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

Abstract

In a texture curing machine for the subsequent treatment of freshly produced concrete layers of a predetermined width, in particular concrete roadways extending longitudinally in the direction of travel, comprising a machine frame supported by ground-engaging units, with no less than one texturing device movable transverse to the working direction for applying a texture, by means of multiple texturing tools, into the not yet hardened surface of the concrete layer, and with a controller unit for adjusting the travelling speed in the direction of travel, it is provided for the following features to be achieved: the controller unit captures the travelling speed and/or the traversing speed of the texturing device and, during forward or reverse travel, controls the travelling speed and/or the traversing speed of the texturing device in transverse direction in accordance with a specified texturing angle, with the texturing angle ensuing from the relation of the speeds.

Claims

1. A method for the subsequent treatment of a freshly produced concrete layer with a self-propelled texturing machine, the texturing machine having an adjustable travelling speed in a working direction, the texturing machine including a texturing device, the texturing device including texturing tools configured to move at a traversing speed transverse to the working direction and to act on the concrete layer, the method comprising: (a) specifying a specified texturing angle; (b) detecting at least one of the travelling speed and the traversing speed; and (c) controlling at least one of the travelling speed and the traversing speed relative to the other of the travelling speed and the traversing speed such that the texturing tools move at the specified texturing angle relative to the concrete layer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein: in step (b) one of the travelling speed and the traversing speed is constant; and in step (c) the other of the travelling speed and the traversing speed is controlled.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising: first applying a transverse texture at the specified texturing angle across a first section of the concrete layer of predetermined length while moving the texturing machine in a first direction of travel in the working direction, and subsequently applying a transverse texture at the same specified texturing angle across a second section of the concrete layer while moving the texturing machine in an opposite second direction of travel.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein: the texturing machine moves continuously in the working direction; and the texturing device includes a transverse texturing device, and a texture is created at two different texturing angles during continuous to-and-fro movement of the transverse texturing device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising: moving the texturing machine continuously in the working direction; and moving the texturing device continuously transversely to-and-fro in first and second transverse directions, the texturing device being a transverse texturing device having a length, wherein a relation between the length of the transverse texturing device and the travelling speed of the texturing machine is such that first and second textures formed during transverse movement in the first and second transverse directions, respectively, overlap symmetrically.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein: the texturing device is a longitudinal texturing device, and the texturing tools are continuously movable in a transverse direction.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein: the texturing tools revolve continuously, essentially transverse to the working direction, in an endless loop, with returning texturing tools being disengaged from the concrete layer.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein: the texturing tools revolve continuously, essentially transverse to the working direction, in an endless loop in a horizontal plane, with a first texture being created at a positive specified texturing angle relative to the working direction by a front group of texturing tools, and with a second texture being created at an equal negative angle relative to the working direction by a rear group of the texturing tools.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The following is shown:

(2) FIG. 1 a texture curing machine in accordance with prior art,

(3) FIG. 2 a perspective view of the texture curing machine in accordance with FIG. 1,

(4) FIG. 3 a transverse texturing device movable in transverse direction with coordinated speeds of the texture curing machine and transverse texturing device,

(5) FIG. 4 the embodiment of FIG. 3 after completion of the transverse movement of the transverse texturing device,

(6) FIG. 5 the advance movement of the texture curing machine after completion of the first texturing section produced during forward travel,

(7) FIG. 6 the production of the second texturing section during reverse travel of the texture curing machine,

(8) FIG. 7 the completion of the second texturing section,

(9) FIG. 8 the advance movement of the texture curing machine after completion of the second texturing section, and

(10) FIG. 9 an embodiment of a longitudinal texturing device with texturing tools movable in transverse direction.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(11) 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.

(12) 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.

(13) 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.

(14) 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.

(15) 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.

(16) The crawler units 4 are hydraulically driven, steerable and adjustable in height.

(17) 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.

(18) 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. 3a, 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.

(19) 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.

(20) 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.

(21) 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.

(22) 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.

(23) 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.

(24) 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.

(25) 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.

(26) 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.

(27) FIG. 4 shows the completion of a first texturing section after the transverse texturing device 3 has fully crossed the concrete layer 10.

(28) 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.

(29) 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.

(30) 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.

(31) 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.

(32) 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.

(33) 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.

(34) 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.