Adjustable method and apparatus for laying, leveling and compacting road shoulders

• US 8,297,879 B1
• Filed: 03/28/2011
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bonnell Industries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Miksue Enterpriz, LLC
• Inventors: Schmidt, Michael A
• Primary Examiner(s): Hartmann, Gary S
• Application Number:
  US13/073,875
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• Field of Search: 374/07, 373/81, 371/05, 404/96, 404/98, 404/104, 172/811
• US Class Current: 404/98
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/4873 Apparatus designed for railless operation
• CPC Class Codes: E01H 1/003 Upkeep of road sides along the pavement, for instance cleaning devices particularly for side strips control of undesirable vegetation E01H11/00; mowers for embankments A01D34/86; soil working E02F; trimming pavement edges E01C23/09

Abstract

An apparatus for attachment to dump trucks having a dump bed and a chute for discharging material onto a road shoulder and/or roadway. The apparatus allows the truck with a single operator to perform shoulder and/or roadway surfacing and/or repair by receiving and grading repair material into place. The attachment being adjustable as to pitch, width and depth of the repair material. The attachment being adjustable to allow a greater or lesser amount of material to be applied to a shoulder closer to the roadway surface if a deeper fill is required. The apparatus allows for rotational movement between the apparatus and the dump truck in a direction parallel to the roadways length and perpendicular to the roadways surface. The tires of the dump truck being utilized to compact the repair material. The apparatus being stored in a vertical position when not in use.

Claims

1. An adjustable attachment for dump trucks having front and rear wheels, a roadway bulk material receiving dump bed, an aggregate feeding mechanism, a chute leading downwardly from the dump bed for discharging roadway aggregate and hydraulic systems and controls, said adjustable attachment comprising:

a hitch bar;

a first vertical support bar fixed to said hitch bar;

a frame mounting portion rotatably connected to said hitch bar by hollow cylinders, said frame mounting portion comprising frame support bars, a second support, a first hydraulic cylinder rotatably connected at a first end to said first vertical support bar and at a second end to said second support bar, said hydraulic cylinder being operably connected to said dump truck hydraulic systems for raising and lowering said frame mounting portion of said apparatus and a connection plate;

a distribution and leveling portion comprising inner and outer runners, two vertical plates, an inner frame structure pivotably attached to said two vertical plates and pivotably attached to said connection plate on said frame portion, a support bracket attached at a first end to said outer runner by fasteners and at a second end by fasteners to a first half of a distribution and leveling blade, said first half of said distribution and leveling blade being rotatable about a hinge proximate said support bracket, a second half of a distribution and leveling blade being slidably connected to said first half of said distribution and leveling blade by horizontal slots and fasteners, and adjustable telescoping rod, temporarily held in place with a set screw, connected at a first end to said outer runner and at a second end to said second half of said distribution and leveling blade, an aggregate retention blade hingedly attached to said second half of said distribution and leveling blade, a second telescoping rod pivotably, temporarily held in place by a set screw, connected at a first end to said aggregate retention blade at a second end to said second half of said distribution and leveling blade;

said adjustable apparatus being adjustable as to the width of applied roadway aggregate by releasing fasteners coupling said first and said second distribution and leveling blades, releasing said telescoping rods set screws, sliding said second half of said distribution and leveling blade in towards said outer runner to reduce the width of said applied roadway aggregate or sliding said second half of said distribution and leveling blade out away from said outer runner to increase the width of said applied roadway aggregate and tightening said telescoping rod set screws and said fasteners coupling said first and said second distribution and leveling blades.

2. The adjustable attachment as claimed in claim 1 wherein said width of said applied roadway aggregate material can be further adjusted narrower or wider by releasing the telescoping rod set screws, pivoting said first and second distribution and leveling blades about said hinge proximate said support bracket and tightening said telescoping rod set screws.

3. The adjustable attachment as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said width of said applied roadway aggregate material can be further adjusted narrower or wider by releasing said set screw of said second adjustable rod and pivoting said aggregate retention blade about said hinge and tightening said second telescoping rod set screw.

4. The adjustable attachment as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the pitch of said first and second said distribution and leveling blades can be adjusted by loosening said fasteners attaching said first half of said distribution and leveling blade to said support bracket and pivoting said first and second half of said distribution and leveling blades about a lower hole in said first half of said distribution and leveling blade within the limits of the horizontally slotted hole in said first half of said distribution and leveling blade and retightening said fasteners attaching said first half of said distribution and leveling blade to said support bracket.

