US1838631A - Road spreader - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 29, 1931. vC, H. NABER ET AL 1,838,631

ROAD S PREADER Filed June 19, 1928 Sheets-Sheet 2 gva/vento@ @y wwmlrmmq 20 first mentioned drive,

5 rough, hard material such as chip stone,

Patented Dec. 29, 1931 CLAUDE E. NABER AND-CLARENCE HOLLIDAY, TO N & H SPBEADEBS, INC., 'OF.HAMBURG,

K Yom:

Tas PATENT OFFICE O F HAMBURG, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOBS NEW YORK, A CORPORATION F ROAD SPBEADER Application med :une 1s,

This invention relates to an improved spreader which is primarily intended for, but not necessarily limited to, use on a dumping truck wherein it functions to receive material such as chi stone, which is dumped from the truck boldy and to spread such material over the surface of a road. The spreader is of the type which has a hopper adapted for attachment to the truck and an agitator shaft for maintaining'the material within the hopper in a loose condition to insure a uniform and even feed.

In the constructions of this type as heretofore proposed, the practice has been to drive the agitator shaft either from the driving system of the truck or from the ground through an auxiliary wheel, the latter having, in such case, the additional function of supporting the spreader as a'whole. In the the connection between the driving system is a positive one in which the agitator shaft must rotate as lon 'truck moves. In the auxiliary drive, the weight of the hopper is suilicient to press thev wheel against the surface of the road with such force as to amount to a drive equally as positive as the first mentioned drive. A positive drive has the objection, however, that it will cause a disruption of one or more parts of the driving connection or associated parts when any of the material being spread wedges between the shaft and hopper so ti htly as to lock the shaft against rotation. T is 1s particularly liable to happen when spreadingha t e size of the pebbles varying considerably.

An object of this invention is to avoid the above objection and, therefore, tol provide a driving means which is arranged to slip when the agitator shaft is locked against rotation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a spreader which can be quickly and easily attached to or removed from the various types of dumping trucks now in common use.

A further object is to provide means for varying both the length and width of the hopper outlet whereby the strip of material being spread may be controlled both as to as the 192s. serial Nt. 256,699.

width controlling means wsith respect to the shaft so that such means'may be utilized to effect the quick release of the material w'hich becomes wedged between the shaft and hopper. v

' -An embodiment of a spreader embodying the features of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the s reader as it appears when attached to a truc the latter being indicated by dotted lines.

Fig. 2-is a transverse section, through the vertical center of the spreader.

Fig. 3 is a top lan view showing one of the outlet vopening locking doors in its operative position," parts of the spreader being omitted.

Fig. 4lis a bottom plan view.

Fig. 5 is a section along line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view showing a modified form of securing means Vfor the spreader.

The spreader, as stated, includes a hopper and an agitator shaft. The hopper which is indicated generally at H, may be of any suitable construction, the construction shown consisting of vertical side walls 1 and 2 and downwardly converging front and rear walls 3 and 4, all of which are suitably secured together. The lower marginal edges of the front and rear walls 3 and 4 are spaced apart to provide a discharge opening from which the spreading naterial emerges as it is being fed to the roa For the purpose of securing the spreader to a truck, the front wall 3 is provided with a pair of forwardly extending arms 5-which are of hook shape whereby they may be hooked over the rear cross member 6 (indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1) of the truck chassis. This mode of attachment has the advantage lIf desired, the arms 5 may extend straight in- 5 quantity and dimensions, and to arrange `the stead of being of hook shape.` With straight 19 n mits the use of arms,` the securement is effected by placing the arms over the rear cross member 6 and under the member 7 which is also attached to the truck chassis. This mode of securement pera narrow hopper which can be. adjusted' backward or forward relatively to the cross memberti and according to the overhang of the truckfbody and thereby centered with respect to the stream of material flowing from `the truck, whereas when hook-shaped arms-are used, the overhangvis taken care of by i the useof a`wide hopper. truck is securedv Without the means and this feature materially increases the efficiency of the spreader.

