Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
1076795
Background of the Invention
This invention relates to a vehicle incorporating a
movable implement associated therewith, and more particularly
to means for providing a coordination of movement in a stick
arm and the implement associated with the vehicle.
In vehicles incorporating a raisable and lowerable
` boom, a stick arm pivotally mounted to the boom, and an
implement pivotally mounted to the stick arm, it is necessary
that the moyements of the stick arm and implement be properly
coordinated under various operating conditions. This is
generally accomplished by means of hydraulic cylinders and an
associated hydraulic control system for the cylinders. In
general, one cylinder is extendable and retractable to pivot
the stick arm relative to the boom, and another cylinder is
extendable and retractable to pivot the implement relative to
the stick arm. Yet another cylinder interconnects the frame
of the vehicle and the boom for overall raising and lowering
of the boom.
In a typical system of this type incorporating, for
example, a rock-breaking implement, if the stick arm cylinder
lS actuated in one direction, the entire assembly made up of
the stick armj rock-breaking implement, and implement cylin-
der, is pivoted as a unit relative to the boom. Thus, under
such conditions, the tooth of the rock-breaking implement
changes in attitude relative to, for example, a vertical,
or a horizontal surface on which the tooth works. It has
-- been found desirable that the attitude of such implement
and tooth thereof remain generally the same relative to such
l vertical or horizontal surface during the swinging of such
- 30 assembly due to actuation of the stick arm cylinder. It
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will be understood that during the normal operation of such
an apparatus, in order to achieve a generally unchanging
attitude of the implement relative to such vertical or hori-
zontal earth surface, the operator of the vehicle must actu-
ate the implement cylinder in a very precise manner. Thismay not always be feasible or convenient, due to, for example,
poor operator visibility or difficulty in simultaneously
operating the controls of the stick arm cylinder and imple-
ment cylinder.
Of general interest in this area are U. S. Patent No.
3,179,120, incorpora-ting a flow divider for dividing flow ~ -
between a boom cylinder and an implement cylinder. Also,
of general interest in this area are U. S. Patent No.
3,175,580, and U. S. Patent No. 2,998,891, each incorporating
spool-type control valves for achieving bucket leveling.
Summary of the Invention
It is accordingly one feature of this invention to
provide apparatus which operatively interconnects the stick
arm cylinder and the implement cylinder of a vehicle for
maintaining a chosen attitude of the implement during actua-
tion of the stick arm cylinder through coordination of the
movements of the stick arm cylinder and implement cylinder.
i According to this invention a vehicle has a member
movably mounted thereon, first and second fluid cylinders to
actuate the member, a fluid pump connected to the first cyl-
inder for selectively applying fluid under pressure to one
end of the cylinder to actuate the cylinder in one direction,
means including flow divider means connecting the other end
of the first cylinder to one end of the second cylinder
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selectively to cause only a predetermined portion of the
fluid displaced from the other end of the first cylinder
when the first cylinder is actuated in said one direction
to be applied to actuate the second cylinder in one direc-
tion, the pump being connected to the first cylinder througha first valve which is movable to a first position blocking
; communication between the pump and the one end of the first
cylinder and a second position providing communication be-
tween the pump and the one end of the first cylinder, and
the vehicle further comprising a second valve movable to a
first position blocking communication between the other end -
of the first cylinder and the one end of the second cylinder,
and to a second position providing communication between the
other end of the first cylinder and the one end of the second
cylinder, and means for allowing the second valve to be mov-
able to its second position only when the first valve is in
`, its second position.
, Brief Description of the D~awings
These and other objects of the invention will be-
;~ 20 come apparent from a study of the following specification and
` drawings, in which:
-~I Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the overall apparatus
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incorporation the invention;
~;1 Fig. 2 is a schematic drawing showing the overall
~, 25 general operation of the apparatus of Fig. l; and
Fig. 3 is a schematic view of the fluid circuitry of
` the apparatus of Figs. 1 and 2.
