Adjustable program control circuit for two hydraulic cylinders with single lever control

Claim 2

In a vehicle having a hydraulically actuated boom and a work implement supported by said boom and further having an operator control station on said vehicle, a control system comprising: first control means for correlating movement of said implement to said boom according to a first predetermined program; second control means for correlating movement of said implement to said boom according to a second predetermined program; and program selection means including a manually actuable member located at said operator control station for selectively actuating one of said first and second control means.

Claim 3

The control system of claim 1 in which said first and second control means are adapted for regulating movement of said work implement in raising and lowering of said boom, respectively, to establish different predetermined movement cycles of said implement relative to said boom during raising and lowering thereof.

Claim 4

each of said variable impedance means including more than one resistor connected in parallel, each resistor having means for presetting its value,

Claim 5

each of said variable impedance means including more than one resistor connected in parallel, each resistor having means for presetting its value,

Claim 6

a first indicator means operatively interconnecting the boom and one of said variable impedance branches for varying the impedance of said one impedance branch,

Claim 7

a first indicator means operatively interconnecting the boom and one of said variable impedance branches for varying the impedance of said one impedance branch,

Claim 8

a first indicator means operatively interconnecting the boom and one of said variable impedance branches for varying the impedance in said one impedance branch,

Claim 9

a first indicator means operatively interconnecting the boom and one of said variable impedance branches for varying the impedance in said one impedance branch,

Claim 10

said one impedance branch including two series of impedance elements and means to selectively connect either series with said first circuit,

Claim 11

said one impedance branch including two series of impedance elements and means to selectively connect either series with said first circuit,

Claim 12

a second indicator means operatively interconnecting the implement and the other variable impedance branch for varying the impedance in said other branch,

Claim 13

a second indicator means operatively interconnecting the implement and the other variable impedance branch for varying the impedance in said other branch,

Claim 14

The control system of claim 2 and further comprising means including a manually actuable member located at said operator control station for actuating said boom for movement between plural operating positions.

Claim 15

a first indicator means interconnected between the implement and one impedance means and a second indicator mEans interconnected between the linkage and the other impedance means for varying said impedances according to the movements of said implement and linkage respectively, and

Claim 16

a first indicator means interconnected between the implement and one impedance means and a second indicator mEans interconnected between the linkage and the other impedance means for varying said impedances according to the movements of said implement and linkage respectively, and

Claim 17

means including a second circuit, actuated in response to said difference, for controlling the implement actuating means in response to movement of said linkage.

Claim 18

means including a second circuit, actuated in response to said difference, for controlling the implement actuating means in response to movement of said linkage.

Claim 19

The control system of claim 2 and further comprising program adjustment means including at least one member at said operator control station for selectively varying the programs of said first and second control means to correspondingly vary the movement pattern of said implement relative to said boom.

Claim 20

means in said first circuit means for producing an error signal indicating a difference in the variable impedance branches,

Claim 21

means in said first circuit means for producing an error signal indicating a difference in the variable impedance branches,

Claim 22

a second indicator means operatively interconnecting the implement and the other variable impedance branch for varying the impedance in said other branch,

Claim 23

a second indicator means operatively interconnecting the implement and the other variable impedance branch for varying the impedance in said other branch,

Claim 24

means including a second circuit actuated in response to said error signal for actuating the implement for movement to predetermined positions for each boom position so as to nullify said error signal, and

Claim 25

means including a second circuit actuated in response to said error signal for actuating the implement for movement to predetermined positions for each boom position so as to nullify said error signal, and

Claim 26

The control system of claim 2 in which said first and second control means each include a pair of sensors developing control signals representative of the positions of said implement and said boom repsectively, and a comparator utilizing said pair of control signals for developing an error signal Representative of a variance from the programmed correlation of said implement and said boom.

Claim 27

means in said first circuit means for producing an error signal indicating a difference in the variable impedance branches, and

Claim 28

means in said first circuit means for producing an error signal indicating a difference in the variable impedance branches, and

Claim 29

The control system of claim 5 in which said control means includes an actuator for displacing said implement so as to cancel said error signal and restore the programmed correlation of said implement and said boom.

