U.S. patent application number 11/534493 was filed with the patent office on 2007-03-22 for self propelled remix machine with conveyor.
This patent application is currently assigned to CEDARAPIDS, INC.. Invention is credited to Vince Egan, Joseph E. Musil.
Application Number | 20070065230 11/534493 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37884313 |
Filed Date | 2007-03-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070065230 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Musil; Joseph E. ; et
al. |
March 22, 2007 |
Self Propelled Remix Machine with Conveyor
Abstract
A dedicated self-propelled auger type remix machine with an
elevating conveyor permanently coupled thereon.
Inventors: |
Musil; Joseph E.; (Ely,
IA) ; Egan; Vince; (Norwood, CO) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SIMMONS PERRINE PLC
THIRD FLOOR TOWER PLACE
22 SOUTH LINN STREET
IOWA CITY
IA
52240
US
|
Assignee: |
CEDARAPIDS, INC.
909 17TH STREET NE
CEDAR RAPIDS
IA
|
Family ID: |
37884313 |
Appl. No.: |
11/534493 |
Filed: |
September 22, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11382441 |
May 9, 2006 |
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11534493 |
Sep 22, 2006 |
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10605249 |
Sep 17, 2003 |
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11534493 |
Sep 22, 2006 |
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60596447 |
Sep 23, 2005 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
404/108 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E01C 2301/04 20130101;
E01C 19/48 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
404/108 |
International
Class: |
E01C 19/18 20060101
E01C019/18 |
Claims
1. A remix machine comprising: a chassis having a front end and a
rear end; a hopper disposed on said chassis at said front end; a
driver station comprising a driver seat and a steering wheel; said
driver station disposed on said chassis at said rear end; an engine
and drive train coupled to said hopper and configured to provide
propulsion of said hopper, said chassis and said driver station
when said hopper is filled with road paving material and said
driver station is occupied by a driver; means for moving paving
material from said hopper toward said rear end, such that said
paving material is not dribbled below said tractor as a material
conveyor loops underneath said tractor; and, a coupling means
coupled to said chassis and toward said rear end, said coupling
means configured to receive an elevator thereon.
2. A remix machine of claim 1 wherein said coupling means is for
permanently coupling.
3. A remix machine of claim 2 wherein the elevator is a
conveyor.
4. A method of remixing HMA comprising the steps of: providing a
remix machine with a hopper and an elevator; driving the remix
machine so as to be within a predetermined proximity to a source of
HMA; depositing HMA into the hopper, remixing the PA and delivering
the remixed HMA via the elevator to a piece of road building
equipment.
5. A method of claim 4 wherein said elevator is a swinging and
pivoting conveyor.
6. A remixing and transfer system comprising: a machine comprising:
a chassis having a front and a rear end; a container for receiving
and containing road hot mix asphalt paving material, disposed at
and coupled to said front end; means for moving said hot mix
asphalt paving material from said container to said rear end; an
engine, coupled to said chassis, for providing motive force to
propel said remix machine; said chassis comprising a connection
point; and an elevator coupled to the connection point.
7. A machine of claim 6 wherein the elevator is permanently coupled
to the connection point.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part application of an
application by Joseph E. Musil and Vince Egan, on May 09, 2006,
having Ser. No. 11/382,441, entitled "A FRAME RAISING MULTI-USE
PAVING TRACTOR WITH BLIND MATEABLE QUICK CONNECTING TOOL
ATTACHMENTS" which is a continuation in part of an application
filed on Sep. 17, 2003, b Joseph E. Musil and Vince Egan, having
Ser. No. 10/605,249 entitled "MULTI-USE PAVING TRACTOR WITH TOOL
ATTACHMENTS", both of which applications are incorporated herein in
their entirety by these references. This application further claims
the benefit of the filing date of provisional application filed
Sep. 23, 2005 and having Ser. No. 60/596,447, entitled SELF
PROPELLED REMIX MACHINE WITH CONVEYOR.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] In the past, road paving equipment designers have endeavored
to improve the functionality of road pavers. U.S. Pat. No.
6,007,272 is an example of an improved paver with mixing
capabilities. While such improvements have been made to remixing
capabilities of pavers, they remain a single use machine. Most
paving contractors will have a paver, a road widener and some means
for transferring the mix to the paver and road widener, all of
which are independent machines.
[0003] Others have used independent mix transfer machines.
[0004] While these approaches of using independent remix pavers and
HMA plants, etc. have been used extensively in the past they do
have some drawbacks. First of all, the remix paver is limited in
use to paving. Secondly, a mix transfer machine is very large and
creates HMA, not remixes it.
[0005] Consequently, there exists a need for improved methods and
systems for deploying a remix machine to be used in conjunction
with other paving equipment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] It is an object of the present invention to provide a system
and method for deploying multiple paving equipment tools in an
efficient manner.
[0007] It is a feature of the present invention to utilize a
multi-use paving tractor.
[0008] It is an advantage of the present invention to reduce the
cost of owning a group of paving tools.
