US3610341A — Motor-grader control system

Claim 1

Independent Claim 258 words

EARTH-WORKING APPARATUS, COMPRISING: FIRST MOBILE MEANS INCLUDING A DRIVE POWER SOURCE PIVOTALLY AFFIXED ABOUT A TRANSVERSE AXIS TO A TANDEM WHEEL MOBILE SUPPORT STRUCTURE; SECOND MOBILE MEANS INCLUDING A DRIVE POWER SOURCE PIVOTALLY AFFIXED ABOUT A TRANSVERSE AXIS TO A TANDEM WHEEL MOBILE SUPPORT STRUCTURE; MAIN FRAME MEANS OF GENERALLY ELONGATED FORM CONSISTING OF A CENTRAL FRAME PORTION HAVING OPPOSITE ENDS PIVOTALLY AFFIXED ALONG A TRANSVERSE HORIZONTAL AXIS TO FIRST AND SECOND END FRAME PORTIONS AND HAVING EACH OF FIRST AND SECOND END FRAME PORTIONS UNIVERSALLY PIVOTALLY AFFIXED FOR MOVEMENT ABOUT EITHER VERTICAL OR LONGITUDINAL AXES AS CONNECTED TO RESPECTIVE FIRST AND SECOND MOBILE MEANS AT A GENERALLY CENTRAL POSITION RELATIVE TO THE RESPECTIVE TANDEM WHEELS; SUBFRAME MEANS SUPPORTED BENEATH SAID CENTRAL FRAME PORTION AND SUPPORTED PIVOTALLY ABOUT A LONGITUDINAL AXIS; IMPLEMENT MEANS ADJUSTABLY SUPPORTED FROM A CIRCLE ASSEMBLY SECURED BENEATH SAID SUBFRAME MEANS IN AN EARTH-WORKING POSITION; CONTROL MEANS INCLUDING CONTROL ELEMENTS CONNECTED TO SAID MAIN FRAME MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY ADJUSTING THE HEIGHT AND LEVEL OF THE CENTRAL FRAME PORTION OF THE MAIN FRAME MEANS BY INDEPENDENTLY RAISING AND LOWERING SAID MAIN FRAME MEANS CENTRAL FRAME PORTION RELATIVE TO SAID FIRST AND SECOND END FRAME PORTIONS; REFERENCE MEANS EXTERNAL TO SAID APPARATUS DENOTING A PREDETERMINED POSITION IN SPACE; AND SENSING MEANS EXTENDING LATERALLY FROM SAID CENTRAL FRAME PORTION AND RESPONSIVE TO RELATIVE CHANGES OF SAID REFERENCE MEANS TO GENERATE A CORRECTION SIGNAL FOR INPUT TO SAID CONTROL MEANS TO EFFECT SAID SELECTIVE ADJUSTMENT OF HEIGHT AND LEVEL OF THE CENTRAL FRAME PORTION OF THE MAIN FRAME MEANS.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 258 words

EARTH-WORKING APPARATUS, COMPRISING: FIRST MOBILE MEANS INCLUDING A DRIVE POWER SOURCE PIVOTALLY AFFIXED ABOUT A TRANSVERSE AXIS TO A TANDEM WHEEL MOBILE SUPPORT STRUCTURE; SECOND MOBILE MEANS INCLUDING A DRIVE POWER SOURCE PIVOTALLY AFFIXED ABOUT A TRANSVERSE AXIS TO A TANDEM WHEEL MOBILE SUPPORT STRUCTURE; MAIN FRAME MEANS OF GENERALLY ELONGATED FORM CONSISTING OF A CENTRAL FRAME PORTION HAVING OPPOSITE ENDS PIVOTALLY AFFIXED ALONG A TRANSVERSE HORIZONTAL AXIS TO FIRST AND SECOND END FRAME PORTIONS AND HAVING EACH OF FIRST AND SECOND END FRAME PORTIONS UNIVERSALLY PIVOTALLY AFFIXED FOR MOVEMENT ABOUT EITHER VERTICAL OR LONGITUDINAL AXES AS CONNECTED TO RESPECTIVE FIRST AND SECOND MOBILE MEANS AT A GENERALLY CENTRAL POSITION RELATIVE TO THE RESPECTIVE TANDEM WHEELS; SUBFRAME MEANS SUPPORTED BENEATH SAID CENTRAL FRAME PORTION AND SUPPORTED PIVOTALLY ABOUT A LONGITUDINAL AXIS; IMPLEMENT MEANS ADJUSTABLY SUPPORTED FROM A CIRCLE ASSEMBLY SECURED BENEATH SAID SUBFRAME MEANS IN AN EARTH-WORKING POSITION; CONTROL MEANS INCLUDING CONTROL ELEMENTS CONNECTED TO SAID MAIN FRAME MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY ADJUSTING THE HEIGHT AND LEVEL OF THE CENTRAL FRAME PORTION OF THE MAIN FRAME MEANS BY INDEPENDENTLY RAISING AND LOWERING SAID MAIN FRAME MEANS CENTRAL FRAME PORTION RELATIVE TO SAID FIRST AND SECOND END FRAME PORTIONS; REFERENCE MEANS EXTERNAL TO SAID APPARATUS DENOTING A PREDETERMINED POSITION IN SPACE; AND SENSING MEANS EXTENDING LATERALLY FROM SAID CENTRAL FRAME PORTION AND RESPONSIVE TO RELATIVE CHANGES OF SAID REFERENCE MEANS TO GENERATE A CORRECTION SIGNAL FOR INPUT TO SAID CONTROL MEANS TO EFFECT SAID SELECTIVE ADJUSTMENT OF HEIGHT AND LEVEL OF THE CENTRAL FRAME PORTION OF THE MAIN FRAME MEANS.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 104 words

