EP0300913B1 - Apparatus for smoothing, compacting and/or scraping, in particular for the edges of road pavement strips - Google Patents

Abstract

The device (14) comprises a rigid chassis (15a, 15b, 17) displaced longitudinally behind a machine laying a strip of material, a scraper (37) for smoothing and compacting a strip edge or scraping the margins of the material of the strip laid and bringing it onto the latter as a longitudinal bead, and joining and actuating means (18-29, 24, 41) which join the scraper (37) to the chassis, and ensure the vertical, transverse and slanting displacements of the scraper (37) relative to the chassis and to its direction of displacement. These actuating means preferably comprise dual-action hydraulic jacks, one (29) of which is a retraction/extension jack with a telescopic lateral arm (18). A jack (24) controls the vertical displacements of the telescopic arm (18) mounted pivotally on the chassis. The jacks operate in a sequential cycle controlled by a programmable robot. At least the transverse path of the scraper (37) is at least partially slaved to the measurement of the lateral position of the joint to be formed or of the edge to be smoothed and compacted. Application to the laying of road pavement strips. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a smoothing, compacting and / or scraping device, intended to form a longitudinal bead of a material, for example granular, powdery and / or viscous, previously spread out along a longitudinal strip of limited width on a substantially flat surface. , and / or to smooth and compact at least one edge, generally inclined on said substantially flat surface, of said longitudinal strip of material.

The invention relates in particular to a smoothing, compacting and / or scraping device arranged in public works equipment or vehicle, or associated with such equipment or vehicle, and in particular to a device of this type, advantageously with automatic control, intended on the one hand, for the preparation of a longitudinal connection joint between two strips of road surfacing, and, on the other hand, for smoothing and compacting at least one free and possibly inclined edge of strips of road surfacing.

Although the device according to the invention can be used in a large number of different applications, it will be described in the rest of this specification only in the context of its application to the preparation of a road surface joint and / or to the smoothing and compacting an inclined free edge of such a coating, because it is in this application that the device according to the invention seems to be of greatest interest.

In this particular framework, the smoothing, compacting and / or scraping device is presented as an accessory mounted laterally on the rear of the chassis of a machine of well-known structure and particularly arranged to be used for making or repairing roadways. , and more specifically for laying the covering strips constituting the wearing course of the roadways.

Such a machine, commonly called a paver, is most often used in a manner described below with reference to FIG. 1, which schematically represents, in partial cross section, a road at the level of the connection of two adjacent traffic lanes . The paver is first of all moved longitudinally on a lane of the road, in order to lay a first covering strip 1, made of bituminous or coated concrete of any suitable nature, which corresponds to the width of this lane. Then, while the material of the first laid strip 1 has cooled, a second covering strip 2 is produced, which corresponds to the width of the or a second lane of the road, adjacent to the first lane, in moving the finisher on this second track, so that there is a marginal overlap 3 of the first strip laid 1, along its edge 4 adjacent to the second strip 2, by hot coating material of this second strip 2 , this covering 3 being limited for example to a width of 5 to 10 cm and to a thickness of 0.5 to 1 cm.

This technique of installing the covering of the wearing course in successively deposited adjacent strips allows, by concentrating the passage vehicles on the track (s) on which the laying of the corresponding covering strip is not in progress, to practice alternating traffic, and therefore not to interrupt traffic on a stretch of road under construction. This is all the more important since the majority of road works currently carried out concern the maintenance and repair of roadways.

The new coating of a road, which restores its comfort and safety characteristics, is also essential for the long-term performance of the structure of the road as a whole, and must in particular ensure a good seal for the lower layers.

Consequently, the application in several adjacent strips of the wearing course requires, if one wishes to have a good seal, to produce a longitudinal joint of impeccable quality connection between the two strips of each pair of adjacent covering strips.

To date, in order to produce this connection joint, the material of the marginal covering 3 is pushed manually from the first strip laid 1 onto the second strip 2, which has just been laid, by one or two workers working behind the paver, and which operate squeegees 5 so as to form, as shown in FIG. 2, a longitudinal bead 6 of material still hot on the second laid strip 2. This bead 6 should ideally be a short distance from the adjacent edge 4 of the first laid strip 1, so that, by the compacting operation which follows the preparation of the bead 6, the joint is well made.

But, due to the manual pushing of the covering material 3, this operation for preparing the bead 6 is often poorly performed, and this material, instead of being pushed into its right place, is scattered over a width of about one meter on the second strip laid 2. Also, during the compacting operation, as shown in Figure 3, the seal is badly made by the passage of the ball of the compactor 7, due to lack of material. At the connection joint between the two strips 1 and 2, there is thus the formation of a crack, causing very rapid degradation under the influence of traffic and bad weather.

Furthermore, the inclined and free edges of the covering strips laid, that is to say the inclined edges like the edge 4 in FIG. 1, but by which the covering strips considered are not or not yet adjacent to a other covering strip, and which in particular constitute the edges of the pavement covering, are currently smoothed and compacted by the passage of self-propelled compacting machines. These machines, also called compactors, move, using wheels fitted with tires, behind the paver, on the covering strip laid by the latter and along the free edge of this strip. These compactors are equipped with a smoothing and lateral compacting device, comprising a wheel mounted on a transverse axis with respect to the longitudinal direction of the edge considered, and integral with an articulated mechanism for raising and lowering the wheel, and orientation of its axis around a horizontal and longitudinal pivot. So the side wheel can be lowered, so that its tread is applied against the inclined surface of the free edge of the covering strip, which makes it possible to ensure both smoothing and compacting of this inclined surface by the longitudinal displacement of the side wheel with the compactor which supports it.

This smoothing and compacting device, the lateral wheel of which allows a force with a large horizontal component to be maintained on the edge of the coating strip, by fulfilling the function of a lateral stop, in the absence of such a naturally constituted stop. by a shoulder or a strip of coating adjacent to the road, is a very useful device for the compaction of mixes for surface courses or relatively easy to handle bitumen, and laid in strips of coating, because it prevents their lateral creep at the level of longitudinal and free edges of the strips laid, and therefore the vertical deformations deforming the transverse profile of said covering strips.

Unfortunately, as the smoothing and compacting side wheel is driven by a self-propelled vehicle traveling on the covering strip which has just been laid by the finisher, it is imperative that this vehicle be kept at a sufficiently large distance behind the finisher, so that the installed strip is sufficiently cooled to the point of being able to support the weight of the vehicle without being damaged by the passage of the latter. As a result, the side wheel can exert its smoothing and compacting action on the inclined surface of the edge of the strip only at such a sufficiently large distance behind the finisher, so that the effectiveness of its intervention is thereby is considerably reduced, because, of course, it is in the hottest state, that is to say just behind the finisher, that the material of the laid strip is most likely to creep, in particular laterally.

By the invention, it is proposed to remedy these major drawbacks, resulting, on the one hand, from a manual pushing of the covering material for the preparation of a connection joint, and, on the other hand, too late an intervention after the laying of the material of a covering strip to ensure good smoothing and compaction of at least one free edge of this strip, and the invention relates to a device for smoothing, compacting and / or scraping , advantageously integral with the finisher, making it possible to constitute and suitably position a bead of coating material necessary for making an excellent longitudinal connection joint, and / or to smooth and compact at least one free edge of a strip of this material with greater efficiency and closer after the installation of this strip.

To this end, the invention proposes a device which is congruent with the aim of bringing the covering material deposited at the joint on the first previously laid band onto the second band laid, in order to produce the connection joint between the two bands, and / or to apply a lateral stop in an adjustable position and with an adjustable pressure against at least one free edge of a laid strip, in order to smooth and compact it.

