EP0369879B1 - Manipulator for public works machines, and machine provided with such a manipulator serving to treat a road - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a manipulator for public works machines and to a machine provided with such a manipulator, a machine which can be used in particular for the pre-cracking of the seat layers of a roadway treated with hydraulic binders.

The invention relates to a manipulator which comprises at least one pivoting arm or beam and one end of which is articulated on a carrier and the other end of which is provided with a tool capable of pivoting about an axis of the other end of said manipulator, as well as control means such as hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders or motors, cables, chains, etc. intended to ensure the different positions of the manipulator and its tool (cf. US-A-4 430 022).

It has been found that known manipulators require a fairly large skill on the part of the construction manager, in particular when a point of the tool must be maintained in the same plane or follow a curve of determined shape during a relatively tool stroke. important and preferably during the maximum possible stroke of said tool. Known manipulators can therefore not be led by a person from the category of unskilled workers and do not lend themselves to work automation.

One of the aims of the present invention is to remedy these drawbacks and to propose a manipulator, in particular for public works vehicles, which can either be driven by a non-specialized person, or be capable of automation.

This object is achieved in accordance with the invention because the manipulator comprises two beams, a first of which, called the driving beam, is articulated on the one hand, at its rear end, on a hinge pin secured to the chassis of a carrier. and, on the other hand, at its front end, on the rear end of the second so-called driven beam, by means of an axis joint articulation, the front end of the driven beam being provided with a cradle mounted on the latter by means of an articulation axis, that the driving beam is pivotally driven about its rear articulation axis at means of a rotary or linear motor and each of the two beams comprises a detector means detecting the pivot angle of the beam concerned, a pivot motor carried by the front end of the beam and capable of causing pivoting either the rear end of the adjacent beam, ie the cradle, as well as transmission means provided between the detector means and the pivoting motor of each beam and controlling the pivoting either of the adjacent beam or of the cradle according to the degree of pivoting either of the driving beam, or of the driven beam detected by the pivot detection means associated with the corresponding beam.

Thanks to this design, it suffices to act only on the angle of inclination of the driving beam to automatically automatically obtain the same displacement of the cradle on which an appropriate tool can be mounted.

The detector means, the pivoting motor and the means of transmission between the detector means and the pivoting motor advantageously consist of mechanical elements.

Thus, the detector means of each of the two beams of the manipulator can be constituted by a toothed wheel mounted on the pivot axis of the rear end of the beam so as to be stationary in rotation around this axis, the pivot motor provided at the front end of each beam may include another gear wheel keyed onto a pivot shaft secured either to the rear end of the driven beam or to the cradle and whose axis coincides with the pivot axis or the rear end of the driven beam, or of the cradle, and the connecting means between the detector member (toothed wheel locked in rotation) and the pivoting motor mounted on each beam can be constituted either by an endless chain if necessary if necessary fitted with a tensioner and passing around the wheel toothed locked in rotation and the toothed wheel of the pivoting motor, either by a series of intermediate toothed wheels of an odd number carried by the beam by means of axes parallel to that of the locked toothed wheels and meshing in each other, the rear intermediate wheel taking place on the periphery of the toothed wheel locked in rotation and the front intermediate wheel cooperating with the toothed wheel of the corresponding pivoting motor.

Advantageously, the rear end of the driving beam is mounted on the articulation axis of a first clevis secured to a carriage mounted on a support system of the gimbal type itself articulated on the chassis of the machine- carrier by an articulation axis parallel to the articulation axis of the first yoke, motors or jacks being provided between the chassis and the support system on the one hand, and between the chassis or the support system and the driving beam on the other hand.

The present invention also relates to a machine for pre-cracking the seat layers of a roadway treated with hydraulic binders.

French patent application No. 2 609 480 describes a pre-cracking process which consists in opening a furrow in the base layer before its final compaction, in projecting into the open furrow a product forming a film by freezing in contact with the material of the furrow, immediately close the furrow and then compact the said layer. The injected product, preferably an emulsion of cationic bitumen, at low pH and at high breaking speed, has a double role: by its aqueous phase at low pH, it creates a zone of weaker resistance favorable to the localization of cracks of shrinkage and, by its bituminous phase at high breaking speed, it creates discontinuity and allows precise pre-localization of the crack. The advantages of the method proposed in French patent application No. 2 609 480 are a precise location of the crack, a bitumen treatment of the edges of the lips which become insensitive to water and not very sensitive to abrasion, a setting in slightly disturbing work and having a negligible impact on the level of the layer, and a cost reduced to the m² of pavement treated very low.

French patent application No. 2 609 480 also describes a device for implementing the method comprising means for opening grooves consisting of a V-shaped share splitting the layer, means for projecting a product into these grooves consisting of a projection nozzle or nozzle, and means for closing said grooves comprising two inverted V plates. These three means can be mounted integral on a carriage mounted sliding on a rail the width of the traffic lane to be treated, carried by a vehicle which comprises a thermally insulated emulsion tank and a pump, as well as connecting means allowing bring this emulsion to the nozzle ensuring the projection. This device is bulky and blocks the entire width of the roadway to be treated.

The object of the present invention is to propose an improved pre-cracking machine which makes it possible to eliminate the known drawbacks and makes a narrow furrow so as to shake the layer of spilled material as little as possible, which does not constitute a permanent obstacle on the roadway layer treatment, which integrates perfectly between the other workshops on the site without delaying the normal progress thanks to a fully automated and fully autonomous work cycle.

