Abstract
The present invention relates to a ground compaction apparatus for compacting a subsoil cover layer, with at least one compaction roller, a cover edge processing apparatus comprising an edge processing roller and having a cut material deflector, the cut material deflector being mounted on the cover edge processing apparatus with the aid of a mounting device, the mounting device being configured such that the relative position of the at least one material guide surface of the cut material deflector can be changed automatically with respect to the adjustable roller holding device of the cover edge processing apparatus. The present invention also relates to an asphalt roller having such a ground compaction apparatus and a method for operating such a ground compaction apparatus.
Claims
1. A ground compaction apparatus (10) for compacting a subsoil cover layer (8), comprising: at least one compaction roller which is mounted on a support structure of the ground compaction apparatus for rotation about a horizontal traveling rotation axis extending transversely to a working direction (a), and which comprises a cylindrical external surface rolling on the underlying ground during compaction operation; a cover edge processing apparatus arranged on the support structure, comprising an edge processing roller, an adjustable roller holding device, comprising an adjustment arm, and an adjustment drive, wherein the edge processing roller is mounted on the adjustable roller holding device for rotation about a roller rotation axis, and wherein the adjustable roller holding device is mounted on the support structure such that, driven by the adjustment drive, it can be adjusted together with the edge processing roller from a passive position into an edge processing position relative to the external surface of the compaction roller; and a cut material deflector with at least one material guide surface provided to push cut cover material produced during working operation of the cover edge processing apparatus away from the subsoil cover layer in a direction of the traveling rotation axis while passing over the subsoil cover layer, wherein the cut material deflector is mounted on the cover edge processing apparatus with the aid of a mounting device, the mounting device being configured such that the relative position of the at least one material guide surface of the cut material deflector with respect to the adjustable roller holding device of the cover edge processing apparatus can be changed automatically.
2. The ground compaction apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mounting device for mounting the cut material deflector on the cover edge processing apparatus has at least one of the following features: the mounting device is configured such that the mounting device adjusts the relative position of the at least one material guide surface with respect to the adjustable roller holding device depending on the adjustment position of the adjustable roller holding device with respect to the support structure; the mounting device is configured such that the mounting device adjusts the relative position of the at least one material guide surface with respect to the adjustable roller holding device depending on gravity; and the mounting device is configured such that the mounting device adjusts the relative position of the at least one material guide surface with respect to the adjustable roller holding device through interaction with an underlying ground.
3. The ground compaction apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cut material deflector is adjustably mounted directly on the cover edge processing apparatus.
4. The ground compaction apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mounting device of the cut material deflector has either a mounting arm which can be rotated about an adjustment axis elative to the adjustable roller holding device of the cover edge processing apparatus and/or a mounting arm which is displaceable, in particular linearly, along an adjustment curve relative to the adjustable roller holding device of the edge processing apparatus.
5. The ground compaction apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the mounting arm of the mounting device of the cut material deflector is mounted coaxially to the roller rotation axis of the edge processing roller for rotation relative to the adjustable roller holding device.
6. The ground compaction apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mounting arm of the mounting device is arranged at least partially, as seen in the direction of the roller rotation axis, between the edge processing roller and the adjustable roller holding device of the cover edge processing apparatus or that the mounting arm of the mounting device is arranged, as seen in the direction of the roller rotation axis, on the side of the edge processing roller facing away from the compaction roller.
7. The ground compaction apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mounting arm of the mounting device is mounted on the cover edge processing apparatus such that the mounting arm revolves around a support shaft of the edge processing roller in the radial direction with respect to the roller rotation axis.
8. The ground compaction apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mounting device has a means acting at least partially downward in the vertical direction, for applying actuating force to the cut material deflector.
9. The ground compaction apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for applying actuating force to the cut material deflector has at least one of the following features: the means is arranged between the mounting arm and the adjustable roller holding device; the means is arranged between the mounting arm and the support shaft arranged on the roller holding device, the support shaft being guided through the edge processing roller to the side of the edge processing roller facing away from the compaction roller; the means is a gas pressure spring, a torsion spring or a coil spring; and the means comprises an elastic actuation element.
