Abstract: A product and system for identifying and monitoring a characteristic including the part ID, presence, condition, usage and/or performance of ground-engaging products used on various kinds of earth working equipment.

Abstract: A system for fixing an adapter for earth-moving machines, which comprises: a fixing element (1) that fixes an adapter (2) to an edge (10) of a shovel of the earth-moving machine; and a wedge (3) placed in contact between the fixing element (1) and the edge (10), characterized in that the system comprises a plurality of sensors (4) arranged on the wedge (3) or on the fixing element (1) that detect at least one detection element (5) arranged in the other of the fixing element (1) or the wedge (3). It makes it possible continuously to detect and to monitor the position of the wedge relative to the fixing element without the need to check the position of the wedge visually.

Abstract: Molded polymer elevator buckets are reinforced by tapering the thickness of front and sidewalls and integral arcuate corner parts to improve bucket life without significant weight increase or reduced bucket capacity. Front lip wear indicators may be molded into the front wall section delimited by the lip and/or on the arcuate corner parts.

Abstract: A bucket position indication mechanism is provided for a material handling machine. The material handling machine includes a bucket and an operator's control station. The bucket position indication mechanism includes at least one position indicating element attached to the bucket at a position that is viewable by an operator at the operator's control station when a bottom plate of the bucket is aligned with a ground surface and at least a portion of the position indicating element extending in a direction parallel to the bottom plate of the bucket.

Abstract: Molded polymer elevator buckets are reinforced by tapering the thickness of front and sidewalls and integral arcuate corner parts to improve bucket life without significant weight increase or reduced bucket capacity. Front lip wear indicators may be molded into the front wall section delimited by the lip and/or on the arcuate corner parts.

Abstract: A loader bucket orientation indicating system is provided for a bucket pivotal at an end of a loader boom. The system includes a support member having a base fixed to a side of an arm of the boom and a shaft projecting from the base. A pivot plate includes a central hub rotatably mounted on the shaft and an arm projecting outwardly from the central hub. An outer end of the arm forming a visible bucket position indicator. A linkage couples the bucket to the pivot plate so that the pivot plate rotates clockwise and counter-clockwise as the bucket rotates clockwise and counter-clockwise, respectively, with respect to the boom. A rotary device has a base fixed with respect to the boom arm, and has a rotary member coupled to the base by a non-rigid coupling. The rotary member has a visible mark thereon. The position of the bucket position indicator relative to the mark provides an indication of bucket orientation.

Abstract: A video monitoring system is disclosed which may be used by the operator of a vehicle to guide the approach of the vehicle to an implement or a trailer or the like to bring connecting members of a hitch mechanism respectively located on the vehicle and on the implement or trailer into alignment and engagement with each other. A video camera is installed onto either the vehicle in the closest possible proximity to the hitch latching mechanism and is directed toward an alignment indicia located on the implement or trailer. A video monitor in the cab of the vehicle displays the video image “seen” by the video camera of the alignment indicia, allowing the vehicle to be driven into a position in which the implement or trailer may be hitched to the vehicle.

Abstract: This invention provides with a continuous underground trench excavating method and an excavator for the method, which performs vertical excavation in which a trencher of the excavator is inserted into the ground and horizontal excavation in which a travel body of the excavator is moved substantially horizontally, characterized in that it determines a penetration resistance under penetration of the trencher to a predetermined depth, estimates a ground strength in the underground depth direction on the basis of the penetration resistance, and a continuous underground trench excavating is carried out with a thrust matching the estimated ground strength, whereby capable of carrying out an appropriate excavation with better understanding of the ground condition.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing for real time automated control of the position of a blade on a earth-moving machine. The method includes providing a geography altering machine, including a blade and a computer, the computer having stored therein a reference line and a three dimensional computer model of a desired topography, providing a user defined offset relative to the reference line, determining a blade position in local coordinates, converting the local coordinates to reference line coordinates, utilizing the reference line coordinates and the user defined offset to calculate blade movement commands, and moving the blade in a direction required by the blade movement commands.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system for supporting construction of an underground continuous wall wherein a control server connected to each excavator through a network comprises a ground strength evaluating unit for obtaining the ground strength distribution of the ground to be excavated in a depth direction on the basis of imparted ground property; a necessary excavating ability operating unit for obtaining the accumulated ground strength from said ground strength distribution, and obtaining necessary excavating ability of said cutter post balanced with the excavation resistant force obtained from said accumulated ground strength; a comparing unit for comparing the obtained said necessary excavating ability with the excavating ability of the excavator carried into a work site; an excavating efficiency evaluating unit for evaluating excavating efficiency on the basis of the comparison result of the comparing unit; and a transmit-receive unit for receiving a request from said excavator and transmitting th

Abstract: An excavator of the invention comprises an excavating body having an excavating element and a clinometer detecting an inclination angle of ditch wall in a excavating ditch; a traveling distance recorder for measuring moving distance of said excavator; a calculator for calculating and accumulating the inclination signal for every moving distance of said excavator on the basis of the inclination signal outputted from said clinometer and the moving distance signal outputted from the traveling distance recorder; and a display device for displaying accumulated said inclination signal outputted from said calculator, thereby can excavate the ditch with excellent flatness of the ditch wall.

Abstract: An intuitive control for a motor grader controls the blade high lift assembly by adjustment of a miniature representation available at the operator's station. This miniature representation allows the direction of adjustment of various hydraulic components to be made by moving the representation in the desired directions. The control is intuitive in that it corresponds to the actual high lift assembly. A similar miniature representation can be used for controlling the steering of the motor grader.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a display of a work machine at a work site. The work machine has a work implement controllably attached. The method includes the steps of determining a position of the work machine relative to the site, determining a position of the work implement relative to the work machine, and displaying a scaled image of the site, the work machine, and the work implement relative to the work machine, wherein movement of the work implement relative to the work machine is shown.