• des moyens pour ouvrir des sillons,
• des moyens pour projeter un produit dans ces sillons,
• des moyens pour refermer lesdits sillons, et
• des moyens de déplacement des moyens précédents lors du fonctionnement de la machine,
  du fait que lesdits moyens pour ouvrir les sillons comprennent une lame effilée sensiblement verticale à section triangulaire, dont l'arête tranchante est positionnée dans le sens de mouvement de la lame au cours du traitement de la couche,
  que lesdits moyens pour projeter un produit dans les sillons comprennent une rampe de projection (ou gicleur) fixée sur la tranche arrière de ladite lame et raccordée à une citerne de stockage de produit de traitement par l'intermédiaire d'une pompe, que lesdits moyens pour refermer lesdits sillons comprennent deux raclettes fixées de manière souple sur l'arrière de la lame en formant un V ouvert dans le sens d'avancement de la lame, et que la lame, la rampe de projection et les raclettes réunies en un seul outil sont montés sur l'extrémité libre d'un manipulateur du type précité.

The object is achieved according to the invention by a machine for pre-cracking the layers of road surfaces treated with hydraulic binders comprising:

• means for opening furrows,
• means to project a product in these train paths,
• means for closing said grooves, and
• means for moving the previous means during the operation of the machine,
  the fact that said means for opening the grooves comprises a substantially vertical tapered blade with a triangular section, the cutting edge of which is positioned in the direction of movement of the blade during layer processing,
  that said means for projecting a product in the grooves comprise a projection ramp (or nozzle) fixed on the rear edge of said blade and connected to a tank for storing treatment product by means of a pump, that said means to close said grooves comprise two squeegees flexibly attached to the rear of the blade by forming an open V in the direction of advancement of the blade, and that the blade, the projection ramp and the squeegees combined in a single tool are mounted on the free end of a manipulator of the aforementioned type.

Said displacement means comprise a carrier machine provided with a motor, and on which is mounted an articulated manipulator actuated by said motor and comprising a free end capable of being moved horizontally under the action of said motor, and said blade is mounted at the free end of said manipulator.

The tapered blade makes it possible to make a notch in the layer of material and to spread the walls of the notch created over a small width, these walls having a natural tendency to approach immediately after the passage of the blade. The projection ramp being carried by the blade and preferably located in a groove open towards the rear of the blade, it projects the product onto the material constituting the walls of the notch when these walls approach one of the other. The purpose of the squeegees attached to the back of the blade is to complete the closing of the groove created and to level the upper face of the treated layer. The squeegees and the spraying ramp of the treatment product constitute, with the tapered blade, a tool allowing to open the furrow, to inject the product and to close the furrow. The blade being attached to the end of an articulated manipulator, the width of the road occupied by the machine varies according to the advancement of the blade, which prevents the machine from constituting a permanent obstacle on the road in progress treatment.

• la figure 1 est une vue perspective schématique de la couche d'assises dans laquelle est pratiquée le sillon où l'on projette le produit désiré,
• la figure 2 est une perspective schématique de l'appareil de préfissuration selon l'invention en cours de traitement d'une couche d'assises,
• la figure 3 est une coupe verticale du manipulateur et de l'outil selon l'invention, selon la ligne III-III de la figure 4,
• la figure 4 est une coupe du manipulateur selon la ligne IV-IV de la figure 3,
• la figure 5 montre en perspective la fixation de la lame à l'extrémité mobile du manipulateur,
• la figure 6 est un schéma théorique montrant le circuit du produit de traitement,
• la figure 7 est un schéma théorique de la centrale hydraulique et des différents circuits hydrauliques de la machine.
• les figures 8 et 9 sont des vues schématiques respectivement en élévation et en plan d'un deuxième mode de réalisation du manipulateur et,
• la figure 10 montre en perspective un système de montage de l'extrémité arrière du manipulateur procurant à ce dernier tous les degrés de liberté de mouvement.

Other advantages and characteristics of the invention will emerge from the description below made with reference to the appended drawings in which:

• FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of the seat layer in which the groove is practiced where the desired product is projected,
• FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective of the pre-cracking device according to the invention during the treatment of a layer of foundations,
• FIG. 3 is a vertical section of the manipulator and of the tool according to the invention, along line III-III of FIG. 4,
• FIG. 4 is a section of the manipulator along the line IV-IV of FIG. 3,
• FIG. 5 shows in perspective the attachment of the blade to the mobile end of the manipulator,
• FIG. 6 is a theoretical diagram showing the circuit of the treatment product,
• Figure 7 is a theoretical diagram of the hydraulic unit and the various hydraulic circuits of the machine.
• FIGS. 8 and 9 are schematic views respectively in elevation and in plan of a second embodiment of the manipulator and,
• Figure 10 shows in perspective a mounting system of the rear end of the manipulator providing the latter with all degrees of freedom of movement.

FIG. 1 shows the last layer of seats 1 with a thickness generally between 15 and 30 cm, and formed of materials (for example aggregates) treated with hydraulic binders. Layer 1 is intended to receive after compaction the wearing course of the roadway.

