Abstract: A working machine includes a braking assembly and a throttle assembly. A controller is operatively connected to the braking assembly and the throttle assembly. A proximity sensor is operatively connected to the controller and is adapted to emit radiation away from the rear of the working machine, and to receive reflected radiation indicating the presence of a person or object within a danger zone adjacent to the rear of the working machine and within a warning zone that extends beyond the danger zone. The proximity sensor is adapted to send a signal to the controller when it detects a person or object in the danger zone to cause the braking assembly to brake the working machine, and to send a signal to the controller when it detects a person or object in the warning zone to cause the throttle assembly to reduce the speed of the working machine.

Abstract: A side cutter milling assembly is used to modify a milling machine having a frame, a milling drum housing that is removably attached to the frame, a milling drum that is mounted for rotation within the milling drum housing, and a primary drum drive assembly that is adapted to rotate the milling drum. The side cutter milling assembly includes a drum housing having a main portion and a side portion. The main portion is adapted to be installed on the frame of the milling machine in place of the milling drum housing, and the side portion is offset to one side of the milling machine. A side cutter milling drum is mounted for rotation within the side portion of the drum housing, and a side cutter drivetrain is configured and adapted to be operatively attached to the side cutter milling drum and the primary drum drive assembly.

Abstract: A milling machine for milling a surface of a roadway includes a frame and a milling assembly having a cutter drum that is mounted for rotation with respect to the frame. The cutter drum has a drive shaft on which a sheave is mounted. A primary drum drive assembly is adapted to rotate the cutter drum with respect to the frame. The primary drum drive assembly includes a drive belt that cooperates with the sheave on the drive shaft for the cutter drum to rotate the cutter drum. A belt lift assembly may be operated to selectively disengage the drive belt from the sheave of the drive shaft for the cutter drum.

Abstract: A milling machine for milling a roadway surface includes a frame and a milling drum that is mounted for rotation with respect to the frame. A primary drum drive assembly is operatively attached to the milling drum and is adapted to rotate the milling drum, and a ground-engaging drive assembly is adapted to drive the milling machine along the roadway surface. A lifting column is attached at its upper end to the frame and at its lower end to the ground-engaging drive assembly. The lifting column includes a linear actuator which can be operated to raise and lower the frame of the machine with respect to the roadway surface. A sensor that is mounted to the lifting column is adapted to determine if the lifting column is not supporting at least a predetermined portion of the weight of the milling machine. A controller is operatively attached to the primary drum drive assembly and to the sensor.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling the movement of a material transfer vehicle with respect to the front end of a paving machine that is being operated by a driver/operator and is being supplied with asphalt paving material by the material transfer vehicle includes a controller that is mounted on the material transfer vehicle and is operatively connected to control mechanisms for controlling the speed and braking of the material transfer vehicle. A sensor is mounted on the material transfer vehicle and is operatively connected to the controller. The sensor is located and adapted to execute non-contact sensor scan passes across the front end of the paving machine to determine the distance from the sensor to the paving machine. The sensor is also adapted to communicate information to the controller about the distance from the sensor to the paving machine. The apparatus includes no components that are mounted on the paving machine.

Abstract: A modified chip spreader is adapted to be used in a chip sealing train including a chip supply dump truck and an asphalt composition supply truck. The modified chip spreader is a self-propelled vehicle that has a receiving hopper on its front end for receiving stone chips from the chip supply dump truck, a spreader assembly on its rear end and a conveyor assembly for conveying the stone chips from the receiving hopper to the spreader assembly. The modified chip spreader also includes a spray assembly that is in fluid communication with an outlet line from the asphalt composition supply truck, which spray assembly is adapted to dispense an asphalt composition onto the surface of a roadway in front of the spreader assembly. The spreader assembly dispenses the stone chips onto the newly applied asphalt composition on the surface of the roadway.

Abstract: A CIR train includes a milling machine, an asphalt cement supply tank, a mechanism for dispensing asphalt cement onto paving material that has been removed from the roadway by the milling machine, an asphalt cement pump for pumping asphalt cement from the asphalt cement supply tank into and through an asphalt cement flow circuit to the asphalt cement dispensing mechanism. A heating assembly is interposed in the asphalt cement flow circuit between the asphalt cement supply tank and the dispensing mechanism. The heating assembly includes a heater and a heat modifying component. The heater includes an asphalt cement coil that is in the asphalt cement flow circuit, and a burner that is adapted to direct hot gases of combustion across the asphalt cement coil. The heat modifying component is adapted to modulate the amount of heat transfer from the hot gases of combustion to the asphalt cement in the coil.

