Asphalt delivery and compaction system

• US 6,520,715 B1
• Filed: 08/10/2001
• Issued: 02/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: John Paul Smith
• Original Assignee: John Paul Smith
• Inventors: Smith, John Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Hartmann, Gary S.
• Application Number:
  US09/928,261
• Time in Patent Office: 557 Days
• Field of Search: 404/75, 404/84.1, 404/84.2, 404/101, 404/108
• US Class Current: 404/75
• 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 23/07 Apparatus combining measurement of the surface configuration of paving with application of material in proportion to the measured irregularities measuring means only E01C23/01 G01B

Abstract

A system and device is disclosed for obtaining a topographical profile of a road bed, and then delivering an asphalt mat that varies in thickness according to that profile. The system enables variance in the mat thickness across the width of the mat as well as in the normal longitudinal direction. The process is begun by obtaining a three-dimensional profile of the surface to be paved. A topographical scanner is moved over the road surface to obtain a profile of the entire length and width of the surface to be paved to obtain a detailed topographical profile. In a second phase of the operation, the topographical scanner is utilized in combination with an asphalt delivery mechanism. The topographical scanner tracks the exact position of the asphalt delivery mechanism, correlates that to the scanned profile, and thereby controls the operation of the asphalt delivery mechanism. The asphalt delivery mechanism delivers a mat of asphalt of a varying thickness determined by the topographical profile in conjunction with a compression factor for the asphalt material. The mat thickness, both lengthwise and along a width, is controlled by a variable screed.

Claims

1. A method of depositing an asphalt mat on a surface to be paved comprising the following steps:

a) making a first pass over said surface to be paved so that a scanning means obtains and stores a topographical profile of said surface to be paved,

b) accurately positioning a paving machine at a starting point of said topographical profile of said surface to be paved,

c) loading asphalt into a hopper of said paving machine,

d) retracting a movable plate of said asphalt machine so that asphalt flows into an inner chamber of said asphalt machine,

e) positioning a variable screed at a mouth of said inner chamber,

f) utilizing said topographical profile of said surface to be paved to vary a flow rate of said asphalt out of said inner chamber, thereby depositing an asphalt mat of a thickness that varies along a width of said mat as well as longitudinally along said mat.

2. The method of depositing an asphalt mat as defined in claim 1, wherein:

multiple restrictor plates are positioned in front of an outlet of said inner chamber to control said flow rate of said asphalt out of said inner chamber.

3. The method of depositing an asphalt mat as defined in claim 1, wherein:

individual elements of said variable screed are moved relative to a mouth of said inner chamber to control said flow rate of said asphalt out of said inner chamber.

4. The method of depositing an asphalt mat as defined in claim 3, wherein:

motion of said individual elements of said variable screed is controlled by a plurality of double-action single piston end hydraulic cylinders.

5. The method of depositing an asphalt mat as defined in claim 1, wherein:

said scanning means utilizes a global positioning system.