Method and apparatus for discharging paving materials on top of distributing auger

• US 5,533,828 A
• Filed: 02/16/1995
• Issued: 07/09/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Roadtec Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Astec Industries Incorporated (Johnson Crushers International)
• Inventors: Campbell, Thomas R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bagnell, David J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LISEHORA, JAMES
• Application Number:
  US08/389,257
• Time in Patent Office: 509 Days
• Field of Search: 404/101, 404/108, 404/110, 404/115, 404/75
• US Class Current: 404/75
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/174 Apparatus with pump-discharge
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/405 with spreading-out, levelling or smoothing means other than the tamping or vibrating means for compacting or smoothing, e.g. with screws for spreading-out the previously dumped material, with non-vibratory lengthwise reciprocated smoothing beam E01C19/407 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/48 for laying-down the materials and consolidating them, or finishing the surface , e.g. slip forms therefor, forming kerbs or gutters in a continuous operation in situ E01C19/002, E01C23/065 take precedence; devices for guiding or controlling the machines along a predetermined path E01C19/004
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/4853 Apparatus designed for railless operation, e.g. crawler-mounted, provided with portable trackway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 2301/10 Heated screeds
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 2301/30 Cabin details

Abstract

A paving machine discharges HMA or other paving materials directly on top of a distributing auger located between the paving material storage hopper and the screed. The distributing auger is then capable of remixing any partially segregated paving materials and of uniformly distributing the paving materials directly adjacent a previously-paved segment. Materials may be discharged on top of the distributing auger from a discharge opening of a gravity feed hopper located adjacent the distributing auger or from an inclined conveyor delivering materials from a more standard hopper mounted near the front end of the paving machine.

Claims

1. A paving machine comprising:

(A) a portable chassis having a rear;

(B) a gravity feed hopper mounted at said rear of said portable chassis;

(C) a distributing auger mounted on said portable chassis and extending transversely across said portable chassis;

(D) a compaction device, mounted on said portable chassis, for working paving materials into a mat; and

(E) a discharge means, having an inlet communicating with said gravity feed hopper and an outlet located directly above said distributing auger, for discharging paving materials directly on top of said distributing auger, said distributing auger being located between said gravity feed hopper and said compaction device,

wherein said gravity feed hopper feeds all paving materials stored therein to said discharge means without employing any internal conveyors and without the aid of any external conveyors.

2. A paving machine as defined in claim 1, wherein

(1) said gravity feed hopper is mounted on said portable chassis adjacent said distributing auger,

(2) said discharge means comprises a discharge chute of said gravity feed hopper, and

(3) said outlet comprises a discharge opening of said discharge chute.

3. A paving machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said distributing auger is located near the rear of said portable chassis, and further comprising a screed located behind said distributing auger and supported by said portable chassis.

4. A paving machine as defined in claim 1, wherein a sloping side of said gravity feed hopper is heated.

5. A paving machine comprising:

(A) a self propelled chassis;

(B) a gravity feed hopper mounted on said self propelled chassis;

(C) a distributing auger mounted on a rear portion of said self propelled chassis and extending transversely across said self propelled chassis;

(D) a screed located behind said distributing auger and supported by said self propelled chassis; and

(E) a discharge chute having an inlet opening into said gravity feed hopper and an outlet located directly above said distributing auger, for discharging paving materials directly on top of said distributing auger without guides,

wherein said gravity feed hopper feeds all paving materials stored therein to said discharge chute without employing any internal conveyors and without the aid of any external conveyors.

6. A paving machine as defined in claim 5, wherein

(1) said gravity feed hopper is located adjacent said distributing auger, and

(2) said outlet comprises a discharge opening of said discharge chute.

7. A paving machine as defined in claim 5, wherein a sloping side of said gravity feed hopper is heated.

8. A method comprising:

(A) storing paving materials in a gravity feed hopper mounted at the rear of a mobile chassis;

then

(B) discharging said paving materials from a discharge device directly on top of a distributing auger extending transversely across said mobile chassis;

then

(C) distributing said paving materials onto a surface to be paved using said distributing auger; and

then

(D) working said paving materials into a mat,

wherein said paving materials stored in said gravity feed hopper are fed to said discharge device without employing any internal conveyors and without the aid of any external conveyors.

9. A method as defined in claim 8, wherein

(1) said gravity feed hopper is located adjacent said distributing auger, and

(2) said discharging step comprises feeding said paving materials by gravity directly from said gravity feed hopper on top of said distributing auger.

10. A method as defined in claim 8, wherein said distributing auger is located near a rear end of said mobile chassis and is positioned closely adjacent an end of a previously-paved surface segment, and further comprising propelling said mobile chassis forwardly away from said previously-paved segment during said discharging and distributing steps.

11. A method as defined in claim 10, wherein said distributing step comprises distributing said paving materials closely adjacent said previously-paved segment.

12. A method as defined in claim 8, wherein substantially all of said paving materials are remixed during said distributing step.

13. A method as defined in claim 8, further comprising working said paving materials into a mat after said distributing step using a screed mounted on said mobile chassis.

14. A method as defined in claim 8, further comprising heating paving materials in said gravity feed hopper with a sloping side of said gravity feed hopper that is heated.