Machine and Method of Cutting Material

Abstract

A machine for cutting material includes an undercarriage including propulsion device for propelling the machine and a cutter head disposed on a tool support and positioning assembly movably supported by the undercarriage to remove material from a cutting surface. The machine further includes a plurality of ground-engaging devices connected to the undercarriage that can be simultaneously raised and lowered with respect to a ground floor. Examples of ground-engaging devices include stabilizers for stabilizing the machine when milling or cutting material and a load shield that prevents material from scattering underneath the machine.

1 . A machine for removing material, the machine comprising:
 an undercarriage including a first propulsion device and a second propulsion device for propelling the machine about an worksite;   a cutter head disposed on tool support and positioning assembly including a cutter boom that is slidably disposed on the undercarriage; and   a plurality of ground-engaging devices that are extendable and retractable, with respect to the undercarriage, to engage a ground floor,   the plurality of ground-engaging device are configured to be extended and retracted simultaneously through an electronic control system operatively associated with the machine.   
     
     
         2 . The machine of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of ground-engaging devices includes a stabilizer and a load shield. 
     
     
         3 . The machine of  claim 2 , wherein the stabilizer includes a stabilizer actuator that hydraulically extends and retracts a stabilizer leg attached to a ground pad. 
     
     
         4 . The machine of  claim 3 , wherein the load shield is pivotally connected to the undercarriage and can be pivoted with respect to the undercarriage by a shield actuator. 
     
     
         5 . The machine of  claim 4 , further comprising a conveyer disposed through the machine from a conveyer entrance to a conveyer exit to move material from a front portion of the machine to a rear portion of the machine, and the load shield is disposed proximate to the conveyer exit. 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The machine of  claim 1 , further comprising a remote control for communicating with the electronic control system on the machine, and the remote control includes a switch for simultaneously extending and retracting the plurality of ground-engaging devices. 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . A method for removing material, the method comprising:
 positioning a machine in a first position proximate to a cutting surface;   detecting a command to perform a cutting operation to remove material from the cutting surface;   simultaneously extending a plurality of ground-engaging devices retractably attached to an undercarriage of the toward a ground floor, based on detecting the command to perform the cutting operation;   feeding a cutter head disposed on a cutter boom of the machine toward the cutting surface to remove the material from the cutting surface;   detecting a command to move the machine to a second position with respect to the cutting surface;   retracting the cutter head from the cutting surface, based on detecting the command to move the machine to second position, prior to moving the machine to the second position with respect to the cutting surface;   simultaneously retracting the plurality of ground-engaging devices with respect to the ground floor, based on detecting the command to move the machine to the second position, prior to moving the machine to the second position.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of ground-engaging devices includes a stabilizer for stabilizing the machine when cutting material from the cutting surface and a loading shield disposed proximate to a conveyer exit in a rear portion of the machine. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising receiving a operation signal from a remote control communicating with an electronic control system on the machine. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the operation signal simultaneously extends or retracts the plurality of ground-engaging devices. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the operation signal is a cutting command to move the cutter head toward the cutting surface. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the remote control includes a toggle switch providing multi-throw configuration with an extend position, retract position, and neutral position. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the toggle switch is a single-throw switch. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the stabilizer includes a stabilizer actuator configured to hydraulically extend and retract a stabilizer leg attached to a ground pad. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the stabilizer actuator is operatively associated with a pressure sensor configured to cease extension of the stabilizer leg upon hydraulic pressure exceeding a pressure threshold. 
     
     
         18 . A machine comprising:
 an undercarriage supported on a first propulsion device and a second propulsion device to propel the machine;   a cutter head disposed on a tool support and positioning assembly supported on the undercarriage;   a plurality of stabilizers extendably and retractably connected to the undercarriage that can extend to contact a ground floor to support the machine when cutting material;   a load shield extendably and retractably attached to the undercarriage that can extend to engage to the ground floor; and   an electronic control system having a switch that simultaneously extends and retracts the plurality of stabilizers and the load shield based on receiving a command to perform an operation associated with the switch.   
     
     
         19 . The machine of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of stabilizers each includes a stabilizer actuator configured to hydraulically extend and retract a stabilizer leg attached to a ground pad. 
     
     
         20 . The machine of  claim 19 , wherein the load shield is disposed proximate to a conveyer exit of a conveyer that extends through the machine. 
     
     
         21 . The machine of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic control system is configured to automatically retract the stabilizers upon detecting a tram command to move the machine. 
     
     
         22 . The machine of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic control system is configured to extend the stabilizer upon detecting a cutting command to being a cutting operation.