The agitator shaftS extends parallel to the k,arge ,opening` andv below the horizontal plane"of the' lower marginal edge of the rear In any case, the

vWal'l`4`,fit being ndted that this edgeris elevated with respect t'o the lower marginal edge of the front Wall 3. The lends of the shaft project through the vertical Aside Wall'svl andQ ofthe hopper and are journaled in suitable bearings. This shaftmay be of any suitable form and as shownis made inthe form ofa spiral. The agitator shaft' Sis driven by means which includea frictiona'lly' driven element which is arranged to slipwhen the shaft encounters an obstruction to its rotation. y

The frictionally driven' element referred to Vpreferably comprises the auxiliary wheel 9 which, as shown, frictionally engages the road. The wheel 9 is journaled in a bracket 10 which, in turn, is loosely or pivotally mountedon a projectingT end of the shaft 8. The wheel 9 carries a sprocket 11 which isleonnected by a chain 12't0 a sprocket 13 fixed on the agitatorshaft. Obviously a movement of the truck causes the wheel 9 to rotate and therefore to drive the shaft through the chain and sprocket connection mentioned. It will be noted,` however, that the manner in which the Wheel is mounted permits it to follow the elevations and depressions of the road Whereby it is'continuously effective to drive the shaft.y It is also notedv that the wheel does not'support'the hopper butl merely supports itsov'vn 'weight'plus part of the weight of the bracket in `which it is journaled. The wheel-therefore, bears against the road with a relatively light force as compared to the auxiliary wheels of prior constructions which support the hopper and therefore provide, in effect', alpositiv'e drive. This light force on the wheel`9 is'sufiicient'to maintain therotation of the wheel, and consequently the drive of the shaft` under normal operating conditions but it is insufficient to compel the continued rotation'. of the wheel when the shaft islocked against rotation by the wedging of material against'the shaft.

It is alsoinsufficient to effect the disruption of .any parts connecting the wheel and sl1aft.:]The:wheel, therefore, functions as a fiictionelement which upon lthe 4locking of use of fasteningv the shaft. slips relatively to the member which it engages that is to say the road and thereby limits to a safe value, the stresses set up in the driving means and associated parts.

The thickness of the strip of material being spread is regulated by a door or gate 14 which is slidably secured to the rear wall 4 of the hopperand laterally coextensive therewith. The door or gate is slidably held against the rear wall 4 by'bracketsl secured to the wall and extending over the door toward the discharge opening. The movement of the door or gate. is effected through an operating lever 16 which extends along one side of the hopper and has its lower end secured to a shaft 17, the latter being journaled in lugs 18 formed on, or secured to the wall 4. The shaft 17 carries one or more fixed arms 19, the outer ends of which are pivotally connected to links Q0. The other end of the links 20 is pivotally connected to the sliding door 14. Obviously a movement of the operating lever 16 cfiects a movement of the arm 19 through the shaft 17 and such movement of the arm 19 effects a corresponding movement of the sliding door through the link 20, the door being movable, of course, fully across the space delimited by the lower marginal edges of the walls 3 and 4. lt is noted that the door 14 beng inclined, facilitates the discharge of material through the opening and does not tend to build up material at the opening with the result of clogging it as would be the case if the door were horizontally arranged. It is also noted that the door is arranged to extend the discharge opening upwardly beyond the horizontal plane of the lower side of the agitator shaft.

This works to advantage inasmuch as the truck7 is ordinarily run backward in spreading material such as chip stone over an oiled road, and when so operated the agitator shaft drives the material toward the sliding door side of the hopper. As a result any material wedging between the shaft and hopper must wedge against the door and may, therefore, be quickly released by sliding the door to its full open position.

In order to hold the door at any desired position, the operating lever 1G carries a rack 21, the teeth of which cooperate with a pin 22 which is, secured to a side wall of the hopper,'to lock or latch the lever in any position to which it is moved. This arrangement also ermits the lever to be moved quickly to the ull open position to release the wedged material and then quickly moved back to its normal position.

