Patent Description:
In particular, the present invention relates to the field of cutter assemblies that may be removably applied or secured to a vehicle, such as a skid steer loader or skid loader or an excavator, for example at the front in relation to the direction of movement thereof, so that the vehicle pushes the excavating assembly placed in front of the wheels or tracks of the vehicle.

The subject matter of the present invention is a excavating assembly for a operating machine, a operating machine comprising said equipment, and a method for adjusting the assembly, as defined in the appended claims.

Various pieces of milling or scarifying equipment are currently commercially available, some of which are patented in the name of the current applicant Simex Engineering (<CIT> or <CIT>). In particular, this known solution solves the problem of the so-called "flatness of the equipment used on the ground," i.e. runners that remain on the road surface and adjust the cut depth, which obviously must remain constant with varying angles of the scarifying cutter in relation to the support surface, which may vary due to potential, but not unlikely, drops in the pressure of the hydraulic cylinders that hold the equipment in place, or due to breaks in the ground where the self-propelled vehicle is working.

Other solutions are known from <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, and <CIT>.

These solutions aim to position the runners allowing for translation or roto-translation with respect to the theoretical center of the cutter, by positioning the runners according to the slope of the terrain and substantially adhering to the ground, thus preventing the runners from touching the ground only partially, with the front or rear portion depending on the misalignment situation between the support elements and the ground, thereby causing an undesirable variation in the working depth compared to the desired value.

However, the solutions proposed thus far do not precisely adjust the position of the support runners of the excavating assembly with respect to the physical center of rotation of the cutter.

Furthermore, the known solutions for allowing for the translation or roto-translation of the runners require plates or partitions having guides or slots that sometimes create large openings that act as passageways for dust and debris to come out of the structure containing the cutter. It is not rare for debris to be thrown out of the cutter structure, requiring operators to retrieve the material in order to bring it back into the milled area or to dispose of it.

In addition, the known solutions, precisely because they enable relative movement between the runners and the cutter, have numerous levers and actuators held by the support structure of the cutter, thus creating difficulties in positioning accessories that are sometimes used for milling operations, such as tanks for fluids for wetting the milled material, for example to keep down dust.

Consequently, there is a need to propose a milling assembly that allows for precise adjustment of the position of the runners with respect to the center of rotation of the cutter and, at the same time, makes it possible to meet the contrasting needs to contain the milled material during the milling operations and the additional contrasting need to simplify the construction and layout of the excavating assembly, including to facilitate the use of accessories.

The present invention falls within the above context, aiming to provide a milling assembly, a operating machine, and an adjustment method capable of overcoming these drawbacks.

These and other objects are achieved through a excavating assembly according to claim <NUM> and an adjustment method of the assembly according to claim <NUM>.

Some advantageous embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.

The solutions proposed as described in the enclosed claims overcome the drawbacks mentioned in reference to the solutions of the prior art.

Thanks to the proposed solutions the excavating assembly is adjusted by rotation about the physical axis of rotation of the cutter, resulting in a very precise movement of the assembly, in particular much more precise than the solutions of the prior art, in which the assembly rotates about a virtual axis, often by roto-translation and not rotation, along a virtual path.

Furthermore, thanks to the proposed solutions, the support structure is closed all around the cutter, providing greater safety for operators and preventing debris from being thrown out through the openings between the upper, front, and rear sides and plates.

Furthermore, the proposed solution of the excavating assembly leaves ample free space, for example above the cutter support structure, for associating accessories with the assembly, such as a tank for water to be sprayed during the milling process to reduce particles in suspension. Also, thanks to the very ample space, the view of the operator of the vehicle or operating machine is enhanced.

Thanks to the proposed solutions, it is possible to connect the excavating assembly <NUM> to a skid loader which is known to have an access opening for an operator in the front, that is, facing the excavation equipment, and make it possible to park the excavation equipment with the tool resting on a surface to be worked on and, at the same time, keep said access opening of the skid loader accessible while leaving the excavation equipment <NUM> attached to the skid loader, to allow the operator inside the skid loader to come out without having to first disconnect the excavating assembly <NUM> from the skid loader.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become clear from the description given below of its preferred embodiments as non-limiting examples, in reference to the attached figures, wherein:.

According to a general embodiment, a excavating assembly <NUM> for milling and/or scarifying a road surface or ground to be milled <NUM> comprises a support structure <NUM>.

Said support structure <NUM> delimits an internal chamber or compartment <NUM>.

Said support structure <NUM> comprises a compartment opening <NUM> adapted to face said road surface or ground to be milled <NUM>.