10. The ground compaction apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an adjustment path limiting device is provided which limits the adjustment path of the cut material deflector relative to the edge processing roller and/or relative to the compaction roller.
11. The ground compaction apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the material guide surface extends along the roller rotation axis on both sides away from the mounting device toward and away from the edge processing roller.
12. The ground compaction apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mounting device has, between the mounting arm and the material guide surface, a width bridging member extending in the direction parallel to the roller rotation axis and having an extension in the direction of the roller rotation axis corresponding to a range of 80% to 120% of the axial extension of the edge processing roller in the direction of the roller rotation axis.
13. The ground compaction apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ground compaction apparatus has a collecting container arranged behind the material guide surface in the working direction (a), comprising a receiving opening and a material collecting region, the receiving opening (25) being positioned such that material guided by the material guide surface in the material guiding position is guided into the receiving opening in the case of continued movement in the working direction.
14. An asphalt roller with a ground compaction apparatus according to claim 1.
15. A method for operating a ground compaction apparatus according to claim 1, with a compaction roller rotatably mounted on a support structure and a cover edge processing apparatus mounted on the support structure, comprising an edge processing roller, an adjustment arm as well as an adjustment drive, the edge processing roller being adjustable, driven by the adjustment drive, from a passive position into an edge processing position relative to the external surface of the compaction roller, the method comprising: a) adjusting the cover edge processing apparatus from the passive position into the edge processing position relative to the external surface of the compaction roller, and b) automatically adjusting, simultaneously to step a), a cut material deflector relative to the cover edge processing apparatus.
16. The method (27) according to claim 15, wherein adjusting the cut material deflector relative to the cover edge processing apparatus is performed depending on at least one of the following: an adjustment position of the adjustment arm; gravity; or interaction of the cut material deflector with the underlying ground.
17. The asphalt roller according to claim 14, wherein the asphalt roller comprises an articulated-steered or pivot-steered tandem roller.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0032] The present invention will be described in more detail below by reference to the embodiment examples shown in the figures. In the schematic figures:
[0033] FIG. 1 is a side view of an asphalt roller;
[0034] FIG. 2 is an enlarged side view of a cover edge processing apparatus;
[0035] FIG. 3 is a top view of a cover edge processing apparatus;
[0036] FIG. 4 is a side view of a cover edge processing apparatus without edge processing roller and material guide surface from the perspective indicated by the dashed line with the two arrows in FIG. 3;
[0037] FIG. 5 is a side view of a cover edge processing apparatus in a working position partially penetrating the subsoil cover layer;
[0038] FIG. 6 is a side view of a cover edge processing apparatus in a working position fully penetrating the subsoil cover layer;
[0039] FIG. 7 is a side view of an alternative embodiment of a cover edge processing apparatus in a working position fully penetrating the subsoil cover layer;
[0040] FIG. 8 is a top view of the cover edge processing apparatus according to FIG. 7; and
[0041] FIG. 9 is a flow chart of the method.
[0042] Like parts or functionally like parts are designated by like reference numerals in the figures. Recurring parts are not designated separately in each figure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0043] FIG. 1 shows an asphalt roller 1, in this case a tandem roller. The asphalt roller 1 has a machine frame 3 and an operator platform 2. Its traveling gear comprises support structures 6 and compaction rollers 5, in the present case roller drums, mounted on the support structure 6. The compaction rollers 5 are mounted on the machine frame 3 via the support structures 6. Moreover, the asphalt roller 1 has a drive motor 4, for example a diesel combustion engine or an electric motor, which drives the asphalt roller 1. In working operation of the asphalt roller 1, the latter is guided over a ground in or against the working direction a and compacts it by rotating the compaction rollers 5 about a traveling rotation axis 11. The ground comprises, for example, a subsoil 9 and a subsoil cover layer 8 disposed on the subsoil 9. For example, the subsoil layer 8 is an asphalt layer to be compacted by the asphalt roller 1 to form a road. The subsoil 9 is, for example, ground material disposed beneath the asphalt layer. The asphalt roller 1 according to FIG. 1 has a ground compaction apparatus 10 according to the present invention, comprising a support structure 6, a compaction roller 5 and a cover edge processing apparatus 7. In the embodiment example shown, the ground compaction apparatus 10 and, in particular, the cover edge processing apparatus 7 are arranged at the front left of the asphalt roller 1. However, the ground compaction apparatus 10 or the cover edge processing apparatus 7 may just as well be arranged at the front right or rear left or rear right of the asphalt roller 1. Moreover, it is also possible that multiple machine sides each have a ground compaction apparatus 10 with a cover edge processing apparatus 7.
