Self-propelled asphalt spreader

Abstract

An asphalt spreader mounted on its own ground supporting wheels including driven wheels which are power operated by means of a chain driven from a hydraulic motor operated by a pump driven by an engine mounted on the asphalt spreader. The asphalt spreader includes a heavy steel structure frame having a platform at the rear on which the operator stands and having a large movable asphalt bed separated from the operator's platform by a large vertical wall. The bed is selectively operable to be raised or lowered by means of hydraulic cylinders and the asphalt is distributed from the bed by means of an elongated opening at the back of the machine separated into two spaces each having a power driven helical conveyor mounted therein to distribute the asphalt through the exit opening. The operator platform is adjustable and is stabilized.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

Self-propelled machines and special vehicles mounted on wheels for distributing asphalt and the like. Vehicle spreaders.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Asphalt spreaders are well known in the art. One type is not self-propelled and is pushed by a truck or some other means of power. The self-propelled asphalt spreaders of the prior art present various problems such as the failure of the asphalt properly to be fed and distributed through the discharge openings in the machine and also since asphalt is usually very hot sometimes the operator is uncomfortable or the mechanisms of the spreader are exposed to excess heat causing trouble with the bearings and other parts of the machine. Furthermore, on some of the existing machines the controls are not easily manipulated and the response is not satisfactory. An important consideration with respect to spreaders of hot asphalt is the cost of construction and purchase price of such machines but still maintaining quality and dependability of operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of this invention is to provide a self-propelled asphalt spreader which properly distributes the hot asphalt for discharge and also provides easy and acceptable controls therefor.

Another object of this invention is found in the particular arrangement of the asphalt bed which can be elevated and the separate discharge openings each having its own helical conveyor.

Another advantage of this invention is found in the construction of the machine whereby the operator stands on a platform at the rear separated by a vertical wall from the hot bed of asphalt and the controls are shielded by the vertical wall.

Still another advantage of the present invention is found in the particular manner of supporting the ground support wheels and the drive wheel on the frame and for placing the elevating and control mechanism for the bed and the discharge openings with helical conveyors in connection with this arrangement.

Other and further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent upon reading the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present machine with the asphalt bed partially elevated.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the machine shown in FIG. 1 showing an asphalt truck in dotted lines.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the machine shown in FIG. 1 looking from the rear.

FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of a platform detail.

FIG. 5 is an elevation view of another detail.

FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view.

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the spreader shown in FIG. 1 with a portion of the bed broken away and with one end of the machine broken away.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along lines 8--8 in FIG. 7.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The machine is designated generally by reference numeral 10 and comprises a rectangular machine frame 12 of a generally open construction made from heavy metal plates including a front plate 14, side plate 16, and a rear plate 18 above which is a heavy metal vertical plate wall 20 separating the hot asphalt on the machine from the operator's location. The hot asphalt is distributed and discharged over a fixed, curved exit plate 21 from a pivoted asphalt bed designated generally by reference numeral 22 and pivoted on pivots 23.

The operator stands on an adjustable platform assembly and arrangement designated generally by reference numeral 24 and stabilized means of an adjustable arm assembly designated generally by reference numeral 26. Platform 24 is adjusted by means of a hydraulic cylinder and chain assembly 27.

Machine 10 is power driven from a gasoline motor 28 which drives respective pairs of ground supporting rubber tired wheels 30 through a hydraulic paver arrangement described later. The wheels 30 are mounted in side-by-side pairs on a common axle 32 and each wheel 30 is supported on a rigid longitudinal frame member 34 inside the framework of frame 12 by means of wheel shaft bearing assemblies 35 thereon. The respective pairs of wheels 30 are driven by means of a respective drive chain 38 for each front and rear pair of wheels 30 driving a sprocket 40 on each of the shafts 32 and being driven by chain 33 driving a sprocket 42 on a shaft 44 extending transversely across said frame 12 and being supported in shaft bearing assemblies 45. Sprocket 42 is driven from a sprocket 46 and a shaft 47 in bearing assemblies 48 and shaft 47 is driven by a sprocket 49 from a sprocket 50 on a shaft 51 of a hydraulic motor transmission unit 52.