Said excavating assembly <NUM> comprises a cutter <NUM>.

Said cutter <NUM> is housed in said compartment <NUM> of the support structure <NUM> in such a way as to rotate about a cutter axis X. For example, said cutter axis X is arranged in said support structure <NUM> so as to lie parallel to the theoretical surface of the road surface or ground to be milled <NUM>.

Said cutter <NUM> protrudes from said compartment <NUM> through said compartment opening <NUM> in order to mill said road surface or ground to be milled <NUM>.

Said excavating assembly <NUM> further comprises a cutter movement unit <NUM> connected to said cutter <NUM> and adapted to move the cutter <NUM>.

Said cutter movement unit <NUM> is supported by said support structure <NUM>.

Said excavating assembly <NUM> further comprises at least one support element <NUM> adapted to rest on said road surface or ground to be milled <NUM> during the milling operations.

Said at least one support element <NUM> is separated from said support structure <NUM>.

Advantageously, said cutter <NUM> comprises a cutter axle extension <NUM> that protrudes from said support structure <NUM>, thereby extending said cutter axis X.

Said support element <NUM> comprises an eccentric plate seat <NUM>.

Said eccentric plate seat <NUM> rotatably houses an eccentric plate <NUM> so as to allow said eccentric plate <NUM> to rotate about a support element axis X'.

Said eccentric plate <NUM> comprises a cutter axle extension seat <NUM>.

Said cutter axle extension seat <NUM> freely and rotatably houses said cutter axle extension <NUM>. In other words, unless there are movements set by possible actuators placed between said support structure <NUM> and said support element <NUM>, the support structure <NUM> may freely oscillate about said cutter axis X with respect to the support element <NUM>.

Said cutter axis X, as extended by said cutter axle extension <NUM>, is eccentric with respect to said support element axis X', defining a predetermined eccentricity e.

Said excavating assembly <NUM> further comprises an eccentric plate movement unit <NUM> connected to said eccentric plate <NUM> in order to move said eccentric plate about said support element axis X'.

According to a particular embodiment, said eccentric plate movement unit <NUM> is supported by said support structure <NUM> and is operatively connected to said eccentric plate <NUM> so as to move it inside said eccentric plate seat <NUM> thereof.

According to a particular embodiment, said eccentric plate movement unit <NUM> is supported by said support structure <NUM> and is operatively connected to said eccentric plate <NUM> so as to move it inside said eccentric plate seat <NUM> thereof. Said eccentric plate movement unit <NUM> is connected to and actuates eccentric plate movement levers <NUM>. Said eccentric plate movement levers <NUM> are operatively connected to said eccentric plate <NUM> so as to move it in the eccentric plate seat <NUM> thereof provided in the support element <NUM>.

According to a particular embodiment, said eccentric plate movement unit <NUM> is supported by said support element <NUM> and is operatively connected to said eccentric plate <NUM>.

According to a particular embodiment, said eccentric plate movement unit <NUM> comprises a linear piston-cylinder actuator or a motor connected to an internal thread and worm screw. Said cylinder, or motor and internal threads, is rotatably supported by said support element <NUM>, and said piston, or worm screw, is rotatably connected by the end thereof to said eccentric plate <NUM> at a predetermined distance from the cutter axis X.

According to a particular embodiment, said linear piston-cylinder actuator is a hydraulic actuator.

According to a particular embodiment, said linear piston-cylinder actuator is an electric actuator, for example a motor actuating an internal thread-worm screw assembly.

According to a particular embodiment, said eccentric plate movement unit <NUM> is supported by said support structure <NUM> and is operatively connected to said eccentric plate <NUM>.

According to a particular embodiment, said eccentric plate movement unit <NUM> comprises a linear piston-cylinder actuator.

Said cylinder is rotatably supported by said support structure <NUM>, and said piston is rotatably connected by the end thereof to said eccentric plate <NUM> at a predetermined distance from the cutter axis X.

According to a particular embodiment, said linear piston-cylinder actuator is an electric actuator.

According to a particular embodiment, said at least one support element <NUM> consists of two support elements <NUM>, each comprising an eccentric plate <NUM> thereof, placed at opposite ends of the support structure <NUM>. Only one eccentric plate movement unit <NUM> is operatively connected by means of levers and gears to both said eccentric plates <NUM>.

According to a particular embodiment, said cutter <NUM> comprises opposing cutter axle extensions <NUM> which protrude from opposite sides of said support structure <NUM>, extending said cutter axis X on opposite sides.

