Case 1:17-cv-00770-JDW Document 230-6 Filed 10/05/23 Page 1 of 6 PageID #: 24053
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`Exhibit 82
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`Case 1:17-cv-00770-JDW Document 230-6 Filed 10/05/23 Page 2 of 6 PageID #: 24054
`
`(19) United States
`(12) Reissued Patent
`Busley et al.
`
`US00RE48268E
`
`US RE48,268 E
`(io) Patent Number:
`(45) Date of Reissued Patent: Oct. 20, 2020
`
`(54) CONSTRUCTION MACHINE, IN
`PARTICULAR ROAD MILLING MACHINE,
`RECYCLER OR STABILIZER, AS WELL AS
`DRIVE TRAIN FOR CONSTRUCTION
`MACHINES OF THIS TYPE
`
`(71) Applicant: Wirtgen GmbH, Windhagen (DE)
`
`(72)
`
`Inventors: Peter Busley, Linz/Rhein (DE); Dieter
`Simons, Buchholz (DE)
`
`(73) Assignee: Wirtgen GmbH (DE)
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 15/934,603
`
`(22) Filed:
`
`Mar. 23, 2018
`Related U.S. Patent Documents
`
`8,408,659
`Apr. 2, 2013
`12/985,400
`Jan. 6, 2011
`
`Reissue of:
`(64) Patent No.:
`Issued:
`Appl. No.:
`Filed:
`U.S. Applications:
`(63) Continuation of application No. 11/918,247, filed as
`application No. PCT/EP2006/060907 on Mar. 21,
`2006, now Pat. No. 7,891,742.
`
`(30)
`
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`
`Apr. 15, 2005 (DE) ......................... 10 2005 017 754
`
`(51)
`
`Int. Cl.
`E01C 23/088
`E01C 23/12
`
`(2006.01)
`(2006.01)
`(Continued)
`
`(52) U.S. Cl.
`CPC ............ E01C 23/088 (2013.01); B60K17/02
`(2013.01); B60K17/04 (2013.01); B60K17/28
`(2013.01);
`
`(Continued)
`(58) Field of Classification Search
`CPC .... E01C 23/088; E01C 23/085; E01C 23/127;
`E01C 23/122; E21C 27/24; E21C 31/02;
`(Continued)
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`1,445,617 A 2/1923 Jehu
`3,414,327 A * 12/1968 Austin .................. E01C 23/088
`299/1.5
`
`(Continued)
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`AT
`CH
`
`397826 B
`7/1994
`606626 A5
`11/1978
`(Continued)
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`English translation of CH-606626-A5 accessed at <http://
`translationportal.epo.org/emtp/translate/?ACTION=description-
`retrieval&COUNTRY=CH&ENGINE=google&FORMAT=docdb
`&KIND=A5&LOCALE=en_EP&NUMBER=606626&OPS=ops.
`epo.org/3.2&SRCLANG=de&TRGLANG=en>.*
`(Continued)
`
`Primary Examiner — Peter C English
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm — Lucian Wayne Beavers;
`Patterson Intellectual Property Law, PC
`
`(57)
`ABSTRACT
`A construction machine, in particular road milling machine,
`recycler or stabilizer, with a machine frame (4) that is carried
`by a chassis (2) with a working drum (6) and a drive train
`(8) comprising at the least a drive engine (10), a traction
`mechanism (12) for the mechanical drive of the working
`drum (6) with a drive element, an output element and a
`traction element (30), a device (14) for switching the torque
`between the drive engine (10) and working drum (6), and
`device (16) for driving at least one hydraulic pump; it is
`provided that elements of the drive train (8) are divided into
`at least two groups, the first group (3) shows at least the
`drive engine (10), the second group (5) shows at least the
`drive element (11) of the traction mechanism, and where the
`first and the second groups (3, 5) are connected to one
`another via an articulated coupling device (20).
