Patent Abstract:
A machine is provided. The machine includes a first conveyor and a second conveyor that is pivotable, with respect to the first conveyor, about two different axes that intersect and define a plane. A machine capable of performing a method for operating a set of conveyors is also provided. The method includes pivoting a second conveyor with respect to a first conveyor about two different axes that intersect and define a plane.

Full Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The disclosure relates generally to a machine and, more particularly, to a machine with at least one articulating conveyor. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Many machines are mobile machines configured to perform one or more tasks while traveling along a ground surface, such as a road surface. A cold planer is an example of such a mobile machine. The cold planer includes a grinding mechanism that grinds a top layer of the road surface. The cold planer includes a conveyor, connected to a frame of the machine, which receives the material that was removed from the road surface. The conveyor conveys the material to another vehicle, such as a dump truck, traveling next to the cold planer. The conveyor may be rotated relative to the machine frame, such that the conveyor is positioned to deposit the material into the dump truck, for example. 
         [0003]    In some instances it may be desirable to allow a conveyor to pivot in order to adjust the position of the conveyor. One of the problems associated with moving or pivoting a conveyor is the prospect of material falling off of the conveyor or otherwise losing material through gaps between the conveyor and structure with respect to which the conveyor has been pivoted. US patent publication number 2006/0061204 describes a conveyor that can be pivoted using a four bar mechanism. However, the conveyor in this publication swings to the right or left but does not pivot to adjust the elevation of the conveyor. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    In one embodiment, a machine is provided. The machine includes a first conveyor and a second conveyor that is pivotable, with respect to the first conveyor, about two different axes that intersect and define a plane. 
         [0005]    In another embodiment, machine capable of performing a method for operating a set of conveyors is provided. The method includes pivoting a second conveyor with respect to a first conveyor about two different axes that intersect and define a plane. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a side view pictorial illustration of a machine having an exemplary disclosed pivotal connection between a frame and a conveyor. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  illustrates a side view of an exemplary machine having a pivotal conveyor, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is an isometric view of two conveyors with a transition zone therebetween. 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the transition zone. 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is an isometric view of the transition zone with the flashing removed. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0011]    The disclosure will now be described with reference to the drawing figures, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout. An embodiment in accordance with the present disclosure provides a machine, such as, a cold planer that has two conveyors that are pivotal with respect to each other about at least 2 different pivot axes. 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  illustrates an embodiment of a machine  10  in accordance with the present disclosure. Machine  10  is a mobile machine operable to move along a ground surface  12 . The ground surface  12  may be a man-made surface, such as a road, parking lot, concrete cement, or other paved surface. 
         [0013]    The machine  10  is configured to perform various functions when traveling over the ground surface  12 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , the machine  10  is a cold planer. In such an embodiment, the machine  10  is configured to cut or grind a top layer of concrete, asphalt, or similar material, to a depth that is typically between 1″ to 14″ below the ground surface  12 . 
         [0014]    The machine  10  includes a frame  14 . The frame  14  serves to tie together and support other components and systems of the machine  10 . In addition to the frame  14 , the machine  10  has various other components and systems that serve various purposes. In the embodiment where the machine  10  is a cold planer, a frame  14  supports a material removal mechanism such as a cutting drum  15  that is configured to cut or grind the top layer of ground surface  12 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , the cutting drum  15  is a grinding mechanism that includes a rotor with a plurality of teeth configured to grind the ground surface  12 . However, the cutting drum  15  is not limited to such an arrangement. Although  FIG. 1  shows a cutting drum  15  housed in a rear , lower portion of the machine  10 , the cutting drum  15  may be disposed in various places on the machine  10 . Alternatively or additionally, the machine  10  may include one or more supplementary grinding mechanisms that are located in rear and/or forward positions in the machine  10 . 
         [0015]    The frame  14  supports a lower conveyor  16  that is located adjacent the cutting drum  15  and configured to receive the material removed from the ground surface  12  by the cutting drum  15 . The frame  14  also supports an upper conveyor  18  configured to receive the material from the lower conveyor  16  and to further convey the material to a location off of the machine  10 , such as to a receiver (e.g., another truck separate from machine  10 ). For example, the truck may be a dump truck that includes a bed. The dump truck may drive next to the machine  10  during grinding of the ground surface  12 , at approximately the same speed as the machine  10 , so that the material is conveyed by the upper conveyor  18  and dropped into the bed. 