[0044] The cover edge processing apparatus 7 is shown in FIG. 2 in an enlarged side view from the same perspective as in FIG. 1. The cover edge processing apparatus 7 is attached to the support structure 6 of the compaction roller 5. It has an edge processing roller 12 which is mounted on the support structure 6 via a roller holding device 13, in this case an adjustment arm. In particular, the roller holding device 13 configured as an adjustment arm is mounted on the support structure 6 for rotation about a swivel axis 30. The edge processing roller 12, in turn, is likewise rotatably attached to the roller holding device 13, specifically about a roller rotation axis 15. Moreover, the cover edge processing apparatus 7 has a cut material deflector 16. The cut material deflector 16 is configured to convey cut material separated from the subsoil cover layer 8 by the edge processing roller 12 during operation laterally, i.e. transversely to the working direction a or parallel to the roller rotation axis 15, away from the remaining part of the subsoil cover layer 8. This is to facilitate subsequent removal of the cut material and to reduce the risk of accidentally damaging the remaining subsoil cover layer 8 when removing the cut material. The cut material deflector 16 comprises a mounting device 18, which is in this case configured as a mounting arm, and a material guide surface 17 arranged on the mounting arm or the mounting device 18. If the adjustment arm of the roller holding device 13 is swiveled about the swivel axis 30, the position of the edge processing roller 12 changes in the vertical direction. In particular, the cover edge processing apparatus 7, and, in particular, the edge processing roller 12, is adjusted by swiveling the roller holding device 13 between a passive position in which the edge processing roller 12 is not in contact with the ground and an edge processing position in which the edge processing roller 12 either cuts off or presses against a part of the subsoil cover layer 8. In order to drive this adjusting movement of the roller holding device 13 or of the adjustment arm, an adjustment drive 14 is provided which in the embodiment example shown is a hydraulic cylinder, in particular a double-acting hydraulic cylinder. The adjustment drive 14 thus adjusts the roller holding device 13 between the passive position and the edge processing position.
[0045] FIG. 2 also shows a collecting container 24, which has a receiving opening 25 located at the front in the working direction a and a material collecting region 26. The collecting container 24 is configured and arranged on the ground compaction apparatus 10 or the cover edge processing apparatus 7 or the machine frame 3 of the asphalt roller 1 in such a way that cut material conveyed away from the subsoil cover layer 8 by the material guide surface 17 is conveyed through the receiving opening 25 into the material collecting region 26 of the collecting container 24 as the asphalt roller 1 moves forward in the working direction a. For this purpose, the collecting container 24 may have, for example, a ramp or a guide plate configured to guide the cut material into the receiving opening 25. The collecting container 24 is thus configured such that it collects the produced cut material in the same operation as the processing of the subsoil cover layer 8 by the edge processing roller 12. The cut material therefore does not need to be collected in a separate step by a separate machine, such as a wheel loader.
[0046] The cover edge processing apparatus 7 is shown in a top view in FIG. 3, so that its structure can be seen in more detail. FIG. 3 shows that the edge processing roller 12 is rotatably mounted on the roller holding device 13, or the adjustment arm, via a support shaft 20. In addition, the mounting device 18 or the mounting arm is also rotatably mounted on the support shaft 20. A synopsis with FIG. 4 shows that the mounting device 18 or the mounting arm at least partially or almost completely engages around the support shaft 20 in the embodiment example shown. The mounting device 18 or the mounting arm can therefore also be rotated about the support shaft 20, in particular about an adjustment axis 19 which corresponds to the roller rotation axis 15. Moreover, an actuating force which is directed, in particular, vertically downward is applied to the mounting arm or the mounting device 18 by means for applying actuating force 21. In the embodiment example shown, the means for applying actuating force 21 is configured as a gas pressure spring and is arranged between the mounting device 18 or the mounting arm and the roller holding device 13 or the adjustment arm. In particular, the means for applying actuating force 21 causes the mounting device 18 or the mounting arm to rotate about the adjustment axis 19 in such a way that the cut material deflector 16 or the material guide surface 17 moves downward in the vertical direction. The means for applying actuating force 21 presses the material guide surface 17 onto the underlying ground, for example the subsoil cover layer 8 or the subsoil 9. Pressing the material guide surface 17 onto the underlying ground prevents the cut material deflector 16 from bouncing, thereby ensuring reliable conveyance of the cut material away from the subsoil cover layer 8.