`
`39 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets
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`22
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`24
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`Case 1:17-cv-00770-JDW Document 230-6 Filed 10/05/23 Page 3 of 6 PageID #: 24055
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`US RE48,268 E
`
`1
`CONSTRUCTION MACHINE, IN
`PARTICULAR ROAD MILLING MACHINE,
`RECYCLER OR STABILIZER, AS WELL AS
`DRIVE TRAIN FOR CONSTRUCTION
`MACHINES OF THIS TYPE
`
`Matter enclosed in heavy brackets [ ] appears in the
`original patent but forms no part of this reissue specifica­
`tion; matter printed in italics indicates the additions
`made by reissue; a claim printed with strikethrough
`indicates that the claim was canceled, disclaimed, or held
`invalid by a prior post-patent action or proceeding.
`
`This application is a reissue of U.S. patent application Ser.
`No. 12/985,400 filed Jan. 6, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No.
`8,408,659, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application
`Ser. No. 11/918,247 entitled “Construction Machine, In
`Particular Road Milling Machine, Recycler Or Stabilizer, As
`Well As Drive Train For Construction Machines Of This
`Type”, of Busley et al., filed Oct. 11, 2007, now U.S. Pat.
`No. 7,891,742, which is a U.S. National Stage filing of
`PCT/EP2006/060907 having an international filing date of
`Mar. 21, 2006, which claims priority to DE 102005017754.9
`filed Apr. 15, 2005.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`The invention concerns a construction machine, in par­
`ticular a road milling machine, a recycler or a stabilizer, as
`well as a drive train for construction machines of this type.
`Construction machines of this type are known, for
`instance, from DE 10031195 Cl. The construction machine
`for working ground surfaces shows a chassis that carries a
`machine frame. A working drum is driven mechanically by
`a drive train that comprises a drive engine, a pump transfer
`case, a clutch and a belt drive. The direct mechanical drive
`of the working drum, which consists of a milling drum, can
`be engaged or disengaged again by means of the clutch.
`The support of the drive engine must be designed in a very
`stiff manner, as this is also the support for the belt pulley of
`the belt drive on the drive side relative to the machine frame.
`It is understood that a coaxial, rigidly supported arrange­
`ment of the shafts connecting the elements of the drive train
`is required and that, with regard to the belt drive, a rigid,
`track-aligned arrangement of the belt pulley on the drive
`side and on the output side is a basic requirement for the
`functional performance and long life of such a belt drive. A
`soft, elastic support is not feasible in particular for the reason
`that the belt pulley on the drive side is supported in a
`cantilevered manner. This means that the two supporting
`points of the support are located on one side of the belt
`pulley, with the belt pulley itself projecting freely on that
`side that lies opposite the support.
`Supporting the belt pulley on both sides is not desired
`because of the transport width of the machine that has to be
`adhered to. The stiff support of the drive train is disadvan­
`tageous in that vibrations from the drive engine are trans­
`mitted to the machine frame to a greater extent. The vibra­
`tions are not only unpleasant for the machine operator, in the
`form of the vibrations transmitted to him, but impair the
`working conditions because larger flat machine components
`like, for instance, hoods or tanks, are stimulated to sound
`vibrations that are disturbing during the operation of the
`machine.
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`2
`The effort to increase the performance results in an
`increased space requirement for the drive engine that needs
`to be accommodated within the pre-determined fixed trans­
`port width.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`The purpose of the invention is, therefore, to further
`develop a construction machine of the type first mentioned
`above, as well as a drive train for construction machines of
`that type, in such a manner that less vibrations from the drive
`engine are transmitted to the machine frame, with the drive
`train being sufficiently rigid at the same time to be capable
`of transmitting high mechanical power.
`The invention provides in an advantageous manner that
`the elements of the drive train are divided into at least two
`groups, that the first group shows, i.e. includes, at least the
`drive engine, the second group shows at least the drive
`element of the traction mechanism, and that the first and the
`second group are connected to one another via an articulated
`coupling device. Dividing the drive train into two groups
`makes it possible to support the groups of the drive train
`with different degrees of rigidity on the machine frame for
`the purpose of reducing the transmission of vibrations from
`the drive engine to the machine frame. The articulated
`coupling device between the first and the second group is
`capable of balancing the different vibrational behavior of the
`first group and the second group due to its articulation,
`without impeding a high transmission of power.
