Self-propelled paver

• US 3,901,616 A
• Filed: 07/22/1974
• Issued: 08/26/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kenneth J. Greening
• Original Assignee: Kenneth J. Greening
• Inventors: Greening, Kenneth J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stein, Mervin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hawkins, Steven
• Application Number:
  US05/490,318
• Time in Patent Office: 400 Days
• Field of Search: 404/83,85,101,102,118 280/14.5B 180/24.02
• US Class Current: 404/102
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/4873 Apparatus designed for railless operation

Abstract

An asphalt paver has a suspension which, in normal use, applies much of the paver weight to the screed, but includes a provision for forwardly tilting on bogie assemblies, to raise the screed and spreading auger for highway travel. Main suspension frames are mounted beneath the hopper on trunnions and extend rearwardly to mount wheels aft of the center of gravity of the paver but forward of its lateral spreading auger. When jacks are operated downward to bear on the rear portions of the bogie suspension frames, they shift its weight distribution forward and lift the screed and spreading auger to permit highway travel.

Claims

1. A self-propelled paver for asphaltic materials and the like, of the type having suspended components including hopper, lateral material spreading means, and a rear compactor screed on which part of the weight is borne during paving, characterized in having a powered suspension adapted alternatively for paving use, in which the compactor screed bears a substantial portioN of the weight, and for highway travel in which it is raised from the pavement, said suspension comprising levered assemblies at the left and right sides of the paver and mounted pivotally thereto along a common lateral axis forward of the center of gravity, each said levered assembly comprising a plurality of rotatable drive members and including a longitudinally-extending suspension frame having trunnion means to mount to such common lateral axis, and having an axis forward thereof and a rearward axis aft of the center of gravity of the paver, a forward drive member assembly pivotally mounted at said forward axis and a rear drive member mounted at said rear axis, motor means and a power source therefor, chain and sprocket drive means driven thereby connecting said drive members for rotation at the same driving speed, and powered actuator means, operating between the suspension frame and the suspended portions of the paver, to tilt the suspended portions on the trunnion means and raise the rear portions thereof relative to the rear portion of the bogie suspension frame, whereby to permit highway travel.

2. A self-propelled paver as defined in claim 1, wherein said forward drive member assembly includes a carriage frame rockably mounted on said forward axis of the suspension frame and including, respectively forwardly and aft of said forward suspension frame axis, a front axle and a second axle on which rotatable drive members are mounted.

3. A self-propelled paver as defined in claim 1, in which the motor means are secured to and directly drive the drive members of said forward assembly, the sides of said hopper paver have rear portions sloping inward to an offset and beneath which are accommodated the rear portions of the suspension frames, the rear drive members, and means to drive same.

4. A self-propelled paver as defined in claim 1, in which said motor means are hydraulic, and said powered actuator means and hydraulic jacks acting downwardly onto rear portions of the bogie suspension frames.

5. A paver for asphaltic materials and the like, comprising suspended components including a hopper having a bottom sloping downward and aft, and having side walls including inward offset junctures with the bottom wall, and having a gate between said inward offset junctures, a material discharge section aft thereof including a spreading auger extending laterally outward of said junctures and means to rotate same when the paver is moved forward, a compactor screed rearwardly thereof on which part of the paver weight is borne during paving, together with a suspension adapted alternatively for paving use, in which the compactor screed bears a substantial portion of said weight, and for highway travel in which it is raised from the pavement, said suspension comprising levered assemblies at the left and right sides of the paver and mounted pivotally thereto along a common lateral axis forward of the center of gravity, each said levered assembly comprising a plurality of rotatable drive members and including a longitudinally-extending suspension frame having trunnion means to mount to such common lateral axis, and having a forward portion including an axis forward of said common axis and a rear portion including a rearward axis aft of the center of gravity of the paver, forward rotatable support means mounted at said forward axis, rear rotatable support means mounted at said rearward axis forwardly of the spreading auger and between the paver sides and said inward offset junctures, and elevating jack means, operating downwardly from the suspended components of the paver onto rear portions of the bogie suspension frames, to tilt the suspended components forwardly on the trunnion means, whereby to raise the screed and spreading auger for highway travel.

6. For use with a vehicle normally supported on one side of its center of gravity by a surface-bearing componEnt, a suspension adapted normally to provide support at the opposite side of the center of gravity, and alternately to raise said surface-bearing component and support the entire vehicle, comprising a levered suspension frame having trunnion means pivotally mounted on a lateral axis on such opposite side of the center of gravity, and having forwardly thereof a forward rotatable support member, the suspension frame extending to a point aft of the center of gravity and there having a rear rotatable support member, whereby in normal operation that portion of the suspended weight of the vehicle reacted at said trunnion means will be pivotally divided between the rotatable support members forward and aft of said trunnion means, together with powered actuator means, operating between said suspension frame and the suspended portions of the vehicle, to raise said surface-bearing component from the surface and, in combination with the trunnion means, to fix the angular position of the suspension frame relative to the trunnion means, whereby to cause the suspension frame to bear the entire suspended weight of the vehicle.