Abstract: The present invention provides a work control system for a trencher type excavator for soil cement wall, wherein in controlling the work of forming a soil cement wall carried out in the procedure such that a cutter post provided on a trencher type excavator for soil cement wall and having a chain cutter wound endlessly is inserted into the object ground, the cutter post is rotated while discharging a ground filler out of a discharge opening provided in the cutter post, and the cutter post is moved in a lateral direction of the ground, execution width of the soil cement wall based on a fixed work load, and filling quantity of the ground filler at each position of the soil cement wall forming work are displayed on a two-dimensional coordinate in a lateral axis and a longitudinal axis, respectively.

Abstract: An adjustable coupling connector apparatus for accommodating a range of mating excavator couplers. The connector apparatus includes two parallel bars upon which an excavator coupler clamps. One of the bars is fixed in position to risers extending from a connector base. Each end of the other bar is attached to a point off center of a circular plate so that as the plate is rotated, the bar moves laterally relative to the bar axis. The plates are rotatably positioned in holes in the risers, and captivating side plates are welded to the risers for covering a portion of each plate, securing the plates from movement parallel to its axis but allowing the plate to rotate. Holes in the circular plates and side plates are provided, and a bolt is placed through each of the side plates and circular plates for securing each circular plate in a fixed position.

Abstract: A tool for attachment to a working end of an excavator arm for use in supporting a pipe section while lowering it into a trench. The tool has a proximal end from which extends an elongated arm, held in an approximately horizontal position when in use. A vertical riser is attached to the arm at the proximal end, and an upper end of the riser is attached to a quick coupling connector for attachment to a corresponding mating quick coupling on the working end of an excavator arm. A lateral support, extending from each side of the tool is included, making the tool self supporting in a vertical position on level ground in a position ready for connection to an excavator arm. A further embodiment includes the combination of the tool as described above with a leveling device attached to an excavator, a combination that provides precision alignment and joining of pipe lengths in a trench.

Abstract: A blade pitch indicator is releasably secured to a linear actuator in the form of a turnbuckle. The blade pitch indicator comprises a cover having protrusions forming arrow points that line up with a line of demarcation on the linear actuator. Indicia is associated with the protrusions to provide blade pitch positioning information to the operator. The turnbuckle is provided with two moveable yokes and a stationary threaded shaft. The threaded shaft is rotated to extend and retract the yokes, thereby adjusting the pitch position of the bulldozer blade. The threaded shaft is provided with a multifaceted nut in the form of a hexagonal nut that is engaged by a wrench to rotate the threaded shaft. The hexagonal nut is provided with an aperture through which a pin is inserted releasably securing the cover to the turnbuckle. The arrow points of the protrusions line up with the base end of the yokes to indicate the bulldozer blade's pitch position.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing a signal indicative of loss or imminent loss of digging hardware normally arranged in operable association with an earth working implement.

Abstract: The coupler is attached to the boom of a tractor or other vehicle and enables the boom to be quickly and automatically connected to an implement such as a loader bucket. The coupler includes spring-loaded and laterally shiftable pins which automatically latch to the implement when the coupler is shifted forwardly toward the implement. Unlatching of the pins is effected by manually turning an operating handle. The operating handle is connected to the pins by laterally rigid links which cause movement of the handle to follow movement of the pins in all positions of the pins so that the position of the handle serves as a visual indicator as to whether the pins are latched or unlatched.

Abstract: An assembly for coupling a maneuvering member to a working implement generally consisting of a first coupling component mountable on the working tool, a second coupling component mountable on the maneuvering member and cooperative with the first coupling component for selectively coupling the coupling components together, the first coupling component having an annular undercut portion providing an outwardly facing, beveled gripping surface, the second coupling component having a fixed gripping member and a moveable gripping member displaced relative to the fixed gripping member along a line of travel, the gripping members having arcuate undercut portions providing inwardly facing, beveled gripping surfaces engageable with the outwardly facing, beveled gripping surface of the second coupling component, means for selectively displacing the moveable gripping member relative to the fixed gripping member along the line of travel into a fully coupled condition of the coupling components and a fully uncoupled condit

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the degree of grade ( slope ) upon which an earth moving machine is operating wherein a movable sighting device is mounted on the machine in such manner that the forces of gravity cause the device to move such that an operator looking at external reference objects may control and confirm the angle of grade ( slope ) of the earth being worked upon.

Abstract: A pointer intended for attachment to the digging arm of an excavator, is characterized by an elongated arm which can be pivoted on the digging arm using a drive whose driving movements are activated and controlled by the magnetic field generated by an underground cable, conduit or like conductor in a manner such as to cause the pointer to point towards the cable, conduit or like conductor independently of the position of the digging arm.

Abstract: A soil surface remediation apparatus useful for decontamination of oil or chemical spill sites and toxic waste containing sites comprises a soil treatment apparatus mounted on a mobile trenching machine tractor which excavates trenches in a contaminated site to remove contaminated soil to the surface apparatus where the soil is decontaminated and is immediately replaced into the excavated trench in a continuous operation. Hydrocarbons or other useful by-products such as precious metals may be recovered from the soil. Both deep trenching and shallow trenching embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A rotary ditcher has a flywheel type rotor carrying impeller blades that pick up and throw soil to the side of the rotor as the rotor is advanced into a body of soil in the direction of its axis of rotation. In advance of the rotor are two ripper blades that loosen the soil to be picked up and discharged by the rotor.