Attitude control system

Claim 2

An attitude control system for controlling the grade of a pitch angle and pitch altitude grade responsive connected member in relation to a reference comprising: (a) means for sensing the pitch angle component of a connected member having grade determined by a combination of pitch angle and pitch altitude components; (b) means for maintaining the pitch altitude component of said connected member with respect to a reference; (c) motor control means for adjusting pitch angle to maintain said connected member at a predetermined grade; and, (d) means for coordinating changes in the sensed pitch angle component with the motor control means to maintain the amount of pitch angle correction necessary to maintain a pre-determined grade.

Claim 3

The pitch attitude control system of claim 1 further comprising means for sensing the pitch altitude component of said connected member with respect to a reference and wherein said means for coordinating further coordinates said sensed pitch altitude with said pitch angle and said motor control means.

Claim 4

The attitude control system of claim 2 wherein said means for sensing pitch angle additionally comprises an amplifier.

Claim 5

The attitude control system of claim 2 wherein said means for sensing the pitch altitude component additionally comprises an amplifier.

Claim 6

The attitude control system of claim 4 wherein said motor control means comprises a hydraulic circuit having a valve adapted to control the pressure of hydraulic fluid from a source of hydraulic fluid to said motor means, said valve having an electrical input adapted to receive a signal from said amplifier.

Claim 7

The attitude control system of claim 2 wherein said motor control means comprises a hydraulic circuit having a valve adapted to control the pressure of hydraulic fluid from a source of hydraulic fluid to said motor means, said valve having an electrical input adapted to receive a signal from said pitch angle sensing means.

Claim 8

A pitch attitude control system for controlling pitch attitude of an earth moving implement responsive to pitch angle and pitch altitude components wherein said earth moving implement is pivotally attached to an earth moving machine comprising: (a) means for sensing the pitch angle component of an earth moving implement attached to an earth mover wherein pitch attitude is determined by a combination of pitch angle and pitch altitude components; (b) a first actuator connected between said earth mover and said earth moving implement for adjusting pitch angle; (c) means for sensing the pitch altitude component of said earth moving implement with respect to a horizontal reference; (d) a second actuator said second actuator connected between said earth mover and said earth moving implement for adjusting the amount of displacement with respect to a horizontal reference; and (e) motor control means for actuating said first actuator and said second actuator.

Claim 9

A pitch attitude control system for controlling pitch attitude of an earth moving implement responsive to pitch angle and pitch altitude components wherein said earth moving implement is pivotally attached to an earth moving machine comprising: (a) means for sensing the pitch angle component of an earth moving implement attached to an earth mover wherein pitch attitude is determined by a combination of pitch angle and pitch altitude components; (b) a first actuator connected between said earth mover and said earth moving implement for adjusting pitch angle; (c) means for sensing the pitch altitude component of said earth moving implement with respect to a horizontal reference; (d) a second actuator said second actuator connected between said earth mover and said earth moving implement for adjusting the amount of displacement with respect to a horizontal reference; and (e) motor control means for actuating said first actuator and said second actuator.

Claim 10

The pitch attitude control system of claim 7 additionally comprising means connecting said pitch angle sensing means to said motor control means whereby changes in pitch attitude of said digging implement are sensed by said pitch angle sensing means and said motor control means responds to said pitch angle sending means by maintaining said digging implement at a predetermined pitch attitude.

Claim 11

The pitch control system of claim 7 wherein said motor control means comprises a hydraulic circuit having a valve for controlling the flow of hydraulic fluid from a source of hydraulic fluid to said second actuator means, said valve having an electrical input adapted to receive a signal from said pitch angle sensing means.

Claim 12

The pitch attitude control system of claim 8 wherein said connecting means comprises an amplifier.

Claim 13

The pitch attitude control system of claim 10 wherein said motor control means comprises a hydraulic circuit having a valve for controlling the flow of hydraulic fluid from a source of hydraulic fluid to said second actuator means, said valve having an electrical input to receive a signal from said pitch angle amplifier.

Claim 14

The pitch attitude control system of claim 10 wherein said motor control means comprises a hydraulic circuit having a valve for controlling the pressure of hydraulic fluid from a source of hydraulic fluid to said second actuator means, said valve having an electrical input to receive a signal from said pitch angle amplifier.

