Abstract: An excavation vehicle capable of autonomously actuating an excavation tool or navigating an excavation vehicle to perform an excavation routine within an excavation site is described herein. Sensors mounted to the excavation vehicle and the excavation tool produce signals representative of a position and orientation of the corresponding joint relative on the excavation vehicle relative to the excavation site, a position and orientation of the excavation vehicle relative to the excavation site, and one or more features of the excavation site based on the position of the excavation vehicle within the excavation site. A set of solenoids are configured to couple to corresponding hydraulic valves of the excavation tool to actuate the valve. A controller produces actuating signals to control the joints of the excavation tool to autonomously perform the excavation routine based on the signals produced by the sensors.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an implement, in particular an excavator or machine for material handling, with an element movable via at least one working drive, wherein at least one energy recovery cylinder is provided for energy recovery from the movement of the movable element, which includes a chamber filled with gas, wherein the actuation of the implement is effected in dependence on the directly or indirectly determined temperature of the gas in the chamber filled with gas.

Abstract: There is provided an abnormality determination unit that determines whether or not an output measurement unit is abnormal, in order to determine abnormality of the output measurement unit. When the output measurement unit is abnormal, the operation of an elastic actuator is controlled not in accordance with a measurement result of the output measurement unit but in accordance with an internal state model.

Abstract: A hydraulic brake booster system. The hydraulic brake booster system includes a primary piston axially moveable within a bore of a cylinder, a booster chamber located rearwardly of the primary piston within the bore, an input rod extending within the booster chamber, a booster vent path in selective fluid communication with the booster chamber, and a seal member located between the forward face and the primary piston, the seal member in a fixed relationship with the input rod and configured to (i) seal the booster vent path from the booster chamber when the input rod is in a first position, and (ii) not seal the booster vent path from the booster chamber when the input rod is moved rearwardly within the booster chamber to a second position.

Abstract: An actuator control system has a dual concentric servo valve having a spool and at least one motor adapted to selectively displace the spool.

Abstract: A wheel loader automatically adjusts the bucket angle with respect to the ground. The wheel loader includes a hydraulic pump, a tilt cylinder and a tilt valve, a detector which detects that the tilt cylinder is at a control origin, a target setting device which sets a target value for the length of the tilt cylinder, and a control device. The control device calculates a required oil amount for the tilt cylinder to arrive from the control origin to the target length, calculates an oil amount distributed to the tilt cylinder after it has arrived at the control origin, and stops the operation of the tilt cylinder when the distributed oil amount reaches the required amount.

Abstract: A hydraulic control device of an excavator is provided for controlling combined operation of boom-raising and swing on a slope. A swing priority valve (20) is provided on a pressured fluid supply line (8) that connects a first hydraulic pump (1) to a boom high-speed control valve (7). If an excavator performs its tasks on a slope, the swing priority valve (20) is automatically shifted under a control of an electronic controller (28) into a throttling position to thereby restrict hydraulic flow through the boom high-speed control valve (7) so that an increased amount of hydraulic flow can be supplied to a swing motor (14), thus increasing a swing operating pressure more rapidly than a boom operating pressure and consequently facilitating combined operation of boom-raising and swing on a slope.

Abstract: What is disclosed is a control arrangement for an equipment, in particular a wheel loader or a backhoe loader having a shovel mounted articulatedly at a boom, wherein the control arrangement enables a control of the shovel by means of a control pressure of a boom control unit, so that the latter may be taken into a target position during lowering of the boom or while the boom is taken into a floating condition.

Abstract: An apparatus for controllably moving a work implement is disclosed. The implement is connected to a work machine and is moveable in response to operation of a hydraulic cylinder. The apparatus includes an operator controlled joystick. A joystick position sensor senses the position of the joystick and responsively generates an operator command signal. Boom and bucket angle sensors sense the position of the work implement and responsively produces an boom angle signal and a bucket angle signal respectively. A microprocessor based controller receives the boom angle, bucket angle, and operator command signals, modifies the operator command signal, and produces an electrical valve signal in response to the modified operator command signal. An electrohydraulic valve receives the electrical valve signal, and controllably provides hydraulic fluid flow to the hydraulic cylinder in response to a magnitude of the electrical valve signal.