However, already known from European application EP-A-27,164, a device for finishing pavements and intended to compact the lateral edge of a covering strip. This device is intended to be suspended from a finisher, and it comprises a vibrating plate extending substantially horizontally and associated with a vibration generator, as well as a pressure plate, mounted on one side of the vibrating plate in forming an angle with it and being inclined downwards. The pressure plate is connected to the vibrating plate by means of a carrier plate articulated on the vibrating plate. In this way, the angular position of the pressure plate relative to the vibrating plate is adjustable. This adjustment is ensured by means of a jack. In addition, the pressure plate can slide from top to bottom along the carrier plate, and it can in particular be retracted in the maximum position upwards, so as to adjust the length of this pressure plate which projects under the vibrating plate. It is thus possible to adjust the depth and the angle of intervention of this pressure plate on the edge of the coating strip to be compacted. However, the device proposed by this document is in no way provided with a structure which makes the two applications mentioned above indifferent.

Also known, from US Pat. No. 3,603,223, is a device and a method for forming a level joint between two adjacent road surface layers and deposited successively, so that an overlap is formed between the two layers. The device comprises a scraper blade which can be brought into contact with the material constituting the covering, in order to deposit this material in the form of a harmless or a bead along the joint, and this scraper blade cooperates with a rotary brush displaceable longitudinally along the bead to level it off as well as to sweep the material coming from the joint and to move it laterally on the surface of the second layer of coating deposited.

The invention proposes, for its part, a device making it possible to obtain well-differentiated phases of transverse and vertical displacement of the scraper relative to the chassis.

More specifically, the smoothing, compacting and / or scraping device according to the invention, in particular for smoothing and compacting at least one free edge of a strip of road surface that has just been laid, and / or the preparation of a longitudinal connection joint between two strips of road surface, one of which has been laid before the other, which is laid substantially along the first strip laid and with a limited marginal overlap of the first strip laid by coating material of the second strip, using at least one machine, such as a finisher, behind which said device is intended to operate, comprises:

- a rigid chassis, intended to be moved longitudinally behind said machine,

- a scraper, intended to scrape against a free edge of a laid strip in order to smooth and compact it or against the first laid strip, in order to bring the coating material which covers it over the second strip, so as to form on this last a longitudinal bead of covering material, intended to be subsequently compacted into a longitudinal connection joint, and

Connecting means which connect the scraper to the chassis, and allow vertical and transverse movements of the scraper with respect respectively to the chassis and to its direction of movement, this device being characterized in that it also comprises actuation means, the means for connecting and actuating the scraper comprising at least one member for reciprocating transverse displacement of the scraper with respect to the chassis and at least one member for reciprocating vertical displacement of the scraper with respect to the chassis.

This smoothing, compacting and / or scraping device can be made as a machine or an autonomous machine, and its chassis can be provided with wheels and propulsion means, so that it can be moved longitudinally behind the paver. But, advantageously, the chassis of said device is secured to the rear of the table of a finisher, and the scraper and the connection and actuation means are removably mounted on the chassis, so that the scraper is always protruding sideways on one side or the other of the paver table with respect to its direction of travel.

This makes it possible to save on wheels and propulsion means specific to said device, and above all to involve the scraper as soon as possible after the laying of the coating strip on one of the edges of which the scraper exerts its action of smoothing and compacting or preparing a bead to form a connection joint with an adjacent strip, by realizing the connection and actuation means in the form of essentially mechanical means, directly or indirectly driven by power draw necessary on the finisher, and thus benefiting from the assurance respectively of smoothing and compacting a free edge of a laid strip while the material of this strip is in a state conducive to creep, and of forming a bead immediately after laying of the second strip and of the covering of the first strip, that is to say when the covering material is in the best conditions to be brought back onto the second strip laid.

In addition, in an arrangement suitable for the preparation of a longitudinal connection joint between two strips, and to improve the scraping of the covering material of the first strip and its movement towards the second laid strip, and so that the scraping device can either be mounted on the left side or on the right side of the finisher, the connection and actuation means also and advantageously comprise at least one member for orienting the scraper with respect to the direction of movement of the chassis.

In this particular arrangement, the means for actuating the scraper relative to the chassis are advantageously controlled according to a sequential operating cycle by a sequencer or a programmable controller, in order to ensure good regularity in the formation of the bead.

In a simple embodiment, suitable not only for this particular arrangement, but also for the arrangement suitable for smoothing and compacting a free edge of the coating strip, at least one of the vertical, transverse and / or orientation, but preferably each of them, comprises at least one double-acting cylinder, preferably with operating fluid. This jack can be an electro-mechanical jack, for example with a screw driven by an electric motor, but, preferably, it is a pneumatic jack, or, advantageously, a hydraulic jack.

For the preparation of a bead for a joint, and to facilitate the orientation of the scraper, the latter may advantageously comprise a substantially straight scraper blade having, substantially in its central part, a pivot with a substantially vertical axis by which it is pivotally mounted around the axis of the pivot, on a part, movable relative to the chassis, of one of the vertical or transverse displacement members.

Advantageously, in this case, the orientation member is a tilt cylinder articulated, on the one hand, on the scraper blade, at least about an axis parallel to the axis of the pivot of the blade and spaced apart of this pivot, preferably rearward relative to the direction of movement of the chassis, so as not to interfere with the latter or with the frame of the finisher, and, on the other hand, on the vertical or transverse displacement member on which the scraper blade is pivotally mounted.

In the two arrangements of the device, for the formation of a bead for preparing a joint between two adjacent strips, as for the smoothing and compaction of an edge of the laid strip, the member for orienting the scraper with respect to the direction of movement of the chassis may, in a simpler embodiment, but allowing only a limited number of different orientations of the scraper to be adopted, comprise a support integral with the scraper and having means for pivoting around a substantially vertical axis on a part movable relative to the chassis of one of the vertical or transverse displacement members as well as several holes, spaced on an arc of a circle centered on the substantially vertical axis of said pivot means, and each of which can be selectively disposed opposite a hole drilled in said movable part of the vertical or transverse movement, in order to receive a locking pin for the squeegee support in a determined angular position relative to this movable part.

In an advantageously simple and economical embodiment for ensuring the transverse displacements of the scraper, the transverse displacement member comprises an extensible arm on which is substantially axially mounted at least one extension-retraction cylinder of the extensible arm, which comprises at least two sections mounted axially sliding with respect to each other, one of which is a section attached to the chassis and to which an extension-retraction cylinder is itself attached, the cylinder or cylinders controlling the movements, by compared to this section, another section of the extendable arm which supports the scraper laterally cantilevered outside the section attached to the chassis.

According to a first simple embodiment, the device comprises a single extension-retraction cylinder, which is mounted in the extendable arm, which is a telescopic arm whose sections respectively attached to the chassis and supporting the scraper are substantially coaxial and telescopically mounted. by sliding at least part of one into the other.

But it is also advantageous, to facilitate the control and execution of the transverse displacements of the scraper, that according to a second simple example of embodiment, the device comprises two extension-retraction jacks, mounted in series, one in the extension of the other, and one of which is an approach and / or overall transverse positioning cylinder, which is housed in the section of the extendable or telescopic arm attached to the chassis, this cylinder itself being attached to the chassis, and the other cylinder of which is an alternative transverse drive cylinder of the section of the extendable or telescopic arm supporting the scraper, on a cyclic transverse stroke formation of a bead by the scraper.

In these different cases, the vertical movements of the scraper are very simply ensured by the fact that the section of the extendable arm attached to the chassis is pivotally mounted on the latter, around an axis not perpendicular to the direction of movement of the chassis, and the the extendable arm is articulated, at a point distant from its pivot axis on the chassis, on the vertical displacement member which is itself a jack articulated moreover on the chassis, to control the pivotings of the extendable arm relative to the chassis .

In order to be able to mount a scraper tilt cylinder having a sufficiently long stroke without excessively increasing the size of the part of the device in cantilever with respect to the extendable arm, the section of the latter which supports the scraper preferably has an end portion which is always cantilevered with respect to the other or to the other sections of the extendable arm, and which is provided with a light through which the tilting cylinder passes, when the member tilt is such a jack.

