Patents by Inventor Hal Hirtz

Hal Hirtz has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Automated excavation machine
    Patent number: 8016363
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an excavator that is operable in manual and automatic modes and uses state machines to effect unit operations, rotationally offset swing actuators to rotate boom and cutter head, a fail safe hydraulic system to maintain gripper pressure in the event of a malfunction of the hydraulic system, differing position and pressure control functions in the hydraulic actuators, a kinematic module to effect pitch and roll adjustments, a cutting face profile generator to generate a profile of the excavation face, and an optimization module to realize a high degree of optimization of excavator operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Inventors: Eric Jackson, Hal Hirtz, James Dale, John Jordan, David Eddy, Simon Mark Jackson
  • Automated Excavation Machine
    Publication number: 20100109417
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an excavator that is operable in manual and automatic modes and uses state machines to effect unit operations, rotationally offset swing actuators to rotate boom and cutter head, a fail safe hydraulic system to maintain gripper pressure in the event of a malfunction of the hydraulic system, differing position and pressure control functions in the hydraulic actuators, a kinematic module to effect pitch and roll adjustments, a cutting face profile generator to generate a profile of the excavation face, and an optimization module to realize a high degree of optimization of excavator operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2009
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: MINISTER OF NATURAL RESOURCES CANADA
    Inventors: Eric Jackson, Hal Hirtz, James Dale, John Jordan, David Eddy, Simon Mark Jackson
  • Automated excavation machine
    Patent number: 7695071
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an excavator that is operable in manual and automatic modes and uses state machines to effect unit operations, rotationally offset swing actuators to rotate boom and cutter head, a fail safe hydraulic system to maintain gripper pressure in the event of a malfunction of the hydraulic system, differing position and pressure control functions in the hydraulic actuators, a kinematic module to effect pitch and roll adjustments, a cutting face profile generator to generate a profile of the excavation face, and an optimization module to realize a high degree of optimization of excavator operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Minister of Natural Resources
    Inventors: Eric Jackson, Hal Hirtz, James Dale, John Jordan, David Eddy, Simon Mark Jackson
  • Automated excavation machine
    Publication number: 20040207247
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an excavator that is operable in manual and automatic modes and uses state machines to effect unit operations, rotationally offset swing actuators to rotate boom and cutter head, a fail safe hydraulic system to maintain gripper pressure in the event of a malfunction of the hydraulic system, differing position and pressure control functions in the hydraulic actuators, a kinematic module to effect pitch and roll adjustments, a cutting face profile generator to generate a profile of the excavation face, and an optimization module to realize a high degree of optimization of excavator operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2003
    Publication date: October 21, 2004
    Inventors: Eric Jackson, Hal Hirtz, James Dale, John Jordan, David Eddy, Simon Mark Jackson