`In conclusion, this means that the support of the combus­
`tion engine, possibly with further elements of the drive train,
`in the first group may be considerably softer than the support
`of the elements of the drive train accommodated in the
`second group, which are to be attached to the machine frame
`in an as stiff manner as possible or in a rigid manner.
`The first group with the drive engine is attached to the
`machine frame elastically with low spring stiffness that
`damps the vibrations from the drive engine for the purpose
`of reducing the transmission of vibrations to the machine
`frame, and the second group is attached to the machine
`frame with high spring stiffness or in a rigid manner.
`Dividing the drive train into two groups makes it possible
`to achieve in an advantageous manner that, on the one hand,
`the one group that comprises the drive engine, preferably a
`combustion engine, is supported in a relatively soft manner
`at the machine frame, by way of which the vibrations from
`the drive engine that are transmitted to the machine frame
`are damped considerably, and that, on the other hand, the
`other group can be supported at the machine frame with high
`spring stiffness in a nearly rigid or rigid manner, by way of
`which higher forces are supported and higher outputs are
`transmittable as a result. In doing so, the first and the second
`group, which are attached to the machine frame with dif­
`ferent degrees of rigidity, are connected to one another via
`an articulated coupling device so that a slight dynamic axle
`offset and/or angular error of the output shaft of the first
`group with the drive engine is permissible vis-a-vis the drive
`shaft of the second group.
`In a preferred embodiment, it is provided that the first
`group comprises at least the drive engine and the device for
`driving at least one hydraulic pump, and the second group
`comprises the device for switching the torque and/or the
`support of a drive element of the traction mechanism on the
`drive side, preferably a belt drive. In this embodiment, the
`drive engine is coupled in a rigid manner with the device for
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`Case 1:17-cv-00770-JDW Document 230-6 Filed 10/05/23 Page 4 of 6 PageID #: 24056
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`US RE48,268 E
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`3
`driving the at least one hydraulic pump, and is supported
`together with that device elastically vis-a-vis the machine
`frame.
`The second group shows the device for switching the
`torque, by means of which the power flow can be inter­
`rupted, and/or the support of the drive element of the traction
`mechanism on the drive side. This second group may be
`attached to the machine frame in a rigid or at least nearly
`rigid manner.
`This embodiment offers the advantage that the device for
`driving the at least one hydraulic pump, which also gener­
`ates vibrations, can be supported together with the drive
`engine, preferably a combustion engine, in a soft manner in
`the first group of the drive train. This embodiment offers the
`additional advantage that, in spite of the drive train for the
`milling drum being disengaged, the hydraulic supply of the
`machine is ensured when the drive engine is running. Those
`elements of the drive train, however, that generate only
`slight vibrations are combined in the second group.
`In accordance with an alternative embodiment, it may be
`provided that the first group comprises at least the drive
`engine and the device for switching the torque, and the
`second group comprises the device for driving at least one
`hydraulic pump and/or the support of a drive element of the
`traction mechanism on the drive side.
`In accordance with yet another alternative embodiment, it
`is provided that the first group comprises at least the drive
`engine, and the second group comprises the device for
`driving the at least one hydraulic pump, as well as the device
`for switching the torque and/or the support of the drive
`element of the traction mechanism on the drive side.
`The articulated coupling device may be torsionally rigid.
`The articulated coupling device may, for instance, be a
`cardan shaft. Alternatively, the articulated coupling device
`may also be torsionally flexible and may, for instance, be an
`elastomeric coupling.
`The device for driving the at least one hydraulic pump and
`the device for switching the torque, as well as the support of
`the drive element of the traction mechanism on the drive side
`may form an entity that is jointly attached to the machine
`frame with high spring stiffness or in a rigid manner.
`The device for driving the at least one hydraulic pump
`may consist of a pump transfer case for several hydraulic
`pumps.