Said excavating assembly <NUM> further comprises two opposing support elements <NUM> adapted to rest on said road surface or ground to be milled <NUM> during the milling operations, and placed on opposite sides of said support structure <NUM>.

Each of said two opposing support elements <NUM> comprises an eccentric plate seat <NUM>.

Each of said eccentric plate seats <NUM> rotatably houses a respective eccentric plate <NUM> so as to allow said eccentric plate <NUM> to rotate about a support element axis X'.

Each of said eccentric plates <NUM> comprises a cutter axle extension seat <NUM>.

Each of said cutter axle extension seats <NUM> freely and rotatably houses a respective one of said cutter axle extensions <NUM>.

Said cutter axis X, as extended by said cutter axle extensions <NUM>, is eccentric with respect to said support element axis X', defining a predetermined eccentricity e.

According to a particular embodiment, one of the following alternatives is also envisaged:.

According to a particular embodiment, the portion of cutter <NUM> that protrudes from support element <NUM> is increased or decreased by rotating said eccentric plate <NUM> in said eccentric plate seat <NUM>.

According to a particular embodiment, said cutter axis, or cutter rotation axis, X is parallel to said support element axis X'.

According to a particular embodiment, said at least one support element <NUM> consists of two support elements <NUM> placed at opposite ends of the support structure <NUM>. Each said support element <NUM> comprises an eccentric plate seat <NUM> which rotatably houses an eccentric plate <NUM> so as to allow said eccentric plate <NUM> to rotate about a support element axis X'; and in which said eccentric plate <NUM> comprises a cutter axle extension seat <NUM>; and in which said cutter axle extension seat <NUM> freely and rotatably houses said cutter axle extension seat <NUM>; and in which said cutter axis X as extended by said cutter axle extension seat <NUM> is eccentric with respect to said support element axis X', defining a predetermined eccentricity e; and in which said excavating assembly <NUM> further comprises an eccentric plate movement unit <NUM> supported by said support element <NUM> or supported by said support structure <NUM> and connected to said eccentric plate <NUM> so as to move said eccentric plate about said support element axis X'.

According to a particular embodiment, said at least one support element <NUM> consists of two support elements <NUM> placed on opposite sides of the support structure <NUM>. A first support element <NUM> comprises an eccentric plate seat <NUM> which rotatably houses an eccentric plate <NUM> so as to allow said eccentric plate <NUM> to rotate about a support element axis X'; and in which said eccentric plate <NUM> comprises a cutter axle extension seat <NUM>; and in which said cutter axle extension seat <NUM> freely and rotatably houses said cutter axle extension <NUM>; and in which said cutter axis X as extended by said cutter axle extension <NUM> is eccentric with respect to said support element axis X', defining a predetermined eccentricity e; and in which said excavating assembly <NUM> further comprises an eccentric plate movement unit <NUM> supported by said support element <NUM> or supported by said support structure <NUM> and connected to said eccentric plate <NUM> so as to move said eccentric plate about said support element axis X'.

A second support element <NUM> comprises an eccentric plate seat <NUM> which rotatably houses an eccentric plate <NUM> so as to allow said eccentric plate <NUM> to rotate about a support element axis X' ; and in which said eccentric plate <NUM> comprises a cutter axle extension seat <NUM>; and in which said cutter axle extension seat <NUM> freely and rotatably houses a support structure shaft <NUM> integrally attached to said support structure <NUM>; and in which said cutter axis X is extended in said support structure shaft <NUM> and is eccentric with respect to said support element axis X', defining a predetermined eccentricity e; and in which said excavating assembly <NUM> further comprises an eccentric plate movement unit <NUM> supported by said support element <NUM> or supported by said support structure <NUM> and connected to said eccentric plate <NUM> so as to move said eccentric plate about said support element axis X'.

According to a particular embodiment, said cutter <NUM> is supported by said support structure <NUM> at least by means of the cutter movement unit or cutter motor <NUM>.

According to a particular embodiment, said cutter axis X and the axis of the cutter movement unit or cutter motor <NUM> coincide with each other.

According to a particular embodiment, said cutter axle extension <NUM> is part of the cutter movement unit <NUM>.

According to a particular embodiment, said support structure <NUM> is a box structure.

According to a particular embodiment, said support structure <NUM> is a closed box structure with the exception of said compartment opening <NUM> from which said cutter <NUM> protrudes.

