Hopper device for material spreader having a multi-positionable cover

• US 4,261,520 A
• Filed: 11/09/1979
• Issued: 04/14/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Louis Berkman Company
• Original Assignee: Meyer Products LLC
• Inventors: Hetrick, Vernon L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kashnikow, Andres
• Application Number:
  US06/093,132
• Time in Patent Office: 522 Days
• Field of Search: 239/657, 239/675, 239/676, 414/489, 414/526, 222/148, 222/328, 222/413, 222/609, 222/626, 222/181
• US Class Current: 239/657
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/203 Centrifugal spreaders with substantially vertical axis

Abstract

A device for spreading particulate material from a vehicle mounted dump bed includes a hopper device mounted transversely across a material discharge end of the dump bed and a broadcast spreader beneath one end of the hopper device. The hopper device includes first and second spaced end walls, a fixed back wall between the end walls, and an elongated auger extending between the end walls arranged to be rotated about an axis parallel to the back wall. Rotation of the auger causes particulate material entering the hopper device to be moved toward one end wall beneath which the broadcast spreader is located. Spreading through, dumping over, and cleaning of the hopper device are possible as a result of an independent cover member extending between the end walls and movable between three corresponding positions. Support of the cover member relative to the hopper device is provided by a series of latching pins through each of the end walls and into portions of the cover member with one pin connection allowing movement of the cover member into a generally upstanding position for cleaning of the hopper device.

Claims

1. In a hopper device adapted to be mounted transversely across the material discharge end of a vehicle to spread particulate material over a roadway being traveled by said vehicle, said hopper device having fixed first and second spaced end plates with upper portions, a fixed back wall connected between said end plates, an elongated auger extending between said end plates, means for rotating said auger about an axis generally parallel to said back wall for conveying said material toward said first end plate, the improvement comprising:

an independent cover member having opposite edges and extending between said end plates, said cover member having a first wall normally forming a bottom of said hopper with a discharge opening and second wall generally perpendicular to said first wall, said second wall having an outboard edge;

each edge of said cover member having a first receptacle adjacent said outboard edge and a second receptacle spaced from said first receptacle;

each said end plate having first, second and third spaced apertures therethrough with said first aperture adjacent said upper portion;

said cover member being releasably secured to said hopper in a spreading position with said first wall forming a front and said second wall forming a bottom of said hopper by a first mounting arrangement, in a dumping position forming a top of said hopper by a second mounting arrangement, and in a cleaning position exposing said auger by a third mounting arrangement;

said first mounting arrangement including pin means extending through said first apertures into said first receptacles and through said second apertures into said second receptacles for fixedly and axially securing said cover member;

said second mounting arrangement including pin means extending through said second apertures into said second receptacles and through said third apertures into said first receptacles for fixedly and axially securing said cover member;

said third mounting arrangement including pin means extending only through said first apertures into said edges of said cover adjacent said first receptacles for pivotally and axially securing said cover member whereby said cover member is pivotally movable between a first position with said cover member depending downward from said outboard edge and a second position with said cover member extending upward above said end plates toward said back wall from said outboard edge.

2. The improvement according to claim 1 including an auger cover plate adjacent said first end plate and aligned with said discharge opening, said cover plate having a first edge secured to said back wall generally parallel to said auger axis and a second end extending over said auger, said cover member having a stop means engageable with said cover plate for holding said cover plate spaced above said auger when said cover member is in said spreading position.

3. The improvement according to claim 1 including stop means for limiting movement of said second wall of said cover member toward said back wall when said cover member is in said spreading position.

4. The improvement according to claim 1 including stop means for limiting movement of said cover member toward said back wall when said cover member is in said cleaning position.

5. The improvement according to claim 1 wherein said cover member moves over center when extending upwardly above said end plates toward said back wall into the cleaning position.

6. The improvement according to claim 1 wherein corresponding ones of said first, second and third apertures are horizontally aligned in said end plates.

7. The improvement according to claim 6 wherein corresponding ones of said first and second receptacles are horizontally aligned in the side edges of said cover member.

8. The improvement according to claim 1 including pin means extending through said second apertures into said second receptacles for pivotally axially securing said cover member whereby said cover member is pivotally movable between said spreading and dumping positions.

9. The improvement according to claim 1 wherein said third mounting means pivotally mounts said cover member for movement between said spreading and cleaning positions.

10. A method of releasably mounting an independent cover member to a hopper device adapted to be mounted transversely across the material discharge end of a vehicle to spread particulate material over a roadway being traveled by said vehicle, said hopper device having fixed first and second spaced end plates with upper portions, a fixed back wall connected between said end plates, an elongated auger extending between said end plates, means for rotating said auger about an axis generally parallel to said back wall for conveying said material toward said first end plate, said cover member extending between said end plates and having a first wall normally forming a bottom of said hopper with a discharge opening, a second wall generally perpendicular to said first wall with an outboard edge, and opposite edges, the method comprising the steps of:

providing each edge of said cover member with a first receptacle adjacent said outboard edge and a second receptacle spaced from said first receptacle;

providing each said end plate with first, second and third spaced apertures, said first aperture being adjacent said upper portion;

releasably securing said cover member to said hopper in one of a spreading position with said first wall forming a front and said second wall forming a bottom of said hopper, a dumping position forming a top of said hopper, and a cleaning position exposing said auger and hopper;

extending pin means through said first apertures into said first receptacles and through said second apertures into said second receptacles to fixedly axially secure said cover member in said spreading position;

extending pin means through said second apertures into said second receptacles and through said third apertures into said first receptacles to fixedly axially secure said cover member in said dumping position; and

, extending pin means only through said first apertures into said first receptacles to pivotally axially secure said cover member whereby said cover member is pivotally movable between a first position corresponding to said spreading position with said cover member depending downward from said outboard edge and a second position corresponding to said cleaning position with said cover member extending upward above said end plates toward said back wall from said outboard edge.

11. The method according to claim 10 including limiting the pivoting of said cover member upward above said end plates toward said back wall by a stop means.

12. The method according to claim 10 including moving said cover member over center when pivoted upward above said end plates toward said back wall.

13. The method according to claim 10 wherein providing said first and second receptacles in the edges of said cover member includes horizontally aligning corresponding ones of said first and second receptacles.

14. The method according to claim 13 wherein providing said first, second and third apertures in said end plates includes horizontally aligning corresponding ones of said first, second and third apertures.

15. The method according to claim 10 including extending pin means through said second apertures into said second receptacles to pivotally axially secure said cover member whereby said cover member is pivotally movable between said spreading and dumping positions.