For safety reasons, in order to avoid that the scraper cannot, in service, be blocked against an obstacle to its advancement, such as a grate or manhole cover, and consequently deteriorated, it is advantageous that the means of connection and actuation are further pivoted on the chassis around a substantially vertical axis and connected to the chassis by a safety mechanism. This safety mechanism advantageously comprises at least one deformable connecting member over a limited rearward travel, at least one elastic return member of the connecting and actuating means to an initial position around said substantially vertical pivot axis on the chassis, and at least one actuator of a position detector controlling the operation of the member for vertical displacement of the connecting and actuating means, so that any possible blocking of the advance of the scraper against an obstacle is followed by a retraction backwards and upwards of this scraper, to disengage from the obstacle.

In an advantageously simple embodiment, this safety mechanism comprises at least one flexible metal blade, simultaneously constituting a deformable connecting member, an elastic return member and an actuator of the position detector, each flexible metal blade being fixed , on the one hand, to the chassis and, on the other hand, to the connection and actuation means, and bearing against a probe of the position detector at least after a certain rotation of the connection and actuation means towards the rear, around the substantially vertical pivot axis on the chassis.

In this way, the scraper is rotated backwards and then lifted, and can thus escape the obstacle opposing the continuation of its advance with the chassis and the finisher, without it being damaged, and the scraper can then return to its working position.

As the paver is a machine on which a hydraulic power circuit is generally provided for the specific needs of the paver, it is very advantageous, to make the most of the presence of this hydraulic circuit, that the jack (s) of the extendable arm of the vertical displacement member and, where appropriate, the inclination of the scraper are hydraulic jacks each supplied by a solenoid valve mounted on the chassis, and the hydraulic power stage of which is connected by quick coupling and uncoupling couplings and self-sealing to the hydraulic circuit of the paver, while the electric stage for controlling the solenoid valve is connected to a control unit.

In order to improve the efficiency of the operation of the device, with regard to the position of a longitudinal edge of a laid strip, which is generally not straight, it is advantageous that the transverse displacement member at least be automatically controlled to from means for detecting the transverse position of the edge of this laid strip, on the side of the edge to be smoothed and compacted or of the joint to be prepared, so that the lateral position and / or the lateral displacement stroke of the scraper is at least partially and automatically slaved to said transverse position of said edge.

To this end, in a simple embodiment, the means for detecting the transverse position of the edge of a laid strip include a telemetric probe which is mounted on the finisher, in front of the latter's table if it is acts to detect the position of the adjacent edge of a strip laid before that the finisher is in landing gear, and at a distance fixed at the front of the scraper, and which is sensitive to the rung presented by said strip posed at the edge considered, and this telemetric probe transmits a signal, function of the instantaneous lateral separation from this edge relative to the finisher, to a computer also receiving an instantaneous speed signal for movement of the finisher and the device, the computer being integrated in the control unit which transmits to the scraper actuation means relative control orders in particular at the transverse position or the effective transverse stroke of the scraper, and at the lateral raising and lowering positions of the scraper.

The rangefinder probe can be attached laterally to the finisher, and be a side scan probe. However, it is also possible that the telemetric probe is moved in an alternating movement, in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the finisher, using a jack coupled to a potentiometric indicator of lateral spacing of the probe. relative to the finisher, so that the measurement transmitted by the potentiometric gauge of spacing, when the probe is perpendicular to the considered edge of the strip laid, is a function of the instantaneous lateral spacing of this edge relative to the finisher.

In these different cases, it is advantageously simple to use a telemetric ultrasound probe.

However, in a simple and economical embodiment, suitable for preparing a bead to form a joint between two adjacent strips, the means for detecting the transverse position of the edge of the first strip laid, of the side of the joint to be prepared, comprise at least one mechanical probe on this edge, this probe comprising a roller which is mounted on the lower and external side of the scraper, relative to the finisher, and preferably in the central part of the scraper, and which is resiliently biased downwards by at least one spring member, so as to be sensitive to the passage between the relatively hard material of the first laid strip and the relatively soft and uncompacted material of the second laid strip. The probe wheel is associated with an electrical level switch, which is connected to the control unit computer, in order to control, as explained above, the movements, in particular transverse, of the scraper.

Optionally, moreover, the total effective stroke of the scraper in transverse direction can be the sum of a fraction of constant stroke and a fraction of variable stroke, subject to the instantaneous transverse position of the edge considered of a band laid.

When the device is arranged for smoothing and compacting the free edge of a laid strip, it is advantageous for the scraper to comprise a smoothing and compacting blade, comprising a framework by which said blade is fixed, preferably in a removable manner, to the connection and actuation means, a contact pad against said free edge of the strip laid, the end portions of the pad in the direction of movement of the chassis being preferably raised upwards, a hinge with a substantially axis horizontal connection and articulation of the skate under the frame, so that the skate can take the same inclination as said edge of the strip laid, and finally means for adjusting and blocking the inclination of the shoe relative to the frame of the blade.

Thus, using the device according to the invention, to pass from one to the other of the two possible configurations, namely a scraping configuration for the preparation of a bead for forming a joint between two adjacent strips. , and a configuration for smoothing and compacting a free edge of a strip, it suffices to mount, as a scraper of the device, one or the other of two blades, one of which is more specifically a scraper blade , and the other more specifically a smoothing and compaction blade, as defined above.

• Fig. 1 représente, en coupe transversale partielle, deux bandes adjacentes de revêtement routier, avec un recouvrement marginal de la première bande posée par du matériau de la seconde bande posée,
• Fig. 2 représente schématiquement, dans les mêmes conditions, le dégagement manuel du matériau de ce recouvrement vers la seconde bande,
• Fig. 3 représente schématiquement, dans les mêmes conditions que les figures 1 et 2, la formation du joint de raccordement entre les deux bandes par un rouleau de compactage,
• Fig. 4 représente schématiquement, en plan, un finisseur équipé du dispositif selon l'invention.
• Fig. 5 représente en plan un exemple de dispositif en configuration de raclage monté sur l'arrière du finisseur de la figure 4,
• Fig. 6 représente, en élévation de l'arrière, le dispositif de la figure 5;
• Figs. 7a à 7f sont des couples de vues schématiques représentant six séquences successives d'un cycle de fonctionnement du dispositif en configuration de raclage des figures 5 et 6, la vue de gauche de chaque couple de vues représentant la vue de face de la lame de raclage en position haute ou basse, alors que la vue de droite représente la vue de dessus de l'ensemble avec l'inclinaison de la lame de raclage;
• Fig. 8 est une vue schématique en plan de la partie arrière du finisseur, avec le dispositif en configuration de raclage à l'arrière de la table du finisseur, et le détecteur de position latérale du joint à l'avant de cette table;
• Fig. 9 est une vue analogue à la figure 5 d'une variante de réalisation du dispositif en configuration de raclage, et se montant également sur l'arrière de la table du finisseur de la figure 4;
• Fig. 10 est une vue en plan d'une lame de lissage et compactage d'un bord libre d'une bande de revêtement posée, et qui se monte à la place de la lame de raclage sur le dispositif de la figure 9, pour mettre ce dispositif en configuration de lissage et compactage, à partir de la configuration de raclage,
• Fig. 11 est une vue en coupe transversale selon XI-XI de la figure 10,
• Fig. 12 est une vue en coupe selon XII-XII du patin de la lame de lissage et compactage selon les figures 10 et 11, et
• Fig. 13 est une vue schématique de l'arrière de la table d'un finisseur, sur la partie latérale gauche de laquelle est monté un dispositif en configuration de raclage, tandis qu'un dispositif en configuration de lissage et compactage est monté sur sa partie latérale droite (en regardant la figure).

