Computer controlled backhoe

Claim 1

In a vehicle having a frame having an imaginary "x" or roll axis and a "y" or pitch axis, at least two outriggers pivotal to the frame to level the frame relative to the "x" axis, a a first and a respective second hydraulic actuator to move each respective outrigger, a backhoe assembly comprising a boom pivotal at one end to the frame, hydraulic means to pivot the boom in a vertical plane, and boom hydraulic means to pivot the boom in a horizontal plane, a crowd pivotal at one end to the other end of the boom, crowd hydraulic means to pivot the crowd in the vertical plane, a bucket pivotal at the other end of the crowd, bucket hydraulic means to pivot the bucket in the vertical plane, and a manual control valve for each of the hydraulic actuators and hydraulic means, the improvement comprising: a multiple bit computer with interphase and pre-programmed ROM to provide information to a central processor in the computer for the purpose of vectorization of the backhoe assembly or parts thereof, and means to controllably provide required voltages to the computer, a dual axis gyro fixed to the frame means in the computer to continuously sense the position of the "x"-"y" axes, variable resistors located at the pivot axes of the outriggers, the boom, the crowd, and the bucket to sense the pivotal position of each outrigger, the boom, the crowd and the bucket relative to the "x"-"y" axial position of the frame, means to electrically operate each of the control valves; switch means to select manual or computer operation of the valve, switch means to activate and interconnect the gyro with the interphase of the computer and to generate a signal to operate the outrigger hydraulic actuator to level the frame, visual means to indicate an unsafe position of the frame, switch means to activate the computer to allow it to receive desired programming of the bucket depth relative to a given elevation, means to input the desired bucket depth information to the memory (RAM) of the computer.