Auger and cut off assembly for a paving machine

• US 7,220,079 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2004
• Issued: 05/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: VT LeeBoy, Inc. (Singapore Technologies Engineering Limited)
• Original Assignee: VT LeeBoy, Inc. (Singapore Technologies Engineering Limited)
• Inventors: Lee, William Michael, Lee, Eric Craig
• Primary Examiner(s): Hartmann; Gary S.
• Application Number:
  US10/997,717
• Publication Number:
  US 20050074284A1
• Time in Patent Office: 910 Days
• Field of Search: 404/96, 404/101
• US Class Current: 404/101
• 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 19/4873 Apparatus designed for railless operation

Abstract

An auger/cut off assembly for a floating screed asphalt paver. The auger/cut off assembly consists of an auger mechanism with an axis of rotation and a cut off mechanism. The cut off mechanism has a concave cut off panel that rotates about the axis of the auger mechanism from an open strike off position to a closed cut off position. Because the concave cut off panel closely conforms to a portion of the circumference of the auger mechanism, the cut off mechanism provides for low ground clearance. The concave cut off panel serves the dual function of striking off the paving material when in the open strike off position and cutting off the deposit of paving material when in the closed cut off position.

Claims

1. An auger/cut off assembly for a floating screed paver comprising:

a) an auger mechanism, having an auger support member and an auger rotatably supported by the auger support member wherein the auger has an axis of rotation and a circumference; and

b) a cut off mechanism, having a cut off panel with a leading strike off edge, wherein the cut off panel rotates by means of an actuator about the axis of rotation of the auger from an open strike off position to a closed cut off position in which substantially all flow of paving material is interruptible between the auger and a bed being paved, and wherein the cut off panel is continuously adjustable between the open strike off position and the closed cut off position to adjust the degree of strike off material deposited by the auger.

2. The auger/cut off assembly of claim 1, wherein the cut off panel is concaved to conform to a portion of the circumference of the auger.

3. The auger/cut off assembly of claim 2, wherein the concave cut off panel has open strike off ends so that when the concave cut off panel is in the closed cut off position, the concave cut off panel forms a trough beneath the auger for directing paving material outboard of the floating screed paver during continuing operation of the auger.

4. The auger/cut off assembly of claim 1, wherein the cut off panel comprises separately rotatable left and right cut off panels.

5. The auger/cut off assembly of claim 1, wherein the auger support member is hollow with at least one fume vent port to conduct fumes away from the auger.

6. The auger/cut off assembly of claim 1, wherein the auger support member has at least one bracket for connecting the auger support member to the floating screed paver.

7. In a floating screed paver with an auger mechanism, wherein the auger mechanism has an auger support member and an auger rotatably supported by the auger support member and wherein the auger has an axis of rotation and a circumference, a cut off mechanism comprising a cut off panel with a leading strike off edge, wherein the cut off panel rotates by means of an actuator about the axis of rotation of the auger from an open strike off position to a closed cut off position in which substantially all flow of paving material is interruptible between the auger and a bed being paved, and wherein the cut off panel is continuously adjustable between the open strike off position and the closed cut off position to adjust the degree of strike off material deposited by the auger.

8. The cut off mechanism of claim 7, wherein the cut off panel is concaved to conform to a portion of the circumference of the auger.

9. The cut off mechanism of claim 8, wherein the concave cut off panel has open strike off ends so that when the concave cut off panel is in the closed cut off position, the concave cut off panel forms a trough beneath the auger for directing paving material outboard of the floating screed paver during continuing operation of the auger.

10. cut off mechanism of claim 7, wherein the cut off panel comprises separately rotatable left and right cut off panels.

11. The cut off mechanism of claim 7, wherein the auger support member is hollow with at least one fume vent port to conduct fumes away from the auger.

12. The cut off mechanism of claim 7, wherein the auger support member has at least one bracket for connecting the auger support member to the floating screed paver.

13. An auger/cut off assembly for a floating screed paver comprising:

a) an auger mechanism, having an auger support member and an auger rotatably supported by the auger support member wherein the auger has an axis of rotation and a circumference; and

b) a cut off mechanism, having a cut off panel with a leading strike off edge, wherein the cut off panel rotates by means of an actuator about the axis of rotation of the auger from an open strike off position to a closed cut off position, wherein the cut off panel is continuously adjustable between the open strike off position and the closed cut off position to adjust the degree of strike off material deposited by the auger, and wherein the concave cut off panel has open strike off ends so that when the concave cut off panel is in the closed cut off position, the concave cut off panel forms a trough beneath the auger for directing paving material outboard of the floating screed paver during continuing operation of the auger.

14. In a floating screed paver with an auger mechanism, wherein the auger mechanism has an auger support member and an auger rotatably supported by the auger support member and wherein the auger has an axis of rotation and a circumference, a cut off mechanism comprising a cut off panel with a leading strike off edge, wherein the cut off panel rotates by means of an actuator about the axis of rotation of the auger from an open strike off position to a closed cut off position, wherein the cut off panel is continuously adjustable between the open strike off position and the closed cut off position to adjust the degree of strike off material deposited by the auger, and wherein the concave cut off panel has open strike off ends so that when the concave cut off panel is in the closed cut off position, the concave cut off panel forms a trough beneath the auger for directing paving material outboard of the floating screed paver during continuing operation of the auger.