Furrows or notches 2 are created in the layer of material (aggregates) 1 freshly spread and before compacting of the latter using a pre-cracking machine 3 comprising in particular a tool 4 comprising a tapered blade 5 of triangular section whose the cutting edge 6 is positioned in the direction of advancement of the blade 5. A projection ramp 7 of a product or binder 8 of the bituminous emulsion type, is fixed on the face or in the hollowed-out rear part 9 of the blade 5 and comprises a row of ejection orifices 7a allowing the distribution of the binder 8 over the entire height of the notch open behind the blade 5. These orifices can optionally be equipped with spray nozzles forming flat or conical jets and projecting the product 8 into the groove 2 created by the blade 5. This groove 2 closes naturally after the passage of the blade 5 which, during its passage forms a bead 10 of material on each side of the groove 2 and of the zone of the layer 1 impregnated with the product 8. The beads 10 are leveled by two squeegees 11 forming an inverted V arranged at the rear of the blade 5 and articulated on the upper part of said blade 5 above the active part thereof, using link arm 11a on the esquels acts a return spring 11b urging the squeegees 11 permanently against the surface of the layer 1.

• l'outil 4, décrit ci-dessus, permettant d'ouvrir le sillon 2, d'injecter le produit 8 dans le sillon 2 et de refermer le sillon 2,
• un manipulateur articulé 12 portant l'outil 4 et permettant d'enfoncer la lame 5 de l'outil 4 dans le matériau de la couche 1, de faire progresser l'outil 4 transversalement à la chaussée pendant la phase de traitement de la couche 1 et de ramener l'outil 4 au point de départ d'un nouveau sillon 2 pendant la phase de transfert de l'outil 4,
• une citerne calorifugée 13 de stockage de produit de traitement maintenant la réserve de produit 8 à la température d'utilisation et destinée à alimenter la rampe de projection 7 de l'outil 4 en produit de traitement,
• une centrale hydraulique 14 transmettant l'énergie aux différents organes de la machine de préfissuration 3 et assurant la commande du cycle de travail de la machine, et
• un engin porteur 15 portant le manipulateur 12, la citerne 13, la centrale hydraulique 14, et assurant le déplacement de la machine 3 sur le chantier, tandis que son moteur 16 est utilisé comme source d'énergie primaire de la centrale hydraulique 14.

The pre-cracking machine 3 is made up of several parts, each ensuring precise functions, namely:

• the tool 4, described above, making it possible to open the groove 2, to inject the product 8 into the groove 2 and to close the groove 2,
• an articulated manipulator 12 carrying the tool 4 and making it possible to drive the blade 5 of the tool 4 into the material of the layer 1, to advance the tool 4 transversely to the roadway during the phase of treatment of the layer 1 and bring the tool 4 back to the starting point of a new groove 2 during the transfer phase of the tool 4,
• a thermally insulated tank 13 for storing treatment product maintaining the reserve of product 8 at the temperature of use and intended to supply the projection ramp 7 of the tool 4 with treatment product,
• a hydraulic unit 14 transmitting energy to the various organs of the pre-cracking machine 3 and ensuring control the working cycle of the machine, and
• a carrier 15 carrying the manipulator 12, the tank 13, the hydraulic power station 14, and ensuring the movement of the machine 3 on the site, while its motor 16 is used as the primary energy source for the hydraulic power station 14.

An exemplary embodiment of the manipulator 12 will be described below in conjunction with a pre-cracking machine 3, but it should be emphasized that this manipulator 12 can be applied to other machines and other tasks and can carry tools for another type, for example an earthmoving tool etc.

The articulated manipulator 12 is carried in front of the carrier 15, and it comprises several elements articulated with respect to each other along horizontal axes perpendicular to the cutting plane of the blade 5. The first two elements are beams 17 and 18 which in the particular case where the front end of the second beam 18 must move in the same plane, are of substantially equal lengths. These two beams 17, 18 are articulated around a common axis of articulation 19 located at one of the ends 17b and 18a of the beams 17 and 18. The first beam 17 called the driving beam is pivotable around an axis 20 fixed relative to the carrier 15 and located at the rear end 17a of the beam 17. At the front end 18b of the second beam 18 called the driven beam is provided a pivotable cradle 21 relative to the beam 18 around d an axis 22, this cradle 21 constituting the third element of the manipulator 12.

The rear end 17a of the first beam 17 is keyed by means of a bearing sleeve 20e on the shaft 23 of a hydraulic rotary actuator 24 mounted on the chassis 25 of the carrier 15. Of course, instead a rotary actuator 24 whose output shaft 23 acts as a pivot shaft of the first beam 17, it is also possible to use a jack articulated for example by its cylinder on a raised point of the chassis 25 and for example by its rod on a median or front part of the first beam 17. The shaft 23 is coaxial with the pivot axis 20 of the first beam 17. Similarly, the second beam is keyed onto a shaft 26 coaxial with the articulation axis 19 of the two beams 17 and 18, and housed free in pivoting in bearings 27 mounted on the front end 17b of the first beam 17, and the cradle 21 is keyed to a shaft 28 coaxial with the axis 22 and journaling in bearings 29 mounted at the front end 18b of the second beam 18.

The beams 17 and 18 are hollow or formed by I-sections.

A first toothed wheel 30 concentric with the shaft 23 and integral with the chassis 25 of the carrier 15 is provided inside the rear end 17a of the first beam 17. A second toothed wheel 31 located inside from the front end 17b of the first beam 17 is keyed onto the shaft 26. The number of teeth and the diameter of the first toothed wheel 30 are in this particular case twice the number of teeth and the diameter of the second wheel toothed 31.