There is a space below the wall 20 and within the frame 12 and above bottom 23 for distribution of the hot asphalt from the bed 22. The hot asphalt bed 22 comprises a generally, flat heavy metal plate 54 over the frame 12 and presenting the main asphalt bed on which each end thereof are slanting and elevated end plates 53 each having upstanding edges 55. The asphalt is distributed by elevating the entire bed 22 to raise it at the front thereby causing the asphalt to distribute into the opening below the wall 20 which is separated into two long openings 56, 58 each having a respective helical conveyor 60, 62 therein and each conveyor 60, 62 is mounted on its own shaft 64, 66 driven by means of a hydraulic pump 68 operating a respective hydraulic motor 70 driving each of the respective shafts 64, 66. Therefore, hot asphalt dumped into the spaces 56, 58, which are separated by means of a baffle wall 74 is conveyed by the respective conveyors 60, 62 along the spaces below the wall 20 and distributed out of the machine through respective gates 75, 76, and having the respective shafts 64, 66 supported and attached for movement, as shown in FIG. 8, by means of end plates 77 and each respective housing of the hydraulic motor 70 to the respective conveyors 60, 62 on a respective gate pivot 78 there is respective, selective movement of each respective gate 75, 76 and the respective helical conveyor 60, 62 attached thereto by means of a respective hydraulic cylinder rod 79 over the curved plate 21 which extends from bottom 23 and covers the rear part of the mechanism under the machine.

The operator's platform 24 comprises an angular steel frame member 80 and longitudinal frame members 82 covered by steel tread plate 84. The platform 78 is suspended from the main frame 12 by means of the support arm system 26 mentioned previously which comprises a lever arm 29 having one end connected to another second lever arm 88 which is pivotally mounted on the frame 78 at one end and pivoted at the other end to the lever 29. The other end of lever 29 has a member 89 pivoted to frame 12. Lever 29 has a pair of projections 90 supporting a bearing assembly 92 in which is mounted a shaft 94 on which is attached a control wheel 96 for turning the shaft 94 into bearing 92 and adjusting the lever arm 29 to adjust the elevation of the entire platform 78. There are identical lever arrangements 29 on opposite ends of the machine each supporting one end of the platform 78 in the manner shown in FIG. 3. Heavy steel plate wings 97 extend outwardly from the ends of wall 20. Platform 78 has a vertical steel plate wall 98 at one end thereof with a stairstep top 99 thereon attached to wall 20.

The asphalt bed 22 is raised and lowered by means of a pair of hydraulic piston and cylinder assemblies 100 each comprising a cylinder 102 and a piston rod 104 connected to the bottom side of the bed plate 54.

A bundle of hydraulic hoses 110 on both sides comprises individual hydraulic hose lines 112 each connected to a respective hydraulic element such as the motor 70, the hydraulic cylinders 102, hydraulic motor unit 52 which drive the respective shafts 44 to drive the wheels 30. The hydraulic lines 112 are controlled by means of individual valve control devices designated generally by reference numeral 118 having individual control handles 120 controlling conventional hydraulic valves 122 each of which has an input hydraulic line designated generally by reference numeral 124 leading from a large hydraulic motor 126 driving hydraulic pump arrangement 128 which is operated by the internal combustion engine.

The chain adjustment assembly 27 for platform 24 comprises large hydraulic cylinder 120 and a piston rod 132 connected at the bottom. Piston rod 132 has a bifurcated attachment bracket 134 carrying a pin and sprocket 136 over which is a chain 138 having one end attached to the platform 24 and the cylinder 130 attached to the machine frame 12. The platform 24 is adjusted by moving piston rod 132 and chain 138.

The operator's platform 24 has side plates 140 which are spaced from the sides 16 and determine the width of the asphalt being distributed and laid.

A hydraulic cylinder 144 inside frame 12 has a piston rod 146 connected to the curved plate 75 to selectively move the plate 75 from open to closed position and increments therebetween as shown in FIG. 8.

It is important to note the wheel 30 drive arrangements permit the location of the two hydraulic cylinders 100 close to one another on opposite sides of the center of the frame 12 for support of bed.

