Slip Form Paving Machine with A Swelling Sensor and Method of Controlling Such Slip Form Paving Machine

Abstract

A slip form paving machine includes a machine frame ( 10 ), a plurality of ground engaging wheels or tracks ( 30,30 F, 30 R) and front and rear height adjustable lifting columns ( 32,32 F, 32 R) supporting the machine frame from the ground engaging wheels or tracks, the lifting columns being adjustable to adjust a longitudinal inclination of the machine frame in a paving direction ( 12 ). A slip form mold ( 24 ) is supported from the machine frame for molding a mass of concrete ( 16 A) into a formed not yet hardened concrete slab as the paving machine moves forward in the paving direction. A swelling sensor ( 220 ) is arranged to detect a swelling of the formed not yet hardened concrete slab relative to the machine frame behind the slip form mold. A method of controlling the slip form paving machine is also disclosed.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 : A slip form paving machine, comprising:
 a machine frame;   a plurality of ground engaging wheels or tracks;   front and rear height adjustable lifting columns supporting the machine frame from the ground engaging wheels or tracks, the lifting columns being adjustable to adjust a longitudinal inclination of the machine frame in a paving direction;   a slip form mold supported from the machine frame for molding a mass of concrete into a formed not yet hardened concrete slab as the paving machine moves forward in the paving direction; and   a swelling sensor arranged to detect a swelling of the formed not yet hardened concrete slab relative to the machine frame behind the slip form mold.   
     
     
         17 : The machine of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the swelling sensor includes at least two height sensors spaced across a width of the machine frame.   
     
     
         18 : The machine of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the swelling sensor includes a scanning sensor configured to scan the height of the formed not yet hardened concrete slab behind the slip form mold across a continuous portion of a width of the machine frame.   
     
     
         19 : The machine of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a controller configured to receive a sensor signal from the swelling sensor and to generate a command signal to an actuator to adjust at least one operating parameter of the paving machine.   
     
     
         20 : The machine of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the controller is further configured to determine a height of the formed not yet hardened concrete slab behind the slip form mold as an average height over an interval of time.   
     
     
         21 : The machine of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the controller is further configured to predict a height of the formed not yet hardened concrete slab behind the slip form mold based at least in part upon a rate of change of the sensor signal.   
     
     
         22 : The machine of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the at least one operating parameter includes a travel speed of the paving machine.   
     
     
         23 : The machine of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the at least one operating parameter includes a vibrator speed of a vibrator located in front of the slip form mold.   
     
     
         24 : The machine of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the at least one operating parameter includes a concrete supply gate height in front of the slip form mold.   
     
     
         25 : The machine of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the at least one operating parameter includes the longitudinal inclination of the machine frame.   
     
     
         26 : The machine of  claim 25 , wherein:
 the controller is further configured to lower the front end of the machine frame relative to the rear end of the machine frame to reduce swelling of the formed not yet hardened concrete slab behind the slip form mold.   
     
     
         27 : The machine of  claim 25 , further comprising:
 an oscillating beam supported from the machine frame behind the slip form mold for engaging an upper surface of the formed not yet hardened concrete slab and oscillating transversely to the paving direction upon the upper surface to smooth the upper surface; and   wherein the controller is further configured to adjust the longitudinal inclination of the machine frame by adjusting both the front and rear lifting columns thereby tilting the machine frame about a rotational axis adjacent a rear edge of the oscillating beam so that a height of the upper surface of the formed not yet hardened concrete slab behind the oscillating beam is not changed.   
     
     
         28 : The machine of  claim 27 , wherein:
 the controller is further configured to adjust the longitudinal inclination of the machine frame by adjusting both the front and rear lifting columns simultaneously.   
     
     
         29 : The machine of  claim 25 , wherein:
 the controller is further configured to adjust the longitudinal inclination of the machine frame by adjusting both the front and rear lifting columns thereby tilting the machine frame about a rotational axis adjacent a rear edge of the slip form mold so that a height of the upper surface of the formed not yet hardened concrete slab behind the slip form mold is not changed.   
     
     
         30 : The machine of  claim 29 , wherein:
 the controller is further configured to adjust the longitudinal inclination of the machine frame by adjusting both the front and rear lifting columns simultaneously.   
     
     
         31 : The machine of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a front stringline sensor;   a front sensor actuator arranged to adjust a vertical position of the front stringline sensor relative to the machine frame;   a rear stringline sensor;   a rear sensor actuator arranged to adjust a vertical position of the rear stringline sensor relative to the machine frame; and   a controller configured to receive a sensor signal from the swelling sensor and to send command signals to the front and rear sensor actuators to cause an adjustment in the longitudinal inclination of the machine frame.   
     
     
         32 : The machine of  claim 31 , further comprising:
 a front sensor actuator position sensor arranged to generate a position signal representative of a position of the front stringline sensor; and   a rear sensor actuator position sensor arranged to generate a position signal representative of a position of the rear stringline sensor.   
     
