Land vehicles: dumping – Miscellaneous – Vibrator means to facilitate removal of material
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-03
2001-04-03
Dayoan, D. Glenn (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: dumping
Miscellaneous
Vibrator means to facilitate removal of material
C414S317000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06209964
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The following invention relates generally to devices which help remove material which adheres to the bottom and side walls of the cargo carrying bed on the dump truck.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The use of vibration in order to facilitate migration of materials has long been known. It is also known to provide vibrators on the underside of vehicles under the payload area in order to allow the material in the dump truck body portion to be slid off of the truck, particularly when the payload has a high coefficient of friction or tends to clump.
The following prior art reflects the state of the art of which applicants are aware and is included herewith to discharge applicants' acknowledged duty to disclose relevant prior art. It is stipulated, however, that none of these references teach singly nor render obvious when considered in any conceivable combination the nexus of the instant invention without invention having taken place.
PATENT NO.
ISSUE DATE
INVENTOR
1,820,320
August 25, 1931
Pickop
3,106,652
October 8, 1963
Burt
3,003,733
October 10, 1961
Peterson
3,343,876
September 26, 1967
Rapp
3,363,806
January 16, 1968
Blakeslee, et al.
3,408,872
November 5, 1968
Simmons, et al.
3,408,876
November 5, 1968
Andrews
3,438,677
April 15, 1969
Redpath
3,485,401
December 23, 1969
Meyer
3,731,907
May 8, 1973
Lash
3,747,980
July 24, 1973
Hansen
3,879,018
April 22, 1975
Hunter
4,175,906
November 27, 1979
Johnston, et al.
SU 763-163
September 18, 1980
Greben
4,522,500
June 11, 1985
Hyer
SU 1180-279-A
September 23, 1985
Vniistroidormash
SU 1291-465-A
February 23, 1987
Tashk
SU 1657-423-A
June 23, 1991
Timokhin
5-85249
June 14, 1991
Katayama
For example, the patent to Lash teaches the use of a bin or hopper vibrator system. The vibrator is an unidirectional pneumatic vibrator which includes a sleeve member having a tapered bore therein for positioning upon a correspondingly tapered pin member. An adapter unit is provided which may be affixed to a surface to be vibrated, and which includes a pin member having a taper corresponding to the taper of the bore in the sleeve of the vibrator.
The patent to Redpath teaches the use of a vibrator for dumping vehicles. The vibrator comprises an electric motor controlled from the cab of the truck which drives a shaft having an eccentric weight thereon. The shaft is mounted in a pair of bearings. When the vehicle is in dumping position the vibrator is run in order to loosen material that adheres to the bottom or sides of the cargo area.
The patent to Hansen teaches the use of a vibrator for dump trucks. A vibrator for the box of a dump truck is formed with an elongated square tube containing apertured plates with the first plate at one end of the tube, the second plate adjacent to the other end of the tube and the third plate between the other two and nearer to the first plate. Bolted to the outer face of the first plate is an electric motor with its shaft projecting through the aperture in the first plate and connected to the first shaft with a flexible coupling whereby actuation of the motor will vibrate the box of the dump truck.
The patent to Johnston, et al., teaches the use of a vibrator for a dumping vehicle. The vibrator includes a pressure relief valve, when the valve opens, hydraulic fluid is pumped to a hydraulic motor which drives a vibrator which is bolted to the dump body. The vibrator loosens the material being dumped and prepares it to slide out of the body at its natural dumping angle.
The other prior art listed above but not specifically described teach other devices which further catalog the prior art of which the applicant is aware. These references appear more remote on their face from the references specifically discussed above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The instant invention is distinguished over the known prior art in the multiplicity of ways. For example, applicants' novel use of an air driven vibrating system benefits from the air compressor hardware already on board the vehicle in practically all dump-type trucks. As a consequence, the device according to the present invention allows for ready retrofit without onerous retrofitting and finding clearance for other types of drive instrumentalities, such as electric or hydraulic drives.
By tapping into the pre-existing air compressor on the dump truck, retrofitting can proceed with maximum dispatch by routing air lines to strategic locations on the underside of the dump trucks cargo area and provide a suitable control in the air line for actuating an air hammer.
Applicants have modified a commercially available, hand-held, trigger operated air hammer to compactly nest adjacent an underside of the cargo area. The hammer is supported securely preferably adjacent the forwardmost portion of the cargo area and slightly inboard. Routing the air line to the source of compressed air commonly found adjacent the engine of the dump truck and providing an in-line air switch allows the device to economically and expeditiously be retrofitted on an existing dump truck.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the primary objection of the present invention is to provide a new and novel air vibrator for use on a cargo area of a dump truck.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a device as characterized above which is easily retrofitted to commercially available dump trucks by merely tapping into the pre-existing source of compressed air, and routing an air line to air hammers strategically located on an underside of the cargo area of the dump truck.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a present device as characterized above which is extremely durable in construction and safe to use.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a device as characterized above which can be integrated during the course of initial manufacture of the dump truck or can be easily retrofitted as a kit.
Viewed from a first vantage point it is an object of the present invention to provide a kit for installation on a dump truck to facilitate the removal of cargo from a cargo bed of the dump truck comprising, in combination: an air line communicating from a source of air to an underside of the cargo bed, a support located on the underside of the cargo bed, air hammer means deployed between the support and a bottom face of the cargo bed, and means for directing air to the air hammer means.
Viewed from a second vantage point it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for removing material from a dump truck, the steps coupling the air hammer to a source of compressed air on the dump truck, and activating the air hammer to dislodge contents within the cargo bed after elevating the cargo bed and releasing a confining gate of the cargo bed.
Viewed from a third vantage point it is an object of the present invention to provide a dump truck comprising, in combination: a source of air, an air vibrator located under a dump truck bed, and means for activating the air vibrator to remove cargo from said bed.
These and other objects will be made manifest when considering the following detailed specification when taken in conjunction with the appended drawing figures.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1820320 (1931-08-01), Pickop
patent: 3003733 (1961-10-01), Peterson
patent: 3106652 (1963-10-01), Burt
patent: 3343876 (1967-09-01), Rapp
patent: 3363806 (1968-01-01), Blakeslee et al.
patent: 3400770 (1968-09-01), Matson
patent: 3408872 (1968-11-01), Simmons et al.
patent: 3408876 (1968-11-01), Andrews
patent: 3438677 (1969-04-01), Redpath
patent: 3485401 (1969-12-01), Meyer
patent: 3602103 (1971-08-01), Powers
patent: 3625295 (1971-12-01), Gunning
patent: 3731907 (1973-05-01), Lash
patent: 3747980 (1973-07-01), Hansen
patent: 3879018 (1975-04-01), Hunter
patent: 4175906 (1979-11-01), Johnston et al.
patent: 4522500 (1985-06-01), Hyer
patent: 5320187 (1994-06-01), Pressley et al.
patent: 5779427 (1998-07-01), Heffinger
patent: 5-85249 (1993-04-01), None
patent: 763-163 (1980-09-01), None
patent: 1180-279 (1985-09-01), None
patent: 1291-465 (1987-02-01), None
pate
Pinto Jose
Pinto Leia
Carpenter Scott
Dayoan D. Glenn
Thoeming Charles L.
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