`The device for switching the torque is preferably arranged
`between the device for driving the at least one hydraulic
`pump and the drive element of the traction mechanism on
`the drive side.
`The transfer casing may show a gearbox casing with
`several hydraulic pumps arranged at an outer circumference
`of the gearbox casing, the said hydraulic pumps being
`capable of being jointly driven by means of the transfer case.
`The hydraulic pumps project from the gearbox casing,
`pointing towards the drive engine or pointing away from the
`drive engine. The coupling device extends in the interior
`space of the gearbox casing that is free from hydraulic
`pumps. The arrangement of the coupling device in the free
`interior space of the gearbox casing enables a compact
`design.
`In a preferred embodiment, it is provided that the coupling
`device permanently couples an output shaft of the drive
`engine with an input shaft of the device for driving the at
`least one hydraulic pump and/or an input shaft of the device
`for switching the torque. The arrangement of the coupling
`device in the radially inner intermediate space of the gear­
`box casing, which is free from hydraulic pumps, enables a
`compact design of the drive train, both in that case in which
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`the transfer case is a part of the first group, in which the
`hydraulic pumps point away from the drive engine, as well
`as in that case in which the transfer case forms the input
`element of the second group, in which the hydraulic pumps
`project in the direction of the drive engine.
`The coupling device permanently couples an output shaft
`of the drive engine, or of the first group, with an input shaft
`of the device for driving the at least one hydraulic pump, or
`an input shaft of the device for switching the torque, or of
`the second group.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`In the following, embodiments of the invention are
`explained in more detail with reference to the drawings. The
`following is shown:
`FIG. 1 a first embodiment of the invention in the example
`of a road milling machine,
`a second embodiment,
`FIG. 2
`a third embodiment,
`FIG. 3
`a fourth embodiment, and
`FIG. 4
`a side view of the embodiment in FIG. 4.
`FIG. 5
`FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross-section of a construction
`machine, and namely in particular a road milling machine,
`a recycler or a stabilizer with a working drum 6 that is
`supported in a machine frame 4. Alternatively, the working
`drum 6 may be supported in a drum housing that is in turn
`firmly attached to the machine frame or may also be sup­
`ported to pivot at a machine frame 4. The machine frame 4
`is carried by a chassis that is not depicted in the drawings.
`The working drum 6 may consist of, for instance, a milling
`drum. The working drum 6 of the construction machine is
`driven by a drive train 8 that shows at least the following
`elements:
`The drive train 8 includes a drive engine 10 that prefer­
`ably consists of a combustion engine.
`A traction mechanism 12 for the mechanical drive of the
`working drum 6 shows a drive element 11 that is coupled in
`a non-rotatable manner with an output shaft 17, and an
`output element 13 that is coupled in a non-rotatable manner
`with the drive shaft 15 of the working drum 6. A planetary
`gear may additionally be arranged between the drive shaft
`15 and the working drum 6.
`The traction mechanism 12 preferably is a belt drive
`where the drive and output elements 11, 13 consist of belt
`pulleys, with several drive belts 30 revolving around the said
`belt pulleys. Alternatively, the traction mechanism 12 may
`also consist of a chain drive, where the drive and output
`elements 11, 13 then consist of the corresponding sprockets.
`The drive train 8 further shows a device for switching the
`torque 14, which is arranged in the drive train 8 between the
`drive engine 10 and the working drum 6 and preferably
`consists of a clutch.
`The drive train 8 further includes a device 16 for driving
`hydraulic units, for instance, hydraulic pumps 18, where the
`said device 16 for driving hydraulic units is coupled with the
`drive engine 10.
`The entire drive train 8 is divided into at least two groups,
`with the first group showing at least the drive engine 10 and
`the second group showing at least the drive element 11 of the
`traction mechanism 12. The first and the second groups 3, 5
`are connected to one another mechanically via an articulated
`coupling device 20. The articulated coupling device 20
`transmits the power supplied by a not depicted output shaft
`of the drive engine 10 to the second group 5 of the drive train
`8.
