Patent Publication Number: US-9840815-B2

Title: Texture curing machine as well as method for the subsequent treatment of a freshly produced concrete layer

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a texture curing machine, as well as to a method. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Such construction machines are known, for example, from US 2007/0286679 or DE 102011003271 A in the embodiment of a texture curing machine, which can be used to texture a newly produced concrete roadway of a road surface by means of, for example, a brush assembly, and to subsequently spray said concrete roadway with a liquid curing agent by means of a spraying assembly (EP 1841637 A). 
     During the production of a concrete surface, in particular during the construction of concrete road surfaces, the concrete is generally paved to the required shape and position by a slipform paver and, for this purpose, is smoothed by means of a smoothing device, for example, a transverse smoother. In some cases, a longitudinal smoother is additionally used. 
     Prior to the application of the curing agent by the texture curing machine, the surface must be given a finishing surface treatment with a surface texture conforming to the intended use. It is thus intended to increase the skid resistance and riding comfort and to reduce the tire roadway noise. 
     Regarding texturing of the concrete surfaces, clients have different requirements in terms of the type of texture to be applied. 
     As a result, it may be necessary for the texture curing machines to be converted in a time-consuming procedure in order to achieve a specified texture depending on the client&#39;s specification. A further disadvantage is created by the fact that the conversion kits must be kept on hand separately. 
     DE 10 2011 003 271 A describes a device and a method for creating a grooved texture by means of a cutting drum that is suspended, at a specific angle to the working direction, from a slide that is freely slidable in transverse direction. This design enables the cutting drum, during forward or reverse travel of the machine, to create grooves extending obliquely to the roadway. 
     By turning the working direction of the cutting drum and reversing the texture curing machine, a second grooved texture can be created, the grooves of which intersect the first grooved texture. 
     If the machine is reversed or if a different angle of the cutting drum to the working direction is to be adjusted, the cutting drum needs to be raised. 
     A coordination of speeds is not required. 
     A texture curing machine is known from U.S. Pat. No. 7,517,171 that enables a texture extending obliquely to the roadway in which the texturing device is arranged on a slide movable transverse to the roadway and the texturing device can be moved forth and back in working direction. The texture curing machine is not moved in the process. A controller coordinates the movement of the slide in transverse direction of the machine with the movement of the texturing element in working direction. This prior art also requires significant equipment-related efforts to perform specific texturing operations. It is of disadvantage in this design that the texturing angle can be altered to a limited degree only. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore the object of the invention to create a texture curing machine as well as a method for the subsequent treatment of freshly produced concrete layers which are capable to easily perform different texturing operations without requiring time-consuming conversion times and without requiring extensive equipment-related efforts. 
     The invention advantageously provides for a controller unit to capture the travelling speed and/or the traversing speed of the texturing device during forward or reverse travel and controls the travelling speed and/or the traversing speed in accordance with a specified texturing angle, with the texturing angle ensuing from the relation of the speeds. The controller can therefore measure the travelling speed and, in accordance with a specified texturing angle, control the traversing speed of the texturing device in transverse direction during the forward or reverse travel or capture the traversing speed of the texturing device and control the travelling speed. In addition, there is the possibility to control both speeds in accordance with the specified texturing angle. 
     The controller unit can control the travelling speed in case of a predetermined traversing speed of the texturing tools, or control the traversing speed of the texturing tools in case of a predetermined travelling speed. 
     The controller unit may comprise means for the input of a specified texturing angle. 
     Detectors can measure the travelling speed of the machine frame in longitudinal direction and the traversing speed of the texturing device in transverse direction and transfer the measured signals to the controller. 
     The texturing device may be a transverse texturing device and preferably features a fixed length extending in the direction of travel. 
     The texturing device may also feature an alterable length extending in the direction of travel by means of, for example, attachable extension elements. 
     The texturing device may also be a longitudinal texturing device, the texturing tools of which are movable in transverse direction at a predeterminable speed. 