The present invention will be better understood, and other advantages and characteristics of the invention will emerge on reading the description given below, without implied limitation, of preferred embodiments described with reference to the appended drawings in which :

• Fig. 1 represents, in partial cross-section, two adjacent strips of road surface, with a marginal overlap of the first strip laid by material of the second strip laid,
• Fig. 2 schematically represents, under the same conditions, the manual release of the material from this covering towards the second strip,
• Fig. 3 schematically represents, under the same conditions as FIGS. 1 and 2, the formation of the connection joint between the two strips by a compacting roller,
• Fig. 4 schematically represents, in plan, a finisher equipped with the device according to the invention.
• Fig. 5 shows in plan an example of a device in scraping configuration mounted on the rear of the finisher of FIG. 4,
• Fig. 6 shows, in rear elevation, the device of Figure 5;
• Figs. 7 a to 7 f are pairs of schematic views representing six successive sequences of an operating cycle of the device in the scraping configuration of FIGS. 5 and 6, the left view of each pair of views representing the front view of the blade scraping in high or low position, while the right view represents the top view of the assembly with the inclination of the scraping blade;
• Fig. 8 is a schematic plan view of the rear part of the paver, with the device in scraping configuration at the rear of the paver table, and the lateral position detector of the joint at the front of this table;
• Fig. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 5 of an alternative embodiment of the device in the scraper configuration, and also mounted on the rear of the finisher table of FIG. 4;
• Fig. 10 is a plan view of a smoothing and compaction blade of a free edge of a covering strip laid, and which is mounted in place of the scraper blade on the device of FIG. 9, to put this device in smoothing and compacting configuration, starting from the scraping configuration,
• Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view along XI-XI of FIG. 10,
• Fig. 12 is a sectional view along XII-XII of the pad of the smoothing and compacting blade according to FIGS. 10 and 11, and
• Fig. 13 is a schematic view of the rear of the table of a paver, on the left side part of which is mounted a device in scraper configuration, while a device in smoothing and compacting configuration is mounted on its side right (looking at the figure).

The paver 8 shown in FIG. 4 usually comprises a hopper 9 for receiving the coated materials, which is in front of the paver 8 with respect to its direction of movement, indicated by the arrow F, for allow direct loading of the hopper 9 from the bucket of a truck located in front of the finisher 8. The latter also includes an engine chassis 10, at the rear of the hopper 9, and which carries, on the one hand, an electrical cabinet 11, containing a control unit comprising a programmable automaton with electronic sequencer, and an electronic computer, and, on the other hand, a detector 12, fixed laterally on the engine chassis 10. At the rear of the latter, the finisher 8 finally comprises a table 13 for laying the mixes in longitudinal ply.

At the rear of the table 13 and on its left side, the finisher 8 supports a scraper device 14, which can be mounted, as shown in broken lines and at 14 ′ in FIG. 4, on the right side of the finisher 8 .

This scraping device 14 operates automatically according to a cycle, the sequences of which are controlled by the programmable automaton of the control unit 11, and taking account of information supplied to the computer in particular by the detector 12, to modify certain operating parameters, as explained more precisely below with reference to FIG. 8.

The structure of the scraper device 14 is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. This device comprises a rigid frame, for example of steel and mechanically welded, or of assembled aluminum elements, which is fixed to the rear of the frame of the table 13 of the paver 8, and which consists of two vertical uprights 15 a and 15 b , directly linked to the table 13 and connected to each other by a lower cross member 17. The amount 15 a is the external amount, that is to say closest to the lateral edge of the finisher 8 which is turned towards the side of a covering strip 1 previously laid (FIG. 1) and along which the finisher 8 is moved to lay an adjacent strip 2 which will be connected to the web 1 already raised by a seal, while the other leg is an inner post 15b closest to the median longitudinal plane and the finisher 8.

A transverse extendable arm 18 of telescopic structure is pivotally mounted on the lower part of the chassis.

This telescopic arm 18 consists of two sections of metal tubes of square section, forming two sliding boxes substantially coaxially one inside the other, and one of which is an external box 19, of larger cross section, in which the other box 20, or internal box, of smaller cross section, is slidably mounted by a part of its length. By one of its ends, the external box 19 is pivotally mounted, about a horizontal axis 21 and parallel to the direction of movement of the paver 8, on the lower end of the upright 15 b , below the cross-member lower 17. By its other end, which is crossed by the internal box 20 and which projects outwards from the external upright 15 a , the external box 19 is also pivotally mounted by a clip 22 and about an axis 23 parallel to the axis 21, on the lower end of the rod 25 of a double-acting hydraulic cylinder 24, arranged substantially along and outside the external upright 15 a . This jack 24 is itself pivotally mounted, by the upper end of its cylinder 26, on a fastener 27 fixed to the upright 15 a , and around an axis 28 parallel to the axes 21 and 23. In this way, the extensions or retractions of the jack 24 by exiting or re-entering its rod 25 vis-à-vis its cylinder 26 control the pivoting respectively downwards or upwards of the telescopic arm 18, around its pivot axis 21 on the chassis.

In the telescopic arm 18 is axially housed a second double-acting hydraulic cylinder 29, the closed end of the cylinder 30 is retained by the axis 21 in the bottom of the outer box 19, while the rod 31 of this second cylinder s 'extends inside the internal box 20 and is retained by its end and using a fastening pin 32 in the portion closest to the external box 19 of a part of this internal box 20 which is always outside the external box 19, even when the jack 29 is retracted. This cylinder 29 thus constitutes a cylinder control of extensions and retractions of the telescopic arm 18 in transverse direction relative to the direction of movement of the finisher 8, since the outputs and re-entries of the rod 31 with respect to the cylinder 30 correspond respectively to the exits and re-entries of the internal box 20 vis-à-vis the external box 19.

Towards the outside, beyond the axis of attachment 32, the part of the internal box 20 which is still cantilevered outside the external box 19, carries a fixing cap 33, of which the two upper and lower branches project forward, that is to say towards the table 13 of the finisher 8, and has an axial lumen 34 opening into the front and rear faces of the box 20, and which extends up to the proximity of the external end 35 of this part of the internal box 20. In this external end 35 of the box 20 is journalled a vertical pivot axis 36, projecting from the upper face of the central part of a blade doctor blade 37 elongated and straight. This scraper blade 37, intended to scrape against the upper face of the first coating strip laid 1 to bring the hot material of the covering 3 onto the second coating strip laid 2, can be made of a rubber resistant to the temperature of the material hot to scrape, that is to say at a temperature of the order of 110 to 120 ° C, or even wood, or even steel. This scraper blade 37 has a planar lower face 38, substantially horizontal, intended to come to scrape against the upper face of the first strip laid 1, and a face 39 for repelling the material, facing towards the interior, that is to say towards the chassis and towards the telescopic arm 18, and this pushing face 39 itself has a small lower part 39 a , perpendicular to the lower face 38, and a large upper part 39 b , inclined from bottom to top and from the outside towards the inside, in order to guide the covering material 3 well, when it is scraped over the top of the first strip laid 1 and pushed back to the top of the second band 2.

The scraper blade 37 also carries projecting on its upper face, and substantially in the middle of its rear half, that is to say of its half located on the side opposite the table 13 of the finisher 8 relative to the axis. pivot 36 of the blade 37 on the telescopic arm 18, a second vertical pivot axis 40, around which revolves the free end of the rod 42 of a third double-acting hydraulic cylinder 41, which passes through the lumen 34 of the box internal 20, and the closed end of the cylinder 43 of which is pivotally mounted in the yoke 33 of the internal box 20, about an axis 44 parallel to the pivot axes 36 and 40.

This cylinder 41 constitutes a cylinder for controlling the inclination of the scraper blade 37 relative to the direction of movement of the device with the finisher 8, since the outputs and re-entries of the rod 42 relative to the cylinder 43 of this cylinder control the pivoting of the blade 37 around its pivot axis 36 respectively clockwise and counterclockwise, if we consider the device in plan, as in Figure 6, that is to say respectively reconciliations and removals of the half before the blade 37 opposite the table 13 of the finisher 8.