Earth-working apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said control means comprises: first power means affixed between said first end frame means and said first end of the central frame portion which power means is elongatably adjustable; second power means affixed between said second end frame means and said second end of the central frame portion which second power means is elongatably adjustable; and first and second actuation means connected to respective power means which are selectively controllable to effect adjustment of one or both of said first and second power means to vary the height and level of said central frame portion.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 85 words

Earth-working apparatus as set forth in claim 1 which is further characterized to include: second control means including connected control elements connected between said main frame means and said first mobile means to selectively adjust the longitudinal angle of the main frame means relative to said first mobile means; and third control means including connected control elements connected between said main frame means and said first mobile means to selectively adjust the longitudinal angle of the main frame means relative to said second mobile means.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 105 words

Earth-working apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said second control means comprises: first power means affixed between said first end frame means and said first end of the central frame portion which power means is elongatably adjustable; second power means affixed between said second end frame means and said second end of the central frame portion which second power means is elongatably adjustable; and first and second actuation means connected to respective power means which are selectively controllable to effect adjustment of one or both of said first and second power means to vary the height and level of said central frame portion.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 60 words

Earth-working apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein each of said actuation means comprises: a hydraulic power source; hydraulic valve means connected to said hydraulic power source and operable to actuate said reSpective first or second power means; and steering control means at an operating position which is manually operable to control the actuation of said hydraulic valve means.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 22 words

Earth-working apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein each of said first and second power means comprises: a hydraulic cylinder means.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 22 words

Earth-working apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein each of said first and second power means comprises: a hydraulic cylinder means.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 134 words

Earth-working apparatus as set forth in claim 1 which is further characterized to include: first power means affixed between said first mobile means and extending generally transversely and downward for connection with said first end of the main frame means which power means is elongatably adjustable; second power means affixed between said second mobile means and extending generally transversely and downward for connection with said second end of the main frame means, which second means is elongatably adjustable; and first and second actuation means connected to respective power means which are selectively controllable to effect adjustment of one or both of said first and second power means to vary the tilt angle of said main frame means transversely about its longitudinal axis and relative to each of their respective first and second mobile means.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 93 words

Earth-working apparatus as set forth in claim 8 which is further characterized to include: first locking means affixed to said first mobile means for selective actuation to lock said first mobile means to said main frame means in rigid affixure; second locking means affixed to said second mobile means and selectively actuatable to lock said second mobile means to said second end of said main frame means in rigid affixure; and first and second actuation means connected to respective locking means which are selectively controllable to actuate said first and second locking means.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 57 words

Earth-working apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein each of said first and second power means comprises: a pair of hydraulic cylinders pivotally affixed to opposite sides of said respective first and second ends of the main frame means and having respective opposite ends pivotally affixed to said respective mobile means at a laterally outboard position.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 66 words

Earth-working apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein each of said first and second locking means comprises: locking pin receiving means mounted on each respective end of the main frame means; and hydraulic locking means including a locking pin, said locking means being mounted on each of the respective mobile means to be actuated to extend the respective locking pins into said pin receiving means.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 37 words

Earth-working apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said second sensing means comprises: electrical switch means which provides first and second switch closures for respective opposite variations in relative position from said reference means.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 72 words

Earth-working apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said second control means comprises: steering selector means located at an operating position on said main frame for receiving each of said first and second sensing outputs from said second control means; and hydraulic means connected to said main frame means and selectively actuated in response to said first and second steering outputs to adjust the directional angle of the main frame means.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 36 words

Earth-working apparatus as set forth in claim 13 which is further characterized to include: manual steering control means at an operating position providing first and second control outputs for selective adjustment of said second control means.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1974-10-04	1975-04-05	1975-10-05	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1978-10-04	1979-04-05	1979-10-05	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1982-10-04	1983-04-05	1983-10-05	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Motor-grader control system

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