A third toothed wheel 32 concentric and surrounding the shaft 26 at a distance is made integral with a lateral sleeve 17c of the front end 17b of the first beam 17 and is provided inside the rear end 18a of the second beam 18. This rear end 18a of the second beam 18 is pivotally secured to the shaft 26 which for this purpose comprises a lateral endpiece 26a passing through the lateral sleeve 17c and carrying a connecting flange 26b fixed by screws 26c on the wall outer of the beam 18. This outer wall is shaped at the rear end 18a, in a cushion surrounding a part of the endpiece 26a of the shaft 26 and partially penetrating into the annular space between said endpiece 26a and the lateral sleeve 17c to serve as a support for the free end of it. The other end of the lateral sleeve 17c, attached to the first beam 17 has an annular shoulder serving as a pivot bearing for the inner wall of the second beam 18. A fourth toothed wheel 33 located inside the front end or frontal 18b of the second beam 18 is keyed onto the shaft 28. In the particular case the number of teeth and the diameter of the fourth toothed wheel 33 is twice the number of teeth and the diameter of the third toothed wheel 32 whose diameter and number of teeth are identical to those of the second toothed wheel 31.

A first endless chain 34, preferably provided with a tensioner, for example with screw 36, connects the first and second toothed wheels 30 and 31 and a second endless chain 35, preferably also provided with a tensioner, for example with screw 36 connects the third and fourth gear 32 and 33.

The beams 17 and 18 and the cradle 21 integral in pivoting with the shaft 28 of the fourth toothed wheel 33, during the pivoting of the shaft 23 under the action of the hydraulic rotary actuator 24, move in perpendicular planes axes 19, 20 and 22 which are horizontal and parallel to each other, the first beam 17 moving in a median plane 35a located in front of the carrier 15, the cradle 21 in a median plane 35b distant from the before the carrier 15, and the second beam 18 in a median plane 35c between the planes 35a and 35b, so that the beams 17 and 18 and the cradle 21 do not interfere with each other in their respective movement.

The chains 34 and 35 are wedged on the toothed wheels 30, 31, 32, and 33, so that, when the first beam 17 is arranged vertically, its front end 17b being at the top, the second beam 18 is also vertical, its front end 18b being situated at the bottom in the vicinity of the end 17a of the first beam 17. Systems of adjustable pads 36 or tensioners with screws interposed in each of the strands of each of the chains 34, 35 make it possible to adjust the tension of these chains and the initial position of the beam 18 and of the cradle 21, in particular the inclination of a reference face of the latter, for example the rear face 21a relative to the plane passing through the pivot axes 20, 22 of the first beam 17 and the cradle 21 respectively.

Because the two beams 17 and 18 have the same length between the axes 19,20 and 19,22 in the example described that the first chain 34 winding around the first toothed wheel 30 drives, during the pivoting of the first beam 17, the second toothed wheel 31 which has half the teeth and which is pivotally attached to the second beam 18, and of the fact that the fourth toothed wheel 33 having twice as many teeth as the third toothed wheel 32, it follows that the pivoting of the first beam 17 around its pivot axis 20 causes a displacement of the second beam 18, so that the bisector 46 of the angle formed by the two beams 17 and 18 remains perpendicular to the plane passing through the extreme axes 20 and 22 of the beams 17 and 18, as the shaft 28 moves in a plane parallel to the support plane of the carrier 15 which in this specific case is none other than the upper face of the seat layer 1 and thus remains at a determined value above the layer 1 and that the cradle 21 secured to the fourth toothed wheel 33 keep e the same orientation with respect to the plane passing through the two extreme axes 20 and 22 of the manipulator during the translation of the shaft 28.

The shaft 28, that is to say the front end 18b of the second beam 18b can be moved over a total length equal to four times the distance separating the axes 19 and 20, or the axes 19 and 22, between a first extreme position, in which the beams 17 and 18 extend horizontally on one side of the carrier 15 and a second extreme position, in which the beams 17 and 18 extend horizontally from the on the other side of the carrier 15. This maximum displacement is reduced by half if the first beam 17 is hampered in its pivoting by 180 ° and cannot pass in front of the carrier 15 and therefore can only pivot by 90 ° in particular between an extreme vertical position and an extreme horizontal position.

The cradle 21 has a vertical plate 37 perpendicular to the shaft 28. A tool holder 38 in the form of a lever is mounted by its rear end pivotable around a pivot 39 parallel to the shaft 28 of the front end 18b of the second beam 18, this pivot 39 being integral with the lower rear part of the vertical plate 37. This tool holder in the form of lever 38 is held in a predetermined position relative to the cradle 21 and its plate 37 by means of a jack 40 articulated by its cylinder on the upper part of the vertical plate 37 and acting by its rod on a joint 41 located towards the middle of the tool holder lever 38. This jack 40 makes it possible to pivot the tool holder 38 between an elevated rest position (dotted line in FIG. 3) and a lowered working position as indicated in solid lines in the figure. 3. In addition, this jack maintains a constant force on the tool holder 48 and allows the latter to escape by tilting upward when the tool 4 encounters an unforeseen obstacle which would risk damaging it. The cradle 21, the tool holder 38 and the tool 4 pivotally attached to the fourth toothed wheel 33 retain their initial orientation during the translation of the front end 18b of the second beam 18 during the approximation or spacing of the axes pivot 20 and 22.

The tool 4 is preferably fixed on the end of the tool holder 38 remote from the pivot 39, with the interposition of shock absorbers 42, so that the cutting plane of the blade 5 is vertical.