Description of the Preferred Embodiment
:'.i
Shown in Fig. 1 is a track-type vehicle 10 having the
tracks 12 thereof disposed on the ground 14. The frame 16
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107~795
of the vehicle 10 has pivotally mounted thereto and extending
forwardly therefrom a boom 18. An extendable and retractable
hydraulic cylinder 20 interconnects the frame 16 and boom 18
for selective raising and lowering of the boom 18. The ex-
tended end 22 of the boom 18 has pivotally mounted thereto astick arm 24. A stick arm cylinder 26 interconnects the boom
18 and stick arm 24, and is extendable and retractable as will
be further described to provide pivoting motion of the stick
arm 24 relative to the boom 18. The extended end 28 of the
stick arm 24 has pivotally mounted thereto a rock-breaking
implement 30, and an extendable and retractable cylinder 32
interconnects the stick arm 24 and a linkage 34 coupled to the
stick arm 24 and implement 30, so that extension and rétrac-
tion of the implement cylinder 32 pivots the implement 30
relative to the stick arm 24,-in a manner to be described
further on.
Referring to Fig. 3, a hydraulic pump 36, driven by
i the engine of the vehicle 10, is connected with a source of
, hydraulic fluid 38. The pump 36 feeds through a conduit 40
a
to a valve 42. The valve 42 is movable to a first posltion
as shown in Fig. 3, wherein fluid applied to such valve 42
is directed therefrom through a conduit 44 to tank 38. With
the valve 42 in such first position, the pump 36 is blocked
from communication with the cylinder 26. The valve 42 is
movable to a second position upon application of fluid pres-
sure thereto in conduit 46 of a pilot system 48. With the
valve 42 in such second position, communication is provided
between the pump 36 and the one or head end 50 of the cylinder
26. A second valve 52 is included, as shown, movable to the
first position shown in Fig. 3, wherein exhaust fluid from
the rod or other end 54 of the cylinder 26 is allowed to pass
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through the valve 52, and through the valve 42 and conduit 44
to discharge at low pressure to tank 38. Pilot pressure
applied in conduit 56 to the other side of the valve 42 moves
the valve 42 to a third position wherein the rod end 54 of
the cylinder 26 is communicated with the pump 36, and the
head end 50 of the cylinder 26 is communicated to tank 38,
to actuate the cylinder 26 in the other direction.
A second pump 60 is driven by the engine of the vehicle
10, and is operatively connected with the cylinder 32
through a valve 62, in the same manner as the valve 42 and
~; cylinder 26.
It will thus be seen that the cylinder 32 may be
actuated in one and the other directions as chosen, and the
cylinder 26 may be actuated in one and the other directions
. 15 as chosen, independently of each other.
, With the valve 52 in its first position, communica-
tion between cylinders 26 and 32 is blocked and the rod end
54 of cylinder 26 is ,connected by valve 52 to valve 42 so
that the rod end 54 may be pressured from pump 36 or may
discharge through conduit 44 depending upon whether valve
42 has been moved in the appropriate direction from neutral
position. Valve 52 is movable to a second position wherein
the rod end 54 of cylinder 26 is operatively connected to
cylinder 32 so that fluid from the rod end 54 of cylinder
, 25 26 can flow to the adjustable flow divider 64 with a desired
portion of such fluid then flowing through conduit 66 and
, check valve 67 to the rod end 68 of cylinder 32. The re- :
mainder of the fluid~flowing to flow divider 64 passes
through the low pressure discharge conduit 69 to tank 70.
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The valve 52 is operatively coupled with an electrical
circuit 72 such that a pair of electrical switches 74 and
76 must both be closed to cause valve 52 to move on its ~ -
second position wherein it fluidly connects cylinders 26
5 and 32.
Switch 74 is closed in response to pilot pressure in
j line 46. Switch 76 is manually operable and serves as a
mode selector switch whereby the operator can choose be- -
tween an independent operation mode of cylinders 26 and 32
10 (switch 76 is open) and an automatic-attitude mode (switch
; 76 is closed). As is apparent, valve 52 will be shifted
? to its second position only when the manually operable
switch 76 is closed and valve 42 is in its second position.
If valve 42 is in its first or third position, or if switch
15 76 is open, then valve 52 will be in its illustrated
first position.
when valve 42 has been shifted to its second position
to cause extension of cylinder 26 and valve 52 has been
moved to its second position so that fluid discharging
20 from the rod end 54 of cylinder 26 is applied to the rod
end 68 of cylinder 32 to cause retraction thereof, fluid is
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forced from the head end 78 of ~ylinder 32 through con-
duits 80 and 81, to and through valve 82A of valve unit 82
to discharge line 69 and tank 70.
