Patent ID: 6733086
Filing Date: 2004-05-11
Classification: E01C

Abstract:
A portable milling machine comprising:(a) a frame; (b) a propulsion system for advancing the machine across a surface to be milled; (c) a milling drum mounted on the frame for rotation about its axis, which drum is adapted for cutting material from the surface in the path of the machine; (d) a conveyor for conveying material cut by the milling drum away from the drum; (e) a vacuum system for extracting material cut by the milling drum from the surface, said vacuum system comprising: (i) a vacuum pump having an air inlet and an air outlet; (ii) a nozzle mounted behind the milling drum, said nozzle having an opening which is adapted to receive material cut from the surface by the drum, wherein the nozzle opening is defined by a front nozzle plate and a rear nozzle plate, each of which has an upper side and a lower side and wherein the lower side front nozzle plate is mounted substantially at the elevation of the roadway behind the milling drum; (iii) a material collector having an inlet, an air outlet and a material outlet, which collector is adapted for collecting material entrained in air by the pump through the collector inlet and for discharging such material through the material outlet onto the conveyor; (iv) a first conduit connecting the nozzle and the inlet of the material collector; (v) a second conduit connecting the air outlet of the material collector and the air inlet of the pump.