Abstract: The present invention is associated with a system and method of managing a compaction process. The method may include establishing a soil characteristic and establishing a machine performance characteristic in response to the soil characteristic. The machine performance characteristic may include a predictive compaction characteristic associated with a particular machine.

Abstract: In most construction processes, some quality assurance compaction test must be performed on a base material before further construction can take place on or relative to the compacted base material. In order to avoid costly downtime associated with waiting for a quality assurance test to be performed, the present invention contemplates generating compaction quality assurance data using on-board generated compaction quality control data. The quality control compaction data is based upon quantifying a sinkage deformation interaction between the compactor and the base material. The interaction might include monitoring an effective roller radius of the compactor, or an amount of energy transferred or consumed when the compactor moves over the base material, or even measuring a rut depth caused by the compactor.

Abstract: Vehicular and/or walk behind vibratory compactors utilize a vibrated roller or plate to impose compaction forces on a densifiable strata, such as ground soil, a roadway base material or pavement. Utilizing a rotating energy source, such as a engine or hydraulic motor, to create the vibration appears to have reached its limit in the ability to provide a wide range of vibration frequencies and amplitudes to satisfy the ever increasing demands placed on vibratory compactors. Instead of relying upon rotational energy, the present invention contemplates the use of a linear oscillator to produce the vibrations, and preferably utilizes at least one electromagnet to control the frequency(s) and amplitude(s) of a compacting vibration. The present invention finds potential application in a wide range of vibratory compactors, including walk behind models that utilize a plate and larger vehicular models that include one or more vibrating rollers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining a profile of a pavement. The method and apparatus includes determining a slope of a mobile machine as the mobile machine traverses the pavement, and determining a change in elevation of the pavement as a function of the slope and a distance from a first ground engaging member on the mobile machine to a second ground engaging member on the mobile machine, the change in elevation being indicative of a profile of the pavement.

Abstract: Vehicular and/or walk behind vibratory compactors utilize a vibrated roller or plate to impose compaction forces on a densifiable strata, such as ground soil, a roadway base material or pavement. Utilizing a rotating energy source, such as a engine or hydraulic motor, to create the vibration appears to have reached its limit in the ability to provide a wide range of vibration frequencies and amplitudes to satisfy the ever increasing demands placed on vibratory compactors. Instead of relying upon rotational energy, the present invention contemplates the use of a linear oscillator to produce the vibrations, and preferably utilizes at least one electromagnet to control the frequency(s) and amplitude(s) of a compacting vibration. The present invention finds potential application in a wide range of vibratory compactors, including walk behind models that utilize a plate and larger vehicular models that include one or more vibrating rollers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining a profile of a pavement. The method and apparatus includes determining a slope of a mobile machine as the mobile machine traverses the pavement, and determining a change in elevation of the pavement as a function of the slope and a distance from a first ground engaging member on the mobile machine to a second ground engaging member on the mobile machine, the change in elevation being indicative of a profile of the pavement.

Abstract: Compaction performance follows a well behaved response curve for a particular material condition/compaction machine combination. Accordingly, a compaction response curve is determined from measured values representative of material density after a first and second pass by a compaction machine. The response curve is used to predict the number of passes required by the compaction machine to reach a desired density for the material, and thereby avoid making unneeded additional machine passes or passes which would not be effective due to diminished returns. The system may provide an indication when required compaction will not be achieved or will require an excessive number of passes, i.e. such as happens when moisture content of the material is high.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the inflation pressure on a pneumatic compactor. The method and apparatus includes means for dynamically determining a level of density of a material to be compacted, a control system for determining a desired inflation pressure as a function of the density, and an inflation pressure system for adjusting the inflation pressure in response to the desired inflation pressure.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling inflation pressure of at least one pneumatic wheel on a machine is disclosed. This includes determining a ground speed or ground acceleration of the machine and determining a rotational velocity or rotational acceleration of a drivetrain for the machine as well as adjusting the inflation pressure in response to a relationship between the ground speed of the machine and the rotational velocity of the drivetrain for the machine or the ground acceleration of the machine and rotational acceleration of the drivetrain for the machine. The temperature of and weight load applied to pneumatic wheel can also be utilized in altering the inflation pressure of the pneumatic wheel. This data may be stored and inflation pressure of at least one pneumatic wheel may be controlled based on this previously stored data.