Abstract: In hydraulic heavy equipment, a working device has a boom, an arm and a bucket. An operating device has the same link structure as in the working device. By operating the working device, control valves are operated and the working device functions in a similar manner to the operating device. The movement of the working device is transmitted, and the control valves are brought back to the neutral position. Therefore, the working device follows up the operating device, and functions in the same manner as the operating device.

Abstract: An apparatus for controllably moving a work implement is disclosed. The implement is connected to a work machine and is moveable in response to operation of a hydraulic cylinder. The apparatus includes an operator controlled joystick. A joystick position sensor senses the position of the joystick and responsively generates an operator command signal. An implement position sensor senses the position of the work implement and responsively produces an implement position signal. A microprocessor based controller receives the implement position and operator command signals, modifies the operator command signal, and produces an electrical valve signal in response to the modified operator command signal. An electrohydraulic valve receives the electrical valve signal, and controllably provides hydraulic fluid flow to the hydraulic cylinder in response to a magnitude of the electrical valve signal.

Abstract: An operating system for hydraulic drive elements of a folding top, such as a lowerable folding top of a convertible, can be actuated by switching apparatus. The drive elements are fed by a pressure source from a pressure medium reservoir via an inlet and connected to a return to the pressure medium reservoir. Switchable directional control valves distribute the pressure generated by the pressure source to the drive elements moving various parts. Actuation of the directional control valves corresponds to a given sequence of movements of the top. To simplify the operating system, a plurality of operational elements assigned to various operating functions can be switched at the same time by individual directional control valves. As a result, a smaller number of expensive directional control valves is required.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing control of multiple actuators with a single control lever is provided. The method and apparatus is adapted for use in an electro-hydraulic system having a microprocessor, multiple actuators, respective electro-hydraulic directional control valves for each actuator, and individual control levers operatively associated with the microprocessor for controlling movement of the respective electro-hydraulic directional control valves. The method and apparatus is accomplished by providing a switch on each of the control levers that is operational to condition the microprocessor to direct simultaneous signals to the respective electro-hydraulic directional control valves to control each of the multiple actuators in proportion to the degree of movement of the one actuator when the switch thereon is depressed.

Abstract: A vehicle mounted hydraulic system is provided with a flow control system that allows and maintains sufficient fluid flow through the pump, regardless of pump speed or fluid usage requirements by the hydraulically operated devices, to prevent cavitation or undue pump wear.

Abstract: In a hydraulic system, several consumers (4) are supplied by a common pump. In so doing, the consumers (4) are controlled by control valves (6). When the required oil flows exceed the quantity which can maximally be delivered, a control becomes operative which allows to adapt the reference value signals by which the valves (6) are controlled, to the actually measured pump flow, preferably to the weighting of the actually measured pump flow with the maximally predetermined pump flow.

Abstract: The reliability of a fluid multiplexed actuation system is increased by arranging a pair of fluidic multiplexers in a parallel fluid flow path between a selector valve and several fluid actuators. Position sensors associated with the fluidic multiplexers and with the fluid actuators provide feedback signals to a microprocessor. In the event the feedback signals identify a malfunction in the fluidic multiplexer currently supplying fluid to the actuators, the microprocessor will deactivate the malfunctioning fluidic multiplexer and activate a redundant or back-up fluidic multiplexer by actuating the selector valve.

Abstract: A hydraulic circuit for running a crawler vehicle which comprises a running frame portion provided with motors for running the crawler vehicle and an upper swivel portion turnably disposed on the running frame portion via a swivel joint. Electro-magnetic proportional flow directional control valve (a directional control valves) (15) for controlling the running motors are disposed between the swivel joint (41) and the running motors (19). The number of the high pressure passages in the swivel joint (41) can be reduced, because of increase of pressure resistance, the size of the swivel joint can be small, and accordingly, the hydraulic circuit for running a crawler vehicle can be inexpensive, and possibility for leakage of pressure oil becomes low.

Abstract: A control system for a hydraulic pump in a hydraulic drive circuit includes at least one hydraulic pump whose displacement volume is variable, at least one hydraulic actuator driven by a hydraulic fluid delivered from the hydraulic pump, and a flow control valve connected between the hydraulic pump and the actuator for controlling a flow rate of the hydraulic fluid supplied to the actuator. In the control system, the target value of the differential pressure between the delivery pressure of the hydraulic pump and the load pressure of the actuator is preset, and the displacement volume is varied dependent on the deviation between the differential pressure and its target value for controlling a pump delivery rate so that the differential pressure is held at the target value.