`
`

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`Case 1:17-cv-00770-JDW Document 230-6 Filed 10/05/23 Page 5 of 6 PageID #: 24057
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`US RE48,268 E
`
`5
`In FIG. 1, the first group comprises the combustion engine
`10 only, which is coupled with the second group 5 via the
`coupling device 20. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the second
`group 5 comprises the device 16 for driving at least one
`hydraulic pump 18, namely a pump transfer case, the clutch
`14 and the belt pulley 11 of the belt drive 12.
`The combustion engine 10 is attached to the machine
`frame 4 by means of elastic spring/damping elements 22
`showing low spring stiffness, in such a manner that the
`vibrations occurring in particular in a combustion engine 10,
`as well as structure-home sound, are transmitted to the
`machine frame 4 to the smallest possible extent.
`The second group 5, on the other hand, is attached to the
`machine frame 4 by means of spring/damping elements 24
`showing high spring stiffness, so that the second group 5 is
`attached to the machine frame 4 in a nearly rigid manner.
`The different manner of support or attachment of the first
`and the second groups 3, 5 of the drive train 8 has the effect
`that, when in operation, the not depicted output shaft of the
`combustion engine 10 is not permanently in precise align­
`ment with the also not depicted input shaft of the pump
`transfer case 16, with the articulated coupling device 20
`balancing the dynamic misalignment occurring during
`operation without the flow of power in the drive train 8 being
`disturbed.
`As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5 the working drum 6 has a drum
`rotational axis which is the rotational axis of shaft 15. As
`also shown in FIGS. 1 and 5 the driven pulley 13 is also
`mounted on the shaft 15 and thus has a driven pulley
`rotational axis which is parallel and co-axial with the
`rotational axes of the working drum 6 and the shaft 15. As
`shown in FIGS. 1 and 5 the drive pulley 11 has a drive pulley
`rotational axis which is the rotational axis of the shaft 17 on
`which the drive pulley is mounted. As further shown in FIGS.
`1 and 5 the drive pulley 11 and the driven pulley 13 are
`aligned with each other in the direction that the drive belts
`30 extend, and the rotational axes of the drive pulley 11 and
`the driven pulley 13 are parallel to each other. And as is
`shown in FIG. 1 an output axis of the drive engine 10 is
`aligned with an input axis of the hydraulic pump drive
`device 16 and with an input axis of the drive pulley 11 prior
`to operation of the construction machine. The articulated
`coupling device 20 accommodates a lack of precise align­
`ment between the output axis of the drive engine 10 and the
`input axes of the hydraulic pump drive device 16 and the
`drive pulley 11 due to dynamic movement of the drive engine
`10 relative to the second group 5 during operation of the
`construction machine.
`Dividing the drive train and supporting the components of
`the drive train 8 in a different manner achieves that consid­
`erably less vibrations are transmitted from the combustion
`engine 10 to the machine frame 4. In this way, it is further
`prevented that laiger flat machine components are stimu­
`lated to sound vibrations that are disturbing during the
`operation of the machine.
`The articulated coupling device 20 may be torsionally
`rigid, and may consist of a cardan shaft.
`Alternatively, the articulated coupling device 20 may also
`be torsionally flexible, where the coupling device then
`consists of an elastomeric coupling.
`FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment, in which the first
`group 3 comprises the combustion engine 10 and the pump
`transfer case 16. As in the embodiment of FIG. 1, the pump
`transfer case 16 shows several hydraulic pumps 18 that
`axially project from the gearbox casing 26 of the pump
`transfer case 16, preferably in a circumferentially uniformly
`distributed manner.
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`A spur gear is arranged inside the pump transfer case,
`which jointly drives the individual hydraulic pumps. The
`arrangement of the hydraulic pumps 18 results in a central
`free interior space 28 between the hydraulic pumps 18, in
`which the coupling device 20 may extend which serves to
`connect the first and the second groups 3, 5 of the drive train
`8. This design of the pump transfer case 16 with a free
`interior space 28 enables the available space for arranging
`the drive train 8 across the width of the machine to be used
`in a better way, so that a more powerful combustion engine
`10 can be used due to the space-saving arrangement of the
`components of the drive train 8.