Abstract: In a first embodiment, a method and apparatus for determining compaction performance of a material by a compactor having a known compaction width. The method and apparatus includes determining a lift thickness of the material, determining a rolling resistance of the compactor, determining a level of compactive energy delivered to the material as a function of the compaction width, the lift thickness and the rolling resistance, and determining the compaction performance of the material as a function of the compactive energy. In a second embodiment, a method and apparatus for determining compaction performance of a material by a compactor. The method and apparatus includes determining a ground speed of the compactor, determining a rolling resistance of the compactor, determining a propelling power of the compactor as a function of the ground speed and the rolling resistance, and determining the compaction performance of the material as a function of the propelling power of the compactor.

Abstract: An expansion chamber for the exhaust system of two cycle engines. The expansion chamber includes a diverging section and a converging section. The diverging section has a continually increasing cross-sectional area. A terminal section is integrally attached to the diverging section. A reflective cone is disposed within the terminal section and secured thereto. The converging section is defined by the area contained between the terminal section and the reflective cone. Devices are also provide for directing exhaust gases into and out of the expansion chamber. The reflective cone may be positioned entirely within the diverging section or anywhere between the diverging section and the terminal section, depending on specific performance characteristics desired. The reflective cone may also be secure in various ways depending on its placement.

Abstract: An apparatus and method to determine a condition of a road traversed by at least one load hauling machine including at least one parameter sensor adapted to sense a parameter of the load hauling machine and responsively deliver a parameter signal, and a control system adapted to monitor a condition of a plurality of tires and responsively generate a calibration signal.

Abstract: An apparatus coupled to a work machine for assisting the work machine in removing a first layer of material from a second layer of material is provided. The work machine includes a work implement with a cutting portion. The work implement is elevationally movably connected to the work machine. The cutting portion extends in a direction transverse the longitudinal axis of the work machine. An electromagnetic unit, connected to the work machine, delivers electromagnetic radiation towards the surface, receives a reflection of the delivered electromagnetic radiation, and delivers a responsive first signal. The electromagnetic radiation penetrates the first layer of material and reflects off of the second layer of material. A controller receives the first signal, determines the distance between the electromagnetic unit and the second layer of material and responsively produces a distance signal. An implement controller receives the distance signal and responsively actuates the work implement relative to the frame.

Abstract: An automatic object responsive control system for a work implement has a ground penetrating device mounted for sensing subsurface objects, an object detecting device for determining the undesirability of the object, and an implement control system for automatically elevationally raising the implement in response to an undesirable object being located elevationally between the implement and the ground penetrating device. The automatic object responsive control system is particularly suited for use on a geographic surface altering machine.

Abstract: Teeth for compactors are normally utilized to crush and/or grind refuse material and/or soil being worked and to effectively compact the refuse material and/or soil being worked. It is also advantageous to insure that the teeth being used provide traction of the compactor wheel on the materials being worked while not allowing the refuse material and/or soil to collect between the teeth of the compactor wheel. In the subject arrangement, the tooth provides a tip portion having an outer surface with at least six edges and a plurality of corresponding side surfaces extending therefrom at an obtuse angle with respect to the outer surface. The tooth defines a longitudinal plane therethrough that is parallel to the length of the tooth and perpendicular to the outer surface. Two of the side surfaces lie perpendicular to the longitudinal plane and form obtuse angles with the outer surface in the range of 115 degrees to 135 degrees.

Abstract: Capactor teeth are normally utilized to provide crushing and/or grinding and compaction of refuse material and to compact soil on top of the refuse material. It is advantageous to provide a tooth that provides good traction of a capactor wheel and both good demolition and penetration of the material being crushed. In the subject arrangement, a tooth has an outer surface which has at least six edges with a plurality of side surfaces extending therefrom and angled with respect thereto at an obtuse angle. The tooth has a generally rectangular base with a longitudinal plane defined therein parallel to the length of the generally rectangular base. Apexes defined by the side surfaces are parallel with the longitudinal plane and angled with respect to the outer surface within the range of 115.degree.-135.degree..

Abstract: A track assembly for a track-type vehicle has a plurality of first and second distinct individual track shoes joined together to form an endless loop. The first shoes have a projecting grouser bar which has a first plurality of teeth and the second shoes have a projecting grouser bar which has a second plurality of teeth. The first and second shoes are arranged in an alternating pattern with the teeth of the first shoes staggered relative to the teeth of the seocnd shoes. Conventional grousered track shoes generally provide track-type vehicles with sufficient surface traction for most work tasks of the vehicle. However, in some special work applications, the conventional grouser track shoes is inadequate to provide the required penetration to achieve sufficient tractive force. For such special work applications, the subject toothed grouser track shoes penetrate the surface and provide the necessary traction to effectively perform the work function.