     
         33 : The machine of  claim 32 , wherein:
 the front and rear sensor actuators are front and rear hydraulic smart cylinders and the front and rear sensor actuator position sensors are integrated in the front and rear hydraulic smart cylinders, respectively.   
     
     
         34 : The machine of  claim 32 , wherein:
 the front and rear sensor actuators are front and rear rotary spindles powered by rotary motors, and the front and rear sensor actuator position sensors are rotational sensors.   
     
     
         35 : A method of controlling a slip form paving machine, the machine including:
 a machine frame having a front end and a rear end;   a plurality of ground engaging wheels or tracks;   front and rear height adjustable lifting columns supporting the machine frame from the ground engaging wheels or tracks, the lifting columns being adjustable to adjust a longitudinal inclination of the paving machine frame in a paving direction; and   a slip form mold supported from the machine frame for molding a mass of concrete into a formed not yet hardened concrete slab as the paving machine moves forward in the paving direction;   the method comprising:   (a) monitoring with at least one swelling sensor a swelling of the formed not yet hardened concrete slab behind the slip form mold and generating at least one sensor signal corresponding to the swelling;   (b) based at least in part on the at least one sensor signal, determining with a controller a current or a predicted deviation of the swelling from a desired swelling and generating a corresponding command signal; and   (c) in response to the command signal, automatically adjusting at least one operating parameter of the paving machine in a direction to counteract the deviation.   
     
     
         36 : The method of  claim 35 , wherein:
 the at least one swelling sensor detects a height of the formed not yet hardened concrete slab relative to the machine frame behind the slip form mold.   
     
     
         37 : The method of  claim 35 , wherein:
 step (a) further comprises monitoring swelling of the formed not yet hardened concrete slab behind the slip form mold as an average swelling over an interval of time.   
     
     
         38 : The method of  claim 35 , wherein:
 step (a) further comprises monitoring the swelling of the formed not yet hardened concrete slab behind the slip form mold in at least three locations across a width of the paving machine.   
     
     
         39 : The method of  claim 35 , wherein:
 the at least one operating parameter includes a travel speed of the paving machine.   
     
     
         40 : The method of  claim 35 , wherein:
 the at least one operating parameter includes a vibrator speed of a vibrator located in front of the slip form mold.   
     
     
         41 : The method of  claim 35 , wherein:
 the at least one operating parameter includes a concrete supply gate height in front of the slip form mold.   
     
     
         42 : The method of  claim 35 , wherein:
 the at least one operating parameter includes the longitudinal inclination of the machine frame.   
     
     
         43 : The method of  claim 42 , wherein:
 step (c) further comprises lowering the front end of the machine frame relative to the rear end to decrease the swelling of the formed not yet hardened concrete slab behind the slip form mold and raising the front end of the machine frame relative to the rear end to increase the swelling of the formed not yet hardened concrete slab behind the slip form mold.   
     
     
         44 : The method of  claim 42 , wherein:
 step (c) further comprises raising the front end of the machine frame relative to the rear end to increase the swelling of the formed not yet hardened concrete slab behind the slip form mold.   
     
     
         45 : The method of  claim 42 , wherein:
 the slip form paving machine further includes an oscillating beam supported from the machine frame behind the slip form mold for engaging an upper surface of the formed not yet hardened concrete slab and oscillating transversely to the paving direction upon the upper surface to smooth the upper surface; and   step (c) further comprises adjusting the longitudinal inclination of the machine frame by adjusting both the front and rear lifting columns and thereby tilting the machine frame about a rotational axis adjacent a rear edge of the oscillating beam so that a height of the upper surface of the formed not yet hardened concrete slab behind the oscillating beam is not changed.   
     
     
         46 : The method of  claim 45 , wherein:
 step (c) further comprises adjusting the longitudinal inclination of the machine frame by adjusting both the front and rear lifting columns simultaneously.   
     
     
         47 : The method of  claim 42 , wherein:
 step (c) further comprises adjusting the longitudinal inclination of the machine frame by adjusting both the front and rear lifting columns and thereby tilting the machine frame about a rotational axis adjacent a rear edge of the slip form mold so that a height of the upper surface of the formed not yet hardened concrete slab behind the slip form mold is not changed.   
     
     
         48 : The method of  claim 47 , wherein:
 step (c) further comprises adjusting the longitudinal inclination of the machine frame by adjusting both the front and rear lifting columns simultaneously.   
     
     
         49 : The method of  claim 42 , further comprising:
 after step (c) repeating steps (a) and (b) after a lag time interval sufficient to allow the adjusting of step (c) to result in a change in the swelling of the formed not yet hardened concrete slab behind the slip form mold; and   further adjusting the longitudinal inclination of the machine frame in a direction to counteract any further determined current or predicted deviation of the swelling of the formed not yet hardened concrete slab behind the slip form mold.   
     
     
         50 : The method of  claim 49 , wherein:
 the lag time interval is based on a time necessary for the paving machine to travel a specified distance in the paving direction.