[0009] It is another advantage to permit multiple paving equipment
tools to be stored in a smaller space.
[0010] It is yet another advantage to permit reduced transportation
costs in moving several paving tools to a job site.
[0011] The present invention is an apparatus and method for
deploying multiple paving tools, designed to satisfy the
aforementioned needs, provide the previously stated objects,
include the above-listed features, and achieve the already
articulated advantages. The present invention is carried out in a
"redundant hardware-less" manner in a sense that the need to own,
maintain and transport multiple paving hoppers, remixing equipment
and propulsion mechanisms for a group of road paving tools, has
been eliminated.
[0012] Accordingly, the present invention is a system and method
including a paving tractor with a capability for readily connecting
and disconnecting a road paving tool thereto.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] The invention may be more filly understood by reading the
following description of the preferred embodiments of the
invention, in conjunction with the appended drawings wherein:
[0014] FIG. 1 is an elevation view of the remix transfer machine of
the present invention, with a partial cut-away portion to reveal a
plurality of augers.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0015] Now referring to the drawing wherein like numerals refer to
like matter throughout, and more specifically referring to FIG. 1,
there is shown a remix machine of the present invention, generally
designated 100, which includes a hopper and mixing apparatus 101, a
conveying shaft 102, auger 109, driver station 120, driver seat
122, steering wheel 124, engine 126, chassis 127 and drive train
128. Items 101, 102, 109, 122, 124, 126, 127 and 128 are preferably
similar or identical to components of prior art remixing road
pavers such as described in the above-referenced U.S. patent and
the prior art road paver manufactured by Cedarapids, Inc. of Cedar
Rapids, Iowa. Engine 126 is drawn as a simple block, but it may
include numerous related systems and/or components not limited to
components of a hydraulic pump and system, an electrical system and
other systems.
[0016] As shown is an HMA mix transfer tool, generally designated
200, which includes an elevator assembly 205, which collects
remixed HMA from the rear of conveying shaft 102 and hopper and
mixing apparatus 101, and elevates the HMA. Elevator assembly 205
includes elevator assembly lower connecting floor 206, which seals
the elevator assembly 205 to the rear of the conveying shaft 102.
Elevator assembly lower connecting floor 206 is where the HMA is
collected prior to being elevated above the conveying shaft 102 by
the elevator assembly 205. Elevator assembly slat conveyor 207 is
shown disposed in elevator assembly 205. It should be understood
that the depicted arrangement of elevator assembly 205 is a
preferred embodiment of the present invention. Alternate means and
methods of elevating the HMA could be employed, such as augers,
pumps and pipes or hoses, etc. The purpose of elevator assembly 205
is to collect the HMA and deliver it to swinging slat conveyor 209.
However, it should be understood that elevator assembly 205 or its
alternate means could be adjustable vertically and radially so as
to eliminate the need for swinging slat conveyor 209.
[0017] In this preferred embodiment, swinging slat conveyor 209 is
a vertically and radially adjustable conveyor which can be swung to
the right or the left upon swinging slat conveyor pivot support
211, which can be a hinge or other pivot support. Swinging slat
conveyor 209 includes a swinging slat conveyor interior chain
assembly 208 and a swinging slat conveyor raising mechanism 210.
Swinging slat conveyor raising mechanism 210, if mounted to a side
of remix machine 100, can both raise swinging slat conveyor 209 and
swing swinging slat conveyor 209 right and left as needed. Swinging
slat conveyor raising mechanism 210 can be a hydraulic cylinder, a
cable/winch system or other system for lifting and swinging the
swinging slat conveyor 209.
[0018] Swinging slat conveyor pivot support 211 is preferably a
permanently fixed support for pivoting about a horizontal axis and
a vertical axis. A rotational coupling or independent orthogonal
pivot could be used to enable swinging slat conveyor 209 to be both
raised and swung as needed.
[0019] In operation, the apparatus and method of the present
invention as described in FIG. 1, could function as follows:
[0020] Firstly, a remix machine 100 is provided which accepts HMA
in a hopper and mixing apparatus 101 and transports it rearward via
conveying shaft 102.
[0021] HMA mix transfer tool 200 elevates the HMA for delivery to
another piece of paving equipment.
[0022] Throughout the above description, HMA is described as the
material to be used. It should be understood that the present
invention is directed to any type of road surface. It is believed
that recycled asphalt products could be used, cold mix asphalt, and
even in certain applications with any appropriate modifications,
concrete could be the paving material. Hopper and mixing apparatus
101 may comprise a rectangular box or an angled rectangular or
circular bin or any shaped container and material mixing and
transfer apparatus which is suitable for the paving material being
used.
[0023] It is thought that the method and apparatus of the present
invention will be understood from the foregoing description and
that it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the
form, construct steps, and arrangement of the parts and steps
thereof, without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention or sacrificing all of their material advantages. The form
herein described is merely a preferred exemplary embodiment
thereof.
* * * * *