' 25 Valve unit 82, as shown in Fig. 3, is a conventional
and commercially available unit which includes a valve 82A
; - used herein as a bypass valve, such valve being biased to
closed position and openable in response to the combined
total of the fluid pressures applied thereto through
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conduits 82B and 82C. Conduit 82B is connected to conduit
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81 to apply pressure existin~ in the head end 78 of cylinder
32 to bypass valve 82A, and conduit 82C is connected to con-
duit 66 so that the pressure of the fluid flowing there-
through will be applied to valve 82A, for the reasons set
forth in the discussion of operation. Commercially available
valve units 82 as illustrated herein also include an inte-
gral check valve 82D in parallel with valve 82A. In the
present system, check valve 82D remains closed at all times.
Operation
` 10 As is apparent from the above, the operator may choose
to operate the stick and implement cylinders 26 and 32
independently of each other, or he may close the mode se-
lector switch 76 so that the cylinders 26 and 32 will oper-
ate in an automatic-attitude mode.
Regardless of whether switch 76 is open or closed,
extension and retraction of the stick cylinder 26 is con-
trolled solely by operation of pilot-operated valve 42.
Thus, if switch 76 is open, valve 52 remains in its first
position shown in Fig. 3 so that the head and rod ends are
, 20 connected to valve 42 at all times. If switch 76 is closed,
vaIve 52 still remains in the position shown in Fig. 3
when valve 42 is used to retract cylinder 26 or when valve
42 is in its illustrated blocking position. If switch 76
is closed and pilot pressure has been applied to shift
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- 25 valve 42 to a position to apply fluid pressure to the head
end of cylinder 26 for extension thereof, valve 52 will
shift to a position connecting the rod end 54 of cylinder
26 to the flow divider 64 rather than to the discharge con-
- duit 44. However, for a given amount of fluid applied to
the head end of cylinder 26, the amount of extension of
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1076~95
that cylinder will be the same whether the rod end discharges
through valve 42 or the flow divider 64.
When switch 76 is open, for independent operation
of cylinders 26 and 32, extension and retraction of the
implement cylinder 32 is controlled solely by operation of
valve 62. When valve 62 is shifted from its first illus-
trated position to a second position to apply fluid pres-
sure to the head end 78 of cylinder 32 the cylinder will
extend. Bypass valve 82A is used for pressure relief pur-
poses to protect the cylinder 32 against damage in theevent of excessive loading imposed on the cylinder. For
example, if valve 62 is in a position other than that where-
in cylinder 32 is to retract, a force on the implement 30
which imposes a retracting force on the cylinder will cause
the pressure in the head end of the cylinder to build up.
To prevent stresses from becoming too great, valve 82A is
set to open at a predetermined pressure level. Naturally,
such level must be greater than the maximum pressure which
would be applied to the head end of cylinder 32 for cylin-
der extension during normal operation. Since conduit 66 isunpressured when cylinder 32 is being operated in the inde-
pendent mode, no pressure is applied to valve 82A by conduit
; 82C and valve 82A will open only when the pressure in the
-` head end of cylinder 32 is high enough to supply enough pres-
sure through conduit 82B to valve 82A to cause it to open
and provide the desired pressure relief.
When valve 62 is moved to its third position it will
apply pump pressure to the rod end of cylinder 32 to cause
cylinder retraction. Check valve 67 is provided to prevent
flow of such pressure fluid to conduit 66.
107~795
When the vehicle operator wishes to go into the auto-
matic-attitude mode he closes switch 76. Valve 42 is then
used to retract the stick cylinder 26 to move the stick 24
to an initial attitude as shown at A on Fig. 2. Valve 62
is then used to extend or retract the impelment cylinder
32 to set the implement 30 at a desired attitude, e.g., as
shown at B on Fig. 2. Valve 62 is returned to its first,
or blocking, position.