`In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the pump transfer case 16
`is also included in the first group, so that vibrations that
`might be coming from the pump transfer case can also be
`absorbed by the spring/damping [element] elements 22.
`The second group 5 is formed by the clutch 14 and the belt
`pulley 11 of the belt drive 12. By means of the coupling
`device 20, the power of the combustion engine is first
`transmitted to the clutch 14 and then to the belt pulley 11.
`As shown in FIG. 2 an output axis of the drive engine 10
`is aligned with an input axis of the clutch 14 and with an
`input axis of the drive pulley 11 prior to operation of the
`construction machine. The articulated coupling device 20
`accommodates a lack of precise alignment between the
`output axis of the drive engine 10 and the input axes of the
`clutch 14 and the drive pulley 11 due to dynamic movement
`of the drive engine 10 relative to the second group 5 during
`operation of the construction machine.
`Insofar as the drive belts 30 and the second belt pulley 13,
`which serves as output element, are also part of the drive
`train 8, it is to be stated that these are also supported rigidly
`vis-a-vis the machine frame 4, namely in that the second belt
`pulley 13 is arranged on the drive shaft 15 of the working
`drum 6.
`In a further, not depicted variant of the embodiment of
`FIG. 2, the pump transfer case 16 may be arranged on that
`side of the combustion engine 10 that lies opposite the
`coupling device 20, so that in this case the combustion
`engine 10 and the pump transfer case 16 also form the first
`group 3 of the drive train. This embodiment is advantageous
`when a good accessibility of the components of the drive
`train 8 is desired.
`In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the first group 3 of the drive
`train comprises the combustion engine 10 and the clutch 14.
`This embodiment also offers the advantage of a good usabil­
`ity of the available width of the machine frame 4.
`FIGS. 4 and 5 show an embodiment in which the first
`group 3 of the drive train 8 is formed by the combustion
`engine 10 that is coupled with the pump transfer case 16 via
`the coupling device 20. With the belt pulley 11 of the belt
`drive 12, the pump transfer case 16 forms the second group
`5 of the drive train 8, which is supported on the machine
`frame 4 in a rigid or nearly rigid manner.
`As can be seen from FIG. 5, the pump transfer case 16
`shows, for instance, six hydraulic pumps 18 that are
`arranged in a circular manner and with, for instance, the
`same mutual distance to one another around the output shaft
`17 of the second group 5 of the drive train 8.
`The clutch 14 is formed by the tensioning idler 32 of the
`belt drive 12, which can be actuated in the idling condition
`of the combustion engine 10. When the tensioning idler 32
`is in that position in which the drive belts 30 are tensioned,
`then the power of the combustion engine 10 can be trans­
`mitted to the working drum 6. When the tensioning idler 32
`is swivelled against the direction of the arrow that can be
`
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`US RE48,268 E
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`7
`seen in FIG. 5, then no power can be transmitted any longer,
`so that the tensioning device with the tensioning idler 32 can
`be used as a clutch.
`Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has
`been specifically illustrated and described herein, it is to be
`understood that minor variations may be made in the appa­
`ratus without departing from the spirit and scope of the
`invention, as defined by the appended claims.
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`8. The method of claim 1, wherein:
`in step (a)[, the subset of the components further includes
`the clutch component, and the hydraulic pump drive
`component, and wherein] the drive pulley of the trac­
`tion drive [component], the clutch component and the
`hydraulic pump drive component are jointly supported
`as a combined subset entity; and
`step (c) further comprises supporting the combined subset
`entity from the frame in the rigid manner or with the
`second spring stiffness.
`[9. The method of claim 1, wherein:
`in step (a), the subset of the components of the drive train
`further includes the clutch component and the hydraulic
`pump drive component, with the clutch component
`being located between the hydraulic pump drive com­
`ponent and the traction drive component.]
`10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
`operating the clutch component and thereby switching on
`and off [the] a torque from the drive engine component
`to the working drum.