[0047] FIGS. 3 and 4 also show a width bridging member 23 of the cut material deflector 16, which is arranged between the mounting device 18 or the mounting arm and the material guide surface 17. The width bridging piece 23 spaces the mounting device 18 from the material guide surface 17, and, in particular, over the entire width of the edge processing roller 12 in the direction of the roller rotation axis 15 or the adjustment axis 19. In particular, FIG. 3 shows that the entire mounting device 18 including the width bridging member 23 is arranged at the same level and/or behind the edge processing roller 12 along the roller rotation axis 15 or the adjustment axis 19 as seen from the outside of the machine. In other words, the mounting device 18 and the width bridging member 23 do not protrude outward beyond the edge processing roller 12 in the direction of the roller rotation axis 15 or the adjustment axis 19. Only the material guide surface 17 protrudes away from the machine beyond the edge processing roller 12 in the direction of the roller rotation axis 15 or the adjustment axis 19. In particular, the material guide surface 17 protrudes beyond the edge processing roller 12 along the roller rotation axis 15 or adjustment axis 19 with a material guide path 31. The material guide path 31 is defined by the material guide surface 17 and describes the path along which cut material is conveyed by the material guide surface 17. The material guide path 31 extends outward beyond the edge processing roller 12 in the direction of the roller rotation axis 15 or the adjustment axis 19, in particular, for example, by 5 cm to 15 cm, for example by 5 cm to 10 cm, and preferably by 10 cm.
[0048] In the material guiding position, the material guide surface 17 is located behind the edge processing roller 12 in the working direction a in such a way that it conveys the cut material from the edge processing roller 12 to the outside transversely to the working direction a. For this purpose, the bottom edge of the material guide surface 17 may be pressed onto the underlying ground in a floating manner, for example by the gas pressure spring constituting the means for applying actuating force 21. The material guide surface 17 is then carried along with continuous ground contact. However, in order to avoid wear on the material guide surface 17, it is also possible to carry it slightly spaced from the underlying ground, i.e. hovering above the underlying ground. An adjustment path limiting device 22 may be provided for this purpose, as shown, for example, in FIG. 4. In the embodiment example shown, the adjustment path limiting device 22 is a mechanical stop arranged on the roller holding device 13 or the adjustment arm. Said stop may, for example, also be part of an oblong hole into which the mounting device 18 or the mounting arm projects at least partially and which limits the adjustment movement of the edge processing roller 12. In particular, through a positive stop with the mounting device 18 or the mounting arm, the adjustment path limiting device 22 prevents an adjustment of the material guide surface 17 in the vertical direction so far downwards that the material guide surface 17 comes into contact with the ground. The adjustment path limiting device 22 thus stops the rotational movement of the mounting device 18 or the mounting arm about the adjustment axis 19 before the material guide surface 17 contacts the underlying ground. This results in a spacing and a hovering support of the material guide surface 17 above the underlying ground. The corresponding spacing may be a few millimeters, so that increased wear on the material guide surface 17 is prevented, but at the same time a reliable collection or conveyance of the cut material to the side is ensured.