A fluid line 150 is connected to a combustible mixture outlet from the hydraulic pump arrangement 128 and is connected to a fitting arrangement 152 leading to a heater pipe 154 having a plurality of heater outlets or orifices therein. The pipe 154 runs along the edge of the operator's platform 24 close to the frame member 80 and when lit and ignited heats the asphalt. The operator's platform 24 has a joint 156 therein which allows the platform to bend about this joint. Supported on the frame members 80 and extending thereacross is a means for moving the two longitudinal frame members 82 of the platform 24 in the manner shown by the dotted lines in FIG. 5 and comprising a transverse screw connector 160 operated to move the ends 162 to which it is screw threaded to cause the ends 162 to move the tops 164 of members 80 inwardly or outwardly depending upon the direction of operation of a hand handle 166. This action causes the platform to assume a slanted condition leading from the outside edges at side plates 140 to the inside center line to determine the contour of the asphalt since the platform 24 edge acts as a scraper and shapes the surface of the asphalt being heated by the outlets in the pipe 154. The height of the asphalt is determined by the control of the levers 26 by the wheels 96 as mentioned previously. The width of the asphalt laid is controlled by the space of the side plates 140 and the distance therebetween.

Side plates 140 are controlled by separate hydraulic cylinders 172, 174 having telescopic rods 180 therein and the cylinders are attached at respective ends on the platform 24 to the side frame members which support the side plate 140 and the rod 180 is attached to the inside of the platform 24. The hydraulic cylinders 172, 174 have respective hydraulic lines 183 which lead to the controls 120 to be operated by the operator. Side plates 140 have slots therein which permit relative movement with the stationary parts on the machine 10. Thus, the lever arrangement 26 provides a means of raising and lowering the ends of the platform 20 as well as elevating the terminal and outer edge of the platform 78 to determine the height of the edge and the hydraulic cylinder 130 provides the control means for lifting the entire platform 24 for a greater and more pronounced distance upwardly or downwardly while the handle 26 may be actuated to control the movement of the opposite sides of the platform 24 about the center joint 156 thereby determining the slope and heat may be applied continuously through the pipe outlets in pipe 154.

While I have shown and described a particular embodiment of this machine together with a suggested mode of operation this is just to illustrate a preferred embodiment and since there are various alterations, changes, deviations, eliminations, substitutions, additions, revisions, omissions, and departures which may be made in the machine this is not to be construed as any sort of limitation on the scope of the machine as defined only by interpretation of the appended Claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine for distributing hot asphalt and the like wherein there is a machine structure comprising a machine frame having ground support wheels thereon, a movable bed mounted on the top of said frame and being movable to elevate same to distribute hot asphalt on said bed from the machine, said machine structure having a conveyor space defined by the machine structure on the frame through which the hot asphalt and the like is distributed, the improvement comprising:

a conveyor means operatively related to said machine frame and mounted for operation in said space, said conveyor directing the hot asphalt to respective sides of said frame, and out of said space, a pivoted gate on said machine operatively mounted on said machine frame to adjust the space from which said asphalt is distributed, said conveyor and said gate being operatively mounted on said machine frame for simultaneous movement on said machine frame whereby said conveyor is moved either toward or away from said movable bed when said gate is opened or closed to increase or reduce the space from which the asphalt is conveyed and to adjust said conveyor in said space.

2. The device claimed in claim 1 wherein there are at least two separate and independent conveyors operatively mounted on said frame in said space and at least one of said conveyors on each side conveying asphalt toward a respective side.

3. The device claimed in claim 1 wherein there are at least two conveyors operatively mounted on said frame in said space, said space being divided into at least two separate sections in which at least one of each of said conveyors is positioned, there being a respective gate for each of said conveyors separate and independent from the other gates, and means operatively mounted on said machine frame for causing simultaneous movement of said respective gate and the respective conveyor therewith when said gate is opened or closed.

4. The device claimed in claim 3: said conveyor and a respective gate being mounted together operatively on said frame for simultaneous movement.

5. The device in claim 3 wherein said conveyors are helical screw conveyors.

6. The device claimed in claim 4 wherein each respective conveyor has a respective power means connected thereto and said respective gate and said respective conveyor being mounted together for simultaneous movement independently of the other conveyors and gates.

7. The device claimed in claim 6 wherein said power means for said respective conveyors is a hydraulic motor and said conveyor has a shaft thereon which is driven by said hydraulic motor.