The arrangement of the articulations of the ends of the tilt cylinder 41 on either side of the axis of the internal box 20 of the telescopic arm 18 and the light 34 of this box 20 make it possible to use and advantageously house a cylinder of inclination 41 with a stroke long enough to give all the desirable inclinations to the scraper blade 37, without having to excessively increase the size and the weight of the entire part of the device overhanging relative to the external box 19 of the telescopic arm 18.

The cylinder 41 for tilting or orienting the scraper blade 37, the cylinder 29 for retracting the telescopic arm 18, and therefore for transversely moving the scraper blade 37, and the cylinder 24 for vertically moving the blade 37 with the telescopic arm 18 are each supplied with hydraulic fluid by one respectively of three solenoid valves (not shown) which are fixed on the lower cross member 17 of the chassis, and whose hydraulic power stages are connected to the hydraulic circuit of the finisher 8 by quick-coupling and self-sealing couplings, while the electrical control stage of each solenoid valve is connected, by connectors with quick connection and disconnection, to the control unit 11 installed on the engine chassis 10 of the finisher 8.

So that the scraper blade 37 can be mounted in a suitable working position, projecting from the left or right side of the table 13 of the finisher 8 relative to the direction of movement of the latter, the means of connection of this blade 37 to the finisher 8 and simultaneously of actuation of this blade 37 relative to this finisher 8, which constitute the three jacks and the telescopic arm 18 are means which are quickly and removably mounted on the chassis of the uprights 15 a and 15 b and of the cross member 17.

In addition, the transverse 18-29, vertical 24 and tilt 41 alternating actuation means are controlled according to a sequential operating cycle by the electronic sequencer of the programmable controller integrated in the central control unit 11, and an operating cycle. is broken down into six steps shown in Figures 7 a to 7 f and described with reference to these figures.

FIG. 7 a represents the initial position of the cycle: the scraper blade 37 is brought back practically against the lateral edge of the table 13 of the finisher 8 and raised in maximum position well above the level of the upper face of the first strip laid 1, by the retraction of the jacks 29 and 24 and of the telescopic arm 18. Then, as shown in FIG. 7b , the extension of the jack 29 and of the telescopic arm 18, while the jack 24 remains retracted, controls the spacing lateral of the blade 37, which is inclined by its front half towards the table 13 by virtue of the extension of the jack 41. The retraction of this jack then controls the pivoting of the blade 37, the front half of which is moved away from the finisher, as shown in Figure 7c , and when the telescopic arm 18 reaches its extended position maximum, as shown in FIG. 7 d , the extension of the jack 24 controls the descent of the blade 37 against the upper face of the first strip laid 1, behind the covering 3, and the blade 37 is returned to the inclined position towards the back and inward by the tilt cylinder. The retraction of the telescopic arm 18 while the blade 37 is lowered causes the blade 37 to push back the covering material 3 which has just been laid by the finisher 8 at the same time as the second strip 2, and the inclination of the blade 37 on the direction of travel of the paver 8 is favorable for a good transfer of this covering material 3 from above the first strip 1 to above the second strip 2, as shown in FIG. 7 e . Finally, in the position of maximum retraction of the telescopic arm 18, the blade 37 is brought back parallel to the side of the table 13 by the tilt cylinder (as shown in FIG. 7 f ) in order to obtain a length of bead of material which is indeed longitudinal, parallel to the connection between the two strips laid, and a short distance from the lateral edge 4 of the first strip laid 1.

Then the sequencer controls a new cycle, so that the device produces a longitudinal and continuous bead, suitably arranged to produce with sufficient material a good quality connection joint, by compacting the bead.

In addition, to take into account that the lateral edge 4 of the first laid strip 1 is generally not straight, the displacements of the scraper blade 37 are at least partially slaved to the instantaneous lateral position of this edge 4 relative to the finisher 8. This position is detected by the detector 12, fixed on the lateral edge of the corresponding side of the engine chassis 10, therefore in front of the table 13 of the finisher 8, and which includes a telemetric ultrasonic probe, sensitive to the edge 4 of the first band posed 1, that is to say to the rung, to the step or to the threshold delimited between the level of the upper face of the band 1 and the level of the upper face of the underlying layer. This ultrasonic probe 12, of the scanning type, therefore measures the instantaneous lateral spacing which separates it from the edge 4 of the first strip laid, that is to say from the position of the joint to be formed, and transmits a function signal. of this instantaneous lateral spacing to the computer integrated in the control center 11, which also receives a signal which is a function of the instantaneous longitudinal speed of movement of the finisher 8. From this information, the computer prepares signals modifying the values as required strokes of the cylinder 29 and possibly of the tilt cylinder 41, as well as the instants of actuation of the vertical displacement cylinder 24, and therefore the lifting and lowering positions of the scraper blade 37, that is to say -display the start and end positions of the cycle as well as the amplitudes of the spreading and approximation movements of the blade 37.

L_v, a et b étant fixes et connus, on constate que la course efficace C_x est bien une fonction de l'écart latéral mesuré L_x. Par ailleurs, comme le finisseur 8 avance à une vitesse V variable, et que le détecteur 12 est à une distance fixe L_y connue par construction à l'avant de la lame de raclage 37, le temps de parcours de la distance L_y par la lame 37 est fonction de la vitesse V.The mode of taking into account the various parameters of the device is described below with reference to FIG. 8. To correctly prepare, on the second laid strip 2, the bead 6 to be compressed in order to obtain a connection joint satisfying along the dotted line J which corresponds to the longitudinal edge 4 of the first strip 1, it is known that the scraper blade 37 must be moved transversely from the external position indicated in R1, on the first strip laid 1, to that indicated in R2, on the second strip laid 2, and at a known distance a from the joint J. The ultrasonic detector 12 determines the lateral spacing L _x separating the joint line J from the detector 12. By construction, the distance is known lateral b separating the detector 12, on the lateral edge of the motor chassis 10, from the maximum retraction position of the scraper blade 37, under the effect of the telescopic arm 18. If L _v is the total stroke of the telescopic arm 18, the effective stroke C _x between positions R1 and R2 is given by the formula:
$${\text{VS}}_{\text{x}}{\text{= L}}_{\text{v-}}{\text{(L}}_{\text{x}}{\text{- b) + a = L}}_{\text{v}}{\text{- L}}_{\text{x}}\text{+ b + a}$$

L _v , a and b being fixed and known, it can be seen that the effective stroke C _x is indeed a function of the lateral deviation measured L _x . Furthermore, as the finisher 8 advances at a variable speed V, and the detector 12 is at a fixed distance L _y known by construction at the front of the scraper blade 37, the travel time of the distance L _y by the blade 37 is a function of the speed V.

So, at an instant t , the control unit computer 11 stores the instantaneous speed V _t and the instantaneous lateral spacing L _{(x, t)} , and it calculates the effective stroke C _{(x, t)} so that the formed bead is well at the distance a from the joint J for the measurement L _{(x, t)} .

In addition to this automatic control of the effective travel of the transverse telescopic arm 18, all the other movements of the scraper blade 37 can be automatically adjusted to the instantaneous lateral spacing of the joint relative to the finisher, i.e. starting positions, lifting, lowering, returning and transverse movements on one side and the other.

In an alternative embodiment, the ultrasonic probe can be mounted on the free end of the rod of a double-acting hydraulic cylinder, fixed transversely and horizontally to the motor chassis 10 of the finisher 8, and whose rod is driven of an alternative movement over a total stroke of 20 centimeters for example. When the probe passes over the rung formed by the edge 4 of the first laid strip 1, the lateral deviation of the probe is measured relative to the finisher, which corresponds to the lateral deviation of the joint. This lateral deviation can be measured by a potentiometric indicator coupled to the rod of the reciprocating cylinder. Knowing thus the instantaneous lateral deviation of the joint with respect to the finisher, it suffices, as previously, to integrate the speed of movement of the finisher to determine the positions which must be taken by the scraper blade 37 to form the bead in the correct position. on the covering strip which has just been laid.