According to a particular embodiment, said support structure <NUM> is a box structure that comprises an upper plate <NUM>, a front plate <NUM>, a rear plate <NUM>, and sides <NUM> opposite each other with respect to said cutter <NUM>; and/or in which said sides <NUM> are connected by separable means to said upper plate <NUM>, front plate <NUM>, and rear plate <NUM> so that the same type of sides <NUM> may be used for support structures <NUM> having widths according to different axial extensions.

According to a particular embodiment, said support structure <NUM> is a box structure that comprises an upper plate <NUM>, a front plate <NUM>, a rear plate <NUM>, and sides <NUM> opposite each other with respect to said cutter <NUM>; and in which at least one side <NUM> comprises a cutter support seat <NUM> defining a cutter axis of rotation or cutter axis X.

According to a particular embodiment, said support structure <NUM> is a box structure which comprises an upper plate <NUM> with which a piece of excavating assembly service equipment, such as a tank for a fluid, is associated.

According to a particular embodiment, said cutter support seat <NUM> is a motor seat that accommodates a portion of said cutter movement unit or cutter motor <NUM>.

According to a particular embodiment, said cutter movement unit <NUM> comprises said cutter axle extension <NUM>; a portion of said cutter axle extension <NUM> protrudes out of the support structure <NUM> and comprises power supply connections <NUM> adapted to connected the power supply to said cutter movement unit <NUM>.

According to a particular embodiment, said cutter movement unit or cutter motor <NUM> comprises a hydraulic motor. According to a particular embodiment, said cutter movement unit or cutter motor <NUM> comprises an electric motor.

According to a particular embodiment, said cutter movement unit or cutter motor <NUM> is completely housed inside the support structure <NUM>.

According to a particular embodiment, said cutter movement unit or cutter motor <NUM> is completely housed inside the support structure <NUM> with the exception of the extension portion of the cutter axle <NUM>.

According to a particular embodiment, said cutter movement unit or cutter motor <NUM> is housed inside said cutter <NUM>. According to a particular embodiment, said cutter movement unit or cutter motor <NUM> is housed outside said cutter <NUM>.

According to a particular embodiment, said cutter <NUM> is a cutter cylinder having a cutter cover <NUM> which supports a plurality of cutting tools <NUM> in a cantilever fashion.

According to a particular embodiment, said support structure <NUM> is oscillatingly connected to a connection element <NUM> for connection to a loading machine <NUM>, such as a skid steer excavator or an agricultural machine or a road tractor or a self-propelled machine, for example a skid steer loader or skid loader.

According to a particular embodiment, said support structure <NUM> is oscillatingly connected to a connection element <NUM> for connection to a loading machine <NUM>, for example excavator <NUM> with an articulated arm <NUM>.

According to a particular embodiment, said connection element <NUM> is slidably connected to transverse translation guides <NUM> defining an axis of translation T.

According to a particular embodiment, said axis of translation T is parallel to said cutter axis X.

According to a particular embodiment, said support structure <NUM> is oscillatingly connected to an attachment element <NUM> so as to allow said excavating assembly <NUM> to oscillate about an axis of oscillation Zo.

According to a particular embodiment, said axis of oscillation Zo is orthogonal to the cutter axis X.

According to a particular embodiment, said excavating assembly <NUM> comprises a cutter oscillation unit <NUM>; said cutter oscillation unit <NUM> is placed between a connection element <NUM> for connection of the excavating assembly <NUM> to a loading machine <NUM>, and said support structure <NUM> to adjust an oscillation of the excavating assembly <NUM> about an axis of oscillation Zo.

According to a particular embodiment, said connection element <NUM> is arranged opposite the travel direction of the milling so that said excavating assembly <NUM> is placed in front of a loading machine <NUM> with respect to the travel direction thereof, for example for connection to a front arm <NUM> of a skid steer loader or skid loader <NUM> and to allow milling both in a forward direction and in a backward direction of said loading machine <NUM>.

According to a particular embodiment, said connection element <NUM> is arranged in the advancing direction of the milling so that said excavating assembly <NUM> is placed behind a loading machine <NUM> with respect to the travel direction thereof, for example for connection to rear support and lifting arms of a tractor <NUM> and to allow milling both in a forward direction and in a backward direction of said loading machine <NUM>.

According to a particular embodiment, said eccentric plate movement unit <NUM> comprises a gearmotor.

According to a particular embodiment, said eccentric plate movement unit <NUM> comprises an electric motor.

According to a particular embodiment, said eccentric plate movement unit <NUM> comprises a hydraulic motor.

According to a particular embodiment, said eccentric plate movement unit <NUM> comprises a gear driven by a crank <NUM> which may be associated therewith by separable means.