Claim 15

A pitch attitude control system for controlling the pitch attitude of the digging implement of an earth-trenching machine, the digging implement being pivotally attached to said machine by a pivotal linkage, said machine having a first actuator means connected between said pivotal linkage and said digging implement and second actuator means connected between said machine and said pivotal linkage, one of said first and second actuator means being responsive to a grade control system for controlling the digging implement at a predetermined grade depth in response to a grade reference, said pitch attitude control system comprising: slope angle sensing means adapted to be mounted on said digging implement for sensing the pitch angle of said digging implement; motor control means adapted to be connected to said first and second actuator control means; and, connecting means connecting said slope angle sensing means to said motor control means whereby changes in pitch angle of said digging implement are sensed by said slope angle sensing means and said other of said first actuator and second actuator responds to said slope angle sensing means for maintaining said digging implement at a predetermined pitch attitude.

Claim 16

A pitch attitude control system for controlling the pitch attitude of the digging implement of an earth-trenching machine, the digging implement being pivotally attached to said machine by a pivotal linkage, said machine having a first actuator means connected between said pivotal linkage and said digging implement and second actuator means connected between said machine and said pivotal linkage, one of said first and second actuator means being responsive to a grade control system for controlling the digging implement at a predetermined grade depth in response to a grade reference, said pitch attitude control system comprising: slope angle sensing means adapted to be mounted on said digging implement for sensing the pitch angle of said digging implement; motor control means adapted to be connected to said first and second actuator control means; and, connecting means connecting said slope angle sensing means to said motor control means whereby changes in pitch angle of said digging implement are sensed by said slope angle sensing means and said other of said first actuator and second actuator responds to said slope angle sensing means for maintaining said digging implement at a predetermined pitch attitude.

Claim 17

The pitch angle control system of claim 13 wherein said motor control means comprises a hydraulic circuit having a valve adapted to control the flow of hydraulic fluid from a source of hydrualic fluid to said second motor means, said valve having an electrical input adapted to receive a signal from said slope angle sensing means.

Claim 18

The pitch angle control system of claim 14 wherein said motor control means is adapted to be connected to said second actuator and said first motor means responds to said grade control system.

Claim 19

The pitch angle control system of claim 13 wherein said connecting means comprises an amplifier.

Claim 20

The pitch angle control system of claim 16 wherein said motor control means comprises a hydraulic circuit having a valve adapted to control the flow of hydraulic fluid from a source of hydraulic fluid to said second actuator, said valve having an electrical input adapted to receive a signal from said amplifier.

Claim 21

The pitch angle control system of claim 17 wherein said motor control means is adapted to be connected to said second actuator and said first actuator responds to said grade control system.

Claim 22

The pitch angle control system of claim 13 wherein said motor control means is adapted to be connected to said second actuator means and said first actuator responds to said grade control system.

Claim 23

A pitch angle control system for controlling the pitch angle of the digging implement of an earth trenching machine, the digging implement being pivotally attached to said machine by a pivoted linkage, said machine having first motor means connected between said pivotal linkage and said digging implement and second motor means connected between said machine and said pivotal linkage, one of said first and second motor means being responsive to a grade control system for controlling the digging implement at a predetermined grade depth in response to a grade reference, said pitch angle control system comprising: slope sensing means mounted on said digging implement for sensing the pitch attitude of said digging implement; motor control means connected to the other of said first and second motor control means; and, connecting means connecting said slope sensing means to said motor control means whereby changes in pitch angle of said digging implement are sensed by said slope sensing means and said other of said first and second motor control means responds to said slope sensing means for maintaining said digging implement at a predetermined pitch attitude.