     The texturing tools are preferably replaceable, in which design the spacing of the texturing tools may also be variable. 
     The texturing tools of a longitudinal texturing device may revolve continuously transverse to the direction of travel. 
     If the texturing tools are guided continuously in a horizontal plane in which they are permanently engaged with the concrete layer, the front texturing tools as seen in the direction of travel create a texture at a predetermined, positive angle relative to the direction of travel, and the rear texturing tools as seen in the direction of travel create a texture at the same, negative angle relative to the direction of travel. 
     If the returning texturing tools are returned in raised condition or are guided continuously in a vertical plane or in a plane oblique to the surface of the concrete layer in which they do not touch the concrete layer during the return movement, a purely oblique texturing operation can be performed. 
     Depending on the service contract, the texture curing machine can thus be controlled, based solely on the control operation without conversion, so as to enable the flexible application of any desired texturing patterns. 
     A working device movable in transverse direction for the application of a texture may preferably be a transverse texturing device which is movable into a resting position in which the transverse texturing device is disengaged from the concrete layer. 
     The transverse texturing device is preferably movable to and fro transverse to the working direction on a rail guide which, at no less than one lateral end beyond the width of the concrete layer, features a height offset which raises the transverse texturing device, at said end, into the resting position. In raised position, it is ensured that the transverse texturing device comes in touch neither with the concrete layer nor with any other modules. 
     In a preferred embodiment, it is intended for the machine frame to comprise longitudinal members extending parallel to the working direction and transverse members extending transverse to the working direction, where the transverse members extending transverse to the working direction are telescopable for variable adjustment of the crawler width of the ground-engaging units and for adjustment to the width of the concrete layer. 
     It is preferably intended for the working devices to comprise a longitudinal spraying device and/or a transverse spraying device movable to and fro across the working width of the concrete roadway. 
     It may be intended for the transverse spraying device, in the operating position, to be arranged in the extended axis of the transverse texturing device preferably lagging in working direction or on one side or both sides next to the transverse texturing device and to be movable in conjunction with the transverse texturing device. 
     The machine frame may be supported by two individual, longer ground-engaging units, each being arranged laterally, or by a total of four ground-engaging units, in which design two ground-engaging units running behind one another may be arranged on each side of the machine frame. The ground-engaging units are connected to the machine frame via lifting columns which enable a height adjustment of the machine frame to be performed relative to the ground surface. 
     It is preferably intended for the transverse or longitudinal texturing devices to comprise tools which are attached by means of a quick-change system. It is thus possible to exchange the tools without the need for extended setup times or to exchange defective tools without incurring a significant time loss. 
     According to a method for the subsequent treatment of freshly produced concrete layers, the invention advantageously provides for the travelling speed and/or the traversing speed of the texturing device to be captured and for the travelling speed and/or the traversing speed of the texturing device to be controlled in transverse direction during forward or reverse travel in accordance with a specified texturing angle, with the texturing angle ensuing from the relation of the speeds. 
     It is preferably intended for the travelling speed to be controlled in case of a predetermined traversing speed of the texturing tools, or for the traversing speed of the texturing tools to be controlled in a relation predetermined by the texturing angle adjusted in case of a predetermined travelling speed. 
     Applying a transverse texture across a section of predetermined length in one direction of travel and subsequently across a following further section of the same length in an opposite direction of travel enables successive textures to be applied, at a texturing angle, into the concrete layer in the same direction. 