Abstract: A hydraulic control system for a multi-linked manipulator arm monitors the desired flow of hydraulic fluid to each of the actuators for the links of the manipulator, and when the desired flow to any one or more of the actuators exceeds the available flow to the respective actuators, the flows to all the actuators are reduced on the basis of a scaling factor based on the ratio of the available flow to the desired flow of that actuator having the maximum ratio of its desired to available flows so that the relative speed of all the actuators for manipulating the arm is maintained. In some cases some actuators may have higher priority than others and a second scaling factor in which such priorities have been applied may also have to be applied to the flows to reduce the relative speeds of all actuators.

Abstract: In the double brake-booster and master cylinder assembly, the booster comprises, in an outer casing 10, a fixed partition 11 defining, inside the casing 10, a front space A and a rear space B, each space A, B being divided in a sealed manner into a front chamber 12, 18 and a rear chamber 14, 20 by a movable partition 16, 22, at least one elastic mechanism 31 tending to displace one 16 of the movable partitions 16, 22 rearward, at least one passage 38 connecting the two front chambers 12, 18, at least one passage 53 connecting the two rear chambers 14, 20, a pressure difference being established between the front 18 and rear 20 chambers of the rear space B by a valve mechanism 35 on actuation of a control rod 27 in order to actuate an output rod, the output rod actuating a piston of the master cylinder.

Abstract: Either a reciprocating or a stationary part in each of juxtaposed cylinder devices is provided with a scale having alternate projections and depressions which are arranged with regular pitches in a direction of reciprocation of the reciprocating part, while the other part is provided with a sensor engaging the scale for determining whether it is a projection or depression of the scale that the sensor engages at a particular point of time, and producing a pulse whenever it falls in any of the depressions. According to one preferred embodiment, the projections and the depessions of the scale of one of the cylinder devices are staggered relative to those of the scale of the other cylinder device by half a pitch. Thus, when the two cylinder devices are in synchronous operation, the sensors of the cylinder devices produce alternate pulses which do not overlap with each other in the time of occurrence.

Abstract: A hydraulic cylinder-piston unit comprises primary cylinder-piston unit with an integrated position regulation and with a primary cylinder and a primary piston movable in the primary cylinder, two displacement chambers in the primary cylinder and including two displacement pistons, a displacement piston rod connecting the displacement pistons with one another, and a separating wall, and differential cylinder-piston unit formed by the primary piston and having a differential cylinder provided with working chambers.

Abstract: A pump supplies a plurality of consumers each via a directional control valve with pressure balance. When the pump delivery is not adequate, manifesting itself in a dropping of the pump pressure, the pressure balance of the consumer with the highest load pressure is displaced out of the end position of its regulating position into a further control position in which a control pressure line is connected via a throttle point to a discharge so that by means of the throttle point a control pressure is generated which is used for equiproportional reduction of the supply flow to the consumers. This is done either by reducing the stroke of the directional control valves or by acting on the pressure balances in the closure direction.

Abstract: A self-regulating hydraulic control circuit for controlling the flow of fluid to and from the cylinder of a double-acting hydraulic motor employs two pumps, one of which supplies fluid at a relatively high pressure and low displacement while the second pump is a relatively high displacement pump which operates only against a relatively low pressure requirement. The system is especially adapted for applications where, during a working stroke, the piston of the hydraulic motor moves from a start position through a first portion of the stroke during which the piston encounters but a minimal resistance to movement and then suddenly encounters a high resistance to movement. One example of such an application would be a press in which, at some point during the stroke of the piston, a tool carried by the piston initially encountered a workpiece.

Abstract: A towveyor cart for use in hoisting an object and in particular an object having first and second interconnected portions from a first level to a fully raised level. The towveyor cart has control means which include a main control valve for simultaneously raising the jacks to an intermediate position between the lowermost position and the fully raised position and separate jogging valves for controlling each of the jacks separately between the intermediate and raised positions. In this way, both jacks can be simultaneously rapidly raised to the intermediate position and then independently jogged by the jogging valves to the final fully raised position. Horizontal adjusting means are provided so that a combination of horizontal and vertical adjustment for each jack, independent of the other jack, is obtained. Additionally, the towveyor cart is provided with an improved air reservoir which is mounted beneath the work platform of the cart as opposed to the conventional location which is on the platform.

