Sandbag-filling apparatus

• US 5,873,396 A
• Filed: 12/11/1996
• Issued: 02/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sandbag Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sandbag Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Biebrach, James R., Kwaterski, Kevin J.
• Primary Examiner(s): JACYNA, J CASIMER
• Application Number:
  US08/763,806
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: 141/10, 141/231, 141/313, 141/317, 141/351, 141/360-362, 298/7, 222/415, 222/626, 222/627, 414/507, 414/518, 414/519
• US Class Current: 141/231
• CPC Class Codes: E01H 10/00 Improving gripping of ice-bound or other slippery traffic surfaces, e.g. using gritting or thawing materials ; Roadside storage of gritting or solid thawing materials; Permanently installed devices for applying gritting or thawing materials; Mobile apparatus specially adapted for treating wintry roads by applying liquid, semi-liquid or granular materialstreatment of dispersed oil or similar pollution on roads E01H1/001; roughening ice by means of tools E01H5/12; applying de-icing agents to rails E01H8/10; thawing materials C09K3/18; by constructional features E01C11/24 ; apparatus for distributing granular materials for road building purposes E01C19/20
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 5/22 for making embankments; for back-filling in combination with trench excavators E02F5/12
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 7/04 Loading devices mounted on a dredger or an excavator loading devices in general B65G hopper dredgers, also equipment for unloading the hopper

Abstract

A vehicle comprising a motor for providing drive power to the vehicle, a hydraulic system powered by the motor, a container for containing a bulk quantity of fluent matter, and matter-dispensing apparatus comprising the hopper for receiving fluent matter from the container, a selectively operable transfer mechanism for transferring fluent matter from the container to the hopper, and an actuator disposed proximately to the hopper, the actuator being operatively associated with the transfer mechanism by the hydraulic system such that the transference of fluent matter from the container to the hopper is controlled by the actuator.

Claims

1. A vehicle for delivering fluent matter to an application site and filling a plurality of deformable receptacles with said fluent matter, said vehicle comprising:

a motor in communication with a drive train for providing drive power to said vehicle;

a hydraulic system powered by said motor;

a container for containing a bulk quantity of said fluent matter therein; and

matter-dispensing apparatus including;

a hopper for receiving said fluent matter from said container and guiding said fluent matter into one of said plurality of receptacles;

a selectively operable transfer mechanism for transferring said fluent matter from said container to said hopper; and

an actuator disposed proximately to said hopper, said actuator being operatively associated with said transfer mechanism by said hydraulic system such that said transference of fluent matter from said container to said hopper is controlled by said actuator,

wherein said actuator includes an actuator ring having two positions, a switch having an on position and an off position corresponding to said two positions, and a valve in communication with said hydraulic system, said valve having a first and second position, wherein toggling said actuator ring between its two positions correspondingly toggles said switch between its on and off positions and said valve between its first and second positions, said toggling of valve positions thereby affecting said hydraulic system;

said hopper including four substantially trapezoidal sidewalls and a neck portion, said switch and valve disposed substantially on one of said hopper sidewalls, said actuator ring being substantially connected to said hopper on said one of said hopper sidewalls and substantially encircling said neck portion of said hopper.

2. A vehicle in accordance with claim 1 wherein said actuator is disposed proximately to said hopper and oriented thereon such that a human user can manually hold a receptacle in position to receive fluent matter from said hopper and simultaneously manually engage said actuator.

3. A hopper comprising:

four substantially trapezoidal sidewalls having a converging end;

a neck portion joining said converging ends of said four sidewalls;

an electric switch disposed substantially on one of said hopper sidewalls;

a hydraulic valve disposed substantially on said one of said hopper sidewalls for affecting flow within a hydraulic system;

an actuator attached to said hopper on said one of said hopper sidewalls and substantially encircling said neck portion of said hopper, said actuator for toggling said electric switch.

4. A hopper in accordance with claim 3 wherein

said actuator has an activated position and an inactivated position;

said switch has an on position corresponding to said activated position and an off position corresponding to said inactivated position; and

said valve has a closed position corresponding to said on position and an open position corresponding to said off position, wherein toggling said actuator between its activated and inactivated positions correspondingly toggles said switch between its on and off positions and said valve between its closed and open positions.