Hi there! I am trying to track down the history of X/Y joystick pilot control on excavators. Even historic info about X/Y mechanical linkage control is of interest. This should be something that applies on early fully hydraulic excavators, and it would help my research if someone could tell when the first fully hydraulic excavator appeared in North America. As far as I know, the German O&K's (Orenstein&Koppel) RH5 from 1961 was one of the first fully hydraulic in Europe but I do not know however it had hydraulic pilot control and/or X/Y control levers. Even French Poclain (Case today) was early out with fully Hydraulic excavators. So far I only have verified Swedish Åkerman H11 from 1965 with hydraulic pilot control on X/Y "joysticks". Thanks in advance Per Agesson, Port Angeles WA USA
Good day The very early Akermans had three port remote control valves the remaining circuit was controlled by foot pedals as you point out at the introduction of the H11B & H9 X-Y controls were introduced while the high volume market stayed with rods and pins. Kind regards Uffex
The later Deere 690B excavators came with pilot controls, not sure what years they were built. I would guess late '70s early '80s?
Thanks for your input Uffex and excavator! So Uffex, your opinion is the Åkerman probably was early and first out with pilot control on X/Y joysticks?
You know, there are different kinds of media for pilot control don't you? Air controls were out in the fifties for cranes. Link-Belt had the hydraulic pilots on their machines in the sixties. Bucyrus and Koehring had early pilot operated hydraulic excavators but I don't remember those time frames. The HC300 Poclains I worked on had pins and rods and they were mid seventies machines.
Thanks for input John C! Yes, I am well aware of air or pneumatic media får remote control. But did they use air for proportional control of hydraulic directional valves? Smaller proportional hydraulic valves are also direct operated with electric variable solenoids without any pilot hydraulics. Pneumatic brake systems work with proportional foot pedal and hand valves on big rig trucks and also on wheeled heavy equipment for logging, front loaders, dumpers, etc, etc. Will look into Link-Belts history "Pins and rods" we already had in the early/mid-sixties as well as this Åkerman H11 with pilot pressure controls that I mentioned in my OP.
A little reading material for you. HeavyEquipmentForums
Koehring used proportional air to hydraulic spools for the swing and boom up functions on the 666 excavator. Those were built in the sixties. I seem to recall the travel was proportional as well. The Link-Belt line machines had what was called a Speed-O-Matic system for the friction controls. It was a simple hydraulic system. The Sumitomo excavators that came here in the early seventies under the Link-Belt name were all pilot control. The 5400 and 5800 Link-Belt excavators were pilot controlled as well in the same time frame. I'm sure there were others as well. Drott had some pilot machines in the late seventies. The European logging machines went to electro-hydraulic machines in the late eighties and early nineties. Those were the first all computer controlled machines I had anything to do with.
This could be useful historic info. Will try to find more about it I worked for 25 years with Scandinavian CTL logging equipment. "electro-hydraulic machines" or EHC (Electro Hydraulic Control) was introduced around 1979-1980 in Kockums 84-31 and 85-32 forwarders. It was a BACHO directional valvistor valve and Olsberg electric control system. Olsberg works with HIAB today and deliver valve and controlsystem for HIAB truck cranes and I believe also KALMAR container stackers.
I ran into them on the Timberjack forwarders and single grip harvesters in the nineties. I didn't have to chase them, another guy at the dealership got that honor. I still see them around once in awhile. CTL kind of died out on the peninsula.
Good day During the late eighty's a Saab Aircraft engineer developed the first to my knowledge all electronic pilot control known as EMAC a number of machines were produced and maintained in the main in Scandinavia each hydraulic circuit had a removable card this enabled each circuit to be trimmed to meet preference. I had a document on this machine which must be what the future holds, I'm sure at this late stage many manufacturers are sitting with the same system nervouse to introduce this into the market. The machines I refer to were never put into full scale production, a customer came into financial difficulties and one machine was purchased into the UK needless to say I had a steep learning curve. This was documented on the web but I cannot find that today, I suspect Per has a good command of the Swedish language may be he can find that information. Kind regards Uffex
Opps missed to answer the question yes to my knowledge if not the first it was certainly a for runner the pilot pressure was 65 bars. double what present day machines used. The early machines had a cabin which was to narrow for the current pattern only when the cab was made wider did the X-Y become standard
During a quick search I came up with this fellow if you are interested at Maskinisten.net Osten Tordenmairn qoute Since I was involved in creating EMAC, it would be interesting to hear the experience of engineers who have used EMAC machines. Is there any machine left at all? It seems that when you hear about problems. I have received questions from other machine owners who have had other electronic problems with timer etc. But it would be fun to hear from an EMAC driver. We were very proud of what we did in the 70s and 80s. Östena! .
Some more history with the years
Wow Thanks Uffex! Found Östen's own story plus his entry into Maskinisten.net forum. Interesting story about EMAC which I never heard about before. Probably because my past is all about forestry and logging equipment. Are you also a member of Maskinisten forum?
That looks like an Akerman. I know when I was with the Volvo dealer, we supported them. Not clear on the relationship. I had 2 or 3 customers still running those "tanks" . Thanks for sharing that image.
Hi Per Yes but for me its slow to translate would like to contribute more but it is tricky not knowing the routine. Kind regards Uffex
Here is a link to 2 articles Östen TT has composed on his website. About the electronic department at Åkerman About EMAC I will see if I can run them through Google translate to see if the articles make sense in English
I will see if I can run them through Google translate to see if the articles make sense in English Here is the first article translated click here on my Google Drive link
Thanks very much that was the article I had lost some of those names ring bells for me. KR Uffex
Good day It may make interesting reading this may save you a job Per, memories of happy days
Thanks will read it Here is Östen's second article I translated click it here
The operator and technical manuals on my 79 show both styles (wobble and pilot).
Ran a Triple 6 for a couple days... back when the dinosaurs would try to steal your lunch. It seems in my foggy memory the bucket and dipper on that particular unit were on air toggles that were frustratingly slow to react. A little like leading a clay pigeon it was about selecting the control before the bucket arrived. The travel toggle was on the house bulkhead and seems after it was selected the swing lever became the travel lever. It was old then, a right hand cab and chain drive flat pad lower. It is the only excavator I have ever ran that had a main clutch. It had some serious grunt.