     In the following, embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail with reference to the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The following is shown: 
         FIG. 1  a texture curing machine in accordance with prior art, 
         FIG. 2  a perspective view of the texture curing machine in accordance with  FIG. 1 , 
         FIG. 3  a transverse texturing device movable in transverse direction with coordinated speeds of the texture curing machine and transverse texturing device, 
         FIG. 4  the embodiment of  FIG. 3  after completion of the transverse movement of the transverse texturing device, 
         FIG. 5  the advance movement of the texture curing machine after completion of the first texturing section produced during forward travel, 
         FIG. 6  the production of the second texturing section during reverse travel of the texture curing machine, 
         FIG. 7  the completion of the second texturing section, 
         FIG. 8  the advance movement of the texture curing machine after completion of the second texturing section, and 
         FIG. 9  an embodiment of a longitudinal texturing device with texturing tools movable in transverse direction. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  shows, in a schematic illustration, a texture curing machine  1  in the embodiment of a brush spraying machine as it is known from EP 1 841 637 A. The texture curing machine  1  can texturize a newly produced concrete layer  10 , such as a road surface, by means of a transverse texturing device  3 , for example, a brush assembly, and subsequently spray said concrete layer with a liquid curing agent by means of a spraying assembly. 
     The machine frame  2  features a depth suitable for transport on a transport vehicle so that the machine can be transported to the operating site by road on the transport vehicle. The machine frame comprising transverse and longitudinal members  18 ,  28  features a multiple of the width in comparison to the depth with, for example, widening elements being insertable or the machine frame  2  being telescopable for adjustment to a specific roadway width. In this arrangement, a roadway width of, for example, up to 18 m can be bridged in the working position shown in  FIG. 1 . The working direction is indicated in each of the drawings by an arrow  50 . 
     The texture curing machine  1  comprises a chassis with multiple wheels and/or crawler units  4  which support the machine frame  2  in a height-adjustable manner via lifting columns  8 . 
     The use of a total of four ground-engaging units  4  at the lateral ends of the texture curing machine  1  has the advantage of higher stability, with the arrangement of the working devices, in particular the texturing devices  3 , centrally between the ground-engaging units  4  as seen in the direction of travel  50  offering the advantage of the influence of forces of mass inertia on the machine frame  2  being minimized when starting or braking the texture curing machine  1 . Moreover, slight pitching movements occurring nonetheless have a less pronounced effect on the position of the texturing device relative to the concrete surface. 
     The wheels or crawler units  4  can, in particular in the case of four crawler units  4 , be transferred from a working position shown in  FIG. 1  into a transport position by means of a swivel gear. In working position, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the crawler units  4  extend parallel to longitudinal members  28  of the machine frame  2 . In transport position, the crawler units  4  extend parallel to the longitudinal extension of the machine frame  2 , namely, pivoted about 90° and transverse to the longitudinal members  28 . 
     The crawler units  4  are hydraulically driven, steerable and adjustable in height. 
       FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of the texture curing machine  1 . The drive unit  22  comprising a control panel with a controller unit  24  is arranged on the left side as seen in the direction of travel  50 . Both are arranged on a platform  20  of the machine frame  2 , said platform being walkable and comprising, on its side opposite the drive unit  22 , a spraying agent tank  26 . 
     As in the prior art, the transverse spraying device  6  is attached at a transverse drive movable crosswise over the concrete layer  10  or the roadway width, respectively. Furthermore, the transverse texturing device  3  comprised of, for example, a brush assembly, is also attached at the transverse drive. In this arrangement, as can best be inferred from  FIG. 3 a   , the transverse texturing device  3  is guided across the width of the concrete layer  10  in a rail-guided slide provided with a transverse drive. 
     To this effect, the rail guide of the slide is raised by a predetermined magnitude in a section laterally next to the concrete layer  10  so that the transverse texturing device  3  can be transferred into a raised condition next to the concrete layer  10  or roadway respectively, into a resting position. 