In a third variant of the means for detecting the transverse position of the edge 4 of the first laid strip 1, these detection means comprise a mechanical feeler, produced in the form of a roller mounted on the lower edge and external of the scraper blade 37, substantially in its central part. This roller is resiliently biased downward, that is to say towards the upper surface of the first or second strip laid 1 or 2, depending on the transverse position of the scraper blade 37, by a return spring, and the caster is conventionally associated with an electrical level switch connected to the computer of the control unit 11. Thus the caster is sensitive to the passage between the first laid strip 1, the material of which is relatively hard, and the second laid strip 2 and not yet compacted, the material of which is still relatively soft. When the edge 4 passes between the two strips 1 and 2, the electrical contactor is actuated and transmits a signal to the computer of the control unit 11, which also takes into account the transverse spacing of the joint between the two strips 1 and 2 for control the movements of the scraper blade 37.

In all three variants, the control of the effective lateral stroke of the scraper blade 37 can be such that this stroke is equal to the sum of a fraction of constant value, whatever the transverse position of the joint, and of a fraction of variable value, subject to this instantaneous transverse position of the joint.

Thanks to such an automatic operating control, the scraper device described above provides great security and reliability in the preparation of the bead, and therefore in the quality of execution of the connection joint, while allowing substantial savings. labor.

Another advantage of the device according to the invention is that it does not hinder movement on the adjacent and previously laid covering strip, since its lateral offset relative to the finisher is minimum, the essential of the scraper device being in the template. of the paver behind the latter's table.

In Figure 9, there is shown schematically in plan a variant of the scraper device of Figures 5 and 6, which comprises a large number of similar components, identified by the same reference numerals as in Figures 5 and 6 but assigned a symbol ′, and of which only the main differences in structure compared to the example in FIGS. 5 and 6 are described below.

In the device of FIG. 9, the single extension-retraction cylinder 29 of the preceding example is replaced by two double-acting hydraulic cylinders 45 and 46, mounted in series end to end and in extension one of the other, and essentially housed axially inside the external box 19 ′ of the transverse arm 18 ′ extendable and at least partially telescopic. The jack 45 is retained on the side of the closed bottom of its cylinder 47 in the internal end part of the box 19 ′ of the arm 18 ′, with which it is pivotally mounted around the pivot axis 21 ′ horizontal and longitudinal (parallel to the direction of movement of the paver) on a rear console 51 of the chassis of the device. The end of the rod 48 of the cylinder 45, outside the cylinder 47, is integral with the closed bottom of the cylinder 49 of the second cylinder 46, the end of the rod 50 outside of the cylinder 49 is pivotally articulated around the attachment axis 32 ′ horizontal on the internal box 20 ′ of the arm 18 ′, this internal box 20 ′ supporting, as in the previous example, a scraper blade 37 ′ projecting under the arm 18 ′ and laterally cantilevered towards the outside of the outer end of the inner box 19 ′ carrying an attachment 52 for connection to the jack (not shown) for lifting and lowering the arm 18 ′ by pivoting about the pivot axis 21 ′.

The jack 45 is a jack for approach and overall lateral positioning of the scraper blade 37 ′, for example over a stroke of 0.2 m, and which allows this blade 37 ′ to be correctly positioned relative to the edge 4 of the strip 1 (see FIG. 1), that is to say at the joint to be produced between the two adjacent covering strips laid 1 and 2, while the jack 46 drives the scraper blade 37 ′ on an alternative cyclic stroke, which may be constant during the operating cycle and 0.2 m for example, for the formation, by scraping of the covering 3, of the bead necessary to obtain a suitable joint between the two covering strips 1 and 2.

The scraper blade 37 ′, the lower part of which has a structure identical to that previously described with regard to the lower face of planar contact and the pushing face, is not connected to the internal box 20 ′ of the arm 18 ′ by a hydraulic orientation cylinder, but this blade 37 ′ can however take one of three particular positions of orientation or inclination relative to the direction of movement of the device with the finisher. To this end, the scraper blade 37 ′ is, as in the previous example, pivotally mounted on the outer end 35 ′ of the external box 20 ′, around a vertical pivot axis 36 ′, using the framework of the upper part of this blade 37 ′, this framework comprising a longitudinal core 53 and two wings 54, transverse , vertical, spaced from each other and projecting towards the arm 18 ′, and between which a U-shaped yoke 55, with two horizontal, transverse and vertically spaced apart branches, is fixed so removable by a bolt 56 passing through a central stud 57, the core 53 and the base of the U-shaped clevis 55. On the side of this base, the two branches of the clevis 55 have a pair of coaxial holes housing the pivot axis 36 ′ which also passes through a socket carried by the end 35 ′ of the box 20 ′, which is engaged between the two branches of the yoke 55. On the side of the arm 18 ′, the two branches of the yoke 55 have three pairs of holes 58, coaxial two by two, and spaced from each other on a central arc on the axis 36 ′, so that by pivoting the blade 37 ′ around the axis 36 ′, one of the pairs of holes 58 can be arranged opposite a second socket carried by the box 20 ′, so that the housing of a pin 59 in this socket and the two opposite holes allow the blade 37 ′ to be blocked in one of the three angular positions thus permitted. In FIG. 9, the scraper blade 37 ′ is oriented parallel to the direction of movement of the device, by housing the pin 59 in the "central" pair of tilting holes 58, but the blade 37 ′ can be locked in an inclined position of 30 °, clockwise or counterclockwise, if the pin 59 is housed in one of the other two pairs of coaxial holes 58.

The chassis of the device comprises a transverse support 17 ′, which is fixed to the rear of the table 13 of the finisher 8 by two attachment members 15 ′ a and 15 ′ b , and the internal end of the support 17 ′ carries, projecting rearward, a console 60, on which the console 51 linked to the arm 18 ′ is pivotally mounted about a vertical axis 61. The arm 18 ′ is also connected to the support 17 ′ by a safety mechanism 62, which comprises a set of two flexible steel blades 63, of the same dimension and joined against one another, and which are anchored, substantially in their central part, on a rigid anchoring lug 64 secured to the support 17 ′ and protruding towards the rear of the latter. Laterally towards the outside of the tab 64, the two flexible blades 63 are retained on a rigid tab 65 integral with the external box 19 ′ of the transverse arm 18 ′, and projecting towards the front of this box, while laterally from the 'other side of the leg 64, these blades 63 are in contact with the feeler 66 of a position detector 67 which controls the operation of the jack (not shown) for lifting and lowering of the transverse arm 18 ′ by pivoting around the axis 21 ′. The blades 63 and the vertical pivot axis 61 allow a certain overall rotation of the transverse arm 18 ′ and of the elements which it carries, around the axis 61, so that, when the scraper blade 37 ′ in operation meets, when it is moved longitudinally with the finisher, an obstacle such as a mouth or a sewer grate which opposes the pursuit of its advance, the scraper blade 37 ′ and the transverse arm 18 ′ pivot in an overall backward movement around the vertical axis 61, bending the flexible blades 63 counterclockwise (looking at Figure 9). After a certain rotation towards the rear of the arm 18 ′, the flexible blades 63 are deformed so that they depress the probe 66 of the detector 67 over a stroke sufficient to trigger the operation of the lifting jack, which then raises the arm 18 ′ around the axis 21 ′, which allows the scraper blade 37 ′ to be lifted and released from the obstacle. By elastic return, the flexible metal blades 63 then pivot the arm 18 ′ around the vertical axis 61 forwards, to the initial position of the arm 18 ′, which releases the insertion of the probe 66 into the detector 67, which then controls the lowering of the arm 18 ′ by the lifting and lowering cylinder, so that the operating cycle can resume.

