Abstract:
A control platform for a road making machine comprises a fall protection for preventing the operator from falling down from the control platform. The disclosure is characterized by the fall protection comprising a pane of laminated glass.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims foreign priority benefits under 35 U.S.C. §119(a)-(d) to German patent application number DE 20 2012 003 668.8, filed Apr. 12, 2012, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
       TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The disclosure relates to a control platform for a road making machine, which can in particular be a road finishing machine or a charger for a road finishing machine. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Road making machines usually have a control platform on which operational controls, and in most cases also a seat for the operator of the machine, are located. In many road making machines, the control platform is comparatively high above the bottom to offer space for machine components and provide an extensive overview over the construction site for the operator. Due to the height of these control platforms, however, a fall protection is required at least at the sides of the control platform to prevent operators from falling down from the control platform. In open control platforms, that means control platforms that are not closed like cabins, rails are always used as fall protection. For road finishing machines, this is known, for example, from DE 200 13 638 U1. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    It is an object of the disclosure to improve a control platform for a road making machine. 
         [0005]    The control platform according to the disclosure, which can in particular be an open control platform (meaning that it is not closed like a cabin), provides for the fall protection to comprise a pane of laminated glass (LG), i.e., laminated safety glass. While this laminated glass is comparatively heavy, it offers the advantage of being very stable, cracking hardly and splintering never. Even after it has been partially destructed, the laminated glass still offers a certain protective effect. It is therefore ideally suited for the demands in the operation of a road making machine as it cannot break or splinter, for example even in case of falling rocks on the construction site. This considerably increases safety at work. Simultaneously, the pane of laminated glass offers the operator clearly better protection from weather influences, such as snow or rain, compared to a conventional rail, and it permits, also compared to a rail, a clearly less disturbed, free view to the site. 
         [0006]    Preferably, the pane of laminated glass (LG) comprises two panes of tempered safety glass (TSG) and at least one sheet provided between the two panes of tempered safety glass. This sheet can be a bonding sheet, for example of polyvinyl butyral (PVB), which glues the two panes of tempered safety glass together and still supports and bonds these single panes in case of splintering. 
         [0007]    It is particularly advantageous for the pane of laminated glass to be connected with a structure of the control platform at individual fastening points, for example with a rail of the control platform. By the mounting only at certain fastening points, the pane can be easily attached. 
         [0008]    The convenience for the operator of the road making machine can be improved if an arm rest is mounted to the fall protection, in particular to the pane of laminated glass. 
         [0009]    Light influences which might disturb the operator of the road making machine, for example reflections from puddles on the site, can be reduced if a print is provided at least in sections on the pane of laminated glass. This print can be applied onto the pane of laminated glass and/or onto the sheet between two individual glass panes in the form of a screen printing. 
         [0010]    The disclosure relates to a road making machine with a control platform of the type described above, in particular to a road finishing machine or a charger for a road finishing machine. 
         [0011]    Below, advantageous embodiments will be illustrated more in detail with reference to the attached drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is an embodiment of a road making machine according to the disclosure; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is the fall protection for the control platform of the road making machine; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a cross-section through the lower end of the pane of the fall protection. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]      FIG. 1  schematically shows in a side view a road making machine  1  according to the disclosure which is here a road finishing machine  1 . This road finishing machine  1  by usual means has a running gear  2  (here in the form of a tracklaying gear), a material bunker  3 , a screed  4  towed by the road finishing machine  1 , an engine block  5 , and a control platform  6  disposed above the engine block  5 . This control platform  6  is an open control platform  6  which is consequently not closed like a cabin. It has a control panel  7  with operational controls for operating the road making machine  1 , a seat  8  for the operator, and a roof  9 . 
         [0016]    Both on the left and on the right side of the road making machine  1  in the direction of motion F, the control platform  6  has a fall protection  10 . This fall protection  10  prevents the operator from falling down from the control platform  6 . It extends to a height of maximally approximately 70 cm or 80 cm above the bottom  11  of the control platform  6 . As a structure of the control platform  6 , furthermore a rail  12  or a rail section is provided to which a laminated glass pane  14  of the fall protection  10  is fixed. Additionally or as an alternative, the laminated glass pane could also be fixed to other structure elements, for example to a bar  13  for supporting the roof  9 . 
         [0017]      FIG. 2  shows in a side view the fall protection  10  on the right side of the control platform  6  in the direction of motion F. The fall protection  10  has a pane  14  of laminated glass (LG). As can be seen in the cross-section at the lower end of this pane  14  in  FIG. 3 , the laminated glass pane  14  has two panes  15 ,  16  of tempered safety glass (TSG). These two tempered safety glass panes  15 ,  16  are connected to each other by one or several foils or sheets  17 . The sheet  17  can be a bonding sheet, in particular of PVB. 
         [0018]    The pane  14  is connected with a structure  12  of the control platform  6 , in particular with a rail section  12  of the control platform  6 , at three fastening points  18 . Mounting clips  19  can be provided between the fastening points  18  and the rail section  12 . 
         [0019]    Furthermore, an arm rest  20  is located at the upper edge of the LG pane  14 . It improves the comfort for the operator of the road making machine  1  by being wider than the upper edge of the LG pane  14 . The arm rest  20  can moreover be padded. 
         [0020]    Finally, on a section of the LG pane  14 , a print  21  in the form of a screen printing is applied to improve the appearance of the fall protection, reduce disturbing light influences, and improve the subjective sense of safety of the operator compared to a completely transparent glass pane. 
         [0021]    While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the invention.