Can-based system to calculate the weight of milled materials

Abstract

A milling machine adapted to remove milled material from a road. The milling machine may include a CAN based grade system operatively connected to a sensor and a milling drum, and a CAN Bus adapter operatively connected to the CAN based grade system. The milling machine may include a programmable logic controller operatively connected to the CAN Bus adapter. The milling drum selectively removes the milled material from the road, and the sensor provides a signal to the CAN based grade system, and the milling drum is positioned based on data from the CAN based grade system.

1 . A milling machine adapted to remove milled material to be weighed from a road, comprising:
 a CAN based grade system operatively connected to a height sensor and a milling drum;   a CAN Bus adapter operatively connected to the CAN based grade system; and   a programmable logic controller operatively connected to the CAN Bus adapter,   wherein the milling drum selectively removes the milled material to be weighed from the road, and the height sensor provides data to the CAN based grade system, and the milling drum is positioned based on data from the CAN based grade system.   
     
     
         2 . The milling machine of  claim 1 , wherein the height sensor is a potentiometer. 
     
     
         3 . The milling machine of  claim 1  further comprising a crawler and a track operatively connected to the milling machine, and having a plurality of pads secured to the track defining gaps between the pads, and further comprising a sensor positioned to detect the relative positions of the pads and thereby detect movement of the milling machine. 
     
     
         4 . The milling machine of  claim 1  further comprising a human machine interface operatively connected to the programmable logic controller. 
     
     
         5 . The milling machine of  claim 4 , wherein the human machine interface is adapted to calibrate selected activity of the milling machine. 
     
     
         6 . The milling machine of  claim 1  further comprising a width sensor operatively connected to the programmable logic controller and further comprising a crawler, wherein the width sensor is adapted to detect an edge of the crawler. 
     
     
         7 . The milling machine of  claim 1  further comprising a crawler and a track operatively connected to the milling machine, and having a plurality of pads secured to the track defining gaps between the pads, and further comprising a sensor positioned to detect the relative positions of the pads and further comprising a width sensor operatively connected to the programmable logic controller and further comprising a crawler, wherein the width sensor is adapted to detect an edge of the crawler. 
     
     
         8 . The milling machine of  claim 7 , wherein the height sensor is a potentiometer. 
     
     
         9 . A milling machine adapted to remove milled material to be weighed from a road, comprising:
 a CAN based grade system operatively connected to a height sensor and a milling drum;   a programmable logic controller operatively connected to the CAN Bus adapter,   wherein the milling drum selectively removes the milled material to be weighed from the road, and the height sensor provides data to the CAN based grade system, and the milling drum is positioned based on data from the CAN based grade system.   
     
     
         10 . The milling machine of  claim 9  further comprising a CAN Bus operatively connected to the CAN based grade system, wherein the CAN Bus adapter selectively filters data from the CAN Bus. 
     
     
         11 . The milling machine of  claim 10  further comprising a crawler and a track operatively connected to the milling machine, and having a plurality of pads secured to the track defining gaps between the pads, and further comprising a sensor positioned to detect the relative positions of the pads and thereby detect movement of the milling machine. 
     
     
         12 . The milling machine of  claim 10  further comprising a crawler and a width sensor operatively connected to the programmable logic controller wherein the width sensor is adapted to detect an edge of the crawler. 
     
     
         13 . The milling machine of  claim 9  further comprising a CAN Bus operatively connected to the CAN based grade system, wherein the CAN Bus adapter selectively filters data from the CAN Bus and further comprising a crawler and a track operatively connected to the milling machine, and having a plurality of pads secured to the track defining gaps between the pads, and further comprising a sensor positioned to detect the relative positions of the pads and thereby detect movement of the milling machine and further comprising a width sensor operatively connected to the programmable logic controller wherein the width sensor is adapted to detect an edge of the crawler. 
     
     
         14 . The milling machine of  claim 10 , wherein the height sensor is a potentiometer. 
     
     
         15 . The milling machine of  claim 10  further comprising a human machine interface operatively connected to the programmable logic controller wherein the human machine interface is adapted to calibrate selected activity of the milling machine. 
     
     
         16 . The milling machine of  claim 15  wherein the human machine interface is adapted to calibrate an actual weight of milled material. 
     
     
         17 . A milling machine adapted to remove milled material to be weighed from a road, comprising:
 a CAN based grade system operatively connected to a height sensor and a milling drum;   a CAN Bus adapter operatively connected to the CAN based grade system;   a programmable logic controller operatively connected to the CAN Bus adapter;   a crawler and a track operatively connected to the milling machine, and having a plurality of pads secured to the track defining gaps between the pads, and further comprising a sensor positioned to detect the relative positions of the pads; and   a width sensor operatively connected to the programmable logic controller, the width sensor being adapted to detect an edge of the crawler, wherein the milling drum selectively removes the milled material to be weighed from the road, and the height sensor provides data to the CAN based grade system, and the milling drum is positioned based on data from the CAN based grade system.   
     
     
         18 . The milling machine of  claim 17  further comprising a human machine interface operatively connected to the programmable logic controller wherein the human machine interface is adapted to calibrate selected activity of the milling machine. 
     
     
         19 . The milling machine of  claim 18  wherein the human machine interface is adapted to calibrate an actual weight of milled material 
     
     
         20 . The milling machine of  claim 17 , wherein the height sensor is a potentiometer.