On the upper part 43 of the tool 4 is arranged, as an option, a vibration generator 44 comprising a horizontal shaft 45 mounted on a rolling bearing and driven by a hydraulic motor 44a, (see FIG. 7). The shaft 45 carries eccentric or unbalanced flyweights 46 whose rotation causes oscillations having an amplitude and a frequency which are a function of the speed of rotation of the shaft 45 and the mass of the unbalanced 46. The vibrations allow '' improve the penetration of the tool 4 in the material of the layer 1 and facilitate the advance of the tool 4 during the opening of the groove 2.

When, after a work cycle, the tool 4 has treated a groove over the entire width of the roadway, the tool 4 is raised by means of the jack 40 which swings up the tool holder 38 around its pivot 39 in counterclockwise. The carrier 15 then moves a few meters (3.5 m for example). The tool 4 is brought back, in the transfer position, that is to say in the raised position, to the starting point of a new groove by means of the hydraulic rotary actuator 24 which makes the first beam 17 pivot so that the tool holder 38 is in a position in which it is furthest from the pivot shaft 23 of the first beam 17 and in which the cutting edge 6 of the tool 4 is turned towards said shaft 23. The tool 4 is then returned to the working position, that is to say tilted down around the pivot 39 in a clockwise direction so that its blade 5 is substantially vertical or slightly inclined by top down and forward in the cutting direction of the tool 4, using the jack 40, and the first beam 17 then pivots from bottom to top around the axis 20 in the opposite direction to that clockwise, under the action of the hydraulic rotary actuator 24, which results in the formation of a groove 2, the treatment of the materials or aggregates delimiting said groove 2 and the filling of this groove 2 by the tool 4.

During the working phase of the tool 4, the squeegees 11 articulated on the upper part of the blade 5 above the orifices 7a of the projection ramp 7 are applied to the surface of the layer 1 by torsion springs 11a, 47, which allows them to adapt to the thickness of the layer. The treatment product 8 is only injected by the projection ramp 7 during the working phase of the tool 4. During the transfer phase of the tool 4 in the raised position, the vibration generator 44 can be stopped, but this is not compulsory.

The product 8 projected against the walls of the open groove 2 by the projection ramp 7 situated at the rear of the tapered blade 5 preferably in a hollowed-out part thereof, is stored in a horizontal tank 13 of cylindrical shape with bottoms domed, having a fast closing filling dome 49. Tank 13 is equipped with the accessories essential for its proper functioning: float level indicator, dial pyrometer, pressure-vacuum valve, drain valve and piping. It is surrounded by a thermally insulated envelope. The product 8 of the tank 13 is sucked in by a positive displacement pump 50 with an eccentric piston fitted with a prefilter 51 and a filter 52 with interchangeable baskets and a protection valve 53 in the event of overpressure. The product 8 is sent to the projection ramp 7 via two three-way valves. The first valve 54 makes it possible to return the product to the tank 48 during the transfer or return times of the tool 4. The second valve 55 is used to purge the projection ramp 7 after use by admitting a jet compressed air supplied by a motor-compressor unit 56. A third valve 57 placed between the tank 13 and the positive displacement pump 50 makes it possible to switch the suction of the pump on a hydrocarbon tank 58 to clean the entire circuit , filters 51 and 52, positive displacement pump 50 and valves 54 and 55.

The various hydraulic motors and receivers, that is to say: the hydraulic rotary actuator 24, the hydraulic motor 44a driving the vibration generator 44, the hydraulic motor 50a driving the positive displacement pump 50, the hydraulic motor 59 of the motor-compressor 56 , and the jack 40 determining the initial position and the penetration depth of the tapered blade 5 in the material of the layer 2, are supplied with fluid by a hydraulic unit 14 belonging to the carrier vehicle 15 or driven by the motor 16 of the carrier 15. The hydraulic unit 14 comprises a multi-body pump 61, an oil tank 62, fitted with strainers 63, filters, a level indicator, a thermometer, a breather and the solenoid valves 64 for controlling each movement or function allowing the automation of the work cycle thanks to a programmable automaton, as well as the pressure 65 and flow 66 regulation organs.

Note that if, during work of the blade 5, the latter encounters an unforeseen obstacle, a pressure greater than a determined pressure will be established in the jack 40 as a result of the tilting force exerted on the blade 4 around the pivot 39, and the regulator 66a will allow the blade 5 to escape upwards by putting the jack 40 in communication with the oil tank 62.

The carrier 15 is equipped with large tires sculpted so as to be able to circulate on a layer of non-compacted materials. It has a small wheelbase and an oscillating front axle for easy handling. It ensures the stability of the pre-cracking machine 3 without the aid of retractable pads thanks to an important track and a suspension only provided by the elasticity of the wheels. Its weight constitutes the reaction to the forces developed by the movement of the manipulator 12 and by the penetration of the tool 4 into the material. As mentioned above, the carrier 15 carries the whole of the pre-cracking machine 3 so as to constitute a completely autonomous device, occupying a limited space, and its heat engine 16 drives the transmission for the normal movement of the vehicle as well as the multi-body pump 61 of the hydraulic unit 14.

The maximum length of a groove 2 is equal to four times the distance separating the axes 19 and 20, or 19 and 22, of a beam of the manipulator 12. It is obvious that the length of a groove is limited by the width of the roadway. To this end, the pre-cracking machine 3 is provided with a programmable automaton making it possible to automatically control the working cycle of the machine, as a function of the width of the roadway and the thickness of the layer to be treated. The programmable controller acts on the hydraulic rotary actuator 24 so as to limit the pivoting of the driving beam 17 and on the jack 40 controlling the penetration depth of the tapered blade 5 in the layer 1.