[0049] One aspect of the present invention is that the cut material deflector 16 is also automatically adjusted when the edge processing roller 12 is adjusted via the roller holding device 13. This can be seen, for example, in FIGS. 5 and 6. The two figures show the cover edge processing apparatus 7 in two different edge processing positions. In particular, FIG. 5 shows an edge processing position in which the edge processing roller 12 does not completely penetrate the subsoil cover layer 8, for example an asphalt layer. In the situation according to FIG. 6, on the other hand, the edge processing roller 12 penetrates the subsoil cover layer 8 completely. The necessary movement of the edge processing roller 12 is effected by swiveling the roller holding device 13 about the swivel axis 30, driven by the adjustment drive 14. This allows the vertical position of the edge processing roller 12 to be adjusted. To ensure that the cut material deflector 16 and, in particular, the material guide surface 17 have the correct material guiding position in both positions of the edge processing roller 12, the cut material deflector 16 or the material guide surface 17 is adjusted automatically and simultaneously to an adjustment of the edge processing roller 12. In the embodiment example shown, this is achieved, on the one hand, by an interaction of the material guide surface 17 with the underlying ground and, on the other hand, by the means for applying actuating force 21, which is configured as a gas pressure spring. If, for example, the edge processing roller 12 is moved from the vertically higher position according to FIG. 5 to the vertically lower edge processing position according to FIG. 6, the material guide surface 17 is pressed against the underlying ground. As a result, the material guide surface 17 is pressed vertically upward by the underlying ground, and the mounting device 18 or the mounting arm rotates about the adjustment axis 19. At the same time, however, the gas pressure spring presses the material guide surface 17 downward, ensuring that the material guide surface 17 always remains in contact with the underlying ground and is not lifted off the latter. In this manner, the cut material is always reliably captured by the material guide surface 17. According to the present invention, the material guide surface 17 is therefore always automatically brought into the correct material guiding position in its vertical height, triggered by the adjustment of the edge processing roller 12. Additional manual adjustment of the cut material deflector 16 by an operator is not necessary.
[0050] FIGS. 7 and 8 show an alternative embodiment of a cover edge processing apparatus 7. In particular, FIG. 7 shows a side view of the cover edge processing apparatus 7 in a working position fully penetrating the subsoil cover layer 8. FIG. 8 shows a top view of the cover edge processing apparatus 7. The cover edge processing apparatus 7 largely corresponds to the preceding embodiments, which are therefore referred to in order to avoid repetition. In contrast to the embodiment described so far, the mounting device 18, in particular its mounting arm, is arranged along the roller rotation axis 15 further out on the machine than the edge processing roller 12. In other words, the edge processing roller 12 is arranged between the roller holding device 13 and the mounting device 18. Moreover, a means for applying actuating force 21 configured as a tension spring or coil spring may be present which is arranged between the mounting device 18, in particular its mounting arm, and the support shaft 20 penetrating the edge processing roller 12. The support shaft 20, in turn, may be connected to the roller holding device 13. The coil spring applies a force to the mounting device 18 which triggers a rotation about the roller rotation axis 15, which in turn causes the material guide surface 17 to be pressed onto the subsoil cover layer 8. As can be seen, in particular, from FIG. 8, the material guide surface 17 may be configured such that it protrudes beyond the mounting device 18 on both sides along the roller rotation axis 15, such that the material guide surface 17 extends away from the center of the machine from the edge processing roller 12 to the mounting device 18 and beyond the latter. In this manner, cut material is reliably removed in the direction away from the edge being processed.
[0051] FIG. 9 shows a flow chart of the method 27 according to the present invention. The method 27 comprises adjusting 28 the cover edge processing apparatus 7 relative to the external surface of the compaction roller 5 from the passive position into the edge processing position. Alternatively, said adjusting 28 could also be performed between two different edge processing positions, as shown, for example, in FIGS. 5 and 6. In one embodiment of the present invention, automatic adjusting 29 of the cut material deflector 16 relative to the cover edge processing apparatus 7 and, in particular, relative to the roller holding device 13 is performed simultaneously with said adjusting 28 of the cover edge processing apparatus 7. As already described above, according to the present invention, the cut material deflector 16 is automatically adjusted to the correct material guiding position of the material guide surface 17 for the respective edge processing position of the edge processing roller 12. Overall, therefore, the present invention provides a ground compaction apparatus 10 that is particularly easy to operate, has a simple structure, and allows an operator to move the edge processing roller 12 into the correct position with one push of a button while ensuring, without any further steps for the operator, that the resulting cut material is removed from the subsoil cover layer 8 by the cut material deflector 16 in such a way that the cut material can be collected more easily and quickly.