Claim 30

said one impedance branch having more than one impedance element connected in parallel, each element having means associated therewith for presetting its impedance whereby various programs for implement position relative to boom position may be obtained.

Claim 31

said one impedance branch having more than one impedance element connected in parallel, each element having means associated therewith for presetting its impedance whereby various programs for implement position relative to boom position may be obtained.

Claim 32

means including a second circuit actuated in response to said error signal for actuating the implement for movement to predetermine positions for each boom position so as to nullify said error signal.

Claim 33

means including a second circuit actuated in response to said error signal for actuating the implement for movement to predetermine positions for each boom position so as to nullify said error signal.

Claim 34

In a vehicle having an earth-working mechanism including a hydraulically actuated boom and a hydraulically actuated implement, a control system for correlating the position of the boom with the position of the implement comprising:

Claim 35

In a vehicle having an earth-working mechanism including a hydraulically actuated boom and a hydraulically actuated implement, a control system for correlating the position of the boom with the position of the implement comprising:

Claim 36

In a vehicle having an earth-working mechanism including a hydraulically actuated boom and a hydraulically actuated implement, a control system for correlating the position of the boom with the position of the implement comprising:

Claim 37

In a vehicle having an earth-working mechanism including a hydraulically actuated boom and a hydraulically actuated implement, a control system for correlating the position of the boom with the position of the implement comprising:

Claim 38

An apparatus as defined in claim 8 in which at least one of said series of impedance elements includes means associated therewith for presetting its impedance whereby various programs for implement position relative to boom position may be obtained.

Claim 39

An apparatus as defined in claim 7 in which said means for actuating the implement movement comprises hydraulic flow control means controlled by said second circuit for directing hydraulic fluid to and from said hydraulically actuated implement.

Claim 40

In a vehicle having a material handling mechanism including a material handling implement and a linkage interconnecting said implement to said vehicle, separate hydraulic actuating means for movement of the implement and the linkage, a control system for correlating the position of the implement with the linkage comprising:

Claim 41

In a vehicle having a material handling mechanism including a material handling implement and a linkage interconnecting said implement to said vehicle, separate hydraulic actuating means for movement of the implement and the linkage, a control system for correlating the position of the implement with the linkage comprising:

Claim 42

An article handling vehicle having an automatically controlled article handling implement connected to said vehicle by a mechanical linkage in which movement of said implement is dependent upon the position of said mechanical linkage comprising: a frame supported by said wheels; power means for driving said wheels and providing a source of hydraulic energy; a hydraulically actuated linkage connected to said mechanical linkage; first circuit means including two variable impedance branches; a first indicator means operatively interconnecting said mechanical linkage and one of said variable impedance branches for varying the impedance of said one impedance branch; a second indicator means operately interconnecting the implement and the other of said variable impedance branches for varying the impedance therein; means in said first circuit means for producing an error signal indicating a difference in the variable impedance branches; means including a second circuit, actuated in response to said error signal, for actuating the implement for movement to a predetermined position for each linkage position so as to nullify said error signal; and said one impedance branch including more than one impedance element connected in parallel, each element having means associated therewith for presetting its impedance whereby various programs for implement position relative to linkage position may be obtained.

Claim 43

An article handling vehicle having an automatically controlled article handling implement connected to said vehicle by a mechanical linkage in which movement of said implement is dependent upon the position of said mechanical linkage comprising: a frame supported by said wheels; power means for driving said wheels and providing a source of hydraulic energy; a hydraulically actuated linkage connected to said mechanical linkage; first circuit means including two variable impedance branches; a first indicator means operatively interconnecting said mechanical linkage and one of said variable impedance branches for varying the impedance of said one impedance branch; a second indicator means operately interconnecting the implement and the other of said variable impedance branches for varying the impedance therein; means in said first circuit means for producing an error signal indicating a difference in the variable impedance branches; means including a second circuit, actuated in response to said error signal, for actuating the implement for movement to a predetermined position for each linkage position so as to nullify said error signal; and said one impedance branch including more than one impedance element connected in parallel, each element having means associated therewith for presetting its impedance whereby various programs for implement position relative to linkage position may be obtained.

Claim 44

An apparatus as defined in claim 12 in which said impedance branches comprise resistors, and said first circuit is a direct current circuit.