This avoids any deterioration of the scraper blade 37 ′, in particular on urban construction sites, on which numerous obstacles, such as manholes, water pipe connections ..... etc. can hinder the displacement of the scraper blade 37 ′. In the safety device 62, the flexible metal blades 63 used can be of the type, well known, used for example as a leaf spring in automobile suspensions.

The device of FIG. 9, in the configuration of scraping or of preparing a bead for the formation of a joint between two adjacent strips of coating, can be put in configuration of smoothing and compaction of a free and inclined edge of a covering strip which has just been laid, by mounting, on the internal box 20 ′ of the transverse arm 18 ′, of a smoothing blade and compaction 68 in place of the scraper blade 37 ′, which can be very simply deposited by removing the pin 59 and the vertical pivot axis 36 ′, which connect said scraper blade 37 ′ to this box 20 ′.

Such a smoothing and compacting blade 68 is schematically represented in FIGS. 10 to 12, and described below with reference to these figures.

This blade 68 comprises a framework consisting of an elongated section 69 of a rigid metal section of cross section in L, one wing 69 a wider than the other 69 b , is horizontal while the other wing 69 b is vertical and projecting under the wing 69 a , which supports, on its upper face, combined means of connection to the box 20 ′ of the arm 18 ′ and of pivoting on the box 20 ′ by the vertical axis 36 ′, and of wedging in orientation with respect to the longitudinal direction of the edge of the strip, which is also the direction of movement of the device. These combined means are the same as those described above as fitted to the scraper blade 37 ′, in order to guarantee total compatibility of mounting at the end of the arm 18 ′, so that the core 53 is found, the wings 54, the U-shaped yoke 55, the fixing bolt 56, the central stud 57, the pair of coaxial holes housing the pivot axis 36 ′ and the three pairs of tilting holes 58, one of which houses the angular setting pin 59.

The blade 68 also comprises a pad 70 for contact with the material to be smoothed and compacted, this pad 70 having a substantially rectangular and elongated sole, the two end portions 71 of which are rounded and raised upwards, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 12, to facilitate moving the pad 70. The pad 70 is further pivotally mounted along one of its longitudinal sides on the bottom of the vertical flange end 69 b of the frame, by a hinge 72 having a horizontal axis and longitudinal. This hinge 72 makes it possible to give the shoe 70 any transverse inclination on the horizontal plane in order to properly apply the sole of this shoe 70 against the inclined surface of the free edge such as the edge 4 ′ of the strip laid 2 in FIG. 13. The adjustment and the blocking of the shoe 70 in a desired position of inclination around the hinge 72 is ensured by means of a mechanism with two tie rods 73 with at least partially threaded rod, which are pivotally articulated, each by their lower end 74, and around the same longitudinal axis (parallel to the long sides of the shoe 70) on the lateral part of the shoe 70 on the side opposite to the hinge 72, and the threaded part of the rod of each tie 73 crosses one of two transverse slots 75 formed in the lateral part of the horizontal wing 69 has a framework, on the side opposite to the hinge 72, nuts and locknuts 76 being screwed onto this threaded rod, below and a u above the wing 69 a and pressed against the edges of the corresponding lumen 75 to ensure that the shoe 70 is held in the chosen position.

After mounting the smoothing blade and compaction 68 on the transverse arm 18 ′ of the device, and blocking the pad 70 at the desired inclination, the transverse position of the blade 68 and the pressure of application of its pad 70 against the edge inclined with a laid covering strip are adjusted using the jack 47 (FIG. 9), and the smoothing and compact work is ensured by moving the blade 68 and the device with the finisher 8.

It is thus possible, as shown in Figure 13, to equip the rear table 13 with a finisher of two devices 14 and 14˝, as previously described, and one of which 14, fixed to the left side part from the back of the table 13, and equipped with a scraper blade 37 ′ operated cyclically by the telescopic arm 18′ to scrape the covering 3 disposed on the strip 1 previously laid, in order to form a bead for the realization of a suitable seal to the right of the inclined edge 4 of this strip 1, following the installation of the adjacent strip 2, while the device 14˝, mounted on the right side part of the back of the table 13, is a device equipped with a smoothing and compacting blade 68 fixed to the end of the corresponding telescopic arm 18 ′, and the pad of which is applied with suitable pressure against the inclined edge 4 ′ of the newly laid strip 2, to smooth and compact this edge 4 ′.

In order to properly follow this edge 4 ′, which may not be straight, the transverse position of the blade 68 can also be controlled by probes, as described previously with reference to FIGS. 4 and 8, but the detection probe in front, in in this case, be positioned just behind the table 13, so that the position of the inclined edge 4 ′ can be effectively detected.

Using a finisher thus equipped, it is therefore possible simultaneously to prepare in good conditions the bead necessary for the formation of a suitable joint between the two adjacent strips 1 and 2, and to smooth and compact the inclined free edge, the other side of the newly laid strip, ensuring a good lateral finish of this strip by smoothing and compacting its free edge.

Claims (23)

1. Smoothing, compacting and/or scraping apparatus (14), in particular for the smoothing and compacting of at least one free edge of a road pavement strip and/or the preparation of a longitudinal connecting joint between two road pavement strips (1, 2), one (1) of which was laid previously to the other (2) which is laid substantially along the first laid strip (1) and with a limited marginal overlap (3) of the first laid strip (1) by pavement material of the second strip (2), by means of at least one machine, such as a finisher (8), behind which the said apparatus (14) is intended to operate, comprising:
- a rigid frame (15a, 15b, 17) intended to be displaced longitudinally behind the said machine,
- a scraper (37) intended for scraping against a free edge of a laid strip, in order to smooth and compact it, or against the first laid strip (1), in order to return the pavement material covering it onto the second strip (2), so as to form on the latter a longitudinal bead (6) of pavement material intended subsequently to be compacted to form a longitudinal connecting joint, and
- connection means (18-29, 24, 41) which connect the scraper (37) to the frame and which allow at least vertical and transverse displacements of the scraper (37) in relation to the frame and its direction of displacement respectively, characterised in that it comprises actuating means, the said connection and actuating means comprising at least one member (18-29) for the alternate transverse displacement of the scraper (37) in relation to the frame and at least one member (24) for the alternate vertical displacement of the scraper (37) in relation to the frame.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, characterised in that the frame is fixed to the rear of the platform (13) of a finisher (8), and the scraper (37) and the connection and actuating means (18-29, 24, 41) are mounted removably on the frame, in such a way that the scraper (37) always projects laterally on one side of the platform (13) of the finisher (8) or the other in relation to its direction of displacement.

3. Apparatus according to one of Claims 1 or 2, characterised in that the said connection and actuating means also comprise at least one member (41) for orienting the scraper (37) in relation to the direction of displacement of the frame.

4. Apparatus according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the means for actuating the scraper (37) in relation to the frame are controlled according to a sequential operating cycle by a sequencer with programmable automatic control (11).

5. Apparatus according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterised in that at least one of the members for vertical displacement (24), transverse displacement (18-29) and/or orientation (41), and preferably each of these, comprises at least one double-acting jack, preferably of the operating-fluid type.

6. Apparatus according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the scraper (37) comprises a substantially rectilinear scraping blade possessing, substantially in its central part, a pivot (36) of substantially vertical axis, by means of which it is mounted pivotably about the axis of the pivot (36) on a part (20), movable relative to the frame, of one (18) of the members for vertical or transverse displacement.

7. Apparatus according to Claim 6, in combination with Claim 3, characterised in that the orientation member (41) is an inclination jack articulated, on the one hand, on the scraping blade (37), at least about an axis (40) parallel to the axis of the pivot (36) of the blade (37), and spaced from this pivot (36) preferably rearwards relative to the direction of displacement of the frame, and, on the other hand, on the member for vertical or transverse displacement (33-20), on which the scraping blade (37) is mounted pivotably.

