GROUND CONTOURING APPARATUS

• US 20170362781A1
• Filed: 06/16/2016
• Published: 12/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Horace A. Thompson
• Original Assignee: Horace A. Thompson
• Inventors: THOMPSON, HORACE A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,174,464 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/236 Construction of the rolling elements, e.g. surface configuration, rolling surface formed by endless track
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/25 propelled by animals or vehicles E01C19/235 , E01C19/26 - E01C19/29 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 23/082 using non-powered tools

Abstract

An apparatus for contouring particulate material may include a frame and at least one drum rotatably mounted on the frame such that the drum rotates substantially freely with respect to the frame about a central longitudinal axis. The drum may have opposite inboard and outboard ends and an outer surface therebetween. At least one blade may extend about the drum and protrude outwardly from the outer surface of the drum, and the blade may have an outer edge with a radius measured from the central longitudinal axis in a plane oriented in perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis of the drum to the outer edge. The outer edge of the blade may have a helical shape and the radius of the outer edge may be less at the outboard end of the drum than the radius of the outer edge at the inboard end of the drum.

Claims

1. An apparatus for contouring particulate material on a ground surface, the apparatus having a centerline corresponding to an axis along which the apparatus is moved for contouring, the apparatus comprising:

a frame extending laterally with respect to the centerline;

at least one drum rotatably mounted on the frame such that the drum rotates substantially freely with respect to the frame about a central longitudinal axis of the drum, the at least one drum having opposite inboard and outboard ends and an outer surface therebetween;

at least one blade extending about the drum and protruding outwardly from the outer surface of the drum, the at least one blade having an outer edge with a radius measured from the central longitudinal axis in a plane oriented in perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis of the drum to the outer edge;

wherein the outer edge of the at least one blade has a helical shape and the radius of the outer edge is less at the outboard end of the drum than the radius of the outer edge at the inboard end of the drum.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the radius of the outer edge of the at least one blade tapers substantially uniformly smaller from one of the ends of the drum to an other one of the ends of the drum.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the outer surface of the at least one drum has a diameter and the diameter of the outer surface of the drum is less at the outboard end of the drum than the diameter of the outer surface at the inboard end of the drum.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the diameter of the outer surface of the drum tapers smaller substantially continuously from the inboard end of the drum to the outboard end of the drum.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one drum comprises a pair of drums extending in substantially opposite lateral directions with respect to the centerline of the apparatus.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one blade comprises at least two blades with each of the blades having a helical shape.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one blade comprises four blades with each of the blades having a helical shape.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein an inner end of the at least one blade is located toward the inboard end of the drum and an outer end of the blade is located toward the outboard end of the drum, the at least one blade extending substantially continuously between the inner end and the outer end.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the outer surface of the at least one drum is substantially between the inboard and outboard ends of the drum.

11. A system for contouring a road surface, the system comprising:

a vehicle;

an apparatus for contouring particulate material on the road surface, the apparatus having a centerline corresponding to an axis along which the apparatus is moved for contouring, the apparatus comprising;

a frame extending laterally with respect to the centerline;

at least one drum rotatably mounted on the frame such

that the drum rotates substantially freely with respect to

the frame about a central longitudinal axis of the drum,

the at least one drum having opposite inboard and

outboard ends and an outer surface therebetween;

a plurality of blades each extending about the at least one drum, the blades each having an outer edge with a radius measured from the central longitudinal axis in a plane oriented in perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis of the drum to the outer edge;

wherein the outer edge of each of the blades has a helical shape and the radius of the outer edge is less at the outboard end of the drum than the radius of the outer edge at the inboard end of the drum.

6. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the frame includes a central frame portion and a pair of lateral frame portions extending laterally from the central frame portion, the frame portions having opposite outside ends and being pivotally mounted on the central frame, each of the drums being mounted on one of the lateral frame portions;

wherein the frame additionally comprises a lift device mounted on the central frame portion and at least one of the lateral frame portions to selectively raise the outside end of that at least one lateral frame portion to thereby raise a portion of a said drum mounted on the at least one lateral frame portion.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the radius of the outer edge of each blade tapers substantially uniformly smaller from one of the ends of the drum to an other one of the ends of the drum.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the outer surface of the at least one drum has a diameter and the diameter of the outer surface of the drum is less at the outboard end of the drum than the diameter of the outer surface at the inboard end of the drum.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the diameter of the outer surface of the at least one drum tapers smaller substantially continuously from the inboard end of the drum to the outboard end of the drum.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the frame includes a central frame portion and a pair of lateral frame portions extending laterally from the central frame portion, the frame portions having opposite outside ends and being pivotally mounted on the central frame;

and

wherein the at least one drum comprises a pair of the drums, each of the drums being mounted on one of the lateral frame portions;

wherein the frame additionally comprises a lift device mounted on the central frame portion and at least one of the lateral frame portions to selectively raise the outside end of that at least one lateral frame portion to thereby raise a portion of a said drum mounted on the at least one lateral frame portion.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein an inner end of each blade is located toward the inboard end of the drum and an outer end of each blade is located toward the outboard end of the drum, the blades extending substantially continuously between the inner end and the outer end.