Claim 24

A pitch angle control system for controlling the pitch angle of the digging implement of an earth trenching machine, the digging implement being pivotally attached to said machine by a pivoted linkage, said machine having first motor means connected between said pivotal linkage and said digging implement and second motor means connected between said machine and said pivotal linkage, one of said first and second motor means being responsive to a grade control system for controlling the digging implement at a predetermined grade depth in response to a grade reference, said pitch angle control system comprising: slope sensing means mounted on said digging implement for sensing the pitch attitude of said digging implement; motor control means connected to the other of said first and second motor control means; and, connecting means connecting said slope sensing means to said motor control means whereby changes in pitch angle of said digging implement are sensed by said slope sensing means and said other of said first and second motor control means responds to said slope sensing means for maintaining said digging implement at a predetermined pitch attitude.

Claim 25

The pitch angle control system of claim 20 wherein said motor control means comprises a hydraulic circuit having a valve for controlling the flow of hydraulic fluid from a source of hydraulic fluid to said second motor means, said valve having an electrical input adapted to receive a signal from said slope sensing means.

Claim 26

The pitch angle control system of claim 21 wherein said motor control means is adapted to be connected to said second motor means and said first motor means responds to said grade control system.

Claim 27

The pitch angle control system of claim 20 wherein said connecting means comprises an amplifier.

Claim 28

The pitch angle control system of claim 23 wherein said motor control means comprises a hydraulic circuit having a valve for controlling the flow of hydraulic fluid from a source of hydraulic fluid to said second motor means, said valve having an electrical input to receive a signal from said amplifier.

Claim 29

The pitch angle control system of claim 24 wherein said motor control means is connected to said second motor means and said first means responds to said grade control system.

Claim 30

The pitch angle control system of claim 20 wherein said motor control means is connected to said second motor means and said first motor means responds to said grade control system.

Claim 31

A pitch attitude control system for controlling the pitch attitude of an earth moving implement having pitch attitude resulting from a combination of pitch angle and pitch altitude components wherein said earth moving implement is pivotally attached to an earth mover machine comprising: (a) means for sensing the pitch angle component of an earth moving implement pivotally connected to an earth moving machine having pitch attitude determined by a combination of pitch angle and pitch altitude components; (b) means for sensing the pitch altitude component of said implement with respect to a horizontal reference; (c) means for coordinating the pitch angle component with the pitch altitude component and determining the necessary component correction to maintain a predetermined grade with respect to a horizontal reference; and (d) motor control means for adjusting pitch angle and pitch altitude to maintain said earth moving implement at a predetermined grade with respect to said reference.

Claim 32

A pitch attitude control system for controlling the pitch attitude of an earth moving implement having pitch attitude resulting from a combination of pitch angle and pitch altitude components wherein said earth moving implement is pivotally attached to an earth mover machine comprising: (a) means for sensing the pitch angle component of an earth moving implement pivotally connected to an earth moving machine having pitch attitude determined by a combination of pitch angle and pitch altitude components; (b) means for sensing the pitch altitude component of said implement with respect to a horizontal reference; (c) means for coordinating the pitch angle component with the pitch altitude component and determining the necessary component correction to maintain a predetermined grade with respect to a horizontal reference; and (d) motor control means for adjusting pitch angle and pitch altitude to maintain said earth moving implement at a predetermined grade with respect to said reference.

Claim 33

The pitch altitude control system of claim 27 wherein said means for sensing the pitch angle component with respect to a reference is a slope sensor and said motor control means includes a first actuator and a second actuator wherein said first actuator is connected between the earth mover and said earth moving implement for adjusting pitch angle and said second actuator is connected between the earth mover and said earth moving implement for adjusting the amount of displacement with respect to the horizontal reference.

Claim 34

The pitch attitude control system of claim 28 wherein said means for sensing the pitch altitude component is a laser receiver.

Claim 35

The pitch altitude control system of claim 29 wherein said means for coordinating said pitch angle component with said pitch altitude component and determines the necessary component correction to maintain a predetermined grade, computes pitch angle changes and actuates said first actuator to maintain a predetermined attitude with respect to said horizontal reference.

Claim 36

The pitch attitude control system of claim 27 wherein said means for sensing said pitch angle component additionally comprises an amplifier and said means for sensing said pitch altitude component additionally comprises an amplifier.

Claim 37

The pitch attitude control system of claim 31 wherein said means for coordinating the pitch angle component with said pitch altitude component to determine the necessary component correction to maintain a predetermined grade to make said correction by adjusting said pitch angle component.