5. The adjustable attachment as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the depth of said aggregate being laid and leveled above the said roadway can be adjusted by loosening the fasteners going through the height adjustment plate, the support bracket and said first half of said distribution and leveling blade, turning the nut on the threaded rod attached to said height adjustment plate, said nut resting on the adjustment bar, which raises or lowers the height adjustment plate and said first and second halves of said distribution and leveling blade within the limits of the vertical slots in said support bracket.

6. The adjustable attachment as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 above wherein said hydraulic cylinder is replaced with an electrical servo-motor, said servo-motor being operably connected to said dump truck by electrical wires.

7. The adjustable attachment as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 above wherein said first and second halves of said apparatus is raised and secured in an upright position for transportation.

8. An adjustable attachment for dump trucks having front and rear wheels, a roadway bulk material receiving dump bed, an aggregate feeding mechanism, a chute leading downwardly from the dump bed for discharging roadway aggregate and hydraulic systems and controls, said adjustable attachment comprising:

a hitch bar;

a first vertical support bar fixed to said hitch bar;

a frame mounting portion rotatably connected to said hitch bar by hollow cylinders, said frame mounting portion comprising frame support bars, a second support, a first hydraulic cylinder rotatably connected at a first end to said first vertical support bar and at a second end to said second support bar, said hydraulic cylinder being operably connected to said dump truck hydraulic systems for raising and lowering said frame mounting portion of said apparatus and a connection plate;

a distribution and leveling portion comprising inner and outer runners, two vertical plates, an inner frame structure pivotably attached to said two vertical plates and pivotably attached to said connection plate on said frame portion, a support bracket attached at a first end to said outer runner by fasteners and at a second end by fasteners to a first half of a distribution and leveling blade, said first half of said distribution and leveling blade being rotatable about a hinge proximate said support bracket, a second half of a distribution and leveling blade being slidably connected to said first half of said distribution and leveling blade by horizontal slots and fasteners, and adjustable telescoping rod, temporarily held in place with a set screw, connected at a first end to said outer runner and at a second end to said second half of said distribution and leveling blade, an aggregate retention blade hingedly attached to said second half of said distribution and leveling blade, a second telescoping rod pivotably, temporarily held in place by a set screw, connected at a first end to said aggregate retention blade at a second end to said second half of said distribution and leveling blade, a second hydraulic cylinder pivotably connected at a first end said second support bracket and at a second end pivotably connected to said vertical plate, said second hydraulic cylinder being operably connected to said dump truck hydraulic systems for raising and lowering said distribution and leveling portion of said apparatus;

said adjustable apparatus being adjustable as to the width of applied roadway aggregate by releasing fasteners coupling said first and said second distribution and leveling blades, releasing said telescoping rods set screws, sliding said second half of said distribution and leveling blade in towards said outer runner to reduce the width of said applied roadway aggregate or sliding said second half of said distribution and leveling blade out away from said outer runner to increase the width of said applied roadway aggregate and tightening said telescoping rod set screws and said fasteners coupling said first and said second distribution and leveling blades.

9. The adjustable attachment as claimed in claim 8 wherein said width of said applied roadway aggregate material can be further adjusted narrower or wider by releasing the telescoping rod set screws, pivoting said first and second distribution and leveling blades about said hinge proximate said support bracket and tightening said telescoping rod set screws.

10. The adjustable attachment as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9 wherein said width of said applied roadway aggregate material can be further adjusted narrower or wider by releasing said set screw of said second adjustable rod and pivoting said aggregate retention blade about said hinge and tightening said second telescoping rod set screw.

11. The adjustable attachment as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9 wherein the pitch of said first and second said distribution and leveling blades can be adjusted by loosening said fasteners attaching said first half of said distribution and leveling blade to said support bracket and pivoting said first and second half of said distribution and leveling blades about a lower hole in said first half of said distribution and leveling blade within the limits of the horizontally slotted hole in said first half of said distribution and leveling blade and retightening said fasteners attaching said first half of said distribution and leveling blade to said support bracket.

12. The adjustable attachment as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9 wherein the depth of said aggregate being laid and leveled above the said roadway can be adjusted by loosening the fasteners going through the height adjustment plate, the support bracket and said first half of said distribution and leveling blade, turning the nut on the threaded rod attached to said height adjustment plate, said nut resting on the adjustment bar, which raises or lowers the height adjustment plate and said first and second halves of said distribution and leveling blade within the limits of the vertical slots in said support bracket.

