The invention relates to a trench cutter and a method for producing a cut trench in the soil having a cutter frame, at least one pair of cutting wheels which are supported and driven in a rotatable manner on a lower end of the cutter frame, wherein each cutting wheel has a plurality of cutting teeth along its outer circumference, and a supply and/or discharge means for supplying or discharging a cutting liquid to or from the cut trench in the region of the cutting wheels. According to the invention provision is made in that spaced from the supply and/or discharge means a cleaning device is provided for cleaning the cutting wheels during the cutting operation with a cleaning fluid and in that the cleaning device has a plurality of cleaning nozzles which are directed onto the outer circumference of at least one cutting wheel and designed to inject the cleaning fluid to loosen adhering soil material.

A ditch cutting and excavation spoil removal apparatus creates ditches and land contours while simultaneously removing excavation spoil from the banks of newly created ditches. The apparatus includes an excavation spoil collection box and an adjustable plow saddle that supports a plowshare. The spoil collection box has a vertically adjustable rectangular frame with an open front and bottom. The pivotally mounted plow saddle may be tilted upward and downward through the bottom of the excavation box frame for adjustment of the plowshare and, correspondingly, the depth of the ditch being cut. Excavation spoil is collected in the spoil collection box as the apparatus is moved along the ground surface and is removed by raising the spoil collection box.

An earth shaping vehicle (ESV) includes a chassis and a rear earth shaping tool. The chassis drives the ESV through the site from a first location in the site to a second location in the site. The front earth shaping tool moves earth from the first location to the second location. The rear earth shaping tool grades a ground surface between first location and the second location. Sensors coupled to the rear excavation tool produce one or more signals representative of a position and an orientation of the rear tool relative to the ground surface of the site. A controller produces actuating signals to actuate the rear excavation tool to grade the ground surface based on the one or more signals representative of the position and the orientation of the rear tool.

A retrieval arrangement for a ripper of a machine includes a bollard that is disposed towards a rear portion of the machine. The bollard includes a base that is disposed along a mid-plane of the ripper and connected to the ripper via a ripper carriage. A method for retrieving the ripper includes positioning a sling around the bollard, and pulling the sling using another machine such that the bollard is biased in the direction away from the ripper carriage.

A mobile machine includes front and rear ends, a frame, rotatably supported ground engaging mechanisms, and an electrical drive system. The electrical drive system includes a source of electrical energy, an inverter, at least one electric motor operatively coupled to rotate at least one of the ground engaging mechanisms, a plurality of first electric cables electrically coupling the source of electrical energy to the inverter, and a plurality of second electric cables electrically coupling the inverter to the electric motor. The inverter is disposed in the mobile machine in a vertical orientation at the rear end of the machine.

A machine control system comprises operating elements for operating a construction machine in a loader mode and in an excavator mode. The machine control system further comprises a control device configured to selectively set a loader control layout or an excavator control layout of the operating elements. The loader control layout comprises an assignment of the operating elements with loader operating functions. The excavator control layout comprises an assignment of the operating elements with excavator operating functions that is different from the assignment of the operating elements with the loader operating functions. The machine control system further comprises a switch configured to communicate with the control device for selecting one of the loader control layout and the excavator control layout. The invention further relates to a construction machine that comprises such a machine control system.

A work machine includes: a satellite communication antenna for detecting a position of an upper swing structure; angle sensors detecting postures of two work devices; position computing devices that calculate postures/positions of the two work devices on the basis of outputs from the satellite communication antenna and the angle sensors; a display device on which the position of at least one work device of the two work devices and a position of a target surface are displayed; a display selection switch that outputs a first input signal for displaying a work device selected by an operator from between the two work devices on the display device; and a display changeover section that displays the work device corresponding to the first input signal input from the display selection switch out of the two work devices and the position of the target work object of the work device on the display device.

A dual mode control system for a work vehicle includes a hydraulic system configured to drive a loader assembly and a dozer assembly coupled to the work vehicle. The hydraulic system includes a fluid delivery system comprising a plurality of flow paths fluidly coupled to a hydraulic pump. The hydraulic system includes a valve assembly configured to regulate diversion of fluid into a first and a second hydraulic cylinders coupled to the fluid delivery system to adjust the loader assembly, or into a third cylinder coupled to the fluid delivery system to adjust the dozer assembly. The dual mode control system also includes a controller operably coupled to the valve assembly, and one or more user interfaces coupled to the controller to enable an operator to provide inputs to cause the controller to adjust the valve assembly, and to thereby adjust the loader assembly or the dozer assembly.

A system and method for increasing friction between cables and surrounding soil is disclosed. In particular, a cable apparatus for use in a sub-surface protective network of intertwined cables is provided which comprises an elongate reinforced polymer cable body having a length. The cable apparatus also includes a plurality of elongate barbs provided along the length of the cable body. The barbs extend from the cable body to a respective free end in both a lengthwise direction and radially. Additionally, the barbs are spaced apart in one or more of the lengthwise direction along the length of the cable body and circumferentially about the cable body. Moreover, according to a further aspect, a plurality of such cables can be provided underground and intertwined to define a protective network cables for protecting buried assets.

A construction machine comprises a machine frame and an articulated boom pivotably mounted to the machine frame. An electric motor is connected to a battery for operating a component of the construction machine. The construction machine is configured to be operated in a loader mode in which a first tool is mounted to the articulated boom, and in an excavator mode in which a second tool is mounted to the articulated boom. The construction machine comprises a tool storage for storing the first tool and/or the second tool. The construction machine is configured to replace one of the first tool and second tool when mounted to the articulated boom with the other one of the first tool and the second tool when stored in the tool storage. A method of changing an operational mode and a method of selecting an operational mode of a construction machine are also described.