Abstract: A pneumatically actuated tool for setting blind rivets of the type having a body, a head and breakaway pull mandrel. The tool comprises a body having a double-acting cylinder therein, a handle attached to the body, a guide body affixed to the body beneath the cylinder, a pull track in the guide body for the rivets and a bore in the body connecting the cylinder and the pull track, the cylinder, the bore, and the pull track being coaxial. The tool is provided with a rivet pickup and pull mechanism comprising a lower load piston having a downwardly depending tubular assembly slidable within the body bore and pull track and terminating in a nose piece, and an upper pull piston having a downwardly depending tubular assembly telescopicly and shiftably located within the lower load piston tubular assembly and terminating in a chuck provided with mandrel-engaging jaws. The tool has a magazine connected to the guide body and containing a strip of rivets.

Abstract: An improvement is disclosed in a hydraulic system (10) having a variable displacement pump (12) and being capable of delivering pressurized fluid from the pump (12) to selectively engage at least three work circuits (18) with a first (20) of the circuits (18) being normally operable up to a first pressure and a second (22) of the circuits (18) being normally operable up to a second and lower pressure. The improvement comprises circuitry (80, 92, 94, 98, 108, 120, 122, 124, 126) for selectively operating a third (24) of the circuits (18) at one of the first or second pressures or at an upstaged pressure which exceeds the first pressure and circuitry (128) for reducing the displacement of the pump (12) in response to the third circuit (24) being operated at the upstaged pressure. Such upstaged pressure is available in a controlled manner for working against particularly heavy loads. Thus, a third and higher operating level is added to a system which already operates at at least two pressure levels.

Abstract: A device for varying the angular setting of the blade of an earthmoving vehicle by means of a pair of double acting hydraulic cylinders in which only one of the cylinders receives pressure direct from a pump. The piston of that cylinder acts on one end of the blade and at the same time transmits pressure fluid through a hydraulic circuit to the piston of the other cylinder acting on the other end of the blade whereby the two pistons move in opposite directions. The hydraulic circuit includes a control valve for reversing the direction of movement of the pistons, the same cylinder being pressurized by the pump in both directions of movement of the pistons. Pressure fluid leakage loss compensating means are provided in each piston.

Abstract: There is described a servo-control system incorporating a double-acting ram which is responsible for compensating electro-hydraulically for the imbalance in a servo-controlled load in order to achieve a high performance. To this end, a compensating loop is produced which slaves a balancing pressure P.sub.e to the variations in the imbalance. This pressure is exerted in one of the chambers of the ram, separately from the control pressure. It is governed by a pneumatic accumulator whose load is a function of the lack of balance between the pressure exerted by the imbalance and the balancing pressure.

Abstract: A contact free device for limiting the relative movement of hydraulically actuated members in which the device includes a proximity switch actuated at each limit position of the members and which interrupts the supply of hydraulic actuating fluid to the members. The supply of fluid to the members is resumed when movement of the members relatively away from the respective limit position is initiated.

Abstract: A load responsive fluid power multiple load control system using load responsive direction and flow control valves in combination with pump control responding to highest system load. Each direction flow control valve is equipped with a load responsive pressure control which automatically regulates valve inlet pressure to maintain a constant low pressure level at the motor exhaust and a load responsive negative load control to control a constant pressure differential at the motor exhaust. The load responsive control of each direction control valve blocks the pump flow to the motor while controlling negative load, providing the motor inlet with fluid from the motor exhaust.

Abstract: Each consumer is provided with a load-compensated direction-reversing valve. Each valve performs a throttling function and a pressure-compensation function in order to establish a selected volumetric flow rate, and also a direction-control function. Each valve comprises a first control valve stage and a second control valve stage. One stage performs the throttling function, the other the pressure-compensation function. One of the two control valve stages also performs the direction-control function. The pressure drop across the stage which performs the throttling function at least in part controls the setting of the stage which performs the pressure-compensation function. Each valve is provided with an electromechanical transducer generating electrical signals indicative of the settings of the stage which performs the pressure-compensation function.