Patent ID: 6263595
Filing Date: 2001-07-24
Classification: E02F

Abstract:
A level sensing system comprising: (a) a digging machine having a chassis, a pivotable boom, a pivotable dipperstick, and a pivotable bucket; wherein said boom pivots with respect to the chassis at a first pivot joint, said dipperstick pivots with respect to the boom at a second pivot joint, and said bucket pivots with respect to the dipperstick at a third pivot joint; (b) a first light receiving sensor and a second light receiving sensor both mounted to said dipperstick, each of said first and second light receiving sensors providing an indication as to a location of a moving beam of light impacting upon each of said first and second light receiving sensors, said impacting location for both said first and second light receiving sensors being indicative of a pathway of said moving beam of light, thereby providing both distance information and angular information between the pathway of said moving beam of light and an elevation of said third pivot joint, wherein both said distance and angular information are determined without any additional sensor inputs.