         [0016]    The machine  10  may also include one or more power sources (not shown) for powering the cutting drum  15 , the upper conveyor  18 , and/or various other components and systems of machine  10 . For example, the machine  10  may include one or more internal combustion engines, batteries, fuel cells, or the like for providing power. The machine  10  may also include various provisions for transmitting power from such power sources to the cutting drum  15  and/or various other components of the machine  10 . For example, where the machine  10  includes an internal combustion engine as a power source, the machine  10  may include one or more mechanical or electrical power-transmission devices, such as, mechanical transmissions, hydraulic pumps and motors, and/or electric generators and motors, for transmitting power from the engine to the cutting drum  15  and upper conveyor  18 . 
         [0017]    The machine  10  includes a support system  20  and a steering system  22  to support the machine  10  from the ground surface  12  and steer the machine  10  while moving along the ground surface  12 . The support system  20  includes one or more front ground-engaging components  24  and one or more rear ground-engaging components  26  configured to move along ground surface  12 . The ground-engaging components  24 , 26  are connected to struts  30 ,  40  via under carriage brackets  28 ,  38 .  FIG. 1  shows a front ground-engaging component  24  on a right side of machine  10 , as well as a rear ground-engaging component  26  on the right side of machine  10 . The machine  10  includes similar front and rear ground-engaging components  24 ,  26  on a left side. Each ground-engaging component  24 ,  26  includes any device or devices configured to move across ground surface  12 , including but not limited to track units, wheels, and skids. 
         [0018]    Another example machine is shown in  FIG. 2 . An exemplary machine  10  in which disclosed embodiments may be implemented is schematically illustrated in  FIG. 2 . In the accompanied drawings, the machine  10  is illustrated as a cold planer machine. The machine  10  may be used in the art of construction. 
         [0019]    The machine  10  includes a plurality of ground-engaging components or drive tracks  24 , 26  configured for propelling the machine  10  along a ground surface  12 . The machine  10  also includes a cutting drum  15 , supported on the frame  14 . The cutting drum  15  mills the road surface. A cutting plane of the machine  10  may be tangent to the bottom of the cutting drum  15  and parallel to the direction of travel of the machine  10 . The drive tracks  24 ,  26  of the machine  10  are connected to a frame  14  of the machine  10  by hydraulic legs or struts  30 ,  40 . The hydraulic legs or struts  30 ,  40  are configured to raise and lower the cutting drum  15  relative to the drive tracks  24 ,  26  so as to control a depth of cut for the cutting drum  15 . 
         [0020]    The machine  10  is further equipped with a lower  16  and upper conveyor  18  configured to transport excavated asphalt from the cutting drum  15  to a discharge location such as the bed of a dump truck. 
         [0021]      FIG. 3  is an isometric view of the lower conveyor  16  and the upper conveyor  18 .  FIG. 4  is a partial side view of the lower conveyor  16  and the upper conveyor  18 . As shown in both  FIGS. 3 and 4 , 
         [0022]    The lower conveyor  16  is attached to the frame  14  and an anti-slab structure through a linkage and sliding mechanism (not shown). The upper conveyor  18  is attached to the frame  14  through a pivotal structure  50 . The mechanism of the lower conveyor connection controls the discharge location of the lower conveyor  16  through the various working depths of the machine  10 . The lower conveyor  16  includes a discharge end  61 . The discharge end  61  of the lower conveyor  16  is located at the transition zone  62 . The transition zone  62  is the area between the lower conveyor  16  and the upper conveyor  18 . Generally, material passing from the discharge end  61  of the lower conveyor  16  to intake end  69  the upper conveyor  18  does so at the transition zone  62 . 
         [0023]    In some embodiments of the disclosure, the transition zone  62  has flashing  64 . The flashing  64  aides in guiding material moving from the lower conveyor  16  to the upper conveyor  18  and helps reduce the likelihood of material falling off the conveyors  16 ,  18 . An intake hopper  65  acts as a transition guide on the upper conveyor  18 . The intake hopper  65  is often a steel component. The intake hopper  65  is, as shown in  FIGS. 3-5  be primarily mounted to the upper conveyor  18 . Other portions of the flashing  64  may be attached to the lower conveyor  16 . 
         [0024]    The upper conveyor  18  includes an upper conveyor belt  66  that rides on the upper head pulleys  68 . The upper head pulleys  68  ride on upper head pulley axles  70  which are attached to the upper conveyor frame  72 . In some embodiments of the disclosure and as shown in  FIG. 3 , the upper conveyor  18  has an upper conveyor frame housing  74  which provides a housing for the upper conveyor frame  72 . Some of the upper conveyor frame housing  74  is not shown in  FIG. 3  in order to better illustrate the upper conveyor frame  72 . It will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that some embodiments can include upper conveyor frame housing  74  and other embodiments may not. The upper conveyor frame  72  is mounted to the frame  14  through an upper frame superstructure  75  which is equipped with actuators  77  and other devices in order to allow the upper conveyor  18  to pivot about the axis B-B shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0025]    The operation and structure of conveyors generally is well known as well as the ability of the conveyors to pivot whether vertically (about axis B-B) or pivot along the slew axis (A-A). In addition to the specific structure shown in the FIGS. one of ordinary skill in the art after reading this disclosure will appreciate that other types of conveyors and mechanisms for pivoting the upper conveyor  18  with respect to the lower conveyor  16  may be used and fall within the scope of this disclosure. 