Abstract: A system for dispensing asphalt cement in connection with a working operation on a roadway includes a storage tank for asphalt cement and a working machine having a spray assembly for dispensing the asphalt cement. The system also includes a fluid circuit including a pump that is adapted to pump the asphalt cement from the storage tank to the spray assembly. A controller is operatively connected to the pump and is adapted to control the operation of the pump. A cavitation sensor is provided in the fluid circuit. The cavitation sensor is operatively connected to the controller and is adapted to transmit a cavitation signal to the controller when the cavitation sensor detects conditions in the fluid circuit that are indicative of the existence of cavitation in the pump.

Abstract: A material transfer vehicle includes a material receiving device that is adapted to receive asphalt paving material, and a receiving conveyor that is operatively attached to the material receiving device. The receiving conveyor is driven by a chain drive assembly and includes a chain tension adjustment assembly. The receiving conveyor is pivotable about a substantially horizontal axis so that it can be moved between a transport configuration in which the material receiving device is raised, an intermediate adjustment configuration, and a working configuration in which the material receiving device is lowered. A housing structure encloses protected components and includes an opening adjacent to the protected components.

Abstract: A material transfer vehicle includes a loading conveyor and a loading component (such as a truck-receiving hopper component or a windrow pick-up component) that is adapted to be removably attached to the lower end of the loading conveyor. The loading conveyor has a right guide plate on the right side of the lower end and a left guide plate on the left side of the lower end. The loading component has a right guide bracket that is adapted to align with and engage the right guide plate of the loading conveyor, and a left guide bracket that is adapted to align with and engage the left guide plate of the loading conveyor.

Abstract: A vehicular sweeping machine includes a frame and a broom assembly that is mounted to the frame. The broom assembly includes a broom enclosure, a left hub that is mounted on a left hub mount arm, and a right hub that is mounted on a right hub mount arm. A broom is mounted between the left hub and the right hub. An outer tube is attached to the rear of the broom enclosure and to one of the left and right hub mount arms. An inner tube has a fixed end that is attached to the left or right hub mount arm to which the outer tube is not attached. The inner tube also has a free end that is adapted to slide within the outer tube. A linear actuator is attached between the broom enclosure and the left or right hub mount arm to which the fixed end of the inner tube is attached.

Abstract: A CIR train includes a milling machine, an asphalt cement supply tank, a mechanism for dispensing asphalt cement onto paving material that has been removed from the roadway by the milling machine, an asphalt cement pump for pumping asphalt cement from the asphalt cement supply tank into and through an asphalt cement flow circuit to the asphalt cement dispensing mechanism. A heating assembly is interposed in the asphalt cement flow circuit between the asphalt cement supply tank and the dispensing mechanism. The heating assembly includes a heater and a heat modifying component. The heater includes an asphalt cement coil that is in the asphalt cement flow circuit, and a burner that is adapted to direct hot gases of combustion across the asphalt cement coil. The heat modifying component is adapted to modulate the amount of heat transfer from the hot gases of combustion to the asphalt cement in the coil.

Abstract: A milling machine for milling a roadway surface includes a frame and a milling drum that is mounted for rotation with respect to the frame. A primary drum drive assembly is operatively attached to the milling drum and adapted to rotate the milling drum, and a ground-engaging drive assembly that is adapted to drive the milling machine along the roadway surface. A lifting column is attached at its upper end to the frame and at its lower end to the ground-engaging drive assembly. The lifting column includes a linear actuator which can be operated to raise and lower the frame of the machine with respect to the roadway surface. A sensor that is associated with the lifting column is adapted to determine if the lifting column is not supporting a portion of the weight of the milling machine sufficient to insure that the milling drum is not supporting any part of the weight of the milling machine. A controller is operatively attached to the primary drum drive assembly and to the sensor.

Abstract: A modified chip spreader is adapted to be used in a chip sealing train including a chip supply dump truck and an asphalt composition supply truck. The modified chip spreader is a self-propelled vehicle that has a receiving hopper on its front end for receiving stone chips from the chip supply dump truck, a spreader assembly on its rear end and a conveyor assembly for conveying the stone chips from the receiving hopper to the spreader assembly. The modified chip spreader also includes a spray assembly that is in fluid communication with an outlet line from the asphalt composition supply truck, which spray assembly is adapted to dispense an asphalt composition onto the surface of a roadway in front of the spreader assembly. The spreader assembly dispenses the stone chips onto the newly applied asphalt composition on the surface of the roadway.