The width of the strip of material being spread may be regulated by a series of doors 23 which are hinged to the inner surface of one of the converging walls 3 or 4. These doors normally extend upwardly against the surface of the wall but when it decrease fthe width of the stri-p, one .or vmore doors may beswfung overzlthe .agitator shaft to block lthe discharge opening 1to the .extent desired. The arrangement of the doors Q3 in such a manner `that when they are moved `to block odia part :of fthe idischarge' opening .they 4extend over `they agitator shaft. has ltwo distinct advantages. First it .enables a reduction 'in the'fpower required @to operatethe agitator sliat-whiel-i iis proportionate to the numberozf doors niovedto :an operative lposition. In other words., :although the :agitator shaft extends vthe entire length of the `discha ijge opel'iing athea-nrangement of ythe doors 'is such 'that when .closed material is not fed :to thatportionot the :shat which extends b eneath "thefcloscd doors. There 'being :no material. act-ed upon by the yagitator lshaft beneath the closed doors no power is wasted in rotating the shaft Iin materialwhich is not being discharged from the hopper;- Hence there is nowearing o-fithat portion of the agitator shaft whichv lies above thatvportion of the discharge opening which isl not availed of.

Then the spreaderl is'in .operatiom'the last `.portion of the material contained in the truck usuallT feeds unevenly to the hopper. lt is necessary to vlevel this Imaterial vin the hopper to insure fan even l'eedto the road and this operation may bel performed by one of the worlnnen.' With van oiled road, however, the workman cannot'zwalk-along the ytruck to do so but must be supported on the truck or hopper. To this end, the hopper is provided with the rearwardly extendingstep or ledge 23a upon which the workman may stand.

It is to be understood that `the spreader may be used to spread any loose material. VVhere it is utilized to spread a hard rough material under conditions which permit the truck to `be run forward, the front wall of the hopper is preferably provided with a door arranged similarly to the door 14 inasmuch as the rotation of the agitator shaft is reversed in such case, and `the material will therefore tend to wedge between the shaft and the front wall' 3. If desired, however, the door may -be mounted so as tospring outward upon the wedging of material to thereby effect its release.

We claim as our invention:

1. .A spreader yof the class described comprising a hopper having inclined front and `rear walls, the lower portions of which `delimit an outlet `opening and the lower edge of one wall portion vbeing elevated with respect to the vlower edge of the other wall portion, an agitator shaft extending over sald discharge opening and below the horizontal plane of said elevated edge, va gate slidably mounted on the elevated -wall portion for inclined movement across said opening to vary the width .of the opening, means'for moving said vgate and Idoors mounted on one of said walls for movement to :either of two posiof one wall portion 'being elevated with respect `to the lower edge 'of the other `wal-l portion, anjagitator shaft 'extending lover said discharge .opening and below vthe horizontal plane-of said :elevated edge, a gate slidably mounted on the elevated wall portion forinclined lmovement across said opening to vary the width of the opening, means for mov ing said' gate, `means-for holding said 4gate in any position to which it may be moved, said moving land holding .means cooperating .to

`.permit the door to be moved quicklyto full' open position torelease material wedged be tween the "shaft and the doorl and af series of doors mounted on Vsaid hopper andfpse arably movable',v to one position wherein tiey extend along the inner surface of one'gof said walls and to another position wherein they extend over the said agitator shaft and outlet opening to block ottl a corresponding portion ofsaid opening.`

l 3, A lspreader of the class described comprising a hopper having front and rear walls, the lower portions of which delimit an outlet opening, an agitator shaft arranged in said hopper adjacent said opening and doors mounted on one of said walls Jfor movement to either of two positions in one of which they extend over the said agitator shaft and outlet opening` to block off a corresponding portion .of said opening. f