Valve 42 is now actuated to extend the stick cylinder
50 and draw the stick towards the operator and swing the
stick through positions A' and A". Meanwhile, with switch
76 closed and with switch 74 closed by the pilot pressure
~ applied to valve 42, valve 52 will be shifted to the posi-
tion wherein the fluid forced from the rod end of cylinder
26 will flow to the flow divider 64, with a portion of such
fluid then flowing through conduit 66 and check valve 66A
to the rod end of cylinder 32, so that cylinder 32 will re-
tract. Such retraction will cause the inclination of the
rock-breaking implement 30 to change relative to the stick
so that the attitude of the implement to the horizontal
face 90 of the ground stays the same, i.e., as shown at B'
and B". Without such retraction of cylinder 32 the attitude
of the implement to the ground would vary, e.g., as shown
at C, C' and C" as the stick 30 is moved by extension of
cylinder 26.
As is apparent, the relative amounts of retraction of
; the two cylinders 26 and 32 must be correlated to keep the
~;; attitude of the implement to the ground constant as the stick
30 is moved. The geometry of the stick and implement system
will determine how much retraction of cylinder 32 is required
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107~79S
for a given amount of retraction of cylinder 26. Likewise,
the relative sizes of cylinders 26 and 32 will determine
how much retraction of cylinder 32 will result from a given
amount of retraction of cylinder 26. The flow divider 64
provides a simple and effective solution to cylinder corre-
lation since the flow divider can be adjusted to allow onlya desired proportion of the fluid discharged from cylinder
26 to be used to retract cylinder 32. Thus, for a given
system, it is determined how much retraction of cylinder
32 is required for a given amount of retraction o cylinder
26 and the flow divider 64 is set so that when cylinder~26 :
is retracted the correct amount of fluid from cylinder 26
is used to retract cylinder 32.
As fluid is introduced through check valve 67 into
:l the rod end 68 of cylinder 32., a corresponding amount of
fluid must be discharged from the rod end thereof through
the bypass valve 82A, since valve 62 is in its bl.ocking
position. The pressure of the fluid flowing through con-
duit 66 to the rod end of cylinder 32 is applied through
conduit 82C to bypass valve 82A while the press.ure in the
head end of cylinder 32 is applied through conduit 82B to
bypass valve 82A. Since the pressure in the head end of
j cylinder 32 is a function of the pressure applied through
conduit 66 to the rod end, valve 82A will open when the
pressure in conduit 66 exceeds a predetermined value.
.. 25 Such value, with pressures applied to valve 82A through
: both conduits 82B and 82C, is of course substantially lower
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. than the pressure required in the head end of cylinder 32
to open valve 82A during independent operation of cylinder
32 when no pressure is present to~conduit 66. Thus,. during
the automatic-attitude mode of operation, cylinder 32 can
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107~;795
discharge at a relatively low operating pressure, to in-
crease the efficiency of operation.
As a consequence, the normally closed bypass valve is
responsive to the fluid pressures in conduit 66 and in the
head end of cylinder 32 and functions to connect the head
end of cylinder 32 to the discharge conduit 69 either when
the pressure in conduit 66 exceeds a predetermined value
(i.e., when the bypass valve functions as a relatively low
pressure relief valve during automatic-attitude operation)
or when the pressure in conduit 66 is below such value and
the pressure in the head end of cylinder 32 is substantially
greater than such yalue (i.e., when the bypass valve functions
as a relatively high-pressure relief valve during either
mode of operation).
If while operating in the automatic-attitude mode, move-
ment of the stick and implement is impeded so that cylinder
26 cannot further retract, the pressure in conduits 66 and
82C will drop. Cylinder 32, however, will still be protected
against excess loadin~ forces thereon since if such forces
cause the pressure in the head end 78 thereof to build up,
the pressure in conduit 82B alone will cause valve 82A to open,
and thereby function as a high-pressure relief valve, as in
the independent cylinder operation mode.
It is to be understood that the conduit 66 could communi-
cate with the head end 78 of the cylinder 36 through conduit80, and not the rod end 68, i.e., the head and rod end con-
nections of the cylinder 32 would be reversed in the system.
The implement may be reversed as shown in phantom in Fig. 1,
to provide that the implement attitude remains proper rela-
tive to a vertical ground surface 92, through the interactionof the cylinders 26,32 as above descrlbed.
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