Adjustable width trail paver

• US 9,428,869 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2015
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GOMACO Corporation (Godbersen-Smith Construction Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: GOMACO Corporation (Godbersen-Smith Construction Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Pedersen, Scott, Hayward, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Will, Thomas B
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHU, KATHERINE J
• Application Number:
  US14/610,241
• Publication Number:
  US 20160115654A1
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 180/235, 180/417
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 11/00 Details of pavings E01C1/005, E01C5/003, E01C5/005, E01C7/145, E01C7/185, E01C7/325 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 15/00 Pavings specially adapted for footpaths, sidewalks or cycle tracks
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/002 Apparatus for preparing and placing the materials and for consolidating or finishing the paving
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/004 Devices for guiding or controlling the machines along a predetermined path for graders or bulldozers E02F3/841; for other soil-shifting machines E02F9/2045
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/02 for preparing the materials E01C19/002, E01C19/45, E01C19/46, E01C21/00, E01C23/065 take precedence; producing hydraulic cement concrete in general B28C5/00 - B28C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/22 for consolidating or finishing laid-down unset materials E01C19/002, E01C19/48, E01C21/00 E01C23/02 E01C23/065 take precedence; apparatus for generating vibrations in general B06B
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/42 Machines for imparting a smooth finish to freshly-laid paving courses other than by rolling, tamping or vibrating for distributing only E01C19/12; hand-actuated smoothing tools E01C19/44
• 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 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
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 7/00 Coherent pavings made in situ specially adapted for playgrounds or sports grounds E01C13/06; for footpaths, sidewalks or cycle tracks E01C15/00

Abstract

An adjustable width trail paver comprising a prime mover, an adjustable width paver, moveable and controllable materials conveyor, a controller, a base mold, and a trimmer; the control having pivot, tilt, raise, and fold features to move or control the materials conveyor around obstacles along the path to be paved; a prime mover with hydraulically telescoping frame; an adjustable width paver having interchangeable molds or hydraulically expanding pressure compensated side plates; and, methods for achieving continuous paving near or around obstacles along a path to be paved utilizing the adjustable width trail paver.

Claims

1. A trail paver for paving a trail between obstacles, comprising:

(a) a prime mover, having at least a first side, a second side, a front, and a rear;

(b) a paving former, wherein said paving former includes at least one of a slip form paver, a paving mold, or a paving pan;

(c) a coordinating turn module connected to said rear of said prime mover and connected to said paving former for coordinating and operatively turning said paving former together with or in relation to said prime mover, wherein said coordinating turn module comprises at least;

a pivoting connection member, for pivotally connecting said paving former to said prime mover;

a steering drive, for coordinating or steering the pivoting of said paving former;

a detector, for detecting one or more angles at which the paving former is pivoted; and

one or more stabilizing member for maintaining the paving former at least at an angle parallel with the surface being paved;

(d) a material hopper with an input and an output, said hopper output associated with said paving former for feeding paving material into said paving former;

(e) a paving material conveyor for delivering paving material to said material hopper input;

(f) a paving material conveyor drive for controllably and operatively moving said paving material conveyor around obstacles such that paving material may be supplied to said trail paver from at least said first and said second side and said paving material conveyor may be moved to a position avoiding an obstacle as said trail paver continuously paves past said obstacle; and

(g) a processor configured for;

processing an amount of paving material received;

determining one or more paving dimensions based on the amount of paving material received;

determining when additional paving material will be necessary using the one or more paving dimensions, ensuring sufficient paving material is available for continuous paving; and

communicating a signal indicating additional paving materials will be necessary, wherein the signal is communicated before a need for additional paving material arises.

2. The trail paver of claim 1, wherein said one or more stabilizing member for maintaining the paving former at least at an angle parallel with the surface being paved includes one or more mold stabilizers arranged substantially parallel to the surface being paved.

3. The trail paver of claim 2, wherein said one or more stabilizing member for maintaining the paving former at least at an angle parallel with the surface being paved also includes a longitudinal support structure to prevent the paving former from lifting during operation, said longitudinal support structure having a first end and a second end, and a pivot lug;

wherein, said first end of said longitudinal support structure is attached to the front of said prime mover;

wherein, said pivot lug pivotally connects said second end of said longitudinal support structure and said paving former at the rear of said prime mover.

4. The trail paver of claim 1, wherein said paving material conveyor has a discharge end and a receiving end, said discharge end of said material conveyor pivotally connected to said prime mover and to said conveyor drive to allow tilting of said material conveyor from one degree (1°

) to forty-five degrees)(45°

).

5. The trail paver of claim 4, wherein said discharge end of said material conveyor is rotationally connected to said prime mover and to said conveyor drive to allow rotation of said material conveyor from 1 degree (1°

)to ninety degrees)(90°

) from the first side of said prime mover or from the second side of said prime mover.

6. The trail paver of claim 4, wherein said discharge end of said material conveyor is elevatingly connected to said prime mover and to said conveyor drive to allow vertical elevation of said material conveyor from 2 centimeters to 31 centimeters.

7. The trail paver of claim 1, wherein said steering drive comprises a hydraulic steering drive including a hydraulic cylinder and further comprises a locking member, wherein when said locking member is engaged said paving former is prevented from pivoting.