APPARATUS FOR TREATMENT OF SNOW AND ICE

• US 20080203187A1
• Filed: 04/02/2008
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Henderson Products, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Henderson Manufacturing, Inc.
• Inventors: Ward, Mart E., Ungerer, Glenn L., Smedstad, Randall L., Lueken, Scott G., Cabalka, David A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,662,422 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 239/104
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 2019/2075 with longitudinal conveyor belt
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 2019/208 with longitudinal auger
• CPC Class Codes: E01H 10/007 Mobile apparatus specially adapted for preparing or applying liquid or semi-liquid thawing material or spreading granular material on wintry roads

Abstract

A vehicle is disclosed which includes a chassis and a storage and dispensing apparatus. The storage and dispensing apparatus can be mounted directly to the chassis or disposed within or on a body, which in turn is mounted to the chassis. The storage and dispensing apparatus has an opening therein to permit material to be transported therethrough. A conveyor assembly for selectively conveying materials from the opening of the storage and dispensing apparatus is also included. The conveyor assembly can include a dual auger arrangement. The vehicle includes a spreader chute that is operably arranged with the conveyor assembly to direct the materials to a spreader. A liquid storage system for storing liquid is provided. A liquid dispensing system is provided for selectively dispensing liquid from the liquid storage system. The liquid dispensing system includes an anti-icing system for selectively dispensing liquid from the vehicle and a prewetting system for selectively dispensing liquid onto material being transported by the endless conveyor out of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a chassis;

a storage and dispensing apparatus, the storage and dispensing apparatus disposed upon the chassis, the storage and dispensing apparatus including a hopper for storing material, a conveyor assembly for selectively transporting material from the hopper, at least a portion of the conveyor assembly disposed within the hopper, a liquid storage system for storing liquid, and a liquid dispensing system for selectively dispensing liquid from the liquid storage system;

wherein the storage and dispensing apparatus includes front and rear ends, first and second side walls first and second common walls, a bottom, and an intermediate base, the front and rear ends, the first and second side walls, the first and second common walls, the bottom, and the intermediate base, defining a liquid containment vessel for the liquid storage system, the liquid containment vessel including first and second side sections disposed between the first side wall and the first common wall and the second side wall and the second common wall, respectively, and a connecting section disposed between the first and second side sections, the connecting section disposed between the bottom and the base.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising:

a body, the body being mounted to the chassis, the body comprised of front and rear ends, and first and second side walls, the storage and dispensing apparatus being disposed upon the body, the body being disposed between the chassis and the storage and dispensing apparatus.

3. The vehicle of claim 2 wherein the body is pivotally mounted to the chassis.

4. The vehicle of claim 2 wherein the storage and dispensing apparatus is disposed within the first and second side walls of the body.

5. The vehicle of claim 4 wherein the rear end of the storage and dispensing apparatus extends beyond the rear end of the body.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the conveyor assembly comprises a pair of augers in substantially parallel, spaced relationship to each other.

10. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the liquid containment vessel includes a plurality of braces disposed within the first and second side sections.

11. The vehicle of claim 10 wherein the braces each include a plurality of holes therein.

12. The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising:

an agitation system for mixing liquid stored within the liquid storage system.

13. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the liquid dispensing system includes a pre-wetting system and an anti-icing system.

14. The vehicle of claim 13 wherein the liquid dispensing system includes a liquid dispensing element.

15. The vehicle of claim 14 wherein the liquid dispensing element comprises a nozzle.

16. The vehicle of claim 13 wherein the liquid dispensing system includes a plurality of liquid dispensing elements which comprise nozzles.

21. The vehicle of claim 13 wherein the hopper includes a discharge chute, and the pre-wetting system includes a liquid dispensing element disposed in the discharge chute.

22. The vehicle of claim 21 wherein the liquid dispensing element comprises a nozzle.

23. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the storage and dispensing apparatus includes a plumbing cabinet for housing at least a portion of the liquid dispensing system.

24. The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising:

a control system for controlling the liquid dispensing system.

25. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the storage and dispensing apparatus includes a clean-out passage which is connected to the liquid storage system.

26. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the hopper includes an opening, and the storage and dispensing apparatus includes a plurality of grate screens for selectively covering the opening of the hopper.

27. The vehicle of claim 26 wherein the storage and dispensing apparatus includes an interlock system associated with the grate screens such that the interlock system selectively prevents the grate screens from moving.

6. (canceled)

8-9. -9. (canceled)

17-20. -20. (canceled)

28-65. -65. (canceled)