         [0026]      FIG. 3  illustrates the discharge end  78  of the upper conveyor  18 . In many embodiments, the discharge end  78  of the upper conveyor  18  is oriented proximate to a dump truck in order for material moving along the upper conveyor  18  to be deposited into the dump truck.  FIG. 3  also illustrates that material moving along the lower conveyor  16  across the transition zone  62  and along the upper conveyor  18  moves in the same general direction of travel as illustrated by dashed line C-C. In other embodiments in accordance with the disclosure, the upper conveyor  18  may be rotated on the pivotal connection  50  about axis A-A so the lower conveyor  16  and the upper conveyor  18  are not in alignment to cause material to move along a general direction of travel C-C. 
         [0027]      FIG. 4  is a partial side view of the lower conveyor  16  and upper conveyor  18 . In the view shown in  FIG. 4 , the pivot axis B-B is illustrated as a pivot point  80 . The upper conveyor  18  pivot from side to side along one the slew axis A-A with respect to the lower conveyor  16 . This permits the upper conveyor  18  to move material either along the direction defined by the longitudinal direction of lower conveyor  16  or the material may turn when the material enters the upper conveyor  18  and move in a direction out of alignment with the longitudinal direction of lower conveyor  16  depending upon the pivotal direction of the upper conveyor  18  as that pivots about axis A-A. The upper conveyor  18  can also pivot with respect to pivot point  80  as shown in  FIG. 4  or in other words about axis B-B as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 5 . This elevation pivoting allows the discharge and  78  of the upper conveyor  18  to be raised or lowered as needed. As illustrated in  FIGS. 4 through 5 , the axes A-A and B-B intersect at the upper conveyor  18  near the transition zone  62 . Because these two axes A-A and B-B intersect each other they define a plane. 
         [0028]      FIG. 5  is a partial isometric view of a transition zone  62  of part of a machine  10 . The front ground engaging components or drive tracks  24  are seen. The lower conveyor  16  and associated lower conveyor belt  52  are shown. The pivotal connection  50  between the upper conveyor  18  and the machine  10  is also illustrated. The slew axis A-A extends through the pivotal connection  50  and is the axis about which the upper conveyor  18  pivots on the pivotal connection  50 . 
         [0029]    Some of the flashing  64  at the transition zone  62  has been removed in order to better illustrate the transition zone  62 . The intake hopper  65  is illustrated in  FIG. 5 . A material hard stop  82  is mounted to the machine frame  14 . In many embodiments in accordance with this disclosure, the material hard stop  82  is contained within the flashing  64  and is therefore not shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4  due to concealment by the flashing  64 . 
         [0030]    The material hard stop  82  is designed to work with the mounting mechanism and working speed range of the lower conveyor belt  52 , to maintain a transition intake point aligned with axis A on the upper conveyor. When the lower conveyor  16  is being run at a relatively low speed, the material coming off the lower conveyor  16  may have unimpeded travel into the intake hopper  65 . The alignment of the material transition intake to the intersection of axis A-A and axis B-B in the working elevation of the secondary conveyor reduces material spillage and improves conveyor belt tracking The hard stop  82  reduces the momentum of the material along axis C-C. The primary material momentum is transferred to the upper conveyor  18  in a vertical direction. 
         [0031]    As mentioned above, the upper conveyor  18  also pivots about the elevation axis B-B in order to raise and lower the discharge and  78  (best seen in  FIG. 3 ) to a desired height. The desired height may be controlled by the height of a wall associated with a dump truck into which the upper conveyor  18  is depositing material. It should be appreciated that the elevation axis B-B is not necessarily the axis of the upper head pulley axle  70 . In some embodiments the axis associated with the upper head pulley axles  70  and the elevation axis B-B may be the same however, in other embodiments as shown in  FIGS. 3 through 5 , the elevation axis B-B is not the same axis as the axis associated with the axle  70  of the upper head pulley  68 . 
