylinder means and second piston means whereby said roadway contacting member engages the roadway prior to engagement of said cutter means with the roadway for retarding descent of said cutter means into engagement with the roadway.

Claim 16

In a machine as defined in claim 12; and means for directing fluid under pressure to one portion of said first cylinder means and to one portion of said second cylinder meanS for elevating said second frame and cutter means and for lowering said roadway contacting member relative to said cutter means.

Claim 17

In a machine as defined in claim 12; and means for directing fluid under pressure simultaneously to one portion of said first cylinder means and to one portion of said second cylinder means for lowering said second frame and cutter means and for elevating said roadway contacting member contacting relative to said cutter means after engagement of said roadway contacting member with the roadway.

Claim 18

In a machine as defined in claim 12; and means for directing fluid under pressure to one portion of said first cylinder means and to one portion of said second cylinder means for elevating said second frame and cutter means and for lowering said roadway contacting member relative to said cutter means; and means for directing fluid under pressure simultaneously to another portion of said first cylinder means and to another portion of said second cylinder means for lowering said frame and cutter means and for elevating said roadway contacting member relative to said cutter means after engagement of said roadway contacting member with the roadway.

Claim 19

In a machine as defined in claim 12; and means for directing fluid under pressure simultaneously to one portion of said first cylinder means and to one portion of said second cylinder means for lowering said second frame and cutter means and for elevating said roadway contacting member relative to said cutter means after engagement of said roadway contacting member with the roadway; and flow restricting means in said fluid directing means for retarding elevation of said roadway contacting member relative to said cutter means after engagement of said roadway contacting member with the roadway.

Claim 20

In a machine as defined in claim 12, said cutter means comprising a gang of rotatable parallel saw blades for cutting a plurality of parallel grooves simultaneously in the roadway.

Claim 21

In a machine for cutting grooves in a roadway surface traversed by vehicles: a vehicle having a roadway engaging set of forward wheels and a roadway engaging set of rear wheels and including drive means for at least one of said sets of wheels; a frame connected to said vehicle and moving vertically with respect thereto; cutter means rotatably mounted on said frame; means for rotating said cutter means to cut grooves in the roadway surface; means operatively connected between said vehicle and frame for moving said frame vertically to selectively elevate said cutter means from the roadway surface or to shift said cutter means into engagement with the roadway surface and elevate a set of wheels from engagement with the roadway surface, whereby the weight of the frame and a portion of the weight of the vehicle are applied to said cutter means; said vehicle, frame and cutter means being moved along the roadway surface by said drive means rotating the set of wheels remaining in engagement with the roadway surface; and shock absorber means carried by said support and engageable with the roadway surface prior to engagement of said cutter means with the roadway surface for retarding descent of said cutter means into engagement with the roadway surface.

Claim 22

In a machine for cutting grooves in a roadway surface traversed by vehicles: a vehicle having a roadway engaging set of forward wheels and a roadway engaging set of rear wheels and including drive means for at least one of said sets of wheels; a frame connected to said vehicle and moving vertically with respect thereto; cutter means rotatably mounted on said frame; means for rotating said cutter means to cut grooves in the roadway surface; means operatively connected between said vehicle and frame for moving said frame vertically to selectively elevate said cutter means from the roadway surface or to shift said cutter means into engagement with the roadway surface and elevate a set of wheels from engagement with the roadway surface, whereby the weight of the frame and a portion of the weight of the vehicle are applied to said cutter means; said vehicle, frame and cutter means being moved along the roadway surface by said drive means rotating the set of wheels remaining in engagement with the roadway surface; and shock absorber means carried by said support and engageable with the roadway surface prior to engagement of said cutter means with the roadway surface for retarding descent of said cutter means into engagement with the roadway surface.

Claim 23

In a machine as defined in claim 18; said means for moving said frame comprising a first cylinder connected to said vehicle, a first piston slideable in said first cylinder and connected to said frame; said shock absorber means being mounted on said frame and including a roadway surface engaging member, a second cylinder connected to said frame, and a second piston slidable in said second cylinder and connected to said roadway surface engaging member; said second cylinder having fluid therein exerting pressure between said second cylinder and second piston to retard descent of said cutter means into engagement with the roadway surface.

