Machine and method for dispensing a sealing compound

• US 6,290,428 B1
• Filed: 09/21/1999
• Issued: 09/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ACS Holdings (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ACS Holdings (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Hall, Craig A., Hall, Allen M., Hall, Steven M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Will, Thomas B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hartmann, Gary S.
• Application Number:
  US09/400,827
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• Field of Search: 404/72, 404/74, 404/75, 404/87, 404/92, 404/107, 404/108, 404/111, 222/1, 222/81, 222/82, 222/88, 222/89, 222/191, 222/628, 151/035, 152/570.5, 153/001, 118/72, 118/109, 118/266, 118/267
• US Class Current: 404/75
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 23/096 for forming, opening-out, cleaning, drying or heating and filling E01C23/0993 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 23/0973 with liquid or semi-liquid materials, e.g. crack sealants

Abstract

A machine for dispensing a sealing compound to an area of application and a method of sealing cracks in pavement is provided. The machine includes a frame structure, a disposable container removably mounted to the frame structure, a discharge tube member rupturing the opening in the bottom of the container, and a controllable valve in the discharge tube member to control the flow of the sealing compound from the disposable container to the area of the application. The frame structure may support a blower to clean the crack and supports a squeegee member mounted to a box member into which the sealing compound is received from the discharge tube member, to evenly spread the sealing compound within the crack and in the nearmost areas.

Claims

1. A machine for dispensing a sealing compound at an area of application, comprising:

(a) a frame structure;

(b) a disposable container removably mounted on said frame structure;

(c) a sealing compound pre-filled into said disposable container prior to mounting said disposable container on said frame structure, said disposable container having walls forming a closed chamber containing said sealing compound whereby said sealing compound is prevented from being inadvertent discharge from said disposable container and from being brought into contact in surrounding atmosphere;

(d) discharge means on said frame structure for puncturing said disposable container, said discharge means including a tube member provided with a sharp edge at first end thereof and having walls forming an opening in proximity to said sharp edge, said tube member having a second end for discharging said sealing compound;

(e) a pressing member secured to said frame structure for bringing said disposable container into engagement with said sharp edge of said tube member of said discharge means thereby forming a fluid communication path for said sealing compound between interior of said closed chamber of said disposable container and said second end of said tube member of said discharge means; and

,

(f) squeegee means pivotally coupled to said frame structure for spreading said sealing compound into the area of application, said squeegee means including a box member having side walls forming respective top and bottom openings at upper and lower edges of said side walls, and a squeegee member attached to said lower edges of said side walls of said box member, said top opening of said box member being aligned with said second end of said tube member of said discharge means for receiving said sealing compound in said box member and applying said sealing compound to the area of application.

2. The machine as recited in claim 1 further comprising a locking member coupled to said frame structure on one end thereof and being releasably engageable with said pressing member for releasably capturing said disposable container between said frame structure and said pressing member.

3. A machine for dispensing a sealing compound at an area of application, comprising:

(a) a frame structure;

(b) a disposable container removably mounted on said frame structure;

(c) a sealing compound pre-filled into said disposable container prior to mounting said disposable container on said frame structure, said disposable container having walls forming a closed chamber containing said sealing compound whereby said sealing compound is prevented from being inadvertent discharge from said disposable container and from being brought into contact in surrounding atmosphere;

(d) discharge means on said frame structure for puncturing said disposable container, said discharge means including a tube member provided with a sharp edge at first end thereof and having walls forming an opening in proximity to said sharp edge; and

,

(e) a pressing member secured to said frame structure for bringing said disposable container into engagement with said sharp edge of said tube member of said discharge means thereby forming a fluid communication path for said sealing compound between interior of said closed chamber of said disposable container and said area of application of said sealing compound through said tube member of said discharge means;

said frame structure including;

a pair of rails extending in spaced apart substantially parallel relationship therebetween, said rails having a front portion, a handle portion, and an intermediate portion connecting said front and handle portions;

an axle transversely extending between said rails at said front portion thereof, a pair of wheels being rotatably secured to said axle at two ends thereof;

a supporting bar transversely extending between said rails at said front portion thereof, said supporting bar being disposed between said axle and said intermediate portion of said rails, a blower being mounted onto said supporting bar;

a first frame extending upwardly from said rails in crossing relationship therewith, said first frame being disposed between said supporting bar and said intermediate portion of said rails;

said first frame including a bottom bar, a top bar, and a pair of side bars extending between said bottom and top bars at respective ends thereof, said pressing member in the form of a lever handle being pivotally secured at said top bar at one end of said lever handle, said lever handle being translatable between raised and lowered positions thereof;

a second frame extending upwardly from said rails in crossing relationship therewith, said second frame being disposed between said first frame and said intermediate portion of said rails, said second frame including a base beam extending transversely between said rails and said pair of side rods erecting from said base beam in spaced apart relationship therebetween, said tube member of said discharge means extending through said base beam of said second frame between said side rods thereof;

a pair of lower rods extending downwardly from said base beam of said second frame beneath said rails, a squeegee means being supported by said lower rods in pivoting arrangement therewith;

a pair of supporting beams, each supporting beam extending between a respective one of said side rods of said second frame and said intermediate portion of a respective one of said rails;

said disposable container being mounted on said pair of supporting beams in inclined relation with said side rods of said second frame; and

,

a locking member including a bar fastened at a lower end thereof to a respective one of said supporting beams, and provided with a hook portion at an upper end thereof, said lever handle being locked in said lowered position thereof by means of latching said lever handle at a free end thereof by said hook portion of said locking member.

4. A method of dispensing a sealing compound at an area of application, comprising the steps of:

providing a frame structure;

securing a tube member to said frame structure, said tube member having a sharp end at an upper portion thereof;

mounting on said frame structure a completely closed disposable container, said container being pre-filled with a sealing compound;

displacing said disposable container into engagement with said sharp end of said tube marker, thereby forcing said sharp end to rupture said disposable container at a predetermined location and forming a fluid flow path for said sealing compound from said disposable container through said tube;

providing a controllable valve within said tube member;

providing a box member pivotally coupled to said frame structure, said box member having upper and lower openings respectively formed in upper and lower sides thereof and a squeegee member attached to said lower side, said upper opening of said box member being aligned with a lower end of said tube member for directing said sealing compound into said box member;

advancing said frame structure carrying said disposable container towards the area of application of said sealing compound;

opening said valve to allow discharge of said sealing compound into said box member and applying said sealing compound to the area of application through the lower opening of the box member and spread by said squeegee member; and

dismounting said disposable container from said frame structure and discarding the same once said sealing compound has been consumed.