13. The adjustable attachment as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9 above wherein said first and second hydraulic cylinders are replaced with electrical servo-motors, said servo-motors being operably connected to said dump truck by electrical wires.

14. The adjustable attachment as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9 above wherein said first and second halves of said apparatus is raised and secured in an upright position for transportation.

15. An adjustable attachment for dump trucks having front and rear wheels, a roadway bulk material receiving dump bed, an aggregate feeding mechanism, a chute leading downwardly from the dump bed for discharging roadway aggregate and hydraulic systems and controls, said adjustable attachment comprising:

a hitch bar;

a first vertical support bar fixed to said hitch bar;

a frame mounting portion rotatably connected to said hitch bar by hollow cylinders, said frame mounting portion comprising frame support bars, a second support, a first hydraulic cylinder rotatably connected at a first end to said first vertical support bar and at a second end to said second support bar, said hydraulic cylinder being operably connected to said dump truck hydraulic systems for raising and lowering said frame mounting portion of said apparatus and a connection plate;

a distribution and leveling portion comprising inner and outer runners, two vertical plates, an inner frame structure pivotably attached to said two vertical plates and pivotably attached to said connection plate on said frame portion, a support bracket attached at a first end to said outer runner by fasteners and at a second end by fasteners to a first half of a distribution and leveling blade, said first half of said distribution and leveling blade being rotatable about a hinge proximate said support bracket, a second half of a distribution and leveling blade being slidably connected to said first half of said distribution and leveling blade by horizontal slots and fasteners, and adjustable telescoping rod, temporarily held in place with a set screw, connected at a first end to said outer runner and at a second end to said second half of said distribution and leveling blade, an aggregate retention blade hingedly attached to said second half of said distribution and leveling blade, a second telescoping rod pivotably, temporarily held in place by a set screw, connected at a first end to said aggregate retention blade at a second end to said second half of said distribution and leveling blade, a second hydraulic cylinder pivotably connected at a first end said second support bracket and at a second end pivotably connected to said vertical plate, said second hydraulic cylinder being operably connected to said dump truck hydraulic systems for raising and lowering said distribution and leveling portion of said apparatus;

said adjustable apparatus being adjustable as to the width of applied roadway aggregate by releasing fasteners coupling said first and said second distribution and leveling blades, releasing said telescoping rods set screws, sliding said second half of said distribution and leveling blade in towards said outer runner to reduce the width of said applied roadway aggregate or sliding said second half of said distribution and leveling blade out away from said outer runner to increase the width of said applied roadway aggregate and tightening said telescoping rod set screws and said fasteners coupling said first and said second distribution and leveling blades;

said adjustable apparatus being further adjustable for narrower or wider applied roadway aggregate by releasing the telescoping rod set screws, pivoting said first and second distribution and leveling blades about said hinge proximate said support bracket and tightening said telescoping rod set screws;

said adjustable apparatus being further adjustable as to width of applied roadway aggregate, narrower or wider, by releasing said set screw of said second adjustable rod and pivoting said aggregate retention blade about said hinge and tightening said second telescoping rod set screw;

the pitch of said first and second said distribution and leveling blades being adjustable by loosening said fasteners attaching said first half of said distribution and leveling blade to said support bracket and pivoting said first and second half of said distribution and leveling blades about a lower hole in said first half of said distribution and leveling blade within the limits of the horizontally slotted hole in said first half of said distribution and leveling blade and retightening said fasteners attaching said first half of said distribution and leveling blade to said support bracket; and

the depth of said aggregate being laid and leveled above the said roadway being adjustable by loosening the fasteners going through the height adjustment plate, the support bracket and said first half of said distribution and leveling blade, turning the nut on the threaded rod attached to said height adjustment plate, said nut resting on the adjustment bar, which raises or lowers the height adjustment plate and said first and second halves of said distribution and leveling blade within the limits of the vertical slots in said support bracket.

16. The adjustable attachment as claimed in claim 15 above wherein said first and second hydraulic cylinders are replaced with electrical servo-motors, said servo-motors being operably connected to said dump truck by electrical wires.

17. The adjustable attachment as claimed in claim 15 above wherein said first and second halves of said apparatus is raised and secured in an upright position for transportation.