According to another configuration of the pre-cracking machine 3, the first beam 17, called the driving beam, can be pivoted by a linear hydraulic cylinder articulated on the one hand, on the chassis 25 of the carrier 15, for example by its cylinder and, on the other hand, on the first beam 17 at one suitable distance from the pivot axis 20, for example by the cylinder rod.

The manipulator described in the context of a pre-cracking machine can obviously be used in any other machine, in which the tool carried by the cradle of the manipulator must in operation, be moved so as to execute a movement of translation back and forth. of predetermined curved or straight shape. The driving beam 17 of the manipulator 12 can in this case be mounted on a mobile carrier or on a fixed frame.

In Figures 8 and 9 is shown schematically a second embodiment of the manipulator 12, respectively in elevation (fig.8) and in plan (fig.9).

This manipulator 12 also comprises a driving beam 17 articulated on its rear end 17a on the axis 20 carried by the chassis 25 of the carrier 15. This axis can be constituted as an output shaft 23 of an engine pivoting 24. In this case, the rear end 17a of the driving beam 17 is keyed onto the output shaft 23 so that said driving beam 17 pivots with the shaft 23 about the axis 20. As already mentioned previously, the pivoting movement can also be imparted to the driving beam 17 articulated on the axis 20 fixed in rotation, using a jack whose cylinder or rod is articulated on the frame 25 and whose rod or the cylinder is articulated on the driving beam 17, the two articulation points being sufficiently distant from the pivot axis 20.

On this axis 20 or around the shaft 23 is coaxially disposed the first gear 30 which is stationary in rotation and integral with the axis 20 and the frame 25. If this first gear 30 is mounted around the shaft outlet 23, a bearing is preferably interposed between the wheel 30 and the shaft 23 to reduce the friction between the latter during the pivoting of the shaft 23.

As in the previous example, the front end 17b of the driving beam 17 is provided with a second toothed wheel 31 keyed onto the shaft 26 housed in the appropriate bearings of the front end 17b of the driving beam 17. This shaft 26 is extended laterally outwards by a shaft end 26a to which the rear end is pivotally secured 18a of the driven beam 18, the axis 19 of this shaft 26 constituting the common articulation axis of the two beams 17 and 18 of the manipulator 12.

Around the shaft end 26a is mounted the third toothed wheel 32 which does not pivot with the shaft 26 since it is integral with the side face of the front end 17b of the driving beam 17.

The fourth toothed wheel 33 is keyed onto the shaft 28 housed in the bearings 29 of the front end 18b of the driven beam 18, this shaft 28 having an end piece which projects laterally from said beam 18, and which is provided with the cradle 21 which therefore pivots with the shaft 28 around the axis 22 of the latter.

As in the previous example, the axes 19, 20 and 22 of the shafts 26, 23 and 28 respectively are parallel to each other and the first and fourth toothed wheels 30 and 33 have the same diameter and the same number of teeth and the second and third toothed wheels 31 and 32 mounted around the common axis 19 have the same diameter and the same number of teeth while the diameter and the number of teeth of said second and third wheels 31,32 is only half the diameter and the number of teeth of the first and fourth toothed wheels 30 and 33.

To connect the first gear 30 to the second gear 31 and the third gear 32 to the fourth gear 33, a series of intermediate gear 71 and 72 can be used in place of the endless chains 34 and 35.

In this case, each series of intermediate toothed wheels 71 and 72 comprises an odd number of toothed wheels 71a, 71b, 71c, 71d, 71e and 72a, 72b, 72c, 72d, 72e meshing in one another and mounted free in rotation on axes 73a to 73e and 74a to 74e carried respectively by the driving beam 17 and the driven beam 18. During the pivoting of the driving beam 17, the first intermediate wheel 71e of the first series 71 cooperates with the first toothed wheel 30 secured to the chassis 25 by moving on the periphery thereof and pivoting about its axis 73a and transmitting its rotational movement to the neighboring intermediate wheel 71b and so on while the last intermediate wheel 71e of the first series 71 meshes in the second toothed wheel 31 while transmitting its rotational movement to it. Similarly, during the pivoting of the driven beam 18 caused by the pivoting of the driving beam 17 and as a result of the shaft 26, the first intermediate wheel 72a of the second series 72 moves along the periphery of the third toothed wheel 32 by turning about its axis 74a and transmits its rotational movement to the neighboring intermediate wheel 72b and so on while the last intermediate wheel 72e of the second series 72 cooperates with the fourth toothed wheel 33 to print on the latter and the cradle which is integral with it a pivoting movement whose angle is proportional to the pivoting angle of the driving beam 17 and depends, on the one hand, on the ratio between the lengths of the beams 17,18 between the axes 20, 19 and 19,22 respectively and, on the other hand, of the ratio between the diameters and numbers of teeth of the toothed wheels 30 to 33 provided at the ends of the beams 17, 18.

If the lengths of the beams 17, 18 are equal to each other and if the ratio between the diameters and the numbers of teeth of the first gear 30 and the second gear 31 is 2: 1, a point from the front end 18b of the driven beam 18 will move on a rectilinear trajectory whatever the pivot angle of the driving beam 17. If, in addition, the ratio between the diameters and the numbers of teeth of the third toothed wheel 32 and the fourth gear 33 is equal to 1: 2 and if preferably the diameters and the numbers of teeth respectively of the second and third gear 31 and 32 are identical, the cradle 21 will retain its initial inclination relative to the straight path d 'A point of the front end 18b of the driven beam 18 despite the pivoting of the two beams 17,18.