8. Apparatus according to one of Claims 3 to 5, characterised in that the member for orienting the scraper (37′) in relation to the direction of displacement of the frame (17′, 60, 15′u, 15′l) comprises a support (55) fixed to the scraper (37′) and having means for pivoting about a substantially vertical axis (36′) on a part (20′), movable relative to the frame (17′, 60, 15′u, 15′l), of one of the members for vertical or transverse displacement (18′), and a plurality of holes (58) which are spaced on an arc of a circle centred on the said substantially vertical axis (36′) and each of which can be arranged selectively opposite a hole made in the said movable part (20′) for receiving a pin (59) for blocking the support (55) of the scraper (37′) in a specific angular position in relation to the said movable part (20′).

9. Apparatus according to one of Claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the member for transverse displacement comprises an extendable arm (18), on which is mounted substantially axially at least one jack (29) for the extension and retraction of the extendable arm (18) comprising at least two sections (19, 20) which are mounted axially slidably relative to one another and one (19) of which is a section which is attached to the frame and to which an extension and retraction jack (29) is itself attached (21), the jack or jacks (29) controlling the displacements, relative to the said section (19) attached to the frame, of at least one other section (20) of the extendable arm (18) which supports the scraper (37) laterally in a cantilevered manner outside the section (19) attached to the frame.

10. Apparatus according to Claim 9, characterised in that a single extension and retraction jack (29) is mounted in the said extendable arm (18) which is a telescopic arm, of which the said sections (19, 20) respectively attached to the frame and supporting the scraper (37) are substantially coaxial and mounted telescopically as a result of the sliding of at least one part of one (20) in the other (19).

11. Apparatus according to Claim 9, characterised in that it comprises two extension and retraction jacks (45, 46) connected in series, one (45) of which is an approach and/or overall transverse positioning jack which is accommodated in the said section (19′) of the extendable arm (18′) attached to the frame (17′) and which is itself attached to the latter, the other jack being a jack (46) for the alternate transverse driving of the said section (20′) of the extendable arm (18′) supporting the said scraper (37′) over a cyclic transverse stroke for the formation of a bead by the said scraper (37′).

12. Apparatus according to one of Claims 9 to 11, characterised in that the section (19) of the extendable arm (18) attached to the frame is mounted pivotably on the latter about an axis (21) non-perpendicular to the direction of displacement of the frame, and the extendable arm (18) is articulated, at a point distant from its pivot axis (21) on the frame, on the member for vertical displacement which is a jack (24), articulated furthermore on the frame in order to control the pivoting of the extendable arm (18) in relation to the frame.

13. Apparatus according to Claim 12, in combination with Claim 7, characterised in that the section (20) of the extendable arm (18) which supports the scraper (37) has an end part which is always cantilevered in relation to the other section or other sections (19) of the extendable arm (18) and which is equipped with a slot (34) through which passes the inclination jack (41).

14. Apparatus according to one of Claims 1 to 13, characterised in that the said connection and actuation means (18′-45-46) are furthermore mounted pivotably on the frame (17′) about a substantially vertical axis (61) and connected to the frame (17′) by means of a safety mechanism (62) comprising at least one connection member (63) deformable over a rearwardly limited stroke, at least one member (63) for the elastic return of the said connection and actuating means towards an initial position about the said substantially vertical axis (61), and at least one member (63) for actuating a position detector (67) controlling the operation of the said vertical displacement member of the said connection and actuating means, in such a way that any possible blocking of the advance of the said scraper (37′) against an obstacle is followed by a rearward and upward withdrawal of the said scraper (37′).

15. Apparatus according to Claim 14, characterised in that the said safety mechanism (62) comprises at least one flexible metal blade (63) constituting at the same time a deformable connection member, an elastic return member and a member for actuating the said position detector (67), each flexible metal blade (63) being fastened to the frame (17′) on the one hand and to the said connection and actuating means on the other hand and coming to bear against a tracer (66) of the position detector (67) at least after a particular rotation of the said connection and actuating means (18′-45-46) rearwards about the said substantially vertical axis (61).

16. Apparatus according to one of Claims 5 to 15, characterised in that the jacks (29, 24, 41) of the extendable arm (18), of the vertical displacement member and, where appropriate of the member for the inclination of the scraper (37) are hydraulic jacks which are each fed by a solenoid valve mounted on the frame and the hydraulic power stage of which is connected to the hydraulic circuit of the finisher (8) by means of quick-acting and self-sealing coupling and uncoupling unions, whilst the electrical solenoid-valve control stage is connected to a central control unit (11).

17. Apparatus according to one of Claims 2 to 16, characterised in that at least the transverse displacement member (18-29) is controlled automatically from means (12) for detecting the transverse position of one edge (4) of a laid strip (1) on the side of the edge to be smoothed and compacted or of the joint to be prepared, so that the lateral position and/or the lateral displacement stroke of the scraper (37) is at least partially and automatically subject to the said transverse position of the said edge (4).

18. Apparatus according to Claim 17, characterised in that the means for detecting the transverse position of the said edge (4) of a laid strip (1, 2) comprise a telemetric probe (12) which is mounted on the finisher (8) at a fixed distance (L_y) in front of the scraper (37) and which is sensitive to the step of the said laid strip (1, 2) at the said edge (4, 4′) and, as a function of the instantaneous lateral spacing of the said edge (4, 4′) from the finisher (8), transmits a signal to a computer which also receives a signal for the instantaneous speed of displacement (V) of the finisher (8) and of the apparatus (14), the said computer being integrated in the central control unit (11) which transmits to the actuating means (29, 24, 41) of the scraper (37) command instructions relating particularly to the transverse position or effective transverse stroke (C_x) of the scraper (37) and to the lateral raising and lowering positions of the scraper (37).

19. Apparatus according to Claim 18, characterised in that the telemetric probe (12) is displaced in an alternating movement in a transverse direction relative to the direction of displacement of the finisher (8) by means of a jack coupled to a potentiometric indicator of the lateral spacing of the probe from the finisher, so that the measurement transmitted by the spacing indicator when the probe is in line with the said edge (4, 4′) of the laid strip (1, 2) is a function of the instantaneous lateral spacing of the edge from the finisher.

20. Apparatus according to one of Claims 18 and 19, characterised in that the telemetric probe (12) is an ultrasonic probe.

21. Apparatus according to Claim 17, characterised in that the said detection means comprise at least one mechanical tracer of the edge (4) of a first laid strip (1), the said mechanical tracer comprising a roller mounted on the lower outer side of the scraper (37), preferably in the central part of the latter, and returned elastically donwards by at least one spring member, so as to be sensitive to the change between the relatively hard material of the first laid strip (1) and the relatively soft and non-compacted material of an adjacent second laid strip (2), the roller being associated with an electrical level contactor connected to a central control unit of at least the transverse displacement member.

22. Apparatus according to one of Claims 17 to 21, characterised in that the total effective stroke (C_x) of the scraper (37) in the transverse direction is the sum of a constant stroke fraction and of a variable stroke fraction subject to the instantaneous transverse position of the said edge (4) of a laid strip (1).

23. Apparatus according to one of Claims 1 to 5, 8 to 12 and 14 to 22, characterised in that the scraper comprises a smoothing and compacting blade (68) having:
- a carcass (69, 53, 54, 55) by means of which the said blade (68) is fastened removably to the said connection and actuating means (18′-45-46),
- a bolster (70) for contact against the edge (4′) of a laid strip (2), the end parts (71) of the bolster (70) in the direction of displacement of the frame (17′) preferably being raised,
- a hinge (72) of substantially horizontal axis for the connection and articulation of the bolster (70) under the carcass (69) so that the bolster (70) can assume the same inclination as the said edge (4′) of the said laid strip (2), and,
- means (73-74-75-76) for adjusting and blocking the inclination of the said bolster (70) in relation to the carcass (69).

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