Fluid sprinkling – spraying – and diffusing – Container for non-fluid material – and scattering means – Including driven conveyor or follower feeding material...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-19
2002-06-04
Douglas, Lisa Ann (Department: 3752)
Fluid sprinkling, spraying, and diffusing
Container for non-fluid material, and scattering means
Including driven conveyor or follower feeding material...
C239S675000, C239S681000, C239S687000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06398137
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to the art of trucks having an apparatus for spreading materials and, more particularly, to an improved truck having a spreader system which improves the control of dispensing the contents of a dump truck, and even more particularly to a mounting for a spreader and a guide arrangement for directing particulate materials to the spreader.
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,842,649 and 5,947,391 illustrate a spreader apparatus for spreading materials, hydraulic control circuits for a conveyor and a spreader, and a precision placement spreader and is incorporated herein by reference. U.S. Pat. No. 3,113,784 illustrates a hydraulic control system for a conveyor and spreader and is incorporated herein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Trucks, such as dump trucks, have commonly been used to convey materials such as salt, cinders, chemicals and/or sand for the purposes of spreading these materials onto road surfaces to improve the traction of the road surface during hazardous conditions. The materials in the truck are commonly dispensed by tilting the dump body of the truck thereby releasing the goods from the dump body and/or conveying the materials within the dump body out through an opening in the rear of the dump body. The materials which are conveyed out through the rear of the dump body can be spread by use of a spinner which creates a wide spray pattern behind the rear of the truck as the truck moves in the forward direction.
In some applications, it is sometimes desirable to be able to spread the particulate material in a relatively narrow strip in the road. In such circumstances, a broadcast spinner design cannot perform such a function since the spinner sprays the material over a wide area on the ground surface. In order to prevent the broadcast spraying of the particulate material, a material guide must be positioned closely adjacent to the rotating spinner so as to narrow the spread of particulate materials being deposited onto the ground surface. One such spreader design is disclosed in Assignee's U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,842,649 and 5,947,391. The spreader can spread particulate material in a broadcast spreader mode or in a narrow band. The spreader can be controlled to ensure that a substantially set amount of particulate material is dispensed over a ground surface irrespective of the speed of the truck. The spreader also can dispense particulate material in a substantially narrow band on the ground surface irrespective of the vehicle velocity.
The design of the spreader guide of the spreader also reduces caking problems associated with past spreader guide designs.
Although the spreader disclosed in the '649 patent and '391 patent is a significant advancement, such spreaders cannot easily be adapted for use on a wide variety of trucks. Consequently, specialty trucks are necessary to mount and properly use the spreader. In view of this problem, there is a demand for a mounting arrangement for spreaders that can be mounted and used on a variety of trucks. There is also a demand for a mounting arrangement which can easily align the spreader on the vehicle so that proper dispensement of particulate material on the ground surface is achieved. There is a further demand for a mounting arrangement which can easily move the spreader between an operational position and a storage position to enhance the versatility of use of the spreader and the truck. There is still a further demand for a mounting arrangement for a spreader which minimizes damage to the spreader when the spreader is in the operational position.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an improvement in trucks having an apparatus for spreading particulate material on a ground surface as the truck travels along a ground surface.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a truck which includes a material spreader that is mounted on the frame of the truck by a spreader mount. The spreader mount simplifies the installation of the material spreader on the truck. In one embodiment, the spreader mount adjusts the position of the material spreader with respect to the truck frame. In one aspect of this embodiment, the spreader mount positions the material spreader in a plurality of locations relative to the truck frame. In another embodiment, the spreader mount allows movement of the spreader when the spreader contacts an undesired object so as to minimize damage to the material spreader by the object.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a truck having a hopper or dump body for holding materials. The hopper or dump body includes an opening for materials to be dispensed from the hopper or dump body. In one embodiment, the hopper includes an opening in the hopper to control the amount of materials exiting the opening. In another embodiment, the hopper or dump body includes two side walls which are angularly positioned with respect to the base so as to provide sloped surfaces which slope downward to the base of the hopper or dump body. In yet another embodiment, the opening in the hopper or dump body is positioned at the rear wall of the hopper or dump body and closely adjacent to the base of the hopper or dump body. In one specific aspect of this embodiment, the opening is smaller than the rear wall of the hopper. In still yet another embodiment, a conveyor system is positioned at least partially in the base of the hopper of dump body. The conveyor system moves particulate material such as sand, salt, gravel, cinders, chemicals and/or the like in the hopper or dump body toward the opening in the hopper or dump body. In one aspect of the embodiment, the conveyor system extends longitudinally from the forward end of the hopper or dump body to the rear end of the hopper or dump body and is evenly spaced between the two side walls of the hopper or dump body. In another aspect of the embodiment, the opening in the hopper or dump body is in longitudinal alignment with the conveyor system. In a further embodiment, the hopper or dump body includes a feedgate. In one aspect of this embodiment, the feedgate is vertically adjustable. In another aspect of the embodiment, the feedgate is mounted closely adjacent to the opening. In still another aspect of the embodiment, the feedgate slidably moves up and down to control the size of the passageway through the opening in the hopper or dump body; rotates in and/or about the opening, and/or shifts horizontally toward and/or away from the opening. In still a further embodiment, a material spreader arrangement is positioned on the truck to receive particulate material exiting the opening of the hopper or dump body and to spread such particulate material onto the ground surface. The material spreader may be positioned directly below the hopper or dump body opening or positioned off to the side of the hopper or dump body opening. The material spreader position depends on the particular spreading pattern and spreading application for the spreader. In one aspect of this embodiment, the material spreader arrangement includes a material guide which, when engaged, guides the trajectory of substantially all the materials expelled from the material spreader. In another aspect of the embodiment, the material guide guides the trajectory of the material in a direction substantially opposite of the forward direction of the truck. In another embodiment, a control mechanism is included on the truck to regulate the speed of the conveyor system thereby controlling the amount of material being expelled through the opening in the hopper or dump body. In one aspect of this embodiment, the control mechanism is integrated with the material spreader to regulate the velocity of materials which are ejected from the material spreader. In another aspect of the embodiment, the control mechanism is designed to obtain a velocity reading of the truck and to use such information to control the conveyor system and/or material spreader so as to maintain a constant quantity of materials dep
Hagemeyer Roland L.
Manon Kenneth P.
Wilton Melvin L.
Douglas Lisa Ann
The Louis Berkman Company
Vickers Daniels & Young
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