Combination dump and spreader apparatus

• US 6,394,735 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2001
• Issued: 05/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Henderson Products, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Henderson Manufacturing, Inc.
• Inventors: Hollinrake, Mark Stephen, Cabalka, David Alan, Schenk, Timothy Ray
• Primary Examiner(s): Keenan, James W.
• Application Number:
  US09/822,538
• Publication Number:
  US 20010014273A1
• Time in Patent Office: 424 Days
• Field of Search: 414/489,502,519,528 298/23 R 239/657,672,673 198/832,834
• US Class Current: 414/519
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/16 actuated by fluid-operated mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/38 forming the main load-transporting element or part thereof B60P1/365 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/30 Spraying vehicles sprinkling-wagons for fertilising liquid A01C23/00; for destruction of noxious animals, vermin, or unwanted vegetation A01M; vehicle-mounted spraying installations for de-icing aircraft B64F5/23; for spraying asphalt, bitumen, tar, or the like E01C; for cleaning streets E01H

Abstract

A vehicle including a combination body for selectively dumping and spreading materials. The vehicle includes, at least, a chassis and a body pivotably secured to the chassis at a hinge. The body is comprised of front and rear ends having upper and lower edges and first and second side walls having lower edges. A hoist is provided which extends between the body and the chassis for pivoting the body about the hinge. A conveyor assembly is also included, the assembly comprising an endless conveyor disposed adjacent to at least a portion of the lower edges of the side walls and extending beyond the rear end of the body; a tailgate pivotably connected to the rear end of the body and having an opening therein to permit material to be transported therethrough by the endless conveyor, the tailgate being selectively pivotable with respect to the body about a lower axis disposed adjacent the lower edge of the tailgate or about an upper axis disposed adjacent the top edge of the tailgate; a cover assembly extending rearwardly from the tailgate which is pivotably attached to the tailgate at a pivot axis, wherein the cover assembly rotates about the pivot axis upon contact with the conveyor assembly when the tailgate pivots about the lower axis; and a spreader cooperating with the conveyor assembly for spreading the material.

Claims

1. A vehicle including a combination body for selectively dumping and spreading materials, the vehicle comprising:

a chassis;

a body pivotably secured to the chassis at a hinge, the body comprised of front and rear ends having upper and lower edges and first and second side walls having lower edges;

a hoist extending between the body and the chassis for pivoting the body about the hinge;

a conveyor assembly comprising an endless conveyor disposed adjacent to at least a portion of the lower edges of the side walls and extending beyond the rear end of the body;

a tailgate pivotably connected to the rear end of the body and having an opening therein to permit material to be transported therethrough by the endless conveyor, the tailgate being selectively pivotable with respect to the body about a lower axis disposed adjacent the lower edge of the tailgate or about an upper axis disposed adjacent the top edge of the tailgate; and

a cover assembly extending rearwardly from the tailgate which is pivotably attached to the tailgate at a pivot axis, wherein the cover assembly rotates about the pivot axis upon contact with the conveyor assembly when the tailgate pivots about the lower axis.

2. A vehicle including a combination body for selectively dumping and spreading materials, the vehicle comprising:

a chassis;

a body pivotably secured to the chassis at a hinge, the body comprised of front and rear ends having upper and lower edges and first and second side walls having lower edges;

a hoist extending between the body and the chassis for pivoting the body about the hinge;

a conveyor assembly comprising an endless conveyor disposed adjacent to at least a portion of the lower edges of the side walls and extending beyond the rear end of the body; and

a tailgate pivotably connected to the rear end of the body and having an opening therein to permit material to be transported therethrough by the endless conveyor, the tailgate being selectively pivotable with respect to the body about a lower axis disposed adjacent the lower edge of the tailgate or about an upper axis disposed adjacent the top edge of the tailgate,

wherein the opening of the tailgate is configured such that the tailgate is selectively pivotable about the lower axis to a substantially horizontal position.

3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein first and second pins extend from the tailgate adjacent the lower edge of the tailgate, wherein the body further comprises first and second mounts, and the first and second pins cooperating with the first and second mounts, respectively, to pivotably connect the tailgate to the rear end of the body.

4. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein the tailgate comprises first and second side support flanges disposed adjacent the top edge of the tailgate, each side support including a hole configured to receive a removable pin, the removable pins cooperating with the first and second side walls to pivotably connect the tailgate to the rear end of the body.

5. The vehicle of claim 2, further comprising a cover assembly extending rearwardly from the tailgate, the cover assembly being pivotably attached to the tailgate at a pivot axis, wherein the cover assembly rotates about the pivot axis upon contact with the conveyor assembly when the tailgate pivots about the lower axis.

6. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the pivot axis of the cover assembly is located above the tailgate opening.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, the tailgate further comprising a latch, the latch being configured to maintain the cover in a fixed position after the cover is moved to a position above the pivot axis.

8. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the cover assembly includes a pair of arms, each arm having an end pivotably connected to the tailgate for pivotably moving the cover assembly about the pivot axis.

9. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the cover assembly covers that portion of the upper surface of the endless conveyor that extends beyond the rear end of the body.

10. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein at least one side wall comprises upper and lower surfaces, wherein the upper surface is planar and oriented in a substantially vertical position and the lower portion is planar and extends upwardly from the bottom edge of the side wall toward the upper surface at an angle of from about 10 degrees to about 50 degrees from horizontal.

11. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the lower surface of the at least one side wall extends upwardly from the bottom edge of the side wall at an angle of from about 15 degrees to about 30 degrees from horizontal, the side wall further comprising a curved portion intermediate to and joining the upper and lower portions of the side wall.

12. The vehicle of claim 2, the conveyor assembly further comprising a cross-conveyor located adjacent the front end of the body cooperatively arranged to receive material transported by the endless conveyor.

13. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the cross-conveyor comprises an auger.

14. The vehicle of claim 2, further comprising an asphalt lip on the lower rear end of the body.

15. The vehicle of claim 2, further comprising an adjustable tension device operably engaged with the conveyor assembly.

16. The vehicle of claim 2, further comprising at least three motor mounts, wherein at least two of the motor mounts are located either adjacent the front or adjacent the rear of the body.

17. The vehicle of claim 2, further comprising a front motor drivingly connected to a front sprocket, a rear motor drivingly connected to a rear sprocket, and a controller for the front and rear motors, the controller permitting selective operation of each front and rear motor so that the carrier can be moved in a frontward direction upon operation of a front motor only, in a rearward direction upon operation of a rear motor only, or in either direction upon simultaneous operation of a front and a rear motor.

18. The vehicle of claim 17, further comprising a plurality of rear motors drivingly connected to the rear sprocket.

19. The vehicle of claim 18, further comprising a plurality of front motors drivingly connected to the front sprocket.