`[11. The method of claim 1, wherein:
`in step (a), the clutch component is connected to the drive
`engine component, and the articulated coupling is
`located between the clutch component and the subset of
`the components of the drive train.]
`12. [The method of claim 1, wherein:] A method of
`operating a construction machine, the construction machine
`including a machine frame carried by a chassis, a working
`drum, and a drive train, the drive train including at least a
`drive engine component, a clutch component, a hydraulic
`pump drive component, and a traction drive for driving the
`working drum including a drive pulley, a driven pulley
`attached to the working drum, and a drive belt connecting
`the pulleys, the method comprising:
`(a) driving a subset of the components of the drive train
`from the drive engine component with an articulated
`coupling connected between the drive engine compo­
`nent and the subset of the components, the subset
`including at least the drive pulley of the traction drive
`and the clutch component;
`(b) supporting the drive engine component from the
`machine frame elastically with a first spring stiffness;
`and
`(c) supporting the subset of the components from the
`machine frame in a rigid manner or with a second
`spring stiffness being relatively higher than the first
`spring stiffness;
`wherein the drive engine component has an output axis
`aligned with an input axis of the clutch component and
`with an input axis of the drive pulley prior to operation
`of the construction machine;
`wherein in step (a), [the subset of the components of the
`drive train further includes the clutch component, and]
`the articulated coupling is connected between the
`hydraulic pump drive component and the subset of the
`components; and
`wherein in step (a) the articulated coupling accommo­
`dates a lack of alignment between the output axis of the
`drive engine component and the input axes of the clutch
`component and the drive pulley due to dynamic move­
`ment of the drive engine component relative to the
`subset of the components during operation of the
`construction machine.
`[13. The method of claim 1, wherein:
`the traction drive component includes a drive pulley, a
`driven pulley attached to the work drum, and a drive
`belt connecting the pulleys.]
`
`What is claimed is:
`1. A method of operating a construction machine, the
`construction machine including a machine frame carried by
`a chassis, a working drum, and a drive train, the drive train
`including at least a drive engine component, [a traction drive
`component for driving the working drum,] a clutch compo­
`nent, [and] a hydraulic pump drive component, and a
`traction drive for driving the working drum including a
`drive pulley, a driven pulley attached to the working drum,
`and a drive belt connecting the pulleys, the method com­
`prising:
`(a) driving a subset of the components of the drive train
`from the drive engine component with an articulated
`coupling connected between the drive engine compo­
`nent and the subset of the components, the subset
`including at least the drive pulley of the traction drive
`[component for driving the working drum], the clutch
`component and the hydraulic pump drive component,
`with the clutch component being located between the
`hydraulic pump drive component and the drive pulley,
`(b) supporting the drive engine component from the
`machine frame elastically with a first spring stiffness;
`and
`(c) supporting the subset of the components from the
`machine frame in a rigid manner or with a second
`spring stiffness[, the second spring stiffness] being
`relatively higher than the first spring stiffness;
`wherein the drive engine component has an output axis
`aligned with an input axis of the hydraulic pump drive
`component and with an input axis of the drive pulley
`prior to operation of the construction machine; and
`wherein in step (a) the articulated coupling accommo­
`dates a lack of alignment between the output axis of the
`drive engine component and the input axes of the
`hydraulic pump drive component and the drive pulley
`due to dynamic movement of the drive engine compo­
`nent relative to the subset of the components during
`operation of the construction machine.
`2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
`in step (a), accommodating movement of the drive engine
`component relative to the subset of the components of
`the drive train by articulation of the articulated cou­
`pling.
`3. The method of claim 1, wherein:
`step (c) further comprises rigidly supporting the subset of
`the components from the machine frame.
`4. The method of claim 1, wherein:
`in step (a) the articulated coupling is torsionally rigid.
`5. The method of claim 1, wherein:
`in step (a), the articulated coupling comprises a cardan
`shaft.
`6. The method of claim 1, wherein:
`in step (a), the articulated coupling is torsionally flexible.
`7. The method of claim 6, wherein:
`in step (a), the articulated coupling comprises an elasto­
`meric coupling.
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