     The transverse spraying device  6 , as depicted in  FIG. 2 , is attached at the transverse drive in a removable fashion. It can thus be loosened from the transverse drive when converting to a longitudinal spraying device  7 . A longitudinal spraying device  7  in a folded-up, deactivated condition is shown in  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 3  shows a first embodiment of the invention in which the transverse texturing device  3  extends parallel to the direction of travel  50  and is comprised of, for example, a brush assembly or a different transverse texturing device comprising texturing tools  30  protruding vertically downwards, such as rigid pins. The transverse texturing device  3  is arranged approximately centrally between the front and rear crawler units  4  and is movable, between two end positions, transverse to the direction of travel. During said transverse movement, the transverse texturing device maintains its alignment parallel to the working direction  50 . The direction of transverse movement  40  is orthogonal to the direction of travel  50 , with the texture curing machine  1  being movable forward or backward during the texturing operation.  FIG. 3  therefore shows a texturing operation in which the transverse texturing device  3  is moved to the right during forward travel of the texture curing machine  1 . The forward advance speed in the direction of travel  50  and the transverse drive speed of the transverse texturing device can be coordinated by means of the controller unit  24  so that an adjustable texturing angle ensues from the relation of the speeds. 
     If a constant texturing angle is specified for the entire width of the concrete layer  10 , a specific relation between the travelling speed of the texture curing machine  1  and the speed of transverse movement of the transverse texturing device is adjusted in the controller unit  24 . It is understood that the speed of transverse movement of the transverse texturing device  3  can be adjusted in accordance with the travelling speed of the texture curing machine  1 , or vice versa. 
     The travelling speed of the transverse drive for the transverse texturing device  3  may, for example, simply be captured by stops for the transverse texturing device  3  on the left and right side of the texture curing machine  1  by measuring the duration of time for the transverse movement across the width of the concrete layer  10 . 
     It goes without saying that data from the transverse drive can also be used to determine the speed in the direction of transverse movement  40 . 
     Lastly, it is also possible to control both the travelling speed and the transverse speed of the transverse texturing device jointly in accordance with the texturing angle adjusted. 
     As a result of the relation of speeds also being alterable during the transverse texturing operation, it is finally also possible to apply a texturing pattern into the concrete layer  10  at different texturing angles. 
       FIG. 4  shows the completion of a first texturing section after the transverse texturing device  3  has fully crossed the concrete layer  10 . 
     There is then the possibility for the texture curing machine to advance by the length of the transverse texturing device  3  ( FIG. 5 ) and, as can be inferred from  FIG. 6 , to produce the next texturing section during reverse travel, said second texturing section extending parallel to the first, previously completed texturing section. 
     In this design, the controller unit can be configured so that, after completion of a texturing section, the machine is driven forward automatically by a travel distance corresponding to the length of the texturing device. 
       FIG. 7  shows the situation in which the second texturing section has been completed, and  FIG. 8  shows the situation in which the texture curing machine  1  drives forward once more by the length of the transverse texturing device  3  in order to create the next texturing section. It is understood that the texture may also be superimposed in that the texturing sections are driven over repeatedly, and namely, at a different texturing angle so that, for example, rhombic patterns can be created. 
       FIG. 9  shows an embodiment comprising a longitudinal texturing device in which the texturing tools  30  protruding in the direction of the concrete layer  10  are moved continuously in the direction of transverse movement  40 . In this arrangement, the longitudinal texturing device  5  extends across the entire width of the concrete layer  10  transverse to the direction of travel  50 . The texturing tools  30  can be returned laterally outside the concrete layer  10 . The texturing tools  30  may, for example, in a different embodiment not inferable from  FIG. 9 , also revolve in a vertical plane so that the returning texturing tools  30  are disengaged from the concrete layer  10 . 
     In case of the texturing tools  30  moving in a horizontal plane, the returning texturing tools  30  pass through the concrete layer  10  once again in opposite direction so that, in the case of continuous forward travel of the texturing curing machine  1 , a rhombic pattern can be created by means of the longitudinal texturing device. 
     If the texturing tools  30  run in a plane extending obliquely to the surface of the concrete layer  10 , there is the possibility to cause the texturing tools  30  moved in a transverse direction only to engage with the concrete layer  10  while the texturing tools  30  returning in opposite direction may be disengaged from the concrete layer  10 . 
     The texturing devices may comprise a quick-change device for tools so that different brushes or tools, such as steel tines or synthetic brushes, can be used within a short period of time.