Claim 24

In a machine as defined in claim 18; said means for moving said frame comprising a first cylinder connected to said vehicle, a first piston slidable in said first cylinder and connected to said frame; said shock absorber means being mounted on said frame and including a roadway surface engaging member, a second cylinder connected to said frame, and a second piston slidable in said second cylinder and connected to said roadway surface engaging member; said second cylinder having fluid therein exerting pressure between said second cylinder and second piston to retard descent of said cutter means into engagement with the roadway surface; and means for directing fluid under pressure simultaneously to one portion of said first cylinder and to one portion of said second cylinder for elevating said frame and cutter means and for lowering said roadway surface engaging member relative to said cutter means.

Claim 25

In a machine as defined in claim 18; said means for moving said frame comprising a first cylinder connected to said vehicle, a first piston slidable in said first cylinder and connected to said frame; said shock absorber means being mounted on said frame and including a roadway surface engaging member, a second cylinder connected to said frame, and a second piston slidable in said second cylinder and connected to said roadway surface engaging member; said second cylinder having fluid therein exerting pressure between said second cylinder and second piston to retard descent of said cutter means into engagement with the roadway surface; and means for directing fluid under pressure simultaneously to one portion of said first cylinder and to one portion of said second cylinder for lowering said frame and cutter means and for elevating said roadway surface engaging member relative to said cutter means after engagement of said roadway surface engaging member with the roadway.

Claim 26

In a machine as defined in claim 18; said means for moving said frame comprising a first cylinder connected to said vehicle, a first piston slidable in said first cylinder and connected to said frame; said shock absorber means being mounted on said frame and including a roadway surface engaging member, a second cylinder connected to said frame, and a second piston slidable in said second cylinder and connected to said roadway surface engaging member; said second cylinder having fluid therein exerting pressure between said second cylinder and second piston to retard descent of said cutter means into engagement with the roadway surface; and means for directing fluid under pressure simultaneously to one portion of said first cylinder and to one portion of said second cylinder for elevating said frame and cutter means and for lowering said roadway surface engaging member relative to said cutter means; and means for directing fluid under pressure simultaneously to another portion of said first cylinder and to another portion of said second cylinder for lowering said frame and cutter means and for elevating said roadway surface engaging member relative to said cutter means after engagement of said roadway surface engaging member with the roadway surface.

Claim 27

In a machine as defined in claim 18; said means for moving said frame comprising a first cylinder connected to said vehicle, a first piston slidable in said first cylinder and connected to said frame; said shock absorber means being mounted on said frame and including a roadway surface engaging member, a second cylinder connected to said frame, and a second piston slidable in said second cylinder and connected to said roadway surface engaging member; said second cylinder having fluid therein exerting pressure between said second cylinder and second piston to retard descent of said cutter means into engagement with the roadway surface; and means for directing fluid under pressure simultaneously to one portion of said first cylinder and to one portion of said second cylinder for elevating said frame and cutter means and for lowering said roadway surface engaging member relative to said cutter means; and means for directing fluid under pressure simultaneously to another portiOn of said first cylinder and to another portion of said second cylinder for lowering said frame and cutter means and for elevating said roadway surface engaging member relative to said cutter means after engagement of said roadway surface engaging member with the roadway surface; and flow restricting means in said first-mentioned fluid directing means for retarding elevation of said roadway surface engaging member relative to said cutter means after engagement of said roadway surface engaging member with the roadway surface.

Claim 28

In a machine as defined in claim 18; said means for moving said frame comprising a first cylinder connected to said vehicle, a first piston slidable in said first cylinder and connected to said frame; said shock absorber means being mounted on said frame and including a roadway surface engaging member, a second cylinder connected to said frame, and a second piston slidable in said second cylinder and connected to said roadway surface engaging member; said second cylinder having fluid therein exerting pressure between said second cylinder and second piston to retard descent of said cutter means into engagement with the roadway surface; and means for directing fluid under pressure simultaneously to one portion of said first cylinder and to one portion of said second cylinder for elevating said frame and cutter means and for lowering said roadway surface engaging member relative to said cutter means; and means for directing fluid under pressure simultaneously to another portion of said first cylinder and to another portion of said second cylinder for lowering said frame and cutter means and for elevating said roadway surface engaging member with the roadway surface; and flow restricting means in said first-mentioned fluid directing means for retarding elevation of said roadway surface engaging member relative to said cutter means after engagement of said roadway surface engaging member with the roadway surface; said cutter means comprising a gang of rotatable parallel saw blades for cutting a plurality of parallel grooves simultaneously in the roadway surface.