According to a particular embodiment, said eccentric plate movement unit <NUM> comprises a pinion <NUM>.

Said eccentric plate <NUM> comprises a rack <NUM>.

Said pinion <NUM> meshes with said rack <NUM>.

According to a particular embodiment, said rack <NUM> is arch-shaped to control the oscillation movement of the eccentric plate <NUM> in said eccentric plate seat <NUM>.

According to a particular embodiment, said eccentric plate seat <NUM> is an open seat.

According to a particular embodiment, said eccentric plate seat <NUM> is a closed seat.

According to a particular embodiment, said eccentric plate seat <NUM> comprises at least one seat edge <NUM>; said seat edge <NUM> accommodates and guides the oscillation of said eccentric plate <NUM>.

According to a particular embodiment, said eccentric plate <NUM> comprises at least one eccentric plate edge <NUM>; said eccentric plate edge <NUM> is accommodated and guided by said at least one seat edge <NUM>.

According to a particular embodiment, said cutter axle extension seat <NUM> is an open seat.

According to a particular embodiment, said cutter axle extension seat <NUM> is a closed seat.

According to a particular embodiment, said cutter axle extension <NUM> comprises a motor guide <NUM>; said cutter axle extension seat <NUM> is fitted to said motor guide <NUM>.

According to a particular embodiment, said motor guide <NUM> comprises a seat shoulder <NUM> and a Seeger ring seat <NUM>; said eccentric plate <NUM>, when fitted to said motor guide <NUM> of said cutter axle extension <NUM> with the motor seat <NUM> thereof, is placed between said seat shoulder <NUM> and a Seeger ring <NUM> removably received into said Seeger ring seat <NUM>.

According to a particular embodiment, said support element <NUM> comprises support element runners <NUM> adapted to rest on said road surface or ground to be milled <NUM>.

According to a particular embodiment, said excavating assembly <NUM> may be removably applied or secured to a vehicle, such as a skid steer loader or skid loader or excavator.

The present invention also relates to a operating machine or operating machine or simply <NUM> comprising a excavating assembly <NUM> as described in any one of the preceding embodiments.

According to a particular embodiment, said excavating assembly is removably associated with the operating or loading machine <NUM> at the front thereof with respect to the direction of operation of the operating or loading machine <NUM>.

The present invention also relates to a method for adjusting a excavating assembly <NUM> comprising the following steps:.

Claim 1:
A excavating assembly (<NUM>) for milling and/or scarifying a road surface or ground to be milled (<NUM>), wherein
said excavating assembly (<NUM>) comprises a support structure (<NUM>) delimiting a compartment (<NUM>), said support structure (<NUM>) comprises a compartment opening (<NUM>) adapted to face said road surface or ground to be milled (<NUM>);
said excavating assembly (<NUM>) further comprises a cutter (<NUM>), said cutter (<NUM>) being housed in said compartment (<NUM>) of the support structure (<NUM>) so as to be rotatable about a cutter axis (X); said cutter (<NUM>) protrudes from said compartment (<NUM>) through said compartment opening (<NUM>) in order to mill said road surface or ground to be milled (<NUM>);
said excavating assembly (<NUM>) further comprises a cutter movement unit (<NUM>) connected to said cutter (<NUM>); said cutter movement unit (<NUM>) being supported by said support structure (<NUM>);
said excavating assembly (<NUM>) further comprises at least one support element (<NUM>) adapted to rest on said road surface or ground to be milled (<NUM>) during the milling operations;
said at least one support element (<NUM>) is separate from said support structure (<NUM>);
characterized in that
said cutter (<NUM>) comprises a cutter axle extension (<NUM>) protruding from said support structure (<NUM>) thus extending said cutter axis (X); said support element (<NUM>) comprises an eccentric plate seat (<NUM>); said eccentric plate seat (<NUM>) rotatably houses an eccentric plate (<NUM>) so as to allow said eccentric plate (<NUM>) to rotate about a support element axis (X');
said eccentric plate (<NUM>) comprises a cutter axle extension seat (<NUM>) ;
said cutter axle extension seat (<NUM>) houses said cutter axle extension (<NUM>) so as to be freely rotatable;
said cutter axis (X), as extended by said cutter axle extension (<NUM>), is eccentric with respect to said support element axis (X'), defining a predetermined eccentricity (e);
said excavating assembly (<NUM>) further comprises an eccentric plate movement unit (<NUM>) connected to said eccentric plate (<NUM>) for moving said eccentric plate about said support element axis (X').