4. A spreader of the class described com prising a hopper having front and rear walls, the lower portions ofwhich delimit an outlet opening, an agitator shaft arrangedcin 'said hopper adjacent said opening land a series of doors mounted on said hopper `and separately movable to one position. wherein they extend .along the innersurface of one of said walls and to another position lwherein they extend over the said agitator shaft and outlet opening to block o a corresponding portion of said opening. f

5. In a spreader for attachment toa truck which includes achassis and a` body carried b said chassis tiltable relative'thereto to enaiile lthe `discharge of the contents'of said body by` gravity, thecombination of a hopper arranged beneath the discharge end of said bodyfor receiving the material -so dis,- charged, an agitator shaft in said hopper, means operable upon movement of said ve' hicle to drive said shaft, sa.d lmeans ineluding an element `which isarranged .to2 limitto a safe value the stresses setup by the wedging of material .againstsaid shaft 'and `means independent 'of the drive means ffior said shaftand including 'said chassis for support ing the entire weight of said hopper as so arranged and any material delivered to it, said supporting means including a direct connection between said hopper and said chass1s.

6. In a spreader for attachment to a tuck which includes a chassis and a body carried b said chassis tiltable relative thereto to enable dischar e of the contents of said body by gravity, t 1e combination of a hopper arranged beneath the discharge end of said body for receiving the material so discharged, an agitator shaft in said hopper, means operable upon the movement of said vehicle to drive said shaft, said means including a frictionally driven element which is arranged to slip when the shaft encounters an obstruction to its rotation, thereby to limit to a safe value the stresses set up in the machine and means independent of the drive means for said shaft and including said chassis for supporting the entire weight of said hopper asso arranged'and any material delivered to it, said supporting means including direct connection between said hopper and said chassis.

7. In a spreader for attachment to a truck which includes a chassis and a body carried by said chassis tiltable relative thereto to enable discharge of the contents of said body by gravity, the combination of a hopper arranged beneath the discharge end of said body for receiving the material so dis charged, an agitator shaft in said hop er, a wheel operably connected to said shafl and arranged to drive the shaft upon movement of said vehicle, said wheel 4being arranged to slip when the shaft encounters an obstruction to its rotation, thereby to limit to a safe value the stresses set up in the machine and means independent of said wheel and including said chassis for supporting the entire Weight of said hopper as so arranged and any material delivered to it, said supporting means including a direct connection between said hopper and said chassis. i

8. In a spreader for attachment to a truck which includes a chassis and a body carried by said chassis tiltable relative thereto to ena le dischar e of the contents of said body by gravity, t e combination of a hopper, an agitator shaft in said hopper, a wheel arranged to frictionally engage the road and operably connected t0 said shaft to drive the same upon movement of said vehicle, said Wheel bearing against the road with' a force sufficient to drive t-he shaft under normal operating conditions but which permits the wheel to slip over the road when material becomes tightly wedged between the shaft and the hopper and means independent of said wheel and including said chassis for supporting the entire weight of said hopper and any material delivered to it.

9. In a spreader for attachment to a truck which includes a chassis and a body carried by said chassis tiltable relative thereto to ena le discharge of the contents of said body by gravity, the combination of a hopper having front and rear walls, means secured to a Wall of said hopper and arranged to cooperate with the said chassis to support lthe entire Weight of said hopper and its contents from said chassis, said hopper being supported in a position to receive the material discharged from the body of said truck and being at all times instantly attachable to or removable from the vehicle.

10. In a spreader for attachment to a truck which includes a chassis and a bod carried by said chassis tiltable relative thereto to enable dischar e of the contents of said body by gravity, t e combination of a hopper having front and rear walls, a pair of arms secured to a wall of said hopper and extending outwardly therefrom, said arms being formed to lit over the cross member of said chassis to support the entire wei ht of the hopper and its contents from the c assis, said hopper being supported to receive the material discharged from said bod and being at all times instantly attacha le to or removable from 'the vehicle.

In testimony whereof we hereby affix our signatures.

CLAUDE H. NABER. CLARENCE HOLLIDAY.

yso

Images