         [0032]    Axis C-C illustrates a general direction of travel of material moving along the lower conveyor  16  and the upper conveyor  18 . In some embodiments in accordance with the disclosure, the lower conveyor  16  is aligned with the upper conveyor  18  so that material moving along the lower conveyor  16  across the transition zone  62  and along the upper conveyor  18  moves along a substantially similar general direction of travel. In some embodiments, the material hard stop  82  is also aligned along the axis C-C. In other embodiments in accordance with the disclosure, the upper conveyor  18  is pivoted along the pivotal connection  50  about the axis A-A so that the upper conveyor  18  is not aligned with the lower conveyor  16  to cause material moving along the lower conveyor  16  across the transition zone  62  and along the upper conveyor  18  episodes potentially same direction of travel. 
       INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
       [0033]    Conveyors are often used to move material in a variety of settings. One example setting, but by no means, is a limiting example, is the use of a conveyor to move asphalt or other roadbed material from a cold planer machine to another vehicle. The second vehicle is often used to haul away the material moved by the conveyor. Due to the variety of settings and equipment that may be used in a milling operation, it may be desirable to provide a wide range of locations for the output of the material carried by the conveyor. One way to provide a multiple of locations for the output of the material is to provide a system of multiple conveyors. When multiple conveyors are used, they may be able to move by pivoting with respect to each other in order to adjust the final output of material. For example, by pivoting with respect to a slew axis (in other words, left or right with respect to a first conveyor), the output of the material may be moved to the left or to the right. By allowing the second conveyor to also pivot with respect to an elevation axis, the output of material can be raised or lowered as desired. 
         [0034]    One of the problems associated with pivoting conveyors with respect to each other is at the transitional zone between the two conveyors provides an opportunity for material to be spilled or lost between the conveyors at the transition zone between the conveyors. When a conveyors run at a constant speed the location of the material being output from the conveyor may be predicted. In such a case, an operator may desire to place the input of a second conveyor at a location where it is predicted the output of the first conveyor will be in order to reduce the likelihood of material being spilled or lost during the transition of one conveyor to the other. However, the problem of material being lost or spilled between the conveyors is exacerbated when the speed of the two conveyors is adjusted. As the speed of a conveyor changes the location of the material being discharged can also change. For example, a conveyor run at a faster speed will “throw” material farther than the same conveyor moving the same material at lower speed. As a result, the area of where the material may end up when it comes off the conveyor is enlarged. 
         [0035]    When the area of where the material may end up is enlarged, is more difficult to determine where the best place to put the input of the second conveyor. Further, the larger this area, the more flashing and guiding material is required to guide the material to the input of a second conveyor. Therefore it is desirable to consider ways to shrink or reduce the area of where material may end up when it is coming off a conveyor. 
         [0036]    Another factor that can result in enlarging the transition area and therefore requiring more flashing in guiding material is the more axes the second conveyor pivots about potentially can enlarge the area where the input to the second conveyor may move. For example, if the input end of the second conveyor is in a desired location with respect to the output of the first conveyor, but the output end of the second conveyor needs to be adjusted, pivoting the second conveyor to a position where the output and is at a desired location may result in moving the input end of the second conveyor out of the desired position. This situation can result in enlarging the transition area between the two conveyors. Additional factors such as changing the working depth of the cutting drum and other movement of the first conveyor can also result in enlarging the transition area between conveyors. 
         [0037]    An additional problem is that if the second conveyor is aligned at a significantly different angle with respect to the first conveyor, material from the first conveyor will enter the second conveyer moving in a different direction then the first conveyor. This may impart a force on the belt of the first conveyer that may tend to cause the belt of the first conveyer to move off its pulleys or come off track. 
         [0038]    In some embodiments, these concerns are addressed by configuring and aligning the second conveyor so that the slew axis and the elevation axis about which the second conveyor pivots intersect each other and define a plane. In some embodiments, the slew axis and the elevation axis intersect proximal to an input and of the second conveyor. In some embodiments, configuring the conveyor system so that the slew axis and the elevation axis intersect and define a plane resulting in limiting the amount of travel the input end of the second conveyor does thereby reducing the size of the transitional area. 
         [0039]    In some embodiments, the likelihood of spilling or losing material at the transitional area is reduced by aligning the first conveyor with the second conveyor to result in the material being moved along a direction of travel, and to both conveyors. Furthermore, in some embodiments, aligning the material hard stop with the common direction of travel can aid in reducing the likelihood of material being spilled or lost at the transitional area or the material entering the second conveyor to impart a force on the belt of the second conveyer to cause the belt of the second conveyer to come off of its pulleys. 
         [0040]    The many features and advantages of the disclosure are apparent from the detailed specification, and thus, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of the disclosure which fall within the true spirit and scope of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and variations will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation illustrated and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4