Thus, the axes of articulations 19, 20, 22 determine the three points of an isosceles triangle whose two sides including the angle at the top (located on the axis 19) are constituted by the driving beam 17 and the driven beam 18. The angle of rotation of the driven beam 18 relative to the driving beam 17 is in this case double the angle of rotation of the latter. In addition, the angle of rotation of the cradle 21 relative to the driven beam 18 is identical to the angle of rotation of the driving beam 17. Thus, the tool 4 mounted on the cradle 21 can maintain its initial inclination relative to to the trajectory of the tool 4 when it moves. The bisector of the angle at the top of the isosceles triangle formed by the two beams 17, 18 of equal length is then constantly kept vertical during the pivoting movement of said beams 17, 18. It follows that the base of variable length of this same triangle is kept constantly horizontal.

To allow the front end 18b of the driven beam 18 to move in planes inclined relative to the horizontal or to modify the level of the displacement plane relative to a reference plane, it is advantageous to mount the rear end 17a of the driving beam 17 on an articulation yoke 75 which is mounted on a support of the cardan type 76 allowing it to pivot around each of the three axes, X, Y, Z of a Cartesian coordinate system. The support 76 is shown diagrammatically in FIG. 10.

As can be seen in Figure 10, the hinge yoke 75 carries the hinge pin 20 of the rear end 17a of the drive beam 17 whose pivoting is ensured by a jack not shown. In addition, the first gear 40 is disposed on the hinge pin 20 and is prevented from pivoting by means of a locking block 77 clutched to the rear part of said first gear 30 and fixed on the plate. bottom 75a of clevis 75.

Opposite the hinge pin 20, the bottom plate 75a is mounted on a first carriage 78 by means of a rotation bearing not shown allowing it to pivot (see arrow f1) around an axis X perpendicular to the axis 20 and to the bottom plate 75a of said yoke. Of course, this rotation bearing is associated with locking means not shown allowing the adjustment of the yoke 75 in any angular position around the axis X.

The first carriage 78 is mounted movable in translation on a slide 79 so as to be able to move parallel to the axis 20 and to the axis Y of the Cartesian coordinate system X, Y, Z (see arrow f2). The slide 79 is formed in a second carriage 80 which is mounted mobile (see arrow f3) on a slide beam 81 extending perpendicular to the plane of the axes X, Y and capable of pivoting (see arrow f4) around its axis 82 which coincides with the Z axis of the Cartesian coordinate system.

The pivot axis 82 and the slide beam 81 are mounted at their ends between the flanges of a second yoke 83 which, at the bottom of its bottom 83a is articulated on an axis 84 secured to the chassis 25 of a machine -carrier. This axis 84 is parallel to the axis 20 carried by the articulation clevis 75 and allows the latter as well as the second clevis 83 to pivot around an axis parallel to the axis Y of the Cartesian coordinate system X, Y, Z (see arrow f5).

The upper part of the bottom 83a of the second yoke 83 as well as that of the driving beam 17 are each connected to a suitable location on the frame 25 by means of a jack. Of course, it is also possible to provide a jack between the upper part (upper flange) of the second yoke 83 and the upper part of the driving beam 17 to control the pivoting of the latter.

Thus the driving beam 17 can move in space according to all the degrees of freedom. Of course, the person skilled in the art has the possibility of eliminating one or more of these degrees of freedom of movement according to the needs and the objectives pursued with the manipulator 12.

To link on the one hand the angular displacement of the driving beam 17 to that of the driven beam 18 and the angular displacement of the latter to that of the cradle 21 and the tool 4, only mechanical means have been described in the examples previous.

• a) la détection de l'étendu du pivotement angulaire de la première 17 ou de la deuxième 18 poutre,
• b) la transmission de l'information détectée à un moteur de pivotement agissant sur l'arbre de pivotement de la deuxième poutre 18 ou du berceau 21 et,
• c) le pivotement de la deuxième poutre 18 ou du berceau 21 d'un angle proportionnel à l'angle de pivotement de la première poutre 17

These mechanical means associated with each of the two beams 17, 18 fulfill three functions which are:

• a) the detection of the extent of the angular pivoting of the first 17 or of the second 18 beam,
• b) the transmission of the detected information to a pivoting motor acting on the pivoting shaft of the second beam 18 or of the cradle 21 and,
• c) the pivoting of the second beam 18 or of the cradle 21 by an angle proportional to the pivoting angle of the first beam 17

It is self-evident that these functions can also be fulfilled by non-purely mechanical means, such as optical, electrical and / or electronic means.

Thus the means for detecting the pivot angle of each of the beams 17, 18 can be of the optical type, the transmission means instead of being mechanical can be of the electronic or electric type and the drive motor of the beam 18 or of the cradle 21 can be a stepping electric motor controlled by signals which are transmitted to it by the electronic or electric type transmission means.