Abstract: An asphalt paving machine includes a drive system, an asphalt receiving hopper and a distributing auger. A hopper conveyor, which is adapted to transport asphalt paving material from the receiving hopper to the distributing auger, includes a hopper conveyor motor and a speed sensor. A vertically-adjustable flow gate defines the size of the gate opening from the asphalt receiving hopper to the distributing auger, and a flow gate position sensor is adapted to determine the vertical position of the flow gate. A controller includes a timer and is operatively connected to the drive system for the paving machine, the speed sensor for the hopper conveyor motor and the flow gate position sensor. The controller uses a machine speed signal, a conveyor speed signal and a flow gate signal to measure the amount of asphalt paving material delivered to the distributing auger per unit of time.

Abstract: A CIR train that is adapted to traverse a roadway of asphalt pavement in order to recycle and repair the asphalt pavement includes a milling machine for removing asphalt paving material from the roadway. The CIR train also includes an asphalt cement supply tank and a mechanism for dispensing asphalt cement onto asphalt paving material that has been removed from the roadway. A heater is in fluid communication with the asphalt cement supply tank and the mechanism for dispensing asphalt cement on the asphalt paving material that has been removed from the roadway. The heater is adapted to heat the asphalt cement from the asphalt cement supply tank prior to said asphalt cement being dispensed on the asphalt paving material that has been removed from the roadway.

Abstract: A chip sealing train for use in carrying out a chip sealing operation on a roadway using foamed asphalt cement includes a chip supply dump truck, an asphalt cement supply truck and a chip spreader. The chip spreader includes a receiving hopper for receiving stone chips from the raised dump bed of the chip supply dump truck and a spreader assembly which is adapted to dispense the stone chips onto the roadway. The chip sealing train includes a water tank and a foam dispersal assembly. The foam dispersal assembly includes a foaming chamber, an asphalt cement supply line that is in fluid communication with the asphalt cement supply truck and the foaming chamber, and an asphalt cement pump for pumping asphalt cement from the asphalt cement supply tank into the foaming chamber. The foam dispersal assembly also includes a water supply line that is in fluid communication with the water tank and the foaming chamber, and a water pump for pumping water from the water tank into the foaming chamber.

Abstract: A milling machine includes a milling assembly having a housing to which left and right end gates are attached, a controller, a right front lifting column, a left front lifting column and a rear lifting column. Elevation sensors are located at the front and rear of each of the end gates. The controller is operatively attached to the elevation sensors and to linear actuators within the lifting columns of the milling machine. The elevation sensor that is located at the front end of the right end gate will provide feedback to control the position of the right front lifting column, and the elevation sensor that is located at the front end of the left end gate will provide feedback to control the position of the left front lifting column. The elevation sensors that are located at the rear ends of the end gates are available, as selected by the operator, to provide feedback to control the positions of one of the right and left front lifting columns, as well as the rear lifting column.

Abstract: A material transfer vehicle includes a material receiving device that is adapted to receive asphalt paving material, and a receiving conveyor that is operatively attached to the material receiving device. The receiving conveyor is driven by a chain drive assembly and includes a chain tension adjustment assembly. The receiving conveyor is pivotable about a substantially horizontal axis so that it can be moved between a transport configuration in which the material receiving device is raised, an intermediate adjustment configuration, and a working configuration in which the material receiving device is lowered. A housing structure encloses protected components and includes an opening adjacent to the protected components.

Abstract: A working machine for conducting a roadworking operation includes a conveyor that is adapted to move roadworking material as a part of the roadworking operation. The working machine also includes a sensor which is adapted to determine if a condition exists that is indicative of the conveyor's operating under a load, and a controller which includes at least one timer. The controller is adapted to receive input information including a predetermined operating run-time for a wear part that is associated with the conveyor. The controller is also adapted to receive a signal from the sensor that a condition exists which is indicative of the conveyor's operating under load. The timer of the controller is adapted to use the signal received from the sensor to measure a period of time during which the conveyor is operating under load, and the controller is adapted to compare the measured period of time that the conveyor is operating under load with the predetermined operating run-time for the wear part.