Claims (10)

1. Manipulator (12) for public works machines of the type comprising at least one arm or pivot beam of which one end is articulated on a support machine and of which the other end is equipped with a tool (21) adapted to pivot about an axis of the other end of said manipulator, as well as control means such as hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders or motors, cables, chains etc, intended to ensure the different positionings of the manipulator and of its tool,
   characterized in that it comprises two beams (17, 18) of which a first beam, called the command beam (17) is articulated on the one hand, at its rear end (17a), on a pivot shaft (20, 23) which is fixed to the chassis (25) of a support machine (15) and, on the other hand, at its forward end (17b), about the rear end (18a) of the second beam (18), called the follower beam, by means of a common pivot shaft (19, 26, 26a), the forward end (18b) of the follower beam (18) being provided with a cradle (21) mounted thereon by means of a pivot shaft (22, 28),
   in that the command beam (17) is made to pivot about its rear pivot shaft (20, 23) by means of a rotational or linear motor (24), and
   in that each of the two beams (17, 18) includes a detector means (30 or 32) for detecting the pivot angle of the concerned beam (17 or 18), a pivot motor (31 or 33) supported by the forward end (17b or 18b) of the beam (17 or 18) and adapted to cause the pivoting either of the rear end (18a) of the follower beam (18) or of the cradle (21), as well as transmission means (34, 35, 71 or 72) provided between the detector means (30 or 32) and the pivot motor (31 or 33) of each beam (17 or 18) and controlling the pivoting either of the follower beam (18) or of the cradle (21) as a function of the degree of rotation either of the command beam (17) or of the follower beam (18) detected by the means for detecting the rotation associated with the corresponding beam (17 or 18).

2. Manipulator according to claim 1, characterized in that the detector means (30 or 32), the pivot motor (31 or 33) and the transmission means (34, 35, 71 or 72) provided between the detector means (30 or 32) and the pivot motor (31 or 33) for each of the two beams (17 or 18) are constituted by mechanical elements.

3. Manipulator according to claim 2, characterized in that the detector means (30 or 32) for each of the two beams (17, 18) is constituted by a gear (30 or 32) mounted on the pivot shaft (20 or 19) of the rear end (17a or 18a) of the corresponding beam (17 or 18) so as to be stationary in rotation about that axis (20 or 19),
   in that the pivot motor (31 or 33) supported on the forward end (17b or 18b) of each beam (17, 18) includes another gear (31 or 33) coupled to a pivot shaft (26 or 28) which is fixed either to the rear end (18b) of the follower beam (18), or to the cradle (21), and the axis of which coincides with the pivot shaft (19 or 22) either of the rear end (18b) of the follower beam (18) or of the cradle (21), and
   in that transmission means (34, 35, 71 or 72) provided between the detector means (30 or 32) (non-rotating gear and the pivot motor (31 or 33) of each beam (17, 18) are constituted by an endless chain (34 or 35) looped around the non-rotating gear (30 or 32) and the gear (31 or 33) of the pivot motor.

4. Manipulator according to claim 3, characterized in that the endless chain (34 or 35) is replaced by a series of intermediate gears (71 or 72) comprised of an odd number of gears mounted on the corresponding beam (17, 18) by means of shafts (73a, 73f or 74a, 74f) parallel to that of the non-rotating gear (30, 32) and engaging one another, the rearm intermediate gear (71a or 72a) engaging the teeth of the non-rotating gear (30 or 32) and the forward intermediate gear (71e or 72f) cooperating with the gear (31 or 33) of the corresponding pivot motor.

5. Manipulator according to any one of claims 3 and 4, characterized in that the ratio between the number of teeth of the non-rotating gear (30 or 32) and the number of teeth of the gear (31 or 33) of the pivot motor of each beam is 2 : 1 for the command beam and 1 : 2 for the follower beam.

6. Manipulator according to claim 5, characterized in that the lengths of the two beams comprised between the axes of the non-rotating gear and the gear of the pivot motor are equal.

7. Manipulator according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the rear end (17b) of the command beam (17) is mounted on the pivot pin (20) of a first yoke (75) which is fixed to a carriage (78) mounted on a universal joint type support system (76), itself pivoted on the chassis (25) of the support machine by means of a pivot pin (84) parallel to the pivot pin (20) of the first yoke (75).

8. Machine for prefacturing the lower strata of pavement treated with hydraulic binders including:

- means for forming troughs,

- means for projecting a product into the troughs,

- means for refilling said troughs, and

- means for moving the preceding means during the operation of the machine,

   characterized in that it comprises a manipulator (12) in accordance with one of claims 1 to 7,
   in that said means for forming troughs (2) include a substantially vertical, tapered blade (5) of triangular cross-section of which the cutting edge (6) is positioned in the direction of movement of the blade (5) during the treatment of the strata (1),
   in that said means for projecting a product (8) into the troughs (2) include a spray manifold (7) fixed to the rear edge (9) of said blade (5) and connected to a holding reservoir (13) for the treatment product (8) by means of a pump (50),
   in that said means for refilling said troughs (2) include two scrapers (11) flexibly mounted to the rear of said blade (5) forming a V opening in the advancing direction of the blades (5), and in that the blade (5), the spray manifold (7) and the scrapers (11) are combined to form a single tool (4) mounted on the free end of said manipulator (12).

9. Machine according to claim 8, characterized in that the blade (5) is supported on said cradle (21) by means of a tool support arm (38) rotating about a pin (39) fixed to the cradle (21) and parallel to the pivot axis (20) of the command beam (17), the blade (5) being mounted at the end of the tool support arm (38) at a distance of said pivot pin (39) of the tool support arm (38),
   and in that the tool support arm (38) is actuated by a cylinder (40) fixed to the cradle (21) in such a way that blade (5) may assume two positions : a work position in which it is substantially vertical and penetrates into the pavement lower strata and a transfer position in which it is raised.

10. Machine according to claim 9, characterized in that it further comprises a vibratory device (44) interposed between said tool support arm (38) and said blade (5).

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